Best MLB Bets Today | Astros vs. Marlins, Mariners vs. Royals picks, odds (Monday, August 14)

A new week in Major League Baseball is upon us, and Monday brings with it nine games, including several teams still fighting for a playoff spot in the final two months of the season.

Our analysts are specifically targeting two of today’s nine games: Astros vs. Marlins and Mariners vs. Royals.

Here are our best bets from the MLB slate on Monday, August 14.

Best MLB Bets

The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups targeted by the MLB betting staff from today’s slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matches below to go to a specific bet discussed in this article.

---

By Kenny Ducey

I love ballparks, so I’ve really loved Framber Valdez over the years. After all, keeping the ball on the ground is the best way to play in the launch angle era, unless you’re a top hitter like Shohei Ohtani.

Valdez has done it better than anyone, and even in a down year for his balls, he’s still about 10 points above league average in that regard.

Just like any other style of pitcher, however, there are bad matchups for guys on the ground. When you face a team that regularly turns ground balls and weak contact into base hits, it’s much harder to shut them down.

That’s what we have on Monday in the form of the Miami Marlins, who lead the league in ground ball rate and have finished with a staggering .262 batting average this season, ranking third in baseball.

That’s a good spot to play against the Marlins, who are fifth in wRC+ against left-handed pitching and have hit .275 against grounders this year, according to Baseball Reference.

Braxton Garrett has been steadily improving for Miami, allowing just five earned over his last three starts thanks to some higher numbers on the ground, and he should be in great shape against a team that loves to pitch and celebrate.

Miami is alive for the upset here.

---

---

By Doug Ziefel

The Seattle Mariners are starting to heat up as they are 8-2 in their last 10 games and just 1.5 games out of the American League playoffs.

Their recent hot streak has been fueled by their lineup, which has been quietly one of the best in baseball. Seattle is currently fifth in the xwOBACON and their continued strong contact is finally starting to pay off.

The Mariners are in line to stay hot tonight as they face Royals starter Brady Singer, who has struggled this season. He comes into this outing with a 5.05 ERA and 1.37 WHIP.

He hasn’t fooled many players and his contact counts are the proof. Singer ranks in the fourth percentile in average exit velocity allowed and is in the top percentile in hard hitting percentage.

As for the other side of this matchup, Logan Gilbert shouldn’t have much trouble navigating the Royals’ order. Yes, Kansas City has some pop, but largely, their collective discipline has limited their offensive output.

The Royals have the fifth-highest strikeout rate in baseball and are 18th in strikeout percentage. Kansas City’s flaw falls squarely on Gilbert’s right arm, as his sack percentage ranks in the 75th percentile among all qualifiers.

Back the Mariners to keep it rolling tonight and get to the halfway mark of this one. Play up to -145.

Choose: Mariners F5 ML (-130)

---

---

This place contains commercial content. We may receive compensation for links provided on this page. The content of this page is for informational purposes only. Action Network makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event.