What Is An MLB Computer Pick?
MLB picks are bet suggestions based on our computer's assessment of the game. Tons of betting data goes into a computer pick, including pitching matchups, injury reports, analytics, and even recent betting trends.
Get free expert and computer MLB picks for every game on Sept. 30, 2026.
Predicted Score
Team |
Predicted Score |
ML |
Total |
Run Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
4.86 |
-108 |
o7.0 -115 |
-1.5 +155 |
|
|
3.78 |
+102 |
u7.5 -135 |
+1.5 -180 |
Predicted Score
Team |
Predicted Score |
ML |
Total |
Run Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
4.19 |
+130 |
o7.5 -103 |
+1.5 -165 |
|
|
4.47 |
-145 |
u7.5 -108 |
-1.5 +150 |
Predicted Score
Team |
Predicted Score |
ML |
Total |
Run Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
3.90 |
+120 |
o6.5 -120 |
+1.5 -190 |
|
|
4.44 |
-130 |
u6.5 +104 |
-1.5 +168 |
Predicted Score
Team |
Predicted Score |
ML |
Total |
Run Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
4.49 |
+125 |
o7.0 -126 |
+1.5 -178 |
|
|
4.39 |
-140 |
u7.5 -118 |
-1.5 +165 |
Predicted Score
Team |
Predicted Score |
ML |
Total |
Run Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
5.39 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
|
4.59 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Predicted Score
Team |
Predicted Score |
ML |
Total |
Run Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
4.61 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
|
4.75 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Predicted Score
Team |
Predicted Score |
ML |
Total |
Run Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
4.51 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
|
4.04 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Predicted Score
Team |
Predicted Score |
ML |
Total |
Run Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
4.92 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
|
4.61 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
I have one goal in the postseason for dingers: fade higher-velocity pitching, and Hunter Brown has the highest average fastball velocity of all the starters today. The reasoning is that batters get amped up for the playoffs and hit higher velocity for more damage. It's why we usually see slower, craftier pitchers have success in the playoffs. Miguel Vargas has the second-best expected value at this price today, according to the projections, which have him at a fair price of 5.5x, or 18%. He hit 33 homers this year and has seen Brown eight times over his career, with three hits and a walk. The Astros had to use a bullpen day yesterday, and Brown will get a long leash, even if he is off. All seven of Houston's best bullpen arms threw yesterday, so even if Vargas has to see the high-leverage arms late in this game, that's in his favor.
Astros starter Hunter Brown has sizzled down the stretch with an elite 35.3% strikeout rate, 2.32 xERA and 2.20 xFIP across his past six starts, while White Sox righty Sean Burke has posted an unflattering 4.57 xERA and 5.41 xFIP through his final seven starts. Burke's statistical dip aligns with him cruising to a career-high 172 1/3 innings this year, and in particular, his fastball pitch value dropped from 10.1 through his first 20 starts to -1.0 over the past seven. So, with the Astros also finishing the regular season first in ISO and sixth in wRC+ against righties, I’m anticipating Burke having a difficult time navigating the Houston lineup in Game 2.
Ben Rice is undoubtedly the hottest hitter in this Yankees lineup and has a strong history against Gray. Even though it's a smaller sample size, it's something to draw from, with Rice going 3-for-7 with two homers (.810 xSLG) against the Red Sox righty. With a 4-for-5 night (which included a grand slam) under his belt in Game 1, expect Rice to continue to do damage if Boston actually chooses to pitch to him.
Yes, we're looking at a pitcher's duel with Sonny Gray on the mound for the visitors - he's striking the New York Yankees out at a 24% clip (26% whiff rate) over 161 career at-bats against him in this matchup. After Game 1, the Boston bullpen is fully exposed, so don't be surprised if he gets left in there with the season on the line. Working with that much volume, we should be able to reach six strikeouts tonight.
Unfortunately for the Cubs, it looks like their run ends here. Petco Park is an absolute electric factory, and Nick Pivetta has been dynamite in his shortened season, rocking a 2.86 ERA and 30% K rate across 34 2/3 innings. Tasked with keeping Chicago's season afloat is trade deadline acquisition Kevin Gausman, who the Padres have 215 plate appearances against. Fernando Tatis Jr. (.326 xBA), Manny Machado (.331 xBA), and Ty France (.331 xBA) all have quality numbers against the righty and are the engines that drive this offense. That won't change tonight.
Machado has teed off against Cubs right Kevin Gausman to the tune of .406 wOBA and .269 ISO, and those numbers are even lower than Machado’s .435 xwOBA and .349 xISO against the veteran. With Gausman also serving up a healthy 47.7% hard-hit rate and 2.28 HR/9 to righties since joining the Cubs, I like Machado to leave the yard tonight down to +400.
Our experts and prediction models are hard at work analyzing the data. Check back shortly for today's picks, or explore our Computer Picks for inspiration.
MLB picks are bet suggestions based on our computer's assessment of the game. Tons of betting data goes into a computer pick, including pitching matchups, injury reports, analytics, and even recent betting trends.
You can use the tables above to help with your bets during the MLB season. The first section includes free, computer-generated picks for daily Major League Baseball games. Baseball bettors can choose to follow the computer, fade the computer, or simply use our computer picks as one element of their betting strategy.
This page also tees up access to deeper betting trends. For example, if a club's run line is favored, you can check their ATS trends, potentially opening up some quality underdog bets.
If you're ready to get started with MLB betting, visit our dedicated page highlighting the best MLB betting sites.
This is the most common and easiest wager for a bettor to make when it comes to MLB picks. Basically, to win an MLB moneyline pick, you just have to choose which team will win the game.
It's simple: if you bet the White Sox moneyline over the Red Sox and Chicago wins, you win your bet.
The run line is another name for a point spread that you may be more familiar with in NBA and NFL betting. A point spread varies in the NFL and NBA from as little as 0.5 points up to double-digit spreads. A baseball run line is almost always a 1.5-point spread.
The favorite will be -1.5 while the underdog will be +1.5. At the end of the game, if you take away 1.5 runs from the favorite or add 1.5 runs to the underdog and they end up winning the game, you win your MLB pick against the spread.
Another common wager is to bet on the total in baseball, which is a bet on the total runs scored in the baseball game. You are simply choosing whether the final score will be Over or Under that total. Betting the Over/Under on a matchup is a great way to get started in MLB score predictions.
A new and emerging MLB betting market is the NRFI/YRFI bet. These are quick-hitters in which you make a wager on the O/U total of the first inning, typically set at 0.5 runs. Thus, the bet is coined as No Run First Inning or Yes Run First Inning. No need to wait a couple of hours to cash a bet when it could be done in 20 minutes or less.
The above options, moneyline, run line, and Over/Under, can also be placed on the first five innings of a game rather than the full game. Many experienced bettors will use this approach because, typically, this will take bullpens out of the equation and make your job researching the game easier. After all, you can just focus on the starting pitchers.
If you want to combine multiple games into one mega wager, you may consider making a parlay bet. A parlay is when you pick two or more MLB games on one single betting ticket, which will increase the payout of your bet.
But it also comes with more risk, as each of those MLB picks must hit for your ticket to pay out. Our parlay calculator is a great tool to find out what your potential payout would be.
If you're looking for more MLB picks content, check out our consensus picks and prop bets pages to get your fix. While you're at it, head over to our MLB promos page to get the best bang for your buck.
Player props are a great way to hone in on an individual matchup for a game. These types of wagers will be individualized for a player: Will Shohei Ohtani hit a home run? Will Gerrit Cole get seven strikeouts? Will Paul Skenes allow two earned runs?
You simply choose whether this outcome will happen or not. Keeping up to date on daily pitching matchups and batters on a hot streak can give you a huge boost when placing player prop bets.
Lastly, prior to the season and even throughout the season, you can place futures bets on all the long-term awards and outcomes. You can lock in an MLB pick on who will win their division, which squad will win the World Series, or even who will win the Rookie of the Year, MVP, or Cy Young.
Covers’ MLB picks release on game day. Some significant matchups like playoff games release in the days leading up to the game.
Covers provides free MLB picks covering many markets, including run lines, totals, moneylines, player props, and more.