MLB Best Bets For Today, 5/24 - Expert Picks, Predictions, & Props
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Time to check in with the MLB Best Bets and Props for today, Friday, May 24! Thankfully, there is no daytime baseball for us to deal with as betting games where players aren’t at their best is the last thing I want to do. I understand that many of you just want the action, but I’m all about winning and that means you bet where you are comfortable.
Perhaps I will adjust the schedule, so I am not dealing with a split slate, or maybe I just stay focused on the evening games. Either way, we have a full slate of games beginning at 6:40pm ET and that means we have a ton of great options.
MLB Picks, Predictions, & Best Bets Today, May 24th
It was a horrible day yesterday and it’s been a rough week with so many afternoon games on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. We were up significantly to open the week and now, we are back closer to even. This season’s MLB predictions are still in the black – or the green, I should say – but we need to replenish this bankroll and head into the weekend with positive momentum.
- Yesterday’s Record: 1-5
- Season Record: 152-132-4
- Bankroll: +5.11 units
*The respective odds will be listed next to each of my MLB picks below.
Astros vs. Athletics Prediction: Friday, 5/24
While the Athletics have definitely been better than advertised, they are still a weak lineup on a struggling franchise and the Astros, behind the arm of veteran ace Justin Verlander, should take care of business in this matchup. Ross Stripling pitches to contact and is sitting on a 1.56 WHIP. He’s not walking a ton of guys, but he’s allowing baserunners at a rapid rate.
The Astros, a team sporting a .330 wOBA against righthanded pitching this season and a .378 wOBA over the past seven days, should be able to plate runners and force Stripling into some bad situations.
On the other side, Verlander has not quite been himself, but should be able to contain this lineup, at least to give the offense the opportunity to extend a decent lead for the game. Walks have been a problem for him, allowing at least two in each of his last five starts, so the first of today’s MLB best bets is going to attack that prop as the A’s have a 9.4-percent walk rate against righties.
- Expert Astros vs. Athletics Picks:
- Houston -1.5 Run Line (+100 on BetMGM)
- Justin Verlander Over 1.5 Walks (-135 on BetMGM)
- Jake Meyers Over 1.5 Hits+Runs+RBI (-125 on BetMGM)
Guardians vs. Angels Prediction: Friday, 5/24
We’ve got two teams who hit lefties fairly well, so for me, it’s a matter of which lefty I trust the most to make any MLB predictions on. Funny enough, it’s Patrick Sandoval. He can hit a bump in the road like any other starter, but has done a real nice job recently, most notably limiting the Rangers to just one run over six innings. While I don’t expect him to shut down this Guardians lineup, I think he can do enough to give his team an early lead in this one.
On the other side, it’s Logan Alen throwing for Cleveland. He’s coming off back-to-back shutout performances but now faces a lineup that not only has a .339 wOBA against southpaws, but also has a .324 BABIP which means they make strong contact and keep the ball in-play. Some of these Angels bats spend all their time just hitting the crap out of lefties, most notably Luis Rengifo who owns a .440 average with a .462 wOBA and a .160 ISO.
- Expert Guardians vs. Angels Picks:
- Los Angeles First 5 Innings Money Line (-125 on Bet365)
- Luis Rengifo Over 1.5 Total Bases (+105 on DraftKings)
Yankees vs. Padres Prediction: Friday, 5/24
While the Yankees might be a little travel weary, I’m still going to side with them for the full game in today’s MLB picks finale. Yes, I know Yu Darvish is currently sporting a 25-inning scoreless streak, but that just means he’s due for a bit of a pasting. Maybe it doesn’t come all at once, but this Yankees lineup is incredibly patient, they own a league-best .348 wOBA against righties this season and have a .377 wOBA with a .250 ISO over the last seven days.
Oh yeah, and this is Juan Soto’s first game back in San Diego, so I expect him to be amped up. The Padres, on the other hand, have been atrocious against lefthanded pitching this season. We’re talking about a .280 wOBA with a .121 ISO. Those numbers are not good. However, they have shown some nice plate discipline still, posting a 9.1-percent walk rate. So, we can back the Yankees overall, but still find a way to win some money off the Padres doing something good.
- Expert Yankees vs. Padres Picks:
- New York Money Line (-115 on Bet365)
- Carlos Rodon Under 1.5 Walks (+120 on Bet365)
- Juan Soto Over 1.5 Hits+Runs+RBI (-125 on Bet365)
Best MLB Props For Today, 5/24
- Seth Lugo Over 5.5 Strikeouts (-130 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Shota Imanaga Over 5.5 Strikeouts (-118 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Nico Hoerner Over 1.5 Hits+Runs+RBI (-115 on BetMGM Sportsbook)