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Rounding the Bases: MLB Straight Up Picks for Every Game Today (Bet Dodgers as Road Underdogs)

Saturday's MLB slate is headlined by the battle between the two favorites to win the World Series, the Dodgers against the Yankees in the Bronx.

The World Series preview in June takes center stage as all of Major League Baseball is in action on Saturday. Lucky for you, we have commentary on how to bet every game!

Keep reading to find out how we view each game on the Saturday slate.

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Pick: Mets (+150)

There’s some variance baked into this game with it being played in London as part of MLB’s London Series.

With a short center field fence and the wind projected to be blowing out at London Stadium, this can be a short outing for the likes of Ranger Suarez, who is driving most of the opening odds in this game.

Pick: Twins (-120)

Simeon Woods Richardson continues to thrive for the Twins in his first full season with the club, posting a 3.04 ERA while showcasing excellent control, posting a walk rate of only six percent. The Minnesota starter will match up against Pirates opener Carmen Mlodzinski, who will put a ton of pressure on the Pittsburgh below average bullpen.

With the pitching edge, including a better pen, I’ll take the Twins as short road favorites.

Pick: Nationals (+120)

MacKenzie Gore has been outstanding this season, striking out a career best 27.3% of batters with a career low 3.57 ERA.

The former Padres prized prospect is starting to see perform like it and now draws a Braves team that is struggling without Ronald Acuna Jr, who tore his ACL and is out for the year. Atlanta is hitting only .211 in June.

Pick: Athletics (+135)

The Blue Jays remain a non starter for me as a road favorite, even against the lowly A’s.

Kevin Gausman has been overvalued all season, and Toronto is only 6-6 in his 12 starts. The right hander has an ERA of 4.60 while his xERA is far worse at 5.26, per MLBStatcast. He is striking out only 22% of batters, the lowest rate since 2018, and remains a worthy fade.

Pick: Brewers (-165)

Freddy Peralta has been outstanding this season, striking out nearly a third of the batters he has faced while keeping his walk rate below eight percent, about the big league average.

It’ll be tough sledding for the Tigers lineup that is bottom third in Major League Baseball in OPS while the Brewers are far better at generating run support for its pitching staff, fourth in the same metric.

Pick: Royals (+115)

The Royals rallied to win 10-9 on Friday, and the team remains a great bet at home, 23-10 at Kauffman Stadium this season.

Kansas City will have a stiff test against Luis Castillo, but the Royals ability to generate power is notable considering Castillo has allowed a barrel percentage in the 28th percentile this season, per MLBStatcast, and allows a high fly ball rate of over 60%.

Pick: Rays (+115)

Both starters have missed time this season, with different results, but I’m betting on it going in a different direction on Saturday.

Kyle Bradish of the Orioles has made six starts and has been pitching the best baseball of his career. He is striking out 32% of batters, way above his career average, while allowing a hard-hit percentage of only 25%, 99th percentile in the big leagues.

While it’s a fantastic start for a league average pitcher, regression will come for him soon.

I’ll try here, on the road against a Rays team that has pop in the lineup and a pitcher who has a high ceiling in Taj Bradley. The hard throwing right hander hasn’t had good results this season, his xERA is hovering around 7.00, but i believe he can outperform expectations given the Orioles have the third fewest walks on the year.

Pick: Reds (-120)

The Cubs’ skid has continued while the Reds have won six straight, so I’ll side with the hot home team.

It also helps that Chicago is bottom 10 in OPS against left handers this season as the team faces Reds’ starter Andrew Abbott.

Pick:Red Sox (-205)

Chicago snapped a 13 game skid on Friday, but I’m not counting on two wins in a row.

Pick: Rockies (+160)

Can Kyle Gibson justify this price tag? The veteran pitcher has a 3.69 ERA that is supported by a 4.99 xERA with a walk rate hovering around 10%.

For what it’s worth, Ryan Feltner pitches better on the road than at the hitter friendly Coors Field, so I can get behind him outperforming expectations.

Pick: Dodgers (+105)

The two best teams in baseball continue its weekend series, and I’ll side with the road underdog given the Yankees’ overall fitness with Juan Soto’s status in doubt for the foreseeable future.

If New York’s lineup isn’t at its best, it’ll be tough to keep up with the Dodgers, who have the highest OPS against left handed pitching this season.

Pick: Guardians (-160)

Cleveland is the far more talented side here and should have little issue snagging a road win.

Ben Lively’s strikeout rate is at a career high of 23% and the Guardians have the clear offensive edge, 11th in OPS against the Marlins, who check in 29th.

Pick: Diamondbacks (+125)

I’ll take Arizona to stay hot in June, winners of five of six, at an underdog price.

Ryne Nelson isn’t a strikeout-focused pitcher, only 14.9%, but he has limited his walks to only six percent, which is impactful against a Padres team that is reliant on drawing walks to get runners on base. Nelson’s ERA is also due to come down from his mark of 5.44, with an xERA of 4.77.

Pick: Astros (-165)

Angels starter Tyler Anderson has been among the best pitchers in baseball, but I expect a tough summer for the veteran left hander.

He has an ERA of 2.37, which is staggering to see given some of his other numbers, including a 16% strikeout rate and 10% walk rate. Meanwhile, his xERA is 4.49, making him ripe for a few blow ups as the season continues.

I’ll count on Saturday against a Houston lineup that is top five in OPS against southpaws.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

7 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Every MLB Team’s World Series Odds Through First Two Months of 2024 Season

We're officially more than two months into the 2024 Major League Baseball season so it's time to take a step back and take a look at the futures markets.

What teams have underperformed? What teams are a surprising contender? Are there any teams we should bet on now or are there a few we should stay away from?

In this article, we're going to take a look at the latest World Series odds for all 32 teams. Let's dive into it. All odds listed in this article are via FanDuel Sportsbook.

The Dodgers, despite underperforming by their standards, are still set as the World Series favorites at +260, which is an implied probability of 27.78%. There's no denying the talent this roster has and they're still playing well enough to have a hefty lead on the NL West.

The New York Yankees have been the best team in baseball through the first two months. Their pitching has been sharp and their offense, specifically the play of Juan Soto and Aaron Judge, has been unbelievable. If I were to pick one team to win it all at this point of the season, I'd pick the Yankees.

The Phillies have the best record in the National League at 44-19. They have a great chance to yet again go on a deep playoff run.

The injury bug has bitten the Braves, most notably Ronald Acuna Jr., who will miss the rest of the 2024 season. There's still plenty of time for them to rally and there's a reason they're still fourth on the odds list to win it all.

The Orioles are still well behind the Yankees in the AL East, but at 39-22, they'll be back in the playoffs once again.

The Seattle Mariners lead the AL West, but their offense needs to wake up if they want to be true World Series contenders in 2024.

The AL Central was supposed to be the worst division in baseball, but as of writing this article, four of the five teams are at .500 or above, including the Minnesota Twins at 33-29.

The Houston Astros don't look like the same contender they once were. Their metrics are still respectable and their offense has woken up in recent weeks. If there's one team that has got off to a slow start that I could see getting hot in the second half of the season, it's the Astros.

The Cleveland Guardians are eye-popping 40-21 as of writing this article. While that's impressive, I wouldn't be surprised if he saw some regression from this team in the second half of the season.

The Milwaukee Brewers lead the NL Central and have had one of the better offenses through the first two months of the season. They are a team to watch in the National League.

It's been a bad start to the season for the defending World Series champions. Their offense has been middling and their bullpen continues to cost them games. They need to find a way to turn the ship around or they're going to fail to make the playoffs.

The Kansas City Royals might be the single most surprising team in the Majors this season at 37-26. Not only has their record been good, but they have the metrics to back it up. Between strong offensive statistics and more than one Cy Young candidate in their rotation, the Royals could be a Cinderella story in 2024.

The Blue Jays may be the most disappointing team in the Majors. Despite looking like a talented squad on paper, their offense has been without teeth and their bullpen has been abysmal. On top of that, their rotation hasn't been nearly as good as it was last year. Time is running out for Toronto.

I feel sorry for Mets fans. It's been a disaster of a season and they're already 16.5 games back from the Phillies in the NL East.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

5 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Athletics Drub Hapless Marlins 20-4 to Unexpectedly Reach .500 for Season

Off the field, the Oakland Athletics are a mess, pushing through a relocation to Las Vegas unwanted by nearly all except boss John Fisher and MLB's other 29 owners.

On the field, to the shock of the baseball world, the Athletics are doing just fine.

On Saturday, Oakland raised eyebrows on a crowded sports day by destroying the Miami Marlins 20–4 at the Oakland Coliseum—a win that moved the team to .500 on the season.

Before 7,809 fans, the Athletics jumped on the Marlins with 10 runs in the third inning to take a 12–0 lead. The offense never slowed down, racking up 21 hits on the day. Seven players had multi-hit efforts.

Key contributors for the Athletics included pitcher Paul Blackburn, who threw seven innings of one-run ball to move to 3–1 on the season, and designated hitter Brent Rooker, who drove in five of Oakland's 20 runs.

While the Athletics moved within a game and a half of first place in the AL West, Miami dropped to an abysmal 9–26.

4 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Marlins Exec Makes Blunt Statement After Trading Luis Arráez to Padres

Miami Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix didn't mince words when reflecting on the trade he completed Friday night.

"We are unlikely to make the playoffs this year," Bendix bluntly said to reporters in a press conference.

Marlins President of Baseball Operations Peter Bendix responded to the Luis Arraez trade
(via @CraigMish) pic.twitter.com/Kc5sVyyU8E
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 4, 2024

The Marlins traded two-time batting champion Luis Arráez to the San Diego Padres in exchange for three prospects and reliever Woo-Suk Go.

Arraez was a staple in the Marlins' lineup since the team acquired him in a trade in January 2023, batting .343/.384/.450 across 180 games with Miami. He'll now join a Padres team attempting to keep up with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.

The Marlins were one of baseball's most surprising stories last year, winning 84 games and making the playoffs as a wild-card team. But they got off to a horrendous start in 2024, dropping their first nine games and 16 of their first 20.

Entering Saturday's slate of games, the Marlins are 9–25 and in last place in the NL West, 13 1/2 games behind the first-place Philadelphia Phillies. Fangraphs currently gives the Marlins just a 0.5% chance to make the playoffs.

There's a long way to go in the regular season—128 games remain on the Marlins' schedule—but Bendix is right. Miami probably won't make the playoffs. It's why one of baseball's best contact hitters is now wearing brown and gold in San Diego.

4 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Prospect Learned He Was Part of Luis Arraez Trade While Standing on Second Base

Miami Marlins infielder Luis Arraez was reportedly traded to the San Diego Padres in exchange for three prospects and a relief pitcher on Friday night. Well, one of the prospects, Nathan Martorella, a first baseman for the Padres' Double-A affiliate, the San Antonio Missions, learned that he was included in the deal in perhaps the most unexpected way possible.

Martorella, who had just lined a single to right field in the top of the third inning of the Missions' game against the Arkansas Travelers, advanced to second on a walk and was standing on second base when Missions manager Luke Montz emerged from the dugout and signaled for a pinch runner to replace a confused-looking Martorella.

Martorella and outfielder Jakob Marsee, who was also included in the Arraez deal, then said goodbye to their Missions teammates before jogging off the field to the clubhouse.

Nathan Martorella was on second base when he got traded to the Marlins
He and Jakob Marsee then said bye to teammates on the field during the third inning pic.twitter.com/bjN8qwkhlE
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) May 4, 2024

Kudos to Martorella and Marsee for making the best of the situation, and props to broadcaster Steven Davis for his outstanding call of the moment.

Along with Martorella and Marsee, the Padres also dealt outfield prospect Dillon Head and relief pitcher Woo Suk-Go to the Marlins for Arraez, a two-time National League batting champion.

4 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Padres to Acquire Luis Arráez in Trade With Marlins, per Report

Luis Arráez is on the move again.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Friday that the Miami Marlins are expected to trade Arráez to the San Diego Padres in exchange for three prospects and a relief pitcher. According to Marlins insider Craig Mish, San Diego will send outfield prospects Dillon Head and Jakob Marsee, first baseman Nathan Martorella and relief pitcher Woo-Suk Go to Miami in the deal.

BREAKING: The San Diego Padres are nearing a deal to acquire second baseman Luis Arraez from the Miami Marlins for a package of three prospects and a relief pitcher, a source familiar with the deal tells ESPN. The trade is in medical review but is expected to be finalized soon.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) May 4, 2024

The trade is not yet official.

Arráez, who won the AL batting title in 2022, was traded by the Minnesota Twins to Miami in January of 2023. The two-time All-Star infielder won the '23 NL batting title with the Marlins, hitting .354 in 147 games.

In 33 games this season, Arráez is hitting .299/.347/.372 with eight doubles and one triple.

Arráez plays primarily at second base but also can play at first base, third base and the corner outfield. He joins a Padres team that entered Friday night's slate 16–18 and in second place in the NL West.

3 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Colorado Rockies Have Now Somehow Trailed in All 31 of Their Games

The Colorado Rockies jumped on Miami Marlins' Edward Cabrera and scored three first-inning runs Thursday and had a great opportunity to snap one of the more astounding current streaks in sports. A wire-to-wire victory — unremarkable yet still elusive — appeared to be in reach. But as has happened in each of the Rockies' first 31 games this season, they played their way into a deficit. This time it didn't happen until the bottom of the 10th inning when Miami's Jesús Sánchez walked things off with a single to send Colorado to 7-24 on the campaign and keep the unenviable streak alive.

The Rockies are the first team since 1900 to trail in each of their first 31 games. With each game they add on to the record, having blown past the 1910 St. Louis Browns who stumbled out of the gates in their first 28 games. One would have to go all the way back to Sept. 26, 2023 to find the last time they enjoyed a lead in a Major League Baseball game. Which is not ideal.

Expectations were pretty low for the Rockies coming off a 59-103 campaign last season but no one could have expected this. The hitting hasn't been atrocious but the pitching is another story. Colorado currently carries a 5.92 ERA, easily the worst in baseball and much higher than even the Chicago White Sox (5.15).