Best MLB Bets This Weekend | MLB Picks, July 15-16

Boston Red Sox vs Chicago Cubs

• Time: Saturday, July 15 at 2:20 PM ET
• Starting Pitchers: James Paxton vs Marcus Stroman
• Moneyline: Red Sox (-110) | Cubs (-110)
• Runline: Red Sox +1.5 (-190) | Cubs Cubs -1.5 (+160)
• Total: Over 8 (-115) | Under 8 (-105)

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook

My Pick: Cubs Moneyline (-110)

First on our list of MLB best bets for the weekend is the contest between the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs. This game features one of the better pitching matchups on the Saturday slate in MLB, with Marcus Stroman and James Paxton doing battle. But we like Stroman and the Cubs to get the job done at home in this matchup to even up this first series coming out of the All-Star break for both teams.

Stroman comes into this game with a 9-6 record and an ERA of 2.96. But his strikeout numbers have been significantly better at home than they have been on the road, as he has struck out 10 more batters at Wrigley Field than he has elsewhere, in only 2.2 more innings of work. Look for Stroman to continue to battle at home, to help the Cubs win this game and avoid falling any further back in the NL Central standings.

Meanwhile, James Paxton has also been much better at home than on the road, which will help the Cubs in this game. Paxton has an ERA of 2.05 at home, while his ERA on the road sits at 3.18. He will continue to be worse on the road than he is at Fenway Park, which will help the Cubs to take the second game of this three-game set in Chicago.

Los Angeles Dodgers vs New York Mets

• Time: Saturday, July 15 at 7:15 PM ET
• Starting Pitchers: Tony Gonsolin vs Kodai Senga
• Moneyline: Dodgers (-108) | Mets (-108)
• Run Line: Dodgers -1.5 (+142) | Mets +1.5 (-172)
• Total: Over 9 (-105) | Under 9 (-115)

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Check out other MLB betting sites for more betting opportunities!

My Pick: Dodgers Moneyline (-108)

Another Saturday game worth attacking in the betting markets is the nationally televised matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets. The Dodgers got the better of the Mets on Friday, in the first game for both teams coming out of the break. Los Angeles should come out on top for a second game in a row, as the Mets continue to solidify their status as one of the biggest disappointments in baseball.

In this game, Tony Gonsolin is on the mound for the Dodgers, who enters this game with a 5-3 record and a 3.86 ERA. Gonsolin has an opponent batting average of .190 in his starts on the road this season. Against a pitcher in Kodai Senga who has been solid, but unspectacular, Gonsolin should give the Dodgers the upper hand for the second straight night against the Mets.

Los Angeles also has a huge offensive advantage going into this game, as they face a Mets team that is wildly inconsistent at the plate. The Mets were shut out by the Dodgers on Friday night, and we could see a similar result here on Saturday. Look for a strong start for Gonsolin, and for the Mets’ bad season to get even worse in front of their home crowd.

Houston Astros vs Los Angeles Angels

• Time: Sunday, July 16 at 7:00 PM ET
• Starting Pitchers: Cristian Javier vs Tyler Anderson
• Moneyline: Astros (-120) | Angels (EVEN)
• Runline: Astros -1.5 (+140) | Angels +1.5 (-165)
• Total: Over 8.5 (-115) | Under 8.5 (-105)

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook

My Pick: Astros Moneyline (-120)

Our final MLB best bet for the weekend features the Houston Astros, who should be able to get the better of the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday Night Baseball. Despite a pretty evenly matched pitching matchup in this game, the Astros should have the edge in the hitting department here. That is especially true without Mike Trout in the lineup for the Angels at this time.

Without Trout in the lineup for the Angels, things get tougher on Shohei Ohtani at the plate. In the month of July, Ohtani is batting under .240, as the lack of Trout allows opposing pitching to pitch around Ohtani more often. If the Astros can exploit that strategy in this game, the Angels’ recent woes could continue in this AL West matchup.

While the Angels have been struggling, the Astros are back in the race for the AL West title. They enter this weekend just a couple of games behind the Texas Rangers for the top spot in this division. Expect the Astros to continue riding high in order to close this series out with a win and keep putting pressure on the Rangers out West.