MLB Picks

Get free expert and computer MLB picks for every game on May 18, 2026. With over 25 years of betting experience, our analysts and predictive models help you find the best value.

Baltimore Orioles logo BAL @ Tampa Bay Rays logo TB Mon, May 18 • 6:40 PM ET
10 Computer Picks
Total Hits
Ryan Vilade logo
Ryan Vilade u0.5 Total Hits (+150)
Projection 0.69
Best Odds
Pick made: 9 minutes ago
EV Model Rating
Star rating: 3 out of 5
The leading projection system (THE BAT X) projects Ryan Vilade in the 25th percentile when assessing his overall offensive talent.. Ryan Vilade hits many of his flyballs to center field (38.7% — 90th percentile) but may find it hard to clear baseball's 9th-deepest CF fences in today's matchup.
Total Bases
Pete Alonso logo
Pete Alonso o1.5 Total Bases (+150)
Projection 1.75
Best Odds
Pick made: 1 hours ago
EV Model Rating
Star rating: 4 out of 5
Pete Alonso projects as the 14th-best home run batter in the league, via the leading projection system (THE BAT X).. Pete Alonso is projected to bat 4th in the lineup in today's game.. Pete Alonso will have the handedness advantage against Shane McClanahan today.. Pete Alonso has a 77th percentile opposite-field rate on his flyballs (33.3%) and will have a big advantage hitting them in the direction of the league's 5th-shallowest RF fences in today's matchup.. Among every team in action today, the worst infield defense is that of the Tampa Bay Rays.
View 10 Picks
Atlanta Braves logo ATL @ Miami Marlins logo MIA Mon, May 18 • 6:40 PM ET
5 Computer Picks
Total Hits
Ozzie Albies logo
Ozzie Albies u0.5 Total Hits (+180)
Projection 0.88
Best Odds
Pick made: 9 minutes ago
EV Model Rating
Star rating: 3 out of 5
The leading projection system (THE BAT X) projects Ozzie Albies in the 6th percentile as it relates to his BABIP ability.. According to the weather forecast, the temperature and humidity for this matchup will be the 4th-most favorable for pitching of all games on the slate.. As a switch-hitter who bats worse from the 0 side of the plate, Ozzie Albies will bat from his worse side against Max Meyer in today's matchup.. Ozzie Albies pulls a lot of his flyballs (40% — 98th percentile) and will have to hit them out towards baseball's 4th-deepest RF fences in today's matchup.. Ozzie Albies will be at a disadvantage playing as a visiting player today.
Total RBIs
Owen Caissie logo
Owen Caissie o0.5 Total RBIs (+280)
Projection 0.38
Best Odds
Pick made: 8 hours ago
EV Model Rating
Star rating: 3 out of 5
When assessing his BABIP skill, Owen Caissie is projected as the 12th-best hitter in the game by the leading projection system (THE BAT X).. Batting from the opposite that JR Ritchie throws from, Owen Caissie will have an advantage in today's matchup.. Owen Caissie hits a lot of his flyballs to center field (38% — 77th percentile) and sets up very well considering he'll be hitting out towards baseball's 6th-shallowest CF fences today.. Home field advantage typically bolsters batter stats in all categories, and Owen Caissie will hold that advantage in today's game.
View 5 Picks
Cleveland Guardians logo CLE @ Detroit Tigers logo DET Mon, May 18 • 6:40 PM ET
10 Computer Picks
Total Bases
Riley Greene logo
Riley Greene o1.5 Total Bases (+119)
Projection 1.86
Best Odds
Pick made: a minute ago
EV Model Rating
Star rating: 3 out of 5
The leading projection system (THE BAT X) projects Riley Greene as the 18th-best hitter in Major League Baseball when estimating his BABIP ability.. Riley Greene is projected to hit 5th in the batting order in this game.. High temperatures are strongly correlated with more offense (and fewer Ks), and the weather forecast predicts the 4th-hottest weather of the day at 83°.. Hitting from the opposite that Slade Cecconi throws from, Riley Greene will have an edge in today's game.. Home field advantage typically boosts batter stats in all categories, and Riley Greene will hold that advantage in today's game.
Total Home Runs
Kevin McGonigle logo
Kevin McGonigle o0.5 Total Home Runs (+730)
Projection 0.15
Best Odds
Pick made: 2 hours ago
EV Model Rating
Star rating: 3 out of 5
The leading projection system (THE BAT X) projects Kevin McGonigle in the 87th percentile when assessing his overall offensive skill.. Kevin McGonigle is penciled in 1st on the lineup card in today's game.. High temperatures are strongly correlated with more offense (and fewer Ks), and the weather forecast predicts the 4th-hottest weather of the day at 83°.. Kevin McGonigle will have the handedness advantage over Slade Cecconi in today's matchup.. Home field advantage generally bolsters batter metrics in all categories, and Kevin McGonigle will hold that advantage in today's matchup.
View 10 Picks
Cincinnati Reds logo CIN @ Philadelphia Phillies logo PHI Mon, May 18 • 6:40 PM ET
1 Expert Pick 10 Computer Picks
Total
Cincinnati Reds logo Philadelphia Phillies logo o9.5 (-108)
Best Odds
Pick made: 6 hours ago
Jason Wilson image
Jason Wilson
Publishing Editor

I'm a believer in Nick Lodolo, but the Reds lefty has looked very shaky as he's returned from a blister that sidelined him into May. Phillies rookie Andrew Painter may also have a bright future, but a bout of homer-itis has hampered his debut campaign to the tune of a 6.21 ERA. Add in Cincinnati's 4.89 bullpen ERA and we've got a prime recipe for an Over, even at an inflated total.

Total Hits
Kyle Schwarber logo
Kyle Schwarber u0.5 Total Hits (+182)
Projection 0.86
Best Odds
Pick made: 2 hours ago
EV Model Rating
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Batting from the same side that Nick Lodolo throws from, Kyle Schwarber meets a tough challenge in today's matchup.. The Cincinnati Reds infield defense profiles as the 2nd-strongest among all the teams playing today.
View 11 Picks
New York Mets logo NYM @ Washington Nationals logo WAS Mon, May 18 • 6:45 PM ET
10 Computer Picks
Total Bases
James Wood logo
James Wood o1.5 Total Bases (+100)
Projection 2.31
Best Odds
Pick made: 6 hours ago
EV Model Rating
Star rating: 4 out of 5
The leading projection system (THE BAT X) projects James Wood as the best hitter in the league as it relates to his BABIP ability.. James Wood is projected to hit 1st in the batting order today.. A correlation exists between high heat and more offense (and fewer whiffs), and this game is predicted to have the hottest weather of all games today at 92°.. The wind projects to be blowing out to LF at 8.6-mph in this match-up, the 3rd-strongest of the day for batters.. James Wood will have the handedness advantage over Christian Scott today.
Total Bases
Juan Soto logo
Juan Soto o1.5 Total Bases (-110)
Projection 2.35
Best Odds
Pick made: 6 hours ago
EV Model Rating
Star rating: 4 out of 5
According to the leading projection system (THE BAT X), Juan Soto ranks as the 3rd-best batter in MLB.. Juan Soto is projected to bat 3rd in the batting order in this game.. A correlation exists between high heat and more offense (and fewer whiffs), and this game is predicted to have the hottest weather of all games today at 92°.. The wind projects to be blowing out to LF at 8.6-mph in this match-up, the 3rd-strongest of the day for batters.. Juan Soto will receive the benefit of the platoon advantage against Jake Irvin today.
View 10 Picks
Toronto Blue Jays logo TOR @ New York Yankees logo NYY Mon, May 18 • 7:05 PM ET
10 Computer Picks
Total Bases
Jazz Chisholm Jr. logo
Jazz Chisholm Jr. o1.5 Total Bases (+210)
Projection 1.59
Best Odds
Pick made: an hour ago
EV Model Rating
Star rating: 4 out of 5
When it comes to his home run ability, Jazz Chisholm Jr. ranks in the 91st percentile according to the leading projection system (THE BAT X).. Jazz Chisholm Jr. is projected to hit 5th on the lineup card in this matchup.. The weather report forecasts temperatures in this contest to reach the 5th-highest level on the schedule today at 82°, which is highly linked to an increase in offense (and a reduction in strikeouts).. Jazz Chisholm Jr. has strong power (91st percentile) if he makes contact, but that's always far from assured (27.1% K%). Today, however, opposing pitcher Patrick Corbin is a pitch-to-contact type (23rd percentile K%) — great news for Chisholm Jr... Jazz Chisholm Jr. pulls a lot of his flyballs (38.2% — 94th percentile) and will have a big advantage hitting them towards MLB's 7th-shallowest RF fences in today's game.
Total Bases
Kazuma Okamoto logo
Kazuma Okamoto o1.5 Total Bases (+160)
Projection 1.83
Best Odds
Pick made: 3 hours ago
EV Model Rating
Star rating: 4 out of 5
As it relates to his home run ability, Kazuma Okamoto ranks in the 96th percentile according to the leading projection system (THE BAT X).. Kazuma Okamoto is projected to bat 4th on the lineup card today.. The weather report forecasts temperatures in this contest to reach the 5th-highest level on the schedule today at 82°, which is highly linked to an increase in offense (and a reduction in strikeouts).. Batting from the opposite that Ryan Weathers throws from, Kazuma Okamoto will have an edge in today's game.. Among all the teams in action today, the 5th-worst infield defense is that of the the New York Yankees.
View 10 Picks
Houston Astros logo HOU @ Minnesota Twins logo MIN Mon, May 18 • 7:40 PM ET
5 Computer Picks
Total Hits
Trevor Larnach logo
Trevor Larnach u0.5 Total Hits (+155)
Projection 0.81
Best Odds
Pick made: 31 minutes ago
EV Model Rating
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Total Bases
Zach Cole logo
Zach Cole o1.5 Total Bases (+220)
Projection 1.35
Best Odds
Pick made: 5 hours ago
EV Model Rating
Star rating: 4 out of 5
View 5 Picks
Milwaukee Brewers logo MIL @ Chicago Cubs logo CHC Mon, May 18 • 7:40 PM ET
10 Computer Picks
Total Hits
Michael Conforto logo
Michael Conforto u0.5 Total Hits (+155)
Projection 0.74
Best Odds
Pick made: 11 minutes ago
EV Model Rating
Star rating: 4 out of 5
The leading projection system (THE BAT X) projects Michael Conforto in the 22nd percentile when it comes to his BABIP skill.. Michael Conforto is penciled in 6th in the lineup today.. Among every team today, the 3rd-strongest infield defense belongs to the Milwaukee Brewers.
Total Hits
Carson Kelly logo
Carson Kelly u0.5 Total Hits (+175)
Projection 0.82
Best Odds
Pick made: 4 hours ago
EV Model Rating
Star rating: 3 out of 5
The leading projection system (THE BAT X) projects Carson Kelly in the 18th percentile when it comes to his BABIP ability.. Carson Kelly is projected to hit 9th in the lineup today.. Brandon Sproat will hold the platoon advantage against Carson Kelly in today's matchup.. Among every team today, the 3rd-strongest infield defense belongs to the Milwaukee Brewers.
View 10 Picks
Boston Red Sox logo BOS @ Kansas City Royals logo KC Mon, May 18 • 7:40 PM ET
10 Computer Picks
Total Hits
Salvador Perez logo
Salvador Perez u0.5 Total Hits (+190)
Projection 0.92
Best Odds
Pick made: a minute ago
EV Model Rating
Star rating: 3 out of 5
The leading projection system (THE BAT X) projects Salvador Perez in the 9th percentile when it comes to his BABIP ability.. Sonny Gray will receive the benefit of the platoon advantage against Salvador Perez in today's game.. In today's game, Salvador Perez is at a disadvantage facing the league's deepest LF fences given that he hits his flyballs to the pull field at a 36.2% rate (87th percentile).. The Boston Red Sox outfield defense grades out as the best among all the teams on the slate today.
Total Hits
Carter Jensen logo
Carter Jensen u0.5 Total Hits (+160)
Projection 0.85
Best Odds
Pick made: a minute ago
EV Model Rating
Star rating: 3 out of 5
The Boston Red Sox outfield defense grades out as the best among all the teams on the slate today.
View 10 Picks
Texas Rangers logo TEX @ Colorado Rockies logo COL Mon, May 18 • 8:40 PM ET
10 Computer Picks
Total Hits
Evan Carter logo
Evan Carter u0.5 Total Hits (+187)
Projection 0.8
Best Odds
Pick made: an hour ago
EV Model Rating
Star rating: 4 out of 5
Evan Carter is projected to hit 8th on the lineup card today.. Less offense (and more strikeouts) are strongly correlated with cold weather, and the weather report for this game expects the lowest temperature of all games today at 39°.. The wind projects to be blowing in from CF at 9.5-mph in this match-up, the most-favorable of the day for mound aces.. Jose Quintana will have the handedness advantage against Evan Carter in today's matchup.. Among every team today, the 4th-strongest infield defense is that of the the Colorado Rockies.
Total Hits
Sam Haggerty logo
Sam Haggerty u0.5 Total Hits (+150)
Projection 0.67
Best Odds
Pick made: an hour ago
EV Model Rating
Star rating: 4 out of 5
Sam Haggerty is projected to hit 7th on the lineup card in this game.. Less offense (and more strikeouts) are strongly correlated with cold weather, and the weather report for this game expects the lowest temperature of all games today at 39°.. The wind projects to be blowing in from CF at 9.5-mph in this match-up, the most-favorable of the day for mound aces.. Among every team today, the 4th-strongest infield defense is that of the the Colorado Rockies.. Sam Haggerty will be at a disadvantage playing on the visting team in today's game.
View 10 Picks
Athletics Athletics logo ATH @ Los Angeles Angels logo LAA Mon, May 18 • 9:38 PM ET
1 Expert Pick 10 Computer Picks
Moneyline
Athletics Athletics logo ATH (-125)
Best Odds
Pick made: 6 hours ago
Jason Wilson image
Jason Wilson
Publishing Editor

The Angels are in freefall (what else is new?), and the A's have the offense to handle Walbert Urena. Shea Langeliers and Nick Kurtz are red hot, and that really can't be said about anyone on Los Angeles right now. 

Total Bases
Brent Rooker logo
Brent Rooker o1.5 Total Bases (+140)
Projection 1.83
Best Odds
Pick made: 43 minutes ago
EV Model Rating
Star rating: 4 out of 5
The leading projection system (THE BAT X) ranks Brent Rooker as the league's 17th-best home run batter.. Brent Rooker is projected to bat 4th on the lineup card in this game.. The wind projects to be blowing out to CF at 8-mph in this game, the 4th-most-favorable of the day for batters.. Extreme flyball hitters like Brent Rooker tend to be more successful against extreme groundball pitchers like Walbert Urena.. The Los Angeles Angels infield defense projects as the 4th-worst among all the teams in action today.
View 11 Picks
Los Angeles Dodgers logo LAD @ San Diego Padres logo SD Mon, May 18 • 9:40 PM ET
1 Expert Pick 10 Computer Picks
Total
Los Angeles Dodgers logo San Diego Padres logo u7.5 (-101)
Best Odds
Pick made: 6 hours ago
Jason Wilson image
Jason Wilson
Publishing Editor

It's a low total, but that's what happens with Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Michael King toeing the rubber. Both teams have played consistently to the Under this season, and even if L.A.'s lineup is starting to show signs of life, I'd like to see results against teams other than the Angels.

Total Bases
Jackson Merrill logo
Jackson Merrill o1.5 Total Bases (+175)
Projection 1.56
Best Odds
Pick made: an hour ago
EV Model Rating
Star rating: 4 out of 5
The leading projection system (THE BAT X) projects Jackson Merrill in the 94th percentile when it comes to his batting average ability.. Jackson Merrill is projected to bat 1st on the lineup card in this matchup.. Hitting from the opposite that Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws from, Jackson Merrill will have an edge today.. Home field advantage typically boosts batter stats in all categories, and Jackson Merrill will hold that advantage today.
View 11 Picks
Chicago White Sox logo CHW @ Seattle Mariners logo SEA Mon, May 18 • 9:40 PM ET
10 Computer Picks
Total Bases
Munetaka Murakami logo
Munetaka Murakami o1.5 Total Bases (+174)
Projection 1.78
Best Odds
Pick made: 9 minutes ago
EV Model Rating
Star rating: 4 out of 5
Munetaka Murakami projects as the 2nd-best home run batter in the game, per the leading projection system (THE BAT X).. Munetaka Murakami is penciled in 2nd in the batting order today.. Considering Bryan Woo's large platoon split, Munetaka Murakami will have a huge advantage batting from the opposite side of the dish today.. Munetaka Murakami may have an advantage against every reliever for the game's entirety, since the bullpen of the Seattle Mariners only has 1 same-handed RP.. Munetaka Murakami pulls many of his flyballs (34.7% — 81st percentile) and sets up very well considering he'll be hitting them towards MLB's 4th-shallowest RF fences today.
Total Bases
Colson Montgomery logo
Colson Montgomery o1.5 Total Bases (+185)
Projection 1.63
Best Odds
Pick made: 9 minutes ago
EV Model Rating
Star rating: 4 out of 5
The leading projection system (THE BAT X) projects Colson Montgomery in the 96th percentile when assessing his home run talent.. Colson Montgomery is projected to bat 4th on the lineup card in today's game.. Colson Montgomery will have the handedness advantage against Bryan Woo today... and the cherry on top, Woo has a large platoon split.. Colson Montgomery may have an advantage against every reliever throughout the game, since the bullpen of the Seattle Mariners only has 1 same-handed RP.. Colson Montgomery pulls a high percentage of his flyballs (39.5% — 97th percentile) and will have a big advantage hitting them towards baseball's 4th-shallowest RF fences in today's game.
View 10 Picks
San Francisco Giants logo SF @ Arizona Diamondbacks logo AZ Mon, May 18 • 9:40 PM ET
9 Computer Picks
Total Home Runs
Matt Chapman logo
Matt Chapman o0.5 Total Home Runs (+820)
Projection 0.14
Best Odds
Pick made: 2 hours ago
EV Model Rating
Star rating: 3 out of 5
The leading projection system (THE BAT X) projects Matt Chapman in the 85th percentile when assessing his overall offensive skill.
Total Home Runs
Harrison Bader logo
Harrison Bader o0.5 Total Home Runs (+1120)
Projection 0.1
Best Odds
Pick made: 2 hours ago
EV Model Rating
Star rating: 3 out of 5
View 9 Picks
Milwaukee Brewers logo MIL @ St. Louis Cardinals logo STL Tue, Jul 7 • 2:15 PM ET
2 Expert Picks 2 Computer Picks
Total
Milwaukee Brewers logo St. Louis Cardinals logo u8.0 (-120)
Pick made: 12 days ago
Todd Cordell image
Todd Cordell
Betting Analyst

If Brandon Sproat can hold his own early, the Brewers will turn to an excellent bullpen that ranks fifth in xFIP and tied for third in homers allowed per nine innings.

Colder weather and Andre Pallante’s high ground-ball rate (50%) should allow the Cardinals to limit the long ball. That’ll make it difficult to score runs in bulk, helping keep this game Under the total.

Moneyline
Milwaukee Brewers logo MIL (-110)
Pick made: 12 days ago
Todd Cordell image
Todd Cordell
Betting Analyst

Brandon Sproat’s xFIP and SIERA are two full runs less than his ERA, suggesting he hasn’t pitched as poorly as it appears on the surface.

Andre Pallante has posted some concerning numbers against lefties (47.2% hard-hit rate, 13.2% barrel rate), and the Brewers have plenty of good ones in their lineup. This mismatch favors the visitors, and we'll take the Brewers on the ML.

View 4 Picks

What are Covers’ MLB Free picks and predictions?

Covers’ has more than 25 years of experience making smart MLB picks from the season’s first pitch to the World Series.

We find the best MLB odds and share our picks and baseball best bets for all the significant games of the baseball season right here on this page.

Our picks are researched and analyzed by experienced sports bettors looking for an edge to get the best value from their MLB betting.

Free MLB Expert Picks

Making smart MLB picks means looking beyond the favorites. Our free expert baseball picks will include a wide variety of bet types and markets.

Every day our baseball analysts look for quality baseball picks to share. You can expect well-researched picks on the money, run line, totals, player props, and much more.

Free MLB Run Line Picks

Run lines are what other sports like football and basketball refer to as point spreads. Run lines even the odds between two teams, offering bettors as close to an even matchup as possible. Our analysts research vital stats, pitching matchups, injuries, and more to give you the best possible edge before making your MLB run line bets.

Free MLB Totals Picks

Covers’ analysts make MLB Over/Under picks throughout the baseball season. Betting on MLB Over/Unders means choosing whether you think the combined total runs scored in a game will be Over or Under a specific run total set by oddsmakers.

Free MLB Moneyline Picks

Betting on the MLB moneyline means picking which team will win a game outright. While less common than picking the run line or even a prop, our analysts will always look for high-value baseball moneyline picks if they feel it’s the best bet.

Free MLB Prop Picks

There’s always value in MLB props. Our team scours through game, team, and player props to try and find opportunity and value. From strikeouts to home runs, expect well-researched MLB prop picks from Covers.

MLB Consensus Picks

Covers’ consensus MLB picks show you the odds and predictions that our vibrant community of bettors and players are making. Try our picks on with our free MLB contests for a chance at prizes and more.

Best Baseball Betting Sites

If you’re ready to bet on MLB picks, you first need to find the right sportsbook. The best MLB betting sites offer secure banking, best odds, bonuses, and reliable customer service.

More Free Picks

Covers’ staff of sports betting fans also offers a wide array of free picks for the NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAA basketball, and NCAA football.

MLB Free Picks FAQs

When do we release our MLB picks?

Covers’ MLB picks release on game day. Some significant matchups like playoff games release in the days leading up to the game.

What kinds of MLB picks do we make?

Covers provides free MLB picks covering many markets, including run lines, totals, moneylines, player props, and more.