Start the week on a good note by winning bets on baseball. Here are five of the best baseball games to bet on today.
The Tampa Bay Rays, despite a loss to the Boston Red Sox last night, have garnered enough attention thus far in the second half of the season to warrant a big drop-off in their price to win the American League East. The Rays are now installed as +650 underdogs to win the division, a big difference from their +4,000 price at the start of July. The Rays can begin another winning streak tonight, when they host the Milwaukee Brewers.
Meanwhile, the San Francisco Giants hope to arrest their skid, as they travel to Pittsburgh to face the Pirates in the first game of their three-game interleague set. Read the full-game preview of that game here.
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MLB Picks and Predictions for Monday, July 28, 2014
Toronto Blue Jays vs. Boston Red Sox (7:00 PM ET)
Line: Toronto Blue Jays (+125) at Boston Red Sox (-135); total: 8.5 – see all MLB lines
R.A. Dickey (8-10, 4.04 ERA) brings his knuckleball to Fenway Park tonight, as he aims to pick up his third win against the Red Sox this season. In two previous starts against the defending World Series champions, Dickey collected a 2-0 record to go along with a 3.65 ERA. After going 2-5 in their last seven games – all coming on the road – the Red Sox return home, where they are yet to lose since the All-Star break. The Red Sox are 5-0 in their last five home games.
Writer’s prediction: The Blue Jays win versus Boston.
Washington Nationals vs. Miami Marlins (7:10 PM)
Line: Washington Nationals (-135) at Miami Marlins (+125); total: 7.5 – see all MLB lines
[sc:MLB240banner ]Keeping things interesting in the National League East are the Marlins, who have won their fourth straight game after completing a three-game series sweep of the Houston Astros last night. Pitching has played a big part in the recent surge of the Marlins, as the pitching staff has recorded a 2.50 ERA in their last eight games. Miami has gone 7-1 in those games.
However, the Nationals keep on winning themselves to remain ahead in the division. The Nats are 6-3 in their last nine games, batting .274 over that span. They are also 4-1 in their last five games at Marlins Park.
Writer’s prediction: Washington stops the Marlins’ winning streak.
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Tampa Bay Rays (7:10 PM ET)
Line: Milwaukee Brewers (+128) at Tampa Bay Rays (-138); total: 7.0 – see all MLB lines
Jake Odorizzi (6-8, 3.97 ERA) gets the ball tonight as he starts for the Rays, who are looking to get back on track after suffering their first setback in the second half of the season. Tampa Bay is 7-1 in its last eight games, the lone loss coming from a 3-2 defeat at the hands of the Red Sox last night. The Rays are 3-1 in Odorizzi’s last four starts overall. The right-hander will match up opposite the Brewers’ Kyle Lohse (11-4, 3.07 ERA). Milwaukee is 2-0 in Lohse’s last two starts, in which the 13-year veteran allowed just one run in each game.
Writer’s prediction: Milwaukee deals Rays’ second straight loss.
Line: New York Yankees (+135) at Texas Rangers (-150); total: 8.0 – see all MLB lines
How Ron Washington wishes that Yu Darvish (9-6, 2.92 ERA) were on the mound for the Rangers every single game. Darvish is the only bright spot in the bumbling starting rotation of the Rangers, who own the majors’ second-worst 4.81 ERA. Darvish goes for his tenth win of the season tonight at home, where the Rangers are 3-1 in the Japanese’s last four starts there.
As for the Yankees, David Phelps (5-4, 3.77 ERA) will be targeting his third straight win after winning his last two starts, where he pitched 11.1 total innings, allowing three earned runs on 11 hits. The Yankees are 3-0 in their last three games against Texas.
Writer’s prediction: An in-form Darvish leads the Rangers to a win against the Yankees.
San Francisco Giants vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (10:15 PM ET)
Line: Pittsburgh Pirates (+150) at San Francisco Giants (-170); total: 6.5 – see all MLB lines
With Madison Bumgarner (12-7, 3.19 ERA) starting tonight against Pittsburgh, the Giants may just have the spark they need to break out of their slump. San Francisco went winless in their last four games, but they are 3-0 in Bumgarner’s last three starts. Furthermore, they face the Pirates, who are just 3-7 in their last 10 road games.
Writer’s prediction: The Giants defeat Pittsburgh.
