This article is part of our MLB Picks series.
MLB Picks Today: MLB Best Bets for Saturday, July 23
RotoWire.com's Juan Carlos Blanco has dug into the best online sportsbooks across the country to identify his MLB bets and MLB player props to target today.
Last article: 4-1 (2.90 RW Bucks)
Season Record: 47-53-4 (-12.53 RW Bucks)
I'll look to build on last Saturday's strong showing and get the second half of the season off to a good start betting-wise by focusing on one evening matchup in each league.
Minnesota Twins 
at Detroit Tigers 
Starting Pitchers: Joe Ryan vs. Michael Pineda
Ryan was outstanding over the first half of the season, displaying significant reliability while posting a 6-3 record, 2.99 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, .217 xBA and .292 xwOBA. The young right-hander has been at his best on the road – certainly no small feat for a rookie – with a 3-1 mark, 2.90 ERA and 1.13 WHIP across 31 innings. Ryan also stymied the Tigers in one encounter this season by firing seven shutout, one-hit innings during which he recorded a season-high nine strikeouts back on April 27. Detroit did hit right-handers well at home as the first half winded down, but the club still averages the fourth-fewest runs per home game (3.6), including the third fewest per first five innings per home contest (2.0).
Pineda typically does a decent job limiting the damage, though he was walloped by the Guardians for eight runs on nine hits over two innings in his final first-half start. The veteran righty also pitched to some contact in his one prior encounter with the Twins this season by allowing four earned runs on seven hits over five innings in that same April 27 matchup. Moreover, current Minnesota bats have enjoyed their fair share of success against Pineda over their careers, boasting a collective .313/.344/.522 slash line over 60 career plate appearances.
Finally, consider the Twins have a solid 20-17-8 moneyline record in the first five innings on the road this season while the Tigers check in with a 17-24-5 mark in that split at home.
MLB Best Bets for Twins at Tigers
- Twins -0.5 – 1st 5 innings (-130 on DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1.30 RW Bucks
- Tigers Under 1.5 runs – 1st 5 innings (-105 on DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1.05 RW Bucks
San Diego Padres 
at New York Mets 
Starting Pitchers: Blake Snell vs. Chris Bassitt
Snell just can't seem to find his stride this season, and even when it looked like it might turn around following a pair of recent solid back-to-back outings, he was lit up for five runs on four hits and six walks over 3.2 innings by the Rockies at Coors in his final first-half start. The southpaw, who's always been plagued by control issues, now sports a bloated 5.6 BB/9 on the season, including a mammoth 7.8 figure on the road. Snell has also pitched to a 5.87 ERA and 1.65 WHIP in 23 road frames and allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits and three walks across four innings to the Mets in his one encounter with them this year.
Bassitt has been a much steadier hand and checks into his first appearance of the second half having impressively pitched to a 2.41 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 0.8 HR/9 across his last five pre-All-Star-break starts. However, the outing prior to that stretch was a forgettable one against this same Padres squad, one where Bassitt was touched up for seven earned runs on eight hits and two walks in 3.1 innings at normally pitcher-friendly Petco Park. San Diego has been an excellent offense on the road overall, averaging the fifth-most runs per first five innings per away contest (2.69).
Both teams could certainly score enough to send the total over four runs in the first five frames given the numbers just cited, but the Mets also sport an MLB-best 28-7-9 mark against the first five innings moneyline at home.
MLB Best Bets for Padres at Mets
- Mets -0.5 – 1st 5 innings (+100 at DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1 RW Buck
- Over 4 runs – 1st 5 innings (-120 on DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1.20 RW Bucks
MLB Best Bets Today Recap
- Twins -0.5 – 1st 5 innings (-130 on DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1.30 RW Bucks
- Tigers Under 1.5 runs – 1st 5 innings (-105 on DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1.05 RW Bucks
- Mets -0.5 – 1st 5 innings (+100 at DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1 RW Buck
- Padres-Mets Over 4 runs – 1st 5 innings (-120 on DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1.20 RW Bucks
Visit RotoWire all season long for exclusive sports betting picks from our group of handicappers with their expert MLB picks each day of the campaign. Remember that betting apps vary in terms of odds and available player props, so we have an easy-to-use odds page that allows you to shop for the best lines at DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM and PointsBet Promo Code.
