MLB Predictions Tonight: Player Props, Best Bets for Red Sox vs Yankees and Cubs vs Padres

Today’s Best MLB Betting Picks in Summary

• Yankees Moneyline (-142)
• Manny Machado to Record 2+ H/R/RBI (-110)
• Michael Busch to Hit a Home Run (+750)

The MLB postseason is here, and Tuesday's Wild Card slate gives us four games to choose from as the chase for the World Series officially gets underway.

With every team turning to its best available arms and each plate appearance carrying added importance, the playoffs can create a different betting environment than what we saw throughout the regular season. Still, there are plenty of opportunities across the moneyline, run line, totals and player prop markets.

Using the MLB odds at FanDuel Sportsbook, which bets stand out for Tuesday's Wild Card action? Let's break down the best MLB bets and props to target.

This article includes some of the top bets from our other MLB content. All MLB odds via FanDuel, and they may change after this article is published.

Wild Card Picks Today: MLB Predictions and Prop Bets

Yankees Moneyline (-134)

Red Sox at Yankees, 8 p.m. ET

The pitching matchup in the Bronx features two high-upside young arms in Payton Tolle and Cam Schlittler, but I'll side with the New York Yankees at home.

Schlittler finished the regular season with a 1.95 ERA and 31.4% K rate while the Yankees went 93-68 and earned home-field advantage for this series.

The Boston Red Sox finished 87-75 and will counter with Tolle, a southpaw who was stellar this season en route to a 3.34 SIERA and 28.4% strikeout rate. But this is Tolle’s first postseason start, and it comes in the pressure cooker that is Yankee Stadium against a Yanks lineup that is still pretty strong even without Aaron Judge.

Schlitter, meanwhile, thrived in last year’s playoffs, pitching to a 2.77 SIERA over 14.1 innings, and that’s enough to push me to the Yankees moneyline.

Manny Machado to Record 2+ H/R/RBI (-110)

Cubs at Padres, 10 p.m. ET

With Matthew Boyd getting the ball for the Chicago Cubs, Manny Machado has an appealing matchup in Game 1.

Machado closed the regular season with 30 home runs, 91 RBIs and 82 runs scored, and he recorded at least one hit in each of his final two games. He was especially productive on Saturday, going 2-for-5 with a homer, three RBIs and a run scored.

The platoon matchup adds to the appeal. Machado owns a .354 wOBA versus left-handers over his career and also has a 41.7% fly-ball rate in the split.

Boyd, meanwhile, finished the regular season with a 3.91 ERA and 1.21 WHIP across 126 2/3 innings. He struck out only 18.5% of the batters he faced, so this isn't an especially intimidating swing-and-miss matchup for a hitter with Machado's contact and power profile.

Machado is also positioned in the heart of San Diego's order, giving him multiple paths to come through in this market.

Home Run Prediction: Michael Busch (+750)

Cubs at Padres, 10 p.m. ET

Michael King took a step backward this year, and he draws a tough Game 1 assignment versus a strong Chicago Cubs offense.

King pitched to a 4.39 SIERA and 21.0% K rate in 2026. He struggled over his last three outings, as well, putting up a 4.56 expected ERA and 5.29 ERA in that span.

Similar to King, Michael Busch had a down year this season, registering just 20 homers a year after hitting 34. He’s at his best against RHPs, though, and of his 54 jacks the past two seasons, 43 of them have come with the platoon advantage.

After King exits, Busch will face a San Diego Padres bullpen that has permitted the fourth-worst xFIP over the last 14 days (4.71).

MLB Betting Frequently Asked Questions

What are MLB player prop bets?

MLB player prop bets are wagers on specific statistical outcomes tied to individual players during a game — not on which team wins or loses. You might bet on how many strikeouts a starting pitcher records, whether a shortstop gets a hit, or how many total bases an outfielder accumulates.

Because they are isolated to a single player's performance, props let you apply focused knowledge about matchups, recent form, and ballpark conditions rather than predicting the full game result.

What types of MLB player props are available?

FanDuel offers a wide menu of MLB props. The most common categories include:

• Pitcher strikeouts
• Batter hits
• Home runs
• Total bases
• RBIs
• Stolen bases
• Pitcher outs recorded

What does +310 mean on an MLB home run prop bet?

A +310 line means a $100 bet returns $310 in profit if the player homers. You can bet any amount — a $10 bet at +310 returns $31 in profit. The number reflects the implied probability the sportsbook assigns to the event (roughly 24% for +310 odds).

What does "total bases" mean as a prop bet?

The total bases prop counts the bases a batter earns from hits in a single game:

• Single = 1 base
• Double = 2 bases
• Triple = 3 bases
• Home run = 4 bases

Walks, hit-by-pitches, and stolen bases do not count. A typical total bases line is set at 1.5 or 2.5. Betting over 1.5 means you need at least a double, or two singles.

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Which MLB bets stand out to you today? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's MLB odds to see the full menu of options.

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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.