This article is part of our MLB Picks series.
MLB Best Bets & Player Props
for Thursday, September 12
There are eight games scheduled to be played in the majors Thursday, three of which have early start times. Let's focus on the five evening games and highlight three of the top wagers to consider.
Mike Barner's season record: 55-35 (+9.75 units)
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San Francisco Giants vs. Milwaukee Brewers Best Bets
Hayden Birdsong will start this game for the Giants. Over his previous 12 starts, he has pitched a total of 52 innings. He doesn't pitch deep into many games because he racks up a lot of strikeouts and walks. His 27.5 percent strikeout rate is great, but his walk rate is an atrocious 15.0 percent. He has issued at least three walks in eight of his 12 starts, including a previous start against the Brewers in which he issued four free passes. The Brewers have drawn the second-most walks in baseball, so taking Birdsong to walk at least three batters in this matchup is very appealing.
Let's stay with this game for our second wager of the evening. The Brewers won Wednesday's game 13-2, while the Giants took the series opener Tuesday by a low score of 3-2. This has the makings of a high-scoring affair on both sides. Birdsong is wild thanks to his 5.19 ERA and a 5.41 FIP. When he last faced the Brewers, he allowed five runs. The Brewers will start Frankie Montas, who has a 4.69 ERA and a 4.54 FIP. When he faced the Giants in San Francisco earlier this season, he gave up five runs (four earned) over 4.2 innings. Taking both teams to score at least three runs comes with plus-odds, making the wager too good to pass up.
MLB Picks for San Francisco Giants vs. Milwaukee Brewers
- Hayden Birdsong Over 2.5 Walks Allowed (-140 at DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1 Unit
- Both Teams to Score 3+ Runs (+115 at DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1 Unit
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Washington Nationals vs. Miami Marlins Best Bets
After losing three straight games to the Pirates in Pittsburgh, the Marlins will travel to Washington to take on the Nationals. They are just 26-45 on the road this season and might have an uphill battle emerging with a victory with Darren McCaughan on the mound. Over 24.1 innings this season, he has a bloated 1.85 WHIP. Since being called back up on September 1, he has given up seven runs (five earned) over 8.2 innings.
Starting for the Nationals will be Mitchell Parker, who allowed four runs over 3.1 innings to the Pirates in his last outing. It should be noted the game was played in Pittsburgh. Parker has a 1.61 WHIP on the road this season, but he has a 1.08 WHIP at home. There is a lot of juice that comes with taking the Nationals on the Moneyline, so let's get down to more reasonable odds and take the Nationals not to bat in the bottom of the ninth inning.
MLB Picks for Washington Nationals vs. Miami Marlins
- Nationals to Bat in the Bottom of the 9th Inning: NO (-130 at DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1 Unit
MLB Best Bets Today Recap
- Hayden Birdsong Over 2.5 Walks Allowed (-140 at DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1 Unit
- Both Teams to Score 3+ Runs (+115 at DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1 Unit
- Nationals to Bat in the Bottom of the 9th Inning: NO (-130 at DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1 Unit
