Caleb Wilfinger
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The MLB trade deadline has passed and the dog days of August are here. With that comes another full slate of baseball from coast to coast on Thursday. And what better way to celebrate than by going for a big payday? That’s right, we’re back with another mega parlay with a payout of over 9/1 at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Let’s get into our mega parlay for Thursday.
Houston Astros -1.5 (-115)
Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-120)
Washington Nationals ML (+200)
Best parlay odds: +928 at DraftKings Sportsbook
Odds available at time of publishing.
Let’s break down each of the legs one by one.
Houston Astros -1.5 (-115) over Cleveland Guardians
To start off this mega parlay, we are going with the Houston Astros on the run line. Putting aside the Astros’ terrific lineup and overall complete team, it starts and ends with Justin Verlander on Thursday. Verlander is pitching at an extremely high level in what could be his best season in over a decade. The Astros ace has a 1.81 ERA, along with a WHIP of just 0.87 this season. Verlander is currently in a dogfight with Shane McLanahan for the AL Cy Young, but he might wrestle it away if he keeps this up. The veteran has allowed 1 or 0 earned runs in 8 of his last 10 outings, proof of his utter dominance.
The same can’t be said of Guardians starter Zach Plesac, who holds an xERA of 5.52, good for the bottom 6% in baseball. Plesac’s xBA, xSLG and xWOBA are also near the bottom of all qualified starters. That won’t hold up well against an Astros lineup that consistently hits for average and power. If Houston pounces early, it could be a long night for the Guardians.
Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-120) over San Francisco Giants
For the second leg of our parlay, we’re going with the Los Angeles Dodgers on the run line. This is in part a bet on the Dodgers and a fade of the Giants. For starters, Los Angeles continues to find ways to win. Some nights it’s the Dodgers pitching that gets it done, other nights the offense carries them. Regardless, Los Angeles has the best record in baseball and will get Clayton Kershaw on the mound today. Kershaw is coming off a middling start in Coors Field, but he’s allowed just 9 runs in his last 7 starts outside of that venue this season. Look for him to bounce back in a pitcher-friendly ballpark.
On the other side, fading the Giants has been quite profitable of late. San Francisco dropped its first 7 games after the all-star break, and the Giants have lost 7 straight to the Dodgers overall. The Giants have had trouble hitting — especially at home — and I don’t expect that to change in this one. Back the Dodgers to secure another comfortable victory.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Los Angeles Dodgers vs San Francisco Giants
Washington Nationals ML (+200) over Philadelphia Phillies
For the final leg of our mega parlay, we are going with the Nationals on the money line. Washington has been hapless this season, but this is a good spot for the Nats. For one, they’re going against Noah Syndergaard as +200 underdogs. This is a line I don’t really understand considering Syndergaard’s xERA of 4.22 is nothing to write home about. The Nationals offense is depleted, but they should scratch off a couple of runs against the righty. Furthermore, Washington will counter with Paolo Espino on the hill. And while Espino’s advanced metrics are also poor, he did have success in a recent start against Philadelphia. The veteran has allowed 10 runs in his last 4 outings, and the Nats should be in the game if he keeps that pace up. This price is simply too good to pass up.
Don’t forget to check out our free picks on the side and total for every MLB game today.
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