Wednesday's MLB slate features games going on all day, so let's jump right into some top MLB bets today. We'll focus on a pair of night games as you enjoy the afternoon baseball. Our top MLB picks today feature the Tampa Bay Rays hosting the Los Angeles Angels with the AL East standings tightening up. Plus, we look at Justin Steele anchoring the Chicago Cubs against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Be sure to check out the latest MLB weather report and the confirmed MLB lineups when placing those MLB bets today. Plus, the MLB daily projections will help you find the best matchups for MLB betting picks and MLB DFS lineups. Let's dive into the top MLB bets and baseball props today for Wednesday, September 20th.

 

MLB Best Bets for September 20th

Los Angeles Angels at Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays are bearing down on the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East standings, trailing by 2.5 games entering today. Another home matchup against the slumping Los Angeles Angels should be a comfortable win – especially considering some key stats on both sides. The Angels will start left-hander Reid Detmers, who was scratched with an illness before Sunday’s expected outing but will get the ball tonight. Detmers has a 5.94 ERA since the beginning of August with a few blowups in there. He’s actually been decent in starts lately, but this is a tough road matchup. The Rays are crushing left-handed pitching with a .389 wOBA, .244 ISO, 155 wRC+, and .915 OPS over the past two weeks in the split. Meanwhile, Detmers has a 5.40 ERA and 5.01 FIP on the road this year. 

The Rays will start Aaron Civale, who has just a 4.43 ERA since coming over at the trade deadline. However, his 3.31 FIP in this month-and-a-half stretch suggests he’s gotten unlucky at times. Fortunately for him, the Angels are struggling against right-handed pitching right now. The LA offense has a .250 wOBA, .185 BA, 54 wRC+, and 36.8% K rate vs righties over the past week. The Angels are really slumping with Shohei Ohtani out, averaging only 2.2 runs per game in their current six-game losing streak. Plus, the Rays have the majority of their top relievers available to clean things up and hold down the later innings if/when Civale runs into trouble. 

Speaking of that streak, the Angels have lost four of their last six by at least two runs. They’ve also now gone 6-13 in their last 19 road games with 10 of those 13 losses coming by 2+ runs. That includes last night’s 6-2 loss at Tampa in the series opener. On the flip side, the Rays have now gone 11-3 in their past 14 home games with all 11 wins coming by at least two runs. With Tampa Bay as a sizable money line favorite here, let’s roll with the run line.

PICK: Tampa Bay Rays -1.5 Runline (-102 on DraftKings)

Pittsburgh Pirates at Chicago Cubs

Last night, we saw a 14-1 final score between these teams as the Chicago Cubs blew out the Pittsburgh Pirates. Tonight, let’s bank on Justin Steele and the Cubs bullpen to hold down the Pirates once again. Steele will be looking to bounce back from his six-run outing last start and strengthen his NL Cy Young case. Before that rare blowup against the Diamondbacks, the southpaw had a 2.55 ERA over his previous eight starts since the beginning of August. We also get Steele at home, where he’s been dominant this season. He boasts a 2.18 ERA and 2.64 FIP at Wrigley Field so far compared to a 3.55 ERA and 3.68 FIP on the road. He’s also allowed two or fewer earned runs in 12 of 17 home starts, including four straight. 

Steele will face a Pirates offense that has just a .265 wOBA, .219 BA, and 30.9% K rate vs lefties over the past two weeks. Pittsburgh has also gone under this 3.5 team total in six of the last nine games coming into tonight. Plus, the Cubs have one of the better bullpens in the league right now with a 2.70 pen ERA over the past week. Let’s also grab Steele’s strikeout prop as he’s punched out 6+ in 10 of his last 12 starts and nine straight home outings. The Pirates’ high K rate against left-handed pitching lately should lead to another over tonight. 

PICK: Pittsburgh Pirates Team Total Under 3.5 (-135 on DraftKings)

PICK: Justin Steele Over 5.5 Strikeouts (-140 on BetMGM)