Ryan Hodges
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The last Monday of the 2023 MLB regular season has a small 4-game slate to kick off the week. Tonight’s games are a proverbial calm before the storm as the final week of the year will be filled with drama. Playoff lives are on the line for several teams, a couple of which will see their season end in heartbreak by a narrow margin. Each of Monday’s 4 games have playoff standings implications. What tonight’s games lack in quantity, they certainly make up for in quality. If you’re looking to have some betting action, check out our MLB mega parlay at +1079 odds below. You can also read our MLB predictions for picks on every game today.
Diamondbacks win and game total over 7.5 (+240)
Rangers -1.5 (-112)
Astros vs Mariners under 7.5 (-120)
MLB mega parlay odds: +1079
Arizona Diamondbacks ML over New York Yankees & Over 7.5 (+240)
The Diamondbacks are playing great baseball at a very good time. Arizona is clinging to the NL’s second wild-card spot by just a half-game and is just 1.5 games from being on the outside looking in. The Diamondbacks are the better team in this game and their incentive to win will give them even more of a jolt. They are 6-1 in their last 7 games and will play a Yankees team that is 2-4 in their last 6 games as well as 6-12 in their last 18 at home.
The over has been trending for the Diamondbacks during their stretch of strong play. The total has gone over in 6 out of their last 8 games due mostly to strong run production. When Arizona has not scored runs in bunches, they have allowed runs in bunches. The same can be said for the Yankees recently as well. In these teams’ respective last 10 games, one of them has either scored or allowed 5+ runs in 17 of those combined 20 games. Volatility between these teams gives the over plenty of appeal.
Check out our MLB picks for each of today’s games
Texas Rangers -1.5 over LA Angels (-112)
The Rangers are another team that needs a win in a major way. They currently lead the AL West by just 2.5 games over the Astros and 3 games over the Mariners. Fortunately for Texas, they get a very soft matchup for their penultimate series this season. The Angels are 2-9 in their last 11 games and 3-11 in their last 14 at home. After the trade deadline, the Angels reverted to their dumpster fire form which has become all too familiar over the years.
Over the past week, the Rangers have plain taken care of business. They bounced back from a 4-game losing streak with a current 5-game winning streak including a 3-game sweep over the division-contending Mariners. That was a statement sweep for the Rangers and they are feeling a groove right now. As long as the Rangers do not completely mail it in, they should run up the score just fine on Monday.
Houston Astros vs Seattle Mariners under 7.5 (-120)
As mentioned above, the Astros and Mariners are both in reach of the AL West lead. This series could put a nail in the coffin of one of these teams. In a massively important game, both teams will task a star pitcher with the start. Justin Verlander will get the start for the Astros while Luis Castillo starts for the Mariners. That matchup has “pitchers’ duel” written all over it. That being the case, the over has a very good look.
The pedigree of these starting pitchers speaks for itself. Any time either Verlander or Castillo is on the mound, the over has a good chance, let alone them pitching starting the same game. That is why even at a low total of 7.5, the odds are -120. Both teams have had recent struggles and will play with desperation for a huge win. This is essentially a playoff series that has a razor-thin margin of error. In situations like that, low totals are a good play.
