"PICK OF THE DAY" 7 min read

Thursday Night Throwdown

Thursday Night Throwdown
Thursday Night Throwdown: MLB 14-Game Slate + NBA Draft Recap — June 25 Picks
Daily Sports Bets  |  June 25, 2026  |  Ryan Shannon

Thursday Night Throwdown: 14-Game MLB Slate + NBA Draft Fallout

It’s a loaded Thursday on the diamond — Ohtani vs. Ryan headlines a 14-game card. Plus we break down last night’s NBA Draft and what it means for the league.

No championships left to watch. No playoffs to lean on. Welcome to the grind — the stretch of the season where the sharps make their money. Thursday, June 25 brings a 14-game MLB slate with a mix of elite pitching duels and total traps. We also have the NBA Draft wrapping up after Round 1 last night and Round 2 finishing this evening. Let’s break it down one game at a time, starting with the best bets on the board.

🏀 NBA Draft 2026 — Round 1 Recap

Round 1 is done. Round 2 tips tonight at 8 PM ET on ESPN from Barclays Center, Brooklyn. Here’s a quick look at how the top picks fell — useful for dynasty/DFS context as these guys officially enter the league.

2026 NBA Draft — Round 1 Top 10 Picks

#TeamPlayerSchool
1Washington WizardsAJ DybantsaBYU
2Utah JazzDarryn PetersonKansas
3Memphis GrizzliesCameron BoozerDuke
4Chicago BullsCaleb WilsonNorth Carolina
5LA Clippers (via IND)Eaton WagnerIllinois
6Brooklyn NetsMikel Brown Jr.Louisville
7Sacramento KingsD. AcuffArkansas
8Atlanta Hawks (via NOP)Kingston Ings—
9Dallas MavericksMorez Johnson Jr.Michigan
10Milwaukee BucksBrayden BurriesArizona

Round 2 tonight: 8 PM ET on ESPN. Picks 31–60.

Key storyline: Washington went with Dybantsa at #1 — the 19-year-old BYU forward who averaged 25.5 PPG as a freshman. The Wizards are in full rebuild mode and betting on the potential of a high-upside wing. Darryn Peterson goes to Utah at #2 as an elite shot-creator. Cameron Boozer to Memphis at #3 continues the Grizzlies’ youth-movement era. Round 2 wraps tonight — tune in if you’re chasing rookie sleepers for fantasy hoops.

⚾ MLB Thursday — June 25 (14 Games)

The full Thursday card is live from early afternoon through the West Coast late games. Here are the top plays, ranked by confidence.

MLB · Game of the Day
🔒 Lock — 7:40 PM ET  |  Target Field, Minneapolis
Los Angeles Dodgers at Minnesota Twins 🔒 Lock
Dodgers ML (−163) | Under 8 (−105) | SP: Ohtani (7-2, 1.47 ERA) vs. Ryan (5-3, 2.99 ERA)
This is the headliner of the day and it’s not close. Shohei Ohtani (7-2, 1.47 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 78 Ks in 73.2 IP) is the best pitcher on the planet right now, and he’s pitching on the road in a neutral-leaning environment at Target Field. Joe Ryan (5-3, 2.99 ERA) is a solid opponent but the gap in ceiling is enormous. The Dodgers are 51-29 on the season and have been rolling. The ML at -163 is fair — you’re essentially paying for a quarterback advantage. The Under 8 is the cleaner value at -105: Ohtani limits traffic (0.88 WHIP) and Ryan profiles as a quality deep-go starter who won’t surrender a ton of runs. Both bullpens are reliable. Best Bets: Dodgers ML (−163) and Under 8 (−105).
MarketTwins (MIN)Dodgers (LAD)
Moneyline+148−163 ✅
Run Line+1.5 (−114)−1.5 (−105)
TotalUnder 8 (−105) ✅  |  Over 8 (−114)
MLB · Value Play
💡 Value — 7:10 PM ET  |  Yankee Stadium, New York
New York Yankees at New York Mets 💡 Value
Yankees ML (−156) | Under 8.5 (varies)
The Subway Series is always circled on the calendar. The Yankees come in at -156 and are the stronger overall team at this point in the season. The Mets (-121 early line from ESPN) aren’t getting the respect from the market for a home game, but the Yankees have the edge in pitching depth here. For total bettors — the Under 8.5 has been a consistent lean in Subway Series matchups at Citi Field. Best Bet: Yankees ML (−156) or Under 8.5.
MarketYankees (NYY)Mets (NYM)
Moneyline−156 (NYY) ✅−121 (NYM Home)
TotalO/U 8.5

*Note: Line source shows NYM as listed home team at -121; Yankees are the road favorite. Confirm line at time of bet — Subway Series lines move quickly.

MLB · Dog Play
🐶 Dog Alert — 7:07 PM ET  |  Rogers Centre, Toronto
Houston Astros at Toronto Blue Jays 🐶 Dog
Blue Jays ML (−145) | Under 8.5 (−115)
Toronto comes in as the home favorite at −145 and the Under 8.5 is a sharp lean at Rogers Centre, which has been playing more neutral this season. The Astros are under .500 on the road and the Jays’ bullpen has been solid. The Under 8.5 at −115 paired with a moderate Jays ML makes for a clean two-leg same-game parlay. Best Bet: Blue Jays ML + Under 8.5 parlay (+230 range).
MarketAstros (HOU)Blue Jays (TOR)
Moneyline+122 (road)−145 (home) ✅
TotalO/U 8.5 (Under −115)
MLB · Side
Afternoon Play — 12:10 PM ET  |  Tropicana Field
Kansas City Royals at Tampa Bay Rays
Rays ML (−143 to −144) | Under 7.5 to 8
Tampa Bay is a solid home favorite to open the day. The Rays are built for this — pitching-first, process-driven and consistent at home. Kansas City plays better on the road than their record shows, but at Tropicana Field, the Rays get the benefit of their familiar environment. Under 7.5 to 8 is the lean here based on the pitching matchups. Best Bet: Rays ML (−143).
MarketRoyals (KC)Rays (TB)
Moneyline+120−143/−144 ✅
TotalO/U 7.5–8

🎯 Player Props — June 25

MLB Prop
Prop #1 — Dodgers vs. Twins
Shohei Ohtani — Over 7.5 Strikeouts
Over 7.5 Ks (price varies −130 to −150) | 2026: 9.53 K/9, 78 Ks in 73.2 IP
Ohtani is averaging over a strikeout per inning this season (1.47 ERA, 78 Ks in 73.2 IP). He’s capable of a 10+ K outing against Minnesota’s lineup, which strikes out at a league-average clip. This is a heavy-juice prop but for good reason — Ohtani is nearly automatic for 7+ in a good matchup. Treat as 0.5-unit prop or anchor a same-game parlay.
MLB Prop
Prop #2 — Phillies vs. Nationals (6:45 PM ET)
Phillies Team Total — Over 4.5 Runs
PHI Team Total Over 4.5 (+100 range) | PHI ML (−186)
Philadelphia rolls into Washington as heavy -186 favorites. The Nationals are 21st or worse in run prevention. The Phillies have Schwarber, Turner, Harper, and one of the deepest lineups in the NL. Against a weak Washington pitching staff on the road, PHI’s team total over 4.5 is a flat-money to plus-money play. Best Bet: PHI Team Total Over 4.5 (+100 to +105).
MLB Prop
Prop #3 — Braves vs. Padres (8:40 PM ET)
Atlanta Braves ML (−117)
Braves ML (−117) | Near pick-em vs. San Diego
Atlanta near pick-em on the road in San Diego is value. The Braves (if healthy) have been one of the more powerful lineups in the NL. At -117, you’re getting one of the better offenses in baseball at nearly flat odds. Lean Atlanta ML as a 1-unit play.
MLB Prop
Prop #4 — Brewers vs. Reds (7:10 PM ET)
Milwaukee Brewers ML (−132)
Brewers ML (−132) | O/U 9.5
Milwaukee is the road favorite in Cincinnati at -132. The Brewers have been one of the more reliable road teams in the NL. The total of 9.5 is high — lean Under if you want the two-fer. Best Bet: Brewers ML (−132).

📋 Full Thursday Slate — Lines at a Glance

Time ETMatchupFavoriteTotal
12:10 PMKC Royals @ TB RaysTB −143O/U 7.5–8
12:35 PMSEA Mariners @ PIT PiratesSEA −143O/U 8.5
3:45 PMAthletics @ SF GiantsSF −136O/U 8.5
6:40 PMHOU Astros @ DET Tigers—O/U 7
6:40 PMSEA Mariners @ PIT PiratesPIT −115O/U 8
6:45 PMPHI Phillies @ WSH NationalsPHI −186O/U 9.5 ✅
7:07 PMHOU Astros @ TOR Blue JaysTOR −145O/U 8.5
7:10 PMNYY Yankees @ NYM MetsNYY −156O/U 8.5
7:10 PMMIL Brewers @ CIN RedsMIL −132O/U 9.5
7:40 PMLAD Dodgers @ MIN TwinsLAD −163 🔒Under 8 ✅
7:45 PMARI D-Backs @ STL CardinalsSTL −119O/U 9
8:40 PMATL Braves @ SD PadresATL −117 ✅O/U 8
9:45 PMAthletics @ SF Giants (late)ATH −114O/U 8.5
Thursday DSB Parlay

🎰 DSB Thursday 3-Leg Parlay

  • ⚾ Dodgers ML (−163)
  • ⚾ Under 8 — Dodgers/Twins (−105)
  • ⚾ Blue Jays ML (−145)

Estimated Parlay Odds: +225 to +260 depending on book. 1-unit stake. All three plays are independently justified — the parlay is a bonus overlay.

📬 Want the daily edge in your inbox? Subscribe to the DSB newsletter — free picks, every day.

Subscribe Free at DailySportsBets.com →

Odds accurate as of June 25, 2026, and subject to change. All lines sourced from ESPN, DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Covers, and Action Network. Always shop lines across books before placing bets.
NBA Draft results via NBA.com and Yahoo Sports. Baseball schedule confirmed via MLB.com official schedule.
🔞 Must be 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Please gamble responsibly.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related Breakdowns

Discover more from Daily Sports Bets

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading