MLB Best Bets Today, 5/16: Picks, Predictions & Player Props

Welcome into tonight’s MLB best bets for this slate of MLB action here at Fantasy Alarm on this Friday, May 16th, 2025! Happy Friday everyone you all made it! Your reward is a full slate of games tonight and checking out my picks below, good luck and have an awesome weekend!
In this MLB Best Bets Today article, you will find a wide array of choices, from some Money Lines to game totals and, on occasion, some player props! Check out the rationale, and if you agree with me, make sure to tail and good luck!
Now, let's dive into my expert MLB Best Bets today!
- Season Record: 81-60-4
- Bankroll: +10.2 units
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MLB Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 5/16
Nationals vs. Orioles Predictions
The Beltway series is back underway again tonight as the Nats head to the Inner Harbor to take on the Orioles. There are a few angles to make wagers on in this matchup, but I’ll say off the top that the Nationals are in a favorable spot against Cade Povich on the mound. Povich straight up can’t get right-handed batters out this season, allowing a .322 average and .927 OPS against the opposite side of the plate, and this makes the Nationals appealing even without CJ Abrams and James Wood on the right side of the splits.
On top of that, the Orioles are facing an uphill battle against MacKenzie Gore, the Nationals' ace who has been feeling himself this season. He has 62 strikeouts over the last 46.2 innings pitched and has kept his ERA down to just under 4 during that timespan as well. The Orioles do have bats that could challenge him, but as a team, they just aren’t putting the ball in play enough to produce consistently. Their K-rate of 25.4% is the 7th highest in MLB, and their BABIP of .232 is the lowest in the entire league.
Add it all up and it looks like the Nationals are going to have to upper hand to start the series, and I will be loading up on them on the Money Line, and I will take Gore to go over his strikeouts tonight as well.
Pick: Nationals Money Line (+110 on DraftKings)
Pick: MacKenzie Gore (WSH) Over 6.5 Strikeouts (-105 on DraftKings)
Best MLB Prop Bets & Other Picks Today, 5/16
Pick: Red Sox Money Line (-115 on DraftKings)
Pick: Corbin Carroll (ARI) Over 2.5 Hits/Runs/RBIs (-110 on DraftKings)
Pick: Jackson Merrill (SD) Over 2.5 Hits/Runs/RBIs (+120 on DraftKings)
Pick: Texas Rangers Run Line -1 (-130 on DraftKings)
Player News
Guardians OF prospect Chase DeLauter went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run for Triple-A Columbus on Wednesday.
DeLauter’s home run was a 412-foot shot that left the bat at 109 mph. He’s slashing .279/.386/.475 with five home runs and 20 RBI in 33 games at Triple-A. The 23-year-old and fellow left-handed-hitter C.J. Kayfus both homered on Wednesday and are pushing for MLB at-bats in a season where it seems like the Guardians could trade away big league hitters like Carlos Santana and Lane Thomas at the trade deadline.
Blake Treinen (forearm) struck out two in a shutout inning for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday.
The veteran threw eight of his 12 pitches for strikes while sitting 95.5 mph on his sinker. He mixed in his sweeper, which got one whiff on one swing, and also threw a cutter. He seems healthy and could be called up this weekend. With Tanner Scott struggling to close out games, Treinen could pitch his way into a committee at the end of games for the Dodgers.
Brooks Lee is starting at second base and batting third against the Cubs on Thursday.
Lee had the day off on Wednesday while Willi Castro moved into the infield to play second base. Until there is a trade, this is likely going to be how things play out in Minnesota. They have too many bats for the amount of spots in the lineup, so guys like Lee, Byron Buxton, Royce Lewis, and Ty France will all likely rest at least one game per week. Buxton is out of the lineup on Thursday.
Yankees released 2B DJ LeMahieu.
That escalated quickly. The Yankees moved Jazz Chisholm off of second base after telling him all off-season that’s where he was going to play, so that they could get LeMahieu back in the lineup at second base. They seemed hesitant to move Jazz back to second base as recently as last week. Then, in the blink of an eye, they designated LeMahieu for assignment; he went unclaimed on waivers, and now he’s a free agent. The 36-year-old is hitting .266/.338/.336 with two homers and 12 RBI in 142 plate appearances this season and will try to latch on somewhere as a bench piece.
Rays moved OF Richie Palacios to the 60-day injured list.
Palacios has only played one game this season and has been on the injured list since April 18th, so this doesn’t change his timeline at all. The Rays needed a space on the 40-man roster for newly acquired reliever Bryan Baker.
Rays acquired RHP Bryan Baker from the Orioles for a competitive balance pick (37th overall) in this year’s MLB Draft.
Baker has three years of team control through arbitration, so the Rays were happy to part with the pick for him. The Orioles will now have the 19th, 30th, 31st, and 37th picks in this year’s draft. Maybe they can revamp their farm system again with talented players who struggle to find at-bats with the big league team.