Today's top games to watch, best bets, odds: Rays vs. Yankees, Penguins vs. Capitals and more
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Find best bets for the biggest games in sports on Wednesday from the SportsLine Projection Model and top CBS Sports experts
• 9 min read
The last time the Tampa Bay Rays reached the American League Championship Series, they needed five games to get past the New York Yankees in the AL Division Series. They're hoping to make it a little easier on themselves this time around.
Tampa Bay attempts to complete a sweep of the 2026 ALDS when they square off against New York at 8 p.m. ET in Game 3 on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium. The Rays, who defeated the Yankees in this round in 2020 en route to the second World Series appearance in franchise history, edged New York 1-0 in this year's series opener before pushing their AL East rivals to the brink of elimination with a 5-2 victory in Game 2.
The Rays went 7-6 against New York during the regular season but lost four of the six contests at Yankee Stadium, including three of four in their penultimate series of the campaign. Tampa Bay was outscored 15-6 in its final two games in the Bronx, but its pitching staff has kept the Yankees in check thus far in the ALDS.
New York was limited to one hit in Game 1 as Drew Rasmussen had a no-hitter for 7 2/3 innings before Austin Wells ripped a double down the right field line. However, Wells made an ill-advised decision to try and stretch it into a triple and was thrown out easily at third base. Rays closer Bryan Baker worked a perfect ninth to preserve the win.
The Yankees didn't fare much better offensively in Game 2 as they registered just four hits, two of which were solo homers by Ben Rice. They were even worse defensively, committing four errors -- including three in the first inning that helped give Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead.
Tampa Bay will look to punch its ticket to the ALCS behind Nick Martinez, who set a career high with 15 wins this year and matched another with a 3.10 ERA. The 36-year-old right-hander posted a better ERA on the road (2.38) than at home (3.90) during the regular season and had a 2.16 mark in two turns at Yankee Stadium. Martinez held New York to one run over six innings in a no-decision on May 22 and gave up just two while recording a season-high seven strikeouts across six frames in a 2-0 loss on Sept. 22.
The Yankees are counting on Max Fried to help extend their postseason. The 32-year-old left-hander, who allowed just one run and three hits over six innings against the Boston Red Sox in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series for his first win in 10 total starts at Yankee Stadium in 2026, was tagged for four runs and six hits across 6 2/3 frames as he took the loss in his lone home outing against the Rays.
Two NL Division Series take place Wednesday evening, including Game 4 of the matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves at 6 p.m. ET at Truist Park. The two-time reigning world champion Dodgers are one win away from their third straight trip to the NLCS after defeating the Braves 3-1 on Tuesday.
The other NLDS resumes at 10 p.m. ET, when the San Diego Padres host the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 at Petco Park. San Diego lost a pair of one-run heartbreakers in Milwaukee before staying alive with Tuesday's 4-3 home triumph that was closed out by Michael King, who kept the Brewers off the board over the final two innings after permitting only one run over five frames in his Game 2 start just two days earlier.
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There are also three games on Wednesday's NHL schedule, one of which has the Pittsburgh Penguins (2-1-0) facing off against the Washington Capitals (1-1-0) at 7:30 p.m. ET at Capital One Arena. The Penguins are coming off their first loss of the 2026-27 NHL season, a 3-2 home setback against the Winnipeg Jets, after having scored a total of 13 goals while winning their first two contests. This is the home opener for the Capitals, who began the campaign by splitting a pair of road games.
Two teams seeking a third consecutive victory collide at the Honda Center as the Anaheim Ducks (2-0-0) host the Edmonton Oilers (2-0-1) at 10 p.m. ET. The Ducks have begun the season with a pair of one-goal wins, including an overtime triumph over Florida Panthers in their home opener last Sunday, while the Oilers have followed an OT loss to Vancouver with victories against the Canucks and Seattle Kraken.
The Yankees are -170 money line betting favorites against the Rays in the latest consensus MLB betting odds, the Dodgers are -152 sports betting favorites versus the Braves and the Padres are -112 to defeat the Brewers. The Capitals are -163 favorites over the Penguins and the Oilers are -132 favorites against the Ducks.
Below is a snapshot of what to watch and bet for Wednesday, Oct. 7. All times Eastern
MLB best bets, where to watch
Dodgers at Braves
Time: 6 p.m. | Location: Atlanta | TV: FS1 | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks -- Model: Braves +1.5 (-138) | Expert: Freddie Freeman Over 1.5 total bases (+137, Angelo Magliocca)
Atlanta's Tyler Mahle has been superb since being acquired from the San Francisco Giants on Aug. 2, allowing fewer than three runs in nine of his 10 starts, including Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series against the Philadelphia Phillies in which he gave up on run across seven innings. The 32-year-old right-hander scattered three hits over seven scoreless frames en route to victory in his only turn versus Los Angeles this year. Meanwhile, Dodgers righty Tyler Glasnow faced the Braves once in 2026 and yielded three runs over five innings. The SportsLine Projection Model sees the Braves putting up a strong fight behind Mahle with their season on the line as its simulations have them covering the spread betting run line in 63% of its simulations. Los Angeles' Freddie Freeman has homered in back-to-back games after having gone 19 contests without a blast, and the fact that he went 2-for-3 the only time he faced Mahle this year has SportsLine expert Angelo Magliocca believing the veteran first baseman will record at least two total bases in Game 4 as part of his prop betting picks.
Rays at Yankees
Time: 8 p.m. | Location: Bronx, N.Y. | TV: TBS | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks -- Model: Rays +1.5 (-158) | Expert: Over 7 (-120, Micah Roberts)
The Yankees demolished the pitching staff of the Boston Red Sox in their AL Wild Card Series, racking up 19 runs and 26 hits in their two-game sweep. Their bats were silenced by the Rays in the first two contests of the AL Division Series as they've managed just five hits, including a pair of solo homers by Ben Rice that account for their only runs in the matchup. Rays righty Nick Martinez allowed fewer than three runs in each of his three starts against New York this year, while Yankees southpaw Max Fried yielded three or more in both of his turns versus Tampa Bay. While it thinks the Yankees will avoid being swept, the SportsLine Projection Model sees the Rays keeping Game 3 close as its simulations have them covering the run line 65% of the time. The AL East rivals combined for seven runs in Game 2, and SportsLine expert Micah Roberts (38-29-2, +1292 on his last 69 MLB picks) likes them to exceed that Over/Under betting line at the bandbox known as Yankee Stadium on Wednesday.
Brewers at Padres
Time: 10 p.m. | Location: San Diego | TV: FS1 | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks -- Model: Over 7.5 (-109) | Expert: Walker Buehler Over 8.5 outs recorded (-165, Matt Severance)
The Brewers were second in the major leagues in scoring during the regular season with 832 runs and Padres right-hander Walker Buehler surrendered seven over 10 1/3 innings in his final two home starts this year. Meanwhile, Milwaukee lefty Robert Gasser will be making the first postseason start of his career. The SportsLine Projection Model has taken these facts into account and has the Over hitting in almost 61% of its simulations. Buehler came up with a strong performance in his only start against the Brewers this season, allowing one run and three hits over six innings. SportsLine expert Matt Severance expects the 32-year-old to work at least three frames in Game 4 as he attempts to help keep the Padres from being eliminated.
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NHL best bets, where to watch
Penguins at Capitals
Time: 7:30 p.m. | Location: Washington D.C. | TV: TNT | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine pick -- Model: Over 6.5 (-110)
The Penguins stormed out of the gate this season, scoring seven goals against the Philadelphia Flyers in their opener and recording six while defeating the Montreal Canadiens in overtime in their next contest. Washington's offense also had an impressive debut as the team tallied five times in a triumph over the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes. Pittsburgh was held to two goals by the Winnipeg Jets on Monday, however, and the Capitals scored just once in their loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning last Saturday. Still, the SportsLine Projection Model doesn't think goals will be at a premium in this matchup as its simulations have the Over hitting more than 60% of the time and has assigned an 'A' grade to the pick.
Oilers at Ducks
Time: 10 p.m. | Location: Anaheim, Calif. | TV: ESPN+ | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks -- Model: Oilers ML (-132) | Expert: Under 7 (-133, Matt Severance)
The Honda Center has been a house of horrors for the Oilers of late. The club lost both regular-season games there in 2024-25, as well as its lone visit last campaign. Edmonton then went 0-3 in the arena during its first-round playoff loss to the Ducks this past April. The SportsLine Projection Model feels the Oilers are due to end the slide as they post the victory on Wednesday in 55% of its simulations. Although Edmonton has averaged 5.7 goals over its first three games of 2026-27 and the Ducks scored at least three in each of their first two contests, SportsLine expert Matt Severance is backing the Under in the first of the four meetings between the Pacific Division rivals this campaign.
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