Free MLB Picks Today for Monday, September 18th, 2023

Our free MLB picks are out for Monday, September 18th, 2023! 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!

Cleveland Guardians @ Kansas City Royals – 2:10PM ET

Tony Battalio

The Cleveland Guardians are coming off of a successful weekend where they swept the Texas Rangers and now they will be looking to pick up a victory over the Kansas City Royals in the opening game of the series on Monday afternoon. It has been a rough season for Cleveland after coming into the year with plenty of expectations. It seems more and more likely that they will miss out on the postseason after a rough stretch over the summer that has left them deep into second place coming into the final two weeks of the season. Regardless, they will be looking to build up as much momentum as they possibly can before heading in the next season that starts with grabbing their fourth consecutive victory here on Monday afternoon. 

It has been a long year for the Kansas City Royals as they have been one of the worst teams in all of baseball this season. They have already lost over 100 games on the year end at this point of the season they will be playing to build up momentum for next season much like their opponents in this one. They have been in what seems like an endless rebuilding era ever since they lifted the commissioner’s trophy and won the World Series back in the mid 2010s and they have shown little progress towards changing that throughout the season. I don’t look for it to get much better for them here on Monday as I have Cleveland picking up the victory to open up the series.

Milwaukee Brewers @ St.Louis Cardinals – 7:45PM ET

Tony Battalio

The Milwaukee Brewers will be looking to take one step closer to clinching the National League Central division with a series opening victory over the St. Louis Cardinals here on Monday night on the road at Busch Stadium. Milwaukee has been very consistent throughout the season, despite playing in a very weak National League Central division, and they will be looking to keep the momentum rolling here on Monday night. Milwaukee comes into this game with a record of 84-65 through their first 149 games of the 2023 Major League Baseball season. They have built up a six and a half game lead over the Chicago Cubs for the top spot in the division. 

The St. Louis Cardinals came into this season with plenty of expectations of competing for a National League Central division title, and making a deep playoff run as well. However, that has clearly not been the case as they have been one of the worst teams in all of baseball this season with no end in sight, as they could be entering a potential rebuilding era over the next several seasons. They will be looking to spoil the Milwaukee Brewers plans to clinch the division throughout the week with a couple of solid performances in this series, and it starts with picking up a victory here on Monday night at home. Unfortunately for St. Louis, I don’t see that happening as I have the Milwaukee Brewers grabbing the victory.

Boston Red Sox @ Texas Rangers – 8:05PM ET

Tony Battalio

The Boston Red Sox will be looking to hold onto their faint playoff hopes as they open up this series down south in Texas on Monday night. A couple weeks ago. Boston still had a solid shot at making the postseason but a lengthy losing streak and some bad baseball has put them well on the outside looking in coming into the final two weeks of the season. Now at this point, Boston will simply be playing for momentum to build towards next season as they will likely finish the year in last place of the American League East division after the way, the New York Yankees have come on strong over the last couple of weeks. 

The Texas Rangers come into this game looking to pick up a much-needed victory over the Boston Red Sox at home in the opening game of the series on Monday night. At one point in a year a couple weeks ago they were on top of the American League West division, but they have fallen from grace and they now find themselves chasing down an American League wildcard spot. They are still within striking distance of the American League West division title as well and they will be needing to pick up crucial victories coming down the stretch like this game against Boston. That is exactly what I expect as I have Texas picking up the victory in this game on Monday night.

Baltimore Orioles @ Houston Astros – 8:10PM ET

Tony Battalio

The Baltimore Orioles had a strong finish to their series against Tampa Bay over the weekend as they picked up two crucial victories over the last two games of the series. They have now built up a two game lead in the American League East division, and they will be looking to take one step further by picking up a victory in the opening game of this series against the defending World Series champions. As a strong performance throughout the week could get Baltimore the American League East division title by the time the weekend comes around. But they will still need some help from Tampa Bay. The Orioles will be looking to take care of their part of the deal with a victory here on Monday night in Houston. 

The defending World Series champions will be looking to take one step closer to clinching their return to the postseason so they can defend the World Series title with a victory over the Orioles here on Monday night at home in Houston. They currently lead the American League West division, and they will be looking to extend that lead over both the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers with a victory here on Monday night. Houston currently holds a game and a half lead over the Texas Rangers, and they will be looking to extend that lead here with a victory. Unfortunately for Houston I don’t see that happening as I have Baltimore grabbing the win here in this one to open up the series.

Seattle Mariners @ Oakland Athletics – 9:40PM ET

Tony Battalio

The Seattle Mariners will be looking to pick up a crucial victory when they open up this series against the Oakland Athletics on Monday night in the Bay Area. Seattle is currently sitting in third place of the American League West division after spending the majority of the last month on top of the division. They will be looking to get back into first place coming down the final stretch of the season and they will have to pick up victories like this against struggling teams like the Oakland Athletics if they want to do so. Seattle will also be looking to extend their lead in the American League wildcard race as well with a much-needed victory over Oakland here on Monday night. 

The Oakland Athletics will be looking to spoil the Seattle Mariners playoff hopes with a solid performance throughout this series that starts with grabbing an upset victory on Monday night at home. At one point in the year they were on pace to become one of the worst single-season teams in the history of baseball, and despite a few wins here and there they have still been one of the worst teams in the league this season, and they will still go down as one of the worst single-season teams in all of baseball, but not the worst. After a season like this, that feels like a small victory for the Oakland Athletics as they look to build momentum heading into next season. Unfortunately for Oakland, I don’t see that happening as I have Seattle picking up the win. 

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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.