3 MLB Best Bets for Thursday 7/25/24

Baseball has you covered if you want a large inventory of options to bet.

From moneylines to run totals to first-five-inning wagers, we have plenty of ways to bet the long, arduous MLB schedule daily. Outlooks can be vastly different due to starting pitchers, and a wealth of advanced stats can let us know if an individual pitcher, a bullpen, or a team is due for positive -- or negative -- regression.

Using numberFire's projections as a guide, which MLB odds from FanDuel Sportsbook are most appealing today?

Note: Lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published. All stats come from FanGraphs and Baseball Savant unless noted otherwise. Please check here to make sure you're seeing the most updated projections.

MLB Betting Picks

Chicago White Sox at Texas Rangers

Texas Rangers -1.5 (-120)

The Texas Rangers are hoping to sweep a four-game series against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday following a 10-2 victory on Wednesday. Jonathan Cannon is expected to start for the White Sox, and he ranks in the 28th percentile in xBA (.259), 25th percentile in whiff rate (22.0%), and 15th percentile in strikeout rate (17.8%).

A lack of strikeout potential mixed with a 7.6% barrel rate and 39.5% hard-hit rate has led to Cannon allowing three-plus earned runs in four of his last five outings. Cannon is also permitting a .382 wOBA, 1.46 WHIP, and 2.08 HR/9 to lefties, and the Rangers can deploy 5 or 6 left-handed hitters in their lineup.

While Max Scherzer hasn't been flawless in his first six starts in 2024, the White Sox are posting the worst wOBA (.267), worst wRC+ (70), fifth-worst ISO (.131), and third-highest strikeout rate (25.8%) against right-handed pitching over the last 30 days. Although career pitcher-vs.-batter numbers can be misleading at times, Scherzer boasts a 40.9% strikeout rate and has given up just a .235 wOBA in 66 career plate appearances versus Chicago's current roster.

The White Sox are amid a dismal 10-game losing streak, and they've lost by multiple runs in 7 of those contests. Given the Rangers' massive advantages on the mound and at the plate, Texas is in a fantastic spot to secure another win by two-plus runs against the White Sox.

Atlanta Braves at New York Mets

Atlanta Braves Over 3.5 Total Runs (-130)

Chris Sale will seemingly be on the bump for the Atlanta Braves on Thursday after having his start pushed back twice due to weather. On the other hand, the New York Mets are projected to hand the ball to Luis Severino following a two-game sweep over the New York Yankees in the Subway Series.

Severino is coming off one of best starts of the season, allowing zero earned runs while striking out seven batters versus the Miami Marlins. Even though the Braves have struck out often to righties recently, Severino is in just the 13th percentile in whiff rate (20.2%) and 19th percentile in strikeout rate (18.3%).

Familiarity could be crucial in this matchup as Severino is permitting a .394 wOBA and 14.3% walk rate in 63 career plate appearances against Atlanta's current roster. While Severino has gone six-plus innings in eight consecutive starts, New York's bullpen is logging the ninth-worst WHIP (1.32) and fifth-worst HR/9 (1.14), so the Braves could score some late runs, too.

In the six meetings between the Mets and Braves this season, Atlanta has tallied four-plus runs in five of them. Severino is also allowing a .309 wOBA, 1.27 WHIP, and 1.10 HR/9 to left-handed hitters, and winds are blowing to right at Citi Field on Thursday, giving an edge to guys like Jarred Kelenic, Matt Olson, and Eddie Rosario.

Oakland Athletics at Los Angeles Angels

Over 9.5 (-108)

For the second time in the last week, Kenny Rosenberg of the Los Angeles Angels will face the Oakland Athletics. Rosenberg has made just two total appearances this season, allowing a combined 7 earned runs in 10 innings while posting a 9.3% walk rate, 12.5% barrel rate, and 43.8% hard-hit rate.

Don't look now but the Athletics are sporting the best wOBA (.416), best wRC+ (180), best ISO (.295), and fifth-lowest strikeout rate (18.4%) versus left-handed pitchers over the last 30 days. Across their 18 games in July, Oakland has scored five-plus runs in 12 of them -- including in all six of their meetings versus Los Angeles during that span.

Meanwhile, Ross Stripling is projected to make his first start for the Athletics since late May. Stripling surrendered four-plus earned runs in three of his last four appearances before his stint on the injured list, and he'll likely be on a pitch count on Thursday.

Throughout the last 30 days, Oakland's bullpen is tallying the 7th-worst xFIP (4.22) and 12th-worst WHIP (1.33). With the Angels and Athletics combining for 10-plus runs in 4 of their 6 meetings in July, there could be plenty of fireworks ahead of a matchup at hitter-friendly Angel Stadium.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.