We have a 16-game slate today, thanks to a Tigers vs. Orioles doubleheader. We start early with Pirates vs. Blue Jays at 12:15 p.m. ET at Rogers Centre in Toronto, and finish the day with Rangers vs. Angels at 7:20 p.m. ET at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Sunday Night Baseball.
Our experts have analyzed the matchups and found great options for Sunday, May 24.
Below are 4 expert MLB best bets today.
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 |
|---|---|---|
  | 12:35 PM | |
  | 1:35 PM | |
  | 4:10 PM | |
  | 7:20 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. | ||
Pirates vs Blue Jays Best Bet
By Tony Sartori
Right-hander Mitch Keller has been fantastic for the Pirates this season. Through 10 starts, he is 4-2 with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP.
The Pirates’ success at the plate could continue against right-hander Dylan Cease, who is coming off his worst outing of the year.
Cease’s struggles against this current Pittsburgh roster could be a key reason this game remains close. On the other hand, Keller has been a reliable option for the Pirates this season.
When factoring in a Pittsburgh lineup that ranks ahead of Toronto’s in most major hitting categories, it is worth backing the +1.5 run line.
Pick: Pirates +1.5 (-165 or Better)
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Rays vs Yankees Best Bet
By Sean Paul
Some pitchers have residency over a certain team — and Drew Rasmussen is leaving rent-free in the Bronx. The Rays ace owns a 1.03 ERA in 51 innings through seven outings against the Bronx Bombers, including a six-inning scoreless outing in April.
In 2026, Rasmussen owns a strong 3.19 ERA with a 3.39 xERA and a 3.74 FIP. Plus, the Rays' offense is defying all the odds of modern-day baseball. They have a 113 wRC+ in May, good for 5th, but are in the bottom five in runs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">homers with 14.
Looking to keep Tampa at bay is Ryan Weathers, who's off to a strong maiden season in the Bronx. He's one of the premier strikeout artists in the American League, punching out 10.91 per nine. He averages 96 mph on his fastball and throws a mean sweeper used to put hitters away.
Will that be as effective against a Rays squad that doesn't swing and miss? We'll see. I imagine Weathers will need to use his sinker more to get quick outs.
Just stringing together five runs in a game feels like a chore for the Yankees. In their last 12 games, they rank 20th with a 93 wRC+. They still rank in the top five in wRC+ this month, but this cold stretch is concerning.
In all, the Yankees will get on track soon. I just think the Rays have no business coming into this game as an underdog. Rasmussen is a stud pitcher who dominates the Yankees, and the Rays have their number so far in 2026.
Pick: Rays Moneyline (+100 or Better)
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Athletics vs Padres Best Bet
By Ryan Minion
The Padres will host the Athletics on Sunday afternoon in the last of a three-game set at Petco Park in San Diego.
Right-hander Michael King will take the mound for the Friars, with 28-year-old lefty Jacob Lopez expected to be on the bump for the visiting Athletics.
Across Lopez’s first ten outings in 2026, the Athletics’ left-hander has recorded a whopping 6.14 ERA to go along with an equally poor 1.80 WHIP thus far.
On the other hand, the Padres’ 30-year-old right-hander is having a phenomenal 2026 campaign thus far, as King currently ranks inside the top-10 in baseball with an impressive 2.31 ERA over his first ten starts of the season.
In an interleague clash in which the home Friars have a massive advantage in the pitching department, I feel great backing the Padres on their first-five (F5) moneyline as I expect King to build upon his elite 2026 form.
I will also be looking to take advantage of the Padres' favorable edge in Sunday’s contest by backing their 27-year-old superstar, Fernando Tatis Jr., to find success at the plate versus Lopez.
While Lopez’s four-seam fastball is quite effective versus lefties, he has consistently given up a disproportionately high hard-hit rate to right-handed power hitters.
That said, I favor backing Fernando to exceed his 1.5 HRR mark in a game I expect the Friars to have runners on the basepaths quite frequently.
Pick: Padres F5 ML / Fernando Tatis Over 1.5 Hits+Runs+RBIs (+134)
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Rangers vs Angels Best Bet
I like going with Under 8 in this matchup between the Rangers and Angels. Both MacKenzie Gore and Reid Detmers deserve better results than their surface stats.
Both Gore (3.96 xERA) and Detmers (3.22 xERA) have expected metrics that are better than their actual numbers.
On top of that, it's a good matchup for Detmers, as the Rangers are one of the worst teams in MLB against lefties, registering an 82 wRC+, which is tied for 26th in MLB.
When you add in the fact that Gore went eight strong innings in his last full outing (he left early last turn vs the Rockies), this feels like a good spot for a lower-scoring game than expected.
Pick: Under 8 (-105, FanDuel)
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