Best MLB Bets Today | MLB Picks, May 19

Thursday’s MLB slate was limited, but Friday is massive. The schedule gives us plenty of opportunities to make money on the action. The day starts with the Diamondbacks and Pirates and concludes with the Giants hosting the Marlins. Let’s break down the best ways to make some money on the action. 

Arizona Diamondbacks @ Pittsburgh Pirates

• Time: 6:35 PM ET
• Starting Pitchers: Zac Gallenl (ARI) vs Johan Oviedo (PIT)
• Moneyline: Diamondbacks (-174) | Pirates (+146)
• Run Line: Diamondbacks -1.5 (+104) | Pirates +1.5 (-125)
• Total: Over 7.5 (-115) | Under 7.5 (-105)

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

My Pick: Diamondbacks -1.5 (+104)

The Arizona Diamondbacks are in a prime run line spot when they travel to Pittsburgh to face the Pirates. The Diamondbacks have their ace, Zac Gallen on the hill. Not only has Gallen been fantastic this season, but he pulled a Randy Johnson in warmups a couple of days ago, hitting a bird on a throw. Rest in peace to the bird, but this moment blew up on social media and put his talent on the map. 

The pitcher is 6-1 with a 2.35 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP. Over 57.1 innings, he has allowed 41 hits and struck out 70. He has also only allowed two homers and eight walks in his time on the hill. Gallen is destined for a big market in the future because he is already one of the most dominant pitchers in the sport. 

Gallen will face Johan Oviedo, who hasn’t been as strong for Pittsburgh. He is 2-3 on the season with a 5.14 ERA and a 1.64 WHIP. Over 42 innings, he has allowed 49 hits, which isn’t great, but he does a nice job keeping the ball down in the zone. This is a prime run-line spot because the Diamondbacks are the better team on the road. This means they’re guaranteed their nine at-bats, so they have nine shots to finish the game up two runs. Their offensive advantage, combined with Gallen on the mound makes this wager a steal for plus money. 

Chicago Cubs @ Philadelphia Phillies 

• Time: 7:05 PM ET
• Starting Pitchers: Marcus Stroman (CHC) vs Ranger Suarez (PHI)
• Moneyline: Cubs (+108) | Phillies (-126)
• Run Line: Cubs +1.5 (-192) | Phillies -1.5 (+158)
• Total: Over 8.5 (-120) | Under 8.5 (-102)

My Pick: Over 8.5 (-120)

The Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies are both hard to bet on because of their inconsistent play. Chicago won more earlier in the season, but they’re starting to fall apart. The Phillies are still looking to find some type of rhythm, and they have their best chance now with Bryce Harper back in the lineup. Instead of looking at a team side here, we’re going to play a total.

Marcus Stroman will throw for the Cubs, and he is coming off allowing six earned runs in 2.2 innings to the Twins. He has been good throughout the season, but the Phillies have an offense to exploit the pitcher because they spray the ball around the field. It may take the majority of Stroman’s time on the mound, but they will contribute runs to the over. However, the majority of the scoring should come from Chicago in this spot.

The Cubs will face Ranger Suarez, who has only thrown four bad innings this season. Last season, he was 10-7 with a 3.65 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. He pitched at Coors Field in his first start of the year, which isn’t an easy task. However, he allowed seven hits in four innings and didn’t look very comfortable on the mound. I still don’t think Suarez is ready to be on the hill which will help Chicago put runs on the board. 

The Cubs have a team OBP of .340 which is third in baseball. This team has struggled to convert these opportunities into runs, but a shaky Suarez should help the cause. 

Seattle Mariners @ Atlanta Braves

• Time: 7:20 PM ET
• Starting Pitchers: Bryce Miller (SEA) vs Bryce Elder (ATL)
• Moneyline: Mariners (+122) | Braves (-144)
• Run Line: Mariners +1.5 (-162) | Braves -1.5 (+134)
• Total: Over 9 (-108) | Under 9 (-112)

My Pick: Braves ML (-144)

The Atlanta Braves are the best team in baseball and picked first to win the World Series on FanDuel Sportsbook. Atlanta has proven they can win at home and on the road, against any opponent in the league. The Mariners series will be a tough test for the team, but we like them to start it with a victory on Friday. 

The biggest question in this game is Seattle’s pitcher, Bryce Miller. Miller is 24 years old, and has thrown 19 dominant innings in the show. He has only allowed one earned run over this time on just seven hits. However, these performances need to be taken with a grain of salt. He has faced the Athletics, Astros, and Tigers. Houston is the only quality lineup in this group and this was in a stretch when the Astros won once in six contests. Every team is entitled to a bad day in baseball, especially when they face a pitcher they’ve never seen before.

Elder will pitch for the Braves, and he has been spectacular over a bulk of innings. He is 3-0 with a 1.94 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. Over 46.1 innings, he has allowed 38 hits with just three homers. Atlanta also has a massive advantage on offense. Their batting average is 30 points higher and they’ve scored 37 more runs. A major reason for this is because they’ve hit 29 more homers, so it’s worth betting the Braves against a rookie pitcher for a great price.