This article is part of our MLB Picks series.
MLB Best Bets Today: Free MLB Expert Picks for Thursday, June 9
RotoWire.com's Walter Hand has dug into the best online sportsbooks across the country to identify his MLB bets and MLB player props to target today.
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Tampa Bay Rays
McClanahan has been tremendous this year, pitching to a 2.10 ERA and 0.92 WHIP while striking out 89 batters in just 64.1 innings. He has completed 6+ innings in each of his last four starts, while recording the win in four of his last five starts (with the Rays winning all five games). Going back a little further, he has completed the required 5.0 innings in nine consecutive starts now. Meanwhile, Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas started the year hot, but has cooled off noticeably of late, allowing 21 baserunners and 10 earned runs (over 10.2 innings) in his two most recent starts. With the Rays listed as heavy -180 favorites at home, let's turn that heavy minus into a nice plus with the efficient Shane McClanahan.
MLB Bets for Rays-Cardinals
- Shane McClanahan to record a Win, +140 (DraftKings)
Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago White Sox
It's not often you see White Sox starter Dylan Cease listed as a home underdog, but he has been very inconsistent of late and seems just as likely to throw in a clunker as he does to pitch well. His walk rate has increased significantly of late, as he allowed an astounding seven free passes in his most recent start at Tampa, and four versus the Cubs prior to that. Meanwhile, his strikeout rate has dropped off recently also, as Cease had been flirting with double digits from late April to mid-May, but has now recorded five strikeouts or less in each of his last three appearances. Moving over to Dodgers starter Tyler Anderson, he's been outstanding recently, not allowing a single run in any of his last three starts (totaling 20 innings). He has also logged 6+ innings in each of his last five starts and has recorded the Win in six of his last seven starts. With his Win Price being offered at +195 (not bad for a Dodgers team that is 18-10 on the road), and Cease not pitching very well at the moment, this looks like good value on Tyler Anderson.
MLB Bets for Dodgers-White Sox
- Tyler Anderson to record a Win, +195 (Draft Kings)
Colorado Rockies at San Francisco Giants
This is a decent number on Logan Webb here, with the home Giants listed as -275 favorites on the moneyline. While Webb hasn't been particularly sharp this year (allowing 3+ runs in a pretty consistent manner), and while he hasn't recorded a win in any of his last four starts (even while jumping out to an early lead vs. Miami in his last weekend), he may be in line for some run support today, as Rockies starter Austin Gomber has fared very poorly vs. the Giants. Gomber allowed 5 earned runs over 5.1 innings in his previous visit to San Francisco this year, and note that he allowed 16 earned runs (over 3 starts) versus the Giants last year. With that taken into account, and with the Giants moneyline being where it is today, let's take plus-money on Logan Webb to ring up the Win today.
MLB Bets for Rockies at Giants
- Logan Webb to record a Win, +120 (DraftKings)
Atlanta Braves vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Similar to the play listed above, the Braves moneyline is being offered at -275 in this home game vs. the Pirates. For his part, Braves starter Max Fried has been excellent, logging a 2.74 era and 1.01 whip so far this season. He also comes into this game red-hot, having allowed just one earned run over his last two starts (totaling 14 innings), with one of those starts coming in Coors Field. Unfortunately, Fried hasn't had much success in the Win department recently, recording the Win just once over his last five starts (a stretch that included three Braves wins). That being said, Fried has completed 6+ innings in each of his last nine starts, and the Braves are streaking right now, winners of six games in a row. Meanwhile, opposing starter JT Brubaker has been inconsistent at best, most recently allowing 9 baserunners, 5 earned runs, and 3 home runs to the Diamondbacks (over just 4 innings) in his latest start. With a huge discount from the Braves moneyline price, let's go with Max Fried to pitch reasonably deep into this game and leave with a lead.
MLB Bets for Braves-Pirates
- Max Fried to record a Win, -105 (DraftKings)
RotoWire record:
30-34, -3.70 units
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