Walk-Off Wagers: MLB Best Bets Today (Bank on Plenty of Runs in Diamondbacks vs. Cardinals)

Iain MacMillan | May 23, 2025

Bet the OVER in Diamondbacks vs. Cardinals on Friday night. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The weekend is finally here, and there's no better way to kick it off than by cashing in on a few MLB wagers. If you're looking to do exactly that, I'm here to help. I have narrowed in on three bets I love for today's baseball slate, including the OVER in the National League showdown between the Arizona Diamondbacks and St. Louis Cardinals.

Let's dive into them.

Top MLB Picks Today

• Brewers vs. Pirates UNDER 7 (-110) via FanDuel
• Blue Jays F5 ML (+130) vs. Rays via Caesars
• Diamondbacks vs. Cardinals OVER 8.5 (-110) via BetMGM

Brewers vs. Pirates Prediction

The Brewers and Pirates have been the worst two offenses in baseball over the past months, ranking 29th and 30th in OPS in that time frame while also batting .218 and .219 respectively. Now, they'll face each other with their aces on the mound. Freddy Peralta (2.59 ERA) and Paul Skenes (2.44 ERA) are going to have a field day against the opposing lineups. I don't think they could set this total low enough for me to not back the UNDER.

Pick: UNDER 7 (-110)

Blue Jays vs. Rays Prediction

The Toronto Blue Jays are fresh off a series sweep against the San Diego Padres and will now take on the Tampa Bay Rays in a weekend series. Instead of betting on the Jays to win this full game, I love the first five innings market instead. Eric Lauer will be the starter for the Blue Jays. He has been primarily used as a long reliever this season, but he'll be making his second start after stretching out his first start for 3.0 innings against the Tigers last week.

Not only does Lauer have a strong 2.25 ERA on the season, but he's also a lefty, which is something the Rays have struggled against this season. The Rays are batting just .205 with an OPS of .581 against left-handed pitchers in 2025, both are the second worst marks in the Majors.

Tampa Bay will be a tough out with Drew Rasmussen (2.93 ERA) on the mound, but as long as their struggles against lefties continue, the Jays have a real strong chance of leading the game at the end of the fifth inning. They may need to only score a run or two to do it.

Pick: Blue Jays F5 ML (+130)

Diamondbacks vs. Cardinals Prediction

To cap off our night, we have a great game between two hot offenses and two not-so-great starting pitchers. The Diamondbacks and Cardinals rank fourth and eighth respectively in OPS this season, while combining for 9.92 runs per game. I see no reason why they can't reach a combined nine runs again tonight as neither team has their ace on the mound.

Zac Gallen (5.14 ERA) of the Diamondbacks has struggled this season, and he has allowed a combined 10 earned runs in his last two starts. Miles Mikolas has had a much better season with an ERA of 3.77, but based on a sudden improvement after a 2023 season with a 4.78 ERA and a 2024 season with a 5.35 ERA, I wouldn't be surprised to see some regression from the Cardinals' arm.

Neither bullpen stands out either. The Cardinals rank 15th in bullpen ERA (3.86) and the Diamondbacks rank 27th (5.28), so don't be surprised to see some late-inning runs tonight.

Pick: OVER 8.5 (-110)

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You can check out all of Iain's bets here!