:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67430933/1272475964.jpg.0.jpg)
Get ready for a wild Friday in baseball with 18 games on the schedule. That leaves us with no shortage of wagers on DraftKings Sportsbook. After wading through all of the options, here are some bets that stand out to consider.
DraftKings users can get in on the action by betting on DraftKings Sportsbook or by downloading the DK Sportsbook app.
Atlanta Braves at New York Mets
Braves Over 4.5 Runs (-127)
The Mets’ lackluster starting rotation has been a big reason for their disappointing season. They will send another struggling pitcher to the mound in Steven Matz, who was recently reinstated from the IL and hasn’t pitched in nearly three weeks. He was terrible before getting injured, posting an 8.63 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. This could be a rough outing for him against the Braves, who have averaged 5.7 runs a game and hit the fourth-most home runs in baseball. Matz has had problems keeping hitters inside the ball park, allowing 3.4 HR/9.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $150K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st]
Cleveland Indians at Detroit Tigers
Zach Plesac Over 5.5 Strikeouts (-148)
While still not an overwhelming source of strikeouts, Plesac has made strides in that area this season, improving his strikeout rate to 25.5 percent compared to 18.5 percent in 2019. With regards to this line, he’s recorded at least six strikeouts in four of his six starts. Look for him to reach that threshold once again versus a Tigers team that has struck out a staggering 393 times across 1,275 at bats against right-handed pitchers.
Cleveland Indians at Detroit Tigers
Zach Plesac to Record a Win (+105)
Plesac’s strikeout prop isn’t the only one of his to target in this matchup. The Tigers have been downright awful lately, losing 12 of their last 16 games. Their bats have gone silent, leaving them to score three runs or fewer in eight of their last 11 contests. Add in that Plesac has logged at least six innings in each of his starts this season and he should be in the game long enough to come away with a win.
Cleveland Indians at Detroit Tigers
Jose Ramirez Over 0.5 Hits (-186)
Another reason why I like Plesac to win is because Michael Fulmer will start for the Tigers. He’s been about as bad as it gets, posting a 9.27 ERA and a 7.27 FIP. Opponents are hitting .374 against him, which has left him with a bloated 2.15 WHIP. Look for Ramirez, who has already logged at least two hits in five of his last six games, to find a way to get a hit in this contest.
Los Angeles Angels vs. Texas Rangers
Angels Over 4.5 Runs (-136)
The Angels have been on an offensive tear lately, scoring at least five runs in 10 of their last 13 games. Despite their underwhelming season, they still have plenty of dangerous hitters, including Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon. They’ve even received stellar contributions lately from Jared Walsh, who is 17-for-37 (.459) with six home runs across his last nine games. It also helps their cause here that this game is being played at home, where they have a .847 OPS. By comparison, they have a .671 OPS on the road. Wes Benjamin, who had a 5.52 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP at Triple-A last year, is expected to pitch the bulk of the innings for the Rangers.
Moneyline Parlay:
Cleveland Indians at Detroit Tigers: Indians ML + New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox: Yankees ML (+115)
Since I like the matchup so much, of course I’m going to add the Indians to this parlay. They were on a bad losing streak heading into the series opener with the Tigers on Thursday, but they snapped that with an emphatic 10-3 victory. They are the vastly superior team and they have a huge advantage on the starting pitching side, so this has the makings of another lopsided victory.
The Yankees are getting healthy at the right time. With several key hitters being activated from the IL, they’ve scored 43 runs across their last three games. That could spell trouble for Martin Perez, who enters this contest with a 5.14 FIP and a disappointing 16.7 percent strikeout rate. The Yankees will start Jordan Montgomery, who has only allowed a 29.6 percent hard-hit rate on his way to a 4.02 FIP. The Yankees have also dominated the Red Sox this season, winning all seven of their previous meetings. Look for them to make it eight in a row.
Place your MLB bets at DraftKings Sportsbook or by downloading the DK Sportsbook app.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $150K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st]
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
Put your knowledge to the test. Sign up for DraftKings and experience the game inside the game.
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), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (NH/CO) or 1-800-BETS OFF (IA). 21+ (18+ NH). NJ/PA/WV/IN/NH/IA/CO/IL only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is mbarner51) and I may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.