WagerBop Daily Double: Updated MLB Vegas Lines and Recommended Bets

MLB Vegas Odds and Previews 7/17

Action Moves Braves, Brewers Lines Again

The Atlanta Braves opened as (+110) underdogs to beat the Milwaukee Brewers in Wednesday afternoon’s rubber match at Miller Park. That was understandable enough – the Brew Crew has had a promising-enough campaign so far in a tightly-packed NL Central, and the hosts are in fine position to make a charge for the division lead in late summer despite slumbering out of the All-Star Break. But betting action on the Braves has moved Atlanta’s line to (-115), and why not? The visitors lost 3 times in the last 2 weeks, Freddie Freeman has an immense RBI total of 74 base runners knocked-in, and talented Dallas Keuchel is up in the rotation against Brewers hurler Chase Anderson. Not that the pitching staffs are getting all kinds of love in Las Vegas – the Over/Under line is (10) runs.

Pick: Under 

Gamblers Shy of Rodriguez and Red Sox…For Some Reason

Perhaps speculators are naturally wary of short-odds moneyline bets on Major League Baseball after a crazy spring full of big upsets. But the dog days are upon us, and it seems strange that bettors are ignoring the crushing advantages held by the host Boston Red Sox ((-250) after opening (-260)) over the visiting Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday evening. Yes, Toronto bats have been alive through a so-far split 3-game series. The ‘Jays won Tuesday’s ballgame 10-8 after a 4-run 9th inning rally as CF Teoscar Hernández finished with 3 RBIs. But expected guest hurler Aaron Sanchez has 1 of the worst stat lines in all of American baseball: 3-13 and a 6.10 ERA. Opposing starter Eduardo Rodriguez may not be an incarnation of Satchel Paige, but he’s pretty solid at 10-4 on the year.

Pick: Red Sox to win 

7/16

Gamblers Finally Trust Nationals During Hot Streak

Moneyline speculators have been let down by the Washington Nationals at short odds a few times prior to the All-Star Break. However, the D.C. ballclub’s stock is rising in July, and a 1-to-2 betting line on the Nats to beat the Baltimore Orioles (+170) on Tuesday evening is holding as steady as she pleases despite the contest taking place at Camden Yards. A potential pitcher’s mound mismatch of visiting Austin Voth against Asher Wojciechowski (0-2, 6.10 ERA) puts doubt on the underdogs’ chances, while the uncertainty over both pitching staffs has prompted Las Vegas to place an (11) run total on the 2-game series opener.

Pick: Under 

M’s a Popular Pick Despite Jilted Betting Public

The Seattle Mariners were a hot underdog ML pick early in the 2019 season. Since then, the AL West ballclub has struggled against world-class foes and also-rans alike, and the M’s only have 2 wins in their last 10 ballgames. Still Seattle’s underdog line for Tuesday’s nightcap against the host Oakland A’s is among the more “sexy” wagers on the current MLB betting board, shrinking to (+150) after opening at 1.75-to-1.

Surely, gamblers can’t be thinking of recent history – the Athletics won a series against the Mariners prior to the All-Star Break and swept the Chicago White Sox following the classic in Cleveland.

Pick: A’s to win 

7/15

Atlanta Overtakes Favorite’s Role in Milwaukee

The Atlanta Braves opened as slight underdogs headed into Monday evening’s series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park. Vegas handicappers were noting that the Brew Crew is well above .500 at home, and Christian Yelich is just 1 of a few batters in the Milwaukee lineup who could push or surpass 100 RBIs on the season. But an injury to Gio Gonzalez has put strain on the hosts’ pitching staff, and the ballclub is struggling to get traction out of the All-Star Break. The Braves plan to start 9-4 Max Fried against Adrian Houser, and quickly earned a favorite’s ML of (-112) as the more-popular wager following Atlanta’s 3-game sweep of San Diego.

Pick: Braves to win 

Bettors Love Underdog Pirates in NL Central Battle

It would take heavy action to make the Pittsburgh Pirates into a Monday night MLB favorite against the host St. Louis Cardinals after the club opened at longer than a 1.5-to-1 moneyline. But a few hours of betting have already helped Steeltown to a (+115) market as gamblers flock to the visitors. Expected Pirates starter Joe Musgrove is only 6-7 on the season, though opposing STL hurler Miles Mikolas has had just as many issues trying to get on track in 2019. Still the majority of MLB gamblers are expecting a dogfight and not a circus in the series opener at New Busch Stadium given the falling O/U total of (8.5).

Pick: Over 

Falling O/U Total Marks Closer in Cleveland

Fresh off their own Progressive Field hosting the 2019 All-Star Game, the Cleveland Indians have to feel pretty good about where they’re headed. The Tribe is well above .500 at home and on the road, and threatening the Minnesota Twins for 1st place in the AL Central. But the club has been slowed by losing the first 2 ballgames of a crucial series against Minny, and bettors are expecting a Sunday pitcher’s duel as Cleveland (-135) tries to avoid the broom. Visiting Jose Berrios of the Twins will pitch against host Shane Bieber in a ballgame with a falling (8.5) run total.

Pick: Indians to win 

Sputtering Dodgers Not Favored for SNB in Beantown

The L.A. Dodgers and Boston Red Sox have split 2 mostly-lopsided ballgames of a 3-game series at Fenway Park, but the greater narrative going into July’s maiden installment of Sunday Night Baseball is that the Bums might be having their only slump of the season so far. The club lost 4 in a row prior to Saturday evening, and Hyun-Jin Ryu will start Sunday night’s closer in an effort to maintain a choke-hold on the NL West with a 2-1 series win. Not that bettors are trusting the ace to deliver against the surging Sawx – a scheduled start from David Price has the teams locked into (-110) moneylines while a healthy Vegas total of (9) portends a few extra-base hits and runs scored in early innings.

Pick: Under 

7/13

Gamblers Flock to Blue Jays Despite Weak Starter

It’s not a surprise to see the New York Yankees open as a 1-to-3 wager to beat a struggling MLB club. The Bronx Bombers have won 58 games – many while dealing with serious injury problems – and the Toronto Blue Jays scored nary a run against Domingo German and 2 other NY hurlers in Friday’s series opener at Yankee Stadium. Perhaps the betting public senses weakness in Saturday afternoon’s scheduled starter J.A. Happ who has an ERA of 5.02 despite a winning record. Toronto’s line-to-win has shortened to (+225) with several hours of wagering action, But it’s hard to see how the Jays could find an advantage on the mound with Clayton Richard and a thin bullpen against the AL East leaders.

Pick: Yankees to win

Flagging Mets Get Warm Reprieve in Florida

Meet the Mets! They’re double-digit ballgames below the .500 mark, but at least you can meet them in Miami. New York is a (-145) gamble to win Saturday evening’s 2nd-of-3 contests at Marlins Park, though the Fish pounded Friday’s starting hurler Jason Vargas for 6 earned runs. Noah Syndergaard will give it a whirl against youngster Zac Gallen, and the Over/Under is a stingy (7.5) total runs in Vegas despite Pete Alonzo and other talented batters in the lineup. Even Syndergaard is known to slug a few balls out of the park, though he’s been batting poorly in 2019 as trade rumors swirl.

Pick: Marlins to win

7/12

Cubs a Solid Favorite vs Pirates at Wrigley

Major League Baseball was back on the diamond in at least 1 ballpark Thursday, as the Houston Astros turned into a hot afternoon pick despite pitching unheralded Framber Valdez against 11-4 veteran Lance Lynn. Las Vegas seems equally confounded by the hurlers starting in Friday’s lone daylight contest, with bookmakers hesitating on an O/U total for an NL Central opener between the division-leading Chicago Cubs (-160) and visiting Pittsburgh Pirates. Expected Chicago starter Yu Darvish gave up a ton of hits to the Pirates on 7/3, but opposing hurler Chris Archer is doing some soul-searching after clashing with coaches over his tactics in early summer.

Pick: Cubs to win 

Action Split on Red Sox, Bums at Fenway Park

Matching (-110) moneylines are the bettor’s conundrum as a marquee series kicks off between National and American Leagues in Boston on Friday evening. The L.A. Dodgers arrive with an MLB-best 60 wins, eager to right the ship after dropping 3 of 4 to San Diego headed into the All-Star Break. The host Boston Red Sox have been set on the mound with Eduardo Rodriguez scheduled as Friday’s starting pitcher, but the Bums dragged their feet before settling on Kenta Maeda fresh from his appearance in Cleveland. The potentially solid performances from the rubber must call into question a high (10.5) Over/Under despite the presence of Cody Bellinger, J.D. Martinez and other big bats aimed at the Green Monster.

Pick: Under 

(MLB All-Star Game 7/9)

Midsummer Classic Pits Epic Power vs Elite Hurlers

The 2017 and 2018 MLB All-Star Games were decided with 10th inning heroics, setting to rest any notion that AL and NL representatives would no longer play as hard without the promise of home field advantage in the World Series. Will Tuesday night’s Midsummer Classic turn into an epic slug-fest once again, or a cat-and-mouse game between world-class sluggers and hurlers?

Christian Yelich of the Brewers and Cody Bellinger of the Dodgers lead a National League offense that has knocked an amazing 426 home runs out of the park this year, while the American League can counter with big bats like D.J. LeMahieu of the Yankees and Carlos Santana of Progressive Field’s own Cleveland Indians.

Pitching staffs may use slightly disparate tactics to try to prevent big rallies in the contest, as the AL stable is full of fastballers and strike-out kings like Justin Verlander of the Astros, but the NL will feature crafty placement-hurler Hyun-Jin Ryu on the mound with teammates Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler waiting in the bullpen.

Las Vegas currently likes the American League as a slight (-105) moneyline favorite in an All-Star Game with an (8.5) O/U run total.

Pick: National League to win 

7/7

Halos Bring the Fight to Space City

The final ballgame prior to an All-Star Break is arguably more crucial than most of the other 161 games on a Major League Baseball schedule. Clubs are hoping to go into a well-earned sabbatical with a victory and a positive frame of mind. Houston’s powerful roster is likely to remain confident no matter what, of course, as the Astros are above .750 at Minute Maid Park and are holding a commanding lead in the AL West. But the Los Angeles Angels (+145) have climbed above the .500 mark with inspired performances on the diamond following the untimely death of hurler Tyler Skaggs.

Pick: Astros to win

Cards Try to Solve or at Least Spell Samardzija in Cali

San Francisco is still solidly in the cellar of the NL West, but a number of factors are causing MLB gamblers to move on the club’s underdog moneyline to prevail in a series closer against St. Louis at AT&T Park. Cardinal catcher Yadier Molina is injured, and the Giants are winning more games than the Redbirds in the short term. Furthermore while a pitching match-up of visiting Jack Flaherty vs host hurler Jeff Samardzija might have been seen as lopsided a while back, Samardzija nearly pitched a complete game against the Padres on 7/1 and could be rounding into better form. The Gigantes are a (+105) wager in a contest with a steady (8.5) Las Vegas total.

Pick: Over 

7/6

Slim Majority of Bettors Like Brew Crew at PNC

Line movement on Las Vegas MLB odds can be drastic or subtle. In the case of Saturday afternoon’s ballgame at PNC Park between the Pittsburgh Pirates and visiting Milwaukee Brewers, the latter is the case. Lines appear to have opened with each club priced equally, but slightly more gamblers have taken the Brew Crew to win, driving Milwaukee’s moneyline to (-115). The Brew Crew is in 2nd place in the NL Central but not playing exceptional baseball, while the Pirates’ home record isn’t much better than the Brewers’ dismal road mark. The reason for the betting action could be on the mound – Adrian Houser has a superior ERA to expected host hurler Trevor Williams.

Pick: Brewers to win 

Total Falling on Maeda Start in L.A.

L.A.’s record at Dodger Stadium is truly astounding. The Bums racked up another win in front of the faithful in the 1st of 4 against the visiting San Diego Padres in a 5-1 clubbing on Thursday before dropping the next game, a bizarre affair in which the umpire did not call timeout during a 7.1 earthquake that rattled the upper deck. Of course the 60-30 Bums are favored to beat the Padres again on Saturday night with a moneyline of (-160). But the Over/Under total has dropped to just (8) runs. Visiting starter Chris Paddack is no slouch, to be sure, but we’re thinking that an appearance from 7-4 Kenta Maeda of the Dodgers has more to do with it.

Pick: Dodgers to win

7/5

Hot Nationals Favored Despite Unproven Hurler

It’s time to check in on the Washington Nationals again, a club that floundered with various slumps and disappointments throughout spring but is now starting to climb prior to the All-Star Break. The Nats are coming off a 3-game sweep of the Miami Marlins, with Anthony Rendon and Gerardo Parra combining for 4 hits and 4 RBIs in a comeback 5-2 victory on Thursday. Unproven 27-year-old pitcher Austin Voth will take the mound for Washington when the team hosts Kansas City in a series opener at Nationals Park on Friday evening. He’s taking on Brad Keller, however, a hurler who has lost more than twice as many ballgames as he was won this season. Will batters produce extra fireworks on the day after July 4th? The surging Nationals are the favorite at (-180) in a contest with a rising (10.5) Las Vegas total.

Pick: Over 

Giants a Popular Wager to Win 5th in a Row 

Is an upset really an upset if gamblers expect it to happen? The San Francisco Giants are in last place in the National League West division and have been going to the plate with wiffle-ball bats for much of the 2019 season. They’re hosting the St. Louis Cardinals in a series opener on Friday night, and Las Vegas’ MLB bookies posted a “reputation”-influenced betting line of (-135) on the Redbirds. Action has quickly driven the ballgame’s moneyline to matching (-110) odds in both directions, thanks largely to the Giants’ 4-game winning streak that includes a series-sweep of San Diego. That’s despite scheduled San Francisco starter Drew Pomeranz being 2-8 with an ugly ERA and throwing against Dakota Hudson. A rising (8.5) total indicates respect for the Giants’ suddenly-solid wood bats or at least the club’s current momentum on offense.

Pick: Cardinals to win 

7/4

Bettors Reject Tribe For Closer in KC

Gamblers may be in just as patriotic of a mood as the rest of the public headed into the 4th of July. They’re not projecting any good vibes toward the Cleveland Indians, however, a club which opened as a solid favorite and is now only a (-120) wager to win the 3rd of 3 ballgames at Kauffman Stadium on Thursday. Expected visiting starter Zach Plesac is only 3-3 on the season, but why would a far-superior team get downgraded on Las Vegas MLB betting boards after whipping the Royals in 2 straight games? Probably because “system” gamblers expect the lowly hosts to play very hard and try to avoid a sweep-against in their own park.

Pick: Indians to win 

Braves Take Heavy Action for Independence Day

If the betting public is most-skeptical about Cleveland’s chances to complete a road sweep of Kansas City, a majority of high-rollers are quite satisfied that the Atlanta Braves will take care of business against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies on July 4th evening. Atlanta has the momentum at 5.5 games ahead of the 2nd-place Phils in the NL East, and rebounded from a series-opening loss to post a 9-2 win on Wednesday in which Josh Donaldson slugged a 3-run blast. Starting hurler Mike Soroka creates a green-light special for moneyline gamblers who have quickly moved the Braves’ line-to-win the rubber match to (-170). But an Over/Under total of (10.5) indicates that ‘cappers are expecting a few “fireworks” at SunTrust Park to go along with those in Washington D.C.

Pick: Under 

7/3

Bettors “Cease” To Take ChiSox Stable Lightly

Major League Baseball’s 2019 All-Star Break is just a week away, and Detroit Tigers closer Shane Greene will be representing the Motor City Kitties in Cleveland. This Wednesday afternoon, however, it’s another hurler who has caught gamblers’ attention as the Tigers visit the Chicago White Sox in an improvised “series opener” thanks to a postponement on Tuesday that forces a mid-week doubleheader. Dylan Cease is a 23-year-old prospect who is getting great reviews from scouts prior to his impending MLB debut with the ChiSox, and bettors are taking heed of the tips as an O/U line that began in double-digits has shrunk to (9.5) total runs.

Pick: White Sox to win 

Bums Big Favorites at Home vs Snakes

Oddsmakers play the percentages knowing that many outcomes are always possible. But sometimes, you can tell that a majority of bookies and gamblers have a specific score in mind. The L.A. Dodgers are a (-260) favorite to defeat the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday night, and the Over/Under total is rigid at a perfectly-balanced (8) runs. With (-125) on the Run Line, it’s pretty clear that Sin City expects a routine 5-3 victory for the Dodgers. Walker Buehler will start for the hosts and is unlikely to lose for only the 2nd time in double-digit starts, while visiting hurler Merrill Kelly is under .500 but solid enough to frustrate Cody Bellinger and the Bums for at least a few innings.

Pick: Over 

7/2

Cubs, Pirates See Balanced Action for 2nd of 4 at PNC Park

Major League Baseball on Tuesday evening will be played with heavy hearts on the diamond. 27-year-old Tyler Skaggs of the Los Angeles Angels has passed away under mysterious circumstances, leading the Halos to cancel Monday’s planned meeting with the Texas Rangers. Perhaps some hardball gamblers are in no mood to speculate and wager big dollars at the moment – for whatever reason the Chicago Cubs (-120) and Pittsburgh Pirates are seeing balanced action and little line-movement headed into Tuesday evening’s contest at PNC Park. Joe Musgrove will start against visiting Kyle Hendricks in the 2nd of 4 between the NL Central rival as the Vegas run total holds at a steady (9) even.

Pick: Under 

Yankees Return to America…and Possibly Earth

Playing in a Japanese-style ballpark all the way over in England tends to make hurlers jet-lagged while making power hitters happy. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox combined for 12 runs in the opening frame of a 2-game series in London, finishing 18 innings with 50 total tallies as the Bronx Bombers won both ballgames by 4 runs apiece. It would be an understatement to say that gamblers don’t expect as many fireworks at Citi Field on Tuesday as the Vegas total is a modest (8.5) for Mets vs Yankees. But perhaps high-rollers are thinking the Yanks will be a little hung over from the triumphant trip, lengthening the visitors’ line to (-140) with just a few hours of wagering action.

Pick: Over 

7/1

Matching Moneylines for Brewers-Reds in Cincy

Many of Major League Baseball’s marquee clubs are sitting out on Monday evening. The Dodgers aren’t scheduled to play, and the Yankees and Red Sox deserve a day off after a wild 2-game series in the United Kingdom. Never fear – the NL Central could provide a barn-burner – or at least a well-matched and entertaining contest – as the 2nd-place Milwaukee Brewers visit a Cincinnati Reds team still trying to work its way out of the cellar. Scheduled host starter Tyler Mahle is 2-8 on the season and may have been a big reason why Las Vegas opened its O/U totals above the 10-run mark, but gambling action has quickly shrunk the line to (10) even to go along with matched (-110) odds-to-win in 9 or more innings.

Pick: Over 

Pads Hope to Maintain Momentum in Series vs SF

The San Diego Padres have acquitted themselves fairly well in ballgames against stout NL West foes like the Dodgers and the Rockies in spring and early summer. But there’s nothing like a series at home against a weaker rival to help build on recent momentum that has the club surfacing above .500. Vegas action on Monday’s series-opening nightcap between the Pads and visiting San Francisco Giants is intriguing as bookmakers don’t agree on whether the O/U run total should be (8) or (8.5) runs. But more so than San Diego’s superior batting, a potentially lopsided match-up on the mound between visiting Jeff Samardzija and host hurler Logan Allen (2-0, ERA 1.38) has moneyline speculators taking Padres-to-win at (-170) payoff odds.

Pick: Padres to win 

Understanding MLB Betting Markets

Moneyline – A moneyline is a wager on which Major League Baseball team will win the game outright. Moneylines are listed in fractions relating to a $100 amount – to win $100 on a favorite you must gamble the number next to the “-“ symbol, while a $100 wager on the underdog will pay off with the amount next to the “+” symbol.

Run Line – This is the traditional MLB “point spread” always set at (+/- 1.5) runs. We will rarely make Run Line picks on the Daily Double, but have included one with our Wednesday launch of the blog just for aficionados of a time-honored betting market.

Total Runs – Occasionally we’ll make a pick on the “Over/Under” or “total runs” market for a ballgame, a proposition on whether more or less runs than the Vegas number will be scored by both MLB clubs combined in a given contest.

To learn more about these daily hardball betting markets (and how to play them successfully) visit WagerBop’s MLB betting strategy portal.

We’ve already been tracking ballgames and making “test” picks on various series around the MLB for a few weeks. Here’s some of the recent winners (and a few swing-and-misses) including a successful pick on the historic Yanks-Red Sox opener in London.

6/29

O/U Total Soars for Yankees and Red Sox in London

Rivalry ballgames are a different animal. This one might be very different as London Stadium in the UK hosts the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox for the 1st of 2 historic contests. The Pinstripes could ask for no better momentum to bring across the pond, coming off a sweep of Toronto that included 8-7 closing win behind the big bat of Aaron Judge and a bullpen that saved a poor start from James Paxton. Surely the Red Sox would like to pit their hottest hurler against the Yanks to try to slow down the AL East leaders, but it’s going to be hard for 5-7 Rick Porcello to out-pitch Masahiro Tanaka, and even harder for outfielders in a smallish, quirky, almost NPB-style ballpark with lots of home run potential. Those 2 factors are helping the Vegas run total soar to (11.5) while the Yankees moneyline has somewhat-mysteriously lengthened to (-130).

Pick: Yankees to win 

Bums and Rox Prompt Another High O/U in Denver

You don’t see a lot of double-digit Las Vegas totals in ballgames featuring Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers as a scheduled starter. But the total is a whopping (12) for when Kershaw and the Bums visit the Colorado Rockies in the 3rd of 4 ballgames at Coors Field. It’s not like the other starting hurler is a “bum” himself – Jon Gray of the Rox is 8-5 and sports an ERA under 4.00 – not easy when you’re so often pitching in thin air. The clubs are already on pace to combine for 80+ runs in the series, though, so perhaps we’ll see the O/U line extend to a baker’s dozen before the 1st pitch on Saturday evening.

Pick: Under 

6/28

Cubs, Reds Face Evenly-Matched Tilt in Cincy

A batch of Friday evening MLB ballgames is not rich in betting opportunities on marquee clubs. The Kansas City Royals and Toronto Blue Jays are squaring off – a welcome respite for both teams but not exactly a star-studded occasion. The Orioles are not a solid match for the Indians, and the Texas vs Tampa Bay ballgame is being slow-walked by a majority of bookmakers. But there’s a nice tight line on a key NL Central opener between Chicago and Cincinnati. Bettors seem to like the Cubs (-115) who are pitching Cole Hamels against 3-5 Sonny Gray in a contest with a (9) run Vegas total.

Pick: Cubs to win 

Battle of .500 Hurlers Equals Matched Odds in San Fran

How much do the scheduled starting pitchers affect Las Vegas MLB lines? You be the judge. Arizona is solidly ahead of San Francisco in the NL West, sports a nice winning record on the road, and is coming off a series-win over the powerful L.A. Dodgers. The Giants, meanwhile, are floundering in last place and well below the .500 mark at AT&T Park. Pitchers can set moneylines almost by themselves, though, and a match-up of 2-2 host hurler Shaun Anderson and visiting Merrill Kelly – 7-7 on the year with an almost-matching ERA – has produced even-up (-110) betting lines on both teams in a late-night ballgame with a cautious (8) run O/U total.

Pick: Over (8) 

6/27

Nats Take Extra Action Thanks to Lopsided Series

Is it just us, or are the Washington Nationals heavy favorites in a few too many Las Vegas MLB lines for the club’s below-.500 record to justify? Of course, it helps when they’re playing an even-weaker opponent – and the Miami Marlins certainly qualify. The Nats rang-up big leads in wins on Tuesday and Wednesday, cementing Miami’s reputation as a club that can go cold from the plate against ordinary major-league pitching. Washington (-210) won’t serve up an “ordinary” hurler in the closer on Thursday evening as Stephen Strasburg takes the mound once again.

Pick: Over (7.5)

O/U Total Drops in Battle of Improving AL West Clubs

The Oakland A’s and Los Angeles Angels are each demonstrating some staying power in the American League West division, with either club poised to potentially make a charge at Houston later this summer. The Halos lost a 3-game series to the Cardinals over the weekend but rebounded against Cincinnati, while Oakland’s bats impressed against the Redbirds in a win on Tuesday. But it’s the visiting A’s (+145) bullpen which helped keep St. Louis off the board completely in Wednesday’s follow-up, and could be causing the O/U total to have ticked down to (9) even for Oakland’s visit to Angel Stadium on Thursday night despite expected starters Tanner Anderson and Griffin Canning having combined for just 2 wins on the season so far.

Pick: Angels to win 

6/26

Tigers and Rangers Again See Split Action

Bookmakers often do metaphorical hand-stands trying to balance action on a 2-way moneyline. They’re getting a break with the Detroit Tigers vs Texas Rangers series at Comerica Park, which featured tight betting odds for Tuesday’s opener and is now offering matched (-110) lines-to-win for Wednesday evening’s follow-up. Texas fought-off a late rally by the hosts to salvage a 5-3 victory in the initial tilt as hefty 1B Ronald Guzmán and outfielder Nomar Mazara starred from the plate. But an evenly-matched pair of starters (visiting Mike Minor and Matt Boyd of the Tigers) has led to a 50-50 split of handicappers’ opinions in a contest with an (8.5) O/U total.

Pick: Tigers to win 

Total Shrinks for Battle of Winning Hurlers in Minnesota

It’s not typical that the latest ballgames of the evening would include a match-up in the Twin Cities between the Minnesota Twins and the Tampa Bay Rays. East coast gamblers who plan to stay up late could be in for a high-suspense treat as Las Vegas has cast the AL Central-leading Twins as slender (-112) favorites on the moneyline in the 2nd of 3 ballgames in the meeting. What’s happening with the O/U total is perhaps more enticing – public betting action tends to drive a run total up and not down, but not this time as an A #1 pitching match-up of visiting Charlie Morton vs expected host-starter Jake Odorizzi has caused a near double-digit opening line to shrink to just (9) runs.

Pick: Over (9) 

Bettors Take Tribe Despite Short Payoff

It’s not often that you see a flood of action on a shorter-than 1-to-2 Vegas MLB line. Something about the Cleveland Indians vs Kansas City Royals match-up at Progressive Field on Tuesday evening is making gamblers flock to the Tribe despite the home team’s moneyline opening at super-short odds. It’s hard to say that the pitching battle is a lopsided one – Shane Bieber is solid for Cleveland but expected opposing hurler Glenn Sparkman had a fine outing against Minnesota on 6/20. The Royals are a pitiful 11-26 on the road, however, and will offer a batting lineup that scares nobody against sluggers like Carlos Santana of the Indians…currently a (-230) bet to prevail.

Pick: Indians to Win

Halos Favored in Battle of Flaky Hurlers

An inter-league nightcap comes with an interesting moneyline and O/U total on Tuesday. The Los Angeles Angels have clawed their way back to respectability in June while the Cincinnati Reds are doing OK in a difficult National League division race, but neither ballclub is offering up its best on the mound when the teams meet for a series opener at Angel Stadium. Likely Cincinnati starter Tyler Mahle is a disappointing 2-7 on the season, while L.A. is trotting out someone named Andrew Heaney who has looked mediocre in what little work he has gotten in the big leagues this year. The Vegas total is a modest (9) runs, and Heaney is respected enough by scouts to help the Angels maintain a (-155) moneyline. Could fireworks erupt with DHs in the batting order?

Pick: Over (9) 

Kershaw Start Fails to Produce Big Action on Bums

What’s not to like about an L.A. Dodgers moneyline? The Bums have 4 more victories than anyone else in Major League Baseball, Cody Bellinger is a dangerous contact-batter and base-runner even when he’s not knocking balls over the fence, and long-time ace Clayton Kershaw is starting on the mound against host Arizona – a below .500 club – on Monday evening. The Dodgers aren’t nearly as good on the road as in SoCal, though, and the Diamondbacks (+120) are getting a healthy % of the betting handle as talented Zack Greinke defends Chase Field in a ballgame with an (8) run total.

Pick: Dodgers to win 

Rox Not Heavily Favored to Beat Woeful Giants

The Colorado Rockies are solidly above the .500 mark despite being beaten in 3 straight games by the Dodgers. In fact, the club would probably be in better position to contend in almost any division except the NL West. Meanwhile, the San Francisco Giants are still lingering in the cellar and have only posted 15 wins at AT&T Park. A struggling Drew Pomeranz of the Giants is expected to start against 7-5 Jon Gray of the visiting Rockies late on Monday night, but Las Vegas was rather conservative in setting a tight opening line anyway. Bettors have since moved the market to (-140) on Colorado, but a lack of “Over” action is holding the total at a modest (8)…far from what it would be in Denver.

Pick: Over (8)