MLB Predictions Today: 3 MLB Best Bets and Picks for Friday, September 18, 2026

MLB Betting Picks in Summary

• Ronald Acuna Jr. 2+ H/R/RBI (-135)
• Nationals at Cardinals NRFI (-120)
• Mike Trout to Hit a Home Run (+450)

Baseball has you covered if you want a large inventory of options to bet.

From moneylines to player props to NRFI wagers, we have plenty of ways each day to bet the long, arduous MLB schedule.

Using the MLB odds at FanDuel Sportsbook, what are the best MLB bets for today?

This article includes some of the top bets from our other MLB content. All MLB odds via FanDuel, and they may change after this article is published.

MLB Picks and Predictions for Today

Ronald Acuna Jr. to Record 2+ H/R/RBI (-135)

Braves at Astros, 8:11 p.m. ET

Righty Peter Lambert’s underlying numbers aren’t so great, and he’s showing reverse splits, making this a friendly matchup for Ronald Acuna Jr.

Lambert’s 3.71 ERA is impressive, but his xFIP (4.44) and SIERA (4.23) paint a different picture. He’s allowing a 45.3% fly-ball rate overall, and right-handed hitters have tagged him for 1.23 homers per nine as well as a 49.5% fly-ball rate.

Enter Acuna, the owner of a .364 expected wOBA. He’s got a .354 wOBA against RHPs along with a 43.3% hard-hit rate in the split.

After Lambert, Acuna will take on a Houston Astros bullpen that ranks 11th-worst in reliever xFIP in 2026.

Likely to hit first or second in the Atlanta Braves‘ lineup, Acuna has notched two-plus hits/runs/RBI in four of his past five games. He can do it again tonight.

Nationals at Cardinals NRFI (-120)

Nationals at Cardinals, 8:16 p.m. ET

Cade Cavalli's breakout season gives us another attractive NRFI opportunity.

Through 31 starts, Cavalli has pitched to a 3.12 ERA and 1.17 WHIP while piling up 194 strikeouts in 164 2/3 innings. His Statcast profile backs up much of that success, as he's produced a 3.71 xERA, 28.2% strikeout rate and 7.0% walk rate. He's also limited opponents to a .233 expected batting average.

Kyle Leahy is a little less convincing from an underlying-metrics perspective, but his surface-level production has been strong. He's posted a 3.33 ERA through 135 innings, pairing a 22.5% strikeout rate with an excellent 6.7% walk rate. He's also allowed fewer than one homer per nine innings (0.93).

There is some regression risk in Leahy's overall profile — his 4.65 xERA is significantly higher than his actual ERA. For an NRFI, however, we're asking him to navigate the Washington Nationals‘ lineup only once at the top of the game. Combined with Cavalli's excellent 2026 campaign, that makes the first-inning under worth considering.

Home Run Prediction: Mike Trout (+450)

Twins at Angels, 9:39 p.m. ET

Mike Trout is an interesting home run target Friday against Minnesota Twins left-hander Connor Prielipp. Trout has already shown plenty of power against southpaws this season, posting a .358 wOBA and 45.8% fly-ball rate with the platoon advantage.

For the most part, Prielipp has been solid for the Twins in his rookie campaign, but he’s faltered of late, struggling to a 6.46 ERA over his last six appearances.

Once Prielipp departs, Trout will face a Twins bullpen that sits fifth-worst in reliever xFIP this season.

While Trout has only one homer since August 11, I like this matchup for him and am intrigued by these odds.

MLB Betting Frequently Asked Questions

What are MLB player prop bets?

MLB player prop bets are wagers on specific statistical outcomes tied to individual players during a game — not on which team wins or loses. You might bet on how many strikeouts a starting pitcher records, whether a shortstop gets a hit, or how many total bases an outfielder accumulates.

Because they are isolated to a single player's performance, props let you apply focused knowledge about matchups, recent form, and ballpark conditions rather than predicting the full game result.

What types of MLB player props are available?

FanDuel offers a wide menu of MLB props. The most common categories include:

• Pitcher strikeouts
• Batter hits
• Home runs
• Total bases
• RBIs
• Stolen bases
• Pitcher outs recorded

What does +310 mean on an MLB home run prop bet?

A +310 line means a $100 bet returns $310 in profit if the player homers. You can bet any amount — a $10 bet at +310 returns $31 in profit. The number reflects the implied probability the sportsbook assigns to the event (roughly 24% for +310 odds).

What does "total bases" mean as a prop bet?

The total bases prop counts the bases a batter earns from hits in a single game:

• Single = 1 base
• Double = 2 bases
• Triple = 3 bases
• Home run = 4 bases

Walks, hit-by-pitches, and stolen bases do not count. A typical total bases line is set at 1.5 or 2.5. Betting over 1.5 means you need at least a double, or two singles.

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Which MLB bets stand out to you today? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's MLB odds to see the full menu of options.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.