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Find best bets for the biggest games in sports on Monday from the SportsLine Projection Model and top CBS Sports experts
Oct 12, 2026 at 3:11 pm ET • 8 min read
The Milwaukee Brewers did just enough against Tarik Skubal to draw first blood in the 2026 National League Championship Series. If they hope to take a 2-0 lead in their matchup with the two-time reigning world champion Los Angeles Dodgers, they must find a way to get to a pitcher who has been spectacular for most of his postseason career.
Milwaukee continues its quest for the second World Series appearance in franchise history when it hosts Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the Dodgers at 5 p.m. ET in Game 2 of the 2026 NLCS at American Family Field. The Brewers, who were swept by Los Angeles in this round last year, made their only trip to the Fall Classic in 1982 and lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games while residing in the American League.
The Dodgers took the lead in Game 1 on Andy Pages' RBI single in the second inning, but Brice Turang led off the fourth against Skubal with his second career postseason homer and Luis Lara put the Brewers ahead in the following frame with a run-scoring base hit. It proved to be enough for Milwaukee as relievers Abner Uribe, Aaron Ashby and Trevor Megill kept Los Angeles off the board over the final four innings.
Owners of the best record in the major leagues during the regular season (103-59), the Brewers now must solve Yamamoto, who is 8-1 with a 2.14 ERA in 11 playoff games -- 10 starts -- since joining the Dodgers in 2024. The 28-year-old Japanese right-hander has allowed fewer than two runs in eight of his 11 overall postseason appearances and seven of the last eight.
Yamamoto went 5-1 with a 1.45 ERA and two complete games in last year's playoffs and was named World Series MVP after recording three victories against the Toronto Blue Jays. One of those complete games came in Game 2 of the 2025 NLCS, as he limited the Brewers to three hits and one run while registering seven strikeouts. Yamamoto was dominant in his debut this postseason, holding the Atlanta Braves to one run and four hits while fanning 10 batters over seven innings in Game 3 of their NL Division Series.
Milwaukee counters with rookie Logan Henderson, who made his first career playoff appearance in Game 2 of the 2026 NLDS against the San Diego Padres and allowed two runs -- one earned -- and two hits across five innings of a no-decision. The 24-year-old righty won both of his starts versus the Dodgers during the regular season, permitting one run and five hits with 13 strikeouts over 12 innings. Yamamoto was effective against the Brewers this year, as well, going 2-0 while giving up two runs and fanning 12 across 13 frames in two outings.
The 2026 ALCS begins Monday as the Cleveland Guardians visit Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. to take on the Tampa Bay Rays at 8 p.m. ET. Left-hander Foster Griffin makes the start for Cleveland, which lost the first two games of the ALDS at home before posting three consecutive victories over the Chicago White Sox.
Tampa Bay turns to righty Drew Rasmussen, who was four outs away from a no-hitter in Game 1 of the Rays' three-game sweep of the New York Yankees in the ALDS and finished with 10 strikeouts across eight scoreless innings. Griffin did not face Tampa Bay this season, while Rasmussen went 1-1 with a 1.50 ERA and fanned 15 over 12 frames in two starts against the Guardians.
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Week 5 of the 2026 NFL season wraps up with a showdown between the league's past two MVPs as Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills (3-1) take on Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams (2-2) on Monday Night Football at 8:15 p.m. ET at SoFi Stadium. The Bills are coming off their first loss of the season, a 29-26 setback against the New England Patriots in which Allen -- the 2024 NFL MVP -- made an ill-advised deep throw with less than two minutes remaining that was intercepted, ending the team's comeback hopes. Reigning MVP Stafford did not have a touchdown pass in Week 4 but threw for 317 yards and guided a pair of 10-play scoring drives in the fourth quarter to help the Rams overcome a 10-point deficit and defeat the Philadelphia Eagles 24-20.
There are only two games on Monday evening's NHL schedule, with one pitting the Vegas Golden Knights (5-1-0) against the Minnesota Wild (3-1-1) at Grand Casino Arena in Saint Paul, Minn. at 8 p.m. ET. The Golden Knights look to extend their winning streak to five games after having edged the Los Angeles Kings 2-1 in overtime on Saturday, while the Wild are coming off a 4-1 road triumph over Florida Panthers.
The Dodgers are -137 favorites against the Brewers in the latest consensus MLB betting odds, and the Rays are -173 sports betting favorites versus the Guardians. The Rams are 3.5-point favorites over the Bills on Monday Night Football, and the Wild are -111 to defeat the Golden Knights.
Below is a snapshot of what to watch and bet for Monday, Oct. 12. All times Eastern
MLB best bets, where to watch
Dodgers at Brewers
Time: 5 p.m. | Location: Milwaukee | TV: Fox/FS1 | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks -- Model: Brewers ML (+116) | Expert: Yoshinobu Yamamoto Over 17.5 outs recorded (-167, Eric Cohen)
Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been tremendous in the postseason since joining the Dodgers, winning eight of his nine decisions and allowing fewer than two runs in eight of his 11 appearances - including each of the last five. The Japanese right-hander gave up three hits and one run in a complete-game victory at Milwaukee in last year's NLCS and yielded one run over seven frames in a triumph at American Life Field earlier this season. But the Brewers have won six straight at home dating back to the regular season, and the SportsLine Projection Model expects the streak to continue in Game 2 and has assigned an "A" grade to the pick as they are victorious in 56% of its simulations. Yamamoto has worked at least six innings in eight consecutive starts, including his turn against the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS, 18 of 19 since the beginning of May. He also has done so in six of his last seven postseason turns. SportsLine expert Eric Cohen likes him to toss six or more frames on Monday.
Guardians at Rays
Time: 8 p.m. | Location: St. Petersburg, Fla. | TV: TBS | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks -- Model: Guardians +1.5 (-156) | Expert: Drew Rasmussen to record win (+143, PropBetGuy)
The Guardians ended the regular season with a 9-2 run, with both losses by one run. After falling 3-0 in their ALDS opener against the Chicago White Sox, they dropped a one-run decision before winning the next three contests. In summary, Cleveland has gone 12-4 over its last 16 games, and only one of the losses was by multiple runs. The SportsLine Projection Model believes the Guardians will at least keep Game 1 of the ALCS close as its simulations have them covering the run line 65% of the time. Tampa Bay's Drew Rasmussen set a career high with 16 wins this season and hasn't lost since July 9, going 10-0 over his 13 starts since the All-Star break. He's had eight days of rest since limiting the New York Yankees to one hit over eight scoreless innings in his victory in Game 1 of the ALDS. SportsLine props expert PropBetGuy (140-92, +2822 on his last 232 MLB player prop picks) is backing him to win the opener of this series as well.
NFL best bets, where to watch
Bills at Rams
Time: 8:15 p.m. | Location: Los Angeles | TV: ABC/ESPN | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks -- Model: Under 54.5 (-107) | Expert: Colby Parkinson Over 17.5 receiving yards (-113, R.J. White)
The Bills are the second-highest scoring team in the NFL this season with an average of 31.8 points over their first four games. However, the Rams have been somewhat stingy in 2026, giving up 20.8 points per contest to rank eighth in the league. The SportsLine Projection Model doesn't think a defensive battle will take place on Monday Night Football but also doesn't see an all-out offensive assault as the Under hits in 63% of its simulations. Rams tight end Colby Parkinson made only three catches for 21 yards over the team's first three games this year and missed Week 4 against the Philadelphia Eagles with shoulder and knee injuries. However, SportsLine expert R.J. White (16-9, +599 on his last 25 NFL player prop picks) knows Parkinson was on the field a lot in his first two games and thinks facing a Buffalo defense that is 30th in the league against the pass will result in decent production from him.
NHL best bets, where to watch
Golden Knights at Wild
Time: 8 p.m. | Location: Saint Paul, Minn. | TV: ESPN+ | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine pick -- Model: Golden Knights ML (-108)
The Golden Knights have won five of their first six games this season and might be undefeated had they not waited until the third period to get going offensively in their 4-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Oct. 2. Vegas spotted Anaheim a four-goal lead over the first 40 minutes of that contest before coming alive in the final 20. The Wild swept their three-game series with the Golden Knights last season, but Vegas is 5-0-1 in its last six regular-season games at Minnesota. The SportsLine Projection Model sees the Golden Knights notching another road victory over the Wild as its simulations have them winning Monday's matchup 55% of the time.
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