MLB · 3 weeks ago

MLB Best Bets Today: Wednesday’s Top 2 Betting Picks (August 13)

Gabriel Santiago

Host · Writer

‌

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 Wednesday’s baseball schedule!

Where to Watch Chicago Cubs vs. Toronto Blue Jays

Ballpark: Rogers Centre
Location: Toronto, ON
Where to Watch: Sportsnet, MARQ
Time: 7:07 p.m. ET
Spread: TOR -1.5 (+152) | Total: 8.5 (-115/-105)
Moneyline: CHC +116 | TOR -134

Note: All odds are subject to change after article publication. Get the most up-to-date odds here.

In what could be a 2025 World Series preview, the Chicago Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays will play their second bid of a three-game set on Wednesday. The projected starters at Rogers Centre are RHPs Kevin Gausman and Cade Horton.

On Tuesday, the Blue Jays got the better of Chicago’s National League franchise, 5-1. That marked Toronto as the first American League team to reach 70 wins this year. Much of that is due to dominant results at home. Presently, the Jays are 39-19 (.672) when playing in Canada.

The Cubs are arguably the best second-place squad in baseball, boasting a +113 run differential on August 13. However, Chicago has dropped back-to-back games while also losing six of their past 10. The Cubbies have also seen a dip offensively. Over the last two weeks, they are hitting .230 as a team (down from .253 on the year).

Horton has been solid for Chi-Town in the current campaign. He is tagged with a 4.46 skill-interactive ERA (SIERA) throughout 14 starts. Still, Gausman shows a sharp 3.83 SIERA in addition to a 3.67 FIP.

My lean here is on the Blue Jays to keep it rolling at home. With the Cubs’ lineup working through some kinks, I like Toronto to grab the win.

Best Bet: Blue Jays ML (-134)

Where to Watch Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Los Angeles Angels

Ballpark: Angel Stadium
Location: Anaheim, CA
Where to Watch: SNLA, FDSNW
Time: 9:38 p.m. ET
Spread: LAD -1.5 (-126) | Total: 9.5 (-102/-120)
Moneyline: LAD -205 | LAA +172

Wednesday will round out the 2025 Freeway Series, which means one final clash for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels. On the bump, we’ll see veteran righties Shohei Ohtani and Kyle Hendricks.

Notably, the Halos have won all five head-to-head matchups with the Boys in Blue. In that split, the Angels have outscored the Dodgers, 37-25. However, it would be unwise to assume the defending champions are taking that lightly.

Ohtani will get the baseball at Angel Stadium for the first time in nearly two years. It remains unknown how many innings he’ll throw but Ohtani has held opposing hitters to a .189 BA/.578 OPS over 47 total games pitched in Anaheim. Meanwhile, Hendricks is operating with a 1.23 WHIP for his first season with the Angels, but several of the Dodgers’ star players have great numbers against him.

Even when slumping, the Dodgers still possess one of the top lineups in the Majors. Their .774 team OPS is still the top mark in the Senior Circuit (compared to the Halos at .7115 OPS). The champs are poised to bounce back in Orange County, so I’ll be taking Dodgers -1.5.