MLB Best Bets for August 13: Brewers vs. Dodgers, Mariners vs. Yankees Odds & Predictions

In what could be a preview of the MLB National League Championship Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers play this evening at Chavez Ravine in southern California.

(Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)

The road to the World Series from the National League likely runs through either the Dodgers or Brewers. With both first-place teams struggling lately, this series is a test to see how they measure up ahead of a potential October meeting.

I'm making three picks for the Brewers vs. Dodgers, Mariners vs. Yankees and Guardians vs. Tigers matchups. That includes parlays, player props, and game props. My best bets are based on odds from the experts at Bet365 sports betting app.

MLB Best Bets & Odds for Thursday, August 13

Seattle Mariners vs. New York Yankees

Moneyline: Seattle +128 | New York -138
Run Line: Seattle +1.5 | New York -1.5
Total: O/U 7.5

Milwaukee Brewers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Moneyline: Milwaukee +132 | Los Angeles -142
Run Line: Milwaukee +1.5 | Los Angeles -1.5
Total: O/U 8.5

Consult our MLB Live Betting page to find the best apps and odds for micro-betting baseball.

Milwaukee Brewers at Los Angeles Dodgers Best Bets: Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani

Mookie Betts is still Mookie Betts. The former MVP and eight-time All-Star may have tailed off the last few years, but he's still capable of carrying the offense. That's what the best bowler in MLB has been doing of late: homers in his last two games, a .304/.347/.500 slash line since July 30. More importantly, he has four extra-base hits in his last three games. He'll get a few PAs against Milwaukee lefty Shane Drohan on Thursday. After a 580 OPS in July, Mookie is at 842 for August.

That's why I'm building a three-leg parlay with Betts for tonight's Brewers/Dodgers battle.

Dodgers Parlay: +1600, Bet 365

• Mookie Betts 2+ Total Bases
• Shohei Ohtani 1+ Walk
• Miguel Rojas 1+ RBI

The Brewers pitch Shohei Ohtani very carefully. Caution is the operative word. Ohtani has received 8 walks in his last 7 games against Milwaukee going back to the playoffs last October. The LA superstar also leads the National League with 16 intentional walks.

As for Miguel Rojas, he's been unlucky lately. The dependable utility man is hitting .444 over the last 10 days but hasn't recorded an RBI despite three balls hit over 100 miles per hour. He's raking, but is due for a ribbie.

Bet $10 and you can win $160. Bet $50 for the potential to win $800. Or go in with $100, and if this three-leg parlay hits, win $1,600.

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Seattle Mariners vs. New York Yankees Best Bets: Over Runs Total and Logan Gilbert Strikeouts

If the Mariners are going to return to the American League Championship Series, wins must start coming fast. The M's have 10 teams in front of them in the postseason hunt. Only six teams will advance to the playoff tournament. Seattle's urgency will be on display on Thursday at Yankee Stadium.

Logan Gilbert will toe the rubber for Seattle, and that's a problem for the Mariners. Gilbert has a career 6.80 ERA in eight career starts against the Yankees. He's allowed 8 HR in those eight starts, with 69 baserunners in 42 1/3 innings for a dreadful 1.56 WHIP vs New York. That's not a small sample size: those are telling numbers for Gilbert against the Bronx Bombers.

Best Bet, Parlay: +265, Bet 365

• Seattle at New York Yankees, Over 7.5 Runs
• Logan Gilbert 7+ Strikeouts

Bet $100, and if the two-leg parlay hits, you win $265 in profit.

Gilbert has topped 6 K's in six of his last nine starts. His K rate has soared in his last 7 starts after a slow start due to inflammation in his arm. He posted a K Rate over 11.0 in 2025, and is one of the most prolific strikeout pitchers in the American League. He will be facing a team in the Yankees that ranks 13th out of 15 AL teams in contact rate.

 Cleveland Guardians vs. Detroit Tigers Best Bets: Under 8.5 Runs

The Tigers have inched back into the wild card race AND the division race. Only one game separates the Tigers from the last AL wild card spot, and 3 1/2 games are all there is between Detroit and the AL Central leader White Sox.

Also in the mix are the Guardians, who trail Detroit by 1/2 game in the division race. This afternoon the two traditional rivals meet in the finale of a three-gamer, with the series in the balance.

I want to avoid picking a winner. There are too many factors in conflict: the Guardians are 7-1 against the Tigers this season. But, Cleveland is just 8-16 in the second half  with a -25 run differential. The Tigers are 15-9 since the break, and they have the second-best best run differential in the American League over the course of the entire season.

Instead of grappling with who may win a game between two confusing teams, I want to focus on runs totals. That's because Cleveland is one of only three teams in MLB averaging fewer than 4 runs scored per game. The Guardians are also playing a Thursday afternoon "getaway game," meaning they will hop on a plane to leave town after this contest. Scoring is always lower in getaway games on average.

Why You Should Bet the Under on Guardians vs. Tigers

• Detroit's games have gone Under 57.2%
• Cleveland's games have gone Under 51.7%*
• Guardians starter Parker Messick has allowed 1-2 ER in each of his last six starts.  He also works hard: pitching into the sixth inning in nine of his last 11 starts.
• Cleveland is averaging 3.86 Runs Per Game in getaway games, as opposed to 4.03 in other games.

*Data from TeamRankings.com

• Best Bet: Cleveland Guardians vs. Detroit Tigers UNDER 8.5 Runs (-120 Bet365)

A $120 bet on the Runs Total will pay $100 if the Tigers and Guardians combine for under 8.5 runs.