The 2025 MLB Playoffs begin on Tuesday and there are four games on the MLB schedule beginning with Guardians vs. Tigers at 1:08 p.m. ET. However, we'll focus on the three later games as we build our FanDuel MLB parlay for the first day of the MLB postseason. Cubs vs. Padres begins at 3:08 p.m. ET and then we'll get Yankees vs. Red Sox at 6:08 p.m. ET and Dodgers vs. Reds at 9:08 p.m. ET. The set pitching matchups for Tuesday will be Tarik Skubal vs. Gavin Williams in Tigers vs. Guardians, Garrett Crochet vs. Max Fried in Red Sox vs. Yankees and Hunter Greene vs. Blake Snell in Reds vs. Dodgers.
Meanwhile, the Cubs are yet to name a starter after a late-season injury to rookie Cade Horton threw a wrench into their plans, but Chicago on the money line (-116) is still one of the SportsLine Projection Model's top MLB picks on Tuesday and a critical aspect of our MLB parlay. The model is also recommending Yankees money line (-134) in a playoff grudge match between arch rivals and also Over 7.5 runs in Dodgers vs. Reds.
The model, which simulates every MLB game 10,000 times, enters the 2025 MLB Playoffs on a profitable 34-28 run on top-rated MLB money-line picks. It also excelled making home run prop picks this season, returning 36.44 units of profit. Anybody following its MLB betting picks at sportsbooks and on betting sites could have seen strong returns.
Three top MLB betting picks for Tuesday, September 29 (odds subject to change):
- Cubs money line vs. Padres (-116)
- Yankees money line vs. Red Sox (-134)
- Over 7.5 runs in Dodgers vs. Reds (+102)
Combining the model's three picks into an MLB parlay at FanDuel would result in a payout of +556 (risk $100 to win $556).
Cubs money line vs. Padres (-116, FanDuel)
Matthew Boyd would have been the odds-on favorite to start the first game of a playoff series a little over a month ago, but he's struggled of late and Horton started to look like the best option before his injury. Now it could be Boyd, Shota Imanaga, Colin Rea or Jameson Taillon. The Padres have decided on Nick Pivetta, who has been excellent overall but was touched up for six earned runs over his final two starts (10 1/3 innings). Pivetta was also run out of the game after only three innings in his only appearance against the Cubs in 2025, a 7-1 loss on April 5. Chicago wins in 65% of simulations.
Yankees money line vs. Red Sox (-134, FanDuel)
The best rivalry in the sport will have the intensity ratcheted up once again this postseason. It's the sixth time that these two franchises have squared off in the MLB playoffs and Boston has won three of those series. However, the Red Sox haven't played playoff baseball since 2021 and there's a general lack of postseason experience outside of Alex Bregman. Fried and Crochet should duel here, but advantage to New York's high-powered and more experienced lineup here. The Yankees win in 64% of simulations.
Over 7.5 runs in Dodgers vs. Reds (+102, FanDuel)
Hunter Greene has dynamic stuff, but he was much better at home this season than on the road, where he sported a 4.81 ERA in eight starts. Now the native of Los Angeles will head to Dodger Stadium to take on the defending world champions in his first career playoff start. Current Dodgers have an .867 combined career OPS against Greene and if his control gets away from him -- as it's occasionally prone to -- then Los Angeles could cover this number on its own. The model predicts 8.9 combined runs on average.
