MLB Odds, Picks & Predictions: Monday (6/9)
Yesterday’s Major League Baseball action was tightly contested in most games, as five of the 14 games heading into Sunday Night Baseball were decided by one run, and four others finished with a two-run margin. Does that mean we are investing in more run line plays on Monday?
Our 5-1 run on MLB best bets to end last week got the momentum going into what should be an exciting week around Major League Baseball. Read on for our top two MLB picks and bets amid a small nine-game slate for Monday, June 9th.
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Monday's Top MLB Picks & Bets
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Cincinnati Reds (+138) at Cleveland Guardians (-164) | O/U 8.5 (-115/-105)
Cleveland is heavily in the mix in the American League playoff picture at 34-30. But its expected win/loss record is four games worse at 30-34 because of a -19 run differential, the fifth-worst in the league.
The Guardians have lost three of their last four series, and six of their last seven series openers. Thus, the Reds are a live underdog, especially when facing Luis Ortiz, as Cleveland has lost four of his last six starts.
Cincinnati’s Wade Miley was signed recently to fill the void in the starting rotation with ace Hunter Greene on the injured list (IL). Miley has only thrown two innings this year while getting roughed up for four runs on six hits. But Cleveland is just 4-11 in 15 games against a left-handed starting pitcher, so all the trends point to the Reds being worthy of a flier as an underdog.
Pick: Reds Moneyline (+138)
Atlanta Braves (-190) at Milwaukee Brewers (+160) | O/U 7.5 (-122/+100)
Atlanta has tied its longest losing streak of the season (seven games) since starting the season with seven straight losses in West Coast games. However, each of the Braves’ last five losses have been by one run, and I feel they are on the precipice of a much-needed breakthrough with Chris Sale on the mound.
Sale leads all Braves pitchers with a 1.4 WAR and an 11.7 K/9 rate. He is coming off a 10-strikeout performance against Arizona, the 90th of his career, which places him eighth on the all-time list for 10-strikeout games.
Sale has been lights out after a slow start to the season, pitching to a 1.66 ERA over his last eight starts after finishing his first four starts of the season with a 6.63 ERA. I expect better luck to come Sale’s way with regards to what Ben Weaver posted on X:
The Braves have covered the run line in four of the six games they have won with Sale on the mound. And with their last four losses when Sale toed the rubber coming by one run, I am banking on luck not going against them in this outing. I expect a win by two or more runs in this series opener.
Pick: Braves -1.5 (-111)
Mike Spector is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @MikeSpector01