MLB Best Bets Today (Look to Totals Off the All-Star Break)

We are back!

We had a sampling of baseball on Thursday, but now we have our first full MLB slate on Friday as we gear up for the playoff push. We are treated to a ton of marquee matchups, including Shohei Ohtani starting vs. the Braves and the Giants and Dodgers matching up in LA.

Here is the BetSided staff's favorite bets for Friday night.

MLB Best Bets Today

• Cubs vs. Phillies UNDER 9
• Angles vs. Braves UNDER 7
• Dodgers -1.5 vs. Giants (+145)

Cubs vs. Phillies UNDER 9

Kyle Gibson went on a rough stretch during June and the beginning of July, but he’s really turned things around in his last two starts. 

Gibson tossed seven scoreless innings of two-hit ball against the St. Louis Cardinals, and then he followed that up with a one-run performance in six innings against the Miami Marlins. 

That’s going to be a problem for the Cubs, who have struggled offensively as of late, ranking 28th in runs scored and 27th in OPS over the last 15 days. 

Steele may have an ERA over 4.00, but his FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) suggests he’s been a lot better, sitting at 3.40. 

I think that gives some value to the UNDER, especially since Chicago has gone UNDER nine runs in 10 of its last 11 games. 

PICK: UNDER 9 (-105) -- Peter Dewey

Angels vs. Braves UNDER 7

Ohtani somehow is still at plus-odds to win the AL MVP at FanDuel Sportsbook (+100), but if you're looking for further context as to just how valuable he's been this year, take a look at this stat.

That's right, Ohtani on his own has essentially counted for half of his team's wins over the last seven weeks; and he's the best hitter on the Angels not named Mike "Fricking" Trout. Absurdity!

At this point, he doesn't give bettors much of a choice to consider the alternative, especially with the current unknown state of his Braves' starting counterpart.

Even if it's one of their best on the mound, I'm not fading Ohtani, and will back the under instead.

PICK: UNDER 7 (-105) -- Ben Heisler

Dodgers -1.5 vs. Giants (+145)

A big part of what made the Giants great last season was their bullpen, which consistently ranked amongst the top 3 in the Majors, This year, that dominant bullpen has dropped all the way down to 23rd in bullpen ERA.

To make matters worse, they'll be trotting out Alex Wood to start for them in this game, and his ERA has regressed from 3.83 last season to 4.20 this season.

Now, they have to face a Dodgers team that ranks second in the Majors in OPS at .770.

All of this points to disaster for the Giants. I'll back Los Angeles on the run line.

Pick: Dodgers -1.5 (+145) -- Iain MacMillian