Friday marks the start of a crazy weekend of American League action with the Red Sox, Mariners and Blue Jays fighting for the chance to play the Yankees in the Wild Card game — assuming New York keeps it together for just a little longer. Here’s how to get in on some of those games via DraftKings Sportsbook.
If you want to sweat out these picks with me, follow me on Twitter: @Nick_Friar.
Baltimore Orioles at Toronto Blue Jays
Orioles +260
I thought Toronto would be the team to bounce the Red Sox or Yankees from the postseason, but it turns out a team out West had other plans (more on them in a bit). Now, the Yankees are in the driver’s seat while both the Blue Jays and Red Sox are hoping for some relief against two teams that are about an hour’s car ride away from one another in the Orioles and Nationals.
Only problem for Toronto: the Orioles are the ones who put the Red Sox in this sticky situation. For both the Nats and Orioles, these are the most meaningful games they’ve had since the All-Star break — if not all season. So while stats indicate the Blue Jays should have no problem with Baltimore, I can’t help but think the Orioles are going to take it to Steven Matz like they did in one of their two prior meetings this season.
Philadelphia Phillies at Miami Marlins
Ranger Suarez over 6.5 strikeouts +120
Let’s take a quick sidestep from the playoff-relevant action and look at the potential pitchers’ duel set to take place in Miami on Friday.
It took Suarez a second to get used to starting again — something he’d only done at the MLB level three times, all in 2018, before joining the starting rotation in August — but he has taken to the move. The left-hander has been lights out over his last seven outings, posting five quality starts and two lock-down, five-inning performances. During that stretch, he’s also hit the over on Friday’s strikeout prop four times — one of those showings coming on Sept. 4 against this same Marlins lineup, which has the highest strikeout rate against left-handed pitching both this month and throughout all of 2021.
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Los Angeles Angels at Seattle Mariners
Jose Suarez to give up a home run and Angels lose +140
Mariners over 4.5 runs +115
If there is one team fighting for playoff position to back right now, it’s Seattle. If the Mariners played like this all season, maybe they wouldn’t have needed a remarkable run like they’re on. But here we are.
Seattle doesn’t come into this one as Friday’s heaviest of ML favorites (-165), even though they’re facing the 75-84 Mike Trout-less Angels. That undoubtedly comes down to the pitching matchup of Suarez and Marco Gonzales. Seattle’s starting pitcher has been a lefty to stack against in DFS this season, but the Angels aren’t a group you’d likely lean on heavily Friday. They have some pretty bad numbers against left-handed pitching this month.
The Mariners, on the other hand, have been more toward the middle of the pack against lefties throughout September — and they’re playing with urgency. Not to mention, Seattle rocked Suarez for four runs over five innings in his last outing. That Sept. 24 meeting was the first time a Mariners hitter took Suarez deep in 2021, but that’s not the only time the lefty ever gave up a long ball to a Seattle batter in his career. Kyle Seager (+340), Ty France (+500) and Tom Murphy have all gotten to Suarez before. Personally, Mitch Haniger (+370) is always the guy I look to from Seattle’s lineup when a lefty is on the bump.
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