Welcome to the Friday baseball slate. The All-Star break is in the rearview mirror, and playoff baseball is on the horizon. I'll continue to be here once a week to provide you with the best MLB picks for the day. Baseball is the best sport to get specific with your bets, and there are plenty of angles to attack any given game, with almost every day offering a loaded slate of opportunities. It's the best time of year.
We had another winning week and have done well for three straight outings. Be sure to check out my NRFI articles; they have been straight cash printers throughout 2026. Anyways, here are the best MLB picks & predictions for Friday, August 21st.
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Friday's Best MLB Picks & Predictions
Last Time: 2-1 | This Season: 31-29
Atlanta Braves vs. Milwaukee Brewers
Starting out in Milwaukee, we have a treat of a game between two division leaders, the Atlanta Braves and the Milwaukee Brewers, with a pitching duel to die for.
Jacob Misiorowski goes for Milwaukee, and the second-year starter has been nothing short of excellent. He boasts a 1.75 ERA and has held opponents to a .460 OPS. Misiorowski surprisingly takes a step back when he goes late in games, with a 5.63 ERA in the sixth inning.
Chris Sale takes the mound for Atlanta. The southpaw has been excellent with a 2.16 ERA. He faced Milwaukee already this season, allowing two unearned runs in 5.2 innings. I know it's an easy click, but I really don't think we’ll see much run production until the second half of the game, so I'll be taking the under through the first five innings.
Pick: First Five Innings Under 3.0 Runs (-115 at bet365)
Chicago Cubs vs. Seattle Mariners
Next up, we have the Chicago Cubs heading out West to take on the Seattle Mariners. Chicago's offense has been hot with the second-most runs scored since the All-Star break. They are running on all cylinders right now offensively, and I'm not sure that Emerson Hancock can limit that. He's been solid but still hittable.
It also helps that Seattle's bullpen has the third-lowest ERA since July. Meanwhile, Matthew Boyd has been up and down as a starter with a 6.16 ERA in August after a 1.67 ERA in five July starts. It seems like now is the best time to tee off against him. Even though I don't trust Seattle’s offense, they should be able to get some run production off Boyd. This is an easy bet on the over.
Pick: Over 7.5 Runs (-122 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
Detroit Tigers vs. Kansas City Royals
Finally, tonight we have an American League Central battle between the Detroit Tigers and the Kansas City Royals.
Troy Melton gets the start for Detroit, and not to spoil it, but he's the main reason I'm backing the Tigers tonight. The righty owns a 1.49 ERA and has been better on the road, with just five earned runs allowed in 45.2 innings pitched away from home this season. Detroit's bullpen ERA has ranked seventh since July 1st.
On the other end, Noah Cameron starts for Kansas City. He has a 5.17 home ERA. Cameron has pitched well against Detroit, but the Royals' bullpen has been a bottom-five unit, so I'm confident the Tigers can pull off the win as a slight road favorite.
Pick: Tigers Moneyline (-108 Kalshi)
