The end of the 2025 MLB regular season is nearly two weeks away, and this weekend features some crucial series toward determining divisional winners and wild-card positioning. The Chicago Cubs trail the Milwaukee Brewers by 5.5 games in the National League Central, but they have a 3.5-game lead atop the wild card race, with a 7.5-game cushion from falling out of the postseason completely. Although the Cubs appear likely locked into that top wild-card spot, nothing is clinched, making their weekend series against the Rays significant for their postseason hopes. The Cubs host the Rays at 2:20 p.m. ET in the only afternoon game on the Friday slate, and the SportsLine model likes the chances of seeing midday offensive fireworks, making Over 7.5 runs one of its best bets for Friday MLB picks.
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Whether you’re looking into MLB betting, football betting, or anything else on the Friday sports schedule, there are a number of online sports betting options, and our team can help point you in the right direction. Our computer model and experts will weigh in on all of the biggest events every day, and they’re offering their top sports betting picks right now.
Here’s what we’re betting today:
Friday MLB best bets
- Game: Tampa Bay Rays vs. Chicago Cubs (Friday, 2:20 p.m. ET)
- Model Pick: Over 7.5 total runs (+100)
The Cubs have the No. 8 scoring offense in baseball (4.88 runs per game) heading into a new series against the Rays, who have played in games that finished Over 7.5 total runs in two of their last three contests. Cubs catcher Carson Kelly has three home runs over his last three games to spark one of the better offenses in baseball. The Rays are starting Shane Baz, who has a 4.94 ERA this season. The Cubs are starting Matthew Boyd, who has been effective throughout the entirety of the season with a 2.92 ERA, but the 34-year-old has a 5.70 ERA over his last four starts. The model projects the Over to hit in 55.2% of simulations.
- Game: Pittsburgh Pirates at Washington Nationals (Friday, 6:45 p.m. ET)
- Model Pick: Nationals -110
The Nationals were on a 7-1 roll before dropping back-to-back contests against Miami, as they clearly haven’t just been mailing in the tail end of another disappointing season. Brad Lord starts for Washington, and the 25-year-old held the Cubs to one run over 5 2/3 innings on Saturday in his last start. The Pirates are last in baseball in scoring (3.59 runs per game), while ranking 28th in batting average (.232) and last in home runs (0.71 per game). Pittsburgh enters on a six-game losing streak, leading the model to project the Nationals to win in 57% of simulations.
- Game: Colorado Buffaloes vs. Houston Cougars (Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET)
- Model Pick: Colorado +4 (-110)
Deion Sanders is expected to turn to Ryan Staub, who was QB3 on the depth chart last week, to start for Colorado on Friday after the sophomore completed 7 of 10 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns off the bench in a 31-7 win over Delaware last weekend. Staub jumps over preseason starter Kasidon Slater and freshman Julian Lewis, who was one of the top quarterbacks in the Class of 2025. Colorado improved to 1-1 last weekend and although Houston is 2-0, the Cougars haven’t been tested against significant competition yet this season. Sanders went 7-2 in the Big 12 last season, while Houston went 3-6 in the conference. The model projects Colorado to cover the spread in 68% of simulations.
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Week 2 NFL best bets
- Game: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Kansas City Chiefs (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
- Model Pick: Eagles -1.5 (-110)
The Eagles had few problems knocking off the Chiefs at last year’s Super Bowl, and although the model isn’t predicting an 18-point victory like in February, the model does expect Philadelphia to best Kansas City on Sunday, despite being on the road. The Eagles went 14-3, including 6-2 on the road last season, and opened this year with a 24-20 win over Dallas in the 2025 NFL Kickoff Game. The Chiefs played on Friday, so although it’s not a substantial rest difference, the Eagles did have one extra day of recovery and preparation for this contest. Kansas City is coming off a 27-21 Week 1 loss to the Chargers in Week 1, and will likely be without multiple starting wide receivers, with Rashee Rice out with a suspension and Xavier Worthy (shoulder) seemingly unlikely to play. The model projects the Eagles to cover the spread in 51% of simulations.
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