Free MLB Picks Today for Thursday, September 21st, 2023

Our free MLB picks are out for Thursday, September 21st, 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!

Los Angeles Angels @ Tampa Bay Rays – 1:10PM ET

Tony Battalio

It has been a very frustrating year for the Los Angeles Angels after they came into the season with so many expectations of making a deep playoff run. Shohei Ohtani is now out injured and he will likely be unable to pitch for them next season if he does in fact return to the team after his pending free agency over the off-season. Rather than trading away is Shohei Ohtani of the trade deadline. They held onto him and tried to make improvements to the roster to make a late season playoff push. However, they fell short and now they have a lot of unanswered questions heading into the off-season. However, they will be looking to spoil Tampa Bay’s quest for the American League East division title, with a solid victory in a solid performance in the finale of this series.

It has been a fantastic season for Tampa Bay and they will be looking to put the finishing touches on the year with an American League East division title. They will have some work to do if they want to catch Baltimore coming down the final stretch of the season and they had the opportunity to last weekend after winning the first two games of the series but they were unable to finish the job and they let Baltimore win the last two games of the series. Now Tampa Bay finds themselves two and a half games out of first place coming into this game, but I expect them to pick up the victory as they look to gain ground coming down the final stretch of the season.

New York Mets @ Philadelphia Phillies – 7:15PM ET

Tony Battalio

It has been an awful season for the New York Mets after they came into the year with one of the highest payroll in all of baseball. The production they have gotten on the field has not matched the money that they are paying off of the field and it has led to them being one of the worst teams in the league this season. At this point in the year they will be looking to build up momentum for next season as they look to finish the regular season strong with the opening game of the series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday night on the road in Philadelphia. The Mets will be looking to grab a victory in the opening game of the series, as they look to derail the Phillies playoff hopes as well. 

The Philadelphia Phillies will be looking to pick up a crucial victory in this game as they look to take another step towards clinching a National League wildcard spot. They had a rough start to the season, but they have picked it up coming down the stretch and they now find themselves in a great position to defend the National League pennant and return to the World Series for the second consecutive season. Philadelphia has been playing solid baseball as of late and they are on the doorstep of clinching themselves a playoff spot, and I expect them to pick up another crucial victory in the opening game of the series on Thursday night at home against the New York Mets.

Baltimore Orioles @ Cleveland Guardians – 7:15PM ET

Tony Battalio

Baltimore is closing in on winning the American League East division and they will be looking to finish the regular season strong coming down the stretch and it starts with grabbing a victory over the Cleveland Guardians here on Thursday night on the road at Progressive Field. Baltimore currently has the best record in the American League and they will be looking to keep it that way with another victory here in this one as well as keep some distance between themselves and Tampa Bay over the final two weeks of the regular season. Their long rebuild is finally over and this is a dangerous team that could easily win the World Series this season, if all the chips fall in the right direction for them. 

Cleveland came into the season with plenty of expectations but they have been nothing short of a disappointment this season. They have the easiest path to the playoffs in the entire league, and they were expected to win the weakest division in all of baseball this season, but that has simply not been the case. This is a team that has underperformed and they have a bullpen that was once considered the best in baseball that is now looking like the main reason that they will miss the playoffs after blowing several key games coming down the final few months of the year. I don’t see things getting better for them in this one as I have Baltimore picking up the victory here on Thursday night to open up the series.

Pittsburgh Pirates @ Chicago Cubs – 7:40PM ET

Tony Battalio

The season started out in a fantastic way for the Pittsburgh Pirates, but they were unable to maintain that momentum after picking up 22 victories in their first 30 games of the season. After winning 22 of their first 30 games on the year, they had the best record in the National League at the time but that is not something that was sustainable for the franchise and they are well on their way towards another losing season and another year of missing the playoffs. At this point in the season, they will be looking to build up momentum towards next year as they look to have a strong finish to this year’s regular season, after struggling over the summer, and quickly sliding back down the standings after a fantastic April.

The Chicago Cubs are another team that had a slow start to the season, but they managed to pick things up over the summer. They now find themselves in a position to clinch one of the three wildcard spots in the National League and make a postseason appearance this season. Chicago will be looking to keep the momentum rolling with a victory over Pittsburgh in the final game of the series here on Thursday night at home after they lost on Wednesday night with their best starting pitcher on the mound. Luckily for the Chicago Cubs, I expect them to bounce back in this one against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday night at home.

San Francisco Giants @ Los Angeles Dodgers – 10:10PM ET

Tony Battalio

The San Francisco Giants are having a quality year and they will be looking to finish the regular season strong and get themselves back into the top three in the National League wildcard race. Picking up crucial victories down the stretch will be key for the San Francisco Giants as they cannot afford to make many more mistakes over the last two weeks of the regular season. That means they have to find a way to pick up a victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opening game of this four game weekend series on Thursday night in Los Angeles. San Francisco comes into this game three games out of the third wildcard spot in the National League with ten games left to play on the year. 

The Los Angeles Dodgers have already locked up the National League West division and at this point in the year they will be looking to build momentum heading into the postseason. They are very capable of winning the World Series, as long as they remain healthy and consistent throughout the remainder of the regular season and throughout the postseason as well. They will be looking to spoil the playoff hopes of the San Francisco Giants with a couple of victories starting with the opening game of the series on Thursday night at home. That is exactly what I expect as I look for the Los Angeles Dodgers to pick up the victory in this game.

If you need more news, information and predictions, head over to our MLB hub page for all your baseball needs!

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