Welcome back to another round of MLB Best Bets Today as the 2025 baseball season rolls on. 

Monday’s MLB slate is loaded up with 13 games on the schedule. As always, we have plenty of ways to go for MLB picks and predictions. Let’s focus on two games for our MLB best bets today before dishing out a few baseball player props and other picks to consider. 

The MLB picks below are accurate as of this writing, but some odds or lines could move before first pitch. All bets below are for one unit unless otherwise noted. Without further ado, let’s dive into our MLB Best Bets Today.

MLB Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 8/18

Our MLB Best Bets Today feature the Miami Marlins hosting the St. Louis Cardinals in a possible pitcher’s duel. Plus, the Kansas City Royals look to stay hot against the Texas Rangers. Don’t miss more MLB picks and player props below. Check out these MLB predictions to make as you enjoy Monday’s baseball action. 

 

 


 

St. Louis Cardinals vs. Miami Marlins Predictions: Monday, August 18th

Let’s start with Monday’s matchup between the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins. Both teams are slumping lately while fighting to keep pace in the NL Wild Card race. The Cardinals have lost 5 straight, and the Marlins are 2-7 in their past 9 games. 

As these National League squads meet today, let’s count on a lower-scoring game. Both starting pitchers should keep the offenses in check, especially considering some key splits. 

Marlins starter Eury Perez has a 3.58 ERA, which isn’t too great on paper. Plus, he’s coming off a pair of shaky outings on the road. Yet, a bounce-back effort should be in the cards today. Perez still owns a 2.64 ERA over his past 8 starts with an impressive 46:10 K:BB ratio over 44.1 innings in this stretch. Plus, his .202 xBA this year is in the 94th percentile of MLB starters. 

Perez has also been very good at home. The right-hander boasts a 2.08 ERA at home this season (4 starts). Over his career, he has a 2.00 ERA in 13 home starts with Miami. Now he gets a favorable matchup. Against right-handed pitching over the past two weeks, the Cardinals have a .261 wOBA (30th in MLB), .207 BA (29th), 28.2% K rate (29th), and 66 wRC+ (30th). 

On the other side, St. Louis starter Matthew Liberatore can also post a good outing. The southpaw has a subpar 4.08 ERA this season and, admittedly, he hasn’t been very efficient recently. Even so, there are reasons for optimism ahead of today’s start. 

Liberatore has been better on the road lately. He owns a 2.49 ERA over his past 5 road starts. Plus, he gets to face a Miami offense that’s struggled against left-handed pitching. In the split in August, the Marlins have a .267 wOBA (29th in MLB), .177 BA (30th), and 67 wRC+ (29th). They’re also a bottom-tier offense overall this season vs. lefties. 

Grab the under for the full game and first five innings. Perez and Liberatore should at least anchor a low-scoring matchup early. Just hope that the bullpens don’t blow things late. 

 

 

Texas Rangers vs. Kansas City Royals Predictions: Monday, August 18th

The Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers start up a crucial four-game series today. Both teams are trying to stay alive in the AL Wild Card standings, and this week’s matchups could go a long way to determining if either is a real contender. 

Before we get to tonight’s game, some recent context is needed. These squads are heading in opposite directions right now. The Rangers have lost 8 of their last 10 games and are just 6-13 over the past three weeks. Meanwhile, the Royals are 5-1 in their last 6 contests and 16-9 over the past month. 

Royals starter Michael Wacha has a solid 3.35 ERA this year, and he’s pitching well right now. The veteran owns a 2.00 ERA and 2.84 FIP over his past 6 starts. Wacha boasts an excellent 2.67 ERA at home this year, including 2 earned runs or fewer in 9 of 12 home starts. He also has a 2.24 ERA over his last 9 home outings as well. 

Wacha will take on a Texas offense that’s been slumping. Before scoring 10 runs on Sunday, the Rangers averaged just 2.9 runs per game over their previous 10 games. They’ve also been just league-average against right-handers this month. Wacha faced this lineup in June and allowed only 2 hits and 1 run over 6 strong innings. 

As Wacha does his thing, let’s bank on some run support from the Kansas City bats. The Royals’ offense is rolling right now, averaging 5.3 runs over the past 10 games. They’ve also scored 6+ runs or more in 5 of the last 6 contests coming into today. 

Rangers starter Jack Leiter has been up and down this season with a 3.94 ERA and 1.34 WHIP. The righty’s 4.90 xERA and 4.96 xFIP aren’t too encouraging. He’s actually been effective lately, but a 4.42 FIP over the past 6 starts is still concerning. 

Leiter will face a Royals offense that’s crushing righties lately. Over the past week in the split, Kansas City has a .379 wOBA (3rd in MLB), 141 wRC+ (3rd), .291 BA (4th), 17.9% K rate (3rd), and 11.9% walk rate (3rd). It won’t be easy for Leiter, who has a 4.60 ERA on the road this year. Plus, he coughed up 6 runs to the Royals two months ago. 

Let’s back Kansas City at home today to keep those trends going. The Royals have the starting pitching edge and the better offense to trust. Take them to lead after five innings and win on the moneyline. 

 

 

 

Best MLB Player Prop Bets & Other Picks Today, 8/18

 

Â