MLB Expert Picks Including White Sox vs Twins, Marlins vs Padres

• Monday’s MLB schedule features a 5-game slate
• The White Sox are 12-4 versus the Twins this season
• See the best bets for the day, below

It’s not the size of the slate that matters, it’s the value that lies within it. Monday around MLB features only five games, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t betting lines to exploit.

The action gets underway in Cleveland at 6:10 pm ET, while the first pitch in the final game of the evening is set for 10:10 pm ET in San Diego – more on that game later.

Lucas Giolito and the White Sox travel to Minnesota to face their divisional rival, looking to improve to 13-4 versus the Twins this season.

MLB Picks for August 9th

All odds as of August 8th at DraftKings.

White Sox vs Twins Odds

Giolito is 2-0 against Minny this season, posting a 2.57 ERA, while yielding a minuscule .178 opponent batting average. He was roughed up in his previous start by Kansas City, but prior to that he had been spectacular since the All-Star break.

Lucas Giolito, 96mph Paint. 🖌️🎨 pic.twitter.com/71Ttyfn7lC

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 29, 2021

The 27-year-old threw a complete game three-hitter against the Astros, and followed that up by allowing just a single run over 6 innings versus the Brewers, another first place team. He held the Royals to a single run over 6 innings in his final start of July, before stumbling against them last week.

Minnesota meanwhile, is 9-14 in the second half of the season, and will be missing both Josh Donaldson and Byron Buxton, two of their better bats, for this contest.

Beau Burrows will make his first career start for the Twins, and given the opponent and his lifetime numbers, it could get ugly. The 24-year-old has allowed 19 hits and 15 runs over 15.2 innings of relief work during his brief two year career, and owns an 11.00 ERA and 2.00 WHIP in 2021.

There's an A.V. Club meeting in the outfield bleachers. pic.twitter.com/1ixJNQTCbj

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) August 8, 2021

The White Sox offense is legit, ranking sixth in runs per game and ninth in OPS, and is fresh off crossing the plate 21 times in a three-game series with the Cubs.

Pick: White Sox -1.5 (-105)

Marlins vs Padres Odds

The next bet to target is the over in the Marlins-Padres contest. San Diego has seen nine of its past 12 games soar over the total, and features one of the most potent lineups in the National League. The Padres rank fourth in the NL in runs, and sixth in slugging and OPS.

It is time to have a serious conversation about Jake Cronenworth being an elite ballplayer. pic.twitter.com/HIL9PaS5uG

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 8, 2021

No one is going to confuse Miami with being an offensive juggernaut, but its bats have showed some life lately. The Marlins crossed the plate 12 times in their final two games over the weekend, and have put up at least four runs in five of seven. Just one of their past seven games has failed to produce at least eight runs, and starter Zach Thompson struggled in his past start versus the Padres.

The 27-year-old lasted just 5 innings, surrendering six hits and three runs in the process, marking the seventh time in nine starts he’s failed to make it out of the 6th.

San Diego will counter with Joe Musgrove, who despite being in the midst of the best season of his career, is certainly not invincible. He’s allowed four or more runs in three of his past seven outings, and 12 of the 18 games he’s started in 2021 have produced a total of at least 8.

Pick: Over 7.5 (-110)