Our free MLB Picks are out for Sunday, September 19th, 2021! While there may be football on, there is money to be made on the baseball field so 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 Indians @ New York Yankees – 1.05PM ET
This Sunday afternoon clash between the Cleveland Indians and the New York Yankees will be the third and final game of the series. The Yankees won the first game, keeping the Indians scoreless and piling on eight runs themselves. It was a different story in the second game, where the Indians fought back to level the series, winning 11-3.
Tim Newton
The Yankees continue to play inconsistent baseball and it may end up being their demise. Continuing with that trend, I fully expect them to bounce back from yesterday’s poor showing and dominate this series finale against Cleveland. That is because the Yankees have Gerrit Cole starting on the mound while Cleveland is dishing up Eli Morgan.
Cole has a 15-7 record and 2.75 ERA while Morgan’s record is just 2-7 and has an ERA of a massive 6.03. That is a massive differential in ability and performance this season, so it isn’t hard to see why New York are massive favorites tonight. I think it is definitely justified and, while the Yankees are becoming harder and harder to trust, they are the better team in this matchup.
Tim’s MLB Pick: New York Yankees -1.5 (-166)
Katherine Mouradian
What a turn around from the first game, the Indians fought back very well to level the series, and now the Yankees have a little bit more pressure on them to win their next games in order to stay in the fight for an AL Wild Card spot. The run home for the Yankees consists of a series with the Red Sox, the Blue Jays and the Rays, which certainly isn’t the easiest path, especially when you consider all three teams have a better record than the Yankees. Let’s have a look at some of the crucial stats for this match up now.
A win in the Windy City.
Ain’t nothing better. pic.twitter.com/L5SyI4CgnO
— Cleveland Indians (@Indians) September 18, 2021
The Yankees have won four of their previous six games when playing a team that has a losing record, and they have won 36 of their previous 52 when playing a team in the AL Central. Over to the Indians now, they have won three of their previous 11 against a team in the AL East, and they have won two of their previous eight games on the road when playing a team that has a winning record. Man do the Yankees need a victory here, and they certainly know this and are putting up their best pitcher in Cole. Look for the Yankees to get off to a quick start with firepower hitting, and I’m expecting them to hold the lead and get a comfortable victory.
Katherine’s MLB Pick: New York Yankees -1.5 (-166)
Mike Su
The Indians meet the Yankees again for the final game of the regular season between these 2 teams. The Yankees are currently stuck in the middle of a three team race for one of the 2 remaining Wild Card spots. The Yankees are half a game behind the Blue Jays for the final Wild Card spot and are fighting for their playoff hopes. The Yankees will be taking on the Indians to try to maintain their spot as a Wild Card. The Indians have been bad lately with a 4-6 record in the last 10 games and are out of the playoff race. In the 6 games these 2 teams have played this season, the Yankees have won 4.
Despite the resounding win by the Indians last game, the Yankees have had the Indians’ number all season. The Yankees will be starting the league’s highest paid pitcher, Gerrit Cole, to take out the Indians and maintain their playoff hopes. Cole has a 15-7 record with a 2.75 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. In Cole’s last game against the Indians he destroyed them with 11 strikeouts and just 1 run allowed in 7 innings. I think the Yankees win this matchup comfortably behind Cole.
Mike’s MLB Pick: New York Yankees -1.5 (-166)
Los Angeles Dodgers @ Cincinnati Reds – 1.10PM ET
This Sunday afternoon clash between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Cincinnati Reds will be the third and final game of the series. The Reds surprised a few people when they won the first game, 3-1. Not to be outdone, the Dodgers stuck back instantly, winning the second game 5-1.
Tim Newton
On the back of an impressive showing from Max Scherzer, the Dodgers got back on track in this series against the Reds. They don’t skip a beat now, given they have Clayton Kershaw with the ball first up. In his first game back from injury, Kershaw pitched 4.1 innings to the Diamondbacks and allowed just one run. While he may be still working his way back into things and faces a much better batting lineup now, he showed that his class is still there and he has the ability to win games for LA himself.
He will need to be near his best given Cincinnati are starting Wade Miley, who is one of their better starting pitchers. His 12-6 record and 3.09 ERA seem very impressive but over his last seven games, Miley’s numbers are just 3-2 with a 4.15 ERA. That opens up an opportunity for the Dodgers to come in and stamp their authority on this matchup.
Tim’s MLB Pick: Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-111)
Katherine Mouradian
With just 13 games left for the Dodgers in the regular season, they are quickly running out of time to close the gap and steal top spot in the NL West from the Giants, who are currently sitting one and a half games ahead. The Reds also have a lot to play for, as they are still in contention for a NL Wild Card spot. So the pressure is high for both teams. The Dodgers have won 21 of their previous 27 games when playing a team that has a winning record, and they have won 13 of their previous 19 games on the road.
Over to the Reds now, they have won only two of their previous eight games when playing a team in the NL West and they also have won only two of their previous eight games when playing a team with a winning percentage of above .600. The Reds should have been in a better position then they are now, considering how many easy opponents they have had so far in September. All the momentum is with the Dodgers and they should be able to get runs on the board fairly easily considering that Miley is starting for the Reds and hasn’t been the most effective. I’ll be on the Dodgers to cover the spread.
Katherine’s MLB Pick: Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-111)
Mike Su
The Dodgers are looking to beat the Reds once again. The Dodgers are still 2 games behind the Giants in the NL West and need to reclaim the top spot to go from a Wild Card to a top seed in the National League. The Dodgers have been playing well lately with 7 wins in their last 10 games. The Reds haven’t been as good with just 4 wins in their last 10 games. The Dodgers will be starting Clayton Kershaw, who has been prolific for his entire career and is one of the best in the league.
Kershaw has been good this season with a 3.33 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in 110 innings. In Kershaw’s last game against the Reds, he obliterated them with 8 strikeouts and 0 runs allowed in 7 nines. This should happen once again as Kershaw and the Dodgers’ league best defense fight for the NL West division lead and the number one seed in the National League. The Dodgers may have a hard time against the Reds’ pitcher Wade Miley who has a 3.09 ERA and 1.29 WHIP, but the Dodgers with their top 5 batting unit should be able to win this game.
Mike’s MLB Pick: Los Angeles Dodgers (-196)
San Diego Padres @ St Louis Cardinals – 2.15PM ET
This Sunday afternoon clash between the San Diego Padres and the St Louis Cardinals will be the third and final game of the series. The Cardinals have shown just why they are in prime position to take one of the Wild Card spots in the NL by winning both the games so far in this series. They won the first game, 8-2, and then the second, 3-2.
Tim Newton
While the Cardinals have claimed the first two games of this series, I am siding with the over in this clash. Both starting pitchers for this one have an ERA of 6 or higher and have less strikeouts than innings pitched this season.
They also both have given up more hits than innings pitched and have had a game where they have given up 7+ runs in their last four games. Adding in the fact that the Padres are 38-31-1 O/U on the road this series and that the first game of this series went over the total set for tonight’s game and I think this is the best bet in the game.
Tim’s MLB Pick: Over 9 (-122)
Katherine Mouradian
Talk about peaking at the right time! The Cardinals are on a roll and just keep piling on the wins, they have won nine out of their last 10 games overall. It’s a completely different story for the Padres, who are still well in the hunt for the Wild Card spot, but they keep shooting themselves in the foot. Looking at some key stats now, the Padres have won just three of their previous 15 when it comes to the third game of a series, and they have won only three of their previous 10 games overall.
You dropped this, 👑 pic.twitter.com/pIymxI74aH
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) September 19, 2021
It’s all looking pretty good if you are a Cardinals fan, they have won all six of their previous games played on grass and they have won all five of their previous games when going up against a right handed starter. It’s pretty clear that these two teams have completely different mindsets and are heading in opposite directions. The Padres are struggling on the road and even some of their best pitchers can’t help get them across the line. I’ll be on the Cardinals to continue their great run of form and sweep the Padres in this series.
Katherine’s MLB Pick: St Louis Cardinals (-132)
Mike Su
The Padres are on a 2 game losing streak but are still in the running for a Wild Card spot . At this part of the season, every game matters and the Padres need to play like that to steal the final Wild Card spot. Despite the importance of this game for their playoff hopes, the Padres may have a tough time winning as they star Jake Arrieta. Arrieta has been bad this year with a 7.05 ERA and 1.74 WHIP in 98 innings, leading to a woeful 5-13 record. Arrieta has been one of the worst starting pitchers in the league this year. This doesn’t bode well for the Padres and their playoff hopes as they sit on a 3-7 record in their last 10 games and desperately need every win. The Cardinals are also in the running for the final Wild Card spot and are in direct competition with the Padres.
The Cardinals sit 2 games ahead of the Padres for the final spot. They will be starting J A Happ who has been a lot better but in limited playing time. Happ is a pitcher who has been average with a 4.08 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and decent 4-2 record this season. Happ definitely gives the Padres an edge at pitcher despite his limited playing time this year due to how bad Arrieta has been. The pitching will decide the winner in this matchup, which happens to be the final time these 2 teams meet this season. I am going with the Padres to win this as they have faced harder competition in the NL West and should prevail in this game to steal the final Wild Card spot from the Cardinals.
Mike’s MLB Pick: San Diego Padres (+112)
Atlanta Braves @ San Francisco Giants – 4.05PM ET
This Sunday afternoon clash between the Atlanta Braves and the San Francisco Giants will be the third and final game of the series. The Giants won the first game in a thriller, beating the Braves in the 11th innings, 6-5. In the second game, it was the Giants who were victorious again, beating the Braves, 2-0.
Tim Newton
I had the Braves coming out on top last night and was treated to a no run performance from the NL-East leaders. Last night looked like their best opportunity to get the best of San Francisco in this series and I don’t think they will be able to turn the tables for this one.
While Max Fried is a good starting pitcher, with an 11-7 record and 3.47 ERA for the season, he gave up four runs in six innings when he faced the Giants just three weeks ago. That shows that the San Francisco hitters know how to get the best of Fried and it should show in this one. The Giants are still 49-25 at home this season while the Braves, despite being a division leader, are just 28-38 against teams above 0.500.
Tim’s MLB Pick: San Francisco Giants (-112)
Katherine Mouradian
The Braves need to watch out, the Phillies are closing in on their top spot in the NL East, and winning just one out of their previous six games overall doesn’t really help their cause. Just like the Brave, the Giants have also been in a tight tussle with the Dodgers all season long in the NL West. The Giants have all the momentum going into this final game of the series, can that wrap things up by sweeping the Braves? The Braves have won just two of their previous nine games on the road and have won only one of their previous seven games against a team in the NL West.
Over to the Giants now, they have won seven of their previous eight games played on a Sunday, and they have won 21 of their previous 29 games against a team in the NL East. The pressure is sky high for both these teams, and so far throughout the series, the Giants have been the team to rise to the occasion, whereas the Braves have stumbled. DeSclafani has been pitching very well lately for the Giants, especially at home and I think this will be the difference in this Sunday afternoon clash.
Katherine’s MLB Pick: San Francisco Giants (-112)
Mike Su
Both the Braves and Giants are fighting for the division lead in their respective divisions and need a win to hold off their division Rivals. The Giants are in a significantly tighter race as they have the Dodgers sitting right on their tail for the lead in the NL West division. If the Giants slip then they could risk going from home field advantage throughout the playoffs to fighting for their lives in the Wild Card game. The Braves, on the other hand, have just a 1 game lead against the Phillies and may be out of the playoff race entirely if they continue their average form.
In this fame the Giants will be starting one of my favourite pitchers this season, Anthony DeSclafani. DeSclafani has a 3.24 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 12-6 record in 152 innings. However, the Braves will be starting Max Fried who has a 3.47 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 11-7 record in 142 innings. This matchup is actually surprisingly close in terms of pitching. When looking at the batting, both teams are also close with the Giants sitting at 7th in runs per game and the Braves sitting at 8th in runs per game. This game is a tossup and I have to go with the team that has been more consistent in the big moments and that is the Giants.
Mike’s MLB Pick: San Francisco Giants (-112)
Philadelphia Phillies @ New York Mets – 7.08PM ET
This Sunday evening clash between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets will be the third and final game of the series. The Phillies have proven to be too good for the Mets on both occasions so far, winning the first game 4-3, and then the second game, 5-3.
Tim Newton
With the Phillies winning the first two games of this series, and the Braves struggling with the Giants, this matchup got a lot more interesting. Philadelphia is now just one game off the NL East-leading Braves and could sit on top with them with a win tonight, assuming the Braves lose yet again. I feel like the Phillies won’t want to pass up on this opportunity, given there are just two weeks left in the season.
The worry is New York’s starter, Rich Hill, is in much better form than Philadelphia’s starter, Kyle Gibson, and that could cost them, and this bet. Gibson has given up 15 runs through three games so far this month while Hill has given up just four runs over his last three. While that bodes well for the Mets, at home, Philadelphia has proven too strong so far in this series and have a lot more to play for, so I am hoping they pull out another win.
Tim’s MLB Pick: Philadelphia Phillies (+108)
Katherine Mouradian
Despite the Phillies getting victories in both the games so far this series, both games have been close, so Mets fans shouldn’t lose hope! The Phillies and the Mets are still fighting for the last Wild Card spot in the NL, but the Mets not only need wins, but they need other teams above them to lose. The Phillies are only three games off, so they are in with a better chance. Let’s look into some of the key stats for this game now. The Phillies have won seven of their previous 10 games when they are the underdog and playing on the road, and they have won eight of their previous 10 games played on a Sunday.
Keeping our foot on the gas: https://t.co/DJnEsu44MG#RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/p7OJR8LjAj
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 19, 2021
Over to the Mets now, they have won just one of their previous five games against a team in the NL East, and what’s more concerning is that they have won just five of their previous 26 games against a team that has a winning record. Interesting pitching matchup here, the Mets have the better starter in Hill, compared to the Phillies, who are starting with Gibson. But if you look at the Mets overall form, I really can’t see them beating a team like the Phillies who have the winning feeling at the moment. I’ll be on the Phillies for an upset win!
Katherine’s MLB Pick: Philadelphia Phillies (+108)
Mike Su
The Phillies play in this inter-division matchup against a Mets team that is likely out of the playoff race. In the last game, the Phillies won 5-3 leading them to close the gap with the Braves in the NL East. The Phillies are right behind the Braves for the lead in the NL East. With a loss here they not only hurt their chances at winning the division but also hurt their Wild Card spot chances. The Phillies will be entrusting Kyle Gibson to get them one step closer to the division crown. Gibson doesn’t inspire much hope but could be a job doer. Gibson has a below average 4.85 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 44 record in limited playing time.
On the other side, the Mets are that great either with Rich Hill starting. Hill has also been exposed to limited playing time, with just 48 innings played. In those 48 innings, Hill has a good 3.88 ERA and 1.21 WHIP, but has lost all 3 of his starts. Batting wise, the Phillies have a massive advantage with the 11th best batting unit in the league, while the Mets have the 4th worst unit in the league. With similar pitching situations, the Phillies batting unit should make all the difference. Therefore I have to go with the Phillies to win this game and keep their playoff hopes alive.
Mike’s MLB Pick: Philadelphia Phillies (+108)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
