This article is part of our MLB Picks series.
MLB Best Bets Today: Expert MLB Picks for Thursday, July 21
Baseball returns from the All-Star break with six games on the schedule Thursday. There are two doubleheaders among them, so we don't exactly have a bevy of night games to wager on. Still, let's highlight a few wagers that could prove to be profitable.
Last Article's Record: 3-1 (+1.59 units)
Season Record: 18-10 (+4.59 units)
Game 2: Oakland Athletics 
vs. Detroit Tigers 
Doubleheaders can be difficult to bet on, especially when you don't yet know the outcome of the first game. It's not easy for a team to sweep both games, so more betting opportunities could present themselves after Game 1. What we do know is that the A's have a favorable pitching matchup for Game 2, with Frankie Montas set to face off against Garrett Hill.
Hill has made two starts for the Tigers, the first of which was a gem against the Guardians. However, he was lit up for six runs over five innings in his last outing against the White Sox. Those are his only two career appearances in the majors. Montas left his last outing early with a sore shoulder, but he responded well to bullpen sessions and has had more than two weeks between starts. It's difficult to have much faith in the A's bullpen, but with Montas on the mound and the potential struggles of the inexperienced Hill, they could jump out to an early lead.
MLB Best Bets for Oakland Athletics vs. Detroit Tigers
- Athletics -0.5 Run Line First 5 Innings (-120 at DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1 unit
Game 2: New York Yankees 
vs. Houston Astros 
Talk about jumping right back into the swing of things. The two best teams in the American League not only face each other immediately following the break, but they do so in a doubleheader. The first game has the potential to be the best pitching matchup, with Cristian Javier facing Jordan Montgomery.
The Astros have another excellent starter scheduled for Game 2 in Luis Garcia. Part of his success has been his ability to keep hitters off base, allowing 69 hits over 88.2 innings. Starting for the Yankees will be Domingo German, who will be making his season debut after recovering from a shoulder injury. He threw 65 pitches in his last rehab outing, so expecting him to give the Yankees a ton of length in this game might not be wise. Add in the potential for the Yankees to rest a starting hitter or two in Game 2, and their lineup might be in line for a quiet performance, while the Astros could capitalize on German's potential rust.
MLB Best Bets for New York Yankees vs. Houston Astros
- Astros Most Hits (-110 at FanDuel Sportsbook) for 1 unit
Los Angeles Dodgers 
vs. San Francisco Giants 
Finally, a game that's not part of a doubleheader. This has the makings of a great series between two of the top teams in the NL West. Unfortunately for the Dodgers, both Clayton Kershaw and Tony Gonsolin appeared in the All-Star game. With them unavailable for Thursday, they've chosen to start Mitch White.
The Giants will have their ace on the mound in Carlos Rodon, who did not pitch in the All-Star game while recovering from a blood blister and a split nail to a finger on his pitching hand. He's ready to go now and will be making his third start of the season against the Dodgers. In his two previous outings, he allowed a total of two runs across 12 innings. Rodon has allowed two runs or fewer in eight of his last nine outings, potentially setting up the Dodgers for a quiet night at the plate.
MLB Best Bets for Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Francisco Giants
- Dodgers under 4.5 Team Total Runs (-145 at DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1 unit
MLB Best Bets Today Recap
- Game 2: Athletics -0.5 Run Line First 5 Innings (-120 at DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1 unit
- Game 2: Astros Most Hits (-110 at FanDuel Sportsbook) for 1 unit
- Dodgers under 4.5 Team Total Runs (-145 at DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1 unit
Visit RotoWire all season long for exclusive sports betting picks from our group of handicappers with their expert MLB picks each day of the campaign. Remember that betting apps vary in terms of odds and available player props, so we have an easy-to-use odds page that allows you to shop for the best lines at DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM and PointsBet.
