Best MLB Bets Today | MLB Picks, April 18

Los Angeles Angels vs New York Yankees

• Time: 7:05 PM ET
• Starting Pitchers: Jose Suarez vs Clarke Schmidt
• Moneyline: Angels +124 | Yankees -146
• Runline: Angels +1.5 (-152) | Yankees -1.5 (+126)
• Total: Over 9 (-114) | Under 9 (-106)

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

My Pick: Over 9 (-114)

The New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels already have the potential to put on offensive fireworks displays. Combine their potent lineups with some struggling starting pitching, and we should see a high-scoring affair in the Bronx as these two teams open up their series against one another. Jose Suarez will get the start for the Angels, while Clarke Schmidt gets the ball for the Yankees, in a game where we love the over.

Suarez has pitched twice so far this season and has given up a combined 10 runs in 8.1 innings of work, putting his ERA into double digits. Concerning for Suarez is the fact that those two starts came against the Seattle Mariners and Washington Nationals, two teams that are not exactly offensive powerhouses. But Suarez may not be the biggest liability on the mound in this matchup.

On the Yankees side, Clarke Schmidt will get the start, who enters this game with an ERA of 8.44 through three starts. Schmidt has yet to pitch more than four innings in a game, having allowed at least three runs in each of those starts. Against an Angels team that will feature Shohei Ohtani hitting toward the short porch in right field, Schmidt should be just as vulnerable to runs as Suarez on the opposite side.

Baltimore Orioles vs Washington Nationals

• Time: 7:05 PM ET
• Starting Pitchers: Dean Kremer vs Josiah Gray
• Moneyline: Orioles -145 | Nationals +120
• Runline: Orioles -1.5 (-110) | Nationals +1.5 (-135)
• Total: Over 9 (-105) | Under 9 (-115)

Odds courtesy of BetMGM

My Pick: Orioles -1.5 (+110)

The Washington Nationals might just be the worst team in Major League Baseball this season, entering Tuesday’s slate at 5-11 on the season. While they did just snap an extended losing streak in their last game against the Cleveland Guardians, we will fade the Nats on Tuesday night. Getting the Orioles' runline against the Nats at plus money is a great play, and is our second-best bet of the day in Major League Baseball.

So far this season, only three teams have scored fewer runs than the Nationals on the season. Those teams are the Detroit Tigers, Miami Marlins, and Kansas City Royals, who are not an exactly elite company in most statistical circumstances in baseball. Baltimore, on the other hand, ranks second in the league in scoring and should be able to put up enough runs to pull away from Washington here.

Baltimore has won three of its last four games, all of which have come with them scoring at least six runs. If the Orioles can score around that same amount in this game, they could run away with this contest. While starting pitcher Dean Kremer and his 9.49 ERA early in the season are a concern in taking the O’s here, we will do so anyway as the potent Baltimore lineup should more than make up for any mistakes from their starting pitcher.

Tampa Bay Rays vs Cincinnati Reds

• Time: 6:40 PM ET
• Starting Pitchers: Taj Bradley vs Nick Lodolo
• Moneyline: Rays -120 | Reds EVEN
• Runline: Rays -1.5 (+135) | Reds +1.5 (-155)
• Total: Over 9 (-115) | Under 9 (-105)

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook

My Pick: Reds Moneyline (EVEN)

In our final MLB best bet for Tuesday, we will take the Cincinnati Reds to beat the Tampa Bay Rays in a result that would not be as much of an upset as public perception would lead you to believe. Tampa Bay has been the best team in baseball by a wide margin early this season, but they are at a slight disadvantage against the Reds despite being a slight favorite on Tuesday night. That disadvantage starts with a pitching matchup that favors the Reds.

Nick Lodolo gets the start for Cincinnati, who has been excellent early on, going 2-0 with a 2.12 ERA. He has already struck out 27 batters on the season in 17 innings of work, and his ability to miss bats will be necessary to neutralize a Rays lineup that has been great in April. Another quality start from Lodolo could help the Reds score a second straight win over the Rays after their 8-1 win on Monday.

Pitching for the Rays is Taj Bradley, who is certainly not on the level of the higher-end starters in their rotation. Bradley gave up three runs in five innings in his first and only appearance of the season against the Boston Red Sox. He is clearly the second-best pitcher in this matchup, which should help Cincinnati move to within a game of the .500 mark.

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