Get fired up for Friday's MLB slate by diving into our betting guide. We took Thursday off after a nice 2-1 Wednesday performance to enjoy the NFL Hall of Fame Game. We got nice wins on the Twins and on Freddy Peralta's Over 6.5 strikeouts prop.
Our lone loser was on the Reds, but our overall record now sits at 170-139. We've got 2 best bets and a player prop on tap for August 2. Best of luck, fellow sports bettors!
Update: I'm adding Red Sox (-109) over Rangers No time for a writeup but TEX bats have been ice cold and I'm a big Kutter Crawford guy! Good luck!
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STL at CHC - 2:20 PM EDT
This is a great spot to back Erick Fedde is his first start with the Cards. The 31-year-old righty has got to be elated to be away from the White Sox and now on a squad that can contend for a playoff spot. The former UNLV alum has basically went from the outhouse to the penthouse (lol).
Fedde brings three above-averages pitches to the table with his cutter, sinker, and curveball. He should be able to contain this Cubs offense, which ranks just 20th in WRC+ over the last 30 days. The North Siders have struck out 33.9% of the time against Fedde in their respective careers.
On the flip side, the St. Louis offense has really been coming around. The Cards rank 8th in WRC+ over the last 30 days and the addition of Tommy Pham bolsters their lineup even more. Lay the reasonable number here with the better overall squad.
SF at CIN - 7:10 PM EDT
I like the Reds but I'm not a big believer in Andrew Abbott. The young lefty has decent stuff, but he doesn't throw that hard and he's struggled with his command for most of the year. That could be a problem against a Giants squad that ranks 4th in WRC+ in 2024 against lefties.
Opposing Abbott will be Kyle Harrison, a 22-year-old that gets outstanding extension on his 93 mph fastball. He should be able to handle a Cincy lineup that ranks just 19th in weighted on-base average this season. The Reds only have one player (Jonathan India) with an expected batting average higher than .251.
Both bullpens are pretty solid, but San Fran's offensive advantage can't be overstated. Sure, the loss of Jorge Soler at the trade deadline hurts a little, but the G-Men still have 6 guys with hard-hit rates above 42.1%. The wrong team is favored here!
TB at HOU - 8:10 PM EDT
Wow, this one is scary, mainly because Kikuchi has gotten lit up over his last few starts. However, you have to think that the move from Toronto to Houston will light a fire under the veteran lefty.
Even though Kikuchi can get hit hard, he's one of the best strikeout southpaws in the game, with a K-rate of 26.2% that ranks in the 75th percentile. The 33-year-old's 96 mph fastball looks more like 99 because of his excellent extension. He also has a pretty wicked slider when he gets a feel for it.
Kikuchi gets an outstanding strikeout matchup against Tampa Bay tonight. The Rays have struggled all year to put the ball in play against left-handers (5th highest K-rate vs LHP). There could be up to 8 high K guys in Tampa's lineup tonight. Look for Kikuchi to dazzle in his first start in H-Town.