MLB Picks Today:
Expert baseball handicapper Greg Peterson shares his top MLB picks today for Sunday, August 24.
Check out Greg’s Daily MLB Lines and his Baseball Betting Show Podcast. Also, check out our MLB Betting Splits and our new tools from Ballpark Pal, including Strikeout Prop Projections and the MLB YRFI Report.
12:05 PM Eastern
Colorado Rockies vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes is currently the odds-on favorite to win the National League Cy Young Award, and for good reason. He’s posting a 2.16 ERA with 10.2 strikeouts and just 0.2 home runs allowed per nine innings. He faces a Rockies lineup that ranks last in road on-base percentage and last in scoring on the road with three runs per game. The Pirates, however, are also last in the league in total scoring with 3.55 runs per game entering Saturday, but they may get to face Rockies minor league pitcher McCabe Brown and a bullpen that ranks 29th in ERA at 5.33.
Pick: Colorado Rockies vs. Pittsburgh Pirates Under 8 Runs (Greg’s Handicapped Total 7.2)
1:35 PM Eastern
New York Mets vs. Atlanta Braves
Mets starting pitcher David Peterson has been excellent at limiting hard contact this season, posting a 3.18 ERA with just 0.6 home runs allowed per nine innings. Braves starter Bryce Elder, on the other hand, is in a brutal slump with a 6.29 ERA, 1.5 home runs, and 3.5 walks per nine innings allowed. Over his last 11 starts, Elder has surrendered 54 runs across 54 1/3 innings, giving up at least four runs in seven of those outings.
Pick: Mets Moneyline -117 (Greg’s Handicap Mets Moneyline -153)
1:40 PM Eastern
Toronto Blue Jays vs. Miami Marlins
Marlins starting pitcher Eury Perez has been at his best at home this season. Overall, he has a 3.48 ERA with one home run allowed and 9.2 strikeouts per nine innings, but at home, that drops to a 2.08 ERA with zero home runs allowed in 26 innings. Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman owns a 3.78 ERA with 1.2 home runs and 2.6 walks allowed per nine innings, backed by a lineup that sees its production dip from nearly 5.3 runs per game at home to just over 4.5 runs per game on the road.
Picks: Marlins Moneyline +120 and Under 8 Runs (Greg’s Handicap Marlins +106 and Total 7.9)
2:35 PM Eastern
Cleveland Guardians vs. Texas Rangers
Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams has a 3.28 ERA but also carries a 4.48 fielding independent due to command issues, allowing 1.2 home runs and 4.6 walks per nine innings. Rangers starter Merrill Kelly has been far more consistent, allowing two runs or fewer in four of his past five starts while posting a 3.35 ERA with 1.1 home runs and 2.6 walks allowed per nine innings. He faces a Guardians lineup that ranks 26th in the league in scoring at just 3.9 runs per game.
Pick: Rangers Moneyline -128 (Greg’s Handicap Rangers Moneyline -152)
4:07 PM Eastern
Los Angeles Angels vs. Chicago Cubs
Cubs starter Jameson Taillon looked sharp in his first MLB start since June, allowing one run over six innings against the Brewers on Tuesday. He now faces an Angels lineup that ranks 29th in home on-base percentage at .302. Former Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks gets the ball for the Angels, carrying a rough 4.93 ERA with 1.5 home runs and 2.4 walks per nine innings. Since the All-Star Break, the Cubs’ offense has been last in MLB, averaging just over 3.6 runs per game.
Pick: Los Angeles Angels vs. Chicago Cubs Under 9.5 Runs (Greg’s Handicapped Total 9.1)
4:10 PM Eastern
Cincinnati Reds vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen has struggled this season with a 5.28 ERA, 1.6 home runs, and 3.1 walks per nine innings. He’s backed by a bullpen that ranks 27th with a 4.83 ERA. Reds starter Brady Singer has been steadier, posting a 4.18 ERA while limiting opponents to just one home run per nine innings. He’s allowed three earned runs or fewer in 14 of his past 17 starts, including one run or fewer in four of his last five.
Pick: Reds Moneyline +118 (Greg’s Handicap Reds Moneyline -108)
Oakland Athletics vs. Seattle Mariners
Mariners starter Logan Gilbert has been one of the best strikeout pitchers in baseball, posting a 3.83 ERA with a 3.26 fielding independent and 12.3 strikeouts per nine innings. His ERA improves dramatically at home, where he owns a 2.22 mark. Athletics starter Jacob Lopez has been terrific lately, allowing just two earned runs across his past five starts. He carries a 3.28 ERA overall but has a 3.82 fielding independent with 1.3 home runs allowed per nine innings, backed by a bullpen that ranks 28th with a 4.94 ERA.
Pick: Mariners Run Line -1.5 +130 (Greg’s Handicap Mariners Run Line -1.5 -102)
