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MLB Best Bets, Odds, Picks & Predictions: Thursday (8/3)

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The trade deadline is over, and some big names were moved. We feature one of them tonight. Each game features a team that bought in on the season, so we’ll see if it pays off.

Thursday's Best MLB Bets

(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)

Chicago White Sox (+220) at Texas Rangers (-270) | O/U 9 (-104/-118)

Max Scherzer will make his Texas debut as the Rangers have gone all in for this season. Mad Max has been lucid so far this year, and he's seeing a statcast-era (starting in 2015) career-worst year in strikeout percentage, barrel percentage, and exit velocity. He still leads with his fastball, but it's lost speed and movement, and he went from a 13 run value on the pitch last season to four this year.

Touki Toussaint will get back-to-back starts for just the second time this season and the first in almost a month. He's changed his approach this year by making the curveball his lead pitch, and he's done well with it, especially in Chicago with a 3.34 ERA. He's already seen the Rangers previously this season and went five scoreless innings.

I’m still heavily in favor of Scherzer having a strong debut in Arlington.

Pick: Rangers -1.5 (-126)

Houston Astros (-108) at New York Yankees (-108) | O/U 9 (-106/-114)

Cristian Javier’s ERA does not look good, but that's stemming from three consecutive starts where he allowed 18 earned in 10 innings. Before that, it was at a respectable 3.58, and over his last three starts, hitters have a .618 OPS. Now he gets the Yankees, where he's allowed one earned in 15.1 innings against them, and the roster is hitting .186.

Outside of Gerrit Cole, Clarke Schmidt has been the Yankees most consistent starter. He's been excellent over the last two months after a rough start to the year, and in his ten appearances (nine starts), he's 5-1 with a 3.67 ERA.

The Yankees lineup has been in rough shape the last few games, with a 31.5% strikeout rate in their last three. We know the Astros’ recent success in the Bronx when they clinched the ALCS there, and that will continue tonight.

Pick: Astros Moneyline (-108)

Seattle Mariners (+134) at Los Angeles (-154) | O/U 8./5 (-104/-118)

It's been a tough stretch for Bryan Woo recently, with an 8.16 ERA, 7.25 FIP in his last three starts and the Mariners losing his previous four. He's been having trouble with his control, with 3.8 walks per nine and three HBP in his last three starts.

Shohei Ohtani is coming off the best start of his career with a complete game one-hitter against the Tigers. Will he continue that trend? He's already seen the Mariners twice and has allowed four earned and 14 strikeouts in 11 innings.

Pick: Angels Moneyline (-154)

Check out our other best bets from Thursday:

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