MLB Wednesday Betting Preview: Live Odds and 3 Best Bets for August 21
Get a head start on your Hump Day betting by diving full force into our MLB preview. We've got the live odds and 3 best bets for Wednesday, August 21. Good luck, fellow sports investors!
UPDATE: Our bet below on the Orioles was voided because of Zach Eflin's trip to the IL. However, we have added a new player prop to check out!
Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets from DraftKings
GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (AZ/CO/IA/IL/IN/KS/KY/LA/MD/ME/MI/NC/NH/NJ/OH/OR/PA/TN/VA/VT/WV/WY), (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org (MA). Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Call 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), or visit www.1800gambler.net (WV). Must be 21+ (18+ KY/WY).
Best Bet: Orioles (+103) = VOIDED
BAL at NYM - 1:10 PM EDT
This price is probably long gone by now, but I still like it at anything under -125 or so. I get that Sean Manaea has had an impressive run but favoring him over a superior Orioles squad is asking a little too much. As you may know by now, I'm pretty bullish on this Balty team.
We talked yesterday about how well this Baltimore team hits lefties, and that point applies again on Wednesday with Manaea on the hill for New York. The O's rank 2nd in WRC+ against southpaws this season, so guys like Anthony Santander and Ryan Mountcastle should thrive in this spot.
Both teams have been hitting the ball well of late, as both rank in the Top 7 in WRC+ over the past 30 days. That being said, the O's check in at 6th while the Mets are 7th in that category. Let's bet on Baltimore and look for another strong outing from Zach Eflin, who's 3-0 with only 3 earned runs allowed over his last 3 starts!
Best Bet: Padres (-122)
MIN at SD- 6:40 PM EDT
I've had a man crush on the Twins lately, so it's tough for me to fade them in this spot. However, I have Matt Waldron as slightly better than Simeon Woods Richardson (The Law Firm) in my starting pitcher rankings.
I know that Waldron and his knuckleball were roughed up for 7 runs during his last start against the Rockies, but I never put too much stock in things that happen at Coors Field. None of these Minny hitters have ever seen Waldron, so I think that gives us a bit of an edge, especially with a specialty pitch like the knuckler.
No team has been hotter than the San Diego Padres. They're 21-5 since July 20th, and that makes me wonder why they aren't being priced in the -140ish range at home. Jackson Merrill and Jurickson Profar have been raking the ball lately and neither show signs of slowing down!
Best Bet: Brewers (+103)
MIL at STL - 7:45 PM EDT
I've been fading this Cards team quite often this season and it's paid some handsome dividends. I hate to sound mean, but this St. Louis team just isn't any good. They have some nice pieces but they're only on pace to win about 80 games this season.
On the other hand, the Brewers have been the most consistent squad in the NL Central. Milwaukee should win well over 90 games and will cruise to the division title. It makes no sense that the Brewers are a dog in this spot.
Cards starter Kyle Gibson is a smart veteran, but Brewers starter Tobias Myers has been in much better form lately. Myers has given up just 3 earned runs over his last 3 starts while Gibby has given up 12 during that same span. The wrong team is favored, so I'll gladly take the Beer Makers once again!
Aaron Nola Over 5.5 Ks (-105)
PHI at ATL - 7:20 PM EDT
The rest of the market has this in the -130s, so we're getting plenty of line value over at BetMGM. I get that Nola has only struck out 4 hitters in each of his last 4 starts, but you have to take into context who he was pitching against. The Yanks, Dodgers, D'Backs, and Nats are all low-strikeout ball clubs.
The same cannot be said for my Atlanta Braves, who have had trouble avoiding strikeouts all year long. Atlanta has the 2nd highest strikeout rate over the last 30 days and guys like Adam Duvall, Jared Kelenic, and Matt Olson will sometimes fan more than twice per game.
Nola has stellar numbers against this Braves roster in his career, as his K-rate against these guys is a whopping 29.1%. I also love that Nola typically gets in at least 6 innings of work. This is a no-brainer Over for me!