Free MLB Picks For August 25, 2026
Looking for today’s MLB picks? Below, you’ll find our Major League Baseball predictions for today’s slate, including moneyline picks, run line picks, total picks, best bets, and quick game-by-game analysis. We update this page daily with the latest MLB betting picks and track our running record throughout the season.
Today’s MLB Picks — August 25, 2026
| Game | Moneyline Pick | Run Line Pick | Total Pick | Best Bet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Rays vs Detroit Tigers | Rays ML | Rays -1.5 | Over 7.5 | No |
| Boston Red Sox vs Miami Marlins | Red Sox ML | Red Sox -1.5 | Under 7.5 | No |
| Colorado Rockies vs Washington Nationals | Nationals ML | Nationals -1.5 | Over 8.5 | No |
| Houston Astros vs New York Yankees | Yankees ML | Yankees -1.5 | Over 9.0 | ✅ Yes |
| Kansas City Royals vs Toronto Blue Jays | Royals ML | Royals +1.5 | Over 8.5 | No |
| Milwaukee Brewers vs New York Mets | Brewers ML | Brewers -1.5 | Under 7.5 | No |
| Los Angeles Dodgers vs Atlanta Braves | Dodgers ML | Dodgers -1.5 | Under 8.5 | No |
| Texas Rangers vs Chicago White Sox | Rangers ML | Rangers +1.5 | Under 8.0 | No |
| Baltimore Orioles vs St. Louis Cardinals | Cardinals ML | Cardinals +1.5 | Over 9.0 | No |
| Cleveland Guardians vs Los Angeles Angels | Guardians ML | Guardians -1.5 | Under 7.5 | No |
| Chicago Cubs vs Arizona Diamondbacks | Cubs ML | Cubs -1.5 | Under 8.5 | No |
| Pittsburgh Pirates vs San Diego Padres | Padres ML | Pirates +1.5 | Under 7.5 | No |
| Minnesota Twins vs Athletics | Twins ML | Twins -1.5 | Over 9.5 | No |
| Philadelphia Phillies vs Seattle Mariners | Mariners ML | Mariners -1.5 | Over 7.5 | No |
| Cincinnati Reds vs San Francisco Giants | Reds ML | Reds +1.5 | Over 8.0 | No |
Tuesday gives us a full 15-game board beginning with Tampa Bay-Detroit and Boston-Miami at 6:40 p.m. ET and finishing with Cincinnati-San Francisco at 9:45 p.m. ET. The marquee matchup is Los Angeles at Atlanta, but some of the better betting opportunities are further down the card where starting-pitching form and the market price create more separation.
The numbers used here are the overnight lines available during the early Tuesday handicapping process. Baseball prices can move quickly once lineups and final pitching assignments are confirmed, particularly in Miami, Washington and St. Louis, where uncertainty remains on one side of the starting matchup. A half-run movement on several totals would materially change the value.
MLB Best Bet of the Day
Best Bet: New York Yankees -1.5
New York gets one of the better combinations of team quality, starting-pitching advantage and plus-money run-line value on the board. Will Warren enters 8-6 with a 4.43 ERA and 122 strikeouts, while Houston is scheduled to use Ethan Pecko, who has only limited major-league work and enters with a 4.91 ERA. The Yankees are also 74-56 compared with Houston at 65-66, so there is meaningful separation beyond the pitching matchup.
This is exactly the kind of spot where I would rather attack the run line than pay a heavier moneyline price. Houston can certainly score enough to keep this competitive, particularly at Yankee Stadium, but New York should have opportunities to do damage against Pecko and the innings behind him. If the Yankees get four or five innings of competent work from Warren, they have a realistic path to putting this game away late.
Projected score: Yankees 7, Astros 4
Official Best Bet: New York Yankees -1.5
Tampa Bay Rays vs Detroit Tigers Pick
Picks: Rays ML | Rays -1.5 | Over 7.5
Ian Seymour enters at 9-4 with a 4.17 ERA and 123 strikeouts for a Tampa Bay club sitting at 78-53. Detroit counters with Jackson Jobe, who has made limited appearances and owns a 4.50 ERA. The pitching difference is not enormous, but Tampa Bay’s season-long performance makes the Rays difficult to fade against a Detroit team well below .500.
The -1.5 is more aggressive than the moneyline, but Tampa Bay possesses enough separation to justify it at plus money. I also lean Over 7.5 because neither starter has been dominant enough to justify treating this as a low-scoring pitchers’ duel.
Projected score: Rays 6, Tigers 3
Boston Red Sox vs Miami Marlins Pick
Picks: Red Sox ML | Red Sox -1.5 | Under 7.5
Payton Tolle gives Boston a legitimate foundation after putting together an 8-6 record, 3.08 ERA and 134 strikeouts. Miami had not officially listed its starter at the time of the overnight assessment, creating enough uncertainty that Boston deserves the advantage before we even account for its superior 72-59 record.
Boston -1.5 is playable if the market remains around plus money because the Red Sox can create separation against an unsettled pitching situation. I prefer Under 7.5 slightly more cautiously, however, because Tolle’s ability to suppress Miami should keep the Marlins’ contribution limited.
Projected score: Red Sox 5, Marlins 2
Colorado Rockies vs Washington Nationals Pick
Picks: Nationals ML | Nationals -1.5 | Over 8.5
Washington sends Andrew Alvarez to the mound with a 2-5 record but a respectable 3.60 ERA and 74 strikeouts. Colorado had not officially named its starter overnight, which matters considerably when the Rockies already carry a 50-81 record into this matchup.
Washington deserves to be favoured and the -1.5 offers better value than laying a significant moneyline price. The uncertainty surrounding Colorado’s pitching also pushes me toward Over 8.5, particularly because Washington should have opportunities to do most of the scoring necessary to threaten the number.
Projected score: Nationals 6, Rockies 3
Houston Astros vs New York Yankees Pick
Picks: Yankees ML | Yankees -1.5 | Over 9.0
Will Warren brings a much deeper major-league body of work than Houston starter Ethan Pecko. Warren is 8-6 with a 4.43 ERA and 122 strikeouts, while Pecko is only beginning to establish himself at this level. Add New York’s 74-56 record and home-field advantage and the Yankees deserve considerably more respect here.
I want the plus-money Yankees -1.5 rather than laying the moneyline price. Over 9.0 is also worth a look because Warren is not unhittable, meaning Houston can contribute two or three runs while the Yankees attack an inexperienced starter.
Projected score: Yankees 7, Astros 4
Kansas City Royals vs Toronto Blue Jays Pick
Picks: Royals ML | Royals +1.5 | Over 8.5
Here’s one of my favourite underdog looks. Toronto may have the superior record, but Max Scherzer enters 1-6 with a 7.40 ERA through his 2026 work. Kansas City’s Seth Lugo has struggled as well at 5-7 with a 4.71 ERA, but that is still a substantially better statistical profile.
Kansas City +1.5 is the safer wager, while the moneyline provides attractive underdog value. With neither starter pitching particularly well and Scherzer carrying the much larger ERA, Over 8.5 is the clearest total position.
Projected score: Royals 6, Blue Jays 5
Milwaukee Brewers vs New York Mets Pick
Picks: Brewers ML | Brewers -1.5 | Under 7.5
Milwaukee enters at 81-50 and now has the strongest record on Tuesday’s board. Kyle Harrison has played a major role in that success, carrying a 10-3 record and 2.84 ERA into Citi Field. New York counters with Zac Thornton, who has also pitched well with a 3.04 ERA but works behind the considerably weaker team.
This is why I like Milwaukee without making it the day’s Best Bet. Thornton is good enough to keep the Mets within striking distance, but over nine innings the Brewers possess more paths to win. Milwaukee -1.5 offers the better price while Under 7.5 reflects two starters capable of controlling the first half of the game.
Projected score: Brewers 5, Mets 2
Los Angeles Dodgers vs Atlanta Braves Pick
Picks: Dodgers ML | Dodgers -1.5 | Under 8.5
This is the heavyweight fight of the night. Los Angeles enters 80-51, Atlanta 76-55, and Tyler Glasnow gives the Dodgers an important pitching advantage. Glasnow is 3-0 with a 2.72 ERA, while Bryce Elder enters 8-7 with a 3.92 mark.
The Dodgers are good enough to justify laying -1.5 despite facing one of baseball’s stronger clubs. I would not chase the run line if its price shortens considerably, but there is value around the early number. Under 8.5 is also attractive because Glasnow has the stuff to suppress Atlanta and Elder does not need to dominate for this game to remain controlled.
Projected score: Dodgers 5, Braves 3
Texas Rangers vs Chicago White Sox Pick
Picks: Rangers ML | Rangers +1.5 | Under 8.0
This is close to a pick’em for a reason. Jacob deGrom enters 9-8 with a 3.77 ERA and 157 strikeouts, while Anthony Kay sits at 9-6 with a 3.96 ERA. Chicago owns the slightly stronger team record, but Texas has the higher-upside starter.
Rather than ask the Rangers to win by multiple runs, I prefer Texas +1.5 as the run-line selection and the Rangers on the moneyline at the available price. Under 8.0 makes sense because both starters are capable of giving their clubs competitive outings.
Projected score: Rangers 4, White Sox 3
Baltimore Orioles vs St. Louis Cardinals Pick
Picks: Cardinals ML | Cardinals +1.5 | Over 9.0
Baltimore lists Chris Bassitt, who enters 4-4 with a 5.08 ERA, while St. Louis had not officially finalized its starting assignment overnight. That uncertainty makes this one of the more difficult games to attack aggressively, but the Cardinals still have the slightly stronger overall profile at home.
I prefer St. Louis +1.5 to laying runs because the unconfirmed pitching situation introduces too much variance. Over 9.0 is the more attractive direction considering Bassitt’s ERA and the possibility that St. Louis does not get extended innings from its eventual starter.
Projected score: Cardinals 6, Orioles 5
Cleveland Guardians vs Los Angeles Angels Pick
Picks: Guardians ML | Guardians -1.5 | Under 7.5
This might be Tuesday’s most interesting pitching matchup. Gavin Williams owns a 12-7 record, 3.72 ERA and an outstanding 201 strikeouts for Cleveland, while Walbert Ureña has been even better in pure run prevention with a 2.80 ERA for Los Angeles.
Cleveland gets my side because the Guardians are the superior overall club and Williams supplies legitimate swing-and-miss dominance. The -1.5 is considerably more volatile against Ureña, but it offers enough plus-money upside. Under 7.5 is the strongest component of this matchup.
Projected score: Guardians 4, Angels 2
Chicago Cubs vs Arizona Diamondbacks Pick
Picks: Cubs ML | Cubs -1.5 | Under 8.5
Chicago gets Clay Holmes, who enters with a sparkling 2.49 ERA, while Arizona counters with Brandon Pfaadt at 7-1 with a 3.39 ERA. This is a considerably stronger pitching matchup than the records alone might suggest.
The Cubs are my preferred side because they own the better record at 76-56 and hold the starting-pitching edge on paper. Chicago -1.5 is playable at a sizeable plus price, although the more conservative wager is Under 8.5 with both starters positioned to work through the middle innings without major damage.
Projected score: Cubs 5, Diamondbacks 3
Pittsburgh Pirates vs San Diego Padres Pick
Picks: Padres ML | Pirates +1.5 | Under 7.5
Paul Skenes against Michael King gives us one of the most competitive pitching matchups of the night. Skenes enters with 171 strikeouts and a 3.95 ERA, while King owns a 3.38 mark for San Diego. The Padres have the stronger record and home-field advantage, so they get the narrow moneyline preference.
I do not want San Diego -1.5 against Skenes, though. Pittsburgh +1.5 is the better run-line position because a one-run Padres victory fits the matchup nicely. Under 7.5 is my favourite part of this game given the two starters and Petco Park setting.
Projected score: Padres 4, Pirates 3
Minnesota Twins vs Athletics Pick
Picks: Twins ML | Twins -1.5 | Over 9.5
Minnesota has a clear pitching advantage with Taj Bradley, who enters 9-5 with a 3.90 ERA and 158 strikeouts. Gage Jump counters at 5-8 with a 4.83 ERA for an Athletics team that enters with one of the weakest records on Tuesday’s board.
The Twins should be able to create scoring opportunities against Jump, making both Minnesota ML and -1.5 attractive. The market has also posted a much higher total than most of Tuesday’s slate, but I still lean Over 9.5 because the Athletics can contribute against Bradley while Minnesota does the heavier lifting.
Projected score: Twins 7, Athletics 4
Philadelphia Phillies vs Seattle Mariners Pick
Picks: Mariners ML | Mariners -1.5 | Over 7.5
This is one game where I am willing to go against the better season-long team. Aaron Nola enters 5-9 with a 5.12 ERA for Philadelphia, while George Kirby has the superior 4.18 ERA for Seattle. The Phillies remain the stronger club overall, but today’s pitching matchup changes the calculus.
Seattle’s moneyline is the cleaner selection, while -1.5 is the higher-risk plus-money alternative. I also want Over 7.5 because Nola’s current run-prevention profile creates a path for Seattle to score five or more without requiring Philadelphia to produce a huge offensive performance.
Projected score: Mariners 6, Phillies 3
Cincinnati Reds vs San Francisco Giants Pick
Picks: Reds ML | Reds +1.5 | Over 8.0
Brady Singer enters 5-11 with a 4.72 ERA for Cincinnati, while Adrian Houser carries a 4-7 record and 4.08 ERA for San Francisco. There is no major starting-pitching advantage here, which shifts the handicap toward overall team performance.
Cincinnati has been the more trustworthy club and gets my moneyline selection, but I prefer Reds +1.5 for anyone playing the run line because this profiles as another potentially tight game. Over 8.0 is playable with neither starter possessing the type of dominant numbers that would make me comfortable backing a low-scoring outcome.
Projected score: Reds 5, Giants 4
MLB Picks Record
| Category | Record |
|---|---|
| Overall MLB Picks (Best Bet Not Included) | 940-900-15 |
| Moneyline Picks | 342-280-0 |
| Run Line Picks | 310-312-0 |
| Total Picks | 288-308-15 |
| MLB Best Bets | 21-26-0 |
How to Bet MLB Games
MLB betting usually focuses on three main markets: the moneyline, run line, and game total.
A moneyline bet is a pick on which team will win the game outright. This is often the simplest way to bet MLB games, especially when one team has a clear starting pitching, bullpen, or offensive advantage.
A run line bet is similar to a spread. In baseball, this usually means backing a favorite to win by at least two runs or taking an underdog with a 1.5-run cushion. Run lines can create better betting value, but they also carry more risk than a straight moneyline pick.
A total bet focuses on the combined number of runs scored by both teams. If you expect strong offense, shaky pitching, or favorable hitting conditions, the over may offer value. If you expect strong pitching, reliable bullpens, or a lower-scoring matchup, the under may be the better option.
What We Consider When Making MLB Picks
Our MLB predictions are based on several key factors, including starting pitching, bullpen reliability, team offense, recent form, home and road splits, matchup history, injuries when available, weather conditions, ballpark factors, and betting market value.
Because MLB odds can move quickly once lineups, pitching changes, and weather updates become available, numbers may change throughout the day. Always compare the current line before placing a bet.
MLB Betting Tips
MLB betting can be streaky, so it is important to avoid overreacting to one game. Even the best teams lose as heavy favorites, and underdogs can have value when the betting market overcorrects.
For most bettors, the best approach is to keep bet sizes consistent, avoid chasing losses, and track results over time. The goal is not to win every single pick. The goal is to find long-term value across the full MLB season.
Responsible Gambling Reminder
Sports betting should be treated as entertainment, not guaranteed income. Only wager what you can afford to lose, and never chase losses. If betting stops being fun or starts creating stress, take a break and seek support.
MLB Picks FAQ
Are these MLB picks updated daily?
Yes. This page is updated regularly with today’s MLB picks, including moneyline picks, run line picks, total picks, and our best bet of the day.
Do you cover every MLB game?
Yes. When a full MLB slate is available, we aim to cover every game with a moneyline pick, run line pick, total pick, and brief analysis.
What is the best MLB bet today?
Our top-rated pick is listed in the “MLB Best Bet of the Day” section near the top of the page.
Do you track MLB betting results?
Yes. We track our running MLB picks record, including overall picks, moneyline picks, run line picks, totals, best bets, and recent performance.
What is the best way to bet on MLB baseball?
The most common MLB bets are moneyline, run line, and totals. New bettors may want to start with moneyline picks before moving into run lines and totals.
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