20 of our 30 Major League Baseball teams will take the field this Thursday and we’ve got you covered with five free moneyline picks!
Look below to find our free MLB Picks for the five best games on today’s schedule!
Los Angeles Dodgers @ Pittsburgh Pirates – 12.35PM ET
The Pirates and Dodgers will conclude their three game series in Pittsburgh on Thursday night.
As a result of their 2-1 victory on Wednesday, the Dodgers have taken a 2-0 lead in this set against the Pirates and they will be looking to complete a sweep on the road with a win in Thursday’s series finale.
Justin Turner essentially won Wednesday’s game off his own bat, hitting a pair of solo home runs in the first and third. With the ball, Los Angeles got away with a victory on a bullpen day, as six pitchers took the mound and allowed just one earned run.
Tyler Anderson (six innings, six hits, two earned runs, two strikeouts) was solid with the ball for Pittsburgh, however the Pirates lineup once again struggled, only amassing three hits for the day.
Can’t throw this to Justin Turner. Can’t do it.pic.twitter.com/aVDL6mzoxu
— Starting 9 (@Starting9) June 10, 2021
Los Angeles will look to complete the series sweep with Julio Urias at the mound. Urias is 8-2 from 12 starts this season, to go along with a 3.48 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 80 strikeouts from 72.1 innings of work. The southpaw recently returned to form after allowing six earned runs on 11 hits from five innings, conceding just one earned run from four hits in five innings in his most recent start.
The Pirates will counter with Mitch Keller on Thursday. Keller is 3-6 with a 6.65 ERA, 1.72 WHIP and 48 strikeouts from 44.2 innings across 11 starts this season. The right hander has been solid in his last three starts, allowing just seven runs on 12 hits in 12 innings.
Although Keller allowed two runs in his last two starts in May, he still owns a 5.25 ERA for the month. Los Angeles’ lineup, who are scoring an average of 5.30 runs per game, should feast on the out of form righty on Thursday. As well as that, Julio Urias is having a very solid season as he has held his opponents to two or fewer runs in four out of his last five outings. We believe Urias will negate Pittsburgh’s 30th ranked MLB lineup (averaging 3.54 runs per game) on Thursday.
MLB Pick – Los Angeles Dodgers (-235)
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Milwaukee Brewers @ Cincinnati Reds – 12.35PM ET
A pair of NL Central rivals will face off in the final match of their three game set in Cincinnati on Thursday when the Reds host the Brewers.
As a result of their 7-3 victory on Wednesday, Cincinnati tied up this series at 1-1 heading into Thursday’s decider. Jesse Winker added a further two runs and two hits to his respective tallies as his impressive season with the bat continued, while Nick Castellanos (two) and Tyler Stephenson (three) combined for five RBIs in the four run victory.
Brett Anderson took the loss with the ball for Milwaukee, allowing four hits and five earned runs in just three innings at the mound.
Freddy Peralta will be given the responsibility of leading the Brewers to a win on Thursday when he makes his 12th start (13th appearance) of the year. Peralta is 6-1 with a 2.25 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 92 strikeouts over 64 innings of action this year. The right hander is 2-0 with a 1.89 ERA, a 0.84 WHIP and 23 strikeouts over 19 innings across his last three starts.
Lucas Castillo will take the ball for the Reds when he makes his 13th start of the season. Castillo is 2-8 with a 6.63 ERA, 1.66 WHIP and 53 strikeouts over 58.1 innings of work this year. The right hander owns a 1-2 record from his last three outings, to go along with a 4.50 ERA across 16 innings.
Although they tied the series at 1-1 on Wednesday, Cincinnati’s lineup was given the rare opportunity to capitalise on a pitching advantage over Milwaukee, who sent the out of form Brenton Anderson (4.42 ERA) to the mound. In Thursday’s decider, the Brewers will once again have an advantage with the ball in Peralta. As well as that, Milwaukee’s lineup has scored an average of five runs per game from their last seven matches and we like them to put up a winnable score against the out of form Lucas Castillo during Thursday’s series finale.
MLB Pick – Milwaukee Brewers (-120)
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Atlanta Braves @ Philadelphia Phillies – 1.05PM ET
A pair of NL East rivals will wrap up their three game set in Philadelphia on Thursday afternoon when the Phillies host the Braves.
The Phillies tied this series at 1-1 following their 2-1 victory on Wednesday. Although the Braves led midway through the ninth, Luke Williams clubbed a walk-off two run homer with two batters out to win the game at the bottom of the ninth.
Luke Williams.
First career MLB start.
First career MLB homer.
Walk-off win for the Phillies!!! pic.twitter.com/Rht9U2grq4
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) June 10, 2021
Ian Anderson will make his 12th start of the season for the Braves on Thursday. Anderson is 4-3 with a 3.64 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 65 strikeouts across 59.1 innings of work. The right hander has thrown 14.1 innings in his last three starts, allowing eight earned runs on 14 hits in that time.
Zach Wheeler will look to lead the Phillies to a series victory when he makes his 13th start of the year. Wheeler is 4-3 with a 2.51 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 100 strikeouts across 82.1 innings of work. The right hander has allowed six earned runs on 12 hits in his last three starts, throwing 21.2 innings in that time.
Although we believe that Atlanta possesses the better offense and have been in better form, we think the Phillies dominance with the ball will result in them wrapping up this series at home. Ian Anderson has failed to complete five innings in back-to-back outings, while Wheeler has registered a quality start in his last six appearances to go along with his career high strikeout (10.93 per nine innings) and walk (1.97 per nine innings) rates. As well as that, Wheeler is holding opposition hitters to just .198 batting average and his 0.94 WHIP is also a career low, making him a contender for the NL Cy Young award.
MLB Pick – Philadelphia Phillies (-142)
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Seattle Mariners @ Detroit Tigers – 1.10PM ET
The Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers will conclude their three game series at Comerica Park on Thursday afternoon.
The Mariners tied up this set of games at 1-1 thanks to their 9-6 victory in Detroit on Wednesday. Although the game was tied 3-3 at the top of the 10th and 4-4 at the top of the 11th, Daniel Norris allowed five runs (four earned) in the 11th inning to give the Mariners an insurmountable lead.
Jack Fraley made the play of the day in the field with a remarkable catch that thwarted what would’ve been a walk-off home run at the bottom of the ninth. Fraley then gave Seattle the lead at the top of the 11th before Tom Murphy’s two run double and Robbie Grossman’s two run homer gave the Mariners a five run lead in the 11th.
Seattle will send Justus Sheffield to the mound for his 11th start of the season. Sheffield is 4-5 this year with a 4.77 ERA, 1.57 WHIP and 42 strikeouts from 54.2 innings of work. The southpaw has thrown 5+ innings in each of his last three starts, collecting a 2-1 record in that time while also allowing nine earned runs on 19 hits.
With Spencer Turnbull on the IL, Detroit will be having a bullpen day on Thursday, and they are yet to name their starting pitcher.
Although this is a bullpen day for Detroit, the Tigers held Milwaukee to just three runs in their last bullpen start. Seeing as Detroit have won five of their last six games at Comerica Park, we are going to pick the Tigers to wrap up this series with a victory at home. Especially when considering that Justus Sheffield will be at the mound for Seattle, where he owns a 6.00 ERA from 27 innings on the road. As well as that, the Tigers lineup has scored 26 runs in their last five home games, and we like them to get on top of Sheffield on Wednesday.
MLB Pick – Detroit Tigers (-116)
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San Francisco Giants @ Washington Nationals – 7.05PM ET
The San Francisco Giants and Washington Nationals will kick off their four game series in the nation’s capital on Thursday night.
As a result of their loss on Wednesday, San Francisco split their two game set against the Rangers in Texas. The Giants won game one on Tuesday 9-4 before suffering a 3-4 11th innings loss in their most recent outing.
As for the Nationals, they recently tied their two game set against the Rays in Tampa Bay thanks to a 9-7 victory on Wednesday. With the scores tied 5-5 at the end of the ninth and 7-7 at the end of the 10th, Starlin Castro hit a go ahead double to give Washington a one run lead before Josh Harrison hit a sacrifice fly ball to bring a runner home and set up the Nats two run victory.
STARLIN.
THE LEAD.#NATITUDE pic.twitter.com/A39Q1AC2ZH
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) June 10, 2021
Max Scherzer will take the mound for the Nationals on Thursday when he makes his 12th start of the season. Scherzer is 5-4 with a 2.22 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and 104 strikeouts in 77 innings of work. The 36 year old has allowed just five earned runs in his last three starts, throwing 20.2 innings in that time.
The Giants will counter with Anthony DeSclafani on Thursday. DeSclafani is 5-2 this year with a 3.51 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 58 strikeouts from his 66.2 innings across 12 starts. The right hander has allowed 14 earned runs (including 10 against the Dodgers) in his last three starts, throwing 13.1 innings in that time.
With a pair of quality pitchers going toe to toe in this matchup, we are going to take the Giants on the road in this matchup. Although Scherzer is 2-2 with a 1.98 ERA at home this season, San Francisco have won five of the last six games that DeSclafani has started, and he is a better performer on the road. As well as that, the Giants are the stronger of the two lineups. San Francisco are averaging 4.85 runs per game this season, while Washington are scoring just 3.88 runs per contest this year.
MLB Pick – San Francisco Giants (+138)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel & Bet365
