Caleb Wilfinger
Show Bio
We are now one week into the MLB season, and most of the teams across the league are still finding their footing here in April. A few divisional matchups highlight a packed slate of baseball that features both day games and nighttime action.We have looked through each game and picked 3 teams to parlay that have a payout of just under 9/1 at DraftKings sportsbook.
Let’s take a look at our three-team mega parlay for Thursday.
But before we dive in, be sure to check out all of our picks and previews for every game. You can also follow Pickswise on Twitter for plenty of daily betting content.
Toronto Blue Jays ML (+120)
Los Angeles Dodgers -2.5 (+115)
Los Angeles Angels -1.5 (+110)
Parlay Odds: +893
Let’s break down each of the legs.
Los Angeles Dodgers -2.5 over Cincinnati Reds (+115)
Sometimes, the square play is the best option.
After a shaky opening series in Colorado, the Los Angeles Dodgers seemed to find their footing on the mound and at the plate in sweeping a 2-game set against the Minnesota Twins.
Returning to the west coast for their first homestand of the year, the Dodgers turn Walker Buehler to open the homestand with a win against the struggling Cincinnati Reds. The biggest issue for Cincinnati has been inconsistency, both at the plate and on the hill. The lineup lost a big presence in Nick Castellanos in the offseason and the rotation is made up of largely unproven arms.
On the other side, the Dodgers offense is a juggernaut and the likes of Trae Turner, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and others are now rounding into form after a slow start. On top of that, this team has always provided good run support for their ace.
In the 2021 season, the Dodgers potent offense provided Buehler with nearly 5.5 runs per start, and that trend continued against the Rockies in his first outing. Look for the NL favorites to come out focused in their first home game of the young season. Lay the chalk with the Dodgers.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Los Angeles Dodgers vs Cincinnati Reds
Toronto Blue Jays ML over New York Yankees (+120)
The Blue Jays and Yankees are expected to be fighting for positioning at the top of the AL East standings throughout the year, and this early-season series has already produced some fireworks.
But despite not getting the most production from its starting pitcher, Toronto has still been able to win 2 of the first 3 games in the series on the road thanks to some timely hitting from Vlad Guerrero Jr., George Springer and its plethora of stars in the lineup.
The Yankees have also gotten a few big swings when they’ve needed it, but the bigger concern for the Bronx Bombers has to be the inconsistency of their offense in the early going. If Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton aren’t knocking in runs via extra-base hits, producing runs can be an issue for New York, as seen throughout this series thus far.
This is the sort of series where betting on the underdog each game has clear value, especially since Toronto has the deeper (and more consistent) lineup. With Kevin Gausman getting the start for the Blue Jays, look for the right-hander to force the Yankees into weak contact as Toronto gets to Luis Severino and takes advantage of a taxed Yankees bullpen.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Toronto Blue Jays vs New York Yankees
Los Angeles Angels -1.5 over Texas Rangers (+110)
Both the Los Angeles Angels and Texas Rangers entered the season with heightened expectations as potential contenders for an AL Wild Card spot following a few notable offseason acquisitions.
However, the familiar issues that plagued both teams in recent years have already reared its ugly head through the opening week of the season. For the Angels, their offense has remained inconsistent, and the Rangers have one of the worst team ERA’s in baseball to start the 2022 campaign.
Thankfully for the Halos, they get an in-form Shohei Ohtani back on the hill for this contest while also getting to face Dane Dunning. With a career ERA of 4.42 and a WHIP of nearly 1.500, Dunning could be the perfect matchup to wake up Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon and the struggling Angels bats.
The Angels have been terrible against lefties this year, but about league average against right-handed pitching. With Ohtani on the mound, Los Angeles should be able to jump out to an early lead and tack a few late runs against a struggling Rangers bullpen.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Los Angeles Angels vs Texas Rangers
Pickswise is the home of free MLB Picks and MLB Predictions. Check back for our daily MLB Best Bets, including our favorite MLB Prop Bets.
