MLB Best Bets Today, 4/24: Picks, Predictions & Player Props - Thursday
Welcome back to another round of MLB Best Bets Today as the 2025 baseball season rolls on.
Thursday’s slate is a smaller one with just eight games on the baseball schedule. Even so, there are plenty of winning MLB predictions and picks out there before the afternoon games get underway. We’ll focus on two games for our MLB best bets today before dishing out a few baseball player props to consider.
Keep in mind, some of these odds or lines could move before first pitch. All bets below are for one unit unless otherwise noted. Without further ado, let’s dive into our MLB Best Bets Today.
MLB Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 4/24
Our MLB Best Bets Today start with an American League matchup between the Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners. Can Garrett Crochet lead the Sox to the victory at home this afternoon?
We’ll also dive into the series finale between the Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles as the home Nats go for a sweep. Check out the MLB predictions to make as you enjoy Thursday’s baseball action.
Mariners vs. Red Sox Predictions: Thursday, April 24th
Thursday afternoon brings our MLB best bets today the series finale between the Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners from Fenway Park. We have an intriguing starting pitching matchup of Garrett Crochet vs. Bryan Woo. Finding an edge in this game is tough, but the home Sox show some value.
Crochet entered this season with plenty of Cy Young hype and he’s backing it up so far. The left-hander has a 1.13 ERA and 0.91 WHIP through his first five starts with Boston. He’s also allowed one earned run or less in four straight outings.
Crochet’s advanced stats are encouraging moving forward as well. His 2.20 FIP and 2.81 xERA are very promising. The same goes for his 29.5% hard-hit rate (88th percentile) and 31.0% whiff rate (81st). He should limit a Mariners lineup that’s in the lesser side of its splits today. Seattle is a top-10 offense against right-handed pitching this year (.327 wOBA, 122 wRC+), but just league-average vs. lefties (.298 wOBA, 99 wRC+).
Meanwhile, Woo has been good himself this year with a 3.12 ERA and 3.04 FIP across four starts. Yet, we can fade the Seattle righty today based on his glaring home/road splits. Woo had a 4.04 FIP and 18.0% K rate on the road last year compared to a 2.70 FIP and 25.3% K rate at home. Those splits are already carrying over to this season as he has a 4.85 ERA in two road starts compared to a 1.38 ERA in two home outings.
Plus, Woo will face a Red Sox offense that’s heating up lately. They’re averaging 5.8 runs over the past six games. Alex Bregman (.911 OPS), Wilyer Abreu (.908), Trevor Story (.828), and Kristian Campbell (.881) are all hitting well this season. Against righties over the past week, the Sox boast a .363 wOBA (6th in MLB) and 135 wRC+ (5th).
Grab the Red Sox to cover the full-game runline and lead after the first five innings. Five of Boston’s eight home wins this season have come by 2+ runs. Crochet should anchor things early on while the offense provides enough run support throughout.
- Expert Mariners vs. Red Sox Picks:
- Red Sox -1.5 Runline (+125 on BetMGM Sportsbook)
- Red Sox 1st 5 Innings -0.5 RL (-125 on BetMGM Sportsbook)
Orioles vs. Nationals Predictions: Thursday, April 24th
The Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals wrap up their Beltway Series on Thursday night. After winning the first two games of the series, Washington goes for the home sweep in the finale. The starting pitching matchup of Cade Povich vs. MacKenzie Gore immediately points us in one direction for our MLB picks.
Povich has an ugly 6.38 ERA and 2.07 WHIP through four starts with Baltimore. His 5.22 FIP and 6.60 xERA don’t offer much confidence either. Povich is allowing a 50.8% hard-hit rate (10th MLB percentile) with just a 19.5% whiff rate (14th). The left-hander gave up seven runs in 3.1 innings last time out.
The Nationals are admittedly a below-average offense against left-handed pitching this season. Still, Povich is a very fadeable pitcher right now. Plus, he had a 7.89 ERA and 6.13 FIP on the road last year (seven starts). Conversely, the Nats are a top-tier offense at home so far (.356 wOBA, 126 wRC+).
Meanwhile, fading the Baltimore hitters against a left-hander continues to be profitable. The Orioles are batting an ugly .165 vs. southpaws this year (29th in MLB) with a .222 wOBA (29th), 43 wRC+ (29th), .060 ISO (30th), and 25.6% K rate (24th) in the split. Washington lefty Mitchell Parker tossed eight shutout innings in this matchup on Tuesday, and his teammate can follow suit today.
Gore has a solid 3.41 ERA this season, but his 2.21 FIP and 3.05 xERA suggest he’s been even better. Gore boasts an excellent 37.8% K rate (97th percentile) and 36.1% whiff rate (93rd) to go along with just a .214 xBA (74th). These are encouraging signs for a young pitcher who could be poised for a breakout.
The matchup, as noted above, is very favorable for Gore. He’ll also benefit from pitching at home today. The lefty has a 1.50 ERA in two home starts compared to a 4.76 ERA in three road outings so far this season. Grab the Nats to win on the moneyline and lead after five innings to round out our MLB best bets today.
- Expert Orioles vs. Nationals Picks:
- Nationals Moneyline (-102 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Nationals 1st 5 Innings ML (-118 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
Best MLB Player Prop Bets & Other Picks Today, 4/24
- Cole Ragans, Kansas City Royals – Over 8.5 Strikeouts (-125 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
- Tyler Anderson, Los Angeles Angels – Over 5.5 Strikeouts (+120 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
- Landen Roup, San Francisco Giants – Under 5.5 Strikeouts (-120 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
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Player News
Bryce Miller said Sunday evening that he’s been pitching through arm soreness and back tightness.
Miller was tagged for seven runs over five innings on Sunday in a loss to the Blue Jays before telling reporters that he’s been dealing with some lingering physical issues that have impacted his on-field performance. It doesn’t sound like he’s at risk of missing his next start on Saturday against the Padres, but it’s a variable that fantasy managers need to monitor in upcoming outings.
Ronald Acuña Jr. (knee) launched a solo homer on Tuesday in a minor league rehab game in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League.
Acuña went deep in his third and final at-bat of the contest and also completed six innings defensively in right field during his rehab debut. Atlanta’s front office hasn’t disclosed how long his rehab stint might last, but we’re anticipating the 27-year-old fantasy superstar getting at least a couple weeks of minor league contests under his belt to knock off some rust and get back up to full speed. It’s possible he’ll be ready to make his season debut at some point in late May or early June.
Tyler Glasnow (shoulder) has been cleared to start a throwing program.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters Glasnow will continue working towards throwing bullpen session later this week after completing his checkup with Dr. Neal ElAttrache. The 31-year-old fantasy ace, who is working his way back from shoulder inflammation, remains without a clear return timetable yet, but it’s an encouraging sign that he’s starting to make some progress.
Logan Gilbert (elbow) threw a 25-pitch bullpen session on Tuesday at T-Mobile Park.
Gilbert is making steady progress in his recovery from a flexor strain in his right elbow and should be ready to face hitters at some point in the near future. It’s theoretically possible that he’ll wrap up a minor league rehab assignment and make it back to Seattle’s rotation at some point in June.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters Roki Sasaki is dealing with right arm soreness.
Roberts added that it’s possible Sasaki will require a trip to the injured list. His fastball velocity was down in his previous start last Friday against the Diamondbacks as he allowed five runs over four innings of work. The 23-year-old top pitching prospect would likely benefit from a bit of a mental and physical reset after struggling to a pedestrian 4.72 ERA and subpar 15.6 percent strikeout rate across eight starts. There should be a decision on his status at some point later this week.
Clayton Kershaw (toe, knee) will make his season debut on Saturday against the Mets.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed to reporters that the future Hall of Famer will take the ball this weekend at Citi Field. The 37-year-old southpaw, who is coming back from offseason toe and knee surgeries, should remain a viable option for fantasy managers on a per-start basis. Setting aside the obvious durability concerns, the stuff has looked sharp in recent minor league outings and he should provide a boost in the ratio departments for fantasy purposes, even if there won’t be a ton of volume.