Ricky Dimon
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As usual, we are kicking off the weekend with a full 15-game slate in Major League Baseball. Friday’s action is headlined by a continuation of a four-game series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers, while the Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays begin a three-game set. Those games are not making our mega parlay, however. This quartet includes the Boston Red Sox and San Diego Padres, among others. Let’s take a look.
Red Sox -1.5 (-105)
Twins ML (-141)
Mariners ML (+130)
Padres -1.5 (+105)
Parlay odds: +1569
For this parlay we are going with one favorite on the money line, one underdog on the money line, and a pair of teams -1.5. Here is a breakdown of the four legs one by one.
Boston Red Sox -1.5 over Texas Rangers (-105)
The Rangers have lost five of their last seven games and now have to face Red Sox ace Nathan Eovaldi. Boston is as hot as can be and just beat Jacob deGrom and the Mets. Although Eovaldi has been roughed up in his last two starts, he still is the best pitcher on the Red Sox and has an electric pitch arsenal. His fastball sits high 90s and hitters are batting just .111 against his curveball. The Red Sox have been excellent on the road this season and another victory away from home should be in the cards tonight. The Rangers are starting Kohei Arihara, who ranks in just the eighth percentile in chase rate and seventh percentile in whiff percentage this season. Texas has not been any good at home and probably won’t be again on Friday.
Check out our full game preview.
Minnesota Twins ML over Kansas City Royals (-141)
It’s hard to believe that less than a month into the season the Twins are seven games out of first place—further behind than any other team in the league apart from AL Central Division rival Detroit. It’s equally hard to imagine that such a funk will continue. In fact, Minnesota should start digging out of it this weekend given that Kansas City is the opponent. Extra good news is that the Twins are sending right-hander Michael Pineda to the mound to face the Royals. Pineda is sporting a 2.42 ERA through four starts. KC starter Brady Singer should not offer too much resistance.
Check out our full game preview.
Seattle Mariners ML over Los Angeles Angels (+130)
If you’ve been overlooking Chris Flexen early in the season, now is the time to change course. The Mariners clearly saw something in him last year, signing him to a MLB contract after just one season pitching abroad with the Doosan Bears of the KBO. Now the rest of us are seeing it, too, as Flexen has allowed just one earned run in each of his past two starts—and those were against top-notch offenses in the Astros and Red Sox. Meanwhile, Angels starter Andrew Heaney’s early-season numbers mirror those of his career: mostly forgettable. Heaney, who has finished with an ERA between 4.00 and 5.00 in each of the past three seasons, comes in with a mark of 4.35 through four appearances.
Check out our full game preview.
San Diego Padres -1.5 over San Francisco Giants (+105)
Somehow the Giants continue to find ways to win. They have lost Mike Yastrzemski and Donovan Solano to injuries, and at some point you have to think the hot streak will be put out. That may start to happen on Friday, when San Francisco is faced with a difficult matchup: Logan Webb against Fernando Tatis Jr. and the rest of San Diego’s offense. Only one team’s pitching has been better than the Giants this year, and that is none other than the Padres’ staff. Yu Darvish is taking the mound on Friday, which means more of the same should continue. In his last four starts, Darvish has allowed four runs in 27.0 innings.
Check out our full game preview.
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