Best MLB Bets July 18th: Friday's Top Baseball Betting Picks, Predictions

Every player appreciates the All-Star break, but it’s also a long few days for bettors.

The break is over, and the second half of the 2025 season gets underway today with a full slate of games. We’ve got the best MLB bets for Friday, July 18, right here.

As always, we recommend line shopping to ensure you get the most advantageous odds, but we’ll be using FanDuel for the odds listed with each game.

San Diego Padres (-1.5) vs. Washington Nationals (+130), O/U 8.5

Dylan Cease (Padres) has a 3-9 record in 19 starts with a .247 opponent batting average. But on the road, he is 0-6 in 10 starts with a 6.27 ERA and .270 OBA. Michael Soroka hasn’t done any better. He’s 3-7 with a 5.35 ERA, including a 1-4 mark in five home starts with a 5.67 ERA and .250 OBA.

The Padres let Cease go six innings in his last two starts, but it might be smart to pull him early if he gets hit. San Diego’s bullpen has the second-best ERA in the league at 3.21. Washington’s bullpen has the worst mark at 5.88.

I’ve got to go with the San Diego moneyline here. Neither pitcher is impressive, but once the Padres pull Cease, they’ll be in good shape against a lackluster Washington pitching staff.

Our pick: Padres ML

Baltimore Orioles (+106) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (-1.5), O/U 9

On the surface, it’s easy to dislike both pitchers and lean toward the over right away. Charlie Morton (Orioles) has a 5-7 record with a 5.18 ERA and 1.52 WHIP. Taj Bradley (Rays) has a 5-6 record with a 4.60 ERA and 1.27 WHIP.

Teams have been hitting .290 against Morton on the road. Bradley has a 5.95 ERA at home. This one could go over nine runs in the first inning. However, both pitchers had two starts before the break. Morton posted a 2.38 ERA, and Bradley a 3.09 in those games.

But in two starts against the Orioles, Bradley has a 14.25 ERA, and the Orioles have hit .424 off him.

Our pick: Tampa Bay ML

Detroit Tigers (-1.5) vs. Texas Rangers (+102), O/U 8.5

Reese Olson has been tough to hit on the road (.214 OBA across six starts, 30 innings). He’s allowed just three home runs in 58 innings this season. However, Texas has hit 81 of its 103 home runs off right-handed pitchers and has fared better against righties (.236) than lefties (.220).

Patrick Corbin handled the Tigers well in a May start (seven innings, two hits, two runs), but got just one run in support and took the loss. Olson is good, but the Rangers can get to him while Corbin holds off Detroit’s bats.

Our pick: Rangers ML