We made it to Friday, so why not kick off your weekend with some MLB predictions?
The Odds Shark team is now 4-1 this week on picks, so I'll be eyeing the Astros and Blue Jays as my ML picks thanks to some spicy starting pitching showdowns. Here are my two MLB expert picks for today:
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MLB Expert Pick Today: Astros (-155) vs Rangers
Texas vs Houston Odds - Game Time: 8:10 pm ET
This Texas rivalry doesn't burn quite as bright anymore now that the Rangers and Astros have endured bumpy first halves of their respective seasons. While Houston is clawing at the Wild Card, Texas is down below, hence why the 'Stros are 4-3 SU vs the Rangers this season.
The Andrew Heaney (TEX) vs Hunter Brown (HOU) pitching matchup is very important in this contest. We'll start with the Astros bats, who rank 10th in MLB with a .733 OPS vs lefties. That's a great start, and the club also roughs up Heaney. Active Houston hitters own an .856 OPS vs Heaney, including great numbers from Jose Altuve (.928 OPS) and Yordan Alvarez (1.284 OPS). Both guys have homered off Heaney and are well worth a bet on their OVER 1.5 total bases (Altuve -105; Alvarez +110).
Lastly, I'm a big Brown believer in this outing, despite his placement on our least profitable pitchers board (-$506 if you bet $100 on every start). The right-hander was terrible through his first nine starts (7.71 ERA), but he has since turned it around, spinning a 2.29 ERA with five wins in his last nine starts. Brown is a man reborn, and I love the chances of his hot streak continuing and the Astros picking up a ML dub.
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MLB Expert Pick Today: Blue Jays (+110) vs D-backs
Blue Jays vs D-backs Odds - Game Time: 9:40 pm ET
The Blue Jays and D-backs aren't all that different. Sure, Toronto has vastly underperformed, while the D-backs sucked until only a few weeks ago, as they've turned on the jets and rallied within one game of the final NL wild card. But overall, Toronto has a better starting staff, while the D-backs own a better offense. In the end, it evens out, and I'm taking the Jays as ML underdogs.
Yariel Rodriguez is Toronto's best-kept secret. The crafty Cuban has some of the best stuff in the Jays rotation, and he's pitching better than ever right now. Finally healthy, the right-hander has allowed just three hits and one run over his last 12.2 innings (0.71 ERA), carving two decent clubs (Astros and Mariners) in the process. Arizona is also slightly worse against RHPs (.713 OPS vs .773 against LHPs). I'm expecting Rodriguez to carve for six innings, while the Jays put some damage on Ryne Nelson and his 5.00+ ERA.
As always, the Blue Jays bullpen is a catch. Closer Chad Green might not be available after tossing 21 pitches yesterday, but Trevor Richards, Nate Pearson, and Genesis Cabrera are all rested and ready to go, leaving the Jays with a few decent options when Rodriguez departs.
