This article is part of our MLB Picks series.
Previous article 0-4 -4.60
Overall 97-80-1 +3.35
Betting baseball is fun and challenging. It is a new puzzle each day. But sometimes, especially in the case of yesterday, it can be cruel. Yes, I have had 0-4 days, not many mind you, but they sting. Yesterday stung even more with the way the losses happened. The Braves pick bombed, no excuses. I should have backed off that game as both teams are on tremendous roles and it was too close to call. But the Pirates/Diamondbacks game was pretty much in the bag with two outs in the top of the 5th and then all hell broke loose costing me both picks. The Rockies/Cubs was bitter as the Cubs scored five runs in the final two innings and the game went over the total by one run.
What could have easily been a 3-1 day turned into 0-4. On to the next!
Los Angeles Angels vs. Baltimore Orioles 7:05 pm et
Dylan Bundy vs. Spenser Watkins
I said the other day I would keep going against the Orioles on the run line as long as the juice was -130 or less and we get that tonight with the Angels -1.5 (+120). The Orioles have lost 18 in a row, 0-9 both home and road, but they do hit much better at home. The total is 10.5 so lots of scoring is expected in this game, which makes the -1.5 much easier to lay. Also, the Orioles have only had one game in which the margin was under two runs in this losing streak.
BET – Angels -1.5 (+120) for 1 RW buck
Arizona Diamondbacks [LOGO[ at Pittsburgh Pirates 7:05 PM ET
Madison Bumgarner vs. JT Brubaker
Bumgarner has allowed two earned runs or less in his last seven starts and gets a Pirates offense that is 27th in F5 runs (2.2) at home. The Pirates are dead last or close to it in most offensive categories in August with a 6-16 record, .209 average, .272 OBP, and .323 SLG. An interesting note in this game and proof that you need to shop and search for the best value – The Pirates total for the F5 is 2.5 but at -155.
Brubaker has been lit up his last three starts for a 12.86 ERA, 2.00 WHIP. I'm correlating MadBum's solid recent history along with the bad history of Brubaker for the Dbacks to have at least a one run lead after five innings.
BET – Bumgarner under 2.5 earned runs (+110) for 1 RW buck
BET – Arizona -0.5 F5 (+105)
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Cincinnati Reds 8:10 PM ET
I have been on Burnes pretty much the whole year on numerous props like strikeouts, earned runs, and total outs. In this spot, I like him under 1.5 earned runs as I expect him to go between 5.5 and 6.5 innings with zero or one run. His third-best start of the year came against the Reds on July 18th in which he threw 8.1 innings with 12 strikeouts, 1 walk, and no earned runs allowed. He has allowed just one earned run or less in eight out of his last nine starts.
BET – Burnes under 1.5 earned runs (+110) for 1 RW buck