Saturday is here, which means a loaded slate of Major League Baseball is here. 15 games between 30 teams are on tap, many of which will have an impact on the postseason picture. Among the matchups to watch, the Mets take on the Reds in a battle for the National League’s final wildcard spot. Elsewhere, the Astros take on a surging Rangers squad in Arlington. As a nightcap, the Red Sox look to pick up a win in Phoenix against a lethal Diamondbacks offense.
Before the start of Saturday’s contests, here are two MLB bets to consider on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Orioles +1.5 (-137)
They might be in last place, but the Orioles have impressed this week. Following a three-game sweep of the Padres, Baltimore eked out a 2-1 win over the Dodgers on Friday. Another victory is possible tonight, but it won’t be easy. Los Angeles will hand the ball to staff ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Through 26 starts, the Japanese hurler has posted a 2.82 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 167 strikeouts. The All-Star has surrendered more than three runs in just four of his outings this season. In comparison, the O’s only rank 16th in runs per game (4.35).
As good as Yamamoto is, he’s not the only standout arm taking the mound on Saturday. On an otherwise unimpressive Orioles pitching staff, Trevor Rogers has been a revelation. Since getting called up from Triple-A Norfolk on May 24th, the southpaw has dominated. Over 90.1 innings of work, the left-hander has notched a 1.39 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and 81 strikeouts. There’s never an ideal time to face this loaded LA lineup, but they have struggled recently. During their last ten games, the Dodgers have only scored 35 runs. In addition, the defending champs are slightly worse when hitting against lefties. Keeping that in mind, I’m backing Baltimore to cover.
Mariners vs. Braves under nine total runs (-106)
Despite stumbling in recent weeks, the Mariners are still in playoff position. The return of Bryce Miller from the injured list was expected to boost this Seattle pitching staff. So far, that hasn’t been the case. Over his last three appearances, the 27-year-old has allowed ten earned runs (5.60 ERA). With that being said, Miller did toss six innings of two-run ball on Monday against the Guardians. The Braves have been swinging a hot bat since the All-Star break. However, most of the team’s damage has come against southpaws. When facing right-handed pitching, Atlanta has recorded the league’s ninth-lowest OPS since August 1st (.715).
For the home team, it’ll be rookie sensation Hurston Waldrep toeing the slab. In an otherwise lost season for Atlanta, the youngster has emerged as a major piece in this rotation. Through 35.2 innings, he’s recorded a 1.01 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 33 strikeouts. So far, he has yet to allow more than one run in six major league outings. Already, those numbers are troubling for opposing lineups. That’s especially true for the struggling bats of Seattle. Over their last 15 contests, the Mariners are averaging the eighth-fewest runs per game in baseball (4.2). It’s difficult to envision an offensive outburst for either of these clubs on Saturday.
