Tuesday’s MLB slate is a large one, with 14 games to choose from. The action gets underway at 7:05 p.m. ET.
Let’s break down some of my favorite wagers to target on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Detroit Tigers at Texas Rangers
Tigers ML (+155)
The Tigers are not a good baseball team, but what in the world have the Rangers accomplished to be -190 against anyone? Believe it or not, the Rangers have a worse record than the Tigers this season, and the only team in the AL with a worse record than Texas is the Orioles.
The Rangers will have one of their better pitchers on the mound in Dane Dunning, but he isn’t exactly Cy Young. He’s pitched to a 4.38 ERA this season, and his 4.29 xERA suggests that he’s been perfectly average. The Tigers have quietly been solid against right-handed pitching this season, ranking 16th in wRC+.
The reason the Rangers are such heavy favorites is that the Tigers will be starting Jose Urena. Urena has been dreadful this season, pitching to a 6.22 ERA, and he’s recorded nearly as many walks as he has strikeouts. It obviously doesn’t feel good to back a pitcher like that, but the Rangers rank just 25th in wRC+ against right-handed pitchers. If there is ever a spot for Urena to get a win, this is probably it.
Ultimately, this line feels way too generous for the Rangers, so I’m happy to back the underdog.
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Boston Red Sox at Los Angeles Angels
Red Sox ML (-115)
The Red Sox are red-hot at the moment. They’ve won 10 of their past 11 games, with their only defeat coming in extra innings against the Athletics. They currently sit at 54-32 for the year, which gives them the best record in the American League.
They’re in an interesting spot today vs. the Angels. They’re taking on Shohei Ohtani, who has put together a historic season in 2021. He was voted into the All-Star game by the fans as a hitter and selected for a pitching spot by the players.
However, I think his work on the mound might be a touch overrated. He’s pitched to a 3.60 ERA and a 3.74 FIP, and while both of those numbers are solid, they’re not typically All-Star worthy. Ohtani carries much more value offensively, and the Angels will ultimately lose his bat at some point in this contest. They can forgo the DH and put him in the lineup on days where he pitches, but that means the pitcher spot is in the lineup all game. Once Ohtani is removed from the game, that puts the Angels at a significant disadvantage.
I’m trusting the overall talent level of the Red Sox on Tuesday.
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Atlanta Braves at Pittsburgh Pirates
Ian Anderson Over 5.5 Strikeouts (+121)
Anderson entered the season as one of the top pitching prospects in baseball after dominating in limited innings last year. He hasn’t disappointed in 2021, pitching to a 3.35 ERA and 3.38 FIP through 16 starts. He’s also been a solid strikeout pitcher, posting a 9.14 K/9.
He gets the benefit of facing one of the weakest offenses in baseball on Tuesday. The Pirates rank just 28th in wRC+ vs. right-handed pitchers, so they should struggle to score runs in this matchup. They aren’t a particularly strikeout-heavy team — they own the seventh-lowest strikeout rate vs. right-handers — but Anderson should be able to pitch a minimum of six innings in this contest. He racked up six strikeouts over six innings in his first start vs. the Pirates this season, so I don’t see why he can’t match that feat today.
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