MLB · 3 weeks ago

MLB Best Bets Today: Friday’s Top 2 Betting Picks (August 15)

Gabriel Santiago

Host · Writer

MLB Best Bets Today: Friday’s Top 2 Betting Picks (August 15)

There is no stopping us now. The MLB season and summer are fully underway, meaning there are betting opportunities every day between now and October. We’ve got you covered for Friday’s baseball schedule!

Where to Watch Detroit Tigers vs. Minnesota Twins

Ballpark: Target Field
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Where to Watch: FDSNDT, MNNT
Time: 8:10 p.m. ET
Spread: DET -1.5 (+125) | Total: 9.5 (+100/-122)
Moneyline: DET -132 | MIN +112

After finding betting success here yesterday, I’m looking at Game 2 between the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins at Target Field. On Friday, the projected starters are fellow righties Charlie Morton and Pierson Ohl.

Morton and Ohl are not the most dominant of pitchers in 2025, but let the record reflect that Minnesota and Detroit have faced off in 10 previous head-to-head games this season. Of that crop, these sides have failed to reach tonight’s set total of 9.5 runs seven times. More precisely, in four prior games at Target Field between the Tigers and Twins, the average offensive output has been 7.5 combined runs.

Detroit’s lineup is currently tagged with a .737 OPS, which ranks 10th in Major League Baseball. Further down at 20th overall, Minnesota has earned a .706 OPS. The Twins have been particularly poor at the plate over their past few outings; they haven’t scored more than four runs in a single contest since last weekend. Also, they are slashing .200/.253/.333 throughout their most recent seven games.

This specific series between AL Central foes has not been the most explosive, so I challenge these lineups to produce 10 combined runs. Until that happens, and just like Thursday, I am on the under for Tigers-Twins.

Best Bet: Under 9.5 (-122)

Where to Watch San Diego Padres vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Ballpark: Dodger Stadium
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Where to Watch: SDPA, SNLA, MLBN
Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
Spread: LAD -1.5 (+110) | Total: 9.5 (+102/-124)
Moneyline: SD +154 | LAD -184

On Friday, the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers are entering their most pivotal series of the season (to this point). Southpaw Clayton Kershaw will get the ball at Chavez Ravine while San Diego has yet to name a starting arm.

The Padres presently hold a one-game lead over Los Angeles in the NL West. San Diego has every intention of winning their first division title since 2006, but that will obviously be easier said than done. Still, the Friars arrive at Dodger Stadium on a five-game winning streak. Meanwhile, the Boys in Blue have lost four consecutive contests.

Kershaw has been solid in 2025. His current strikeout rate (15.5%) is nothing like what it used to be, but his 3.79 FIP is impressive. He’ll clash with a Friars lineup that hits lefties well; San Diego is batting .250 (.691 OPS) in the split this year.

The Padres have been the much hotter ball club at the plate, slashing .272/.374/.408 over their last six outings. Los Angeles has pop, but its seven-day team batting average is the same as its seasonal mark: .255.

San Diego has not announced Friday’s probable pitcher at the time of authorship, but it should be noted that they boast the top bullpen (2.97 ERA) in the Majors.

With the Padres returning to Southern California from the Bay Area after an off day, I love their moneyline price of +154 odds tonight. It will be an adversarial environment, but “Slam" Diego is rolling right now — that presents authentic betting value, in my eyes.