MLB Predictions Today: 3 MLB Best Bets and Picks for Saturday, October 3, 2026

Today’s MLB Betting Picks in Summary

• Guardians Moneyline (-154)
• Yankees-Rays Under 6.5 Runs (+114)
• Brewers -1.5 (+105)

The MLB postseason rolls along today with the start of the Divisional Round. We have four games coming at us.

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

Guardians Moneyline (-152)

The Cleveland Guardians open their ALDS at home against the Chicago White Sox, and I'll side with Cleveland at -154.

Parker Messick gets the ball for the Guardians after finishing the regular season with a 2.56 ERA and 193 strikeouts. The lefty has provided Cleveland with high-end run prevention throughout the year, and this is a reasonable price to back him at home.

Chicago counters with Hagen Smith, who brings a spectacular 1.29 ERA into Game 1. However, Smith has worked a much smaller MLB sample than Messick and is being asked to make a postseason road start against a Cleveland team that had several days to line up its pitching and bullpen for this series.

The Guardians also went 19-9 during the regular season when priced as favorites of at least -154. Cleveland finished just one game ahead of Chicago in the AL Central, so the overall records don't point to a massive gap between these clubs, but the combination of Messick, home field, and Cleveland's rested relief corps gives the Guardians an edge in Game 1.

At -154, I'll take Cleveland on the moneyline.

Yankees-Rays Under 6.5 Runs (+114)

A total of 6.5 is extremely low, but the pitching matchup between Gerrit Cole and Drew Rasmussen makes the under appealing at plus money.

Rasmussen had a fantastic regular season for the Tampa Bay Rays, going 16-5 with a 2.67 ERA. Cole wasn't quite as dominant statistically, but he still finished with a solid 3.61 ERA and 131 strikeouts after returning to the New York Yankees' rotation.

Rasmussen has also entered the postseason in excellent form. Five of his final six starts featured one or fewer earned runs allowed, and he closed that stretch with nearly seven innings of one-hit, one-run baseball against these Yankees. Cole's most recent start against Tampa Bay saw him allow only three hits across nearly six innings.

That's particularly noteworthy considering how familiar these divisional opponents are with one another.

FanDuel has priced the over at -140 despite the tiny 6.5-run total, leaving the under at an enticing +114.

With two quality starters and the increased likelihood of aggressive bullpen usage in Game 1 of a best-of-five series, I'll take my chances with Under 6.5 at plus money.

Milwaukee Brewers -1.5 (+108)

Jacob Misiorowski's breakout season makes the Milwaukee Brewers an appealing team to back in Game 1, but rather than lay -200 on Milwaukee's moneyline, I'll move to the run line at +105.

Misiorowski was among baseball's most dominant starters this season. The hard-throwing righty finished 16-5 with a 1.80 ERA and piled up 252 strikeouts. He also helped Milwaukee to a 21-6 record in games he started when the Brewers were the moneyline favorite.

The San Diego Padres will counter with Robbie Ray. Ray had a respectable season of his own, posting a 13-8 record and 3.59 ERA, but there's a sizable difference between what these two starters accomplished in 2026.

Milwaukee also owns home-field advantage after an MLB-best 103-59 regular-season record, and FanDuel is asking bettors to lay -200 to back the Brewers straight up. That's a little too steep for my liking.

Instead, Milwaukee -1.5 at +105 offers a way to capitalize on the Brewers' significant Game 1 pitching advantage while getting plus money.

If Misiorowski delivers anything close to what he showed throughout the regular season, Milwaukee should have a good opportunity to create separation.

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.