Best MLB Bets Today | MLB Picks, September 12

On Tuesday, there are some very interesting games on the board from a betting perspective on the diamond. From perceived mismatches to games between possible playoff teams, there is a little bit of everything to wager on in Major League Baseball.

Oakland Athletics vs Houston Astros

• Time: 8:10 PM ET
• Starting Pitchers: JP Sears vs Justin Verlander
• Moneyline: Athletics (+240) | Astros (-300)
• Runline: Athletics +1.5 (+120) | Astros -1.5 (-140)
• Total: Over 8.5 (-115) | Under 8.5 (-105)

Odds courtesy of bet365. Check out our MLB betting sites for more betting opportunities.  

My Pick: Astros -1.5 (-140)

First on our list of MLB best bets for Tuesday is an AL West matchup between the Oakland Athletics and Houston Astros. Oakland got the better of the Astros on Monday, with the A’s shutting out the Astros in a shocking 4-0 upset. Here, we like the Astros to bounce back, winning and covering the runline in what appears to be a great bounce-back spot for the reigning World Series champions.

Justin Verlander is on the mound for the Astros in this contest, which should give them a huge leg up on the A’s. Verlander enters this game with a record of 11-7 and an ERA of 3.23 for the year. While Framber Valdez also entered with great numbers before losing to the Athletics on Monday, we should see Verlander do what is needed to help his team to bounce back against an Oakland team with the second-worst record in all of baseball this season.

St. Louis Cardinals vs Baltimore Orioles

• Time: 6:35 PM ET
• Starting Pitchers: Adam Wainwright vs John Means
• Moneyline: Cardinals (+168) | Orioles (-200)
• Runline: Cardinals +1.5 (-120) | Orioles -1.5 (EVEN)
• Total: Over 10 (-122) | Under 10 (EVEN)

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.

My Pick: Over 10 (-122)

Pitching is so important when betting on MLB totals, and this game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Baltimore Orioles is no exception. Ahead of this game, look for the pitching matchup to make a huge difference, and for it to lead to plenty of runs being scored. In this contest, we like the game to go over the total of 10 runs in what should be an exciting game in Camden Yards.

Right off the bat, we like the over in this game because Adam Wainwright is pitching for the Cardinals. Wainwright is 3-11 this season and has an ERA of 8.19 on the season for this disappointing Cardinals team. Look for his struggles to continue against a Baltimore Orioles lineup that ranks sixth in baseball in runs scored during the 2023 season to this point.

Wainwright is being opposed by John Means of the Orioles, who is making his season debut after Tommy John surgery. At his best, Means has the ability to be one of the better pitchers in baseball. But he will have to shake off some rust as he comes back from such a significant procedure, and that will help this game to go over the total in Baltimore.

San Diego Padres vs Los Angeles Dodgers

• Time: 10:10 PM ET
• Starting Pitchers: Michael Wacha vs Lance Lynn
• Moneyline: Padres (+136) | Dodgers (-162)
• Runline: Padres +1.5 (-148) | Dodgers -1.5 (+124)
• Total: Over 9.5 (-105) | Under 9.5 (-115)

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.

My Pick: Padres Moneyline (+136)

Last up in our MLB best bets for Tuesday is in the NL West matchup between the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers come into this game as favorites, based on their superior body of work from the entire season. But the Padres could very well come away with this game and score the upset against Los Angeles to close out the night on the diamond.

San Diego has a quality starting pitcher going in this game, as Michael Wacha gets the ball against the Dodgers. Wacha comes into this contest with a record of 11-3 and an ERA of 2.99 on the season. He goes against a pitcher in Lance Lynn who is just 10-11 on the year with a 6.09 ERA, and that starting pitching advantage will be a huge plus for the Padres on Tuesday night, as they look to upset their division rivals.