2023 MLB picks, odds, best bets for Monday, July 24 by top model: This three-way parlay returns almost 8-1

A showdown for first place in the NL Central takes place when the red-hot Cincinnati Reds visit the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers in the opener of their three-game series on Monday (8:10 p.m. ET) at American Family Field. The Reds (55-46) extended their winning streak to five and pulled within one-half game of Milwaukee on Sunday by posting a 7-3 victory against Arizona. The Brewers (55-45), who are coming off a 4-2 loss to Atlanta, swept a three-game set at Cincinnati earlier this month and are 8-2 in the season series. On Monday, Milwaukee's Colin Rea (5-4, 4.64 ERA) makes the start against Cincinnati's Graham Ashcraft (5-7, 5.77).

The Brewers are -115 favorites (risk $115 to win $100) in the latest MLB odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the Reds are -105 underdogs. The over/under for total runs scored is 9, and the game is one of nine on the MLB schedule for Monday evening. Elsewhere, the top two teams in the AL West square off as the first-place Texas Rangers (-110) visit the Houston Astros, and the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers (-120) host the Toronto Blue Jays. Before you lock in your MLB picks or parlays for Monday's games, be sure to .

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 18 of the 2023 MLB season 48-36 (+192) on all top-rated MLB picks this season and has excelled on top-rated run-line picks, going 11-2 (+604). Anybody following has seen big returns.

For Monday, the model has locked in three confident MLB best bets for games that begin at 7:10 p.m. ET or later. If you successfully parlay the picks, you'd be looking at a payout of almost 8-1. You can only see the model's MLB picks at SportsLine. 

Top MLB picks today

After simulating every game on Monday 10,000 times, the model is picking the Dodgers (-120) to defeat the Blue Jays. Since dropping two of three against Kansas City, Los Angeles has won five straight series -- including three on the road following the All-Star break. The last two series wins have come against first-place teams as the Dodgers took two of three from both Baltimore (AL East) and Texas (AL West).

Despite the team's 8-4 loss to the Rangers on Sunday, Freddie Freeman continued swinging a hot bat. The 33-year-old first baseman went 2-for-3 in the setback to raise his batting average to .331, the third-best mark in the majors. Freeman (20) is one of four members of the Dodgers with at least 20 home runs, as Mookie Betts ranks second in the NL with 27 blasts while Max Muncy pulled even with J.D. Martinez for second on the club with 24 after belting a grand slam on Sunday. See the model's top MLB picks here.