The start of a new week brings with it the start of a bunch of new MLB matchups. We’re approximately 10 games into the year, and there have already been a bunch of surprises. The NL Central – widely considered one of the worst in baseball – has five teams at .500 or better. The only other teams in the NL above .500 are the Braves and Dodgers.

Meanwhile, the Yankees, Red Sox, and Guardians have jumped out in front in the American League, while teams like the Astros, Mariners, and Twins all have losing records. There’s still plenty of time for these squads to change their fate, but it’s not where they wanted to be after their first three series.

Monday’s slate is nearly full, with 13 different games to choose from. Let’s dive into a few of my favorite bets.

MLB Bets Today – Monday, April 8

Miami Marlins ML at New York Yankees (+130; Caesars)

Almost nothing has gone right for the Marlins to start the year. They have the worst record in the league at just 1-9, and blossoming star pitcher Eury Perez was ruled out for the season to undergo Tommy John surgery. After qualifying for the playoffs in 2023, they’re going to have a long, uphill battle to get back in the race in 2024.

Things aren’t going to get any easier vs. the Yankees, who are 8-2 to start the year. However, the Marlins will have their best pitcher on the mound in Jesus Luzardo. Luzardo is a former top prospect who broke out over the past two seasons, posting a 3.55 FIP in 2023 and a 3.12 FIP in 2022. He hasn’t been the same pitcher so far this year, but I’m trusting the long-term results and pedigree.

The Yankees have also struggled to hit left-handers to start the year. They’re just 18th in wRC+ vs. southpaws, but they’re sixth against traditional pitchers.

On the other side, the Yankees will hand the ball to Nestor Cortes, who has been roughed up through his first two starts. He owns a 6.30 ERA, and his 4.72 xERA puts the Yankees at a pitching disadvantage in this matchup.

I think the Marlins are live dogs in this matchup. I’d play them to +125.

Philadelphia Phillies ML at St. Louis Cardinals (-105; Caesars)

I couldn’t be much lower on the Cardinals than I am right now. They’re built around a pair of aging superstars in Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, and their pitching staff is highly suspect.

Monday’s starter, Miles Mikolas, is the perfect candidate to pick on. He’s been an All-Star twice, but he’s never been a dominant starting pitcher. He’s always outperformed his peripherals, and regression has hit over the past few years. He slipped to a 4.78 ERA in 2023, and he’s pitched to a 6.10 ERA through two starts this season.

Spencer Turnbull doesn’t have the same track record as Mikolas, but he’s arguably the superior pitcher at the moment. He pitched five scoreless innings in his Phillies’ debut, and he graded out very well from a pitch modeling perspective.

I also give the Phillies the edge offensively, so they deserve to be favored in this spot.

More MLB Bets for Monday, April 8

Mariners ML at Blue Jays (+100) – Jose Berrios has pitched extremely well for the Blue Jays this season, but I’ll take my chances with Luis Castillo. Castillo has a long history of being an above-average pitcher, so I’m not particularly worried about his slow start.

Rays F5 ML at Angels (-142) – The Angels have exceeded expectations to start the year, but that’s mainly because they swept a slumping Marlins squad. They just lost two of three to the Red Sox, and the Rays are a better team overall. They’ll have one of the most undervalued starters in baseball on the mound in Zach Eflin, so they’re underpriced in the first five market.

Braves Team Total Over 5.5 runs (-115) – The Braves have absolutely pounded the ball early in the year, averaging 7.0 runs per game and leading the league in most offensive categories. The Mets have pitched surprisingly well to start the year, but Julio Teheran will make his first start of 2024 on Monday. He posted a 4.93 FIP with the Brewers last season, and Atlanta should have no problems teeing off in this matchup.

2024 MLB Bets Record

  • Yesterday: 2-3 (-.985 units)
  • Season to Date: 17-14 (-.295 units)

All bets are based on half units unless stated otherwise. Underdogs are risking a half unit, while favorites are to win a half unit. For an example, check out the free Fantasy Life MLB Bet Tracker.