Walk-Off Wagers: MLB Best Bets Today (Nationals will challenge Dodgers)

Apr 13, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore (1)
Apr 13, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore (1) / D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports
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As per usual, Thursday's MLB slate is smaller than most days of the week with a handful of teams traveling to where they'll play their weekend series. Still, there's 10 games across the Majors to watch and bet on today and if you're looking for some picks, you've come to the right place.

I have three bets locked in for today's slate that I'm going to break down in this article.

If you want to tail (or fade) these plays, click the link below to sign up for an account at FanDuel Sportsbook. For a limited time, new users who sign up for an account using the link below will receive $150 in bonus bets when they place their first $5 wager.

MLB Best Bets Today

  • Blue Jays -104 vs. Royals
  • Mariners -120 vs. Rangers
  • Nationals +1.5 (-105) vs. Dodgers

Blue Jays vs. Royals prediction

Jose Berrios has got off to too good of a start to his season to not back the Blue Jays as slight underdogs to the Royals. He has allowed just three earned runs across 31.2 innings pitched for a 4-0 record and a stellar 0.85 ERA.

Both offenses have posted similar numbers this season but the Berrios vs. Cole Ragans (4.32 ERA) pitching matchup clearly gives the edge to the Blue Jays.

Mariners vs. Rangers prediction

Neither pitcher in this matchup has got off to a good start this season. Luis Castillo (4.40 ERA) and Andrew Heaney (6.35 ERA) will take the mound for the Mariners and Rangers respectively today, so which pitcher do we trust to get things back on track? For me, it's Castillo.

Heaney's 6.35 ERA looks just as bad when you see his 5.80 FIP and 1.412 WHIP. We have now seen steady regression from him his past few seasons and the Mariners offense is starting to wake up.

I'll back Seattle as a road favorite.

Dodgers vs. Nationals prediction

Betting the Nationals against the Dodgers seems like a crazy idea, but I'm going to take their +1.5 run line to be a little bit more cautious with this bet.

The Nationals' offense hasn't been near as bad as it has been the past handful of years, sporting an OBP of .313 so far this season. Now, they get to face Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who I don't fully tryst as a starting pitcher in the Majors quite yet. His 4.50 ERA is concerning and the Dodgers continue to be slightly overvalued when he takes the mound.

Meanwhile, Mackenzie Gore gets the start for the Nationals and he has taken another step forward this season, rocking a 3.60 ERA in four starts. With the Nats at home, I'll take a shot on them to at least cover the +1.5 run line.


Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

You can check out all of Iain's bets here!