There are plenty of rivalries on tap as part of the 15-game MLB Friday schedule, and the NL West will be in the spotlight. The Los Angeles Dodgers, first in the NL West, host the last-place Colorado Rockies, while the third-place San Diego Padres visit the Arizona Diamondbacks, who are fourth. Meanwhile, the San Francisco Giants, 6.5 games behind L.A. in the West, host the AL West-leading Texas Rangers. NL East rivals the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves also square off as part of the Friday MLB schedule. The slate also features the latest edition of the I-70 interleague matchup between the St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals.
The Braves vs. Mets matchup is set for 7:10 p.m. ET at Citi Field. The latest SportsLine consensus MLB odds list Atlanta as a -177 favorite (risk $177 to win $100), while the Mets are priced at +149 underdogs and the over/under for total runs scored is 9.5. Before making any MLB picks or parlays, be sure to check out the MLB predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every MLB game 10,000 times. It went 331-285 on top-rated MLB money-line picks (+357) over the past two seasons. It entered Week 20 of the 2023 MLB season 54-43 on all top-rated MLB picks this season and has excelled on top-rated run-line picks, going 11-4 (+404). Anybody following the model has seen big returns.
For Friday, the model has locked in four confident MLB best bets for games that begin at 6:40 p.m. ET or later. If you successfully parlay the picks, you'd be looking at a payout of more than 11-1. You can see the model's MLB picks only at SportsLine.
Top MLB picks today
After simulating every game on Friday 10,000 times, one play the model is backing is the Houston Astros (-181) to beat the Los Angeles Angels (8:10 p.m. ET). The model has the Astros winning in 74% of its simulations. A lot of that has to do with the pitching matchup, with Justin Verlander (6-6) set to make his second start with Houston. Reid Detmers (2-8) is scheduled for the Angels. Verlander has a 3.11 ERA, while Detmers' is 4.78, and Verlander will make his first home start since being re-acquired from the Mets.
Verlander faced the Angels last season and allowed one run on three hits with seven strikeouts over five innings in a 2-0 loss. Detmers gave up seven runs on nine hits in four innings in his last start, a 9-7 loss to Seattle. He is 0-1 with a 6.55 ERA in two starts against Houston this season. Houston has won three of its past four, including two against AL East leader Baltimore. The Angels have won their past two, against the Giants, after snapping a seven-game losing streak. See the model's top MLB picks here.
How to make Friday MLB parlays
The model also locked in three other best bets for Friday, including one on an AL underdog. You can see the model's MLB best bets and parlay only at SportsLine.
What MLB picks should you target for a payout of more than 11-1, and which AL underdog should you be all over? Visit SportsLine now to see the MLB best bets from an advanced model that is 54-43 on all top-rated MLB picks this season, and find out.
