Aug 2, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryan Woo (22) high-fives teammates in the dugout following the top of the seventh inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
- All 30 MLB teams are in action on Wednesday, August 14
- The red-hot Diamondbacks are favored over the NL-worst Rockies, but not by enough
- See the best MLB team and player-prop picks for Wednesday
Wednesday brings a packed 15-game slate of MLB action, starting with a matinee between the Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins, who are in a pitched battle for a Wild Card berth in the American League (while also trying to track down the Cleveland Guardians at the top of the AL Central).
The table below lists my favorite bets for August 14, along with the sportsbook where you can find the best odds on that bet.
MLB Picks & Best Bets for Wednesday, Aug. 14
| Bet | Odds | Sportsbook | Game Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diamondbacks moneyline (vs COL) | -190 | Caesars Sportsbook | 3:40 pm ET |
| Bryan Woo (SEA) over 4.5 Ks (vs DET) | -160 | FanDuel | 6:40 pm ET |
| Angels team total over 4.5 runs (vs TOR) | +110 | DraftKings | 9:38 pm ET |
My three picks start with the Diamondbacks vs Rockies matinee at 3:40 pm ET (1:40 pm MT) with the other two coming in evening games.
Odds as of 11:55 am ET, August 14. Find the best MLB betting app for today’s games.
Pick #1: Diamondbacks Moneyline
The first pick today is the Diamondbacks moneyline at a not-short-enough -190. This line is as short as -200 at some sportsbooks, but still well below that at Caesars Sportsbook. The Diamondbacks are riding a five-game win streak and have generally been on fire since the All-Star break. The defending NL Pennant-winners have pulled within 3.5 games of the Dodgers at the top of the NL West and show no signs of slowing down.
The Rockies, on the other hand, would own the title of worst team in baseball if not for the record-setting White Sox. Arizona took the first two games of the series on Monday and Tuesday (5-4, 4-3).
The pitching matchup sees Colorado’s Tanner Gordon (0-3, 6.15 ERA, 1.33 WHIP) facing Arizona’s Jordan Montgomery (7-6. 6.37 ERA, 1.68 WHIP). While the latter is having a thoroughly forgettable season, it’s likely that this game will be decided by bullpens, and Colorado’s relievers are literally the worst in the entire majors, and it’s not close. The Rockies pen has a 5.66 ERA; the next-worst is Toronto at 5.02. Arizona’s bullpen hasn’t been nearly as good as it was last year (4.17 ERA) but it’s still miles better than what the Rockies have to offer.
Pick #2: Bryan Woo Over 4.5 Strikeouts
Today’s second pick is young Seattle starter Bryan Woo to record at least five strikeouts against the Tigers in Detroit. Woo has been electric in his (injury-shortened) second season, posting a 5-1 record, 2.27 ERA, and 0.88 WHIP in 67.1 innings to date. Lately he’s been showing more strikeout stuff, as well. He’s clocked at least five strikeouts in three of his last four starts, including a season-high seven last time out against the same Detroit team he’ll be facing on Wednesday.
Yes, familiarity tends to favor hitters, but the Tigers are a top-ten team in terms of K-rate (23.3%), and yesterday’s starter, George Kirby, managed to record five Ks in just 3.2 innings of work.
Pick #3: Angels Team Total Over 4.5
The last pick of the day is the only plus-money bet on today’s card, and it’s really more of a fade of Toronto starter Jose Berrios, who’s been downright awful on the road this season. Berrios’ home/road splits are some of the starkest in the league. He has a respectable 3.97 ERA overall, but that’s thanks to a razor-sharp 2.83 at home. His road ERA is an inflated 5.29 in 66.1 innings, and recent results haven’t been better than the whole.
In his last road start, Berrios was roughed-up for six runs (five earned) on seven hits and three walks in 5.0 innings by the Yankees. Prior, he was tagged for five runs (all earned) on seven hits and four walks in just 4.0 innings at Arizona.
In each of his last four road starts, he’s allowed at least four runs and posted a WHIP of 1.40 or higher. And even if Berrios puts in a decent performance, there’s a good chance the Angels will get to the Toronto bullpen. As mentioned above, the Blue Jays have the second-worst bullpen ERA in the majors and are one of just two teams with a reliever ERA over 5.00.
Sascha has been working in the sports-betting industry since 2014, and quickly paired his strong writing skills with a burgeoning knowledge of probability and statistics. He holds an undergraduate degree in linguistics and a Juris Doctor from the University of British Columbia.