Kyle Tucker USATSI Houston Astros
USATSI

Rivalries and a big homecoming are on tap Friday as part of the 15-game MLB schedule. Justin Verlander, who won two Cy Young Awards and two World Series titles with the Houston Astros, will be back in Minute Maid Park Friday night. The right-hander, who signed with the Mets in the offseason, was re-acquired in a trade with the Mets, will face the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night. The Friday MLB schedule also features another meeting of NL East rivals the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves and an I-70 Cardinals vs. Royals series. The NL West also will be busy, with four of the teams facing each other and the second-place San Francisco Giants hosting the AL West-leading Texas Rangers.

Astros vs. Angels is set for first pitch at 8:10 p.m. ET. Houston is a -181 favorite (risk $181 to win $100), while Los Angeles is a +154 in the SportsLine consensus MLB odds. The over/under for total runs scored is 8.5. 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. It entered Week 20 of the 2023 MLB season 54-43 on all top-rated MLB picks this season and has excelled on top-rated run-line picks, going 11-4 (+404). Anybody following the model has seen big returns.

For Friday, the model has locked in four confident MLB best bets for games that begin at 6:40 p.m. ET or later. If you successfully parlay the picks, you'd be looking at a payout of more than 11-1. 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 picking Astros to beat the Angels, and Verlander is a big part of that. The three-time Cy Young winner made his first start back with Houston in a road matchup against the Yankees last Saturday and allowed two runs on seven hits. Verlander (6-6, 3.11 ERA) faced the Angels last season with the Mets, allowing one run on three hits with seven strikeouts in a 2-0 loss. The right-hander is 15-11 with a 3.20 ERA in 30 career starts against Los Angeles.

The Angels are set to go with Reid Detmers (2-8, 4.78 ERA). He comes off a start against Seattle where he allowed seven runs on nine hits in a 9-7 loss. The 24-year-old lefty has allowed eight runs on 11 hits over two starts against the Astros this season and is 1-2 with a 4.88 ERA over six career starts against them. The Angels have won two in a row but lost seven straight before that. They are 58-58 and sit fourth in the AL West, while Houston is second at 66-50. See the model's top MLB picks here.

How to make Friday MLB parlays

The model also locked in three other best bets for Friday, including one on an AL 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 more than 11-1, and which AL underdog should you be all over? Visit SportsLine now to see the MLB best bets from an advanced model that is 54-43 on all top-rated MLB picks this season, and find out.