Andrew Ortenberg
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We’ve officially got two weeks in the books. The 2021 MLB season kicked off just over two weeks ago, and the action has been jam-packed. Why not celebrate the weekend by going for a nice payday on Saturday? That’s right, we’re back with another MLB mega parlay, this time a three-teamer with a payout north of 15/1 where we’re counting on the Reds to keep on rolling. After cashing our mega parlay last Tuesday at nearly 17/1 odds and coming close on a couple others, we’re looking for another success here.
We’re going big and bold, so let’s not waste any more time. We’re diving in, but don’t forget to check out our picks for the side and total on every MLB game, with our team of experts in red-hot form to start the season.
Philadelphia Phillies -1.5 (+165)
Cincinnati Reds -1.5 (+155)
Los Angeles Angels -1.5 (+180)
Parlay odds: +1792
Let’s break down each of the three legs one by one.
Philadelphia Phillies -1.5 (+165)
The Phillies won big on Friday, and I’m expecting that to be the case again here on Saturday. Kwang-Hyun Kim will make his first start of the season her for the Cardinals, and I’m expecting some regression. He fared very well in seven starts last year, but he’s only thrown 39 career big league innings after coming over from South Korea. He also should be rusty as he returns from a back injury that sidelined him for the first couple weeks of the season. Philly collapsed in a series against the Mets, but they bounced back like I expected with nine runs on Friday, giving them plenty of momentum entering this one. The Cards have lost five of their last six, with each of those losses coming by at least three runs.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for St. Louis Cardinals vs Philadelphia Phillies.
Cincinnati Reds -1.5 (+155)
The Reds absolutely dominated the Indians 10-3 on Saturday, and Cleveland’s offense is too bad not to fade them right now. The Indians have scored only 12 total runs in their last five games, and you can only back them when they have a huge edge on the mound. That’s certainly not the case here with 23-year-old Triston McKenzie going against Sonny Gray. McKenzie has 41 career big league innings under his belt, and he only lasted four innings in his first and only start (second appearance) of 2021. Gray on the other hand is a proven veteran coming off a couple of amazing years. The lineups aren’t even close at the moment, so I like Cincy’s chances of winning this one going away.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Cleveland Indians vs. Cincinnati Reds.
Los Angeles Angels -1.5 (+180)
I like the Angels a lot here to wrap up this parlay and hopefully bring us home. Jose Quintana will start for the Angels, while Matt Shoemaker takes the mound for the Twins. Shoemaker is a 34-year-old who hasn’t made more than seven appearances in a season since 2017. When he has pitched, he’s been thoroughly mediocre. Now having to face an Angels lineup that features Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout, who have both been unstoppable, I expect him to struggle. Quintana got lit up in his first two starts, but I think oddsmakers have overreacted to a small sample size. Quintana has been in a major league rotation without break since 2012, and has proven he’s a solid if not spectacular option. He should rebound here, and now is a good time to buy-low.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Minnesota Twins vs. Los Angeles Angels.
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