Andrew Ortenberg
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Baseball is finally back. The 2021 MLB season officially kicked off on Thursday, and the action was jam-packed. We’ve got a nice big slate now on Sunday, and why not celebrate the end of opening weekend by going for a nice payday? That’s right, we’re back with our first MLB parlay of the season, this time a three-teamer with a payout of almost 15/1 where we’re counting on the Astros to keep on rolling.
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.
Cardinals -1.5 (+145)
Pirates ML (+150)
Astros -1.5 (+160)
Parlay odds: +1493
Let’s break down each of the three legs one by one.
Cardinals -1.5 (+145)
I think the Cardinals should win big here. Carlos Martinez has a history of success against this Reds lineup, and Cincinnati starter Jeff Hoffman is going to get knocked around here. Hoffman has a career ERA of 6.40, and he has over 230 innings under his belt so it’s not like it’s a super small sample size. Against a St. Louis lineup that has scored 17 runs through their first two games, I think he’s going to have a tough time. Hoffman clearly has a low floor, and with the offensive upside we’ve seen from the Cards so far, they’re exactly the kind of team I’m looking to back on a run line.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for St. Louis Cardinals vs. Cincinnati Reds.
Pirates ML (+150)
The Pirates split the first two games of this series, and I wouldn’t sleep on their chances of winning the rubber match on Sunday. Public perception of Pittsburgh is so low entering the 2021 season that there’s some real value on them here as this big of an underdog. Pirates starter Mitch Keller had a 2.91 ERA in limited action last year, and is still only 24 so I like his potential. Cubs starter Zach Davies isn’t anything special, and his advanced metrics indicate he got pretty lucky last year. I’m expecting some regression in his first season with Chicago.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Chicago Cubs.
Astros -1.5 (+160)
I understand some people might not like rooting for the Astros, but there’s value on them here. Jose Urquidy will start for Houston, and in 11 career innings against Oakland he’s only given up three hits. The A’s appear to be sorely missing Marcus Semien, as they’ve scored just seven total runs through their first three games. In two of those games, they were held to a single run. The Astros appear to be playing with a very large chip on their shoulder, and like it or not they’ve been dominant so far. A’s starter Sean Manaea regressed last year, and he’s got a tough matchup against a resurgent Houston offense that has put up at least eight runs in each of their first three.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Houston Astros vs. Oakland Athletics.
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