Top 3 MLB Odds, Picks & Predictions: Wednesday (4/9)
We had our best day of the MLB season thus far with Monday’s best bets article, cashing underdog moneyline plays of +126 and +106 odds and going 3-0 as a whole. Now we’re back to continue that momentum with selections from Wednesday’s massive 15-game slate, which includes nine games in the afternoon window.
Read on for our top MLB best bets for Wednesday, April 9.
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Wednesday's Top MLB Picks
(MLB odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
St. Louis Cardinals (-118) at Pittsburgh Pirates (-102) | O/U 7.5 (-120/+100)
There is a big dropoff between the Pirates’ No. 1 and No. 2 starting pitchers, especially if Mitch Keller does not develop more consistency throwing behind Paul Skenes.
Optimists would say Keller was just undone by one bad start against the Yankees, who are responsible for tagging him with seven of his eight earned runs through two starts. Still, Keller’s career numbers against St. Louis do not provide much optimism, as current Cardinals have combined for a .292/.360/.500 slash line against the righty.
St. Louis entered this series averaging nearly seven runs per game, and there is great value on the Cardinals to earn a road series victory against an inferior division rival.
Pick: Cardinals Moneyline (-118)
Texas Rangers (+130) at Chicago Cubs (-155) | O/U 8.5 (-102/-118)
I always tend to favor Midwest teams that play in colder climates and host warm-weather teams early in the season. That is especially true in this matchup with Chicago sending Shota Imanaga to the mound.
Imanaga is already 2-0 with a minuscule 0.98 ERA in three starts this season, with one of those starts coming against the powerful Dodgers. The lefty is following up a rookie season where he finished fifth in the Cy Young voting by posting an NL-best 1.1 WAR thus far.
Imanaga loves pitching at Wrigley Field, where he has a 2.52 ERA and 0.904 WHIP in 18 career starts. He is also accustomed to blazing hot starts, as he is now 6-0 with a 0.98 ERA in eight career starts in March/April.
The Cubs have a lot of familiarity with Rangers righty Tyler Mahle from his days in Cincinnati, and I am laying the 1.5 runs with a huge starting pitching disparity.
Baltimore Orioles (+105) at Arizona Diamondbacks (-125) | O/U 9.0 (-108/-112)
The Orioles and Diamondbacks each entered Tuesday under .500 (each were 5-6), but their slow starts could not be pinned on their offenses, as Baltimore and Arizona are third and fourth in their respective leagues in runs scored.
Baltimore’s lineup became much deeper with Gunnar Henderson’s return, and neither starting pitcher in this matchup (Dean Kremer or Brandon Pfaadt) exudes much confidence that they can hold the opposing offense down.
Both bullpens entered Wednesday ranked in the top 10 in ERA, and Arizona’s led MLB in xFIP. Therefore, I am expecting both of these offenses to do most of their damage early and am backing the first five innings total.
Pick: First Five Innings Over 4.5 Runs (-125)
Mike Spector is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @MikeSpector01.