MLB Wild Card Odds, Picks & Predictions: Tuesday (10/1)
We have reached October postseason baseball. The MLB has four games set up, and we have teams we didn’t predict in April would be here, but they have a chance as any other to win the World Series.
Let's dive into our top MLB Wild Card Round picks for Tuesday, October 1.
Join our new MLB Betting Group to share bets and compete in leaderboards >>
Tuesday's Best MLB Picks
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Detroit Tigers (+130) at Houston Astros (-155) | O/U 6.5 (-102/-118)
The Tigers are one of the most unlikely teams to reach the playoffs in a long time. They were sellers at the playoffs, but that didn't mean they sold off the season. They would become one of the best teams, having had a league-best 31-12 record since August 11. They did it with that pitching staff, as their 2.72 ERA led the league during that time.
Tarik Skubal has led this staff as he will earn the American League Cy Young award, going 18-4 with a 2.39 ERA and 0.92 WHIP. You hope he can perform better than the last time he pitched at Minute Maid Park, where he allowed four earned over 6.1 innings in a loss.
The Yankees swept the Astros in a four-game series at home, and it was the start to a 33-40 record and ten games out of first. They would reestablish themselves while the Mariners faltered, and they would win the American League West.
We already know how much talent they have in the lineup. They were third in batting average (.265) and fourth in on-base percentage (.325), and this has carried them in past playoff experiences. While the pitching struggled early, they turned it around and were third in ERA in the second half of last season (3.34).
Framer Valdez had another fantastic season with the second-most single wins (15) and ERA (2.91) and was consistent, as was a time when some of the rotation wasn't.
The status of Yordan Alvarez is huge as he's been out with a knee sprain since September 22. That will impact their lineup and the game as a whole, but there's a reason why this is a low total, and we could see little scoring in the first game
Pick: Under 6.5 Total Runs (-118)
Kansas City Royals (+136) at Baltimore Orioles (-162) | O/U 7 (+102/-122)
The Royals were also a surprise as they went from last in the AL Central in 2023 to a playoff spot. The pitching struggled last year with a 5.17 ERA (28th) and vastly improved with a 3.76 ERA (9th). The offense did the same, going from 4.17 runs scored per game (25th) to 4.54 (13th).
After being subpar for the Rangers, Cole Ragans has been an excellent pickup for the Royals. This season, he had a career-high 11 wins and his first All-Star selection.
The Orioles had a fantastic first half and looked like they could win the AL East by going 58-38, but they finished the rest of the season 33-33 and now must play in the first round. This team will rely on their power bats as they led the league with the Yankees in home run rate (3.8%) and third in slugging (.435).
If they get deeper into the series, the back of the rotation could be a problem, as they've been unreliable all season. The top of the rotation is solid, with Corbin Burnes as the ace. He feels like a steal of a trade for Baltimore as he had a career-high 15 wins, a 2.94 ERA, and fourth-straight All-Star appearances.
Ragans hasn’t had success against the O’s this year allowing eight runs in 10 innings. Baltimore will grab Game 1.
Pick: Orioles Moneyline (-162)