Walk-Off Wagers: MLB Best Bets Today (Bet Diamondbacks as Underdogs Tonight)
![Aug 2, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks designated hitter Joc Pederson (3) reacts to second baseman Ketel Marte (4) crossing home plate with his second solo home run of the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the ninth inning at PNC Park. Arizona won 9-8. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports Aug 2, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks designated hitter Joc Pederson (3) reacts to second baseman Ketel Marte (4) crossing home plate with his second solo home run of the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the ninth inning at PNC Park. Arizona won 9-8. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_2808,h_1579,x_0,y_76/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/si/01j4cc2tbxg23zd5y4ws.jpg)
Don't let the Olympics distract you from the fact we still have a full slate of MLB games to watch and bet on this weekend.
If you find it hard to narrow in on just a few bets when there are 15 games to choose from, then you've come to the right place. In Walk-Off Wagers, we narrow down our top three bets every single day. That's what I'm going to do for Saturday's action.
Let's dive into my favorite plays.
MLB Best Bets Today
- Diamondbacks +102 vs. Pirates via FanDuel Sportsbook
- Rays vs. Astros UNDER 8 (-115) via BetMGM Sportsbook
- Mets vs. Angels NRFI (-120) via Caesars Sportsbook
Diamondbacks vs. Pirates Prediction
You may look at the fact Jordan Montgomery and his 6.51 ERA are getting the start for the Diamondbacks today and assume that means we should be betting on the Pirates, but if you take a bit of a closer look I think you'll see there's plenty of value on the Diamondbacks as underdogs.
Montgomery has a 4.53 Field Independent Pitching (FIP) this season, meaning he's pitching much better than his ERA indicates. Even if he doesn't have a stellar performance, the Diamondbacks have a hot enough offense to make up for it. In fact, they lead the Majors in OPS dating back to July 1 at .864.
That's well above the Pirates who are only 18th in OPS in that time frame at .720.
I'll take a shot on Arizona as a road underdog this evening.
Pick: Diamondbacks +102 vs. Pirates
Rays vs. Astros Prediction
Both the Tampa Bay Rays and Houston Astros have had struggling offenses of late. Heading into tonight's meeting, they rank 24th and 27th respectively in OPS dating back to July 1.
On top of cold bats, both teams will be starting a couple of solid pitchers tonight in Zack Littell (4.18 ERA) and Ronel Blanco (2.95 ERA). This game has all the makings of a low-scoring affair. I'll take the UNDER.
Pick: Rays vs. Astros UNDER 8 (-115)
Mets vs. Angels Prediction
If you don't have the patience to watch a full game to find out if you've won your bet, I recommend betting the NRFI (No Runs First Inning) in tonight's meeting between the New York Mets and Los Angeles Angels.
The Angels are 24th in first-inning runs per game this season at 0.39 and the Mets are even worse, ranking third last at 0.37. It's also a matchup between two strong starting pitchers in David Peterson (3.52 ERA) and Jose Soriano (3.69) so expect to see a scoreless first frame tonight.
Pick: Mets vs. Angels NRFI (-120)
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
You can check out all of Iain's bets here!