MLB Best Bets Today (Underdog Plays to Get Your Weekend Started Off Right)

It's time for me to have a crack at this MLB best bets article.

It's Friday, I have my weekend shirt on, beer is in the fridge, and I'm ready to hit some winners.

Let's not waste time. Here are my top 3 bets for tonight's MLB slate. All odds below are via WynnBET Sportsbook.

MLB Best Bets Today

• Orioles +134 vs. Rays
• Diamondbacks +105 vs. Rockies
• Pirates/Giants UNDER 7.5 (-120)

Orioles +134 vs. Rays

I just can't stop betting on this Orioles team. Are they due to regress? Perhaps, but these wins they're racking up aren't fraudulent, they're putting up the statistics to back them up.

Now, you might look at today's matchup and see that Austin Voth and his 5.53 ERA is starting which will make you want to back the Rays, but let's not be so quick to hit submit on that bet.

During his time with the Nationals this season, he posted an ERA of 10.13 but a FIP (Field Independent Pitching) of 4.94, which means his ERA may have been high, but it was largely due to poor defense behind him. Since being picked up by the O's, he sports a strong 3.19 ERA and 3.48 FIP.

To further support the pick, Baltimore ranks ninth in OPS against right-handed pitchers since July 1st, Tampa Bay ranks 17th.

I'll back the Orioles as underdog tonight.

Diamondbacks +105 vs. Rockies

Zach Davies will get his third start of the season against the Rockies, and he's completely dominated them the first two times around. He has yet to allow a run against them, giving up just seven hits and four walks in 11.1 innings.

The same can't be said for Antonio Senzatela, who allowed five earned runs in 9.0 innings across two starts against the Rockies this season.

Not only do the Diamondbacks have the advantage in the starting pitcher department, but their bullpen has been solid in recent weeks as well. Dating back to July 1st, Arizona ranks 15th in bullpen ERA at 3.70, compared to Colorado who ranks 28th over that time span at 4.97.

All signs point towards backing the Diamondbacks as slight underdogs tonight.

Pirates/Giants UNDER 7.5 (-120)

You might see that this game is a matchup between Carlos Rodon (2.95 ERA) of the Giants and Bryse Wilson (5.86 ERA) of the Pirates, and rush to your sportsbook to back San Francisco run line at -120.

Instead of that, I'd recommend that you look in a different direction. I'm going to back the UNDER 7.5.

The main reason being that it's always risky to back the Giants when they face a right-handed pitcher, even one with a 5.86 ERA. Since July 1st, the Giants rank fifth in the Majors in OPS vs. lefties at .789, but that number drops all the way down to .618 against righties.

That's a different in OPS of .171. It can't be overstated how significant that is.

Then, of course, there's Rodon. Now only does he have a 2.95 ERA, but he allowed zero earned runs and only two hits through eight innings against the Pirates earlier this season.

Let's go ahead and wager on this being a low scoring game.

You can track Iain's bets on Betstamp here.