The Fantasy Alarm MLB Best Bets are off to a white-hot start here in the 2023 MLB season and we are steadily building up that bankroll. We’ve heard from a number of you who have been tailing our picks and some of you are even throwing them into a parlay. I will throw out that quick warning – beware chasing the parlay, particularly the single-game parlay, but I also won’t tell you how to spend your money. You do you. I will continue to answer that question I receiver every day – what are the MLB best bets for today? We are feeling great after a 6-0 run over the weekend and ready to attack this week in the same fashion we opened the season.

  • Season Record: 10-2
  • Bankroll: +6.36 units

Here’s what looks good today.

 

 

MLB Best Bets for April 3 

Toronto Blue Jays at Kansas City Royals 

Two teams that have not gotten off to a great start to the season prepare to do battle and right their respective ships this week. The Blue Jays had a tough time on the road in St. Louis and now make the quick trip across Highway 70 to Kansas City to face a Royals team looking to earn its first win of the season. The money line odds favor the Jays by a small margin, but we’re going to stay focused on the starting pitchers and what the day could look like for them. Jose Berrios is on the bump for Toronto and he's struggled throughout the spring in similar fashion to how he’s struggled since leaving Minnesota. Last year, Berrios led the league in both hits and earned runs allowed, finishing with a 5.23 ERA, a 13.5-percent HR/FB rate and a seriously diminished strikeout rate. He didn’t look any better this spring with a 4.30 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP over just 14.2 innings. Walks and hits were still up and he also allowed two home runs. Even with the way the Royals bats struggled against the Twins this past weekend, Berrios is likely to struggle. For the Royals, it’s Brady Singer who settled down in Grapefruit League play after getting hit around during the World Baseball Classic. Neither pitcher is particularly strong, both bullpens have had some issues and both teams have offenses looking to get back into the win column.

Pick: Blue Jays/Royals over 8 (-105 on Caesars Sportsbook)

Tampa Bay Rays at Washington Nationals

The Rays have gotten off to a solid start for the season, but we’re not flipping out here because it ws just a three-game set against a Detroit team that is still struggling to find its way. But the Tamps bats have been strong, posting a .586 wOBA against right-handed pitching and have averaged seven runs per game thus far. They’ll face righty Trevor Williams who earned the No. 4 spot in this Washington rotation by default as they really don’t have much else. In fact, he was originally lined of for a long-relief role, so while he may escape the first inning or two, the next time through the batting order is going to be a difficult one. On the mound for Tampa is Drew Rasmussen who showed us last year just how dominant he could be, posting a 2.84 ERA and 1.04 WHIP over 146 innings. He looked just as strong this spring and his command looks as on-point as ever. No real value on the money line, but we’ll back the road team’s bats and expect them to increase that already tasty run differential.

Pick: Tampa Bay Rays -1.5 Run Line (+100 on Caesars Sportsbook)

Los Angeles Angels at Seattle Mariners

While both teams are loaded with tasty, offensive weapons, I am all about the pitching match-up we’re getting for this game tonight. Hopefully the managers let these guys throw, but Reid Detmers versus George Kirby should be a very entertaining battle. Detmers had been highly-touted and delivered a string first full-season with the Halos last year, posting a 3.77 ERA with a 8.51 K/9 over 129 innings. He’ got a solid four-pitch arsenal and  came into spring training this year with a very noticeable uptick in velocity across the board and it played very well with 27 strikeouts over 20 innings. The Mariners bats have been a little sluggish to open the season so I expect Detmers to shine. On the other side is George Kirby who is one of the top, up-and-coming young hurlers in the game. He had a fantastic debut season last year and enjoyed a fantastic spring as well. It will be tough to neutralize both Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout, but I believe he can help keep the runs off the board. With both bullpens firing on all cylinders and throwing well, I expect a low-scoring, hard-fought battle.

Pick: Angels/Mariner under 7 runs (-105 on DK Sportsbook)

 **all bets are one unit unless specifically mentioned