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We’ve got a short slate of baseball to bet on Thursday and I’ve picked out two games which I’m seeing plenty of value in. Let’s get to them.
Texas Rangers (+100) vs. Seattle Mariners (-120) Total: 7
It’s pretty easy to beat Marco Gonzales. He strikes out hitters at one of the lowest rates in the big leagues, which means if you can just drive the ball into the gap or just get it in the air, you have a great chance of winning.
The Rangers are not doing that right now. They enter Thursday night with one of the worst ISOs in the game in the last two weeks at just .119 and their strikeout rate is soaring at 26.5%. That’s terrible, and it’s going to give Gonzales assistance he really doesn’t need.
Jon Gray has been sturdy of late, but the last time he saw the Mariners he allowed four earned runs on five hits and four walks over 6 1/3 innings. I’m willing to back the team which is playing meaningful baseball given these circumstances.
Edge: Mariners -120
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Los Angeles Dodgers (-140) vs. San Diego Padres (+120) Total: 8
The Dodgers and Padres will play a dueling bullpen game, and it’s just hard not to love L.A. in a game like that. The Dodgers’ bullpen is so much more well rested with just Tommy Kahnle and Evan Phillips working back-to-back days.
Alex Vesia pitched on Wednesday for the first time in five days, and the big four here of Craig Kimbrel, Caleb Ferguson, Brusdar Graterol and Chris Martin are all going to be fresh here.
L.A. has far more talent in the bullpen and the Padres have had to use Josh Hader and Nick Martinez in back-to-back games, the both of which have totaled at least 32 pitches across the two games this series.
This is all not even to mention that San Diego has been statistically disappointing on offense in the last 14 days. Back the Dodgers.
Edge: Dodgers -140
