Top MLB Pick: Tigers ML (+117) at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
From the East Coast to the West we go in search of winning baseball picks on the Tuesday slate, with the first two stops finding pitchers climbing the mound for their season debuts.
The top-rated sportsbooks have released their MLB odds for tonight’s baseball matchups, and three particular games have piqued my interest:
- Royals vs. Orioles
- Tigers vs. Mets
- Red Sox vs. Athletics
Kansas City Royals vs. Baltimore Orioles
Tuesday, April 02, 2024 – 06:35 PM ET at Oriole Park at Camden Yards
The Royals and Orioles gave us a thriller on Monday when Jordan Westburg ended it with a walk-off homer for Baltimore, leaving Kansas City looking to even matters in Game 2 with Alec Marsh (0-0, 0.00) on the mound opposite Cole Irvin (0-0, 0.00).
Bookmaker is selling the O’s at -165 with a 9-run total that carries extra juice on the ‘under.’
KC Beat Irvin Twice Last Year
Marsh is looking to carry over a fine spring into his first start of 2024 and first career start against the Orioles. He dropped all three assignments vs. AL East teams a season ago.
Irvin struggled a bit during the spring, especially with his control as the former Oregon Ducks standout walked 13 in 17.1 innings. He had pinpoint control against KC last season, working 5+ frames without a free pass while striking out 5.
Umpire Notes, Mother Nature & a Pick
Monday’s win was Baltimore’s sixth over Kansas City in the last seven meetings, and the Orioles’ 4th-straight at home in the rivalry. Totals have split in the four matchups at Camden, and your umpire is expected to be Brian O’Nora who has an ‘under’ winner on his 2024 ledger already.
Rain is in the forecast this evening in Charm City, and we’ll begin today’s plays with Under 9 between the Royals and Orioles.
MLB Pick: Under 9 (-110) at BetOnline
Detroit Tigers vs. New York Mets
Tuesday, April 02, 2024 – 07:10 PM ET at Citi Field
Speaking of rain and umpires, the second game of the Tigers/Mets series includes a chance for rain in the forecast for Queens on Tuesday night, along with an excellent chance of bad umpiring with Angel Hernandez lined up to have the plate.
Delivering pitches Angel’s way are Casey Mize (0-0, 0.00) of Detroit and Adrian Houser (0-0, 0.00) in his New York debut. The Mets are chalked around -125 on the MLB odds.
Tigers Have Won Last 4 From Mets
Mize will be taking the mound for the first time in almost two years following Tommy John surgery, and the former No. 1 pick out of Auburn in 2018 is coming off a strong spring. He’ll be facing the Mets for the first time.
Houser had a so-so spring after being dealt from the Brewers to the Mets during the offseason. Most of Detroit’s lineup will be facing Houser for the first time, with Javier Báez (2-10) having the most matchup experience.
Detroit’s 5-0 win in extras on Monday gave the Tigers their 4th-straight decision in the rivalry after sweeping the Mets last season, and it also left New York winless in 2024. Let’s keep kicking the Mets while they’re down.
MLB Pick: Tigers ML (+117) at BetOnline
Boston Red Sox vs. Oakland Athletics
Tuesday, April 02, 2024 – 09:40 PM ET at Oakland Coliseum
There isn’t any rain in the Oakland forecast, though there was a deluge of errors by the A’s in Monday’s 9-0 loss to Boston in the series opener. Brayan Bello (1-0, 3.60) is up next for the Red Sox who top sportsbooks are chalking around -160 against Alex Wood (0-1, 16.20) and the A’s.
Wood Facing Sox for 1st Time Since 2019 World Series
Bello made good on Opening Day, allowing 2 runs in 5 innings to pick up the win in Seattle as a +135 ‘dog on the moneyline. He got hammered in Oakland last July when the A’s clocked Bello for 3 HR in his 4 innings of work.
That the always-fragile Wood was Oakland’s Opening Day hurler goes a long way to telling us just how thin the rotation is. The southpaw was chased in the 4th against the Indians last Thursday having allowed 6 runs.
Rivalry Trends, Umpire Notes & a Pick
Boston scored early and often Monday, jumping out to an 8-0 lead through three and settled for a 9-0 blanking. Tanner Houck was masterful with 10 strikeouts in his six scoreless frames, and Jarren Duran had 3 hits stop the batting order while the Athletics kicked it around by committing five errors.
The Red Sox have now won five of the last seven meetings while splitting the last four in Oakland. Totals have also split in those four contests at the Coliseum.
Ryan Blakney is slated to call balls and strikes, with his lone plate assignment this season going ‘over’ the total. The Washington native was 9-19-1 O/U/P in 2023. This one sets up perfectly for a run-line winner on the Red Sox.
MLB Pick: Red Sox -1.5 (+110) at Bovada (visit our Bovada Review)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
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