15 games between 30 teams are on tap for Saturday’s Major League Baseball slate. Among the matchups to watch, the Rays battle the Mets in a fascinating inter-league showdown. Later, the Yankees and Red Sox meet in Boston following Friday’s extra-innings nail-biter. As a nightcap, the rival Giants and Dodgers face off for a pivotal NL West showdown.
Before the start of today’s contests, here are three MLB bets to consider on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Rockies at Braves under 8.5 runs (-106)
Somehow, the 30-38 Braves won’t be the most disappointing team taking the field this afternoon. That’s due to the woeful 13-win Rockies, currently on pace for one of the worst seasons in MLB history. Tonight, Colorado will hand the ball to Chase Dollander, who has endured a brutal rookie campaign (6.85 ERA). However, the Georgia native has a far more respectable 4.50 ERA away from hitter-friendly Coors Field. It helps that Atlanta only ranks 18th in slugging percentage against right-handed pitchers (.395).
For the home team, it’ll be Spencer Strider taking the mound. After missing multiple weeks due to injury, the former All-Star hasn’t looked like himself. Over 25.0 innings of work, the fifth-year pro has a 5.40 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 24 strikeouts. Still, a small sample size isn’t proof that the fireballer’s skills have diminished. A start against the Rockies could be just what Strider needs to get back on track. This season, Colorado is averaging 2.54 runs per game away from home, by far the lowest mark in baseball. I’m expecting a stellar performance from Atlanta’s ace on Saturday.
Royals -1.5 (+123)
There isn’t much to be excited about at the moment in Kansas City. The Royals have dropped four straight games, all at home. Most recently, the Athletics earned a 6-4 win at Kauffman Stadium last night. On Saturday, KC will hope to turn the page with starter Michael Lorenzen toeing the slab. The right-hander owns a lackluster 4.94 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 61 strikeouts. However, he’s been terrific when pitching in KC (3.00 ERA).
However, the biggest issue for the Royals is hitting, not pitching. Right now, Kansas City’s offense is the American League’s lowest-scoring unit. Fortunately for them, today’s matchup appears promising. The Athletics are sending out Jacob Lopez, a relatively unproven lefty with 46.2 career innings to his name. Through eight games this season, the 27-year-old has accounted for a 6.00 ERA and sky-high 1.71 WHIP. In addition, the Royals have the league’s 13th-highest batting average against southpaws (.242). It’s difficult to fully trust Kansas City right now, but this bet is about fading an even worse opponent.
Guardians ML (+112)
On Friday, it was the Mariners who came out on top with a 7-2 victory over the Guardians. Cleveland will attempt to rebound tonight with one of their best arms, right-hander Tanner Bibee. This season, the 26-year-old has notched a 3.81 ERA and 1.20 WHIP through 75.2 innings. Those numbers, while not that impressive, are nothing to sneeze at. Normally, Bibee’s 4.99 road ERA would be cause for concern. However, he should find success tonight at T-Mobile Park, baseball’s most pitcher-friendly venue. In his only career meeting with Seattle last season, the third-year pro tossed six scoreless, 12-strikeout innings. This Mariners offense is averaging just the 19th-most runs per game at home.
To keep Cleveland’s mediocre offense in check, All-Star George Kirby will take the hill. Entering this season, hopes were high for the right-hander. Unfortunately, a mix of injuries and underperformance have led to some horrendous numbers thus far. Over four starts, Kirby owns a dismal 6.53 ERA. The former ace has looked like his old self recently, allowing four total runs over his previous two outings. Still, it’s not absurd to think there will be more growing pains for Seattle’s young arm. When Kirby met the Guardians in 2024, he was lit up for eight runs over 3.2 innings. A repeat performance isn’t inevitable, but that’s certainly not a good sign. At plus-money, I’d feel more confident riding with Cleveland on Saturday.
