After a shorter schedule on Thursday, we're back to a full 15-game slate today, starting early with Giants vs. Cubs at 2:20 PM at Wrigley Field on MARQ, and closing with Angels vs. Dodgers at 10:10 PM ET at Dodger Stadium on ABTV.
Our experts have analyzed the matchups and found great options for Friday, June 5.
Below are 5 expert MLB best bets today.
MLB Best Bets Today
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our MLB betting staff is targeting from today's slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 2:20 PM | |
  | 7:10 PM | |
  | 8:15 PM | |
  | 8:15 PM | |
  | 8:40 PM | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our MLB Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Jon Anderson's Giants vs Cubs Best Bets
By Jon Anderson
Robbie Ray hasn't helped the cause for the fourth-place Giants. He has a 4.45 ERA this year, and it's been nearly a month since he's completed five innings. His walk rate sails way up there at 11.5%, and he's walked 15.2% of hitters in his last five outings.
We saw Ray try to change something last time out in response. He threw 20 sinkers, a brand new pitch for him this year. And he landed the sinker for a strike with ten of those pitches. He threw 34 four-seamers, 25 sliders, and 20 of these sinkers. So I think he'll go back to it in this one.
What we know about sinkers is that they don't get whiffs. The Cubs already do a really nice job with the strikeout. They have a team 20.7% K% against lefties, a couple of points below the league average.
So we're looking at the under on Ray's strikeouts, first of all.
I also like Nico Hoerner's matchup a lot here. He's an elite hitter against lefties and has a .315 xBA against southpaws this year.
He doesn't strike out and doesn't walk, so he's going to get a few balls in play in this one.
Pick: Hoerner Over 1.5 TB (-111), Ray Under 4.5 K (+125)
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Bet Labs' Rays vs Marlins Featured System
By Bet Labs
When the Marlins open a series against a team coming off a game in the Eastern or Central time zone, the market often underrates the visiting team due to the perception of minimal travel impact.
That's the case today for the Rays, coming into Miami after playing the Tigers at home this week, which lit up the signal for our featured system.
In reality, these teams enter Game 1 with their routines intact and without the challenges of cross-country adjustments, allowing them to perform at expected or elevated levels.
Because the Marlins are not typically priced as a top-tier opponent, this creates value in fading them in the series opener.
This system capitalizes on that edge by betting against the Marlins in Game 1 during the regular or postseason when their opponent's previous game was played in the Eastern or Central time zone, turning overlooked market assumptions into a profitable opportunity.
Pick: Rays ML (-140)
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Ryan Minion's Guardians vs Rangers Prop Pick
By Ryan Minion
Parker Messick takes the mound for Cleveland today and finds himself in an advantageous spot. The Rangers rank fourth-worst against left-handed pitchers this season, with an 83 team wRC+.
Texas also ranks second against LHP in strikeout rate (27.1%), just behind the Colorado Rockies (27.5%). The Rangers' offense features multiple left-handed hitters, with weak bench options forced into a short-side platoon.
When Wyatt Langford and Corey Seager return to the lineup, Texas may be more formidable against lefties, but for now, they remain vulnerable.
Parker Messick enters the game with an impressive 27.2% strikeout rate in 2026. He has only exceeded his 6.5 K line in 4 of 12 starts this season, but should be capable of achieving it against this struggling Rangers' offense.
The Guardians have exhausted multiple relievers in recent games and will likely seek length from Messick, who has hit at least five innings pitched in each start this year.
Pick: Parker Messick Over 6.5 Strikeouts (+111)
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Reds vs Cardinals Top-Graded Projection
Our own Sean Zerillo projects an edge on the total for this matchup.
While the consensus line sits at 9, Zerillo projects around 9.63 runs for this game, representing a 4% edge against the market, making the over the best choice with a B- grade on our system.
Also, the number of bets and percentage of money show increasing support for this option heading into tonight's first pitch.
As a reminder, you can see all of Zerillo's MLB game projections with an Action PRO Subscription. Find his projected lines every day on the PRO Projections tab.
Pick: Over 9 (-105)
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Brewers vs Rockies Largest Prop Edge
Action PRO projects Brewers DH Christian Yelich for 1.74 hits in his matchup against the Rockies tonight, giving us a nice 14.1% edge against the market when compared to his current prop line of over/under 1.5, which is good enough to mark the Over with a B+ grade in our system.
Yelich has been on fire this week and is hitting .471 in June.
Tonight, he will play at Coors Field, where batters have the altitude and plenty of room in the outfield to take advantage of.
Yelich has had three multi-hit games this week against the Giants, surpassing this 1.5 line in three of his past four contests.
At a great value, let's back him to continue his hot streak tonight in Colorado.
Pick: Christian Yelich Over 1.5 Hits (+142)
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