Ricky Dimon
The second week of the 2025 Major League Baseball season continues on Wednesday with a full 15-game schedule. I’m 5-1 through 3 days of this piece and the Pickswise MLB handicapping team as a whole is 11-1. Let’s keep it going as we get into my MLB best bets of the day!
Also don’t forget to check out our MLB picks for Wednesday’s slate. Additionally, don’t miss our 2025 MLB futures guide, which features win total futures, best bets on the MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year, division winner selections and World Series predictions from our team of experts.
MLB best bet: Pittsburgh Pirates ML over Tampa Bay Rays (-112)
Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing
I’m happy to throw my eggs into the Paul Skenes basket under pretty much any circumstances – especially when you are getting in the ballpark of an even-money price. The LSU product went 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 170 strikeouts in 133.0 innings as a rookie. Skenes was not entirely dominant in his 2025 debut, but at the same time it was by no means a discouraging performance against the Miami Marlins (2 runs allowed on 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 7 in 5.2 innings of work).
The Pirates are on the road for this one, but it’s not like the Rays have much of a home-field advantage at Steinbrenner Field – the New York Yankees’ spring training facility. Ryan Pepiot is a solid starter, but he isn’t Paul Skenes. Although Skenes may not get a ton of run support, he should get enough for a W.
MLB best bet: Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 over Atlanta Braves (-115)
Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing
The Braves are in absolute shambles these days. They are the only winless team in baseball at 0-6, leadoff hitter Jurickson Profar is suspended 80 games for a PED violation and #2 starter Reynaldo Lopez is on the IL with a shoulder injury. Every single full-time starter in the lineup is batting under .200. With 1 more game against Los Angeles to wrap up a season-opening 7-game road trip on the West Coast, things may get worse for Atlanta before they get better.
Lopez was supposed to start on Wednesday, but he will be replaced by Bryce Edler. To say that Elder vs Blake Snell is a pitching disadvantage for the visitors would be a massive understatement. Snell compiled a 3.12 ERA in his lone season with the San Francisco Giants and he won his debut appearance for the Dodgers last week (2 runs in 5.0 innings against the Detroit Tigers). There’s no need to overthink this one; it’s 0-6 vs 7-0. Los Angeles should win by a ton.
Read our full Braves vs Dodgers prediction
