Looking for the top MLB Best Bets and Props for Thursday, May 23? Fantasy Alarm has you covered. 

Today’s MLB schedule is a light one with just eight games, and most of them are being played in the early afternoon. In fact, the slate gets going at 12:35pm ET and six of the eight games start up before 4pm ET, so you probably know where today’s betting picks are going. 

 

 

 

Daytime baseball is not your friend. We don’t need to rehash how these players are creatures of habit, but for those who might be new to Fantasy Alarm, yes, daytime baseball is my least favorite to bet on. I’ll sit in the stands and enjoy a game, but to bet it when these players have been conditioned to play night games their entire professional career, is a risky proposition. 

Still, there’s action out there and we’re going to find it.

MLB Picks, Predictions, & Best Bets Today, May 23rd

Another rough night for us yesterday which began for us with that Tarik Skubal/Cole Ragans matchup in the Tigers vs. Royals game. When Skubal started giving up the early runs and the tide turned in Kansas City’s favor, we knew we were in trouble. 

We started to rally back but the sudden ineptitude of the Los Angeles Dodgers put the final nails in our coffin. Today’s MLB predictions get it back.

  • Yesterday’s Record: 3-6
  • Season Record: 151-127-4
  • Bankroll: +9.31 units

*Each of my MLB picks will have corresponding odds listed next to them.

 

 

 

Blue Jays vs. Tigers Prediction: Thursday, 5/23

Anyone else wondering why, with Kevin Gausman on the mound, the Jays are not a more heavily favored team today? I was looking at the overall game lines as well as the first five innings and it doesn’t look like Vegas has all that much confidence in him. Maybe it’s because the righthander has been so inconsistent this season, coming up big against a team like the Dodgers but falling apart against teams like the Twins and the Rockies. 

Maybe it’s because the Tigers are sporting a .346 wOBA with a hard-hit rate north of 41-percent against righthanded pitching over the last two weeks. There’s some risk here, but with the way the Blue Jays offense has looked this entire season, we can sneak a little bet in here that has solid odds. The first of today’s NBA predictions also mitigates risk as the money line bet covers us with a push if the teams are tied after five.  

 

 

 

Orioles vs. White Sox Prediction: Thursday, 5/23

Now the final of today’s MLB picks might require a leap of faith, and with the latest losses, I am looking for some bigger odds to play today, so I can understand the hesitancy. But have we looked at Grayson Rodriguez’ home/road splits this season? Granted, the sample size is small and the seven runs allowed to the Angels are skewing things, but it goes beyond the 6.00 road ERA. 

The opposition is posting a .324 average against him, the strikeout rate is down, the WHIP is almost a full point higher and the hard-hit rate against him is also higher than at home. He’s struggling, for sure, and the odds for his strikeout prop are dramatically worsening for us, so let’s get it in now while we can.

On top of that, the Orioles lineup is mired in a horrendous slump, posting a .278 wOBA and .148 ISO over the past week and just a .290 wOBA over the last 14 days. I’ve also been tracking the odds here. The first five innings money line started as high as +200 in some books last night and here in the morning, it’s already down to +170 in some places. The sharps are betting the White Sox early here, so we’re going to hop onboard.

 

 

 

Best MLB Props For Today, 5/23