MLB picks: Twins vs. Mariners, Phillies vs. Dodgers

We crunched the numbers and came up with Wednesday’s wisest available wagers on the diamond!

Leading off will be our look at a matchup between the Minnesota Twins and the Seattle Mariners. Then we’ll discuss a late-night clash between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Minnesota Twins (26-41) at Seattle Mariners (34-35), 10:10 p.m. ET

The Twins should ride rookie starter Bailey Ober to an early lead on the road against the Mariners on Wednesday night.

Ober owns a 3.00 ERA over his first two outings of June. In just nine innings of work, Ober struck out 11 batters while walking only one. He’ll face a Seattle offense that’s 22nd in runs per game while recording the fourth-most strikeouts in the majors.

Justus Sheffield responds for the Mariners, and his season ERA rose to 4.91 after allowing three runs in four innings of work against the Detroit Tigers last Thursday. He’s allowed a pair of homers in each of his last two starts, and that spells trouble as Sheffield faces a Minnesota lineup that’s second in baseball in home runs hit in 2021.

Bettors would be smart to factor the bullpens out, as these relief units each rank in the bottom third by ERA over the last two weeks.

MLB pick: Twins -130 (first five innings)

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Philadelphia Phillies (32-33) at Los Angeles Dodgers (41-26), 10:10 p.m. ET

Two outstanding starters should combine for plenty of zeroes on Wednesday night as the Phillies visit the Dodgers.

Zack Wheeler gets the nod for Philadelphia, and his complete-game shutout of the Milwaukee Brewers on May 6 jumpstarted a sensational run for him. Over his last seven efforts, Wheeler’s ERA is 1.39.

Wheeler is backed by a Phillies bullpen that’s eighth by ERA over the last two weeks (3.53).

Clayton Kershaw counters for L.A., and after recording two straight subpar performances of five runs allowed over six innings, he rebounded by blanking the Texas Rangers over six frames last Friday. Opponents are batting just .196 against Kershaw in 44 innings of work at home this year.

Like it has for most of 2021, the Dodgers’ bullpen has been reliable over the last two weeks. That unit has authored a 3.72 ERA, 10th in the majors in that span. The L.A. pitching staff could see a diminished Phillies lineup due to injuries to Bryce Harper and Jean Segura. 

MLB pick: Under