MLB Best Bets Today, 6/8: Picks, Predictions & Player Props - Sunday

Welcome back to another round of MLB Best Bets Today as the 2025 baseball season rolls on.
Sunday’s baseball slate is another loaded one with 15 games on the MLB schedule and every team in action. As always, there are plenty of ways to go for our top MLB picks and predictions with games going on all afternoon. Let’s focus on two games for our MLB best bets today before dishing out a few baseball player props and other picks 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, 6/8
Our MLB Best Bets Today start with a National League matchup between the San Francisco Giants and Atlanta Braves. We’ll also dive into an early afternoon game as the Tampa Bay Rays host the Miami Marlins. Check out these MLB predictions to make as you enjoy Sunday’s baseball action.
Braves vs. Giants Predictions: Sunday, June 8th
The Atlanta Braves and San Francisco Giants wrap up their three-game weekend series with an interesting Sunday afternoon matchup. The Giants won in walk-off fashion in both of the first two games of this series, setting up a sweep opportunity today. Let’s break it down.
Spencer Strider will start for Atlanta. Normally, this would be a good thing. Yet, Strider has struggled to a 5.68 ERA and 1.37 WHIP through four starts this year. His 6.39 FIP and 6.38 xERA are even worse.
Strider simply hasn’t been the same dominant pitcher he once was before missing nearly all of last season. His fastball is averaging 95.2 mph, down from 97.3 in 2023 and 98.2 in 2022. That dip in velocity has made him more hittable, resulting in a 13.7% barrel rate (bottom 6% of MLB starters) and 49.0% hard-hit rate (bottom 8%).
The Braves’ right-hander just allowed five runs and three homers to the Diamondbacks last time out. Until we see some notable adjustments and more consistency, Strider is worth fading right now. Though the Giants are just a league-average offense against right-handed pitching this year, it’s still a tough matchup on the road.
Meanwhile, San Francisco starter Landen Roupp is on fire lately. He owns a 1.39 ERA over his last six starts while allowing only one earned run over his past four starts combined. The right-hander was a bit shaky to begin the season, but he’s found his groove now.
Roupp has been very effective at home this year. He boasts a 1.64 ERA and 2.58 FIP at home compared to a 4.02 ERA and 3.97 FIP on the road. In his last home outing, Roupp tossed 6.1 shutout innings against the Padres. He can do something similar today against Atlanta.
Even with Ronald Acuna back in the lineup, the Braves are still underperforming offensively. Besides a 10-run explosion on Thursday, they’re averaging just 2.4 runs per game over the other seven previous games. Over the past week, Atlanta is just league-average against right-handers as well.
Finally, the trends favor San Fran at home today. The Giants are 21-11 at home this year, including 8-3 in their last 11 home contests. The Braves are 10-22 on the road this season and just 3-13 over their last 16 games overall, including a current six-game losing streak.
- Expert Braves vs. Giants Picks:
- Giants Moneyline (+100 on BetMGM Sportsbook)
- Giants 1st 5 Innings ML (-102 on BetMGM Sportsbook)
Marlins vs. Rays Predictions: Sunday, June 8th
The Tampa Bay Rays and Miami Marlins have split their weekend series so far. The Rays won, 4-3, on Friday night before the Marlins took an 11-10 extra-inning victory on Saturday. Which team is worth backing this afternoon?
The Rays should bounce back after their loss in extras yesterday. They’ve responded well after losing lately. Over the past month, Tampa Bay is 8-1 in games after a loss with six of those wins by 2+ runs. The squad is also 13-4 over the past 17 contests overall.
Tampa starter Drew Rasmussen is dominating on the mound right now. He’s tossed four straight scoreless outings coming into today. In this current stretch, the right-hander has a 21:3 K:BB ratio across 23 innings with just 10 hits allowed.
Rasmussen now boasts a 2.14 ERA and 0.87 WHIP this year. His 5.5% walk rate (85th MLB percentile) and 5.4% barrel rate (82nd) are elite metrics as well. The Rays’ righty also owns a 1.91 ERA and .183 batting average allowed in his nine home starts this season. Those numbers are even more impressive considering his hitter-friendly home ballpark.
Let’s count on Rasmussen continuing his hot streak at home here. The Marlins are below-average against right-handed pitching over the past week with a .290 wOBA (20th in MLB) and 83 wRC+ (21st). Before plating 11 runs yesterday, Miami was averaging just 2.0 runs per game over the prior seven contests.
On the other side, the Marlins will use Anthony Veneziano as the opener with Connor Gillispie likely to follow as the bulk pitcher. The left-handed Veneziano has a 4.58 ERA and 1.53 WHIP across 17.2 relief innings so far for Miami. As for Gillispie, the righty has struggled to an 8.65 ERA across six starts for the Marlins this year.
Gillispie also has just a 4.38 ERA and 5.90 FIP in six Triple-A appearances this season. He should run into trouble against the Rays on the road. Over the past week vs. righties, Tampa has a .365 wOBA (7th in MLB), 140 wRC+ (5th), and .276 batting average (7th).
The Rays are also averaging 6.5 runs per game over the past 13 contests. The offense is humming right now and Miami’s opener/bulk plan shouldn’t slow it down. Take Tampa to cover the run lines for the full game and first five innings.
- Expert Marlins vs. Rays Picks:
- Rays -1.5 Runline (-120 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Rays 1st 5 Innings -1.5 RL (+100 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
Best MLB Player Prop Bets & Other Picks Today, 6/8
- Zac Gallen, Arizona Diamondbacks – Over 5.5 Strikeouts (-125 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
- San Diego Padres vs. Milwaukee Brewers – NRFI (-115 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Tanner Bibee, Cleveland Guardians – Under 2.5 Earned Runs Allowed (-140 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
- Washington Nationals Moneyline (+120 on BetMGM Sportsbook)
Player News
Giants’ manager Bob Melvin confirmed Sunday that Carson Whisenhunt will start on Monday against the Pirates.
It always seemed unlikely that the team would go with two consecutive bullpen games, though there had been a chance that they would move Justin Verlander up a day to make that start. Instead, it’ll be Whisenhunt making his MLB debut. The 24-year-old southpaw has posted a 4.42 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and an 86/28 K/BB ratio over 97 2/3 innings in 18 starts at Triple-A Sacramento this season. Given the strong matchup, he could be worth a look as a streaming option in deeper mixed leagues and NL-only formats.
Ronny Mauricio went 4-for-4 with a homer, two doubles and two RBI on Sunday night, leading the Mets to a 5-3 victory over the Giants in San Francisco.
The 24-year-old infielder singled off of Spencer Bivens in the third inning but was erased on a fielder’s choice. He then smacked an RBI double in the fifth that briefly gave the Mets a 2-1 advantage. Mauricio followed that up with a 398-foot (104.7 mph EV) solo shot into McCovey Cove off of All-Star right-hander Randy RodrÃguez that tied the game at 3-3 in the seventh. He also led off the ninth inning with a double. With his four-hit attack, Mauricio is now slashing .252/.320/.441 with five homers, eight RBI and three stolen bases over his first 122 plate appearances with the Mets this season.
Juan Soto blasted a go-ahead solo homer in the seventh inning on Sunday night as the Mets eked out a two-run victory over the Giants.
The Mets entered the seventh inning trailing 3-2, but Ronny Mauricio evened the score with a solo shot into McCovey Cove off of Randy RodrÃguez. After a pair of strikeouts, Soto then crushed a 374-foot (103.0 mph EV) solo shot that gave the Mets a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. The 26-year-old superstar finished the night 1-for-4 and is now hitting .252/.386/.496 with 25 homers, 62 RBI and 14 stolen bases on the season.
Edwin DÃaz walked the tightrope in the ninth inning against the Giants on Sunday night but managed to escape with the lead intact to earn his 23rd save of the season.
It wasn’t the smoothest of outings for the 31-year-old stopper as he allowed a one-out walk to Jung Hoo Lee then plunked Heliot Ramos and walked Rafael Devers to load the bases. Not to worry though, as DÃaz rebounded to strike out Willy Adames on three pitches before retiring Matt Chapman on strikes to end it. On the season, he has now converted 23 of his first 25 save chances on the season while registering a brilliant 1.48 ERA.
Kodai Senga wasn’t at his best in a no-decision against the Giants on Sunday, giving up three runs on four hits over his five innings of work.
The 32-year-old right-hander struggled with his command in this one, issuing five free passes while striking out three batters on the evening. All of the damage done against him came via long balls from Matt Chapman — a solo shot in the fourth inning and a go-ahead two-run blast in the fifth. Senga got nine swings and misses on 92 pitches on the night, posting a CSW of 27 percent. He’ll carry a stellar 2.00 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and an 82/41 K/BB ratio (85 2/3 innings) into a rematch against the Giants at home on Saturday.
Matt Chapman homered twice and drove in three runs on Sunday night, but it wasn’t enough to propel the Giants to victory over the Mets.
Chapman got the Giants on the board an evened the score at one run apiece with his 413-foot (109.6 mph EV) solo shot off of Kodai Senga in the fourth inning. He then victimized the Mets’ right-hander once again the following frame, that time for a 410-foot (103.1 mph EV) two-run shot that put the Giants ahead. Chapman struck out in each of his other three plate appearances, finishing the night 2-for-5. On the season, the 32-year-old slugger is now hitting .243/.351/.459 with 16 homers and 41 RBI on the season.