Wednesday September 25 Best Sports Betting Picks For MLB & WNBA Playoffs Predictions

The race for first place in the National League West is heating up after the San Diego Padres clinched at least a wild-card spot by turning a game-ending triple play in Tuesday's 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Teams just don't clinch a berth in that fashion.

The wild-card races in both leagues are also scorching. The Arizona Diamondbacks, Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins are succumbing to the pressure while the Detroit Tigers have stepped up. Of course, the Padres have been the hottest team in the majors for two-plus months.

The Minnesota Lynx are looking to finish off the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA playoffs. Minnesota's Napheesa Collier was the runner-up for WNBA MVP honors, and she enjoyed an explosive performance in Game 1.

We will analyze two MLB contests and a WNBA game on an electric Wednesday.

SAN DIEGO PADRES AT LOS ANGELES DODGERS

The Padres have won nine of their past 10 games and lead the majors with a 41-17 record since the All-Star break. Los Angeles was coasting toward another NL West title, but the Padres have streaked into the race and are just two games behind the Dodgers with five left to play.

Shohei Ohtani stood in the batter's box as the Dodgers requested a review of the triple play, and his chance for a big at-bat never came. Too bad his former translator, Ippei Mizuhara, wasn't around to describe the odds of a team turning a triple play to sew up a postseason spot.

The first-round bye is of extreme importance to the Dodgers because of all their pitching injuries. But they are just 3-8 against the Padres, who can tie for the division lead by winning the final two games of the series. Los Angeles has entered must-win mode. 

Right-hander Jack Flaherty will try to give Los Angeles a big performance on Wednesday, while the Padres counter with no-hit man Dylan Cease. San Diego enjoyed a long, raucous celebration in the clubhouse, so perhaps there will be a hangover effect. Or perhaps there won't.

Padres moneyline, +120 (DraftKings)

NEW YORK METS AT ATLANTA BRAVES

The Mets hold the NL's second wild-card by a half-game over the Diamondbacks and a full game over the Braves. It figures to be a wild three-team chase for the last two spots.

Atlanta certainly feels good about gaining ground Wednesday as All-Star left-hander Chris Sale takes the mound. Sale (18-3, 2.38 ERA) leads the NL in victories, ERA and strikeouts (225) and could be a unanimous winner of the NL Cy Young Award. He has won eight straight decisions. 

The Braves posted a 5-1 victory in the opener of the three-game series and have won five of their past six games. New York lost for just the second time in eight games but could have star shortstop Francisco Lindor (back) in the lineup Wednesday.

There is the possibility of rain on Wednesday, so a weather delay could shorten a starting pitcher's outing. But riding the hot left arm of Sale is still the proper bet.

Braves -1.5 run line, +120 (DraftKings)

PHOENIX MERCURY AT MINNESOTA LYNX

A Minnesota victory elevates the Lynx into the semifinals while ending the career of Mercury guard Diana Taurasi. The longtime star is the WNBA's all-time leading scorer with 10,646 career points but, at age 42, no longer has the ability to singlehandedly take over a game.

After Minnesota beat Phoenix 102-95 on Sunday in the opener of the best-of-three series, a bit of controversy emerged as Collier said she wanted to end Taurasi's career on Wednesday. Calm down, folks. Collier plays competitive basketball for a living, not H-O-R-S-E in a neighborhood driveway.

The bigger issue for the Mercury isn't Collier's off-the-cuff remark, but figuring out how to slow down the WNBA MVP runner-up. She poured in 38 points in Game 1, totally exposing Brittney Griner on defense. Phoenix might need to triple-team Collier this time.

Taurasi had a fine game by scoring 21 points and knocking down 5 of 10 from 3-point range. But she scored in single digits in four of eight September regular-season games, so look for a lower output on Wednesday.

Diana Taurasi under 14.5 points, -135 (FanDuel)