Read below for our 3 MLB Best Bets Today for Friday, September 18, including picks for Cubs vs Reds (6:40 PM ET, Wrigley Field), Nationals vs Cardinals (8:15 PM ET, Busch Stadium), and Yankees vs Diamondbacks (9:40 PM ET, Chase Field).
MLB Best Bets Today
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our MLB betting staff is targeting from today's slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 6:40 PM | |
  | 8:15 PM | |
  | 9:40 PM | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our MLB Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Tanner McGrath's Cubs vs Reds Best Bet
Our own Sean Zerillo projects some value on the Under 8.5 in this game.
If you'd like to dive deeper into the matchup, we reccomend checking out BARTOLO, our new Action PRO baseball betting tool giving you live access to all the data we use to project MLB games every day.
Here's what BARTOLO spits out for Cubs-Reds:
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Pick: Under 8.5 (-120 or Better)
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Kev Mahserejian's Nationals vs Cardinals Best Bet
Cade Cavalli is having a spectacular breakout season. His 3.12 ERA and peripheral stats this year are excellent, but his stretch since striking out 13 batters in Boston on June 30 may have elevated him to a top-tier starter.
Cavalli since June 30: 81 1/3 IP, 2.21 ERA, 2.80 xERA, 3.13 FIP, 2.38 xFIP, 54.9% GB, 27.5% K-BB
These are numbers a fantasy baseball player would desire from a first-round pick at SP. The Nationals have developed their former first-round pick into a star, and he continues to shine. Cavalli is not only posting elite rate stats, but he is pitching deep into games. Eighteen of Cavalli's 31 starts have gone at least six innings. 12 of these 18 have come since his June 30 domination.
Meanwhile, opposing starter Kyle Leahy is having a breakout of his own since mid-June.
Leahy since June 18: 71 IP, 2.15 ERA, 3.21 xERA, 2.46 FIP, 2.93 xFIP, 46.8% GB, 22.6% K-BB
These numbers are roughly on par with Cavalli. However, Leahy has not thrown five innings in a game since August 18, with his last six-inning start coming on July 31. The 29-year-old SP only threw 88 IP last season and is up to 135 in 2026. St. Louis is limiting Leahy's innings after losing ground in the NL playoff race.
Washington's offense (100 wRC+) is better than the Cardinals' this season (94 wRC+) against RHP, and their bullpens have been similar over the past two weeks. Furthermore, the Cardinals' overall offensive advantage in the past month has dwindled in the past two weeks. The Nationals' pitching advantage, with Cavalli possibly doubling Leahy's innings for the day, puts them ahead.
Read all of Kev's best bets for Friday on today's edition of The Leadoff:
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Pick: Nationals ML (-110 or Better)
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Grant Neiffer's Yankees vs Diamondbacks Best Bet
The odds are a bit too high on Ketel Marte today given the spot.
Gerrit Cole is still a good pitcher, but he's struggled heavily with lefty power, allowing a large 1.69 HR/9 this season.
Marte hasn't been great recently, but the power is still there and I have the true odds on this home run prop around +520.
Pick: Ketel Marte home Run (+600 or Better)
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