This article is part of our MLB Picks series.
MLB Picks Tonight: MLB Best Bets for Saturday, September 17
RotoWire.com's Juan Carlos Blanco identifies his MLB bets and MLB player props to target today.
Last article: 5-0 (+5.78 RW Bucks)
Season Record: 85-84-4 (-10.21 RW Bucks)
I'm focusing on a pair of NL matchups Saturday night that feature some lopsided pitching matchups for the home and visiting team, respectively.
Pittsburgh Pirates 
at New York Mets 
The Pirates have the NL's second-worst record at 55-90 and are stuck playing out the string on a miserable season. They send Bryse Wilson, owner of a 3-8 record, 6.03 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 1.7 HR/9 among other undesirable metrics, to the hill against a Mets team that got to him for four runs on seven hits, including two homers, over six innings two starts ago. Wilson has pitched better of late than some of his season-long numbers imply, but he still allows the long ball with regularity and has conceded a collective .289 average and .894 OPS to current New York bats over 41 career encounters.
Chris Bassitt has mostly been as good as advertised in his first season in the Big Apple, although he's coming off a rough outing against the Cubs (3.2 IP, 5 H, 5 ER) last time out. However, the right-hander has bounced back from his handful of stumbles this season with especially strong efforts the next time out, and he boasts an impressive 3.14 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 0.8 HR/9 across 94.2 innings at home this season. What's more, the Pirates own a 25.7 percent strikeout rate, .227 average and .295 wOBA against righties on the road in the last month and average a sparse 1.96 runs per first five innings per road game, the fifth-lowest figure in MLB.
Finally, consider Bassitt allowed just a single run on five hits and recorded 10 strikeouts against the Pirates over seven innings at PNC Park two starts ago.
MLB Best Bets for Pirates at Mets
- Pirates Under 1.5 runs – 1st 5 innings (-155 on DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1.55 RW Bucks
- Chris Bassitt Over 18.5 outs recorded (+125 on BetMGM Sportsbook) for 1 RW Buck
Los Angeles Dodgers 
at San Francisco Giants 
Julio Urias continues to roll along as the postseason approaches, now sporting a 16-7 record, 2.30 ERA and 0.95 WHIP while riding into Saturday's turn with a streak of 10 consecutive quality starts in tow. That stretch includes a pair of particularly dominant outings against the Giants in which he's tossed a pair of six-inning shutouts while posting an 11:2 K:BB. That's par for the course for Urias against San Francisco, whose current bats he's held to a collective .198 average and .514 OPS over 138 career encounters. The Giants struggle against lefties in general, posting an MLB-high 29.3 percent strikeout rate and .299 wOBA against southpaws at home since the All-Star break.
Sean Hjelle is slated to return to the majors for this game and will serve as the primary pitcher after an opener for the Giants. Hjelle was successful in that role his last time out, limiting the Brewers to an earned run on three hits over five innings while recording six strikeouts on Sept. 8, but he's now running into a Dodgers squad that has a .336 wOBA against right-handed pitching on the road since the All-Star break and is averaging a joint MLB-high 2.97 runs per first five innings per road game.
MLB Best Bets for Dodgers at Giants
- Dodgers -0.5 – 1st 5 innings (-180 on DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1.80 RW Bucks
- Julio Urias Over 5.5 strikeouts thrown (-105 on DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1.05 RW Bucks
MLB Best Bets Today Recap
- Pirates Under 1.5 runs – 1st 5 innings (-155 on DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1.55 RW Bucks
- Chris Bassitt Over 18.5 outs recorded (+125 on BetMGM Sportsbook) for 1 RW Buck
- Dodgers -0.5 – 1st 5 innings (-180 on DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1.80 RW Bucks
- Julio Urias Over 5.5 strikeouts thrown (-105 on DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1.05 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.
