Friday’s loaded MLB slate takes us right into Memorial Day Weekend with tons of excitement. In this space, I’ll write about two games: the Baltimore Orioles at Chicago White Sox & St. Louis Cardinals at Arizona Diamondbacks.
I split the two-game set last night to stay at a similar 9-17 (-$805) record. Here are two more free MLB picks to get our weekend started off the right way.
Table of contents
- Baltimore Orioles (+190) at Chicago White Sox (-235) – Total: 8.5
- St. Louis Cardinals (+120) at Arizona Diamondbacks (130) – Total: 9.5
Baltimore Orioles (+190) at Chicago White Sox (-235) – Total: 8.5
BAL: Matt Harvey – R (3-5, 6.31 ERA/1.58 WHIP | 45.2 IP: 36 Ks, 6 HR)
CHW: Dallas Keuchel – L (3-1, 4.28 ERA/1.28 WHIP | 54.2 IP: 28 Ks, 5 HR)
While the White Sox are getting nearly all the public and sharp money, this is probably a better spot to take them on the run line. After all, Harvey is on the mound for the Orioles, and things have been absolutely disastrous for him of late. In his last three starts, Harvey has now allowed a whopping 24 hits, three walks and 19 runs (18 ER) in only 10.2 innings pitched.
There’s only an 8.5-run total for this matchup, so I assume that Keuchel will have a spectacular outing. While Baltimore ranks 10th in wOBA (.330) against lefties, they have one of the lower walk rates (7.8%) in MLB. That reeks of not having any plate discipline as a team, and Keuchel throws nothing but shit balls in the dirt. Look for the veteran lefty to have one of his higher strikeout totals of the season.
Betting Pick: White Sox -1.5 (-112)
St. Louis Cardinals (+120) at Arizona Diamondbacks (130) – Total: 9.5
STL: Johan Oviedo – R (0-2, 5.74 ERA/1.34 WHIP | 15.2 IP: 13 Ks, 3 HR)
ARZ: Madison Bumgarner – L (4-4, 4.53 ERA/1.08 WHIP | 53.2 IP: 56 Ks, 7 HR)
I picked the wrong side last night with the Diamondbacks, but tonight I’m taking the over on 9.5 runs. This is an opportunity for both sides to get busy, with a key factor apiece.
Oviedo is young, and he’ll learn how it goes at the Major-League level. In only three starts this season, the righty has allowed a total of 10 hits, seven walks and 10 runs over 11 innings. The D-Backs have lost 11 straight games, but this is certainly an opportunity they don’t want to let go by the wayside.
Bumgarner grabs the ball for Arizona and will look to limit a St. Louis offense that is roping left-to the tune of .333 wOBA, .188 ISO and 115 wRC+. The Cardinals can put one of the most right-handed-laden lineups in all of baseball, and that should keep Bumgarner to a shorter night than usual.
Betting Pick: Over 9.5 runs (-110)
