MLB Picks, Odds & Starting Pitchers for All Games on Thursday, Aug. 24, Including Cubs vs Pirates
- The MLB schedule on Thursday, Aug. 24, features nine full games plus the resumption of yesterday’s LAD/CLE game
- Two pivotal matchups in the AL playoff race take place today, including Red Sox vs Astros and Blue Jays vs Orioles
- Below, see the MLB odds and starting pitchers for all games today (Aug. 24, 2023) plus picks and best bets
A comparatively light nine-game slate takes place today (Thursday, August 24) in Major League Baseball, plus the completion of yesterday’s LA Dodgers vs Cleveland Guardians matchup, which was suspended due to rain heading into the third inning with the Dodgers up 3-1.
The schedule starts at 1:05 pm ET with a matinee between the Washington Nationals and New York Yankees in the Bronx and wraps up with the resurgent Cincinnati Reds visiting the Arizona Diamondbacks in a battle between two teams in the thick of the NL Wild Card race.
The table below lists the odds (moneyline, runline, and total) for all nine games, plus starting pitchers.
MLB Odds for Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023
| Team (Pitcher) | Runline | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Nationals (Corbin) | +1.5 (-114) | +184 | O 8.5 (-110) |
| New York Yankees (King) | -1.5 (-105) | -220 | U 8.5 (-110) |
| Teams | Runline | Moneyline | Total |
| Colorado Rockies (Lambert) | +1.5 (-105) | +205 | O 8.5 (-114) |
| Tampa Bay Rays (Armstrong) | -1.5 (-114) | -250 | U 8.5 (-106) |
| Teams | Runline | Moneyline | Total |
| Boston Red Sox (Bello) | +1.5 (-192) | +112 | O 9 (-105) |
| Houston Astros (France) | -1.5 (+158) | -132 | U 9 (-115) |
| Teams | Runline | Moneyline | Total |
| LA Dodgers (Pepiot) | -1.5 (+118) | -132 | O 9 (-110) |
| Cleveland Guardians (G. Williams) | +1.5 (-142) | +112 | U 9 (-110) |
| Teams | Runline | Moneyline | Total |
| Chicago Cubs (Steele) | -1.5 (+105) | -158 | O 9 (-118) |
| Pittsburgh Pirates (TBD) | +1.5 (-126) | +134 | U 9 (-104) |
| Teams | Runline | Moneyline | Total |
| Toronto Blue Jays (Berrios) | -1.5 (+146) | -106 | O 9 (-102) |
| Baltimore Orioles (Gibson) | +1.5 (-178) | -110 | U 9 (-120) |
| Teams | Runline | Moneyline | Total |
| Texas Rangers (Heaney) | +1.5 (-188) | +110 | O 8.5 (-114) |
| Minnesota Twins (Lopez) | -1.5 (+155) | -130 | U 8.5 (-106) |
| Teams | Runline | Moneyline | Total |
| Oakland Athletics (Waldichuk) | +1.5 (-170) | +120 | O 9.5 (-120) |
| Chicago White Sox (Scholtens) | -1.5 (+140) | -142 | U 9.5 (-102) |
| Teams | Runline | Moneyline | Total |
| Cincinnati Reds (Williamson) | +1.5 (-142) | +150 | O 9 (+100) |
| Arizona Diamondbacks (Kelly) | -1.5 (+118) | -178 | U 9 (-122) |
Sitting two games back of Baltimore for the AL East lead, the Tampa Bay Rays (77-51, 42-22 home) are the biggest moneyline favorites of the day (-250), hosting the NL-worst Colorado Rockies (48-78, 20-45 away). The Yankees are the only other team north of -200, currently -220 moneyline favorites to beat the Nationals at home.
The narrowest odds come from Toronto/Baltimore, where the O’s are slight -110 home favorites with the visiting Blue Jays coming back at -106.
The highest over/under today is from the Oakland Athletics/Chicago White Sox game in the Windy City, where the run total is at 9.5. The lowest total on the board is 8.5, shared by three different games.
Odds as of 11:27 am ET, Aug. 24, at FanDuel. Claim a FanDuel promo code to bet on Thursday’s MLB games and check out FanDuel Kentucky if you reside in KY.
Cubs vs Pirates Pick: CHC Moneyline
With Justin Steele on the mound (14-3, 2.80 ERA), the Cubs (66-60, 31-30 away) will have a sizable pitching advantage over whomever the Pirates (57-70, 31-33 home) choose to trot out. Chicago has been a little better at home this year, but has still managed to go a game over .500 on the road, while Pittsburgh sits two games under .500 at home.
The Cubs have also won all six meetings with the Pirates this season, including a three-game road sweep back in late June, during which they shutout the Pirates twice and outscored them 20-3 in total. Indeed, all six of Chicago’s wins over Pittsburgh this season have come by at least four runs and by an average of 5.7.
This season is merely continuing a longstanding trend of domination; the Cubs have won the season series against Pittsburgh every year since 2014.
- Pick: Cubs moneyline (-158)
Rangers vs Twins Pick: MIN First-Half Moneyline
The Texas Rangers (72-54, 30-30 away) shockingly bring the league’s longest losing streak into Minnesota on Thursday, losers of six in a row. Texas still owns a one-game lead over Houston at the top of the AL West, but has seen it steadily dwindle over the past week. Making matters worse, the hard-charging Seattle Mariners are now just 1.5 games back, as well.
On Thursday, the Rangers will send the struggling Andrew Heaney (4.27 ERA, 1.34 WHIP) to the hill, countered by the Twins’ Pablo Lopez (3.51 ERA, 1.10 WHIP). While Heaney’s ERA is relatively similar between home and road (4.30 vs 4.23), he’s giving up homers on the road at an alarming rate (nine in just 44.2 innings of work). Heaney has lasted just a total of five innings over his past two starts, giving 10 hits, three walks, and four runs in the process.
Lopez, meanwhile, has gone at least six innings in three straight starts without surrendering a single run – earned or unearned. He’s lowered his ERA a full run over that span and is finally looking like the potential ace Minnesota thought it was acquiring from the Marlins in the offseason.
- Pick: Twins 1H moneyline (-142)
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Sascha was a hockey player in his youth, a lawyer in his capricious mid-20s, and has been with SBD since 2014. He specializes in football, basketball, politics, baseball, and hockey.
