MLB Picks Today: MLB Best Bets and Player Props for Sunday, April 16

Written by

Walter Hand

Updated on April 16, 2023 11:35AM EST

MLB Betting Picks Today: Best MLB Bets and Player Props for Sunday, April 16

Last Article's Record: 1-2, -0.96 units

Season Record: 6-8, -1.91 units

Minnesota Twins at New York Yankees

New York Yankees (F5 -0.5, -105) vs. Minnesota Twins (FanDuel)

Twins starter Pablo Lopez is off to a fantastic start, but he's done that before and tends to cool off over time. Yankees ace Gerrit Cole is also off to a great start, and it's not very often you can get him at home at such a short price. The Yankees tend to excel both at home and vs. righthanded starters, going 57-24 at home last year while also 73-48 vs. RHP (5-4 at home and 8-5 vs. RHP this year). Tough spot today vs. the red-hot Lopez and the 10-5 Twins, but I still have to think New York holds an edge here. Good value at the coin-flip price.

MLB Best Bets for Twins at Yankees

New York Yankees F5 -0.5, -105

Cleveland Guardians at Washington Nationals

Cleveland Guardians -1.5, -140 at Washington Nationals (DraftKings)

Huge pitching mismatch here, with Cleveland ace Shane Bieber facing the Nationals' Patrick Corbin, who is probably the worst pitcher in the majors. The Guardians also had a very good record vs. LHP overall last year, going 28-17. It's also somewhat rare when you can get a 90-cent discount on the run line with the road team, because they're guaranteed nine innings of offense, while the home team is only guaranteed eight. Still an expensive price whenever you're laying -140 on any run line, but this is a special circumstance given the pitching matchup.

MLB Best Bets for Guardians at Nationals

Cleveland Guardians -1.5, -140

Los Angeles Angels at Boston Red Sox

Reid Detmers over 5.5 strikeouts, +120 (DraftKings)

Detmers looks like a good strikeout pitcher, fanning seven batters over 4.2 innings in his denut vs. Seattle, and well on his way to covering this same number vs. Toronto last weekend before completely imploding in the top of the 6th inning. AS long as he keeps his pitch count in a reasonable range, he seems likely to have at least six strikeouts, and we're getting a very nice underdog price here. Good value on a talented young pitcher.

MLB Player Props for Angels at Red Sox

Reid Detmers over 5.5 strikeouts, +120

Red Sox fans in Massachusetts can now legally bet on sports. If you're shopping around for a new sportsbook, try BetMGM using the BetMGM Massachusetts Bonus Code for a bonus first bet worth up to $1,000.

Tampa Bay Rays at Toronto Blue Jays

Tampa Bay Rays -134 at Toronto Blue Jays (FanDuel)

Cy Young contender Shane McClanahan takes on the suddenly vulnerable Alek Manoah, who is very talented but is off to a terrible start this year after showing diminished velocity since spring training. Also worth noting that Toronto closer Jordan Romano took a line drive off the ribs to end last night's game, and will be unavailable today. Good spot for the Rays today.

MLB Best Bets for Rays at Blue Jays

Tampa Bay Rays -134

Baltimore Orioles at Chicago White Sox

Chicago White Sox F5 -0.5, -104 vs. Baltimore Orioles (FanDuel)

White Sox starter Dylan Cease is almost always a good play on the first five innings run line at home, and is off to another fine start this year, allowing just one earned run in each of his three starts. Good spot here vs. Orioles rookie Grayson Rodriguez, who allowed 10 baserunners over just 4.1 innings (vs. Oakland) last time out.

MLB Best Bets for Orioles at White Sox

Chicago White Sox F5 -0.5, -104

Colorado Rockies at Seattle Mariners

Luis Castillo to record a Win, -135 (DraftKings)

Mariners ace Luis Castillo has been almost untouchable at home since being traded to Seattle last year, and still hasn't allowed a run at home after two starts this year (while sporting a 1.02 ERA and 0.74 WHIP overall). Hard not to like him here facing the road version of the Rockies.

MLB Player Props for Rockies at Mariners

Luis Castillo to record a Win, -135

Chicago Cubs at Los Angeles Dodgers

Julio Urias to record a Win, +120 (DraftKings)

Last year's 17-game winner (and 20-game winner the year before that) is off to another great start this year, already 3-0 on the season. He gets a soft spot today vs. Cubs starter Drew Smyly, who got lit up for 11 baserunners over 4.2 innings in his prior road start this year, and allowed 14 baserunners over 6.1 innings vs. the Dodgers last year. Nice underdog price on a very likely result.

MLB Player Props for Cubs at Dodgers

Julio Urias to record a Win, +120

Texas Rangers at Houston Astros

Framber Valdez to record a Win, +100 (DraftKings)

Great home spot for Framber Valdez and the Astros, with the always-reliable Houston ace logging 7.0 innings in each of his last two starts, while Rangers lefty Andrew Heaney has an 8.22 ERA and 1.70 WHIP so far this year. The Astros crush lefthanders, going an incredible 42-12 vs. southpaws last year. Just as with the Dodgers pick above, the run line also makes a fine play here (and actually pays slightly higher), but given Framber's consistency in pitching 6+ innings, I think that's the preferable option.

MLB Player Props for Rangers at Astros

Framber Valdez to record a Win, +100

MLB Best Bets Today Recap