There’s no crying in baseball, but there is betting on baseball. That said, here are five of the best games to bet on today.
Rick Porcello and Tim Lincecum step onto the mound later with the intention of following up their virtuoso performances in their respective last starts. Will any of them continue to sizzle? Apart from the games involving those two pitchers, three other games make up our list of the most interesting games to bet on baseball today. Read more about each of them below.
The action also continues in Brazil tonight with a pair of World Cup Round of 16 games, featuring explosive matches between Belgium-USA and Argentina vs. Switzerland.
[sc:MLBArticles ]MLB Picks and Predictions for Monday, July 1, 2014
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Toronto Blue Jays (1:07 PM ET)
Line: Milwaukee Brewers (+120) at Toronto Blue Jays (-130); total: 9.5– see all MLB lines
For the Toronto Blue Jays to break their losing streak – they’re 0-3 in the last three games – starter Drew Hutchison (5-6, 4.00 ERA) should end his own slump, too. Hutchison has allowed eight runs in his last two starts, spread over 10.1 innings. He’ll have his hands full tonight against a Milwaukee Brewers squad that has scored a majors-leading 152 runs this month. The Blue Jays are 6-4 in Hutchison’s last 10 starts. Meanwhile, the Brewers are looking to improve their 8-2 record in their last 10 road games.
Writer’s Prediction: Brewers hand Blue Jays’ fourth straight loss.
Texas Rangers vs. Baltimore Orioles (7:05 PM ET)
Line: Texas Rangers (+121) at Baltimore Orioles (-131); total: 9.5– see all MLB lines
[sc:MLB240banner ]There was no Manny Machado in the first game of this four-game series, but the Baltimore Orioles still went macho from the plate, blasting four homers in their 7-1 win last night against the Texas Rangers. With 46 homers and counting this month, the O’s look to send another strong message to the Rangers, who’ll have starter Nick Martinez (1-5, 4.65 ERA) on the mound tonight. The Rangers are 3-2 in Martinez’s last five road starts, while the O’s are 3-0 in their last three home games against Texas.
Writer’s Prediction: Baltimore crushes the Rangers.
Tampa Bay Rays vs. New York Yankees (7:05 PM ET)
Line: Tampa Bay Rays (-122) at New York Yankees (+112); total: 7.5– see all MLB lines
David Price (6-7, 3.63 ERA) looks to continue the surge of the Tampa Bay Rays as he goes up against one of the teams that would like to have him, the New York Yankees. The Rays beat New York, 4-3, in the first game of their three-game set to extend Tampa Bay’s winning streak to three games. Moreover, the Rays are 3-1 in Price’s last four starts versus New York. The Yankees on the other hand will start Hiroki Kuroda (5-5, 4.23 ERA), whose last two starts have given New York a pair of wins.
Writer’s Prediction: Price torments Yankees with his stuff as Rays win.
Oakland Athletics vs. Detroit Tigers (7:08 PM ET)
Line: Oakland Athletics (+126) at Detroit Tigers (-136); total: 9.0– see all MLB lines
Rick Porcello (10-4, 3.41 ERA) can tie Masahiro Tanaka for most wins in the majors tonight, but he’ll have to overcome the potent offense of the Oakland A’s, who are 4-1 in their last five games. Porcello hasn’t allowed a run in his last two starts (15 innings total). That includes the Tigers’ 6-0 win over Texas last June 26, in which Porcello tossed a complete game three-hitter. The Tigers are 3-0 in Porcello’s last three starts overall.
Writer’s Prediction: Porcello leaves A’s stifled.
St. Louis Cardinals vs. San Francisco Giants (10:15 PM ET)
Line: St. Louis Cardinals (+108) vs. San Francisco Giants (-118); total: 9.0– see all MLB lines
The St. Louis Cardinals are coming off a much-needed day off after getting mercilessly shredded by Clayton Kershaw in a 6-0 defeat to the Los Angeles Dodgers. They return to the field to face yet another member of the no-hitter club in Tim Lincecum (6-5, 4.42 ERA). Nevertheless, the Cards can pounce on the struggling offense of the Giants, who are 7-3 in Lincecum’s last 10 home starts. San Francisco have only mustered 1.7 runs per game in their last seven games.
Writer’s Prediction: Lincecum follows up strong start as Giants beat Cards.
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