At the start of every season, betting odds for MLB are a lot like the wild, wild West of yesteryear. Just as we're trying to get a feel for the competitive landscape and odds on the 2022 World Series contenders, so too are the sportsbooks, who don't have much more information than you.
When approached properly, this time of utter anarchy can be extremely—read: profitable—to all of us. If you know where to spot quasi-sure things, for instance, you're already ahead of the game. You just have to be asking the right questions.
Our latest batch of 2022 MLB betting picks are designed to do just that by figuring out whether you should start treating the red-hot Tampa Bay Rays as the best team in baseball, and how that should impact your day-to-day wagering.
Don't fret, though. We're not just concerned with the Rays. We've got picks for a handful of the other most intriguing matchups on the docket. Before we really dig in, let's have a look at MLB betting odds for all of the games taking place on Thursday, April 14:
| Favorite |  | | Underdog |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Rays | -200 | +168 | Oakland Athletics |
| Chicago White Sox | -110 | -106 | Seattle Mariners |
| Milwaukee Brewers | -156 | +132 | St. Louis Cardinals |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | -130 | +110 | Washington Nationals |
| Miami Marlins | -116 | -102 | Philadelphia Phillies |
| New York Yankes | -134 | +114 | Toronto Blue Jays |
| Los Angeles Angels | -134 | +114 | Texas Rangers |
| San Diego Padres | -112 | -104 | Atlanta Braves |
| Kansas City Royals | -124 | +106 | Detroit Tigers |
| Colorado Rockies | -134 | +114 | Chicago Cubs |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | -290 | +235 | Cincinnati Reds |
While single-game MLB odds won't move too much after they're published, you will still want to double-check these baseball betting lines for accuracy. Injuries and breaking news can impact all odds on MLB right up until the opening pitch.
You should also be sure to check out our reviews of the top online sportsbooks. We've staged deep dives into all the major options so you can identify the best MLB betting sites in 2022.
Rays Emerge Victorious vs. Athletics
Perhaps we're jumping the gun on the Rays. They have fattened up on lackluster opponents thus far.
That doesn't mean they're not impressive. They are. They rank inside the top five of on-base percentage and were scorching hot on defense prior to their second loss of the season.
Relative to the entire league, we're not sure if Tampa Bay is actually the best team. We need to see more from their pitching staff. But the Oakland Athletics are no match for them. We're certain of that.
OSB Prediction: Tampa Bay Rays (-200)
White Sox Keep Rolling vs. the Mariners
Speaking of identifying the best MLB team: Meet the Chicago White Sox.
Many lampooned their offseason. They viewed it as either a talent drain or, at best, lateral move. As of now, those sentiments no longer matter. The White Sox rank in the top five of both on-base percentage and ERA allowed—the only club to maintain such marks through the first part of the season.
Kudos to the Seattle Mariners for generating some dark horse love to start the year. Still, this isn't a game they should win.
OSB Prediction: Chicago White Sox (-110)
Should We Be Concerned About the Brewers?
Most had the Milwaukee Brewers pegged as potential World Series contenders entering 2022. Their start to the year hasn't exactly played out in that vein.
Milwaukee enters play on Thursday at .500 and allowing around 4.25 runs per nine innings. Fortunately for them, they get to face the St. Louis Cardinals, who aren't actively trying to win baseball games right now.
So, yeah, maybe express some concern for the Brewers in the macro. Against the Cardinals, though? Not so much.
OSB Prediction: Milwaukee Brewers (-156)
Yankees Keep Sliding vs. Blue Jays
The New York Yankees are yet another supposed-to-be powerhouse that has struggled to start the season.
While they have the best run differential of the AL East, they've needed to scrape by on the back of their power on offense and their pitching. That would be fine if they were winning more games. They're not. They need to up their on-base percentage and overall batting average (.231) before we take them seriously against squads like the Toronto Blue Jays.
OSB Prediction: Toronto Blue Jays (+114)
Dodgers Should Blow the Reds to Smithereens
It turns out the Los Angeles Dodgers are elite. Who knew?
You know, aside from literally everyone.
Los Angeles is currently putting the league's highest payroll to good use. Their pitching is even better than expected. The Dodgers rank seventh in runs allowed per nine innings, and only the Miami Marlins are holding opponents to a lower batting average.
If anything, Los Angeles has underachieved on offense, where they are "only" 11th in on-base plus slugging percentage. Don't expect that to hold. They're missing a couple of key bats at the moment. Luckily, they don't need any more firepower to take down the Cincinnati Reds and their ultra-shaky pitching staff.
OSB Prediction: Los Angeles Dodgers (-290)
Take a look at this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can decide which ones to use for all of your MLB betting in 2022:
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