The Arizona Diamondbacks and Cincinnati Reds collide in a key game in the National League wild card race on Friday at Chase Field in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks (67-61) hold the third and final wild card spot in the NL. They are a half game ahead of both the Giants (66-61) and Reds (67-62). Arizona won the first game of the four-game series on Thursday, 3-2. Arizona is a -140 favorite in the latest MLB odds, while Cincinnati is a +118 underdog. The over/under for runs scored is 9. The game is one of 15 on the MLB schedule for Friday.
Elsewhere in the majors, Mookie Betts returns to Fenway Park for the first time since he was traded to Los Angeles, and the Braves' Spencer Strider (14-4, 3.57) can become the first 15-game winner in the majors when he takes the mound against the Giants. 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 22 of the 2023 MLB season 65-53 on all top-rated MLB picks this season and has excelled on top-rated run-line picks, going 14-4 (+640). Anybody following has seen big returns.
For Friday, the model has locked in three 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 almost 5-1. You can see the model's MLB picks only at SportsLine.
Top MLB picks today
After simulating every game on Friday 10,000 times, the model is picking the Los Angeles Dodgers (-128) to knock off Boston. The Dodgers have been arguably the hottest team in baseball the last three weeks, winning 15 of their last 17 games. They have won seven consecutive series. Meanwhile the Red Sox are 4-4 in their last eight games.
Mookie Betts, who is expected to receive a rousing reception in his first game at Fenway Park since he was traded after the 2019 season, has been red-hot over the last month. In the last 30 days, Betts leads all of baseball in batting average (.459), on-base percentage (.521), slugging (.800) and OPS (1.321). He also has seven home runs and 21 RBI over that time. See the model's top MLB picks here.
How to make Friday MLB parlays
The model also locked in two other best bets for Friday, including a play on an AL underdog, which would pay plus-money. You can see the model's MLB Friday best bets and parlay only at SportsLine.
What MLB picks should you target for a payout of almost 5-1, and which AL underdog should you be all over on Friday? Visit SportsLine now to see the MLB best bets from an advanced model that is 65-53 on all top-rated MLB picks this season, and find out.
