X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Free MLB Betting Picks - Today's Best Bets, Expert Predictions, Odds (4/8/23)

Jeffrey Springs - Fantasy Baseball Rankings, MLB Injury News, Draft Sleepers

Welcome to the 2023 baseball season! I’m excited to work alongside the RotoBaller team, delivering free MLB betting content. I bring a background in betting on MLB in various capacities, most notably competing in the DraftKings DFS live final last year. I'm looking to build off that momentum and capitalize again this baseball season, and I'm including you in my process.

Attention fellow sports bettors! We have some exciting news to share as we are now officially partnered with various sportsbooks and have some sweet sports betting promo offers! Get your deposit bonus, as well as a year of free RotoBaller Premium access, when you sign up with a new account today! After you're signed up, use our picks in this article for spreads, totals, and props to win big.

Here I’ll update you on my favorite MLB bets throughout the season, and we'll continue to track how my picks are doing. We've already hit the ground running, going 2/2 on my betting picks last weekend! Now let’s dig into my recommendations for April 8, 2023!

Featured Promo: Get any full-season Props Premium Pass for 10% off using code BALLER. Win more with our two new Props Optimizer tools -- one for PrizePicks Props, and one for Sportsbook Betting Props. Find optimal prop bets and get our recommended picks daily! Go Premium, Win More!

 

Today's MLB Betting Picks - Athletics @ Rays

O/U: 8 | Moneyline: TBR -275

DET: Shintaro Fujinami | TBR: Jeffrey Springs

As a jumping-off point, Tampa Bay brings a huge advantage at starting pitcher. Jeffrey Springs’ stock is as high as it’s ever been, and that hype is not undeserved. He opened his 2023 campaign with a six-inning, 12-strikeout performance, surrendering just one walk, no hits, and no runs against the Detroit Tigers. This builds off a dominant preseason, where Springs tossed 14 shutout innings alongside a 0.50 WHIP and 24 strikeouts. That was only spring training, but the point stands – nobody has scored on Springs in quite some time.

On the other side, Shintaro Fujinami has much to figure out if he’s going to find success in MLB. His debut was a disaster, surrendering eight earned runs on five hits and three walks across 2 1/3 innings pitched against the Los Angeles Angels. While I’m not necessarily expecting Fujinami will repeat this performance, the control issues are not a recent development. Fijunami owns a lifetime 4.1 BB/9 during his ten-year NPB career. He also walked 17 batters in 18 2/3 innings during spring training, so this figures to be an issue for the foreseeable future.

Looking beyond the starting pitcher matchup, Tampa Bay still has a noticeable pitching advantage. Their 2.16 bullpen ERA ranks fourth-best in the majors entering Saturday. Meanwhile, Oakland’s bullpen is middle-of-the-road so far, managing a 3.31 ERA and 1.35 WHIP, and that may be considered over-performing given their lack of depth.

Offensively, the disparity between these two lineups is vast. Tampa may not bring the scariest lineup on paper, but guys like Randy Arozarena and Wander Franco are capable of inflicting serious damage. The Rays also lead the majors with 53 runs scored this season, good for 7.6 runs per game. Oakland’s lineup is about as quiet as an offense gets, headlined by Seth Brown, Aledmys Diaz, and Jesus Aguilar. They’ve scored just 27 total runs this season or 3.8 per game.

This game is essentially a mismatch at every level. The Rays sit at 7-0 with a +35 run differential to start the season. Conversely, Oakland has stumbled to a 2-5 start with a -23 run differential. Upsets are not really a thing in baseball, but an Oakland victory here would be one. I’m confident taking the Rays to win here at -1.5 runs.

Pick: Rays -1.5 Run Line (-140) DraftKings Sportsbook, 1 unit

 

Sports Betting Promo Offers

Featured Promo: Get any VIP Betting Premium Pass for 10% off using code BALLER. Win more with exclusive betting picks from proven winners across 9 sports! Find optimal bets with our Betting Picks Tool and Bet Weighting Tool and follow along in our VIP chat rooms! Go Premium, Win More!

Today's MLB Betting Picks - White Sox @ Pirates

O/U: 7.5 | Moneyline: CHW -125

CHW: Mike Clevinger | PIT: Vince Velasquez

Game one of this series saw the White Sox and Pirates combine for 21 runs. I’m not one to go box score chasing, but there is reason to believe in another offensive showcase on Saturday. The pitching matchup is much shakier than the 9-run total lets on.

Mike Clevinger impressed during his 2023 debut, tossing five shutout innings, allowing three hits, three walks, and striking out eight against the Astros. It was a vintage performance from the once-regarded hurler. That said, I’m not convinced Clevinger has suddenly returned to his pre-2020 form. He’s 32 years old, coming off his worst season since he was a rookie, posting a 4.33 ERA and 4.99 FIP, and he lost all of 2021 to injury. There’s more than enough reason to doubt the sustainability of Clevinger’s strong first outing.

After Clevinger, things get even more interesting. The White Sox bullpen has been atrocious this season, ranking dead last in the majors with a 9.62 ERA and 2.31 WHIP. Long term, they may turn it around behind guys like Joe Kelly, Aaron Bummer, and (hopefully) Liam Hendriks. For now, they’re a mess, and opposing teams will capitalize on it while they can.

Even if everything related to pitching somehow clicks into place for the White Sox today, Vince Velasquez can surrender enough runs to cover the run total all on his own. He survived his first start of the season, allowing three earned runs over 4 2/3 innings against the Reds, but Velasquez is capable of much worse. He ranked in the bottom percentile among all pitchers last season with a 91.6 MPH average exit velocity and 13% barrel rate, resulting in a 4.78 ERA, which was actually his best since the 2016 campaign – yikes.

Between guys like Tim Anderson, Luis Robert Jr., Bryan Reynolds, and Oneil Cruz, I trust these two teams can take advantage of a weak pitching matchup. If for no other reason than because Vince Velasquez is pitching, you can feel good about betting over nine total runs.

Pick: Over 9 Runs (-105) DraftKings Sportsbook, 1 unit

 

Good luck, RotoBallers!



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More Fantasy Baseball Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Riley Greene2 hours ago

Keeps On Mashing
James Wood2 hours ago

Busts Out Of Slump With Two Longballs
Jackson Chourio2 hours ago

Nearly Puts Brewers On His Back In Tough Loss
Isiah Pacheco4 hours ago

Chiefs Fear Isiah Pacheco Injured Fibula
Jonathan Taylor5 hours ago

Eclipses 100 Yards In Week 2 Loss
Jalen Green6 hours ago

Focused On Winning
Deebo Samuel Sr.6 hours ago

Leads 49ers In Receiving Versus Minnesota
Joe Mixon6 hours ago

Questionable To Return On Sunday Night
Andrei Iosivas6 hours ago

Shines Versus Kansas City
Alvin Kamara6 hours ago

Explodes For Four Touchdowns In Blowout Win
Derek Carr6 hours ago

Impresses Again In Week 2
Braelon Allen7 hours ago

Scores Pair Of Touchdowns In Week 2
Calvin Ridley9 hours ago

Scores Twice Against Jets
Isiah Pacheco9 hours ago

Injured In Week 2
Michael Busch9 hours ago

Blasts Two Homers
Oneil Cruz9 hours ago

Leaves Early On Sunday
Cooper Kupp9 hours ago

In A Walking Boot
Francisco Lindor10 hours ago

To Undergo MRI
Rome Odunze10 hours ago

Good To Go For Week 2
Keenan Allen10 hours ago

Won't Play On Sunday Night
Amon-Ra St. Brown10 hours ago

Believed To Have Lower-Body Injury
Chris Godwin11 hours ago

Goes Off In Week 2
Cooper Kupp11 hours ago

Doubtful To Return On Sunday
Hunter Henry11 hours ago

Delivers Major Production In Week 2 Loss
Graham Gano11 hours ago

Clarifies Week 2 Injury
Rhamondre Stevenson11 hours ago

Finds The End Zone In Week 2
Justin Herbert11 hours ago

Seen Limping After Sunday's Game
Taysom Hill11 hours ago

Taken To A Medical Facility For Evaluation
Ha-Seong Kim15 hours ago

Set To Ramp Up Throwing Program
Steven Kwan15 hours ago

Remains Out On Sunday
Jeimer Candelario16 hours ago

Likely Done For The Season
Starling Marte16 hours ago

Has Negative X-Rays, Sitting On Sunday
CJ Abrams16 hours ago

Remains Out On Sunday
Francisco Lindor16 hours ago

Starting On Sunday
Alec Bohm17 hours ago

Activated From Injured List, Starting On Sunday
TJ Friedl19 hours ago

Hits A Home Run In Four-Hit Performance
Bryce Harper20 hours ago

Homers Twice In Win On Saturday
William Contreras20 hours ago

Homers, Drives In Four On Saturday
Willy Adames20 hours ago

Smacks Two Home Runs, Collects Five RBI
Kyle Larson23 hours ago

Must Overcome Poor Qualifying Effort At Watkins Glen
Christopher Bell23 hours ago

Should Contend At Watkins Glen
Ty Gibbs23 hours ago

Could Ty Gibbs Get His First Cup Series Win At Watkins Glen This Weekend?
Tyler Reddick23 hours ago

The Chalk DFS Pick At Watkins Glen
Martin Truex Jr23 hours ago

. Can’t Afford A Bad Finish At Watkins Glen
Kyle Busch23 hours ago

Looks To Continue Hot Streak At Watkins Glen
Chris Buescher23 hours ago

Should Contend For A Top-10 Finish At Watkins Glen
NASCAR24 hours ago

Bubba Wallace Improving On Road Courses But Likely Won't Contend At Watkins Glen
Daniel Suarez24 hours ago

Momentum And Watkins Glen Record Bode Well For Playoffs
Juan Pablo Montoya24 hours ago

Returns To NASCAR But Is Well Past His Prime
Corey Lajoie24 hours ago

Road Courses A Low-Key Strength For Corey LaJoie
Brad Keselowski24 hours ago

In Danger Of Missing The Round Of 12
Erik Jones24 hours ago

Road Courses Remain Erik Jones' Achilles Heel
Carson Hocevar24 hours ago

Qualifies Poorly But Should Deliver Another Solid Finish
Daniel Hemric24 hours ago

Could Benefit From Shane van Gisbergen's Setup Notes At Watkins Glen
Noah Gragson24 hours ago

Qualifies Well But Probably Won't Sustain It
Austin Cindric1 day ago

Weaker On Road Courses Than Advertised
Harrison Burton1 day ago

Not A Noted Road Racer
Ryan Blaney1 day ago

Unlikely To Run Well At Watkins Glen
Sahith Theegala1 day ago

Set To Make Presidents Cup Debut After Strong 2024 Season
Zane Smith1 day ago

Has Sneaky Upside At Watkins Glen Despite Limited History
Ricky Stenhouse Jr1 day ago

. Has Been Surprisingly Good At Watkins Glen
Justin Danforth1 day ago

Recovering From Wrist Surgery
Artturi Lehkonen1 day ago

Will Be Limited In Training Camp
Evander Kane1 day ago

To Undergo Sports-Hernia Surgery
Tony Finau1 day ago

Makes Team USA Roster For Presidents Cup
Sam Burns1 day ago

Receives Captain’s Pick For Presidents Cup
Patrick Cantlay1 day ago

In Solid Form Heading To Presidents Cup
Wyndham Clark1 day ago

Playing Well To Close 2024 Season
Scottie Scheffler1 day ago

Has Season To Remember
Keegan Bradley1 day ago

Captains Team USA At Presidents Cup
Ilya Sorokin1 day ago

To Miss Start Of Training Camp Due To Upper-Body Injury
Beckett Sennecke1 day ago

Out Of Walking Boot
Luke Hughes1 day ago

Out 6-8 Weeks
Ryne Nelson1 day ago

Hits 15-Day Injured List
Tyler Glasnow1 day ago

Likely Done For The Season
Collin Morikawa1 day ago

This Was A Season For What Could Have Been For Collin Morikawa
Christian Koloko1 day ago

Joining The Lakers
Xander Schauffele1 day ago

Was The Darling Of 2024
Landry Shamet1 day ago

Joining The Knicks On A One-Year Deal
Isaac Okoro1 day ago

Cavs Agree To A Three-Year Deal
Max Homa1 day ago

Looks For More Team-Golf Magic To End A Disappointing Season On High Note
Merrill Kelly2 days ago

Expected To Make His Next Start
Tyler Glasnow2 days ago

Dodgers Get Good News On Tyler Glasnow
Valentina Shevchenko3 days ago

Set For Trilogy Bout
Alexa Grasso3 days ago

A Favorite At UFC 306
Brian Ortega3 days ago

An Underdog At UFC 306
Diego Lopes3 days ago

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Esteban Ribovics3 days ago

Looks For Third Win In A Row
Jarrett Culver3 days ago

Jalen Slawson, Jarrett Culver Sign Exhibit 10 Deals With Magic
Jimmy Butler3 days ago

Warriors "Have Interest" In Jimmy Butler
AJ Griffin3 days ago

May Step Away From Basketball
Jaime Jaquez Jr.3 days ago

Focused On Improving
Moses Moody3 days ago

Warriors Not Close On Contract Extension
Jonathan Kuminga3 days ago

Extension Not Imminent
MMA4 days ago

Ode Osbourne Looks To Snap Losing Streak At UFC 306
Ronaldo Rodríguez4 days ago

Ronaldo Rodriguez Opens Up UFC 306 Main Card
Daniel Zellhuber4 days ago

A Favorite At UFC 306
Merab Dvalishvili4 days ago

Gets First Title Shot At UFC 306
Sean O'Malley4 days ago

Puts Bantamweight Title On The Line At UFC 306
5 days ago

Montrezl Harrell Agrees Deal With Australian Team
5 days ago

Jae Crowder To Work Out With Kings This Week
Zach LaVine5 days ago

Bulls Looking To "Mend" Relationship With Zach LaVine
NHL5 days ago

Kevin Shattenkirk In Discussions With A "Few Teams"
CGY5 days ago

Tyson Barrie Signs Professional Tryout Agreement With Flames
Brock Boeser5 days ago

Cleared To Play After Blood-Clotting Issue
DAL5 days ago

Jordie Benn Announces Retirement
Adam Larsson5 days ago

Signs Four-Year, $21 Million Extension
Robert Williams III5 days ago

"Very Tradable"
6 days ago

Lakers Did Not Invite Cedi Osman To Camp
Cameron Johnson6 days ago

Has High Asking Price
Christian Wood6 days ago

Ruled Out For Eight Weeks Following Knee Surgery
TOR6 days ago

Nick Robertson Signs One-Year Deal With Maple Leafs
Quinn Hughes6 days ago

Wants To Crack 20-Goal Barrier
TOR6 days ago

Nick Robertson Still Wants Fresh Start Away From Toronto
Kirby Dach6 days ago

Skates With Teammates On Monday
Thomas Chabot6 days ago

Feeling Good After Playing Two Seasons With Wrist Issue
Tim Stützle6 days ago

Tim Stutzle Ready To Go For New Season
NAS6 days ago

Juuso Parssinen Signs One-Year Extension With Predators

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP