MLB: Milwaukee Brewers at San Francisco Giants
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The San Diego Padres face the Los Angeles Dodgers for the first time since their trade deadline bonanza when the two teams open a three-game series on Friday at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. The Padres added Juan Soto, Josh Bell, Josh Hader and Brandon Drury within the last week, establishing themselves as serious contenders to win the National League and reach the World Series. To get there the Padres may have to get past the Dodgers (72-33), who own the best record in baseball. Los Angeles is a -160 favorite in the latest Dodgers vs. Padres odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while San Diego is a +135 underdog. 

First pitch is set for 10:10 p.m. ET. The game is one of 14 on the MLB schedule for Friday. Elsewhere in the majors, the Mets and Braves play the second game of their key five-game series and the Yankees and Cardinals open an interleague series in St. Louis. Before making any MLB picks or parlays, be sure to check out the MLB predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every MLB game 10,000 times, and it enters Week 18 on a 20-14 roll on top-rated MLB picks, returning almost $400 for $100 players. This is the same model that pegged the 2021 Atlanta Braves at 10-1 as one of three best bets to win it all last season. Anybody who has followed it has seen profitable returns.

Now, the model has locked in four confident MLB best bets for Friday. They all involve games at 8:05 p.m. ET or later, so there's still time to get these MLB picks in. If you successfully parlay the picks, you'd be looking at a payout of almost 26-1. You can see the model's MLB picks only at SportsLine

Top MLB picks today

After simulating every game on Friday 10,000 times, the model is high on the Rangers (+158) to beat the White Sox. One season after winning the AL Central, the White Sox (53-52) have been one of the more disappointing teams in baseball, sitting in third place in the division. The Rangers (47-58) sit in third place in the tougher AL West.

Few hitters have been on a better roll than Texas' Nathaniel Lowe. The 6-foot-3, 245-pound Lowe enters Friday on a career-best 11-game hitting streak, which is tied for the longest hitting streak by any Ranger this season. Over his last 11 games, he is 17-for-42 (.405 batting average) with four doubles, a triple, two homers and five RBI.

How to make MLB picks and parlays for Friday

The model also locked in three other best bets for Friday, including a play on an even bigger American League underdog. You can see the model's MLB best bets and parlay only at SportsLine.

What MLB picks should you target for a payout of almost 26-1? And what underdog does the model like on Friday? Visit SportsLine now to see the MLB best bets from an advanced model that is on a 20-14 roll on top-rated MLB money-line picks.