Best MLB Bets Today | MLB Picks, August 22

In Major League Baseball on Tuesday night, there are a ton of compelling storylines set to play out on the diamond. A traditional powerhouse will look to end its freefall at home, a Cy Young contender will look to dominate at home once again, and a homecoming of sorts is in order as a pitcher reunites with his former team. All of that and more will be covered here, in our MLB best bets for Tuesday.

Washington Nationals vs New York Yankees

• Time: 7:05 PM ET
• Starting Pitchers: Josiah Gray vs Carlos Rodon
• Moneyline: Nationals (+155) | Yankees (-190)
• Runline: Nationals +1.5 (-135) | Yankees -1.5 (+110)
• Total: Over 8.5 (-115) | Under 8.5 (-105)

Odds courtesy of BetMGM. Check out other MLB betting sites for more betting opportunities. 

My Pick: Nationals Moneyline (+155)

The New York Yankees have fallen apart in the AL East of late, losing eight straight games to solidify their status as a last-place team. In fact, the Yankees are only a few games better than the NL East’s last-place team, the Washington Nationals. When those two teams square off in the Bronx on Tuesday night, look for the Nationals to prolong the misery of the Yankees by grabbing a win over the Bronx Bombers.

Believe it or not, the Nats have a decided edge in the starting pitching department heading into this game. Josiah Gray has been far from perfect this year, but he has been a perfectly serviceable starting pitcher this year with his 3.96 ERA. He should have a leg up on Yankees starter Carlos Rodon, who is just 1-4 on the season and has allowed a whopping eight home runs in just 27 innings of work on the season.

But the real source of problems for the Yankees this season has been their sputtering offense. During this miserable eight-game losing streak, the Yankees have scored four runs or more in just two games. As it turns out, Aaron Judge returning to their lineup did not magically patch all of the holes in the Yankee offense, and there is going to have to be some serious roster reconstruction done in the offseason in New York City.

Texas Rangers vs Arizona Diamondbacks

• Time: 9:40 PM ET
• Starting Pitchers: Jon Gray vs Zac Gallen
• Moneyline: Rangers (+105) | Diamondbacks (-125)
• Runline: Rangers +1.5 (-190) | Diamondbacks -1.5 (+160)
• Total: Over 8.5 (-105) | Under 8.5 (-115)

Odds courtesy of PointsBet.

My Pick: Diamondbacks Moneyline (-125)

The best game of the night in Major League Baseball on Tuesday could come between the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks. Both teams are sending their true aces to the mound for this game, as Jon Gray and Zac Gallen get set to do battle in Phoenix. In that game, look for Gallen to give the Diamondbacks the upper hand, and for Arizona to come away with the victory as slight favorites.

The key to this game is just how dominant Gallen has been at home throughout the 2023 MLB season. So far this year, Gallen has gone 10-1 at home, compared to his mediocre 3-4 record on the road. As long as he does not trip up completely against the potent lineup of the Rangers, he should be able to grab an 11th win in front of his home crowd at Chase Field to help Arizona come away with a victory here.

Los Angeles Dodgers vs Cleveland Guardians

• Time: 7:10 PM ET
• Starting Pitchers: Bobby Miller vs Noah Syndergaard
• Moneyline: Dodgers (-218) | Guardians (+180)
• Runline: Dodgers -1.5 (-130) | Guardians +1.5 (+110)
• Total: Over 9 (-110) | Under 9 (-110)

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.

My Pick: Dodgers -1.5 (-130)

Our final MLB best bet for Tuesday comes in the matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cleveland Guardians. Not long ago, Noah Syndergaard was pitching for the Dodgers, until he was traded to the Guardians at the deadline. Expect the Dodgers to get the better of their old starter in this contest, and for the Dodgers to cover the runline as a favorite to keep their hot streak going.

Syndergaard has simply not pitched well this season, going 2-6 with an ERA of 6.57 between his time in Los Angeles and Cleveland. On top of that, the Dodgers have a level of familiarity with him and how he operates, after he pitched for them for a chunk of this season. Look for the Dodgers to take advantage of their knowledge of Syndergaard’s game early in this matchup.

Meanwhile, continue to expect great things out of Dodgers starter Bobby Miller. Miller has been a pleasant surprise in the Dodgers rotation this season, going 7-2 and having a respectable ERA of 3.70. Against a team that is dead last in the league in home runs, Miller should not run into too much trouble, as he should pick up an eighth win in another convincing performance for the NL West leaders.