Free MLB Picks Today for Wild Card Round Game One, 2023

Our free MLB picks are out for Wild Card Round Game One! 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!

Texas Rangers @ Tampa Bay Rays – 3:08PM ET

Tony Battalio

The Texas Rangers had a pretty successful, regular season up until the last month and a half of the year. They ended up losing the American League West division, and now they find themselves positioned as the worst wildcard team in the American League, and they will have to face one of the best teams in all of baseball this season, the Tampa Bay Rays in the opening round of the postseason. Texas will be looking to get things back on track in the opening game of this series on Tuesday afternoon at Tropicana Field as they look to overcome their struggles and grab a huge momentum boosting victory to open up this short, three game series and give themselves an opportunity to win it on Wednesday with a victory here on Tuesday.

The Tampa Bay Rays made this season with the best start in franchise history, and one of the best starts in Major League Baseball history as well. Unfortunately, for Tampa Bay, they were unable to maintain that momentum throughout the season and they found themselves in second place of the American League East division after the final day of the regular season. Tampa Bay finished as the best wildcard team in the American League but you can clearly see that they are not the same team without Shane McClanahan, and Wander Franco. They will be hoping to overcome those losses and grab a massive victory in the first game of this series on Tuesday night. That is exactly what I expect as I have Tampa Bay taking home the win in this game.

Toronto Blue Jays @ Minnesota Twins – 4:38PM ET

Tony Battalio

The Toronto Blue Jays have flown under the radar this season after coming into the year with plenty of expectations. A lot of people expected them to compete for the American League East division crown but they ended up settling for a wildcard spot in the American League instead. Now they will be looking to upset the champions of the American League Central division on the road in Minnesota over the next three days. This is a team that has enough talent to get the job done and win a World Series as long as they remain healthy and consistent throughout the postseason. I expect them to have a quality game in the opening game of this series on Tuesday night on the road. 

Minnesota will be looking to vanquish their playoff demons when they open up this series at home against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night. Minnesota came out on top in the worst division and all of baseball this season, and they will be looking to prove people wrong and show the baseball world that they can still win a playoff series after bowing out early over the last several seasons. They will have Pablo Lopez getting the baseball in the opening game of this series, but the question remains on if they can hit the ball consistently throughout a postseason series to get the job done. Unfortunately for Minnesota I don’t see them picking up the victory in this game on Tuesday night as I look for Toronto to grab the upset win on the road.

Arizona Diamondbacks @ Milwaukee Brewers – 7:08PM ET

Tony Battalio

It was a roller coaster of a season for the Arizona Diamondbacks, and they will be looking to keep heading in the right direction with a victory in the opening game of this series against the Milwaukee Brewers. Arizona will be without both Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen in the opening game of this series which puts them at an immediate disadvantage in the pitching matchup because they will be going against former National League Cy Young award winner Corbin Burnes. They will be looking to overcome that disadvantage in the opening game of this series on the road in Milwaukee here on Tuesday night as they look to take a one to nothing lead before heading into game number two on Wednesday.

The Milwaukee Brewers will be looking to grab the victory at home in the opening game of this three game wildcard series on Tuesday night. They will have former National League Cy Young award winner Corbin Burnes on the mound for them in this one which provides them with a huge advantage in the starting pitching matchup as they will look to grab a victory over Arizona without facing Merrill Kelly or Zac Gallen. Milwaukee has enough talent on their roster to get the job done as long as they remain healthy and consistent throughout the postseason and I expect them to grab the victory in game number one of this series to get it off on the right foot here at home. 

Miami Marlins @ Philadelphia Phillies – 8:08PM ET

Tony Battalio

The Miami Marlins will be looking to pick up a crucial victory in the opening game of this series against the Philadelphia Phillies on the road. It has been an up-and-down season for the Miami Marlins, but they got hot at the right time and they were able to get themselves into a position to make a playoff berth for the first time in a while. Miami will be looking to keep the momentum rolling in the opening game of this series as they hit the road for three tough games against their National League East division rivals in Philadelphia starting on Tuesday night. Luis Arraez and the rest of the Miami Marlins lineup will have to crack Zack Wheeler in this game if they want to have a chance of winning here on Tuesday night. 

The Philadelphia Phillies had a slow start to the season, but they got hot throughout the year and they now find themselves in a position to defend their National League pennant starting with the opening game of this series on Tuesday night against the Miami Marlins. Philadelphia will have Zach Wheeler on the mound for the opening game of this series at home which gives them an advantage in the starting pitching matchup and they will be looking to exploit that advantage here on Tuesday night as they look to take a one game to zero lead in the series. That is exactly what I expect as I look for the Philadelphia Phillies to grab the victory in this game over the Miami Marlins on Tuesday night at home and put themselves in a position to sweep Miami on Wednesday in the process.

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