MLB picks, predictions, best bets for Monday, July 21: Guardians vs. Orioles, Pirates vs. Tigers and more

After an action-packed Sunday that featured several high-profile contests, MLB teams are ready for another crucial slate of games as the postseason race heats up in the second half of the season.

One of the games to watch on Monday is the American League East contest between the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays. We have the best picks, predictions, and best sorted for fans for Monday's slate of games.

MLB picks, predictions and best bets for Monday, July 21

1. Cleveland Guardians vs. Baltimore Orioles

Score Prediction: Guardians 5, Orioles 2

Pick: Over 8 runs (-102)

Best bet: Guardians to win (-138)

The Cleveland Guardians and the Baltimore Orioles head into Monday's series opener on the back of contrasting results. While the Guardians won the previous series against the Athletics, the Orioles avoided a series sweep against the Tampa Bay Rays with a 5-3 win on Sunday.

2. Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Detroit Tigers

Score Prediction: Pirates 1, Tigers 7

Pick: Over 7 runs (-110)

Best bet: Tigers to win (+108)

It's a mismatch between teams when the Pirates host the Tigers, the best team in baseball, at PNC Park on Monday. Although the Tigers dropped their series against the Texas Rangers, Detroit's plate discipline and defense will be too much for the Pirates, who have just one win in their last 10 games.

3. Philadelphia Phillies vs. Red Sox

Score Prediction: Phillies 4, Red Sox 2

Pick: Under 8 runs (-105)

Best bet: Phillies to win (-211)

The Philadelphia Phillies dropped their last series against the Los Angeles Angels after an 8-2 loss in the series decider over the weekend. The Red Sox enter the contest on the back of a 6-1 win to avoid a series sweep against the Chicago Cubs.

4. Washington Nationals vs. Cincinnati Reds

Score Prediction: Reds 7, Nationals 4

Pick: Over 8.5 runs (+101)

Best bet: Reds to win (-137)

The Washington Nationals lost their previous series against the San Diego Padres, dropping their season record to 39-60, the fourth worst in the MLB. The Cincinnati Reds are 2-1 since the All-Star break, defeating the New York Mets in their last series.

5. Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants

Score Prediction: Braves 4, Giants 2

Pick: Under 8.5 runs (-101)

Best bet: Braves to win (-131)

The San Francisco Giants lost their second consecutive series after the Toronto Blue Jays swept the National League West team in three games. The Giants will be up against a deflated Atlanta Braves, who dropped the home series against the New York Yankees.

6. Toronto Blue Jays vs. New York Yankees

Score Prediction: Blue Jays 6, Yankees 4

Pick: Over 7 runs (-118)

Best bet: Blue Jays to win (+101)

The Blue Jays will host the New York Yankees in the contest of the day. While the Blue Jays are fresh off a series sweep against the Giants, the Yankees rallied past the Atlanta Braves on the road to claim the series. New York will aim for revenge with the four-game sweep against Toronto earlier this month still fresh in the minds of Yankees fans.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash