After not achieving the results we wanted with yesterday’s best bets, we are back at it with our best MLB bets for September 4th.
In one month, the MLB postseason will be underway. So, which teams will make a strong finishing kick, and which will fizzle out before reaching the finish line?
We have a few candidates for both categories, but that’s not exactly where our focus is on this beautiful Monday.
No, our attention for today is on cashing tickets on our best MLB bets for September 4th to help put some money in your pocket (ideally for Week 1 NFL and CFB betting this weekend).
So we will let others tell you which teams will make it to October baseball – we are going to remain focused on winning bets! Let’s see what we have in store today for our best MLB bets for September 4th…
Chicago White Sox (+130) at Kansas City (-150) – 2:10 PM EST
Maybe because they are out of playoff contention and not a major market team, you’ve been sleeping on the Kansas City Royals – and specifically one of the best pitchers in MLB right now.
Yes, that’s right – KC has an ace! And has for two months now. Can you guess who it is?
Southpaw Cole Ragans has a 5-4 record this season with a 3.27 ERA and is holding opponents to a .225 OBA over 66 innings pitched. Strong numbers – not nearly as impressive as his last two months.
Between July and August, Rages allowed just eight runs over 41.2 innings pitched, and that includes just a single home run allowed. In his last five starts, he’s 2-1 with a 2.05 ERA.
Just 25 years old and perfecting his stuff, Ragans offers the Royals a stud starting pitcher that has been lacking for years.
On Monday, Ragans will take his exceptional stats over the past few weeks up against the Chicago White Sox, who are the 21st-ranked offense (at least when it comes to batting average).
In limited at-bats (only 11), the White Sox hitters have managed just a single against Ragans – Luis Robert Jr. was responsible for that. But the rest of the Chicago hitters are still trying to get a read on Ragans.
As for Chicago’s starter, Jesse Scholtens, he’s 0-5 on the road this season and over his last three starts, he has a 7.07 ERA and is allowing a .283 average to opposing hitters. Those are juicy numbers four our best MLB bets for September 4th.
Yes, the Royals have been one of the worst teams in MLB against their own division – and that would encourage us to take the Royals on the run line as an underdog if it were available…but with Ragans numbers, KC is the favorite for now. The Royals standings are great but things look up for this game.
And, we can’t argue with Vegas’ logic. The Royals deserve to be the favorite with this young stud on the mound and we are riding that left arm to a moneyline bet on Monday as the first of our best MLB bets for September 4th.
**Additional bet suggestion – NRFI (No Run In First Inning) is a play I really like for this game**
Best MLB bets for September 4th: Royals ML (-150)
Minnesota Twins (-135) at Cleveland Guardians (+115) – 6:10 PM EST
Guardians starting pitcher Lucas Giolito has had a wild 2023 season. He started with the Chicago White Sox and had an okay April and May, before dominating in June. Then, he regressed in July, was traded to the Angels, pitched even worse, and then was put on waivers by Los Angeles before being claimed by the Cleveland Guardians.
That’s a lot of movement in a short bit of time for a pitcher who probably only expected to change teams once this season. But, Giolito’s recent struggles contributed to the Angel’s demise in August.
In August, Giolito was bad in four starts, pitching 23.2 innings and allowing 22 earned runs (for a brutally bad 7.24 ERA). That includes allowing eight home runs in the month. He picked up three losses in that time frame.
Giolito was a complete failure for LA, and while we like how Cleveland develops pitchers better than the Angels, we don’t have confidence that Giolito will turn things around so quickly.
On the other side of the diamond, Minnesota Twins starter Pablo Lopez is coming off his best month as a pitcher for the Twins. In August, Lopez went 4-1 in six starts and had a 2.25 ERA. Plus, Lopez has gotten better with each passing month of the season.
Need even more incentive to go with Lopez and the Twins? Well, the Minnesota righty has a better ERA, OBA, and walks-to-strikeouts ratio on the road.
Giolito or Lopez – doesn’t seem like much of a question right now. Could Cleveland cover a +1.5 run line? Sure, but we are far more confident in a Minnesota moneyline play as the second of our best MLB bets for September 4th.
Best MLB bets for September 4th: Twins ML (-135)
Baltimore Orioles (-175) at Los Angeles Angels (+150) – 9:38 PM EST
Speaking of Giolito’s former team, the Los Angeles Angels, they are 3-7 over their last 10 games, have a losing record on the road and at home this season, went 8-19 in August, and have yet to win a game in September.
The Angels are simply a team worth fading right now – they are a mess and in a downward spiral as the final weeks of having Shohei Ohtani slowly melt away.
On the flip side, the Orioles went 18-9 in August, are 2-1 in September, are first in the AL East, have won 7 of their last 10 games, and are behind only the Braves for most wins in MLB. They are having a very successful season.
These teams couldn’t be more different in momentum right now.
As for the starting pitching matchup, O’s starter Grayson Rodriguez has a 2.64 ERA in August, held opposing hitters to a .187 batting average, and the young righty continues to get better and better with each start.
The Halos starting pitcher Kenny Rosenberg has allowed 5 earned runs in 7 innings pitched this season.
How many reasons can we find to take Baltimore? Lineup, starting pitcher, recent performances, and overall momentum makes this a clean sweep all in favor of Baltimore.
What else is there to say?
Best MLB bets for September 4th: Orioles ML
