Navigate

MLB Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions: Saturday (4/1)

by |

Opening Week 2023 continues across America as all 30 teams are set to hit the diamond on this stacked Saturday in sports. Between the 15-game MLB slate, 13-game NHL docket, and the Final Four, today easily comes in as one of the best sports days of the year!

Let’s dive into my top three betting plays in the MLB today.

MLB YTD: 1-2 (-0.7 Units)

Also, take a look at our other best bets for Saturday:

Today’s Best MLB Bets

(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)

Toronto Blue Jays vs. St. Louis Cardinals

It was a wild Opening Day Thursday in St. Louis, not only because of the 10-9 barnburner that Toronto won but also since Adam Wainwright shocked the world and nailed the national anthem to start the day. The two clubs are back at it today after a built-in off day Friday. This one is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. ET from Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MO.

The pitching matchup in this interleague showdown sees Kevin Gausman go for the Blue Jays while the Cardinals counter with Jack Flaherty. I’m riding with the Cardinals as slight underdogs in this one.

St. Louis’ current roster has seen the right-handed Gausman fairly well over 68 at-bats, posting a .265/.333/.529 slash line against him. Flaherty, on the other hand, has limited the Jays to a .120 batting average with no extra-base hits over 25 career at-bats. With Flaherty finally healthy and coming off a full Spring Training workload, I expect the righty to return to dominant form this year.

Bet: St. Louis Cardinals Moneyline (+114 via FanDuel)

Los Angeles Angels vs. Oakland Athletics

Similar to the Blue Jays and Cardinals game, the most memorable moment from the Opening Day tilt in the Bay came off the field of play. There was a dust-up following the 2-1 Oakland victory where Anthony Rendon grabbed a fan by the collar and swung a punch at the guy. That story, along with Shohei Ohtani’s 6.0-inning, 10-punch out scoreless outing, were the main headlines to come out of Oakland. The divisional foes get underway this afternoon at 4:07 p.m. ET from the RingCentral Coliseum in Oakland, CA.

The Angels will turn to Patrick Sandoval to handle the starting pitching responsibilities this afternoon while the A’s go with newcomer Shintaro Fujinami. The offseason signing of Fujinami didn’t have the usual flare that you get with a player coming over from Japan. Perhaps that’s because the right-hander was just 3-5 in Japan’s Central League with a 3.38 ERA over 10 starts and six relief appearances last year. Opponents hit .240 against Fujinami over 66.2 innings of work.

Ultimately, the Halos are too talented of a bunch to drop two straight games to the lowly Athletics. While Los Angeles is certainly top-heavy, look for the big guns at the top of the lineup to come to life this afternoon and stretch this lead out by multiple runs. Let’s lock in the Angels on the run line.

Bet: Los Angeles Angels -1.5 (+100 via FanDuel)

Minnesota Twins vs. Kansas City Royals

Kansas City was only able to muster up two hits in the 2-0 Opening Day loss to Minnesota Thursday. The Central Division opponents are back at it today at 4:10 p.m. ET from Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO.

I don’t expect the Royals’ bats to get much better this afternoon as they’re running into Sonny Gray of the Twins. The right-hander turned in an 8-5 record in 2022 to go along with a 3.08 ERA and 1.13 WHIP over 24 starts. Gray has Kansas City to thank for a part of the success, as he dominated them last year. The veteran hurler was a perfect 3-0 against the Royals with a 0.47 ERA and 0.53 WHIP over 19.0 innings of work. He limited them to a .123 batting average while picking up 22 strikeouts.

Kansas City will counter with journeyman Jordan Lyles in this divisional clash as the righty makes his eighth-team debut today. Lyles enters with a 5.10 career ERA and 1.43 WHIP. I’m expecting the Twins to move to 2-0 against a Royals squad that appears to be in baseball limbo right now.

Bet: Minnesota Twins Moneyline (-162 via FanDuel)

Whether you’re new to sports betting or a betting pro, our Sports Betting Strategy and Advice page is for you. You can get started with our 101 section — including 10 Sports Betting Tips for Beginners — or head to more advanced strategies — like Key Numbers When Betting Against the Spread — to learn more.

Go premium to view top prop bets based on Cover Probability, Expected Value & Star Rating >>


Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox | Pocket Casts