Supposedly, there’s a problem with offense in the world of baseball right now. However, you certainly wouldn’t know it. From Tuesday’s games, as seven different games saw at least 10 runs scored, including 20 each in games involving the Milwaukee Brewers and Pittsburgh Pirates and the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles.
Overall, the offense has been down in the first month of the season, as the under has gone 144-98 in April, a win percentage of just under 59.5%. To put that in more simple terms, if you’d blindly put $10 on the under on every game, you’d currently be ahead $419.
Whether low totals continue to dominate remains to be seen, especially as temperatures start to rise and offenses start to get a better handle on pitchers. Remember, the pitchers are usually ahead of the hitters in the season’s first month, so it’s a bit too early to know if this trend is a one-off thing or if it will dominate the season.
With that in mind, here are the lines and odds for April 27.
MLB Odds, Schedule, and Probable Pitchers
New York Mets vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Run Line: NYM: -1.5 (+125) | STL: +1.5 (-155)
Moneyline: NYM: -135 | STL: +110
Over/Under: 7 (-110)
Mets vs. Cardinals Starting Pitchers: Carlos Carrasco (NYM) vs. Steven Matz (STL)
Mets vs. Cardinals Game Time: 1:15 p.m. EST
Mets vs. Cardinals Location: Busch Stadium, St. Louis
Kansas City Royals vs. Chicago White Sox
Run Line: KC: +1.5 (-135) | CHW: -1.5 (+110)
Moneyline: KC: +165 | CHW: -200
Over/Under: 7 (-110)
Royals vs. White Sox Starting Pitchers: Zack Greinke (KC) vs. Dylan Cease (CHW)
Royals vs. White Sox Game Time: 2:10 p.m. EST
Royals vs. White Sox Location: Guaranteed Rate Field, Chicago
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
Run Line: LAD: -1.5 (-115) | ARI: +1.5 (-105)
Moneyline: LAD: -190 | ARI: +155
Over/Under: 8 (-110)
Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks Starting Pitchers: Julio Urias (LAD) vs. Zac Gallen (ARI)
Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks Game Time: 3:40 p.m. EST
Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks Location: Chase Field, Phoenix
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Run Line: MIL: -1.5 (+100) | PIT: +1.5 (-120)
Moneyline: MIL: -175 | PIT: +145
Over/Under: 7.5 (-110)
Brewers vs. Pirates Starting Pitchers: Aaron Ashby (MIL) vs. Bryse Wilson (PIT)
Brewers vs. Pirates Game Time: 6:35 p.m. EST
Brewers vs. Pirates Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh
San Diego Padres vs. Cincinnati Reds
Run Line: SD: -1.5 (-110) | CIN: +1.5 (-110)
Moneyline: SD: -185 | CIN: +150
Over/Under: 8.5 (-110)
Padres vs. Reds Starting Pitchers: MacKenzie Gore (SD) vs. Vladimir Gutierrez (CIN)
Padres vs. Reds Game Time: 6:40 p.m. EST
Padres vs. Reds Location: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati
Seattle Mariners vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Run Line: SEA: +1.5 (-185) | TB: -1.5 (+150)
Moneyline: SEA: +110 | TB: -135
Over/Under: 7.5 (-110)
Mariners vs. Rays Starting Pitchers: Marco Gonzales (SEA) vs. Drew Rasmussen (TB)
Mariners vs. Rays Game Time: 6:40 p.m. EST
Mariners vs. Rays Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Colorado Rockies vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Run Line: COL: +1.5 (-110) | PHI: -1.5 (-110)
Moneyline: COL: +180 | PHI: -225
Over/Under: 8.5 (-110)
Rockies vs. Phillies Starting Pitchers: Ryan Feltner (COL) vs. Ranger Suarez (PHI)
Rockies vs. Phillies Game Time: 6:45 p.m. EST
Rockies vs. Phillies Location: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia
Baltimore Orioles vs. New York Yankees
Run Line: BAL: +1.5 (+100) | NYY: -1.5 (-120)
Moneyline: BAL: +200| NYY: -250
Over/Under: 8.5 (-110)
Orioles vs. Yankees Starting Pitchers: Tyler Wells (BAL) vs. Jordan Montgomery (NYY)
Orioles vs. Yankees Game Time: 7:05 p.m. EST
Orioles vs. Yankees Location: Yankee Stadium, New York
Miami Marlins vs. Washington Nationals
Run Line: MIA: -1.5 (+115) | WSH: +1.5 (-140)
Moneyline: MIA: -150 | WSH: +125
Over/Under: 7 (-110)
Marlins vs. Nationals Starting Pitchers: Pablo Lopez (MIA) vs. Erick Fedde (WSH)
Marlins vs. Nationals Game Time: 7:05 p.m. EST
Marlins vs. Nationals Location: Nationals Park, Washington
Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays
Run Line: BOS: +1.5 (-160) | TOR: -1.5 (+135)
Moneyline: BOS: +120 | TOR: -145
Over/Under: 8.5 (-110)
Red Sox vs. Blue Jays Starting Pitchers: Michael Wacha (BOS) vs. Ross Stripling (TOR)
Red Sox vs. Blue Jays Game Time: 7:07 p.m. EST
Red Sox vs. Blue Jays Location: Rogers Centre, Toronto
Chicago Cubs vs. Atlanta Braves
Run Line: CHC: +1.5 (-115) | ATL: -1.5 (-105)
Moneyline: CHC: +170 | ATL: -200
Over/Under: 8.5 (-110)
Cubs vs. Braves Starting Pitchers: Mark Leiter Jr. (CHC) vs. Charlie Morton (ATL)
Cubs vs. Braves Game Time: 7:20 p.m. EST
Cubs vs. Braves Location: Truist Park, Atlanta
Detroit Tigers vs. Minnesota Twins
Run Line: DET: +1.5 (-140) | MIN: -1.5 (+115)
Moneyline: DET: +155 | MIN: -190
Over/Under: 7 (-110)
Tigers vs. Twins Starting Pitchers: Michael Pineda (DET) vs. Joe Ryan (MIN)
Tigers vs. Twins Game Time: 7:40 p.m. EST
Tigers vs. Twins Location: Target Field, Minneapolis
Houston Astros vs. Texas Rangers
Run Line: HOU: -1.5 (+135) | TEX: +1.5 (-160)
Moneyline: HOU: -125 | TEX: +105
Over/Under: 8.5 (-110)
Astros vs. Rangers Starting Pitchers: Cristian Javier (HOU) vs. Glenn Otto (TEX)
Astros vs. Rangers Game Time: 8:05 p.m. EST
Astros vs. Rangers Location: Globe Life Field, Arlington, Texas
Cleveland Guardians vs. Los Angeles Angels
Run Line: CLE: +1.5 (-125) | LAA: -1.5 (+105)
Moneyline: CLE: +165 | LAA: -200
Over/Under: 7.5 (-110)
Guardians vs. Angels Starting Pitchers: Zach Plesac (CLE) vs. Shohei Ohtani (LAA)
Guardians vs. Angels Game Time: 9:38 p.m. EST
Guardians vs. Angels Location: Angel Stadium, Anaheim, Calif.
Oakland Athletics vs. San Francisco Giants
Run Line: OAK: +1.5 (-145) | SF: -1.5 (+120)
Moneyline: OAK: +145 | SF: -175
Over/Under: 7.5 (-110)
Athletics vs. Giants Starting Pitchers: Paul Blackburn (OAK) vs. Sam Long (SF)
Athletics vs. Giants Game Time: 9:45 p.m. EST
Athletics vs. Giants Location: Oracle Park, San Francisco
Expert MLB Picks and Best Bets for April 27th
With games being played all day long, there are plenty of betting options available. Here are my MLB best bets for April 27.
MLB Best Bet April 27: San Diego Padres ML (-185) vs. Cincinnati Reds, 6:40 p.m. EST, available at BetMGM
MacKenzie Gore is off to a great start to the season after a shutout win at home against the Reds, and now he gets to deal with the same lineup that he handled with ease a week ago. He’s facing his first road start of the season, but this shouldn’t be an issue because he’s already beaten Cincinnati once this month and is more of a ground ball pitcher than a fly ball pitcher.
When pitching in Cincinnati, that matters. Great American Ball Park is one of the more hitter-friendly parks in the Majors, as opposed to Petco Park’s defense-friendly dimensions. A flyball pitcher is in real trouble in southwestern Ohio, but Gore tends to keep the ball from getting too much height, which should allow him to keep the Reds’ offense in check.
MLB Best Bet April 27: Boston Red Sox-Toronto Blue Jays Over 8.5 Runs (-110), 7:07 p.m. EST, available at BetMGM
Michael Wacha is off to a strong start this season, giving up just three earned runs in 14.1 innings. However, his ERA of 1.88 is a full two runs lower than his career ERA, which says that he’s either really comfortable in Boston or that this success isn’t going to last. Personally, I think it’s the latter. Especially, considering that he’s faced the Minnesota Twins and the Detroit Tigers, who both rank in the bottom third of runs scored this season, with the Tigers dead last in home runs.
Guess who leads the Majors in home runs this season? That would be the Blue Jays, who have already blasted 26 and have scored 78 runs on the year, compared to 63 for the Twins and 57 for the Tigers. The Blue Jays counter with Ross Stripling on the mound, and Stripling’s 4.50 ERA suggests that Boston will be able to score a few runs. This looks like a solid play.
MLB Best Bet April 27: Houston Astros ML (-125) vs. Texas Rangers, 8:05 p.m. EST, available at BetMGM
Betting on a bullpen game isn’t usually a great idea, but when the Houston Astros are involved, it’s a much more reasonable play because their bullpen has been solid throughout the first month of the season.
The Astros hold a 3.00 bullpen ERA and have done a fine job of putting away games once they’re given a lead to protect.
In their most recent game against the Rangers, Jake Odorizzi gave the Astros six strong innings and Houston then finished the job by turning the game over to their bullpen. With the Rangers hemorrhaging runs (4.89 ERA), I think the Astros’ bullpen is worth backing here.
