Baseball action continues as we speed towards the postseason. There are plenty of teams still fighting for their playoff chances, as well as many great betting opportunities down the stretch.
This guide covers our four favorite game picks for today, as well as the over/under bet for each one. We analyze those choices by looking at each decision and then taking a deep dive into the statistics and data behind each one.
On paper, this game looks like a slam dunk. The Pirates continue to flounder as one of baseball’s worst teams, while the Cubs are about to punch their ticket to the postseason. However, due to the pitchers, it’s closer than it looks at first glance.
The Cubs will start Matthew Boyd (3.05 ERA) against the Pirates Johan Oviedo (2.81 ERA). Both are strong, but come with flaws. Oviedo is largely inexperienced (only six starts) and Boyd’s ERA is 5.31 over his last seven games. Despite that, we like the Cubs.
The Pirates are not a strong team. They’ve only have one win in their last ten games, while Chicago is on a three-game win streak. They have more to play for as well. All of that leads to what should be a solid win for the visiting team.
Eight is not a lot of runs, especially with the Pirates weak bullpen. Even so, Pittsburgh’s sluggish offense and the strong pitching duo lead us to take the under in this one.
In a battle of two favorites, it’s typical to pick the team with the hot hand. In this case, that’s the Diamondbacks. The Giants have had a miserable last two months, and that’s continued as of late. They have won three of their last ten and are on a four-game losing streak.
In contrast, Arizona has won four in a row, plays with a lot more pep, and has stronger bats. They are top ten in team average and rank third in the MLB in RBIs. The Giants are 26th and 17th in those categories, respectively.
That’s a big difference that could help cover the starting pitcher discrepancy. Justin Verlander (3.94 ERA) takes the mound for the Giants against the worse Brandon Pfaadt (5.31 ERA). That could lead the Giants to have a better start, but Arizona’s powerful offense should win the day.
While Verlander has done a good job this season, Arizona’s hitting should put together some runs. The Giants will get some hits against the Diamondbacks’ low-ranked bullpen as well. We like the over.
This is another tale of two teams headed in opposite directions. While the Rays have some glimpses of hope here and there, they have absolutely plummeted over the past two weeks. They are on a three game losing streak and have won just two of their last ten.
On the other side, the Blue Jays continue to soar. Not only do they have one of the best records in baseball, they are in the middle of an impressive six-game winning streak and will send Kevin Gausman (3.44 ERA) to the mound.
While the Rays counter with Ian Seymour (2.95 ERA), his pitching alone shouldn’t be enough to close the gap. Both teams are starting great arms, but the Blue Jays hitting and momentum should be enough to take the day.
This is a low line for two offenses that can put the bat on the ball. While both starting pitchers are capable, each team can hit and has middling bullpens. That’s why we like this over.
This is our biggest favorite pick of the day, and for good reason. The Rockies are the worst team in baseball by a wide margin. They have a stagnant offense, bad defense, and an incredibly weak starting rotation that always seems to give up runs.
They’re unlikely to buck that trend on Wednesday, as they plan to start McCade Brown (9.88 ERA) against Marlins ace Ryan Weathers. The lefty only has six starts, but has posted an impressive 2.73 ERA during his time on the mound.
That discrepancy alone should be enough for Miami, especially considering the Rockies are bottom ten in the league for average and RBIs. There’s nothing to like about Colorado, and the Marlins should take care of business.
With the Rockies being as bad as they are, this is a game that should see a lot of runs cross the plate. Normally it’s risky going with lines this high, but we like the over due to the high altitude stadium as well.
All lines courtesy of CBS Sports.
-174
-3.5
+100
+105
1.5
-110
-126
-2.0
-108
+136
2.5
+100
-146
-2.5
-118
+410
10.5
-110
+235
6.5
-110
+194
4.5
-104
-220
-4.5
-105
-195
-3.5
-110
+155
3.0
+100
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