MLB Best Bets | Moneyline Picks & Predictions (8/3)
Getty Images. Pictured: Ketel Marte.
There's a full slate of MLB action on Saturday, and our staff of baseball betting experts have three MLB Best Bets for Saturday, August 3, including three moneyline picks and predictions for Cardinals vs Cubs, Brewers vs Nationals, and Diamondbacks vs Pirates.
MLB Best Bets | Moneyline Picks & Predictions (8/3)
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our MLB betting staff is targeting from the Saturday slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific MLB best bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 4:05 p.m. | |
  | 6:40 p.m. | |
  | 2:20 p.m. | |
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. | ||
Greg Liodice's Cardinals vs Cubs MLB Best Bet
Cardinals vs Cubs Betting Preview & Prediction
By Greg Liodice
The Chicago Cubs are certainly feeling their oats, after wins in three straight, as well as five of their last seven games.
It’s almost as if the Cubbies are the St. Louis Cardinals’ kryptonite. Both teams squared off for a four game series earlier last month, and even though they split the series, Chicago dominated play for the most part.
Since then, it’s been hard to get a full grip on the Cards this season, as any momentum they build gets shut down from a clunker or two. Now they stand two games over .500 and three games out of the final Wild Card spot.
St. Louis rolls out Kyle Gibson, who is due for some positive regression. The 11-year veteran hasn’t won a game since July 7, including a rough outing against Washington, where he neglected to strike anyone out for the first time all season.
Gibson relies heavily on his Sinker and Sweeper which makes up for nearly 50% of his pitches, and possesses a solid Whiff%.
For Chicago, Jameson Taillon, who's had an exceptional season, takes the mound. However, Taillon seems to be on the downslope after getting mauled by the Reds last Thursday.
One aspect that makes Taillon’s game so effective is his ability to limit walks – placing in the 90th percentile in BB%. Conversely, he’s not very good at striking out opposing batters. His K% ranks in the 26th percentile, and his Whiff% is among the worst.
St. Louis has managed to get exceptional production out of Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt as of late – two key members who stumbled out the gate. With those two finding their mojo, along with the addition of Tommy Pham, I expect the Cards to come out of this game on top and get the best of Taillon.
Pick: Cardinals ML (+100)
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Tony Sartori's Brewers vs Nationals MLB Best Bet
Brewers vs Nationals Betting Preview & Prediction
By Tony Sartori
I think that the Nats are live dogs in this spot, primarily due to the pitching matchup. Milwaukee hands the ball to Aaron Civale, while Washington returns with DJ Herz.
This season, Herz outranks Civale in ERA, WHIP, xwOBA, xBA, xSLG, hard-hit rate, strikeout rate and walk rate. Obviously, the hitting edge goes to the Brewers, which is why they are favored in this spot.
However, this current Nationals lineup boasts a dominating .417 BA, .750 SLG and .524 wOBA through 14 combined career plate appearances against Civale. Finally, Milwaukee has lost in three of Civale's past four starts.
Pick: Nationals ML (+115)
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William Boor's Diamondbacks vs Pirates MLB Best Bet
Diamondbacks vs Pirates Betting Preview & Prediction
By William Boor
Jordan Montgomery's numbers aren't pretty, but a closer look at his splits shows why there may be some value in this number.
The 31-year-old lefty is 7-5 with a 6.51 ERA over 15 starts this season. Yikes.
However, that includes an awful 8.39 ERA over nine home starts. On the road, Montgomery has fared much better. He's 4-2 with a 4.37 ERA over six road starts and while those numbers aren't elite, his past two road starts — during which he struck out seven, walked two and gave up three runs over 11 innings — have been pretty good.
It's also important to note that those two starts came against good teams — the Phillies and Royals.
Backing Montgomery isn't the easiest thing to stomach, but it helps that the D'backs' offense has been mashing the ball. Arizona has won all four series since the All-Star Break and has scored at least five runs in nine of 13 games since the break.
I can't ignore the fact that Mitch Keller has pitched well this season and has surrendered just three runs over 14 innings in his past two starts. However, one of those starts was against the Diamondbacks and while Keller limited Arizona to two runs over seven innings, it's hard to beat a team twice in quick succession.
Arizona can use that familiarity to its advantage and at plus money, I'm willing to take a shot on the Diamondbacks.
Pick: Diamonbacks ML (+102 | Play to -110)
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