We have a big day of MLB action on Friday and I’ve picked out the 3 plays I like most on today’s baseball slate. I went 2-1 in Wednesday’s article, making it a nice 6-1-1 run in my last 3 across the NBA and MLB.
Today I am looking at a run-line play, a first 5-innings money line bet and a first 5-innings under. Let’s get into the reasoning behind those picks.
Bet like a Caesar with this awesome new customer offer from Caesars, where you can get up to $1,250 back on your first bet! Click here to join Caesars, where you can bet on our MLB picks.
Nationals +1.5 over Royals (-178, FanDuel)
Yankees first 5-inning ML over Padres (+104, FanDuel)
The Yankees and Padres start a 3-game series in the Bronx today. The Padres are starting Joe Musgrove, who has yet to round into form. In May, he’s 0-2 with a 4.60 ERA and has walked 8 batters in 15.2 innings pitched. The Padres lineup also continues to struggle and is dead last in MLB with a .233 average and 22nd out of 30 teams in slugging on the season.
The Yankees counter with Randy Vasquez, who is making his major league debut. The Yankees will have him on a short leash and trust their bullpen to carry him if needed. New York’s bullpen is one of the best in baseball, so Vasquez may not need to go more than 4 innings. The Yankees are also 7th in MLB in runs scored in the first 5 innings on the season while San Diego is 22nd. Musgrove has allowed at least 3 runs in the first 5 in 4 of his 5 starts this season. I like the Yankees to get an early lead and hang on for the first-5 money line as an underdog.
You can bet any of our MLB predictions at FanDuel Sportsbook, which has a great new-customer offer to take advantage of. If you sign up for FanDuel right now, you can get a $1,000 No Sweat First Bet! Click here to join FanDuel right now.
Under 4.5 in first 5 innings of Red Sox vs Diamondbacks (-105, FanDuel)
The Diamondbacks and Red Sox start a weekend series in the desert and Boston will send Chris Sale to the hill. Sale has gone at least 6 innings and allowed 3 or fewer runs in his last 4 starts. In May, he has settled in nicely with a 2.57 ERA and a sub-1 WHIP. The Red Sox have given Sale some of the best run support in baseball, scoring 5.56 runs in his starts, but much of that came in April. Over his 3 starts in May, they’ve averaged only 4 runs per start.
The D-backs will start rookie Brandon Pfaat. He has had back-to-back solid starts, going at least 5 innings and allowing 3 or fewer runs in both, but the D-backs have scored only 8 runs over his last 3 starts. I like this game to be a bit of a pitchers’ duel early, so let’s look to the under in the first 5 innings as Boston is averaging only 2.5 runs in the first 5 on the road this season. Sale should do enough to keep the rest of the scoring down early.
Check out today’s MLB mega parlay and YRFI/NRFI best bets
BetMGM is the king of online sportsbooks, and right now they have a great new customer promotion where you can claim a $1,000 deposit bonus by signing up right now! Click this link to join BetMGM.
Pickswise is the home of free NBA picks and NBA predictions. Check out the latest NBA prop bets and NBA parlays as well as NBA Best Bets from our NBA experts.
