A weekend filled with MLB action continues this afternoon, with pennant races heating up across the league. Two World Series hopefuls, the Phillies and Yankees, are set to meet in the Bronx. Elsewhere, the red-hot Blue Jays will face the Tigers in a battle for American League supremacy. Later, the Dodgers hope to clinch a series on the road when they visit the Red Sox.
With 15 games on tap, there’s plenty of enticing wagers on the board. Before the start of Saturday’s contests, here are three MLB bets to consider on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Braves vs. Rangers under eight runs (-104)
2025 has not been kind to either the Braves or Rangers. For the latter, currently at 54-50, postseason contention is still possible. Atlanta, 44-58, is a likely seller at the upcoming MLB trade deadline. Still, there’s plenty of talent in this Braves rotation, including Grant Holmes. The 29-year-old has thrived during his first full season as a starter. Through 111.0 innings of work, he’s notched a 3.81 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 121 strikeouts. Holmes’ stuff should play well in tonight’s matchup. Texas hitters own a .692 OPS against right-handed pitching, the sixth-worst mark in baseball.
The bigger challenge for this bet will be keeping a loaded Braves offense at bay. Granted, it’s not as if this star-studded lineup has played up to its potential. Atlanta is averaging just 4.13 runs per game, the league’s ninth-lowest mark. Rangers hurler Kumar Rocker has had a fairly unimpressive season (5.66 ERA, 1.40 WHIP). However, the rookie has turned things around recently. The 25-year-old has allowed two runs or less in five of his last six starts. I’m willing to trust that the youngster can avoid a nightmare outing tonight.
Red Sox -1.5 (+144)
After an early July surge, the Red Sox have lost five of their last seven games. Still, the team remains in playoff contention with a 55-50 record. Boston will attempt to turn things around with ace Garrett Crochet on the mound tonight. The two-time All-Star has dominated during his first year in Beantown. Over 21 starts, the fireballer has notched a stellar 2.19 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and a league-leading 165 strikeouts. He’s allowed more than two runs in just three appearances this season.
Crochet’s numbers speak for themselves; at this point, he’s earned the benefit of the doubt against any lineup. That includes the Dodgers, baseball’s highest-scoring offense. With that being said, Los Angeles’ hitters are averaging the tenth-fewest runs per game this month (4.33). Opposing starter Clayton Kershaw is in a tough spot as a lefty pitching in Fenway Park. Boston owns the sport’s fourth-best OPS against southpaws this season. As great as the future Hall of Famer typically is, he’s at a disadvantage on Saturday.
Mariners -1.5 (+109)
A showdown between former All-Stars will take place tonight in SoCal. It’ll be George Kirby toeing the slab for the Mariners, making his 12th start of the season. Between injuries and underperformance, the 27-year-old has put up a disappointing 4.65 ERA. However, Kirby’s 3.66 FIP is far more in line with his career numbers. It helps that the righty has dominated in this spot before. The fourth-year pro has allowed two runs or less in six of his nine meetings with the Angels.
On the other side, it’ll be Tyler Anderson on the hill. It’s been a disappointing season for the veteran, on the hook for a 4.43 ERA and 1.41 WHIP. While the 36-year-old isn’t a scrub, he’s clearly the less talented of the two pitchers tonight. During his last three home games vs. the Mariners, Anderson has an abysmal 6.75 ERA. On the road, Seattle is averaging the second-most runs per game in baseball (5.31). Keeping that in mind, expect a comfortable win for the M’s at Angel Stadium.
