The World Baseball Classic is complete, and rosters will start to fill back out after Venezuela's stunning win over Team USA.
My spring training predictions and MLB picks for Wednesday, March 18, are bullish on the Kansas City Royals, despite still being a touch shorthanded from the WBC.
Spring Training predictions for March 18
| Pick | Odds |
|---|---|
 LAD moneyline |
-140 |
 CHC moneyline |
+100 |
 Royals moneyline |
+115 |
Pick #1: Dodgers moneyline
Even if Shohei Ohtani is a little rusty on the mound in his spring pitching debut (he didn't pitch in the WBC), the Los Angeles Dodgers are trotting out a lineup including Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Max Muncy, and Teoscar Hernandez in the heart of the order.
San Francisco Giants starter Landen Roupp has a difficult assignment ahead of him, which is why I can't help but pounce on the Dodgers to win at -140.
We're getting a longer number than anticipated, likely because Ohtani's and Kyle Tucker's absences from the lineup are being factored into the price. I'll take that discount, even in spring, on a Dodgers victory.
Pick #2: Cubs moneyline
This might not be a wild prediction, but Edward Cabrera will finish the season as the Chicago Cubs' best starting pitcher and will earn some down-ballot Cy Young attention. This is assuming health, of course, but he's looked strong in limited action this spring, authoring a 1.08 while only issuing one walk in 8 1/3 innings.
He gives Chicago enough of an early edge over Arizona Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly, who's historically been at the mercy of pitching to soft contact instead of missing bats. The Cubs rarely struck out in 2025, and even without Kyle Tucker, we can expect more of the same in 2026.
Grab the even money on Chicago winning here. It's a better number than we ought to be getting before lineups are announced.
Pick #3: Royals moneyline
Neither Bobby Witt Jr. nor World Baseball Classic MVP Maikel Garcia will be in the lineup, but that has the Kansas City Royals as +115 underdogs vs. the Texas Rangers.
I'll take that number based on the pitching matchup. Rangers right-hander Kumar Rocker may have better pure stuff than Kris Bubic, but he hasn't been overpowering opponents as much as people may have expected. Rocker has allowed 10 hits and five earned runs in just 8 1/3 innings this spring after posting a 5.74 ERA over 64 1/3 innings last summer.
The Royals were even less strikeout-prone than the Cubs last season, and even without a couple of big names, that likely won't change tonight.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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