Walk-Off Wagers: MLB Best Bets Today (Trust Logan Webb and Giants, Fade Jack Leiter?)

There are just five games in Major League Baseball on Thursday, but that’s not going to stop us from placing some MLB Best Bets. 

I have a play for the late-night game between the San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks, as it’s very rare that I’ll pass up a bet on a Logan Webb start for San Francisco. 

Plus, there could be some value on the total in Jack Leiter’s MLB debut for the Texas Rangers.

Let’s dive into today’s plays, as a slow sports day means MLB is the main focus!

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MLB Best Bets Today for April 18

• San Francisco Giants First 5 Inning Moneyline vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
• Texas Rangers-Detroit Tigers OVER 8.5

San Francisco Giants First 5 Inning Moneyline vs. Arizona Diamondbacks

Logan Webb is on the mound for San Francisco, and he should be in a good spot to pick up an early lead – and potentially a win – against Ryne Nelson and the Arizona Diamondbacks.

This season, Webb hasn’t been at his best, yet he’s still posted a 3.80 ERA and 3.07 Fielding Independent Pitching across four starts. The Giants won Webb’s last outing when he tossed seven innings of one-run ball against the Tampa Bay Rays. 

Nelson, on the other hand, has a 5.27 ERA across his three starts. He is coming off his best outing of the season, allowing just one run across six frames against St. Louis, but Webb still has the advantage here. 

I’m sticking to a first five innings bet since the Giants’ bullpen has been brutal this season, posting a 5.05 ERA. Webb should be able to slow this young D-Backs offense down, and I don’t see Nelson pitching another lights-out game after allowing seven runs on eight hits across 7.2 innings in his first two starts of the season. 

Texas Rangers-Detroit Tigers OVER 8.5

Prized pitching prospect Jack Leiter will make his MLB debut on Thursday, but I’m not sold on him and Detroit Tigers starter Kenta Maeda having a pitcher’s duel. 

Let’s start with Maeda’s side of things.

The veteran righty has a 6.00 ERA and 6.53 FIP so far this season, allowing at least two runs in every one of his starts. The Tigers have subsequently gone OVER this total in two of his three outings. 

Not only that, but Texas ranks in the top 10 in the league in runs scored (10th), batting average (sixth) and OPS (10th). That worries me against the Detroit starter, even though the Tigers rank No. 1 in the league in bullpen ERA. 

As for Leiter, he hasn’t exactly dominated the minor leagues. This is a favorable matchup against a Detroit offense that is in the bottom five in MLB in runs scored, but Leiter struggled with Double-A offenses last season posting a 5.07 ERA across 19 starts.

He’s only made three appearances at the AAA level, posting a 3.77 ERA. This could be a learning experience for the young righty, as I don’t see him coming in and dominating right away. 

Take the OVER in this matchup with the uncertainty surrounding both starters.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

Find Peter Dewey's betting record here You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.