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After knocking off a first-place team, an even tougher one is on tap for the Tampa Bay Rays as part of the 15-game Friday MLB schedule. The Texas Rangers (40-21) lead the AL West and are the highest-scoring team in MLB. But the Rays (46-19) have won six straight games and come off a sweep of the Twins, leaders of the AL Central. Tampa Bay still has the best record in MLB. Also on the Friday MLB schedule is the latest edition of the Red Sox vs. Yankees rivalry. They begin their three-game series at Yankee Stadium, with both needing to make up a lot of ground on the Rays in the AL East.

Twins vs. Rays in St. Petersburg, Fla. is set for first pitch at 6:40 p.m. ET. The Rays are -165 favorites (risk $165 to win $100) in Caesars Sportsbook's latest MLB odds, and the Rangers are priced at +140. The over/under for total runs scored is set at 8. The loaded 15-game Friday MLB schedule means hundreds of possibilities for wagers. If you combine your favorite picks into a parlay, you can really cash in. 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 has opened the 2023 MLB season on a 32-24 roll on all-top rated MLB picks (+379). Anybody who has followed it has seen profitable 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 only see the model's MLB picks at SportsLine.

Top MLB picks today

After simulating every game on Friday 10,000 times, the model is picking Over 8 runs (-115) in the Rangers vs. Rays matchup. The Rangers lead MLB in runs scored, putting up 386 in 61 games, and the Rays are second with 372 in 65. Tampa Bay has scored four or more in seven of their past eight games. The Rays are 28-6 at home, where Randy Arozarena and Harold Ramirez have hit 16 of their combined 21 home runs. Arozarena had a walk-off homer Thursday night.     

The Rangers are 19-12 on the road, 10-6 as an underdog, and haven't lost consecutive games in more than a month. Second baseman Marcus Semien, who just had a 25-game hit streak snapped, has nine home runs, and seven of them have come away from home. The pitching matchup doesn't appear to be one that will silence the bats. Tyler Glasnow will make his third start of the season for Tampa Bay, and Andrew Heaney lasted just three innings in his last outing. See who else to back here

How to make MLB parlays for Friday, June 9

The model also locked in three other best bets for Friday, including two confident money-line plays. You can only see the model's MLB parlay picks and best bets at SportsLine

What MLB picks should you target for a payout of more than 11-1, and which teams are must-backs? Visit SportsLine now to see the MLB best bets from an advanced model that is on a 32-24 run on top-rated money-line picks, and find out.