Four Sharp MLB Bets for Thursday, Including Nationals vs. Padres: Juan Soto Will Thrive

It’s a lighter day of baseball on Thursday, August 18. We only have 11 MLB games on the slate. Regardless, I have four sharp bets from OddsJam in this betting preview, including a pick for Nationals vs. Padres. Juan Soto will square off against his former team in San Diego!

Athletics vs. Rangers Betting Odds, Picks, Predictions

2:05 p.m. ET

The first bet I have is in the Athletics vs. Rangers game on Thursday. It’s a prop bet on the Rangers team total, and I found this sharp play on the OddsJam Positive EV Betting Tool.

Zach Logue is scheduled to take the mound for the Oakland Athletics. Logue is 3-6 on the season with a 5.49 ERA. He gave up six earned runs in 5.1 inning pitched in his last outing against the Houston Astros.

Dane Dunning is expected to start for the Texas Rangers. He’s 2-6 on the season with a 4.12 ERA. Dunning gave up 3 earned runs in 4.1 innings pitched in his last game against the Seattle Mariners.

I’m backing the Texas Rangers under 4.5 team total runs at +100 odds on WynnBet sportsbook. There’s ridiculous value in this bet. As seen in the screenshot above, no other sportsbook is offering odds better than -112, and most bookmakers have the under favored.

I hit this bet for $300, and my betslip is below. I think this is one of the top MLB prop bets for Thursday, August 18.

Diamondbacks vs. Giants Betting Odds, Picks, Predictions

3:45 p.m. ET

The next sharp MLB bet I’m on is in the Arizona Diamondbacks vs. San Francisco Giants game on Thursday. I bet the over 7 total runs at -110 odds. This sharp pick was also on WynnBet sportsbook.

My betslip is below, and I hit this bet for $1,100. This was another Positive EV betting pick from OddsJam.

Nationals vs. Padres Betting Odds, Picks, Predictions

9:40 p.m. ET

After betting on two “early” games, I have two late night bets for Nationals vs. Padres.

Anibal Sanchez is expected to start for Washington. Sanchez is 0-5 on the season with a 7.20 ERA. In his last outing, Sanchez gave up 3 earned runs against the Padres in 5 innings pitched.

Yu Darvish will start for San Diego. Darvish is 10-6 on the season with a 3.40 ERA, and he gave up 4 earned runs in 6 innings pitched in his last outing.

For my first play, I’m backing the Padres on the -2.5 run line at +115 odds on Caesars sportsbook. I bet this alternate run line on Caesars for $1,000. I think the Padres will thrive against a struggling Washington Nationals team. My betslip is below.

I also the YRFI, or “Yes Run First Inning,” on FanDuel sportsbook. FanDuel only gave me a maximum bet size of $58.80, and my betslip is below. YRFI bets are just the opposite of the very popular NRFI bets – I need 1+ run in the first inning to cash this wager.