We have a 12-game slate in baseball tonight, and that means it is time to give out our best picks of the night.
Not to brag, but I have had a really good start to the baseball season, hitting 67.3% of my bets. I have cooled off over the last week, but with no basketball or hockey tonight, my full focus has been on the diamond, and I have to say, I love the board tonight.
I have said it already, but you are going to find that I like to ride a few teams every season. To start the season, the New York Mets and Cleveland Guardians have been my teams, and credit to me for picking two profitable teams. Anyway, enough about me, let's get into our best bets of the night.
I wish everyone good luck with their bets today. We would love for you to tail our picks, we just ask that you do so responsibly.
Here are tonight's winners.
*Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook
New York Yankees at Baltimore Orioles
Pickwatch Experts:
Moneyline: 96% Yankees
Runline: 63% Yankees
I don't think you will be able to find a better team in baseball right now than the New York Yankees. They have won six of their last seven games, and they hold the best record in baseball at 25-9. A big part of their early-season success is because their star players are hitting the ball, but their pitching staff has been surprisingly great.
The Yankees' pitching staff is ranked first in ERA (2.74), WAR (5.8), hard-hit rate (24.5%), and runs allowed (98). Tonight, New York will be sending out Luis Severino, who started the season hot but has since struggled in his last three starts, giving up 10 earned runs over 15.2 IP.
He has always been a strikeout artist, and this season is no different, with a 25% K% and a 9.73 K/9. Those numbers are slightly down from his career averages, and he will go up against a Baltimore offense that is ranked seventh in K% (24.5%). While they do not strike out often, the Orioles are not a good offensive team. They are ranked 20th in BA (.228), 18th in OBP (.302), 22nd in OPS (.647), and 20th in wRC+ (93).
Baltimore will start rookie Kyle Bradish, who struck out 11 in 7.0 IP against the Cardinals last week, but still has a 4.24 ERA and a FIP of 4.24. He has to go up against one of the most feared lineups in baseball right now with Anthony Rizzo, Aaron Judge, and Giancarlo Stanton all mashing the ball this season, but the kid has flashed some potential against a great lineup before.
However, this is a different animal. New York is a heavy favorite tonight for a reason. Because of that, our focus is on the total. The over has hit in four of the last six for the Yankees, and although both teams have been more profitable unders-teams, both starters are at a disadvantage tonight, so I will ride with the over.
Pick: Over 8 (-104)
St. Louis Cardinals at New York Mets
Pickwatch Experts:
Moneyline: 67% Mets
Runline: 72% Cardinals
This just feels like it is going to be a fun series. The Mets come into this game with the best record in the National League, and the Cardinals, who have struggled recently, have a really fun team, and they will send out Miles Mikolas to get the start tonight, who has been great for the Red Birds.
Mikolas has a 1.49 ERA, and his K% is up to 18.7%, which is not high, but it would be a career-high for Mikolas. He also has a hard-hit rate of only 20%, which plays well against a Mets' lineup that is ranked 28th in hard-hit rate (26.4%).
While New York does not hit the ball hard, their offense is ranked first in OBP (.329), sixth in K% (20.1%), eighth in runs (160), and ninth in wRC+ (111). They are not a great power-hitting team, but the Mets are very disciplined, and their lineup is full of good hitters like Pete Alonso, who has hit a team-high eight home runs this year, Brandon Nimmo, who is slashing .304/.414/.887, and Francisco Lindor, who has cooled off, but is looking much more comfortable at the plate this season.
The Mets will be starting Trevor Williams, who comes into this game with a 5.73 ERA, and his K/9 is down to 7.36. Giving up seven earned runs in 11.0 IP is tough, but the really tough part about Williams is his WHIP of 1.64, a BABIP of .375, and a hard-hit rate of 36.6%. He has only made one start this season, giving up four runs in 2.0 IP against Arizona, and he will face a St. Louis lineup that has struggled but is still ranked 10th in wRC+ (109).
The Cardinals have the advantage in the power department, and on the mound to start the game. Once this game reaches the bullpen, New York has a massive advantage, especially with a deep lineup. Give me the Cardinals on the F5 line. I think the Mets are the better team, but they have a tough pitching matchup, and I always tend to side with the team with the most power on the F5 line.
Pick: Cardinals F5 -0.5 (+128)
Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Dodgers
Pickwatch Experts:
Moneyline: 92% Dodgers
Runline: 64% Dodgers
We have quite the pitching matchup for the last game of the evening with Tony Gonsolin getting the start for the Dodgers, and Madison Bumgarner will take the ball for the Diamondbacks.
After a tough start to his Diamonbacks' career last season, Bumgarner has really impressed this season. He comes into tonight with a 1.78 ERA, and only four earned runs through 30.1 IP this season. He is still getting tattooed, with a hard-hit rate of 38%, and a Barrel% of 7.6%. His K% is down and his BB% is up as well, so while the results have been good, he is going to have his hands full with this Dodgers lineup.
Adding Freddie Freeman to a lineup that already included Mookie Betts, Trea Turner, Max Muncy, Justin Turner, and Will Smith is pretty incredible. The Dodgers have struggled to find some consistency this season, but they are still ranked seventh in wRC+ (112), and second in runs scored (174). Los Angeles also has a team slash of .240/.328/.399 with an OPS of .727.
Gonsolin comes into this game allowing only four earned runs in 27.0 IP and has a BABIP of .211. He did pick up the loss against the Diamondbacks earlier in the season, but he only gave up three runs in 4.0 IP, which is more than manageable when you have the lineup that the Dodgers have.
Both Arizona and Los Angeles have been profitable on the runline this season, but the Dodgers are 10-6 ATS at home this season, and they have won five-straight games at home against the Diamondbacks. I think this is a spot where we see Bumgarner regress, and the Dodgers will pile on the runs tonight.
Pick: Dodgers -1.5 (-108)
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