22 teams take the field today for another jam packed Monday of MLB action! Get your work week off to the perfect start with five free moneyline picks!
Look below to find our free MLB Picks for the five best games on today’s schedule!
Kansas City Royals @ Detroit Tigers – 1.10PM ET
The Tigers will host the Kansas City Royals for the fourth and finals match of their four game set in Detroit on Monday afternoon.
Following Sunday’s victory, Kansas City are on the precipice of a four game series sweep on the road. The Royals won Friday’s game 6-2, Saturday’s game 2-1 and most recently Sunday’s encounter 4-0.
Danny Duffy entered Sunday’s match with the third best ERA in baseball (0.39), and did no harm to that average in his fourth start of the season, striking out eight Tigers batters, while allowing just four hits and zero runs in five innings at the mound for Kansas City.
RECAP: Danny Duffy and the bullpen shut out the Tigers to secure a series win.#TogetherRoyal
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) April 25, 2021
Subsequently, the Tigers have obviously lost their past three games to the Royals, giving them a 7-15 record after 22 games of the 2021 MLB season.
Since sweeping the COVID-19 riddled Astros, Detroit have won just one of their past 10 games. Hitting at a team batting average of .207 with 67 runs this season, the Tigers lineup is currently ranked 28th out of the 30 teams in the MLB, having been shutout in three games this year. While Detroit’s pitching rotation currently has the second worst ERA in the league, 4.76 (prior to Sunday’s loss).
Although he has a career ERA of 3.77, Brad Keller will be taking the ball for the Royals with a 12.0 ERA in 12 innings at the mound this season, giving the Tigers offensive a chance to capitalise on his poor form.
However, having been outscored 12-3 in their three games against Kansas City, we haven’t seen anything from Detroit to suggest that they are capable of avoiding a series sweep at home on Monday.
MLB Pick – Kansas City Royals (-104)
Spread Pick – Unlock Premium Picks
Total Runs Pick – Unlock Premium Picks
Minnesota Twins @ Cleveland Indians – 6.10PM ET
The Cleveland Indians will host the Minnesota Twins for the first time this season on Monday night, as the two AL Central division rivals face off for the first match of their three game series.
Both sides will enter Monday’s encounter desperate for a victory, as the Twins currently have just one win from their past seven starts, while the Indians have just two wins from their past eight games.
After winning the opening game of their set against Pittsburgh 2-0 on Friday, Minnesota dropped Saturday’s game 2-6 and Sunday’s game 2-6, resulting in a 2-1 series defeat.
The Twins bullpen has been the source of their issues in recent games, allowing the Pirates to score 2+ runs in four innings across their last two games.
As for the Indians, they recently avoided a series sweep at home, defeating the New York Yankees 7-3 in the fourth and final game of their set in Cleveland.
Although they had been outscored 13-7 in their previous three losses to New York, Franmil Reyes’ two runs, three hits and three RBIs ensured that the Indians offense would put up a defendable score on Sunday, setting up the four run victory.
The Twins offense that once was one of the best in the league, all of a sudden can’t score runs, having only recorded 16 runs in their past nine games (excluding their 13-12 loss against Oakland).
However, Zach Plesac will be taking the ball for Cleveland, continuing what can only be described as an awful start to the season, having allowed 12 runs in his last 5.2 innings. While for Minnesota, Jose Berrios is an all-star caliber pitcher with a 3.0 ERA and 0.95 WHIP from his four starts this year.
Given Minnesota’s advantage at the mound and the Twins lineup has the potential to be one of the most damaging in the league, we like Minnesota’s hitters to find form against the struggling Plesac and win this one on the road.
MLB Pick – Minnesota Twins (-122)
Spread Pick – Unlock Premium Picks
Total Runs Pick – Unlock Premium Picks
Oakland Athletics @ Tampa Bay Rays – 7.10PM ET
Monday night will be the A’s first game against the Rays this season, as the American League rivals kick off their four game series in Tampa Bay.
Oakland will be looking to return to the winners list after having their 13 game winning streak broken by the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday.
The A’s were on the verge of their fourth consecutive series sweep, before Austin Hayes (3) and Ryan Mountcastle (2) combined for five Baltimore runs, setting up the 8-1 victory for the O’s.
Ramon Laureano’s homer in the 4th inning was the lone run for the A’s on Sunday, while Jed Lowrie and Stephen Piscotty each had a base hit, as Oakland managed just three hits as a team in the losing effort.
Ramon Laureano – Oakland Athletics (3) pic.twitter.com/2aDlxyApGx
— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) April 25, 2021
Similarly, Tampa Bay will be looking to bounce back from a loss in their most recent outing, having gone down 1-0 to Toronto in the final game of their three match set. The Rays loss also resulted in a 2-1 series win for the Blue Jays.
Luis Patino impressed in his Tampa Bay debut, not allowing a hit or run in his 2.2 innings with the ball, however the Rays offense was shutout for the first time this season, resulting in the one run loss.
Although Tampa Bay are at home for this matchup, the A’s most recent loss doesn’t change the fact that they are arguably the hottest team in baseball right now, and with Rich Hill (8.82 ERA in 2021) taking the ball for Tampa, we like Oakland to return to the winners list on Monday.
MLB Pick – Oakland Athletics (-120)
Spread Pick – Unlock Premium Picks
Total Runs Pick – Unlock Premium Picks
Philadelphia Phillies @ St Louis Cardinals – 7.45PM ET
The 10-11 Phillies and the 11-10 Cardinals will commence their four game series in St Louis on Monday night.
Philadelphia will enter Monday’s encounter having been embarrassed in their most recent outing, going down 12-2 against the Rockies in Colorado. The 10 run loss on Sunday resulted in a 2-1 series loss for the Phillies.
Bryce Harper was the only batter to score for the Phillies on Sunday, hitting two solo homers. However, Chase Anderson had a nightmare performance at the mound, allowing six hits, six earned runs and three walks, while collecting just two strikeouts in 3.2 innings with the ball.
As for the Cardinals, they recently completed a three game sweep against the Reds, winning Friday’s game 5-4, Saturday’s game 2-0 and most recently Sunday’s game 5-2.
Tyler O’Neill matched it with Cincinnati off his own bat, clubbing two solo homers on Sunday, while Jack Flaherty allowed just three hits and one run in seven innings with the ball.
Adam Wainwright will take the ball for the Cardinals on Monday, currently with a 5.03 ERA and 24 strikeouts this season, while the Phillies will send Zack Wheeler to the mound with a 3.80 ERA and 26 strikeouts this year.
Although the Cardinals are a top 10 team in the league when looking at runs scored, Zach Wheeler’s inclusion at the mound gives Philadelphia a legitimate edge over St Louis with the ball.
However given that the Cardinals are the superior offensive team and at home for this series, we like St Louis to get a victory in the opening match of their set against the below .500 Phillies.
MLB Pick – St Louis Cardinals (-108)
Spread Pick – Unlock Premium Picks
Total Runs Pick – Unlock Premium Picks
Seattle Mariners @ Houston Astros – 8.10PM ET
The Astros will host the Seattle Mariners on Monday night, for what will be the first of a four game set between these two AL West rivals.
Having won four of their past eight games, Seattle were unsuccessful in their last outing, going down 3-5 to the Red Sox in Boston on Sunday. As a result of their most recent game, the Mariners split their four game series at Fenway Park 2-2.
Nick Margevicius was the starting pitcher for Seattle on Sunday, allowing two hits, four earned runs and four walks in just 0.1 innings with the ball, essentially putting the Mariners out of contention by the bottom of the first.
On a positive note for Seattle, their lineup has scored 16 runs in their last three games and four or more runs in six of their last nine outings.
Series split and we’re on to Houston. pic.twitter.com/RUuBhJ3Q3t
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) April 25, 2021
Similarly, Houston have split their last eight games for a 4-4 record, most recently going down 2-4 in their finals game against the Los Angeles Angels. The Astros did win the series 3-1 despite Sunday’s loss, outscoring the Angels 31-12 in their four game set.
Houston secured the series victory over Los Angeles on Saturday, defeating the Angels 16-2. Michael Brantley and Alex Bregman both recorded four runs respectively, while Kent Emanuel was solid in his 8.2 innings of work at the mound, allowing five hits and conceding just two earned runs.
As Justus Sheffield and Jose Urquidy have performed at a similar level this year, the team with the superior lineup will likely get the win in this game. The Astros have recorded more runs this year, however they have also scored three runs or less in five of their last eight games.
Although Houston are at home and arguably the better side on paper, Seattle have been the more impressive team in 2021 and have already taken two wins from their three games against the Astros earlier this season, with the lone loss being a 0-1 defeat.
Having recently split their four game series against the Red Sox in Boston, we like the Mariners to make it 3-1 for the year against the Astros in Houston on Monday.
MLB Pick – Seattle Mariners (+146)
Spread Pick – Unlock Premium Picks
Total Runs Pick – Unlock Premium Picks
If you need more news, information and predictions, head over to our MLB hub page for all your baseball needs!
Want more picks? We have just launched our Premium Picks service, and for a limited time only, it is free! *T&Cs Apply.
*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
