Major League Baseball sees a fun weekend of action. Take a look at some of our favorite games to bet on:
Friday, May 11
Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Mets:
NL East Rivals will meet up in Philadelphia for a 3 game set. With the Washington Nationals hovering around the .500 mark, both of these teams believe they have a shot to win the division. Jake Arrieta will get the start for the Phillies and will be opposed by Steven Matz. Arrieta has been solid for the Phillies since signing as a free agent this offseason. Matz, meanwhile is just 1-3 with a 4.23 ERA for the Mets in 2018. The Phillies offense can score runs, especially at home, and should give Arrieta plenty of run support in this one. Philadelphia should get a series opening win over the Mets.
Miami Marlins vs. Atlanta Braves: The Atlanta Braves will travel down south to Miami for a 4 game series this weekend. Game two of this series will feature Brandon McCarthy (Atlanta) taking on Dan Straily (Miami). McCarthy is 4-1 on the season for the Braves, but is coming off of a rough outing against the Giants. Straily does not have a decision yet on the season, and will be making his third start of the year. The Braves are one of baseball’s surprise teams this season, and they can really hit. They rank 1st in the MLB in team batting average and 4th in runs scored. McCarthy may have struggled in his last start, but he looks like a very solid pitcher for the Braves. Look for the Braves to score a ton of runs in this game and beat the veteran, Straily in game 2 of this series.
Saturday, May 12
Houston Astros vs. Texas Rangers: The defending World Series Champion, Houston Astros, will be taking on division rival Texas Rangers this weekend in Houston. The Astros are showing no signs of a World Series hangover, and are in first place in the AL West. The Rangers are a struggling ballclub and have a run differential of -52 on the season. Justin Verlander will be starting for the Astros on Saturday and that is more than enough reason to bet on the Astros. Texas will counter with Cole Hamels, who is uncharacteristically off to a slow start in 2018. The Astros are capable of scoring a ton of runs, but 1 or 2 might be all that Verlander needs to pick up the win.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Cincinnati Reds:
The Los Angeles Dodgers are hosting the Cincinnati Reds this weekend for a 4 game series. The Dodgers have not lived up to expectations this season, but this could be the perfect weekend for them to turn their season around. The Reds are the worst team in the National League, and have struggled even more on the road this year. Homer Bailey (0-5, 5.61 ERA) will start for the Reds and things have not gone well for him this year. The Dodgers will counter with Ross Stripling (0-1, 1.93 ERA), who will be making his third start of the season. The Dodgers offense should be able to feast on the Reds pitching all weekend long. The Dodgers could use a sweep of the Reds, and it’s very possible they get it done.
Sunday, May 13
Chicago Cubs vs. Chicago White Sox: The Cubs and White Sox will be meeting for their crosstown rivalry series this weekend in Wrigley Field. There is no love lost between these two teams and their rabid fanbases. The Cubs have been inconsistent all season long, but have played better this past week. The White Sox are in a massive rebuild, and are featuring a variety of young players. In the series finale Lucas Giolito will make the start for the White Sox. Giolito is 1-4 with a whopping 7.25 ERA this year. The Cubs will counter with Kyle Hendricks, who quite frankly looks like the ace of the Cubs pitching staff. Look for the Cubs offense to put pressure on Giolito all afternoon and for Hendricks to keep the White Sox offense down.
Oakland Athletics vs. New York Yankees:
The New York Yankees are the hottest team in baseball and will host the Oakland Athletics this weekend. The Yankees feature the best lineup in baseball and are capable of scoring a ton of runs. The Athletics have been a pleasant surprise this season, but in this game Brett Anderson gets the start for them. Anderson has made just two starts this season and has allowed 9 runs in just 9.1 innings pitched. The Yankees will counter with Luis Severino (5.1, 2.21 ERA), who has been one of the best pitchers in baseball early on in the season. This is a complete mismatch on paper, and the Bronx Bombers will slug their way to a win in the series finale.