MLB Picks & Best Bets (Sep. 21): Wheeler, Phillies Look To Stay Perfect vs. Nationals
- Phillies Zack Wheeler looks to build off prior success against the Washington Nationals on Monday, Sept. 21
- Ageless wonder Adam Wainwright and the Cardinals are hot entering the I-70 series against the Royals
- Check out the early odds and picks for MLB’s Monday slate (Sep. 21st)
A perfect record for a pitcher, and for one divisional foe against another, is at stake on Monday, September 21st as the Philadelphia Phillies head to Washington to face the Nationals. That’ll be one of the key matchups to watch among the early odds for Monday’s MLB slate.
NB: The table below displays all Sep. 21st games open for betting as of 10:00 pm ET, Sep. 20th. It may not contain all games scheduled for Sep. 21st.
MLB Odds: Sep. 21st
| Team (Starter) | Moneyline | Runline | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Angels (D. Bundy) | -191 | -1.5 (-105) | Over 8.5 (-120) | 4:10 pm |
| Texas Rangers (K. Gibson) | +175 | +1.5 (-115) | Under 8.5 (+100) | |
| Team (Starter) | Moneyline | Runline | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
| Philadelphia Phillies (Z. Wheeler) | -145 | -1.5 (+110) | Over 9.5 (-115) | 6:05 pm |
| Washington Nationals (A. Sanchez) | +134 | +1.5 (-130) | Under 9.5 (-105) | |
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
| Cleveland Indians (A. Civale) | -102 | +1.5 (-165) | Over 8.5 (+100) | 6:10 pm |
| Chicago White Sox (D. Dunning) | -108 | -1.5 (+145) | Under 8.5 (-120) | |
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
| Cincinnati Reds (L. Castillo) | -124 | TBD | Over 7.5 (-110) | 6:40 pm |
| Milwaukee Brewers (B. Woodruff) | +114 | TBD | Under 7.5 (-110) | |
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
| Miami Marlins (T. Rogers) | +153 | +1.5 (-130) | Over 9.0 (-130) | 7:10 pm |
| Atlanta Braves (H. Ynoa) | -166 | -1.5 (+110) | Under 9.0 (+110) | |
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
| Kansas City Royals (C. Hernandez) | +133 | +1.5 (-120) | Over 9.0 (-120) | 8:05 pm |
| St. Louis Cardinals (A. Wainwright) | -144 | -1.5 (+100) | Under 9.0 (+100) | |
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
| Houston Astros (L. McCullers Jr.) | -145 | TBD | Over 8.0 (-115) | 9:10 pm |
| Seattle Mariners (M. Gonzales) | +134 | TBD | Under 8.0 (-105) |
Odds as of Sept. 20th at DraftKings.
Pick 1: Phillies Moneyline (-145) vs Nationals
Reasoning: Phillies dominating season series.
The Philadelphia Phillies were just 13-25 against the Washington Nationals in 2018-19 — but the script has flipped in 2020.
Philadelphia is 6-0 against Washington this season, including two shutouts that occurred earlier this month.
On Monday, Zack Wheeler toes the rubber for the Phillies, boasting a solid 4-0 record and 2.62 ERA in nine starts. His lone start against the Nationals was a gem, as he allowed three hits and no runs over 6.2 innings in a winning effort on Sept. 2.
Phillies have won 8 of 9 🔥🔥
2 games above 500
In second place2 straight team shutouts behind
Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) September 3, 2020
Opposite Wheeler is Nationals starter Anibal Sanchez, whose lone start against the Phillies in 2020 — nine hits and four runs allowed in 3.1 innings — resulted in a loss.
Pick 2: Cardinals Moneyline (-144) vs Royals
Reasoning: Cardinals are heating up at the right time.
The only player in baseball this season with multiple complete games is also among the oldest: Adam Wainwright, who is 5-1 with a 2.87 ERA in a renaissance season for the 39-year-old.
Wainwright and the Cardinals are rolling, with four consecutive wins after completing the sweep of the Pirates on Sunday. St. Louis hasn’t been at its best offensively of late (3.2 runs scored per game in its past 10), but perhaps facing the Royals’ Cesar Hernandez will help.
Adam Wainwright, Complete Game (on his 39th Birthday). 🎂 pic.twitter.com/KnAeluKnnA
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 30, 2020
Hernandez, 23, allowed three runs in three innings in his debut MLB start on Sept. 12. Now he’ll face a Cardinals team looking for a pitcher to pick on.
While the Cardinals have won four-straight, the Royals have dropped four of five. St. Louis has won two of three in this head-to-head matchup this season, and is 9-4 against Kansas City since 2018.
A two-team parlay on the Phillies and Cardinals at -145 and -144, respectively, would pay out at +186.
Jordan Horrobin is a sports journalist whose MLB, NHL, NFL and NCAA work has appeared in outlets such as The Athletic, MLB.com, the Detroit Free Press and more. He is currently based in Toronto, also working as a contributor for Forbes.com and a freelance editor for Sportsnet.
