Celebrate the start of the holiday weekend by tailing some of our MLB Best Bets, which include props, picks and predictions for Dodgers vs. Mets and Mariners vs. Astros.
Find our MLB best bets and a parlay of three picks below, which include Mookie Betts, Clayton Kershaw and the Mariners-Astros under.
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MLB Best Bets — Friday Props, Picks, Predictions
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
| [teammatchup link=”#1″ firstfullname=”Los Angeles Dodgers” firstlogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-los-angeles-dodgers.png” secondfullname=”New York Mets” secondlogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-new-york-mets.png”][/teammatchup] | 7:10 p.m. | |
| [teammatchup link=”#2″ firstfullname=”Los Angeles Dodgers” firstlogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-los-angeles-dodgers.png” secondfullname=”New York Mets” secondlogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-new-york-mets.png”][/teammatchup] | 7:10 p.m. | |
| [teammatchup link=”#3″ firstfullname=”Seattle Mariners” firstlogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-seattle-mariners.png” secondfullname=”Houston Astros” secondlogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/mlb/100/hou.png”][/teammatchup] | 8:10 p.m. | |
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Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our MLB Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game.
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[relatedarticle articleimageurl=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2025/05/GriffinCanning-nym-5232025.jpg” linktext=”Dodgers vs Mets Prediction, F5 Pick, Odds” link=”https://www.actionnetwork.com/mlb/los-angeles-dodgers-vs-new-york-mets-prediction-pick-odds-friday-may-23-qs”][/relatedarticle]
[anchor name=”1″][/anchor]
[subheader sizedown=”false” text=”Dylan Wilkerson’s Dodgers vs Mets Home Run Prop Bet”][/subheader]
[gameheader haspick=”true” picktext=”Mookie Betts Over 0.5 Home Runs (+575)” league=”mlb” awaylogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-los-angeles-dodgers.png” awayname=”Los Angeles Dodgers” awayslug=”los-angeles-dodgers” homelogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-new-york-mets.png” homename=”New York Mets” homeslug=”new-york-mets” date=”Friday, May 23″ time=”7:10 p.m. ET” network=”Apple TV+” bookname=”bet365″ bookprimarylogo=”https://assets.actionnetwork.com/859377_Bet365@1x.png” bookreviewslug=”bet365″][/gameheader]
Mookie Betts is squaring up the ball better than most MLB hitters, with a 42% rate that ranks in the 100th percentile of qualified players.
He has a good history with Mets starting pitcher Griffin Canning, going 3-for-8 lifetime with a home run and a walk.
Canning’s 2.47 ERA looks good, but his 3.75 xERA indicates we should see some negative regression — why not Friday against Mookie?
Pick: Mookie Betts Over 0.5 Home Runs (+575)
| [teammatchup link=”#1″ shadow=”true” firstfullname=”Los Angeles Dodgers” firstlogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-los-angeles-dodgers.png” secondfullname=”New York Mets” secondlogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-new-york-mets.png”][/teammatchup] | [teammatchup link=”#2″ shadow=”true” firstfullname=”Los Angeles Dodgers” firstlogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-los-angeles-dodgers.png” secondfullname=”New York Mets” secondlogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-new-york-mets.png”][/teammatchup] | [teammatchup link=”#3″ shadow=”true” firstfullname=”Seattle Mariners” firstlogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-seattle-mariners.png” secondfullname=”Houston Astros” secondlogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/mlb/100/hou.png”][/teammatchup] |
[anchor name=”2″][/anchor]
[subheader sizedown=”false” text=”Charlie Wright’s Dodgers vs Mets Clayton Kershaw Prop”][/subheader]
[gameheader haspick=”true” picktext=”Clayton Kershaw Under 3.5 Strikeouts (+112)” league=”mlb” awaylogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-los-angeles-dodgers.png” awayname=”Los Angeles Dodgers” awayslug=”los-angeles-dodgers” homelogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-new-york-mets.png” homename=”New York Mets” homeslug=”new-york-mets” date=”Friday, May 23″ time=”7:10 p.m. ET” network=”Apple TV+” bookname=”FanDuel” bookprimarylogo=”https://assets.actionnetwork.com/122955_FanDuelSportsBook@1x.jpg” bookreviewslug=”fanduel”][/gameheader]
Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw struggled in his season debut, allowing five earned runs across four frames, finishing with two strikeouts and three walks.
That was a soft matchup against the Angels. Friday’s matchup against the Mets will be much more challenging.
Kershaw’s velocity continues to trend down, even after looking so ineffective across seven starts last season — he posted a 17.8% strikeout rate and a career-low 26.6% CSW rate behind a sub-90 MPH fastball. He managed to strike out a few southpaws (25.7%) but couldn’t miss any right-handed bats (15%).
The Mets boast the fourth-lowest strikeout rate against left-handed pitching among MLB lineups this season (19.7%). Friday’s projected lineup has posted a 19.3% strikeout rate against the side.
More importantly, there should only be two lefties in the lineup — Juan Soto and Brandon Nimmo.
Soto boasts a 12.5% strikeout rate against southpaws since the beginning of last season. Nimmo is a bigger liability, but he’ll be hitting lower in the order.
Pick: Clayton Kershaw Under 3.5 Strikeouts (+112)
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| [teammatchup link=”#1″ shadow=”true” firstfullname=”Los Angeles Dodgers” firstlogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-los-angeles-dodgers.png” secondfullname=”New York Mets” secondlogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-new-york-mets.png”][/teammatchup] | [teammatchup link=”#2″ shadow=”true” firstfullname=”Los Angeles Dodgers” firstlogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-los-angeles-dodgers.png” secondfullname=”New York Mets” secondlogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-new-york-mets.png”][/teammatchup] | [teammatchup link=”#3″ shadow=”true” firstfullname=”Seattle Mariners” firstlogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-seattle-mariners.png” secondfullname=”Houston Astros” secondlogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/mlb/100/hou.png”][/teammatchup] |
[anchor name=”3″][/anchor]
[subheader sizedown=”false” text=”Tanner McGrath’s Mariners vs Astros Best Bet”][/subheader]
[gameheader haspick=”true” picktext=”Under 8.5 (+100)” league=”mlb” awaylogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-seattle-mariners.png” awayname=”Seattle Mariners” awayslug=”seattle-mariners” homelogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/mlb/100/hou.png” homename=”Houston Astros” homeslug=”houston-astros” date=”Friday, May 23″ time=”8:10 p.m. ET” network=”SCHN” bookname=”Caesars Sportsbook” bookprimarylogo=”https://assets.actionnetwork.com/256064_caesars_800x200.png” bookreviewslug=”caesars-sportsbook”][/gameheader]
This game activated one of my favorite PRO systems: Contrarian Unders For Winning Teams.
When two winning teams play each other and the public favors the Over (65% or more of the bets), the Under is 1764-1538-149 since 2005, hitting at a 53.4% clip and generating a 4.2% ROI.
[betlabsembed systemid=”1471537″ systemname=”PRO: Contrarian Unders for Winning Teams” leaguename=”mlb” filters=”%7B%22list%22%3A%5B%22betting%20on%20the%20Under%22%2C%22the%20home%20team’s%20win%20percentage%20is%20between%2051%25%20and%20100%25%22%2C%22the%20visitor%20team’s%20win%20percentage%20is%20between%2051%25%20and%20100%25%22%2C%22the%20over%2Funder%20%25%20is%20between%200%25%20and%2035%25%22%2C%22the%20game%20is%20played%20during%20the%20Regular%20season%22%5D%7D” amountwon=”$14,490″ record=”1764-1538-149″ winpct=”53%”][/betlabsembed]
I’m not the biggest fan of either starting pitcher, but I quite like both bullpens, and most high-leverage arms are rested and available.
Houston’s offense will be tough to stop, but the Mariners have cooled off considerably after their hot start, posting a measly 85 wRC+ over the past fortnight.
I have enough confidence in the system and the bullpens to grab some of this divisional Under.
Pick: Under 8.5 (+100)
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| [teammatchup link=”#1″ shadow=”true” firstfullname=”Los Angeles Dodgers” firstlogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-los-angeles-dodgers.png” secondfullname=”New York Mets” secondlogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-new-york-mets.png”][/teammatchup] | [teammatchup link=”#2″ shadow=”true” firstfullname=”Los Angeles Dodgers” firstlogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-los-angeles-dodgers.png” secondfullname=”New York Mets” secondlogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-new-york-mets.png”][/teammatchup] | [teammatchup link=”#3″ shadow=”true” firstfullname=”Seattle Mariners” firstlogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-seattle-mariners.png” secondfullname=”Houston Astros” secondlogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/mlb/100/hou.png”][/teammatchup] |