Teams now have less than 30 games each on their respective regular season schedules. That’s still a lot of games – but in other ways, it’s very few. Below are five games that are the best baseball games to bet on today.
The Kansas City Royals and the Detroit Tigers are in a neck-and-neck race for the top spot of the American League Central division. Today, the Royals are against a perceived lighter opponent in the Texas Rangers than the Tigers, who’ll take on the pesky Cleveland Indians tonight. That said, can the Royals complete a series sweep of Texas? Or will the Rangers throw a wrinkle to the division title aspirations of Kansas City?
MLB Picks and Predictions for Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees (7:00 PM ET)
Line: Boston Red Sox (-145) at New York Yankees (+125) – see all MLB lines
[sc:MLB240banner ]Anthony Ranaudo (3-0, 4.50 ERA) is undefeated in three starts thus far this season, and he’ll gun for his fourth in a row tonight, when he takes the mound against the Yankees. The Red Sox are also 3-0 in their last three games at Yankee Stadium.
New York, on the other hand, will give the ball to Hiroki Kuroda (9-8, 3.88 ERA), who hasn’t given up more than three earned runs in any of his last six starts, all of which have hit the under.
Writer’s prediction: New York wins behind a hot Kuroda.
Cincinnati Reds vs. Baltimore Orioles (7:05 PM ET)
Line: Cincinnati Reds (+140) at Baltimore Orioles (-155); total: 8.5 – see all MLB lines
The Orioles are 5-1 in their last six games and will send Miguel Gonzalez (7-7, 3.61 ERA) to the mound in the second game of the series against Cincinnati later tonight. The O’s are 3-1 in Gonzalez’s last four road starts. Meanwhile, the Reds hope to get something from Dylan Axelrod (1-0, 1.64 ERA), who was impressive in his last start. He surrendered no runs and gave up just two hits, while striking out eight batters in five innings of duty in the Reds’ 7-2 win against the Chicago Cubs last August 28.
Line: Toronto Blue Jays (+120) at Tampa Bay Rays (-130); total: 7.0 – see all MLB lines
Toronto’s offense was firing on all cylinders last night, as the Blue Jays recorded 11 hits with three homers in their 8-2 win over Tampa Bay. The Blue Jays have now scored 23 runs in their last four road games, three of which went over the total.
Meanwhile, Rays’ starter Chris Archer (8-7, 3.40 ERA) has allowed no more than one earned run in four of his last five starts. Furthermore, the Rays have won in five of his last seven starts overall.
Writer’s prediction: Toronto gets to Archer early and often.
Detroit Tigers vs. Cleveland Indians (7:05 PM ET)
Line: Detroit Tigers (+115) at Cleveland Indians (-125); total: 8.0 – see all MLB lines
Justin Verlander (12-11, 4.68 ERA) makes his first start tonight since the leaked-photo scandal of him and Kate Upton, as the Tigers and Indians square off in the second game of their series. He was in fine form in his last outing, allowing just one run on nine hits in the Tigers’ 7-1 win versus the Chicago White Sox last August 29th. The Tigers are also 4-1 in Verlander’s last five starts in Cleveland.
The Indians, meanwhile, will have none of that kind of distraction, as they start Danny Salazar (5-6, 4.23 ERA), who keeps a 1.69 ERA in his last three starts, while also going without a nude photo being leaked online. The Indians are 3-1 in the Dominican’s last four home starts.
Writer’s prediction: Cleveland wins, Verlander continues to date Kate Upton.
Texas Rangers vs. Kansas City Royals (8:10 PM ET)
Line: Texas Rangers (+160) at Kansas City Royals (-180); total: 8.0 – see all MLB lines
Kansas City has taken the first two games of their three-game set with the Rangers. The Royals can complete the sweep tonight when they start Jason Vargas (10-7, 3.27 ERA). The Royals are 3-1 in Vargas’ last four starts.
As for the Rangers, they’ll start Nick Tepesch (4-8, 4.44 ERA). The under is 5-0-1 in Tepesch’s last six starts overall.
Writer’s prediction: Kansas City completes the sweep.
