Frankie Montas gave us a nice rocking chair winner on Thursday afternoon by easily going over his 4.5 strikeout number. Our play on the Padres also came home a winner, as their offense completed a nice comeback for us in the 9th inning. A 2-0 day was just what the doctor ordered!
Get your weekend started with some winners on the diamond! Our MLB selections have done quite well all season long and we have 4 best bets on tap for Friday, August 9. Good luck!
Update: We added the Orioles (-136) to the card late yesterday evening. The writeup is below!
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BAL at TB - 6:50 PM EDT
I just couldn't resist this price when it was finally released late yesterday. We have an interesting setup here with Zach vs. Zack, as Zach Eflin will take on his former team just a few days after being traded to Baltimore.
Both Zach Elfin and Zack Littel are decent starters, but my ratings give a slight edge to Mr. Eflin. The Orioles should also have the better bullpen, since they gained a few more relievers at the trade deadline. Baltimore ranks 10th in K minus BB rate with its bullpen while Tampa Bay ranks 15th.
Baltimore's main edge in this game, though, is with their ferocious lineup. The O's have 6 players with expected slugging percentages over .443. The Rays have just 3. Give me the better team at a decent price!
OAK at TOR - 7:07 PM EDT
I think this is the first time all year that I've bet on the A's and I made need threpary for doing so. That said, this Oakland team has been hitting the ball well lately. The A's rank 4th in WRC+ over the last 30 days.
Jose Berrios has had a rough season for the Blue Jays, as hitters have an expected batting average of .278 against him. The 30-year-old still has a nice changeup, but his sinker hasn't had the same movement that it used to. That may be a problem against this red-hot Oakland lineup.
Lastly, I think Oakland has the better overall bullpen. The A's rank 20th in K minus BB rate, while the Jays rank just 28th. Give me the A's as a dog in this game that should be a coin flip.
HOU at BOS - 7:10 PM EDT
This Boston team has made us a boatload of cash this season, so we might as well keep riding them in situations that warrant it. Tanner Houck's current form scares me a bit, but I still think Boston should be laying around -135 or so in this spot.
Ronel Blanco is a promising young righty for Houston, but he seems to lose his command at the worst possible times. This Red Sox lineup is hotter than a $2 pistol right now, as they lead the Majors in WRC+ over the past month.
What in the world has happened to the Astros offense? They're just 27th in wOBA over the last 30 days and even some of their top hitters look lost at the plate. Give me the hotter team at a reasonable price!
STL at KC - 8:10 PM EDT
Look, I get that St. Louis has been struggling at the plate of late. But, do you know what the ultimate cure is for big league hitters in a slump? Getting to face a gas can like Michael Lorenzen.
According to my numbers, Lorenzen is one of the worst right-handers in baseball. The 32-year-old has a nice assortment of pitches, but he's been walking way too many guys this season. Surely Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, and the newly acquired Tommy Pham can do some damage against this guy.
I'm not too crazy about backing Miles Mikolas, but I still prefer him over Lorenzen. Also, the St. Louis bullpen has a lot more powerful arms than Kansas City's. Give me another dog!
NYM at SEA - 10:10 PM EDT
We might as well try another underdog to wrap up this card. The advanced stats don't like Jose Quintana, but he's done a marvelous job of getting weak contact lately. The veteran lefty is 3-2 with a 3.14 ERA over his last 5 starts.
I like Bryce Miller so it's a little tough for me to fade him at home. That said, this Mets offense has impressed the heck out of me so far this year. New York's lineup ranks 4th in WAR over the last 30 days and most of their guys hit righties pretty well.
The Mariners continue to strike out a ton, even with newly acquired hitters like Justin Turner and Randy Arozarena. Seattle ranks just 21st in WRC+ against lefties, so they could struggle to score on Quintana. Give me the Metamucils for some late night action!