MLB Best Bets Friday August 8th: Top Betting Picks Today

Nearly 70% of the MLB season is behind us, so now is the time to savor every Friday slate we have.

Football season is king, but everyone will miss having a whole week of baseball to bet on, so make these Fridays count. This Friday night is once again a great set of games, so here are a few lines that stand out right now.

Cleveland Guardians -3.5 (+100)

The hottest team in baseball might currently reside in Cleveland. Starting July 6, they were 15.5 games out of the AL Central. Today, they find themselves just six games behind the Tigers for first place in the division.

The Guardians are getting hot at the right time, and tonight they’re facing off against a former pitcher in Aaron Civale. He’s put together a nice stretch recently, but he’s a very favorable arm for Cleveland.

The Guardians are 44-35 against right-handers this year, and their lefty bats of Kyle Manzardo and Daniel Schneeman have both been swinging it well—Schneeman, especially, as he has been one of the best hitters away from Progressive Field this year.

If Tanner Bibee can piece together a solid start, the Guardians can generate more than enough offense to win this. You could sprinkle a tiny bit on over 8.5 as well.

Milwaukee Brewers -125

Okay, this is actually the hottest team in baseball. The Brewers have been the best team in baseball since the start of June, while the Mets have mostly been treading water over the last month.

In his short return to baseball, Brandon Woodruff has been incredible. I wasn’t sure he would be the same after a lengthy injury sidelined him since the 2023 season, but he has been a pleasant surprise in what is already an incredible Brewers rotation.

On the opposite end, Kodai Senga has cooled off over the last month. He hasn’t pitched into the sixth inning of a game since early June.

The Mets’ lineup hasn’t been great either, with a team OPS of .702 since June 1 and a 27-30 record in that span. If Senga could stretch this game out to the bullpen, the Mets would be in position to win, but something different is happening with the Brewers.

The Brewers can’t seem to lose.

Milwaukee has the best ERA in baseball since June 1 and the second-best OPS. My thought process is that if the Brewers are close to even money and at home, you bet them every single time. Their starters are insanely good, and the offense has been unreal, too. It’s an easy bet.