MLB Picks & Best Bets (Sep. 23): Bauer, Reds Embark On Crucial Game vs. Brewers
- Trevor Bauer can strengthen his Cy Young case in a critical game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday, Sept. 23
- The Minnesota Twins have won five of their past six against the Detroit Tigers
- Check out the early odds and picks for MLB’s Wednesday slate (Sep. 23rd)
The Cincinnati Reds (28-28) and Milwaukee Brewers (27-27) currently hold the final two playoff spots in the NL by a razor-thin margin over San Francisco (26-27) and Philadelphia (27-29), making their game on Wednesday, September 23rd, close to a must-win. Playoff implications aside, it’s a game you’ll want to tune in for.
With Trevor Bauer on the mound for Cincinnati, opposite Milwaukee starter Adrian Houser, there’s a clear edge for the Reds. Check out the odds for that game and several others in the table below.
NB: The table below displays all Sep. 23rd games open for betting as of 10:00 pm ET, Sep. 22nd. It may not contain all games scheduled for Sep. 22nd.
MLB Odds: Sep. 23rd
| Team (Starter) | Moneyline | Runline | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Angels (J. Barria) | +167 | +1.5 (-122) | Over 8.5 (-105) | 9:10 pm |
| San Diego Padres (M. Clevinger) | -182 | -1.5 (+102) | Under 8.5 (-115) | |
| Team (Starter) | Moneyline | Runline | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
| Philadelphia Phillies (Z. Eflin) | -131 | -1.5 (+123) | Over 9.5 (-110) | 6:05 pm |
| Washington Nationals (E. Fedde) | +121 | +1.5 (-143) | Under 9.5 (-110) | |
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
| Cleveland Indians (S. Bieber) | -152 | -1.5 (+135) | Over 7.0 (-115) | 6:10 pm |
| Chicago White Sox (L. Giolito) | +140 | +1.5 (-155) | Under 7.0 (-105) | |
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
| Cincinnati Reds (T. Bauer) | -154 | -1.5 (+125) | Over 8.5 (+115) | 6:40 pm |
| Milwaukee Brewers (A. Houser) | +142 | +1.5 (-145) | Under 8.5 (-135) | |
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
| Houston Astros (Z. Greinke) | -184 | -1.5 (-115) | Over 8.5 (-115) | 9:10 pm |
| Seattle Mariners (N. Margevicius) | +169 | +1.5 (-105) | Under 8.5 (-105) | |
| Team (Starter) | Moneyline | Runline | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
| Boston Red Sox (N. Eovaldi) | -141 | -1.5 (+130) | Over 9.0 (-110) | 7:30 pm |
| Baltimore Orioles (D. Kremer) | +130 | +1.5 (-150) | Under 9.0 (-110) | |
| Team (Starter) | Moneyline | Runline | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
| Detroit Tigers (C. Mize) | +241 | +1.5 (+117) | Over 8.0 (-115) | 7:40 pm |
| Minnesota Twins (K. Maeda) | -270 | -1.5 (-137) | Under 8.0 (-105) | |
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
| Kansas City Royals (D. Duffy) | +105 | +1.5 (-155) | Over 9.0 (-110) | 8:05 pm |
| St. Louis Cardinals (C. Martinez) | -115 | -1.5 (+135) | Under 9.0 (-110) | |
| Team (Starter) | Moneyline | Runline | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
| Los Angeles Dodgers (J. Urias) | -159 | -1.5 (+120) | Over 8.5 (-115) | 9:40 pm |
| Oakland Athletics (S. Manaea) | +147 | +1.5 (-140) | Under 8.5 (-105) | |
| Team (Starter) | Moneyline | Runline | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
| San Francisco Giants (TBD) | -177 | -1.5 (+115) | Over 9.0 (-105) | 9:45 pm |
| Colorado Rockies (R. Castellani) | +163 | +1.5 (-135) | Under 9.0 (-115) |
Odds as of Sept. 22nd at DraftKings.
Pick 1: Reds Moneyline (-154) vs Brewers
Reasoning: Trevor Bauer is too darn good.
Trevor Bauer is only 2-4 in his past seven starts, but don’t let that fool you. He has a 2.17 ERA in that span and is doing what he can to remain in the NL Cy Young conversation.
Trevor Bauer, 82mph Slider in the middle of the lefty batter's box for a Sword. 😂 pic.twitter.com/izapuPhR1W
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 19, 2020
Bauer’s numbers are a bit more pedestrian against the Brewers (1-1, 3.65 ERA in two starts), but still better than average. Milwaukee’s starter, Adrian Houser, is 0-1 with a 6.23 ERA in three career starts against the Reds, all of which have come in the past two seasons.
Cincinnati enters Wednesday’s rubber match with a 5-4 season series edge. The Reds have also won eight of 10.
Pick 2: Twins Moneyline (-270) vs Tigers
Reasoning: The Tigers’ rookie hasn’t earned bettors’ respect.
Casey Mize, the Tigers’ No. 1-overall selection in the 2018 MLB Draft, is a prospect the team is rightfully excited about. So far, though, he hasn’t done much to excite bettors.
Mize is winless in six career starts, with a 6.08 ERA. That ERA has ballooned up to 6.43 in his two starts against Minnesota.
It’s safe to say the 23-year-old just hasn’t quite figured things out yet in the majors. With a Twins team that is 22-5 at home this season, plus starting Kenta Maeda and his 2.52 ERA, you’ll want to roll with Minnesota.
A two-team parlay on the Reds and Twins at -154 and -270, respectively, would pay out at +126.
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.
