A loaded 13-game slate is set for Thursday across Major League Baseball. Among the matchups to watch, an NL West showdown is on tap this afternoon between the Padres and Giants. Elsewhere, the Mets and Dodgers meet in SoCal for the final meeting in their four-game series. Later, the Yankees host the Guardians in the Bronx.
Before the start of today’s contests, here are three MLB bets worth placing on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Mets ML (+110)
Almost every team in baseball has struggled against the Dodgers this year. That doesn’t apply to the Mets, who have won four of their six games against the defending champs. New York’s most recent victory came last night, a commanding 6-1 triumph over Los Angeles. Tonight, the Amazins will send one of their best starters to the mound, David Peterson. It’s been a breakout campaign for the right-hander, who owns a 2.69 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 59 strikeouts over 63.2 innings. It helps that the Mets are slugging .437 at the plate since May 25th, the fifth-best mark in baseball.
Despite a few losses recently, the Dodgers are still dangerous. However, the weak link in LA’s rotation might be Tony Gonsolin. Since making his season debut on April 30th, the former All-Star has posted a 5.00 ERA and 1.42 WHIP. Most troubling has been the righty’s penchant for giving up walks, notching a career-worst 4.5 BB/9 ratio. A Mets squad averaging the seventh-most walks per game (3.60) could be a difficult matchup. In addition, Peterson knows how to keep this offense in check. On May 24th, the 29-year-old held Los Angeles to two runs over 7.2 innings of work. At plus money, New York offers value to bettors this afternoon.
Rays vs. Rangers under 9 runs (-118)
No team in the American League is hotter than the Rays. Tampa Bay has reeled off 11 wins over its last 15 games, surging to second place in the AL East. Tonight, it’ll be Ryan Pepiot taking the mound for the visitors. The right-hander has been on another level recently, tossing 13.2 innings of scoreless ball over his last two starts. He’ll get to face an abysmal Rangers offense on Thursday night. This season, Texas ranks 27th in the league with 3.37 runs scored per game.
Fortunately for the Rangers, Jack Leiter is more than capable of delivering a solid performance. This season, the second-year pro has recorded a 3.66 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 36 strikeouts over nine starts. The 25-year-old put together a phenomenal 5.2-inning, scoreless outing against the Cardinals last week. A similar outing tonight would be asking a lot. Over the past two weeks, Tampa Bay has produced the most runs in baseball (67). Still, Leiter is talented enough to keep the Rays in check tonight. Assuming Pepiot continues his success, there may not be a lot of scoring on Thursday.
Royals G2 ML (-102)
After getting rained out on Wednesday, the Royals and Cardinals are set for a doubleheader tonight. As any baseball fan knows, winning twice in one day is extremely difficult. If these inter-league rivals are going to split this two-game set, Kansas City has a better chance at winning the nightcap. That’s due to staff ace Cole Ragans. This season, he’s accounted for a middling 4.53 ERA. However, the All-Star’s minuscule 1.98 FIP suggests he’s been one of baseball’s unluckiest pitchers. The rub on the Royals is their lack of hitting, ranking 28th in the league in runs per game (3.34). However, KC scored ten runs against St. Louis on Tuesday, including a two-run homer from superstar Bobby Witt Jr.
To keep the Royals in check, the Cardinals will hand the ball to Matthew Libaratore. The right-hander has enjoyed a career year, recording a 3.08 ERA and pristine 1.06 WHIP. Still, the right-hander’s career-long ERA of 4.49 suggests that potential regression is coming. A five-inning, four-run outing against a hapless Rangers offense last week doesn’t bode well for the 25-year-old going forward. In addition, the Royals have posted a respectable .252 batting average vs. righties, the ninth-best mark in baseball. Ahead of a potential pitcher’s duel, I’ll gladly back Kansas City at even money.
