Welcome back to our MLB Best Bets and Props, this time for today, June 17th! The Monday MLB slate is just nine games, but we have some fantastic opportunities to cash. 

 

 

 

The Pittsburgh Pirates held Paul Skenes back a day so he didn’t have to pitch in Coors Field and now he gets a soft-hitting, strikeout-prone Cincinnati Reds team at home in pitcher-friendly PNC Park. Speaking of Coors, the Rockies are hosting James Paxton and the Los Angeles Dodgers which should be interesting given the rash of injuries the Dodgers have with both Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Mookie Betts sidelined. And when I say interesting, I mean what the Vegas odds and lines have in store for us.

MLB Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 6/17 

We closed out last week with kind of a middling Friday slate of MLB predictions. We hit a few key bets at plus-odds, but overall, we got tripped up by that Atlanta Braves vs. Tampa Bay Rays game when the Braves dropped a five-spot on Zack Littell in the bottom of the first inning. I certainly didn’t see that coming and it skewed the rest of the game and our betting day. We’ll get it back and start the week off right!

  • Friday’s Record: 5-6
  • Season Record: 229-210-5
  • Bankroll: -4.52 units

 

 

 

Dodgers vs. Rockies Prediction: Monday, June 17

As mentioned above, we’re going to try and take advantage of what’s going on in Los Angeles with our MLB best bets today. The team just lost Mookie Betts to a hand fracture, they just got word that Yoshinobu Yamamoto is dealing with a rotator cuff injury, Max Muncy is still on the IL and now they have James Paxton taking the mound in Coors Field. 

The lefty had a strong outing his last time out, but that’s been the rarity throughout most of the season. Meanwhile, the Rockies, who have a .322 wOBA against southpaws and a .328 wOBA at home this season, are now on the fourth game of the homestand and are very much in the groove after beating up on prized prospect Jared Jones. 

The Dodgers bats can still get to Cal Quantrill. I’m not delusional, after all. But this is a series of tough blows the team has now taken and I’m looking for them to be a little deflated. Not enough to lose the game, but at least enough to start slowly. Yes, there’s a risk taking the Rockies here, but we also get the safety option for a push if the game is tied after five. 

 

 

 

Brewers vs. Angels Prediction: Monday, June 17

Another first-five bet with a bit of risk on it, but not like taking the Rockies. In fact, the odds are actually in our favor for this one. Angels righty Jose Soriano was just written up again in this week’s fantasy baseball waiver wire, citing his high velocity and 60-percent ground ball rate. 

The Brewers may have a .331 wOBA against righties, but they also have a 23.2-percent strikeout rate and sport a 46.5-percent ground ball rate against righthanded pitching. On the other side, Milwaukee is throwing 22-year-old Carlos F. Rodriguez who had a shortened start against Toronto last week, allowing two runs on seven hits and a walk with four strikeouts over just 3.2 innings. 

Seven hits? That’s not good. Typically, we like to side with the Angels against lefties, but in this case, the inexperience of Rodriguez is what we want to exploit to finalize our MLB picks today.  

 

 

 

Best MLB Props For Today, 6/17: Pitchers