Let’s get ready to party like it’s 1993 as the Philadelphia Phillies face the Toronto Blue Jays this weekend. There won’t be any Mitch Williams or Joe Carter, but Bryce Harper and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. should be worth the price of admission alone. Friday’s series opener figures to be a high-scoring one, and here are some ideal picks for this game on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Phillies vs. Blue Jays, 7:37 p.m. ET
Moneyline pick: Phillies (+130)
The Blue Jays are the “home” favorite (-148) playing in Dunedin, Fla., but I view this game as much more of a toss-up considering who will be on the mound. The Phillies’ Vince Velasquez has put together a couple of good outings lately, but he has been one of the game’s most inconsistent starting pitchers for many years running now. He has an ERA more than 5.00 over his last five interleague games. On the other side, the Blue Jays’ Steven Matz began this season 4-0 and have allowed 14 earned runs in 13.2 innings in three starts since. Either team is capable of putting up six or seven runs tonight, so I’ll try the underdog for the payoff. The over/under is a very attainable 9.5.
Player Prop: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to hit a home run (+450)
Vlad’s odds to homer tonight are longer than those that belong to Marcus Semien and the same as Andrew McCutchen’s. I don’t understand. That’s far too much respect for the righty Velasquez, and seven of Vlad’s eight homers have come off of right-handers. Guerrero continues to barrel up the ball like few others in MLB. Saying that someone will go deep is never a safe bet, but there is clear value in betting on Vlad with this line.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL). Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA/MI), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (NH/CO), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-888-532-3500 (VA) or call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN).21+ (18+ NH). CO/IL/IN/IA/NH/NJ/PA/TN/VA/WV/MI only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.