2023 MLB odds, lines, bets, picks for Friday, April 21 by proven model: This three-way parlay pays almost 10-1

SportsLine's model has revealed its MLB picks, predictions, parlay and best bets for Friday, April 21

By CBS Sports Staff

Apr 21, 2023 at 4:32 pm ET • 2 min read

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Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani is set to make his fifth start of the season for the club Friday night against the Kansas City Royals to kick off a three-game weekend set. First pitch is set for 9:40 p.m. ET from Angel Stadium. Ohtani (2-0, 0.86 ERA) will be pitching on three days' rest, shortened from his usual five days between starts, as the Angels (9-10) look to break a slide that has seen them lose five of their last seven and drop consecutive series to the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. Taylor Clarke (1-0, 6.75 ERA) will make his first start of the season after seven relief appearances for the Royals (4-15), who aim to snap a season-worst skid at six games.

For Friday, the Angels are -300 favorites (risk $300 to win $100), while the Royals return a price of +240 in the latest Caesars Sportsbook MLB odds for Royals vs. Angels. That's one of 15 games on the MLB schedule for Friday. 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. It went 331-285 on top-rated MLB money-line picks (+357) over the past two seasons, and it finished the 2022 MLB season on a 20-14 roll. Anyone who has followed it has seen profitable returns.

For Friday, the model has locked in three confident MLB best bets for games that begin at 7:20 p.m. ET or later. If you successfully parlay the picks, you'd be looking at a payout of nearly 10-1. You can see the model's top MLB picks at SportsLine.

Top MLB picks today

After simulating every game on Friday 10,000 times, the model is picking the Cleveland Guardians (-140) to defeat the Miami Marlins (+105) on Friday. The model sees Cleveland winning this matchup in nearly 60% of simulations. First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. ET.

The Guardians (10-9) are eager to get back on track with a successful homestand after going just 2-4 in their first six games this season at Progressive Field. Cleveland snapped a three-game skid and avoided a weep at the hands of the Detroit Tigers with a 3-2 road victory Wednesday.

Cleveland is sending out right-hander Zach Plesac (1-0, 6.92 ERA), who has never faced Miami, to start Friday's contest. He pitched well in his first home outing on April 9, allowing two runs on five hits while taking a no-decision against the Seattle Mariners. Left-hander Braxton Garrett (0-0, 3.38) is expected to start for the Marlins (10-9). You can see who else to back at SportsLine.