Best MLB Bets Today: AL West Rivals Battle to Keep Their Playoff Hopes Alive

We have a pair of great bets for you today. The first centers on a game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians. The other comes from a matchup between AL West rivals as the Texas Rangers visit the Seattle Mariners. 

Below, we will share the best bets we love from these games, sharing odds from FanDuel Sportsbook. If you are new and looking to try FanDuel, use our custom link to earn $200 in Bonus Bets+ 3 Weeks of NFL Sunday Ticket with an initial wager of $5+.

Best MLB Bet Today: Rays vs. Guardians (7:15 PM EST)

Rays ML (+116) at FanDuel Sportsbook

There is something seriously wrong with Guardian’s starter Gavin Williams (3-8, 5.25 ERA, 1.37 WHIP). The 25-year-old looked sharp when he joined the team in July, but things fell apart in August. Since August 1, Williams is 2-5 with a 6.68 ERA. 

Williams has been especially bad when at home this season. The righty is 0-5 with a 7.54 across five starts in Cleveland this season. After a promising rookie season, it has been a disappointing campaign, and we don’t see things improving tonight.

The Rays won’t be making the playoffs this season, but they have been far better when playing on the road. While they struggled against Williams in July, the young pitcher has been a different player. He is making a lot of mistakes as his confidence crumbles, which will give Tampa plenty of chances to do some damage tonight. 

Ryan Pepiot (8-6, 3.66 ERA, 1.14 WHIP) will be starting for the Rays tonight. The 27-year-old has spent time on the IL and struggled over the season's first few months. However, he has been far better since July 1, going 4-2 with a 2.41 ERA.

As good as the Guardians have been this season, their play at the plate hasn’t been great. They rank twenty-first in batting average and fourteenth in runs scored. Things have only gotten worse since the All-Star break, with the team’s average dipping from .243 in the first half to .230 in the second.

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Best MLB Bet Today: Rangers vs. Mariners (9:40 PM EST)

Rangers ML (+132) at FanDuel Sportsbook

The Rangers seemed destined to miss the playoffs this season, but they have been getting hot lately. 

The wildcard in this matchup is starting pitching Kumar Rocker, who will be making his big league debut tonight. The team’s top pitching prospect has taken time to work through the minors, but he is now ready to show fans why the Rangers have been so excited about him.

Rocker will be starting his MLB career off against one of the worst offensive teams in the league. While the Mariners have improved a bit since acquiring Randy Aronzarena, they still rank dead last in the league in batting average and twenty-fifth in runs scored. Considering Rocker’s impressive arsenal, expect to see the subpar lineup stumble against the rookie.

The Mariners will have an impressive young starter of their own on the mound in Bryce Miller (11-8, 3.18 ERA, 0.99 WHIP). The 26-year-old has been fantastic for the Mariners this season, giving them yet another star pitcher. However, even he can’t compensate for Seattle’s inability to score runs.

Miller will face a vastly improved Texas Rangers lineup tonight. The team has finally found some offensive consistency, led by Josh Jung and Wyatt Langford, a pair of young stars. The loss of Corey Seager hurts, but that hasn’t slowed Texas down as of yet.

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