For the MLB, Friday means baseball. The league has a slew of games planned all across America, with many being quite exciting. However, for money lines it’s typically better to take the more predictable contests.
This guide covers the bets we like most for Friday’s action. Each one is broken down, analyzed, and then explained through reason and data.
1. Rangers (-119) @ Blue Jays (-101), O/U 7.5
A rare example of both teams being favorites, this matchup is one that solidly falls in the Blue Jays’ favor. Not only does Toronto currently have the best team average in baseball, but the Rangers have not been able to find their groove as of late.
Texas has lost seven of their last ten. They also have several big weaknesses other teams have been able to exploit. While Chris Bassitt is having a bit of a shaky year (4.17 ERA), the Rangers are one of the worst hitting teams in the MLB.
The team from Texas is sending Jacob DeGrom to the mound, but the normally stellar pitcher is posting a 4.73 ERA and a 2-3 record over his last seven games. That shakiness, mixed with the talent gap, make the Blue Jays a good pick here.
We also like the over for this game. The Rangers may not put the ball in play often, but they can score. That’s also true of the Blue Jays. Both teams should get runs across and reach the line.
2. Mariners (+100) @ N.Y Mets (-120), O/U 8.5
Regardless of records and external factors like home field advantage, it’s hard for us to pick against a red hot team who has won eight of their last ten. That goes double when they’re up against a team who’s lost nine in that same span.
The Mets and Mariners are two teams headed in opposite directions. It’s hard to see how they will change on Friday. Seattle did snap their impressive win streak with two straight losses, but the Mets are in free fall and should give them the opportunity to get back on track.
That’s backed by the fact that Seattle will send Luis Castillo (3.19 ERA) to the mound against the much more inconsistent Sean Manaea (4.33 ERA). The Mariners look better in every aspect here.
With both pitchers not being the best, this is a game where it could make sense to take the over. The Mariners will seek to score early, while the Mets have the ability to hit the long ball.
3. White Sox (+156) @ Royals (-188), O/U 9
The Royals are another favorite we like in Friday’s action. They are a better team than the White Sox up-and-down their lineup, and they are stronger defensively too. However, where they really have the advantage is in the pitching matchup.
Chicago will start Aaron Civale. He is 3-7 on the year and sports a 4.91 ERA. He’s been even worse over his last seven, going 2-3 and posting a 5.09 ERA. That’s concerning, especially with the weak bats behind him.
On the other hand, Noah Cameron will start for the Royals. The tall lefty has an impressive 2.52 ERA on the season and shows no signs of slowing down. He’s only gotten better throughout the year, and should have no issues handling the White Sox lineup.
This is a game where we like the under. Nine is a decent amount of runs, and both the Royals and White Sox are 17th and 30th in terms of team average. They are also 27th and 28th in RBIs on the year, which should lead to a low-scoring affair.
4. Diamondbacks (-189) @ Rockies (+157), O/U 12
We end on one more favorite. The Diamondbacks aren’t just the better team in this contest, the Rockiest are one of the worst squads in the MLB. They have weak pitching, poor hitting, and have dropped eight of their last ten games.
They also plan to send Tanner Gordon to the mound. The righty has an 8.37 ERA and a 2-5 record over seven starts. He’s been shaky at the best of times and inconsistent at the worst. That should give the Diamondbacks the ability to get some easy runs.
Though Arizona will start the also unreliable Brandon Pfaadt (5.03 ERA), he’s been surprisingly solid in his last seven games. That, mixed with the much stronger bats, should give the Diamondbacks the win in this one.
Twelve runs is a lot to ask for any baseball game, and it’s incredibly unlikely that’s going to happen here. The Diamondbacks do score a lot of runs, but the Rockies are one of the worst hitting teams in baseball. That won’t be enough to hit the high number.
All lines courtesy of CBS Sports
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