Top 4 MLB Matchups: Week 22 Winning Wise Picks and Expert Analysis

We are now very much heading into the final stages of the MLB regular season, with the battle for playoff spots intensifying with each passing day.

There are very few series now that are meaningless, with teams desperate to pick up the wins that could put them over the top and into the Wild Card, or perhaps even a division title.

My Analysis

I have found that picking winners is becoming a little more difficult than it was earlier in the season, as we are seeing some teams seemingly having a difficult time dealing with the pressure that comes with a playoff race.

Let’s look ahead to the weekend to see if we can find some ATS picks that could put some extra money in our pockets.

New York Yankees over Colorado Rockies

Friday, August 23, 7:05 PM | The Yankees are back on top of the AL East, but the battle rages on, with the Orioles just a half game back.

The Yankees are just 5-5 in their last 10 games and have been better on the road than they have been at home, but I still like them to get the better of the Rockies this weekend.

Colorado is dead last in the NL West and are not even close to being in the Wild Card conversation.

This is a series that the Yankees could potentially sweep, but I particularly like them on Friday night with Carlos Rodon (13-8, 4.34 ERA) on the mound.

Chicago Cubs over Miami Marlins

Saturday, August 24, 4:10 PM | This is the second series between these two teams this season, with the previous series ending in a 2-2 split.

Neither of these teams are in the playoff conversation at this point, with bit now basically waiting for the season to end.

The Marlins have won just 3 times in their last 10 games and are currently on a 3-game losing skid. The Cubs have not been that much better of late, but I still think they are a notch above Miami.

I like the Cubs to win in what could be a high-scoring game.

Houston Astros over Baltimore Orioles

Saturday, August 24, 4:05 PM | This is one of the better matchups of the weekend, as both of these teams will almost certainly be in the postseason.

The Astros have opened up a 5-game lead at the top of the AL West, while the Orioles are in a dogfight with the Yankees in the East.

Houston swept the earlier series with the Orioles this season, with that one taking place in Houston.

While it will be tougher to win on the road, I still like the Astros to win on Saturday with Framber Valdez (13-5, 3.20 ERA) on the mound.

Seattle Mariners over San Francisco Giants

Sunday, August 25, 4:10 PM | For a while, it looked as though the Mariners might be in the hunt for a playoff spot, but they have gone off the rails in the second half of the season and are also just 2-8 in their last 10 games overall.

On the plus side, they have been very decent at home, going 37-26 to this point in the season.

The Giants have also fallen off the pace and will be missing out on the postseason. They have struggled on the road, going 26-37, so I think they could struggle here.

The end of the MLB regular season is now very much in sight, with the battle for playoff spots now heating up.

There are teams that we expected to be in who are not living up to expectations, and while time is running out, there are still enough games remaining for things to change.

My Analysis

The teams that are still in the playoff picture will be taking it one series at a time, starting with the games coming this weekend.

There are some really good series to watch and wager on, but we are going to focus on 4 games where we like teams against the spread.

Let’s dive right in and see if we can add some money to our bankrolls over the next few days.

Philadelphia Phillies over Arizona Diamondbacks

Friday, August 9, 9:40 PM | The Phillies have been on a bit of a slump over the last couple of weeks, winning just 3 games in their last 10. Despite that negative run, they still have a 7 ½ game lead over the Braves in the NL East.

They have also won 2 in a row, so maybe they are breaking out of that slump as they head down the home stretch.

The Phillies took 2 of 3 from the Diamondbacks earlier this season, although that series was played at home.

There is a good pitching matchup here, but I give the edge to the Phillies and Zack Wheeler (11-5, 2.77 ERA).

San Diego Padres over Miami Marlins

Saturday, August 10, 4:10 PM | With this series, we have a pair of teams who are very much heading in different directions.

While the Marlins will be eliminated sooner rather than later, the Padres are in 1 of the 2 Wild Card spots in the National League.

The Padres are also on a very good run of form, winning 4 in a row and 8 of their last 10 games.

They took 2 of 3 from the Marlins at home in an earlier series this season and look like a good bet to come away with another series win in this one.

Chicago Cubs over Chicago White Sox

Saturday, August 10, 7:15 PM, FOX | We don’t get to see the two Chicago teams meet very often, so it’s always a treat when they go head-to-head.

It was the Cubs who won both games when they met earlier this season, albeit by just a single run in both.

The White Sox are in an awful run of form at the moment, winning just once in their last 10 games, while the Cubs come into the weekend winning 2 in a row.

They may have the opportunity to get to the White Sox pitching early, with Chris Flexen (2-11, 5.53 ERA) on the mound.

Atlanta Braves over Colorado Rockies

Sunday, August 11, 3:10 PM | As we mentioned at the top of this piece, there have been some surprises this season.

You have to say that the Atlanta Braves are in that mix, as they are now well out of the lead in the East, as well as being 2 games out of the final NL Wild Card spot.

The Braves have lost 4 in a row as of Wednesday night, but I think they have the opportunity to put things right against the Rockies this weekend.

The second half of the MLB season is now well underway and the battle for postseason spots is now beginning to heat up.

Players who did not take part in all the festivities will need to shake off some rust and get back into action as we head into the second half of the season and the final push for playoff spots.

My Analysis

A long winning streak at this stage of the proceedings is going to make it very tough for a team to claw their way back into contention with time beginning to run out.

This is especially true when you consider that some of the division races look to already be done.

All we can focus on at the moment is the next series up, so let’s turn our attention to the weekend and the teams that we like to win and cover the spread.

Minnesota Twins over Detroit Tigers

Friday, July 26, 6:40 PM | This has been a fun series to watch this season, with these teams all tied up at 5-5 over their last 10 meetings.

The Twins will be looking to take the season series with a win on the road in Detroit, plus they will be looking to stay in the hunt for the Central, where they are currently 5 games out of the top spot.

The Tigers are heading in the wrong direction right now and are slipping out of the Wild Card race, losing their last 2 games to fall 7 games back of the Twins.

I think Minnesota opens this series with the win.

Milwaukee Brewers over Miami Marlins

Friday, July 26, 8:10 PM | The Brewers are very much in the driver’s seat in the Central Division, opening up a 6-game lead at the top.

They have a chance to pad their stats this weekend against the lowly Marlins, although Miami is on a modest 2-game win streak.

The Brewers have been particularly tough to beat in their own building, going 29-17 at home, while the Marlins are just 15-32 on the road.

The Marlins will have Trevor Rogers (1-9, 4.59 ERA) on the mound, so look for Milwaukee to jump on him early.

Atlanta Braves over New York Mets

Saturday, July 27, 4:10 PM | Most MLB pundits were of the belief that the Atlanta Braves were going to be one of the teams to beat in the NL, but injuries and inconsistency have them now clinging to a Wild Card spot, 9 games back of the Phillies in the race for the East.

They are currently sharing the Wild Card with the Mets, who are sitting a game and a half back of the Braves, so this series could potentially change things in a big way.

There has been very little between these two teams in previous meetings this season, with the series tied 3-3, but I like Atlanta to find a way to win on Saturday.

Philadelphia Phillies over Cleveland Guardians

Sunday, July 28, 1:35 PM, MLBN | The Phillies are continuing their march toward the East Division crown and now have a 9-game lead over the Atlanta Braves.

This will be a tough weekend against a Cleveland team that also looks to be on the road to a division title over in the American League.

Both teams have been a little sloppy of late, with both going 4-6 over the last 10 games, and while I expect this to be a good series, I think the Phillies have the pitching edge on Sunday with Ranger Suarez (10-5, 2.87 ERA) on the mound.

July 4th is easily the biggest day on the American calendar, and the good news is that we will have a full slate of MLB games going on throughout the day.

There will be plenty of action to wager on, but we are going to jump ahead and take a look at the weekend games.

My Analysis

There are some fantastic series coming our way over the next few days, but we have narrowed the weekend down to 4 games where we think there is a definite favorite to cover the spread.

You could, of course, play it a little bit safer and just take the teams we are going to talk about to win.

With all of that being said, let’s take a look at the 4 games that are on our radar this weekend.

Pittsburgh Pirates over New York Mets

Friday, July 5, 6:40 PM | In terms of wins and losses, there is very little difference between these two teams. In regard to current form, it is the Mets who are having the better of it, winning 7 of their last 10 games, as of Wednesday afternoon.

The Mets also swept the Pirates in their previous meeting this season, although that was in New York City. All of that would suggest that the Pirates might be in for a long weekend, but I think they get the win on Friday night.

They will have Paul Skenes on the mound, and he has been fantastic, going 4-0 with a 2.06 ERA.

St. Louis Cardinals over Washington Nationals

Friday, July 5, 6:45 PM | After a slow start to the season, the St. Louis Cardinals seem to have found their feet.

They are coming into this one having won 7 of their last 10 games, a run that has seen them move into 2nd in the Central, 6 games out of the top spot.

On the flip side, the Nationals have been horrible of late, winning just twice in their last 10 games.

On another positive note, the pitching matchup in this one looks to be leaning heavily in the favor of the Cardinals, who will have Sonny Gray (9-5, 2.98 ERA) on the mound.

LA Dodgers over Milwaukee Brewers

Saturday, July 6, 7:15 PM, FOX | This is one of the better series coming our way over the weekend, with both of these teams currently sitting with comfortable leads in their respective divisions.

The Dodgers are not surprising anyone, building up an 8 ½ game lead in the West, while winning 7 of their last 10 games.

Milwaukee have the same record over the last 10 games and are just 2 wins shy of the current Dodgers total.

This should be a fantastic series that could go either way, but in terms of the Saturday game, I like the Dodgers.

Atlanta Braves over Philadelphia Phillies

Sunday, July 7, 1:35 PM, ESPN+ | The NL East was expected to be a close competition between the Braves and Phillies, but the Phillies are currently dominating with a 9-game lead over the Braves.

It is the Braves, though, who have had the best of this matchup this far, winning 2 of the 3 previous meetings.

Atlanta look like money on Sunday with Reynaldo Lopez (6-2, 1.83) ERA set to take the mound.

We are now just a couple of weeks away from the MLB All-Star Game, which is usually when teams seriously evaluate where they are and decide what they are going to do the rest of the way.

Some are going to stand pat, while others will look to make some moves in hopes of making a late playoff push.

My Analysis

Finally, there are going to be a few that blow things up in preparation for a rebuild, playing the role of sellers once the trade deadline rolls around.

We still have a lot of games to come before we get to the break, which includes another big weekend of action with odds that you can find at MyBookie Sportsbook. We have taken a look at the weekend schedule and picked 4 games that we really like, so let’s get to it.

Philadelphia Phillies over Miami Marlins

Friday, June 28, 6:20 PM, ESPN+ | This is the second series between these teams this season, with the Phillies taking 2 of 3 from the Marlins in the first one, which was played in Miami. In the 2 games that they won in that series, the Phillies outscored the Marlins 16-5.

I think things could be just as mismatched this weekend, with the action shifting to Philadelphia for this series.

The Phillies are 31-12 at home, while the Marlins have just 12 wins on the road. Philly will start Christopher Sanchez (5-3, 2.67 ERA), with the Phillies picking up 4 wins in his last 5 starts.

Boston Red Sox over San Diego Padres

Friday, June 28, 7:10 PM, Apple TV+ | Both of these teams are heading into the weekend in great form. The Red Sox have won 8 of their last 10, while the Padres have won 7 in that same stretch.

While you might assume that the Red Sox have the advantage at home, they actually have a losing record in their own building, going 19-21.

The Padres are a game above .500 in road games this season, but where the separation comes is in interleague games. The Padres have a losing record, while the Red Sox are 4 games above .500.

Arizona Diamondbacks over Oakland As

Saturday, June 29, 4:10 PM | The Diamondbacks only have 20 more wins this season than the Oakland As, but they are in a much better position in terms of the playoffs, as they are just 2 ½ games out of the final Wild Card spot in the NL.

Whether they can maintain that push remains to be seen, but I think they have a good shot at picking up some wins this weekend against an Oakland team that is on a 5-game losing skid.

The As have managed just 11 wins on the road this season, and while the D-Backs have not been that great in their own building, they do still have a winning record.

Milwaukee Brewers over Chicago Cubs

Sunday, June 30, 2:10 PM | The previous meetings between these teams this season have been pretty tight, with the Brewers holding a 4-3 edge in the 7 games played thus far.

In the 4-game series played in Milwaukee earlier this season, it was the Brewers who took 3 of 4, so they have the edge here again at home this weekend.

The Brewers are hot right now, winning 4 in a row, while the Cubs are heading in the wring direction with 4 straight losses, which has them at the bottom of the division.

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Believe it or not, we are fast approaching the midway point of the season, and while some teams are exactly where we expected them to be, there are others who have either proven to be better than expected or struggling to live up to preseason expectations.

My Analysis for the Weekend MLB Picks

Either way, with more than half of the season still to come, there is still plenty of time for fortunes to change, one way or the other. All any team can do is take it one game or series at a time, so with that in mind, let’s look ahead to the weekend and the ATS picks that we really like.

Washington Nationals over Miami Marlins

Friday, June 14, 6:45 PM | The NL East is one of the divisions that is not going exactly as we thought, with the Atlanta Braves on a major slump that now has them 10 games back of the Phillies at the top. The Nationals now have their eye on the #2 spot in the division, as they have reeled off 5 straight wins to get within 4 games of the Braves.

They have an opportunity to keep rolling against the Marlins this weekend, and I particularly like them on Friday night as they look to extend their winning streak over the Marlins to 5 games.

Seattle Mariners over Texas Rangers

Friday, June 14, 10:10 PM, Apple TV+ | This is arguably the best weekend series we have coming our way, with both of these teams battling it out for the top spot in the AL West. The Mariners have surged to the top, opening up a 6 ½ game lead on the Rangers, so they will be looking to extend that lead this weekend.

The Friday game is the one where I think they have the real edge in terms of pitching, as George Kirby looks to be a better bet than Andrew Heaney at this point. The Mariners are also hot at the moment, winning 7 of their last 10. Expect that momentum to carry over into the weekend.

Chicago Cubs over St. Louis Cardinals

Saturday, June 15, 2:20 PM, FS1 | The NL Central is proving to be as unpredictable as expected this season as we approach the midway point. The Brewers have a 7-game lead at the top, but the other 4 teams are separated by just a half game. If any of those teams are to make a push in the second half, they need to start picking up wins.

This series is critical, and I believe it will be the Cubs who come away with the win on Saturday, as they will have Shota Imanaga (7-1, 1.96 ERA) on the mound. His stats tell you all you need to know about his performance this season.

Toronto Blue Jays over Cleveland Guardians

Sunday, June 16, 1:37 PM | I occasionally like to take a little risk when putting these picks together, which is exactly what I am doing with this one. The Guardians have 10 more wins than the Blue Jays this season and are pulling away at the top of the AL Central, yet I have a feeling that they might have a tough time on the road in Toronto this Sunday.

Both pitchers have been solid this season, but Jose Berrios of the Jays has the slight edge here, as he has been tough to beat at home, winning each of his last 3 starts in his own building.