Caleb Wilfinger
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Another full MLB slate on Thursday brings a number of intriguing matchups. And what better way to celebrate a full slate of baseball than by going for a big payday? That’s right, we’re back with another mega parlay with a payout of over 10/1 at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Before we dive in, don’t forget to check out our free picks on the side and total for every MLB game today. Let’s get into our mega parlay for Thursday.
Pirates ML (+100)
Braves -1.5 (+150)
Mariners -1.5 (+135)
Parlay odds: +1075
Let’s break down each of the legs one by one.
Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing.
Pirates ML (+100) over Cubs
To start off this mega parlay, we have the Pirates on the money line. This is more of a fade of the Cubs than an endorsement of the Pirates, but Pittsburgh has been scrappy of late. The Pirates are now 3rd in the NL Central and are showing clear signs of improvement on both sides of the ball, even with a poor road record.
On the other hand, the Cubs are clearly heading in the opposite direction, having lost 13 of their last 15 games. Chicago was outscored 19-2 in the first 2 games of this series, and I don’t see that changing against Jose Quintana. Quintana has been surprisingly consistent for Pittsburgh this season, posting a 3.66 ERA to this point while allowing 3+ earned runs in just 3 of his last 11 starts. The Pirates have scored 4+ runs in 5 of their last 6 contests, and that may be all they need to close out this series with a victory. Back Pittsburgh to get the job done, as the Cubs continue their tailspin.
Read our full Pirates vs Cubs preview
Braves -1.5 (+150) over Giants
What a difference a year makes for Kyle Wright. The Braves starter was an automatic fade in 2021, but the left-hander is much more reliable this season. Wright holds a 2.84 ERA at home and is in the top 25 across baseball in strikeouts, ERA and WHIP this season. Against an inconsistent Giants offense, it’s not difficult to see Wright having success at home today.
The Braves as a whole have been on a tear over the last month, and after tallying 10 runs on Tuesday, I don’t see a reason for their offense to slow down anytime soon. The Giants are also playing well, but Alex Wood’s road splits are concerning (4.35 ERA), especially against a lineup dominated by right-handed hitters. If the Braves get off to a solid start at the plate, it’s certainly possible that Wood could get chased earlier than anticipated. Look for Atlanta to finish an important series with a convincing victory.
Read our full game preview for Giants vs Braves
Mariners -1.5 (+135) over Athletics
In a matchup between bad teams, something has to give. In this case, that something is the Oakland A’s playing at home. The A’s have been positively abysmal at the Oakland Coliseum this year, holding a record of just 8-26 at home. Not only is that the worst home record in the majors by far, Oakland has just 1 win in its last 9 home games, and 4 over its last 22! More importantly for the Mariners, it appears that Robbie Ray might have figured it out.
Coming off a terrific 2021 season, Ray has struggled for Seattle in 2022. That is, until his last 2 outings, in which the Mariners starter surrendered just 1 run and 6 hits while striking out 14 over the course of 14 innings. Those efforts came against the Red Sox and Angels, both of which have far superior offenses compared to the A’s. And while the Mariners offense is nothing to write home about, Frankie Montas has struggled with his consistency at home for the A’s (like most of their pitchers). As long as Oakland is at home, I’ll keep backing the opposition to win convincingly.
Check out all of our MLB picks for Thursday’s slate
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