MLB Odds, Picks & Predictions: Thursday (9/26)
Let's dive into our top MLB picks for Thursday, September 26. We’ll look at two games with playoff implications as we still have undecided races in the final week of the regular season.
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Thursday's Best MLB Picks
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Baltimore Orioles (+124) at New York Yankees (-148) | O/U 7.5 (-110/-110)
The American League East is there for the taking, but the Yankees have squandered their last two opportunities.
It continues to be pitching that has let them down. With Nestor Cortes going on the injured list (IL), recently demoted Marcus Stroman got the start on Wednesday and allowed six earned runs in 3.1 innings. The Yankees’ bat almost staged a comeback with a four-run ninth, but they fell short 9-7.
The pitching may not be the problem today with ace Gerrit Cole on the mound. He hasn't been great at home season with a 5.01 ERA, but he's allowed just three earned runs with 12 strikeouts against Baltimore this season.
The Orioles need to win out in order to take the American League East. The chances are unlikely, but not impossible. The team has a ton of power. They used it on Tuesday with three home runs, but on Wednesday they didn't send any over the wall and still put up nine runs.
They may not need an enormous offensive output with Corbin Burnes on the mound. He's coming in with 14 straight scoreless innings. He's 3-1 with a 1.08 ERA in September.
We’ve seen offense the last two games, but look for the reversal tonight in a battle between their clubs’ best hurlers.
Pick: Under 7.5 Runs (-110)
Kansas City Royals (-175) at Washington Nationals (+145) | O/U 8 (-118/-102)
Adding a third Wild Card has made these races even more exciting as we enter the final week. In both leagues, we have three teams fighting for two spots, and it's anyone's race.
The Royals are tied with the Tigers for the second and third spot, but the Twins are only two games behind. The Royals will try to complete the sweep of the Nationals with Michael Wacha getting the ball. He's been excellent throughout the season but even better recently with a 1.99 ERA in his last four starts.
It's the end of the era tonight; this could be the last start for Patrick Corbin in a Nationals uniform. He had a fantastic 2019 season, and it looked like money well spent, but he drastically plummeted. Since 2020, he's 33-70, the most losses in that span. He also allowed 461 earned runs during that span, which is also the most.
The Royals should pull out the brooms in a big way.
Pick: Royals -1.5 (-102)
Make sure to check out our other best bets for Thursday: