This article is part of our MLB Picks series.
MLB Picks Tonight: Expert MLB Bets for September 16
RotoWire.com's Michael Rathburn has dug into the best sports betting sites across the country to identify his MLB bets and MLB player props to target today.
Last Article's Record: 1-2 -0.99 units
Season Record: 180-163-5 +29.21 units
San Diego Padres at Arizona Diamondbacks
Divisional matchups are some of my favorite to handicap because you get a decent sample size on the teams and the pitchers alike. The Padres lead the season series 11-5 and took it last year 11-8.
Blake Snell has owned the Diamondbacks, posting a 0.91 ERA, 47 strikeouts and 10 walks in his last five starts against them. Madison Bumgarner is struggling, posting a 7.68 ERA, 1.82 WHIP and 27:15 K:BB over his last eight starts. He allowed at least four earned runs in seven of those outings.
The Padres are still competing for a playoff spot, while the D'backs are looking towards 2023. The pitching matchup plus the head-to-head record has me on both the Padres and the OVER F5.
MLB Best Bets for Padres at Diamondbacks
- Padres OVER 2.5 runs F5 for 1 RW buck (DraftKings +100)
- Padres -1.5 runs for 1.05 RW buck (FanDuel -105)
Seattle Mariners at Los Angeles Angels
It's a similar situation in this game in that we have a significant mismatch in starting pitching with Robbie Ray facing Michael Lorenzen. Ray posted great numbers in his last five starts against the Angels: a 1.33 ERA, 33 strikeouts and just seven walks. Lorenzen, meanwhile, started twice against Seattle in June and posted a a 10.13 ERA, 2.25 WHIP and 8:7 K:BB over 8.0 frames.
The Mariners are 51-23 since June 21, which is one of the best records in baseball and makes them a threat in the postseason. At the same times, the Angels have been one of the worst teams in baseball in recent months, going just 34-65 since May 25.
MLB Best Bets for Mariners at Angels
- Mariners -1.5 runs for 1.05 RW buck (DraftKings -105)
- Mariners OVER 2.5 runs F5 for 1.10 RW buck (DraftKings -110)
MLB Best Bets Today Recap
- Padres OVER 2.5 runs F5 for 1 RW buck (DraftKings +100)
- Padres -1.5 runs for 1.05 RW buck (FanDuel -105)
- Mariners -1.5 runs for 1.05 RW buck (DraftKings -105)
- Mariners OVER 2.5 runs F5 for 1.10 RW buck (DraftKings -110)
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 MLB player props, so we have an easy-to-use MLB odds page that allows you to shop for the best lines at DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM and PointsBet.
Before you place your bets, be sure to use all of RotoWire's MLB resources, like our MLB Lineups page, MLB Weather page, and the best batter vs. pitcher stats.