Take a look at our free MLB picks for this busy Monday of Major League Baseball and get your work-week off to the right start!
Look below to find our free MLB Picks for the five best games on today’s schedule!
Tampa Bay Rays @ Toronto Blue Jays – 1.07PM ET
A pair of AL East rivals will wrap up their four game series on Monday when the Tampa Bay Rays look to continue their dominant run of form against the Toronto Blue Jays.
As a result of Sunday’s 6-4 victory, the Rays extended their active winning streak to 10 consecutive games and took a 3-0 series victory from their set against the Blue Jays. Tampa Bay will look to complete a four game series sweep on the road on Monday afternoon.
WWWWWWWWWW
The Tampa Bay Rays (29-19) have now won 🔟 games in a row. pic.twitter.com/NCy5U4i0l4
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) May 23, 2021
Subsequently, Toronto are staring down the barrel of a series sweep at home on Monday, having been outscored 12-18 over the weekend.
Ross Stripling will take the mound for the Blue Jays on Monday. After giving up six runs (including three home runs) on eight hits in just 3.2 innings during his last start, Stripling’s record this season slipped to 0-3, while his ERA blew out to a 7.20.
Tampa Bay’s Ryan Yarbrough will take the ball on Monday for his 10th appearance of the season. As a result of allowing six runs (three earned) in six innings against Baltimore on Wednesday, Yarbrough recorded his first quality start of the season. Yarbrough is 2-3 with a 4.24 ERA this year.
Tampa Bay have arguably been the best team in baseball over the past two weeks. The Rays are averaging 8.1 runs per game and allowing just 3.9 runs per game in their active 10 game winning streak. Seeing as nine of Tampa Bay’s 10 wins during their streak have been by at least two runs, we like the Rays to complete a series sweep on the road on Monday. Tampa Bay’s lineup has scored 9+ runs six times during their winning streak and they should have no trouble putting another big score up against the struggling Ross Stripling in this matchup.
MLB Pick – Tampa Bay Rays (-108)
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Colorado Rockies @ New York Mets – 7.10PM ET
A pair of National League rivals will face off in New York on Monday night when the Mets host the Rockies for the first match of their four game series.
After a nine game stint on the road, New York are returning home with a 3-6 record from their recent games against Tampa Bay, Atlanta and Miami. The Mets offense scored three runs or fewer in five of those nine outings.
As for the Rockies, they recently climbed off the bottom of the NL West standings thanks to their recent sweep over the Diamondbacks. Colorado outscored Arizona 18-10 in the three game series.
Austin Gomber will be looking to continue the Rockies three game winning streak when he makes his 10th start for Colorado this season. Gomber is 2-4 this year with a 4.96 ERA and 1.30 WHIP, however the southpaw has given up just two runs (one earned) in his last 11.1 innings across two starts.
David Peterson is expected to get the start for New York on Monday. Peterson has a 1-3 record this year to go along with a 4.97 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. As New York currently boasts a 3.27 team ERA, the Mets will be supporting Peterson with the fifth best pitching staff in the league.
Offensively, Colorado will have the edge in this encounter, as New York have underperformed for most of the season. The Mets have the second worst runs per game average in the league (3.4), the 26th ranked team batting average (.227) and are tied for a league low 30 home runs.
Colorado’s 4.6 runs per game is the 10th best average in the league. However, the Rockies have a league low 2-17 record on the road this season.
Although Colorado are the better offensive team in this matchup, New York’s fifth ranked pitching staff should steer them to a win in this matchup. The Rockies have lost 17 out of 19 games outside of Colorado this year and are 1-5 in games that Austin Gomber has started on the road. The Mets are 11-4 at home and we like them to build on that record on Monday.
MLB Pick – New York Mets (-138)
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San Diego Padres @ Milwaukee Brewers – 7.40PM ET
The Milwaukee Brewers are set to host the San Diego Padres on Monday night, for what will be the first match of their four game midweek series.
Following their series sweep against the Mariners over the weekend, the Padres have now won nine straight games and have reclaimed top spot in the loaded NL West. While they still boast the No. 1 ranked pitching staff in the league (2.60 team ERA), San Diego’s offense has scored 5+ runs in seven of their nine recent wins and 9+ runs in three of those seven games.
Milwaukee took a 2-1 record from their weekend set against Cincinnati, winning Saturday’s game 4-3 and Sunday’s game 9-4 after dropping Friday’s series opener 4-9.
Fernando Tatis Jr.’s last four games:
> 11 for 14
> 4 home runs
> 12 RBI
> 27 total bases
> A couple bat flips
> AHHHHHHHHHHHHH pic.twitter.com/iEZuR5Xqfa— San Diego Padres (@Padres) May 24, 2021
In what will be one of the most enticing pitching matchups of the season so far, Milwaukee’s Brandon Woodruff will be making his 10th start for the Brewers this season, while San Diego’s Blake Snell will be taking the ball for what will also be his 10th start of the year.
With a 2-2 record, 1.58 ERA, 0.737 WHIP and 65 strikeouts over 57 innings of work, Woodruff is having a Cy Young caliber season in 2021. He threw 7.2 innings in his last outing, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits to go along with four strikeouts.
Following a six innings performance that saw him allow just one run on five hits with 11 strikeouts, Snell is 1-0 this year with a 3.79 ERA, 1.463 WHIP and 60 strikeouts over 40.1 innings of work.
Milwaukee have had their offensive woes so far this season, which is why Woodruff boasts a mere 2-2 record this year despite his 1.58 ERA, which is the second best in the league.
Seeing as San Diego are a top 10 batting team in the league, the best pitching staff in the league, winners of nine consecutive games and will be coming up against a struggling lineup, we can’t go past the Padres to make it 10 in a row against the Brewers on Monday at underdog odds .
MLB Pick – San Diego Padres (+100)
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St Louis Cardinals @ Chicago White Sox – 8.10PM ET
A pair of 26-19 teams will face off in Chicago on Monday night when the White Sox host the Cardinals for the first match of their three game series.
Although they were swept by the Yankees in New York over the weekend, the White Sox have held onto the No. 1 spot in the AL Central. Chicago were outscored 5-14 in the three game series at Yankee Stadium.
Similarly, the Cardinals are coming off a series defeat over the weekend, winning just one of their three games against the Cubs in St Louis as a result of Sunday’s one run loss. St Louis won the hit count on Sunday 6-3, however failed to capitalize on that advantage in a 0-2 shutout loss.
Kwang Hyun Kim will get the start for the Cardinals on Monday. In his last start, Kim allowed four runs in 3.1 innings which saw his ERA drift out to 2.73.
Lance Lynn will give the White Sox an advantage at the mound in this matchup. Currently boasting a 4-1 record and 1.55 ERA this year, Lynn allowed two runs on five hits in six innings in his last start.
Chicago’s pitching staff has held their opponents to a mere .224 batting average as their 3.36 team ERA ranks sixth in the majors. Offensively, the White Sox are averaging 5.07 runs per game and their .256 batting average is fourth best in the league.
Although Kwang Hyun Kim has been one of the Cardinals best performers with the ball this season, he struggled in his last start. Seeing as the White Sox are at home, have the better pitching staff, the better batting lineup and will have Lance Lynn giving them an advantage at the mound, we like Chicago to win this one at home.
MLB Pick – Chicago White Sox (-162)
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Seattle Mariners @ Oakland Athletics – 9.40PM ET
A pair of AL West rivals will face off on Monday night when the Oakland A’s host the Seattle Mariners.
Monday will kick off Oakland’s third consecutive series against an AL West opponent, having recently taken a 3-3 record from their back to back sets against Houston and Los Angeles. The A’s are a game and a half in front of the second placed Astros for the top spot in their division.
As for the Mariners, Sunday’s 2-9 loss to the Padres resulted in Seattle being swept for the second consecutive three game series. Seattle have scored two runs or fewer in five of their six consecutive losses.
ain’t no party like a home run party 🎉 pic.twitter.com/1lhSDfAeQK
— Oakland A’s (@Athletics) May 23, 2021
Yusei Kikuchi will be looking to return the Mariners to the winners list on Monday when he makes his ninth start of the season. Kikuchi is 1-3 with a 4.32 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 53 strikeouts over 50 innings of work. In his last start, Kikuchi allowed three runs on three hits with four walks and eight strikeouts in six innings.
Frankie Montas will make his 10th start for the A’s this year in Monday’s series opener. Montas has a 5-3 record with a 4.79 ERA, 1.404 WHIP and 45 strikeouts over 47 innings of work. He threw five innings and allowed two runs on seven hits to go along with six strikeouts in his last start.
Seeing as Seattle are batting at a league low .198 batting average and are winless from their past six outings, we haven’t seen enough recently to suggest that they are capable of hitting a winning score against the A’s on Monday.
MLB Pick – Oakland Athletic (-178)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
