We’ve got another busy Monday of MLB action lined up for you with 24 teams taking the field for 13 pivotal games!
Look below to find our free MLB Picks for the five best games on today’s schedule!
Minnesota Twins @ Chicago White Sox – 5.10PM ET
A pair of AL Central rivals will kick off our afternoon of MLB action when the first placed White Sox host the fourth placed Twins for the first match of their Monday double header at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Jesse Livermore
Seeing as the Twins have had to travel and this will be their second double header in three days, I can’t go past the White Sox at home in this series opener. Chicago will not only be the fresher of the two teams, but they will also be feeling confident after winning their two most recent games against the American League leading Astros. Minnesota hasn’t been great on the mound this year (27th in team ERA, 4.95) and their pitching staff is going to be stretched once again with another double header on Monday. Chicago have scored 50 runs in their last six home games and they should have no trouble hitting a winning score against Griffin Jax in this matchup. Jax owns a 8.66 ERA from five appearances (one start) this year.
Jesse’s MLB Pick: Chicago White Sox -1.5 (+100)
Tim Newton
The White Sox come into this one on the back of two straight wins over the Astros, where they won by a combined 14-1. They now stay at home to host a Minnesota Twins side that just lost three straight to the Tigers and has had to travel for the series opener this evening. Minnesota is just 17-28 on the road this season while Chicago, who lead the AL Central, are 33-15 at home. Considering the Sox are 7-1 in their last eight games, hitting the ball cleanly at the moment and are 38-11 against teams below 0.500, this could be a massive result for this home team.
Tim’s MLB Pick: Chicago White Sox -1.5 (+100)
Katherine Mouradian
I always enjoy when the White Sox are playing at home, they are 48-19 in their previous 67 home games. As well as this they are 49-17 in their previous 66 when playing a team with a losing record, and the Twins win percentage is currently at .424. The Twins don’t mind playing on Monday, they are 4-1 in their previous five Monday games, but they are 0-4 in their previous four opening games of a doubleheader. Also, the over is 8-1-1 in the White Sox’s previous nine first games of a series. So, I’ll be on a double bet of the White Sox and the overs.
Katherine’s MLB Pick: Chicago White Sox / Over 7.0 (+188)
Hot streak. pic.twitter.com/m8fn3RmNhi
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) July 18, 2021
Miami Marlins @ Washington Nationals – 7.05PM ET
The bottom two teams in the NL East will look to make up some much needed ground in their division when the fourth placed Nationals host the last placed Marlins in the nation’s capital on Monday night.
Jesse Livermore
Given Washington’s growing injury list, I am going to take Miami on the road in this matchup. Offensively, the Nationals will be without Alex Avila, Yan Gomes and Kyle Schwarber, and their pitching staff will be missing Stephen Strasburg and Joe Ross. The Nationals will start Jon Lester on Monday night after Washington’s pitching staff allowed 41 runs in just three games against the Padres over the weekend. Lester hasn’t thrown more than five innings in any of his last four starts while allowing at least five runs in each of those outings. Seeing as Trevor Rogers will be making his 19th start of the year for the Marlins on Monday, I am going to take Miami on the road. Rogers is 7-6 with a 2.31 ERA in 2021.
Jesse’s MLB Pick: Miami Marlins +1.5 (TBD)
Tim Newton
The two bottom sides of the NL East face off in the first of a three game series tonight and I am giving the edge to the home team. Washington may have gotten thumped by the Padres in the opening two games of their matchup, a total of 34-12 over two games, but they won yesterday and stay at home, which is important. Miami have lost two straight, three of their last four and six of their last eight, indicating that they are out of form at the moment. Combine that with the fact that they are just 18-32 on the road and I like Washington to get the job done tonight.
Tim’s MLB Pick: Washington Nationals (TBD)
Katherine Mouradian
The two bottom teams of the NL East are coming up against each other, which could have serious consequences for the rest of the respective teams’ seasons. The Nationals got a narrow victory over the Padres last time out, and that was desperately needed, as they were on a five game losing streak. The Marlins are currently on a two game losing streak, and have only won four of their last 10 games. The thing that is slowing down the Nationals season is their injuries and for the straw that broke the camel’s back, Starlin Castro was placed on administrative leave. I think the Marlins will be too strong for the Nationals in this clash.
Katherine’s MLB Pick: Miami Marlins (TBD)
p;
New York Mets @ Cincinnati Reds – 7.10PM ET
Two National League teams with playoff aspirations will kick off their three game series in Cincinnati on Monday night when the Reds host the Mets at Great American Ball Park. Both New York and Cincinnati will enter this series with 48 wins so far this season.
Jesse Livermore
As neither side is entering this matchup with much form behind them, I am going to take the Reds at home for this series opener on Monday. Although Cincinnati were swept by the division leading Milwaukee Brewers over the weekend, the Mets struggled in their weekend series against the lowly Pirates in Pittsburgh. Even with their three losses last weekend, the Reds lineup ranks third in the league with 5.5 runs per game and fifth with 1.6 home runs per game in Cincinnati. The Mets lineup has scored the second fewest runs in the league this season and they will be without Francisco Lindor (oblique injury) on Monday. Lindor’s 71 hits are the third most in the team and his 11 home runs are good for the second most in New York’s dugout.
Jesse’s MLB Pick: Cincinnati Reds / Under 10.5 (+193)
Tim Newton
The Reds host the Mets in the first of three games and both sides are uninspiring and out of form at the moment. Cincinnati just got swept by the Brewers while New York lost 2-1 to the Pirates, and trailed 0-6 in the game they won. Looking at those opponents, the Mets are slightly worse than the Brewers while the Reds are much better than the Pirates, giving the advantage to the home team. Cincinnati will relish getting back home, more importantly extending the Mets’ road trip, given they are just 20-28 on the road this season. While this one should be close, Cincinnati definitely has the edge and I like them to win the series opener.
Tim’s MLB Pick: Cincinnati Reds (-138)
Katherine Mouradian
Both teams have the same amount of wins going into this clash, but it is the Mets with less losses, and they sit atop of the NL East, while the Reds are second in the NL Central. Like a lot of different teams, the Mets seem to be struggling when on the road, they are 3-8 in their previous 11 games on the road. The Reds are enjoying the benefits of playing at home, their current record is 22-8 in their previous 30 home games. It will be all about the start in this game, if the Reds can start well, they will be able to run away with this one.
Katherine’s MLB Pick: Cincinnati Reds (-138)
Francisco Lindor left the game in the middle of the 5th inning after appearing to injure his side on a swing. pic.twitter.com/eipL4J8JCJ
— SNY (@SNYtv) July 17, 2021
Baltimore Orioles @ Tampa Bay Rays – 7.10PM ET
The Rays will look to continue their push for the No. 1 seed in the AL East when they take on the last placed Baltimore Orioles in Florida on Monday night. This will be the first of three matches between Tampa Bay and Baltimore.
Jesse Livermore
Seeing as the Rays are at home for this series opener, I am going to take Tampa Bay to win and cover against the AL East’s last placed Baltimore Orioles. Tampa Bay has a 28-11 record from their last 39 games against Baltimore, and as they have scored 14 runs across their last three games and 4+ runs in eight of their last 10 games, I like the Rays to hit a winning score against the lowly Orioles on Monday. Baltimore have scored just 4.1 runs per game in 2021 and I can’t see them getting the better of Ryan Yarbrough in this matchup. Yarbrough has a 4-1 record and 3.35 ERA in his career against the Orioles.
Jesse’s MLB Pick: Tampa Bay Rays -1.5 (-115)
Tim Newton
An AL East showdown sees the 2nd place Rays host the last placed Orioles in what may be a bit of a lopsided matchup. Baltimore has actually won two straight games but beating the Royals, 37-55 record, isn’t anything to write home about. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay has won each of their last three series, including a sweep of the Indians, who are 0.522 for the season. The Rays are 28-17 at home this season while Baltimore is just 17-32 on the road, highlighting the difference between the two sides in this setting. Tampa Bay is the better side, is heading in the right direction and should be too good at home.
Tim’s MLB Pick: Tampa Bay Rays -1.5 (-115)
Katherine Mouradian
The Orioles are up against a team that has nearly double the amount of wins than them already in the season. All the stats point to a Rays victory here, let’s look at some of the most convincing stats! The Orioles are just 16-35 in their previous 51 games played on Monday. They are 20-47 in their previous 67 games on the road, and they are a measly 5-24 in their previous 29 clashes in Tampa Bay. It is difficult to see how the Orioles are going to even get close to the Rays. The Rays are 40-13 in their previous 53 games played on a Monday, and they have won eight of their last 10 games.
Katherine’s MLB Pick: Tampa Bay Rays -1.5 (-115)
San Francisco Giants @ Los Angeles Dodgers – 10.10PM ET
The two top teams in baseball will face off with top spot in the NL West on the line when the second placed Dodgers host the first placed Giants in Los Angeles on Monday night. This will be the first of four matches between these two division rivals, both of whom will enter this series with a league high 58 wins.
Jesse Livermore
I am going to take the Giants on the road in this battle between the two top teams in baseball, as San Francisco will be starting Kevin Gausman on the mound in this series opener. Gausman is 9-3 with a 1.73 ERA in 2021, and the right hander owns a 2.45 ERA against the reigning champs this season. As well as that, the Giants are scoring 4.89 runs per game this year with an .762 OPS. Defeating the Dodgers in Los Angeles is still a daunting task for any MLB team, however I like San Francisco to cover on the road in this matchup with Gausman on the mound.
Jesse’s MLB Pick: San Francisco Giants +1.5 (-184)
Tim Newton
We have the top two teams in the comp both coming into this clash on the back of losses. The Giants had won five straight before two losses to the lowly Cardinals in their last two games. The Dodgers had won four straight before a slip up to the Rockies last night, losing 6-5. The last time these sides met, they had a two game series in LA, with the Dodgers winning both. However, Kevin Gausman is starting for San Francisco and he is the leader of one of the best bullpens in the league. He has an ERA of 1.73, second best in the league, while as a team, the Giants are second for ERA and third for average. In saying that, the Dodgers are ranked first in both of those categories, being one of the best defensive teams all season.The result of this one could go either way, but given the bullpens on both sides, I like the under as my best bet for the game. The Dodgers have kept opponents to four runs or less in four of their last five games while the Giants’ last four games have seen three of them have a total of four or lower.
Tim’s MLB Pick: Under 8.5 (-115)
Katherine Mouradian
Oh boy, am I excited for this one! The number one and two teams in the NL West are going up against each other. It looks like the Dodgers have been getting the better of the Giants as of late, winning eight of their last 11 meetings. There are stats to back up each team here, and it is a fairly difficult one to pick, so I’m steering clear of choosing a team, but instead going with the unders. The under is 5-2 in the Giants previous seven games, and it is 9-2-2 in the Dodgers previous 13 games playing at home.
Katherine’s MLB Pick: Under 8.5 (-115)
Huge standing ovation for Kevin Gausman as he walks off the mound for the final time before heading to the All-Star game pic.twitter.com/7OEmwtueQ8
— KNBR (@KNBR) July 11, 2021
If you need more news, information and predictions, head over to our MLB hub page for all your baseball needs!
*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel & Bet365
