As usual, Sunday’s MLB slate features an early start. 11 contests will start between 1:10 p.m. and 2:20 p.m. ET, followed by a three-game afternoon slate at 4:05 p.m. ET. The action wraps up with a Sunday Night Baseball showdown between the resurgent Cardinals and MLB-best Phillies.

It’s been a pretty good week for the picks column, so let’s look to wrap things up on a high note. Let’s dive into some of my favorite options for Sunday’s slate.

MLB Bets Today – Picks for Sunday, June 2

Tampa Bay Rays ML at Baltimore Orioles (+120; DraftKings)

The Rays have had a slightly disappointing start to the season, winning just 28 of their first 59 games. Their run differential is the fifth-worst in baseball – better than only the A’s, Marlins, Rockies, and White Sox – so it’s hard to get too excited about them at the moment.

However, I like their pitching matchup on Sunday. They’re facing Cole Irvin, who has been one of the luckiest pitchers in the league this season. His ERA sits at 2.84, but his xERA is all the way up at 4.32. He’s thrived due to a .275 BABIP and a 76.3% strand rate, both of which seem due for regression moving forward.

On the other side, Zach Littell has been very reliable for the Rays. His 3.36 xERA ranks in the 72nd percentile, thanks in part to his pinpoint control. His walk rate is a sparkling 3.8%, while his Location+ ranks 10th among qualified starters.

The Orioles are undoubtedly the better team, but with these pitchers on the mound, I think this contest is much closer to a coin flip. I’ll take my chances with the underdogs.

Detroit Tigers-Boston Red Sox Under 9.0 (-110; FanDuel)

I got hooked by these teams on Saturday, combining for nine runs on an 8.5-run total. That said, I remain undeterred. I’m going right back to the well on Sunday, this time with a full nine-run total.

Both of these squads will have appealing pitchers on the bump. Brayan Bello will get the ball for the Red Sox, and he profiles as a future ace. His 2024 production leaves a bit to be desired, but he is generating ground balls at an elite rate (54.0%; 90th percentile).

Casey Mize is another pitcher with an elite pedigree. He was the No. 30 prospect in baseball back in 2021, and he posted a 3.71 ERA in his debut season. He’s yet to duplicate that success since, but his stuff is still excellent: He’s 26th in Stuff+ among starters with at least 40 innings.

Ultimately, I expect both pitchers to have the upper hand in this matchup. I’d play under 9.0 up to -120 and under 8.5 at even money or better.

More MLB Bets for Sunday, June 2

Diamondbacks-Mets Under 8.5 (-112)

The Mets and Diamondbacks have had their offenses working the past two days, with both teams erupting for a 10-run outing. However, these offenses are still pretty underwhelming overall. Brandon Pfaadt is a pitcher who stands out as severely undervalued at the moment, while Jose Quintana is also capable of keeping runs off the scoreboard. 

Nationals ML at Guardians (+132)

The Guardians continue to win games, but I think they’re at a solid pitching disadvantage on Sunday. They’ll send Carlos Carrasco to the mound, who is one of the worst starters in baseball. He owns a 5.16 ERA and a 5.04 xERA, both of which are significantly worse than opposing starter Jake Irvin. That said, the Guardians will have the edge when this game goes to the bullpens, so you might be better off looking at the first five moneyline instead (not available at the time of writing).

2024 MLB Bets Record

  • Yesterday: 2-1 w/ one pending (+0.45 units)
  • Season: 113-124-6 (-13.265 units)

All bets are based on half units unless stated otherwise.