Free MLB Picks Today – Four MLB Games Predictions for 8/9/2023

Tony Mejia drops FOUR free MLB Picks for 8/9/2023. Visit Tony’s expert profile now! You can also find free MLB picks across Wagertalk’s experts all year long.

Check out Tony Mejia’s free picks and THEN buy his amazing 3 DAY PASS for MLB.

Buy Tony’s 3 DAY FULL PASS for MLB Today

Matt Olson of Braves celebrates home run — ATLANTA, GA – JUNE 11: Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson #28 celebrates with Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley #27 and Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. #13 after hitting a home run during the MLB game between the Washington Nationals and the Atlanta Braves on June 11, 2023 at TRUIST Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire)

The Pulse: Daily MLB Betting Picks for Wednesday, August 9

Braves at Pirates Prediction

BRAVES (-290) at PIRATES (+235), 7:05 p.m. ET, Total: 9.5

Pittsburgh was one out away from an upset of the Braves, but All-Star closer David Bednar blew his second save in three chances in an eventual 8-6 loss. Kevin Pillar and Orlando Arcia delivered the big hits against Bednar to help avoid a fourth straight loss. Atlanta has now seen four straight games go to the over, The high side is 7-3 in the Pirates’ last 10. 22-year old rookie Quinn Priester (2-1, 8.69 ERA) looks to help the team pick themselves up and win the series but hasn’t proven he belongs at this level yet despite the fact Pittsburgh has won in three of his four starts. He’s had a 13:11 strikeout-to-walk ratio thus far and comes off his shortest start, working four innings in Milwaukee. In what ended up being an 8-4 win. The Pirates have scored 23 runs in Priester’s last three starts.

Atlanta’s Max Fried (3-1, 1.69) returned after missing three months with a forearm strain and gave up just three singles over six innings in an 8-0 win over the Cubs on Aug. 4. He can definitely be an x-factor down the stretch for a team that already has baseball’s best record, coming into this game at 71-40 while currently owning the best odds to win the World Series at DraftKings (+320). Fried has held current Pirates to a .255 average (12-for-47) with a home run hit by Jack Suwinski. Bryan Reynolds has gone 5-for-14 (.357) with a double. Fried beat the Pirates twice last season, allowing two runs over 14 innings and striking out 15 while walking only one batter. Atlanta is 4-0 in his road starts this season.

THE PLAY – Braves Player Prop Pick

Matt Olson is making a run at NL MVP, narrowing the gap on teammate Ronald Acuna, Jr. Olson has hit safely in 12 of 13 games, hit .325 in July and is hitting .333 so far this month. He’s homered six times over his last nine games and should have a favorable matchup against a young righty in Priester. Ride Atlanta’s Matt Olson to top his runs + hits + RBI prop.

Astros at Orioles Prediction

ASTROS (+110) at ORIOLES (-120), 7:05 p.m. ET, Total: 9

The Orioles and Astros are playing one of the more attractive series going off this week, pitting two of the AL’s top teams against one another. Game 1 lived up to billing, as the O’s looked like they were going to take down Houston ace Framber Valdez, taking a 6-2 lead into the eighth before their talented bullpen imploded. Closer Felix Bautista, who had converted 10 straight save opportunities, winning another three games since June 25, gave up four runs in two-thirds of an inning on a Kyle Tucker grand slam. He hadn’t surrendered a run in 14 straight appearances not counting the All-Star Game and has a legitimate shot at winning the Cy Young Award, so the rough night at the office was most certainly an aberration.

Jack Flaherty (8-6, 4.28) will look to help the Birds bounce back in his second start since being acquired from St. Louis. He pitched six innings of one-run ball in his first outing with Baltimore, winning a 6-1 decision in Toronto. He’ll be making his first ever start at Camden Yards. Current Astros are 1-for-13 against Flaherty, with Jose Abreu owning the only hit, a three-run homer. Houston will counter with Cristian Javier (7-2, 4.39) had a 6.86 ERA in July and couldn’t get through five frames in Thursday’s 4-3 loss to the Yankees. The Astros have fallen in his last three starts. The Orioles are just 4-for-28 (.143) against Javier, who allowed just one hit over six innings in his lone start at Camden Yards last season . Ryan Mountcastle, who has been on a tear, is just 1-for-5 with three strikeouts against Javier.

THE PLAY – Astros Player Prop Pick

Reigning World Series MVP Jeremy Pena is starting to warm up and went 3-for-4 with a key RBI to aid Tuesday’s comeback. He’s hit safely in nine of his last 13 contests and now has six multi-hit games in that span. Ride the over on Astros SS Jeremy Pena’s runs, hits and RBI prop..

Blue Jays at Guardians Prediction

BLUE JAYS (-150) at GUARDIANS (+130), 7:10 p.m. ET, Total: 8

The Guardians need a big week as they look to chase down the Twins in the AL Central, pulling within 4.5 games on the strength of a 1-0 win over the Blue Jays. Tanner Bibee won a pitcher’s duel over Yusei Kikuchi and Emmanuel Clase got out of a ninth-inning jam to snap a three-game skid. Cleveland had lost six of seven and fell 3-1 in Monday’s series opener, so their season-long offensive woes continued. Newly acquired Ramon Laureano drove in the lone run and will be key over the next few months if the Guardians are to reach the postseason. Rookie lefty Logan Allen (5-4, 3.65) has been a bright spot and Cleveland has won eight of the last 10 games he’s pitched, which includes beating the White Sox last Friday with a quality start that snapped a rough run in July upon coming off the injured list. This will be Toronto’s first look at him. The Jays rank ninth in baseball in OPS against lefties but are tied for last with Cleveland and Miami in homers against southpaws.

Toronto will send its top starter, Kevin Gausman (8-6, 3.20), to the mound and continues to lead the AL in strikeouts (177), owning a four K edge on Minnesota’s Pablo Lopez. Despite him continuing to sport a high whiff rate and allowing three or fewer runs in seven of his last eight outings, the Blue Jays are 1-5 in his last six starts since June 27. He comes off his second-shortest start of 2023, getting through just 4.1 innings in a 6-1 home loss to Baltimore in which he gave up three runs on eight hits. Jose Ramirez (4-for-17) has a quarter of Cleveland’s hits against Gausman, while newly acquired Kole Calhoun (9-for-26) has had the most success against the Blue Jays righty, owning a homer against the strikeout artist.

THE PLAY – Blue Jays at Guardians F5 Total Bet

Gausman should bounce back from his rough start against the Orioles, while Allen is likely to handle a Blue Jays team seeing him for the first time that doesn’t pack a lot of pop against lefties. Ride the first-five under in this contest, taking the bullpens out of the equation.

Dodgers at Diamondbacks Prediction

DODGERS (-130) at DIAMONDBACKS (+110), 9:40 p.m. ET, Total: 9

It got dicey, but the Dodgers held on for a 5-4 win in Phoenix in the series opener of a game they led wire-to-wire. L.A. has now won eight of 10 and is 10 games up on the fading Diamondbacks, who have now dropped seven consecutive games and have fallen back down to .500 (57-57). All isn’t lost just yet, but the offense has really sputtered of late, which in addition to the team’s bullpen struggles, have caused the team to fall out of even a Wild Card spot after leading the NL West for most of the season’s first few months. Merrill Kelly (9-5, 3.21) missed most of July but has pitched well in his last three starts, being victimized by a lack of run support since the Snakes have managed just five runs over his last thee outings. He’s racked up 20 strikeouts over the last 17 innings, giving up six runs. This will be Kelly’s third start against the Dodgers, but he hasn’t faced them since March 31 and April 6, allowing two earned runs in 9.1 innings. Current L.A. hitters are 57-for-186 (.306) against Kelly, with Freddie Freeman (7-for-21, 1 HR), Mookie Betts (7-for-27, 3 HRs), Will Smith (8-for-25, 1 HR) and Max Muncy (12-for-30, 1 HR) all having some success over the years.

Rookie Bobby Miller (6 -2, 4.26) will look to close out a two-game sweep for the Dodgers as they look to continue their run as the NL’s hottest team. He’s had some rocky starts after a brilliant to open his career and comes off his shortest outing, working just 3.2 innings in a 10-5 win in San Diego. Miller was still in the minors when these teams got together early in the season, so the Diamondbacks will be seeing him for the first time. Miller has an excellent 31:4 strikeout-to-walk ratio over his last six starts, four of which have come on the road. Miller is 4-0 in road games, coming in with a 2.61 ERA outside Dodger Stadium. The under has connected in 10 of the last 11 games involving Arizona.

THE PLAY – Dodgers Player Prop Pick

Freddie Freeman’s batting average is up to .343 following Tuesday’s 3-for-5 effort and there’s no reason to believe he’ll slow down against Kelly. Freeman is 20-for-38 (.526) over his last nine games and has plenty of opportunities to drive in runs since Mookie Betts is on a 15-game hitting streak at the top of the lineup. He’s scored in seven of eight games this month and has hit safely in eight of nine contests. Ride Dodgers 1B Freddie Freeman to again top his runs + hits + RBI prop.

Looking for more free sports picks and sports betting tips?

Latest Betting Odds and Public Action: Vegas lines updated in real time, including who the public is betting on.

Last Minute Handicapping Advice: Check out our extensive library of handicapping tips and advice from professional Vegas handicappers (we also recommend taking the time to look over our sports betting tips video library)