Best MLB Bets Today: MLB’s Top Talent Face Off on Thursday

Our bets for today involve games where the top players in the MLB will be squaring off. The first is from a game between the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds. The other is from a battle between the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners.

Below, we will share the bet we love from both of these games, sharing odds taken from FanDuel Sportsbook. If you are looking to give FanDuel a try, use our custom link to earn $200 in Bonus Bets+ 3 Weeks of NFL Sunday Ticket if your initial wager of $5+ wins!

Best MLB Bets Today: Braves vs. Reds (1:10 PM EST)

Under 8.5 Runs (-105) at FanDuel Sportsbook

This total is way too high, so we are jumping on it this afternoon. That is mainly because the Braves will have Cy Young favorite Chris Sale (17-3, 2.35 ERA, 1.00 WHIP) on the mound. The veteran has one of his best seasons going at 35, and the Braves have won his last seven starts.

Sale has been near perfect in September, going 2-0 with a miniscule 0.47 ERA. That includes his last start, where he held the fantastic Dodgers’ lineup to just one run over six innings. The one run is the only one the ace has allowed since August 29. 

The lefty will face a Reds’ offense that disappointed in 2024. They own the fifth-lowest batting average in the league and are batting just .226 against left-handed pitching this season.

The Reds will have a young starter on the mound today in Julian Aguiar (2-0, 4.88 ERA, 1.23 WHIP). The 23-year-old had a rough start to his career in August, but he has looked far better in September, going 1-0 with a 3.29 ERA. That includes his last start, where he allowed the Twins to score three runs on three hits and two walks over 6 ⅓ innings. 

The Braves offense has struggled without Ronald Acuna Jr., ranking nineteenth in batting average and sixteenth in runs scored. Things have been especially bad in September with the team batting .227 across 15 games. They may tag Aguiar for some runs, but not nearly enough to jeopardize the outcome of this bet.

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Best MLB Bets Today: Yankees vs. Mariners (4:10 PM EST)

Under 7.5 (+100) at FanDuel Sportsbook

This is the best pitching matchup of the day, and the result will be a low-scoring slugfest. 

On one side is Yankees’ starter Clarke Schmidt (5-3, 2.41 ERA, 1.13 WHIP), who has been incredible in 2024. While injuries have limited him to just 13 starts this season, it hasn’t taken a toll on his production, which has been fantastic since his return from the IL in September. 

Schmidt has allowed just two runs over 10 1/3 innings this month, only limited by the team keeping him on a pitch count. They let him go longer in his previous start, and we expect him to have far more leeway tonight, especially given the Yankees are still pushing to lock up the AL East and the top seed for the playoffs. 

The Mariners will have Logan Gilbert (7-11, 3.24 ERA, 0.89 WHIP) starting opposite Schmidt. The 27-year-old has become one of the best pitchers in the league, though the Mariners’ poor offense has cost him a lot of wins. He will be facing the Yankees for the second time this season after delivering a quality start in the Big Apple.

Gilbert has done his best in day games this season, posting a 2.91 ERA and holding opponents to a .192 batting average. The Yankees offense is fantastic, but we are giving the edge to Gilbert in tonight’s matchup.

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