Our free MLB Picks are out for Sunday, August 8th, 2021! Make sure you check our MLB Picks before the action kicks off.
Look below to find our free MLB Picks for the five best games on today’s schedule!
Tampa Bay Rays @ Baltimore Orioles – 1.05PM ET
The Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays conclude their three-game series at Oriole Park this afternoon. This AL East clash between the top and bottom of the division has seen, unsurprisingly the Rays win both clashes, but what will happen in this one?
Tim Newton
Tampa Bay has been far too good through the first two games of this series, winning by a combined 22-9 and I like them to go on with it again in this one. The Rays may have Michael Wacha starting, and he has been dreadful, but the Orioles Jorge Lopez on the mound and he is just as bad, if not worse. The difference in this game is the fact that Tampa Bay’s offensive lineup is far superior and will be the difference between the two sides in this one. Given the lack of quality in the pitching decisions, this should be another high scoring clash but the Rays’ class will get the job done.
Tim’s MLB Pick: Tampa Bay Rays -1.5 / Over 10.5 (+220)
He got ALL of that one
Wandered all the way into the street pic.twitter.com/iDC5LORooB
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) August 8, 2021
Katherine Mouradian
It has been a dominant performance from the Rays in both clashes with the Orioles, with the Rays winning the first game 10-6 and the second game 12-3. The stats here all support the Rays, which it too be expected, seeing though they are the top team in the AL East. The Rays have won 44 of their previous 62 games that were played on a Sunday, and when it comes to the third game of the series, the Rays have won 36 of their previous 51. Looking at the Orioles now, they have won 22 of their previous 71 games played on grass, and just 16 out of their previous 54 games at home when playing a right handed starter. The Rays are a good enough team to get the job done on Sunday, expect more of the same in this clash.
Katherine’s MLB Pick: Tampa Bay Rays -1.5 (-111)
Boston Red Sox @ Toronto Blue Jays – 1.07PM ET
The Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays conclude their four-game series in the Rogers Centre this afternoon, with the series sitting at 2-1 in favour of Toronto, after the Reds Sox managed to squeeze out a narrow 2-1 victory in the third game.
Tim Newton
Boston has scored just six runs through the first three games against the Blue Jays and their offensive struggles may let them down in the fourth, and final, game of this series. Hyun Jin Ryu is on the mound for Toronto and his 3.22 ERA should do more than enough against an out of form Red Sox lineup. Especially when Toronto’s lineup is one of the best in the league, scored 12 runs in the series opener and has Garrett Richards starting against them in this one. Richards is having an awful season, putting up a 5.21 ERA and giving up at least four runs in each of the two games he has played against Toronto this season. That is a recipe for disaster for a Boston team that has well and truly lost grip with the top spot of the division and is trending in the wrong direction.
Tim’s MLB Pick: Toronto Blue Jays (-220)
Katherine Mouradian
The first game in this series was so high scoring, and the next two games couldn’t be any different! In the first game 16 runs were scored, in the second just one run, and in the third just three runs. The first four positions in the AL East are really close, so it is not only important for both teams in this series to get the win, but it means that your opponent in the AL East also loses! The Red Sox have won four out of their previous five when it comes to the fourth game of the series. The under has also hit 4-0-1 in the Red Sox previous five games on a Sunday. On the flip side, the Blue Jays have won four out of their previous five games on a Sunday. The under has hit six out of the Blue Jays previous seven games on a Sunday and 10-2-1 on their previous 13 games playing on turf. I’ll be on the under for this one!
Katherine’s MLB Pick: Under 9 (-105)
Pittsburgh Pirates @ Cincinnati Reds – 1.10PM ET
The Cincinnati Reds host the Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up their four game series this afternoon with the series currently sitting at 3-0 in favour of the Reds. Can the Pirates finish their seven game road trip on a high or will the Reds get another win at home?
Tim Newton
Given Cincinnati have won the first three games by a combined 28-7, I don’t see any reason why they won’t go on and have another massive win in this one. While Bryse Wilson, the starter for Pittsburgh, was impressive in his debut for the club in his last start, after being acquired at the trade deadline, his ERA is just 4.42 and may not be good enough to slow down this red-hot Reds offense. Especially when the home team has a good pitcher starting on the mound in Tyler Mahle, who has an 8-3 record as well as an ERA of 3.86. You’d think Pittsburgh have to put up a bit more of a fight, but I can’t see a way that Cincinnati loses this.
Tim’s MLB Pick: Cincinnati Reds -1.5 (-118)
The Cincinnati Reds have won 11 straight home games against the Pittsburgh Pirates. pic.twitter.com/XKEU2bsN3h
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) August 8, 2021
Katherine Mouradian
These three wins in a row for the Reds is exactly what the doctor ordered, and they are now seven games behind the NL Central leading Brewers. Whereas the Pirates continue to be glued to the bottom of the NL Central ladder. Looking closer at the stats now, the Pirates have won just one of their previous seven games overall and just 25 of their previous 93 games on the road. When it comes to the Reds, they have won eight of their previous 10 games overall and five of their previous seven games at home. With the type of performances the Reds have been putting in against the Pirates in this series, it should come as no surprise that I’m picking the Reds!
Katherine’s MLB Pick: Cincinnati Reds -1.5 (-118)
San Francisco Giants @ Milwaukee Brewers – 2.10PM ET
This clash between two division leaders continues tonight, as the Giants look to take a second straight game and clinch this three game series. Can the Brewers make up some ground for top of the National League or while the Giants extend their lead in the league and in their division?
Tim Newton
This has been a fantastic series and I think the Brewers will be able to close it out with a win at home. Both sides have equally impressive bull pens however the location of this one, Milwaukee, has me swaying in one particular direction. Brett Anderson is starting for the Brewers and he has a 3.67 ERA this season whilst giving up just 1 run from 5.2 innings of work in his last start. Meanwhile, Johnny Cueto is on the mound for the Giants and while he has probably had a more impressive overall season, he is just 1-3 with a 4.91 ERA when pitching on the road. Because of that, I’m siding with the Brewers in a tight contest.
Tim’s MLB Pick: Milwaukee Brewers (-106)
Katherine Mouradian
This is the reason everyone loves baseball! Two amazing teams going at it, and for the second time in the series, the game needed to be taken to extra innings to decide the winner, in the first game it went to 10 innings and in the second game, 11 innings. The Giants are now pulling away slightly from the second place Dodgers in the NL West, and they are now four games ahead, whereas the Brewers are seven games ahead in the NL Central. For this clash I’ll be on the Giants to get the second win in a row for the series. This is because some key stats, which include; the Giants have won four out of their previous five games on a Sunday, they have won 20 of their previous 28 when it comes to the third game of a series, and finally they have won five of their previous seven clashes on grass.
Katherine’s MLB Pick: San Francisco Giants (-110)
Texas Rangers @ Oakland Athletics – 4.07PM ET
The Oakland Athletics wrap up their five game home stand this afternoon and will be looking to end it on a high. This three-game series with the Texas Rangers currently stands at 2-0, in favor of the Athletics.
Tim Newton
Oakland has now won three straight games, including two in this series, and I like them to get a fourth this afternoon. Texas has been miserable this season, especially on the road, and I don’t see them competing in the series finale. Jordan Lyles is starting for the Rangers and his 5-8 record with a 5.25 ERA is seriously uninspiring, especially given the A’s scored 12 runs last night. The one query is that Oakland has selected Daulton Jefferies to make his second start of the season for this one and while he got the win in his first start, his ERA of 5.40 is a worry. However, Oakland is far too good and Texas is not good enough, giving the A’s the comfortable win at home, in my eyes.
Tim’s MLB Pick: Oakland Athletics -1.5 (-137)
AND A HOMER?! Sure, why not?! pic.twitter.com/QVeW0qfPYI
— Oakland A’s (@Athletics) August 7, 2021
Katherine Mouradian
The first game was a surprisingly tight one, and it looked like the Athletics were in no mood in the second game for another close call, they ended up winning 12-3. The Athletics have now won three games in a row, whereas the Rangers have lost five in a row. Unsurprisingly, all the stats favor the Athletics here, they have won six out of their previous eight games overall and 27 of their previous 35 meetings with the Rangers in Oakland. Looking at the Rangers now, they have won just 16 of their previous 76 games on the road, and only one of their previous six games on a Sunday. This should be another easy victory for the Athletics.
Katherine’s MLB Pick: Oakland Athletics -1.5 (-137)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
