This article is part of our MLB Picks series.
MLB Picks Today: MLB Best Bets and Player Props for Friday, May 26
Well well well, would you looky there? After a 3-0 SWEEP on Wednesday (good for 3.36 units) I'm back to find gold as we kick off Memorial Day Weekend. With the unofficial start of summer upon us, MLB takes center stage for the next few months. There are quite a few intriguing series with some heavyweights squaring off (Dodgers @ Rays, Padres @ Yanks, Phillies @ Braves) and some fun matchups between young teams on the rise (Rangers @ Orioles, Jays @ Twins, Pirates @ Mariners). Let's see if any of those games have hit my radar for today.
BetMGM is one of several sportsbooks that accept credit card and is one of the top-rated Paypal betting sites as well. Check out the best sportsbook promo codes
Washington Nationals at 
Kansas City Royals
This game, most certainly, will NOT hit the list of marquee matchups, but I do see some significant value in this particular game. Neither starter has numbers that anyone would even call "good" this season, but both are capable, veteran starters and neither of these offenses are going to strike fear into either starter. For his part, Corbin has been heating up along with the weather, posting four straight Quality Starts against decent competition. With both offenses ranked well into the 20s in most major categories, and two starters capable of working quick and going deep into games, I like this to be a fast-moving, low-scoring affair in KC.
MLB Best Bet for Nationals at Royals
- Nationals/Royals UNDER 9 (+100) @ DraftKings
San Francisco Giants at 
Milwaukee Brewers
While not a match up of marquee teams, this is an excellent head-to-head pitching battle with Alex Wood continuing to work his way back into the Giants' rotation after an early-season hamstring injury and Freddy Peralta taking the bump for the Brew Crew. Milwaukee sports the least potent offense against lefties in the majors while striking out at an MLB-high 30.1% when facing lefties. That, combined with Fast Freddy's excellent strikeout numbers and success against the Giants' lineup in his career, set this game up nicely for another quick, low-scoring contest.
MLB Best Bet for Brewers vs Giants
- Giants/Brewers UNDER 8.5 (+115) @ DraftKings
Pittsburgh Pirates at 
Seattle Mariners
I'm loving the timing of this series between two young teams on the rise. While great things were expected of this Mariners team, the Pirates have been a complete shock coming out of the gates. The story in this game is it features the premier pitching match-up on Friday with Pittsburgh's Mitch Keller facing off against Seattle's George Kirby. Both have ERAs under 3.00, both have WHIPs hovering around 1.00, and Keller has been an absolute strikeout machine with 77 Ks (and only 14 BBs) in 62.2 IP so far. The Mariners strike out at a 25% rate against righties, which tells me there is quite a bit of value on the Pirates tonight. The two studs on the mound should keep both their teams in the game and I can't ignore the value on the live dog who has a winning road record.
MLB Best Bet for Mariners vs Pirates
- Pirates ML (+138) @ FanDuel
Friday MLB Best Bets
Here's a recap of my best MLB bets for Friday, May 26:
- Nationals/Royals UNDER 9 (+100) @ DraftKings
- Giants/Brewers UNDER 8.5 (+115) @ DraftKings
- Pirates ML (+138) @ FanDuel
Sports betting is officially live in the state of Massachusetts. To get the most bang for your buck when shopping for a new sportsbook, check out these Massachusetts Sports Betting Promos.
