The following MLB betting trends are a collection of analytical data, betting systems and strength ratings featured on VSiN and qualified for the MLB games of Friday, October 24, 2025. This report is meant to emulate the process that Steve Makinen and other members of the VSiN Analytics team undergo when handicapping each day’s MLB board.

 

AJ’s Angles

These are the top MLB betting trends and systems for today’s games, handpicked by VSiN Analyst AJ Makinen. 

* Dating back to 2007, World Series home underdogs of +120 or more have gone just 1-8 (-6.45 Units, -71.7%)
System Match (FADE): TORONTO (+129 vs LAD) 

* For 2025, teams with strong bullpens (SM rating of 10 or higher) and an elite starting pitcher with a SM rating of +20 or more went 360-219 for +27.49 units, when not matched against the same. This represents an ROI of +4.7%.
System Match (PLAY): LA DODGERS (-158 at TOR)

The MLB postseason is a 12-team tournament made up of four rounds, with each round being played as a series with progressively more games the deeper you get. Perhaps unlike any other sport, because of the huge 162-game regular season schedule, the stakes of each and every MLB postseason game are enhanced tremendously, and as such, some different or additional handicapping strategies should be employed. With that in mind, one of the key factors in getting ready for these games is to know the history and the trends/systems that have developed in recent years. Let’s dig into the key betting results from recent MLB playoff seasons to see if we can’t uncover nuggets that will help make these playoffs a profitable one.

Overall MLB Postseason Trends

Line angles

–  Road favorites of -140 or higher are on a 34-20 SU run since 2001 (+3.54 units, ROI: +6.6%)
System Match (PLAY): LA DODGERS (-158 at TOR)

Series wins status

–  Home field has also proven somewhat advantageous in series that are even, as hosts in this situation have gone 91-82 on run lines (+21.52 units, ROI: 12.4%) since 2015.
System Match (PLAY): TORONTO (+1.5 vs LAD)

Totals angles

–  The last four MLB postseasons have been very good for Over bettors, as that side of the total has gone 98-94-1, Overs have produced a return of +20.02 units, an ROI of 10.4%. Total odds have been heavily shaded towards Unders in recent postseasons.
System Match (PLAY OVER): LAD-TOR (o/u at 7.5)

MLB World Series Betting Systems

Over the last 20+ years of World Series action, several nice betting systems have emerged. You know you’re going to bet the games, so why not arm yourself with key data that has won recently?

WORLD SERIES system #1:
Home field advantage hasn’t meant a lot in recent World Series action, with hosts on a 19-29 slide in the last 48 opportunities dating back to 2016 (-18.65 Units, -38.9% ROI)
System Match (FADE): TORONTO (+129 vs LAD)

WORLD SERIES system #2:
Dating back to 2007, World Series home underdogs of +120 or more have gone just 1-8 (-6.45 Units, -71.7%)
System Match (FADE): TORONTO (+129 vs LAD)

WORLD SERIES system #6:
World Series Game 1 home teams are on a 10-4 run (69.2%, +4.8 Units, 34.3% ROI)
System Match (PLAY): TORONTO (+129 vs LAD)

MLB Bullpen Systems

The following systems and qualifying plays are from the weekly update series on handicapping MLB teams using Steve Makinen’s bullpen strength ratings.

STARTER/BULLPEN CORRELATION SYSTEMS

Teams with strong bullpens (SM rating of 10 or higher) and an elite starting pitcher with a SM rating of +20 or more went 352-210 for +30.55 units, when not matched against the same. This represents an ROI of +5.4% (8-9, -3.06 units in the 2025 playoffs).
System Match (PLAY): LA DODGERS (-158 at TOR) 

Worse bullpen teams continue to struggle in extending winning streaks
I have found that fading teams with a lesser SM bullpen ratings that were looking to extend winning streaks is also a strong strategy. In the 2023 and 2024 regular seasons, on two-game winning streaks, the teams with worse Steve Makinen Bullpen Ratings in a matchup have gone 428-485 for -78.6 units, an ROI of -8.6%. For 2025, they were 220-211 for +18.9 units (ROI 4.4%) (1-2, -1.11 units in the 2025 playoffs).
System Match (FADE): TORONTO (+129 vs LAD) 

Better bullpen teams are capable of building lengthy winning streaks
In conducting a study of teams with better bullpens on winning streaks in 2023, when looking at teams with better Steve Makinen Bullpen Ratings looking to extend three-game winning streaks, I tracked that those teams that went 241-168 for +11.33 units, a respectable ROI of 2.7%. For 2024, better bullpen teams on a three-game winning streak went 200-187 for -64.18 units (-16.6% ROI). This was a massive one-year swing for this system, and it was removed from the Analytics Report. However, I gave it a chance in 2025 and it recovered nicely, going 259-194 for +23.34 units and an ROI of 5.2% (4-5 for -2.06 units in the 2025 playoffs).
System Match (PLAY): LA DODGERS (-158 at TOR) 

Strategies Using MLB DraftKings Betting Splits Data

One of the most touted features on the VSiN.com website, and a feature that we believe to be a fantastic resource for bettors, is the betting splits pages. These are the pages that we have built utilizing the data that DraftKings so graciously provides to us, detailing the breakdowns of the money & ticket splits for point spreads, money lines, and totals. 

In an article published on the VSiN.com website prior to opening day, Steve Makinen outlined 10 different systematic strategies for successfully using the DK Betting Splits Data that were developed in the 2023/2024 season. Here are the systems and qualifying plays for today’s game as of 10:00 a.m. ET. These can and will change, so continue to track and qualify the systems up until first pitch for best usage. 

DK MLB Betting Splits system #6: Majority handle bettors have been at their worst overall in interleague games since the start of 2023, going 910-839 (52%) but for -206.24 units and an ROI of -11.8%. This is about four full percentage points worse for return and an indication that bettors have trouble gauging the strengths/motivations of the teams when playing unfamiliar opponents.
System Match (FADE): LA DODGERS (-158 at TOR) 

DK MLB Betting Splits system #9: Majority handle bettors have endured two consecutive terrible playoff seasons in 2023 and 2024, with a combined record of 38-43 (46.9%) for -18.84 UNITS and an ROI of -23.3%. These are typically high bet volume games, so bettors have lost big in October.
System Match (FADE): LA DODGERS (-158 at TOR) 

MLB Extreme Stats Systems

The following systems and qualifying plays are from the article titled MLB Extreme Stats Systems, detailing eight different betting systems for betting teams based upon noteworthy stats they accumulated in their previous game 

NO QUALIFYING EXTREME STATS SYSTEMS TODAY

MLB Streak Systems

The following systems and qualifying plays are from the 2023 midseason article titled Handicapping MLB Streaks, detailing 14 different systems for betting teams on winning or losing streaks. 

Winning Streak Betting System #6:
Oddly, teams that score the most runs per game are the best to fade to see their four-game winning streak reach five. Teams scoring 5.0 or more runs per game and riding a four-game winning streak are just 138-135 (-51.36 units, ROI: -18.8%) in the next contest since the start of the 2021 season.
System Match (FADE): LA DODGERS (-158 at TOR) 

Today’s MLB Strength Ratings

The following MLB betting trends are taken from today’s MAKINEN DAILY RATINGS page under the MLB tab on VSiN.com. 

Today’s UNDERPRICED UNDERDOG (15 points or more) according to the Makinen Strength Ratings projections:
Ratings Match: TORONTO +129 (+15 diff) 

Today’s BIGGEST TOTAL PROJECTIONS FAVORING OVER (0.5 runs or more) according to the Makinen Strength Ratings projections:
Ratings Match: LAD-TOR OVER 7.5 (+0.7) 

Team/Pitcher Situational MLB Betting Trend Spots

The following situational MLB betting trends and qualifying plays look at how today’s teams and starting pitchers have performed in similar spots. 

(921) LOS ANGELES-NL (102-70) at (922) TORONTO (101-72)
Trend: NL Teams have covered the run line in each of the last six World Series Game 1s
Trend Match (PLAY): LA DODGERS (-1.5 at TOR)

Trend: LAD has won nine straight road games after starting the year just 36-40
Stat: Blake Snell has a 0.86 ERA in 21 IP this postseason, also a 2.70 ERA in 10 IP in his two previous World Series appearances
Trend/Stat Match (PLAY): LA DODGERS (-158 at TOR)

Trend: TOR was the best team in MLB this season in night games (64-38, +21.28 units)
Trend Match (PLAY): TORONTO (+129 vs LAD)

Stat: Rookie Trey Yesavage has a 4.20 ERA in 15 IP this postseason, also a 3.21 ERA in 14 IP this regular season
Stat Match (SLIGHT FADE): TORONTO (+129 vs LAD)

Series #1: Los Angeles Dodgers at Toronto Blue Jays
Trend: LA DODGERS are 4-2 (+1.07 units) versus Toronto in the last two seasons
Trend Match (PLAY): LA DODGERS (-158 at TOR)

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