Walk-Off Wagers: MLB Best Bets Today (Predictions for Angels-Mets, D-Backs-Cubs, Shane McClanahan)

Friday’s Major League Baseball action starts with an afternoon battle between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago Cubs, as all 30 teams will take the field to kick off the month of May.

I’m eyeing a bet in that D-Backs-Cubs matchup, but there are several ways to bet on this slate, including in the player prop market.

Tampa Bay Rays starter Shane McClanahan has looked pretty good in his first season back from injury, and he’s one of my favorite prop targets tonight.

Plus, there’s a struggling team that is an easy fade candidate on the road in a series opener.

Let’s examine the odds and the analysis behind each of these best bets on May 1.

MLB Best Bets for Friday, May 1

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Los Angeles Angels +1.5 (-149) vs. New York Mets
Arizona Diamondbacks-Chicago Cubs OVER 7 (-112)
Shane McClanahan UNDER 15.5 Outs Recorded (-132)

Los Angeles Angels +1.5 (-149) vs. New York Mets

The New York Mets have lost 17 of their last 20 games, including two games to the Washington Nationals this week heading into their series opener with the Los Angeles Angels on Friday.

L.A. is an underdog at home, as it has dropped six games in a row and nine of its last 10.

Still, I’m eyeing the Angels to cover the run line in this matchup.

The Mets are 29th in the league in run line record (10-21), and they have Christian Scott on the mound to start this game – his second appearance of the season. Scott walked five batters in 1.1 innings of work back on April 23, and he’s a tough pitcher to trust in this game.

The Angels’ pitching staff has not been good, ranking 29th in bullpen ERA and 25th in ERA overall, but Walbert Ureña had a strong showing in his first start in April, allowing just two runs in six innings against the San Diego Padres.

I give him a slight edge over Scott in this matchup, and I like getting the one-run cushion with L.A. at home since the Mets are just 4-9 straight up on the road this season.

Arizona Diamondbacks-Chicago Cubs OVER 7 (-112)

The Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago Cubs kick off Friday’s action with an afternoon matchup, and I already made a pick for this game in our betting preview:

Both of these teams have hit the OVER at a high rate in the 2026 season, and I think the total on Friday afternoon is a little low given the pitching matchup.

So far in 2026, the Cubs have hit the OVER in 20 of their 31 games (20-10-1) while Arizona isn’t far behind at 18-11-1. They’re both at a hit rate of over 62 percent.

I mentioned the Cubs’ offensive prowess this season, as they’re top five in the league in OPS, batting average and runs scored while ranking second in Weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+) behind only the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Arizona’s offense is pretty good as well, ranking 12th in wRC+, 14th in runs scored, ninth in batting average and ninth in OPS this season.

When it comes to today’s starters, Gallen and Rea don’t exactly have great advanced profiles. Let’s start with Zac Gallen, who allowed three or fewer runs in all five of his starts in April.

He has an expected ERA of 4.93 (28th percentile) and an expected batting average against of .296 (11th percentile) this season. Gallen has really struggled to generate swings and misses, ranking in the eighth percentile in whiff percentage and the 10th percentile in strikeout percentage.

That could be a major issue against a Cubs team that has one of the best averages in Major League Baseball. Gallen has allowed more hits (32) than innings pitched (28.2) this season.

As for Collin Rea, he already has a 4.61 actual ERA, so his expected ERA sitting at 4.26 isn’t surprising. The righty ranks in just the fifth percentile in average exit velocity against and the 17th percentile in hard-hit percentage.

In addition to this, Arizona has one of the worst bullpens in Major League Baseball this season, posting a 5.03 ERA. So, these teams may not even need to get to the starters to clear this total on Friday afternoon.

Shane McClanahan UNDER 15.5 Outs Recorded (-132)

McClanahan has made five starts in the 2026 season, and he’s only made it through five innings in two of them, failing to clear 15.5 outs in every outing.

The Rays are being cautious with the two-time All-Star in his return from injury, as he’s thrown 90 or more pitches in just one start all season. McClanahan has pitched pretty well (3.91 ERA), but I don’t see working deep into this matchup.

San Francisco ranks sixth in MLB in batting average against left-handed pitchers, so there’s a chance McClanahan is chased before the end of the fifth inning, even if the Rays want to have a longer leash with him in this start.

Until the lefty has his pitch count extended, he’s an easy fade in this market.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Claim the latest DraftKings promo code offer today. Sign up and get $100 in bonus bets instantly when you make your first $5 bet.

Add us as a preferred source on Google