This article is part of our MLB Picks series.
MLB Picks: MLB Best Bets and Player Props for Sunday, June 11
Kansas City Royals vs. Baltimore Orioles
Kansas City's offense has been pretty darn bad in 2023. As as team, they have hit just .230, have struck out at a 24.5 percent clip and sit 28th in the majors in runs scored. Any hope of this offense turning the corner seems bleak considering their .208 batting average since the calendar flipped to June.
Baltimore will send Kyle Gibson to the mound on Sunday. While his numbers won't wow anyone (3.87 ERA, .265 opp avg, 1.32 WHIP), Gibson doesn't have to be Bob Gibson to keep runs off the board, just Kyle Gibson.
Kansas City will have Carlos Hernandez open the game on the mound, in what is looking like a bullpen game for the Royals. That's right, a bullpen game for Kansas City, MLB's 27th best bullpen with a 4.66 ERA.
Whatever lineup configuration that the Orioles go with, I will trust that group to make this game a long one for KC's pitching staff.
MLB Best Bet for Royals at Orioles
- Baltimore Orioles -1.5 runline (+104 FanDuel)
Texas Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Veteran lefty Martin Perez will take the hill for Texas on Sunday, and unfortunately for Perez it will be on the road. Perez has a tidy 1.40 ERA at home, but a messy 5.53 ERA elsewhere. That's quite a wide difference in his home/road splits. If this man has to pack a bag for the road, he's just about ready to pack it in.
Also, Perez's .285 opponent batting average doesn't inspire hope when having to face a Tampa Bay offense that is second in the majors in runs and fourth in batting average.
The Rays' offense has been a well-oiled machine, and there are a few gears that keep this machine firing. Switch-hitting shortstop Wander Franco has bashed lefties this season (.356/.442/.511), and has been more effective in day games, posting an .897 OPS in the day against a .781 OPS in evening contests.
Another gear is Randy Arozarena, who has been a steady presence in the middle of this lineup. With dependable bats such as Yandy Diaz (.315 avg), Franco (.298 avg), and Harold Ramirez (.294 avg) batting ahead of him, Arozarena and his 1.079 OPS against southpaws should do some damage on Sunday.
The Rays should give Perez an early departure. Which Perez might actually want.
MLB Best Props for Rangers at Rays
- Wander Franco OVER 1.5 Hits (+155 FanDuel)
- Randy Arozarena OVER 0.5 RBI (+110 FanDuel)
Cincinnati Reds vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Reds starting pitcher Hunter Greene has been solid of late, allowing just one earned run and striking out 19 batters in his last 12 innings pitched. Greene has also had success in the past against St. Louis' biggest bats, holding Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado to a collective .176 average (3-for-17). But, regardless of the past, Greene is looking like the future ace that Cincinnati was hoping to develop.
Greene's mound opponent, Adam Wainwright is no longer the ace he once was, but the 41-year old will get the nod again on Sunday. Wainwright has certainly looked every bit of 41, posting a 5.97 ERA, a .326 opponent batting average and a 1.74 WHIP.
With all of these young Reds such as Matt McLain, Elly De La Cruz, Jonathan India and Spencer Steer among others, it's not the typical Cincinnati squad that Wainwright is used to facing.
The Reds are looking to the future and are surprisingly just five games shy of .500, while the Cardinals are rolling out an old franchise legend and sitting at the bottom of the NL Central. These teams are trending in opposite directions, but the odds don't seem to reflect it.
MLB Best Bet for Reds at Cardinals
- Cincinnati Reds moneyline (+114 FanDuel)
Best MLB Bets Today Recap
- Baltimore Orioles -1.5 runline (+104 FanDuel)
- Wander Franco OVER 1.5 Hits (+155 FanDuel)
- Randy Arozarena OVER 0.5 RBI (+110 FanDuel)
- Cincinnati Reds moneyline (+114 FanDuel)