Get ready for another action packed Major League Monday as 10 teams kick off their new series for today’s Free MLB Picks!
Look below to find our free MLB Picks for the five best games on today’s schedule!
San Francisco Giants @ Cincinnati Reds – 6.40PM ET
The Cincinnati Reds will host the San Francisco Giants on Monday evening for what will be the first match of their four game series.
As a result of their recent 4-1 victory over the Pirates in Pittsburgh, the Giants walked away from their weekend set of games with a 2-2 split series and a one game lead over the Padres for the No. 1 seed in the NL West.
San Francisco were Sunday’s clash 2-1 at the top of the ninth before Mike Yastrzemski hit a two run homer to give the Giants an unassailable 4-1 lead. Alex Wood allowed just one earned run in six innings with the ball.
Similarly, the Reds walked away from their weekend series against the Rockies in Colorado with a 2-2 split from their four games. After dropping Thursday’s encounter 8-13 and Friday’s clash 6-9, Cincinnati won their final two games in Colorado to 6-5 and 7-6.
Although they were trailing 1-6 at the top of the eighth, the Reds piled on six runs in the final two innings on Sunday to steal a one run victory.
COMEBACK COMPLETE… #ATOBTTR!
FINAL: Reds 7, Rockies 6!
Celebrate at your neighborhood @Skyline_Chili! pic.twitter.com/uO9kcCJ2j3
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) May 16, 2021
Logan Webb will make his eighth start for the Giants this season, currently boasting a 4.74 ERA from 38 innings with the ball. However, Webb is 0-3 on the road this year and has a 7.58 ERA from games outside of San Francisco.
Sonny Gray is expected to start for the Giants on Monday, having allowed seven hits in 4.2 innings against Pittsburgh in his last outing. Gray is 0-2 with a 3.55 ERA this year.
Although San Francisco (3.35 ERA) has the superior collective ERA in this encounter (Cincinnati, 4.91 ERA), Sonny Gray will give Cincinnati an advantage with the ball in this matchup. Combined with the fact that the Reds are at home and boasting a top five scoring offense in the league, we like them to win this matchup.
MLB Pick – Cincinnati Reds (-146)
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Washington Nationals @ Chicago Cubs – 7.40PM ET
Both the Cubs and the Nationals will look to continue their winning form on Monday night when the two teams meet for the first match of a four game series in Chicago.
The Nationals will continue their seven game road tip on Monday having recently wrapped up a three games set against the Diamondbacks in Arizona with a 3-0 win, capping off a 2-1 series victory.
Erick Fredde allowed just three hits in his seven scoreless innings with the ball, as Washington pitched a shutout.
As for the Cubs, they are returning to Wrigley Field after a 2-3 record from their five games on the road. As a result of their 5-1 victory on Sunday, Chicago took a 2-1 series victory from their recent three game set against the Tigers in Detroit.
Ian Happ clubbed a sixth inning home run on Sunday, giving him two runs, three hits and two RBIs from four at bats, while Kyle Hendricks took the W with the ball. Hendricks struck-out eight Tigers batters and allowed just one earned run in eight innings at the mound.
Chicago will give Adbert Alzolay the ball for the seventh time this season. Alzolay gave up three runs on five hits in six frames during his last start, however the right-hander has a 4.50 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in 32 innings of work this year.
While John Lester gets the start for Washington against his former team on Monday. Lester conceded just one run in five innings against the Phillies in his last outing. The southpaw has allowed four runs and zero home runs this year, boasting a 2.25 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP in 16 innings of work.
Although Lester has the superior ERA in this pitching matchup, Alzolay has looked solid this season from a larger body of work and he has also been in great form recently, having allowed two or fewer runs in three out of his last four starts. As Washington have lost five out of their last eight games, while Chicago have won five out of their last six at home, we like the Cubs to win Monday’s series opener.
MLB Pick – Chicago Cubs (-162)
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Chicago White Sox @ Minnesota Twins – 7.40PM ET
A pair of AL Central rivals will face off on Monday night when the Chicago White Sox head to Minnesota to take on the struggling Twins.
The White Sox recently split their four game weekend series against the Royals 2-2 as a result of their recent 4-3 victory on Sunday. Adam Eaton hit a two-run home run to give Chicago an important 2-1 lead in the fifth, while Dylan Cease took the win with the ball. Cease allowed zero runs on three hits in 5.2 innings at the mound.
Although they dropped two games against the Royals (who had previously lost 11 straight), the White Sox two weekend wins were enough to maintain their 2.5 game lead at the top of the AL Central.
ADAM EATON GIVES THE WHITE SOX THE LEAD! pic.twitter.com/rXs5d5oqeQ
— Southside Showdown (@SoxShowdown) May 16, 2021
As for the Twins, they recently lost their three game series against the A’s as a result of their 6-7 loss on Sunday. With the series tied at 1-1 heading into Sunday’s decider, Max Kepler scored twice from two hits to go along with four RBIs, however it wasn’t enough to steer Minnesota to a win.
As neither Minnesota’s J.A Happ (4.26 ERA) or Chicago’s Dallas Keuchel (4.53 ERA) will give their side a superior advantage at the mound, the team with the stronger pitching rotation and lineup will win this encounter.
Seeing as Chicago are a top five team in the league when looking at runs scored and team ERA, we can’t see the division’s fifth seeded Twins defeating the AL Central leading White Sox on Monday. Especially when considering that Minnesota are a bottom 10 pitching staff this season and the Twins have won just two of their past 10 games.
MLB Pick – Chicago White Sox (-108)
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New York Yankees @ Texas Rangers – 8.05PM ET
The New York Yankees are headed to Texas to take on the Rangers in the first of a four game series between these two American League rivals.
After a six game stint on the road, the Rangers are returning to Texas having lost each of their past six games. As a result of Sunday’s 2-6 loss to the Astros in Houston, the Rangers were swept over the weekend.
Kyle Gibson allowed just two earned runs in seven innings at the mound for Texas on Sunday before Joely Rodrgiuez took the ball for the eighth. In just 0.2 innings, Rodrgiuez allowed four hits and four earned runs to put the game out of reach for the Rangers.
As for the Yankees, they recently failed to complete a series sweep over the Orioles in Baltimore as a result of Sunday’s 6-10 loss. New York did however win the series thanks to Friday’s 5-4 victory and Saturday’s 8-2 victory.
The Yankees jumped the Orioles early on Saturday, leading 5-0 after one and a half innings. Luke Voit (run, two RBI), Aaron Judge (two runs, two RBI) and Gio Urshela led the way offensively, as Judge hit his 11th homer of the season.
Gerrit Cole is expected to take the mound for his ninth start of the year for the Yankees. Cole comes into Monday’s clash with a 1.37 ERA and 5-1 record this season. Cole threw eight innings in his most recent start, allowing no runs on four hits with no walks and 12 strikeouts in a 1-0 Yankees victory.
Cole will give the Yankees a strong edge at the mound in this encounter, as the Rangers are giving Jordan Lyles the ball for his ninth start of the year. Lyles comes into this matchup with a 1-3 record and 6.63 ERA over 38 innings of work this season.
As the Yankees have won six out of eight games while the Rangers have lost six in a row, we can’t go past New York to win this one on the road. Quite simply, we haven’t seen enough from Texas recently to suggest that they are capable of a win. Especially when considering that Gerritt Cole will be coming up against a Rangers offense that has scored three runs or fewer in four of their past six games.
MLB Pick – New York Yankees (-280)
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Arizona Diamondbacks @ Los Angeles Dodgers – 10.10PM ET
A pair of NL West rivals will close out our Monday MLB schedule when the Dodgers host the Diamondbacks.
With their three game weekend series tied at 1-1 heading into Sunday’s decider, Arizona lost to Washington 0-3.
Sunday’s score was tied at 0-0 when Stefan Crichton took the ball at the top of the eighth. However, Crichton allowed three runs on four hits in one innings with the ball, which proved to be the difference in the game.
As for the Dodgers, they returned to some form over the weekend, winning their series against the Marlins 2-1. Although they lost game three on Sunday 2-3, Los Angeles had already wrapped up the series victory as a result of Friday’s 9-6 win and Saturday’s 7-0 win.
LA now sit just two games behind the NL West leading Giants after recording five wins from their past 10 games.
Walker Buehler, Arm Action (front view) pic.twitter.com/BaNDkWglzH
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 9, 2021
Walker Buehler will be taking the mound for the Dodgers on Monday, having allowed four earned runs (three home runs) on four hits in his last outing. Although Seattle got the better of him in his last start, Buehler still boasts a 3.16 ERA through 31.1 innings of work this year.
Contrastingly, Madison Bumgarner has recently turned around his rough start to the season. Bumgarner has allowed just three earned runs (one home run) in his last five appearances, improving his woeful early season ERA to a more respectable 4.12 average.
Although Bumgarner has been solid in his last few starts, the Diamondbacks have won just three of their past 10 matches and their inconsistency with the bat will likely be their downfall on Monday. Especially when considering that Los Angeles are starting to return to form, with five wins from their past 10 games and six scores of 5+ runs in that time.
MLB Pick – Los Angeles Dodgers (-200)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
