Texas Rangers Betting Preview

The Rangers opened up 2025 with a set win versus the Red Sox, then took out the Cincinnati Reds in two of three and swept the Tampa Bay Rays. After losing a set to the Chicago Cubs and the Seattle Mariners, the Rangers managed to sweep the Los Angeles Angels. Set losses against the Oakland Athletics (twice) and San Francisco Giants came next during the next three matchups, then losses to Seattle in their first two weekend games before a sweep-stopping Sunday win. The Rangers beat the Red Sox on Tuesday in their series opener, then fell in the next two games. On Friday, Texas couldn’t get much going on three team hits and ended up taking a 2-1 loss. Starting pitcher Patrick Corbin gave up both earned runs in 7.0 innings on three hits and four walks, while Sam Haggerty had the lone RBI.

In the Saturday matchup, the Rangers powered out a 10-3 victory, scoring twice in three different innings. Texas’ Corey Seager put up two homers, three hits, three RBI, and three runs along the way. Starter Jacob deGrom finished with 5.0 innings and two earned runs.

For the starter gig on Sunday, Texas will send out Nathan Eovaldi. This year, Eovaldi is 3-2 with a 2.03 ERA in eight starts across 48.2 innings of work. Eovaldi is 94-83 with a 4.01 ERA in 302 career games (283 starts).

Detroit Tigers Betting Preview

Over on the Detroit side, they fell in their first series of 2025 versus the Dodgers in a sweep, then took out the Seattle Mariners, Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees, and Minnesota Twins in the next four matchups. After a series loss to the Brewers, Detroit would take series wins over the Royals, Padres, and Orioles. Detroit lost a series against the Houston Astros, then beat the Angels in three of four. The Tigers kept it going with a sweep over the Colorado Rockies this past week, winning 8-6, 10-2, and 11-1. In the Friday opener versus the Rangers, Detroit only had three hits themselves, but still got the job done. Colt Keith had two hits with a run and an RBI, and Tarik Skubal was great on 7.0 innings, two hits, one earned, no walks, and 12 strikeouts.

In game two, the Tigers were down 5-1 by the third inning and couldn’t dig out of the hole. Detroit got solo homers from Kerry Carpenter (three hits; two runs) and Riley Greene. Starter Jack Flaherty logged 3.0 innings with five earned runs on four hits and two walks.

Starter for the Sunday game will be Detroit’s Reese Olson. This year, Olson is 4-2 with a 3.03 ERA in seven starts and 38.2 innings total. Olson is 13-17 with a 3.64 ERA in 50 games (47 starts) in his career.

Why the Detroit Tigers will win

• The Tigers have won each of their last six day games against AL West opponents following a loss.
• The Rangers have lost each of their last eight games as underdogs against American League opponents following a road win.
• The Tigers have covered the run line in each of their last six games as favorites following a loss.
• The Rangers have failed to cover the run line in nine of their last 10 road games against AL Central opponents following a road win.
• The Tigers have led after 3 innings in each of their last seven day games.
• The Tigers have led after 5 innings in each of their last seven day games.

Why the Texas Rangers will win

• The Tigers have lost each of their last eight Sunday games as home favorites against AL West opponents.
• The Rangers have won seven of their last eight day games against AL Central opponents.
• The Tigers have failed to cover the run line in each of their last nine Sunday games as home favorites against AL West opponents.
• The Rangers have covered the run line each of their last six road games against teams that held a winning record.
• The Rangers have led after 3 innings in five of their last six road games against opponents that held a winning record.
• The Rangers have won the first inning in three of their last four road games against opponents that held a winning record.

Total Runs Facts

• Seven of the Rangers’ last eight day games after playing the previous day have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Each of the Tigers’ last four day games after playing the previous day have gone OVER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Tigers’ last seven games as home favorites against American League opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in nine of the Rangers’ last 11 day games against American League opponents.

Tigers vs Rangers Prediction

I’ll lean toward the Tigers. Olson took a loss on April 29 versus the Astros, going 5.2 innings with three earned runs on four hits and three walks. Olson has been great in the other pair of his last three starts, though, notching a combined 13.0 innings, zero earned runs, five hits, and four walks during two victories. As for Eovaldi, he’s been no slouch himself over the last trio. Eovaldi is 2-0 in those three, with just two earned runs in 18.0 innings on 14 hits and two walks. We should have a pretty great starter battle here if both guys are on point.

Detroit didn’t have a very good outing from anybody on Saturday. Flaherty’s start was rough, and the bullpen got beat up quite a bit. The Tigers are going to need a big bounce-back effort in the finale.

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St. Louis Cardinals Betting Preview

The Cardinals kicked things off this season by sweeping the Minnesota Twins, then lost to the Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox, and Pittsburgh Pirates in the next three sets. Series wins over the Philadelphia Phillies and Houston Astros came next, prior to a sweep by the Mets and a set loss to the Braves. The Cardinals then took out Milwaukee in a series and tied Cincinnati. After winning two of three versus the Mets last weekend, St. Louis really got rolling this past week with a sweep over the Pirates. On Friday in their weekend series opener versus the Nationals, St. Louis posted three runs in the eighth inning alone on the way to a blowout shutout 10-0. Wilson Contreras led the offense with three RBI, two hits, and a run. Erick Fedde posted the complete game effort with 9.0 innings, six hits, no walks, and eight strikeouts.

In the Saturday game, the Cardinals scored all their runs in the second inning on the way to a 4-2 victory. Lars Nootbaar put up two RBI, and Alec Burleson had a pair of hits. Starter Andre Pallante put up 7.1 innings with two earned runs on five hits alongside seven strikeouts and no walks.

As a starter for the Sunday finale, the Cardinals are sending out Miles Mikolas. This year, Mikolas is 1-2 with a 4.76 ERA in seven starts over 34.0 innings. Mikolas is 65-66 with a 4.17 ERA in 217 games (189 starts).

Why the Washington Nationals will win

• The Cardinals have lost seven of their last eight day games against National League opponents following a road win.
• The Nationals have won each of their last eight Sunday games as home favorites against National League opponents.
• The favorites have covered the run line in each of the Nationals’ last four games.
• The Cardinals have failed to cover the run line in four of their last five games as underdogs after playing the previous day.
• The Nationals have led after 5 innings in each of their last six games as home favorites against National League opponents.

Why the St. Louis Cardinals will win

• The Cardinals have won each of their last seven games.
• The Nationals have lost four of their last five games as favorites against NL Central opponents following a loss.
• The Cardinals have covered the run line in each of their last seven games.
• The Nationals have failed to cover the run line in seven of their last eight games as home favorites against NL Central opponents following a loss.
• The Nationals have trailed after 3 innings in each of their last five home games against National League opponents.
• The Nationals have trailed after 5 innings in each of their last five home games against National League opponents.
• The Cardinals have won the first inning in each of their last four games as road underdogs against National League opponents.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Nationals’ last six day games against NL Central opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Six of the Cardinals’ last seven games as underdogs against NL East opponents have gone OVER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in seven of the Nationals’ last eight games as favorites.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Cardinals’ last four games as road underdogs.

Washington Nationals Betting Preview

Over on the Nationals’ side, they kicked off the year by falling in a set to the Philadelphia Phillies and then taking a sweep courtesy of the Toronto Blue Jays. Washington would bag victories in two of three over the Diamondbacks and Dodgers in the next pair of series, then lost in the next pair versus the Miami Marlins and the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Nationals beat the Rockies and Orioles in the next two series, then split with the Mets ahead of defeats in two of three against the Phillies. Washington split their first two weekend games versus the Reds, then won on Sunday to take another series. The Nats split their Tuesday doubleheader against Cleveland, then lost 8-6 in the Wednesday finale. On Friday, Washington couldn’t solve Fedde and came up with just six team hits. CJ Abrams had half of those hits, and starter Mitchell Parker went 4.0 innings with four earned on seven hits and two walks.

In game two, the Nats got their only RBI from Dylan Crews and a home run. Trevor Williams went 6.0 frames in the starting role with four earned runs on seven hits and a walk.

Starter for Sunday will be MacKenzie Gore. This year, Gore is 2-3 with a 3.33 ERA in eight starts across 46.0 innings. Gore is 23-29 with a 4.11 ERA in 83 games (80 starts) overall during his MLB career.

Nationals vs Cardinals Prediction

I’ll lean toward the Cardinals. Mikolas was a bit shaky in his last start on May 5 versus the Pirates, though, posting three earned runs on four hits and three walks in 5.0 innings during a no-decision. That said, Mikolas went 1-0 over his first pair with a combined zero earned runs in 11.1 innings on nine hits and two walks. As for Gore, he’s done pretty well over his last trio as well, even though he’s just 0-1 in that time. Gore has a combined 17.0 innings in those three with six earned runs on 13 hits and five walks total.

St. Louis had one big inning Saturday, and the pitching staff took care of the rest. I’d like to see a more spread-out offensive effort in the finale, but the Cards should be set up well.

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Texas Rangers Betting Preview

The Rangers kicked off their season with a series victory over the Red Sox, then beat the Cincinnati Reds in two of three ahead of a sweep versus the Tampa Bay Rays. Following a lost series to the Chicago Cubs and the Seattle Mariners, the Rangers managed a sweep over the Los Angeles Angels. Set losses against the Oakland Athletics (two times) and San Francisco Giants ensued during the next three matchups, then defeats versus Seattle in their first two weekend games before a sweep-stopping Sunday win. The Rangers opened their series versus the Red Sox with a 6-1 win on Tuesday. In game two, Texas took a 6-4 loss despite holding a lead for much of the evening. Starter Tyler Mahle finished with 5.0 innings, four hits, and two earned runs.

In the Thursday finale, the Rangers couldn’t find any momentum at the plate on five team hits, falling in a 5-0 shutout in the end. Starter Jack Leiter lasted 5.1 innings with four earned runs on three hits and four walks, while Joc Pederson managed three walks in an ultimately futile effort.

As a starter for Friday’s game, the Rangers are sending out Patrick Corbin. So far this year, Corbin is 2-1 with a 3.28 ERA in five starts over 24.2 innings. Corbin is 105-132 in his career with a 4.50 ERA in 357 games (329 starts).

Detroit Tigers Betting Preview

Over on the Detroit side, they lost an opening set this year versus the Dodgers in a sweep, then beat the Seattle Mariners, Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees, and Minnesota Twins in the next four series. After a set loss to the Brewers, Detroit got back to it with series wins over the Royals, Padres, and Orioles. Detroit would drop another set against the Houston Astros, then beat the Angels in three of four. On Wednesday versus Colorado, Detroit was down 3-0 early but rallied to make it competitive and eventually won in 10 innings, 8-6. Jackson Jobe had a rough start, though, giving up six earned runs on eight hits and a walk in 3.2 frames.

In game one of the Thursday doubleheader, the Tigers scored five runs in the second inning during a 10-2 victory. Starter Casey Mize lasted 6.0 innings with one earned run on three hits, no walks, and eight Ks. In the nightcap, Detroit kept it rolling, scoring six runs in the third inning on the way to an 11-1 blowout.

As a starter for Friday, the Tigers are going with Tarik Skubal. So far in 2025, Skubal is 3-2 with a 2.21 ERA in seven starts and 40.2 innings total. Skubal is 44-33 with a 3.29 ERA in 113 career games (110 starts).

Why the Detroit Tigers will win

• The Tigers have won nine of their last 10 games against teams that held a losing record.
• The Rangers have lost eight of their last nine road games after playing the previous day.
• The Rangers have failed to cover the run line in each of their last six road games against American League opponents after playing the previous day.
• The Tigers have covered the run line in nine of their last 10 night games against American League opponents that held a losing record.
• The Tigers have led after 3 innings in each of their last four home games.
• The Tigers have led after 5 innings in each of their last four home games.

Why the Texas Rangers will win

• The underdogs have won four of the Rangers’ last five games at Comerica Park.
• The Tigers have lost eight of their last 11 games as home favorites against AL West opponents following a win.
• The Rangers have covered the run line in eight of their last nine games at Comerica Park against teams that held a winning record.
• The Tigers have failed to cover the run line in six of their last seven games against the Rangers following a win.
• The Rangers have won the first inning in three of their last four road games against opponents that held a winning record.
• The Tigers have trailed after 3 innings in each of their last four night games.
• The Rangers have led after 5 innings in each of their last four road night games.

Total Runs Facts

• Nine of the Tigers’ last 10 games have gone OVER the total runs line.
• Seven of the Rangers’ last eight road games have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Tigers’ last six games as home favorites against American League opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in four of the Rangers’ last five games as underdogs against AL Central opponents.

Tigers vs Rangers Prediction

I’ll stick with the Tigers. This should be a pretty great starter matchup if both guys are on point, though. Skubal is doing very well over his last trio, with a 1-0 record and just three earned runs on 15 hits and a walk in 17.0 combined innings. Skubal is coming off a no-decision versus the Angels on May 2. As for Corbin, he’s posted just five earned runs over his last three starts combined, giving up 19 hits and five walks over a span of 15.1 innings. Corbin is 1-1 in that trio, and last went 5.2 innings with one earned in a no-decision versus the Mariners on May 3.

Detroit was excellent in their doubleheader on Thursday, scoring a whopping 21 runs over the course of two outings. That makes four straight wins, with eight or more runs scored in each, and I like the Tigers to keep it going Friday. All of that said, however, the line’s probably too thick to mess with. 

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St. Louis Cardinals Betting Preview

The Cardinals opened up their season with a sweep over the Minnesota Twins, then took losses versus the Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox, and Pittsburgh Pirates in the next three series. Set wins over the Philadelphia Phillies and Houston Astros came next before a sweep by the Mets and a series loss to the Braves. The Cards would then beat Milwaukee in a series and tie Cincinnati. After winning two of three versus the Mets last weekend, St. Louis beat the Pirates 6-3 Monday and 2-1 Tuesday. In the game two victory, the Cardinals’ Alec Burleson contributed both RBIs on a 1-for-3 day. Matthew Liberatore logged 7.0 innings with one earned run on three hits and three walks in the starting role.

In the Wednesday finale, the Cardinals kept it rolling with a nice 5-0 shutout victory. St. Louis’ Masyn Winn posted two hits with two RBI, while Jordan Walker had two RBI of his own. Lars Nootbaar had three hits with a run and an RBI. Starter Sonny Gray was great on 7.0 innings, two hits, one earned, and eight strikeouts.

As a starter for the Friday game, St. Louis is sending out Erick Fedde. This year, over his seven starts, Fedde is 2-3 with a 4.78 ERA in 37.2 innings total. Fedde is 32-45 with a 4.81 ERA in 140 games (126 starts) total.

Washington Nationals Betting Preview

Over on the Nationals’ side, they opened up the 2025 season by losing in a series to the Philadelphia Phillies and facing a sweep courtesy of the Toronto Blue Jays. Washington would take victories in two of three over the Diamondbacks and Dodgers in the ensuing pair of series, then fall in the next pair versus the Miami Marlins and the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Nationals took out the Rockies and Orioles in the next two sets, then split with the Mets ahead of defeats in two of three against the Phillies. Washington split their first two weekend games versus the Reds, then won on Sunday to take another series. The Nats split their Tuesday doubleheader with the Guardians as well.

In the Wednesday finale versus Cleveland, Washington coughed up all eight runs in the sixth inning along the way to an 8-6 defeat. Starting pitcher Michael Soroka lasted 5.0 frames with four earned runs on five hits and two walks.

As the starting pitcher for Friday, the Nationals will roll out Mitchell Parker. So far this year, Parker is 3-2 with a 3.48 ERA in seven starts across 41.1 innings of work. Parker is 10-12 with a 4.12 ERA in 36 starts over his MLB career.

Why the Washington Nationals will win

• The Nationals have won nine of their last 10 night games against National League opponents following a home loss.
• The Cardinals have lost seven of their last eight road games following a win.
• The Nationals have covered the run line in each of their last 10 night games against National League opponents following a home loss.
• The Cardinals have failed to cover the run line in 11 of their last 13 night games against NL East opponents that held a losing record.
• The Nationals have led after 5 innings in seven of their last eight night games at Nationals Park against National League opponents.
• The Nationals have led after 3 innings in eight of their last nine home night games.

Why the St. Louis Cardinals will win

• The Cardinals have won each of their last five games.
• The Nationals have lost each of their last three home games against NL Central opponents.
• The Cardinals have covered the run line in eight of their last nine night games against National League opponents that held a losing record.
• The Nationals have failed to cover the run line in six of their last seven night games against the Cardinals at Nationals Park following a loss.
• The Nationals have trailed after 3 innings in four of their last five night games against National League opponents.
• The Cardinals have won the first inning in four of their last five road games against National League opponents.
• The Nationals have trailed after 5 innings in four of their last five night games against National League opponents.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Cardinals’ last five night games against NL East opponents have gone OVER the total runs line.
• Each of the Nationals’ last five home games have gone OVER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in 10 of the last 11 night games between the Cardinals and Nationals.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in eight of the Cardinals’ last nine night games against NL East opponents.

Nationals vs Cardinals Prediction

I’ll lean toward St. Louis here, but it’s going to depend on how Fedde looks in the starting role. Fedde has one rough outing in his last trio: 5.2 innings with seven earned on 10 hits and two walks in a defeat versus Milwaukee. In the other pair, however, he’s looking much better. Fedde is 1-0 in those two with 11.0 innings combined for five earned runs on 11 hits and eight walks. Another quality start on Friday would go a long way toward buoying St. Louis’ chances. As for Parker, he’s struggled in his last two starts, giving up 11 earned runs on 11 hits and 11 walks in 9.0 innings, going 0-1 in that pair. Parker posted a win over Baltimore on April 22, though, notching 8.0 clean frames with one hit and two walks.

The Cardinals are hot right now, coming off a sweep of the Pirates and holding a five-game win streak in total. St. Louis has five or more runs in four of those games, so if the bats keep it up, there shouldn’t be too many issues Friday.

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Texas Rangers Betting Preview

The Rangers opened up the 2025 campaign by winning a set over the Red Sox, then Texas took out the Cincinnati Reds in two of three and swept the Tampa Bay Rays. After dropping series to the Chicago Cubs and the Seattle Mariners, the Rangers swept the Los Angeles Angels. Losses in series versus the Oakland Athletics (twice) and San Francisco Giants came over the next trio, then losses to Seattle in their first two weekend games. Texas managed to stop the sweep with a Sunday win, then on Tuesday versus Boston, the Rangers posted a 6-1 win to keep it going. Texas’ Nathan Eovaldi came up with 6.0 innings, one earned run, five hits, and a walk in that one, while the offense posted a whopping 16 team hits.

On Wednesday in game two, the Rangers held a brief 2-0 lead but ended up taking the loss in the end 6-4. Adolis Garcia (two RBI) and Josh Jung (two hits) each had a home run in the defeat. Starter Tyler Mahle finished with 5.0 innings, two earned, four hits, and a walk.

For starter duties on Thursday, the Rangers are sending out Jack Leiter. This year, Leiter is 2-1 with a 4.58 ERA in four starts (17.2 innings). Over his career, Leither has 13 games (10 starts) in the bag with a 2-4 record and a 7.43 ERA.

Boston Red Sox Betting Preview

Over on the Red Sox’ side, they started the year out with a series loss versus the Rangers, then series wins over the Baltimore Orioles and St. Louis Cardinals. Boston would lose the next two series versus the Toronto Blue Jays and the Chicago White Sox, then take wins over the White Sox and Rays. The Red Sox lost a series versus Seattle, then beat the Guardians ahead of a set loss to Toronto. Another series defeat came over the weekend versus the Twins. On Tuesday, Boston gave up five of the six runs during the fourth inning on the way to the loss. Starting pitcher Lucas Giolito was roughed up for six earned runs on 10 hits and a walk over 3.2 innings of work in the defeat.

In Wednesday’s matchup, the Sox out-hit Texas 11-8 in their win. Wilyer Abreu had two homers, three RBI, and three hits along the way, while Alex Bregman had three RBI, three hits, two runs, and a homer. Tanner Houck lasted 4.2 frames in the starting role with six hits, two walks, and two earned runs alongside two strikeouts.

It’ll be Brayan Bello in the starter slot for the Red Sox on Thursday. This year, Bello is 2-0 with a 2.55 ERA in three starts across 17.2 innings. Bello is 30-27 with a 4.34 ERA in 74 career games (72 starts).

Why the Boston Red Sox will win

• The Rangers have lost seven of their last eight road games after playing the previous day.
• The Red Sox have won eight of their last nine day games against AL West opponents following a home win.
• The Rangers have failed to cover the run line in each of their last five road games against American League opponents after playing the previous day.
• The Red Sox have covered the run line in seven of their last eight games against the Rangers following a home win.
• The Red Sox have led after 5 innings in six of their last seven day games against the Rangers at Fenway Park.
• The Rangers have lost the first inning in each of their last three day games at Fenway Park.
• The Red Sox have led after 3 innings in each of their last four day games against opponents that held a losing record.

Why the Texas Rangers will win

• The Rangers have won each of their last three games as underdogs against AL East opponents following a loss.
• The Red Sox have lost six of their last eight games as home favorites against American League opponents following a home win.
• The Red Sox have failed to cover the run line in each of their last seven day games at Fenway Park following a home win.
• The Rangers have covered the run line in each of their last four games against AL East opponents following a loss.
• The Rangers have led after 3 innings in each of their last eight games against AL East opponents.
• The Rangers have led after 5 innings in seven of their last eight games against AL East opponents.
• The Red Sox have lost the first inning in three of their last four games against AL West opponents.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Rangers’ last four day games against AL East opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Each of the Red Sox’s last four day games against AL West opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Rangers’ last four day games against AL East opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in five of the last six day games between the Rangers and Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Red Sox vs Rangers Prediction

I’ll stay with Boston. Bello is pitching pretty well right now, even though he had a couple of shaky moments in the win over Cleveland on April 27. Bello notched 6.0 innings with three earned runs on six hits and three walks in that one. Combined over his last three starts, Bello is 2-0 with 17.2 innings, five earned, 14 hits, and seven walks. As for Leiter, he’s coming off a rough outing versus the Mariners (4.1 innings; six earned in a loss) but was pitching fairly well prior to that. Leiter had 8.1 innings with two earned runs on three hits and four walks in the previous pair.

The Red Sox got some big offensive performances in their Wednesday victory, namely from Bregman and Abreu. It was a nice win after three straight defeats for Boston, and I think they’ll keep it going Thursday.

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Texas Rangers Betting Preview

The Rangers kicked off their campaign this year by winning a series over the Red Sox, then beat the Cincinnati Reds in two of three, and managed a sweep over the Tampa Bay Rays. Following losses in sets to the Chicago Cubs and the Seattle Mariners, the Rangers took a sweep over the Los Angeles Angels. The defeats to the Oakland Athletics (twice) and San Francisco Giants came over the next three, then defeats at the hands of Seattle on Friday and Saturday. Texas managed to save some face with an 8-1 win Sunday that stopped the potential sweep, however.

In Tuesday’s matchup versus the Red Sox, the Rangers posted five runs in the fourth inning on the way to a 6-1 victory. Josh Smith came away with three hits and an RBI, while Adolis Garcia did as well. Starter Nathan Eovaldi lasted 6.0 innings with one earned run on five hits and a walk alongside seven Ks.

In the starter slot for Wednesday, the Rangers are going with Tyler Mahle. This year, Mahle is 3-1 with a 1.19 ERA in seven starts. Mahle has 37.2 innings total. Over his career, Mahle is 36-43 with a 4.15 ERA in 133 games (132 starts) overall.

Boston Red Sox Betting Preview

Over on the Red Sox side, they took out the Baltimore Orioles following their opening series defeat versus Texas. Following a sweep against the St. Louis Cardinals, Boston fell in the next two series versus the Blue Jays and White Sox. The Red Sox took out Tampa Bay and the White Sox in their next pair of sets, then fell to the Mariners. After a series win over Cleveland and a series loss to Toronto, Boston split their first two weekend matchups with the Twins. In Sunday’s game, the Red Sox took a tough loss, 5-4.

On Tuesday, Boston coughed up a whopping 16 hits in their defeat. Kristian Campbell accounted for the lone RBI. Lucas Giolito bagged 3.2 innings in the start with six earned on 10 hits and a walk during a tough outing.
It’ll be Tanner Houck in the starter role for the Sox on Tuesday. This year, Houck is 0-2 with a 6.38 ERA in seven starts (36.2 innings). Houck is 24-31 with a 3.77 ERA in 111 career games (78 starts) at the MLB level.

Why the Boston Red Sox will win

• The Rangers have lost each of their last 11 road games against AL East opponents that held a losing record.
• The Red Sox have won five of their last six home games against the Rangers following a loss.
• The Rangers have failed to cover the run line in seven of their last eight night games following a road win.
• The Red Sox have covered the run line in seven of their last nine night games against the Rangers following a loss.
• The Rangers have trailed after 3 innings in six of their last seven night games against opponents that held a losing record.
• The Rangers have trailed after 5 innings in each of their last four games as road underdogs against AL East opponents.
• The Rangers have lost the first inning in six of their last seven road games against AL East opponents that held a losing record.

Why the Texas Rangers will win

• The Rangers have won each of their last nine night games against AL East opponents.
• The Red Sox have lost four of their last five games as favorites.
• The Rangers have covered the run line in each of their last eight Wednesday games against AL East opponents.
• The Red Sox have failed to cover the run line in each of their last six home games against AL West opponents following a loss.
• The Rangers have led after 3 innings in each of their last seven games against AL East opponents.
• The Rangers have led after 5 innings in each of their last five night games against AL East opponents.
• The Red Sox have lost the first inning in each of their last three games against AL West opponents.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Rangers’ last six road games have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Each of the last five games between the Rangers and Red Sox have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Red Sox’s last six night games at Fenway Park.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in seven of the Rangers’ last eight games as road underdogs.

Red Sox vs Rangers Prediction

I’ll stick with the Rangers. Both starters could use some help from the bats in this one, though. Mahle is just 0-1 in his last three starts but hasn’t pitched badly. In that trio, he’s got 18.0 combined innings with three earned on 15 hits and five walks total. As for Houck, he’s got seven earned runs over his last three starts in 18.0 total frames. Houck has given up 15 hits and three walks in that time. If both guys are on point here, we’ll have a good starter matchup.

Texas jumped all over Giolito in the Tuesday victory, utilizing a big fourth inning to carry the team. I’d like to see the offense spread out over a handful of frames here, but overall, the Rangers should be in decent shape if all goes well on the mound.

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Cleveland Guardians Betting Preview

The Guardians opened up the 2025 season by winning a series over the Kansas City Royals, then managed to sweep the San Diego Padres and dropped a series versus the Los Angeles Angels. After a sweep over the Chicago White Sox and a set victory against the Royals, Cleveland lost a series to Baltimore and took a sweep over the Pirates. The Guardians then beat the Yankees in a series and fell to the Red Sox before wins in three of four over Minnesota. Cleveland split the first two weekend games with the Blue Jays ahead of a 5-4 Sunday win that clinched the set. On Monday, the Guardians had a rainout, so that matchup was pushed back to Tuesday afternoon.

In game one of the Tuesday doubleheader, Cleveland posted 14 team hits (and gave up 10) during a wild 10-9 loss. The Guardians scored six of their runs in the seventh inning alone, and Gabriel Arias had three of the RBIs. In the nightcap, the Guardians scored three times in both the sixth and seventh innings on the way to a 9-1 victory. Carlos Santana had a homer, three RBI, and two runs. Starter Ben Lively went 5.1 innings with one earned run on two hits and two walks.

As a starter for Wednesday, the Guardians are sending out Logan Allen. This year, Allen is 1-2 with a 4.02 ERA in six starts over 31.1 innings. Allen is 16-15 with a 4.57 ERA in 50 career starts at the MLB level.

Washington Nationals Betting Preview

Over on the Nationals’ side, they kicked off their campaign by losing a series to the Philadelphia Phillies and getting swept by the Toronto Blue Jays. Washington would win two of three over the Diamondbacks and Dodgers in the next two series, then lose in the next two sets against the Miami Marlins and the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Nationals then beat the Rockies and Orioles in the next pair of series, then split with the Mets before losses in two of three versus the Phillies. Washington split their first two weekend games versus the Reds, then ended up taking a 4-1 win on Sunday to take the set.

In Tuesday’s opener, Washington scored multiple runs in three different innings on the way to the tight victory. James Wood notched a homer with two RBI, and starter Jake Irvin had 5.1 innings with two earned runs. In game two, the Nats were out-hit 8-4 in the defeat. Brad Lord lasted 6.0 innings with three earned runs on three hits and a walk.

Michael Soroka will start for Washington on Wednesday. Soroka is 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA and three strikeouts so far this year.

Why the Washington Nationals will win

• The Guardians have lost seven of their last eight games as road favorites against National League opponents following a win.
• The Nationals have won each of their last four games as home underdogs following a home loss.
• The Nationals have covered the run line in each of their last six games following a home loss.
• The Guardians have failed to cover the run line in seven of their last eight games as favorites against National League opponents following a road win.
• The Nationals have led after 3 innings in four of their last five games against American League opponents.
• The Guardians have trailed after 5 innings in four of their last five day games against NL East opponents that held a losing record.

Why the Cleveland Guardians will win

• The Guardians have won seven of their last eight games against National League opponents that held a losing record.
• The Nationals have lost six of their last seven home games against AL Central opponents that held a winning record.
• The Guardians have covered the run line in seven of their last eight games against National League opponents that held a losing record.
• The Nationals have failed to cover the run line in six of their last seven games against American League opponents after playing the previous day.
• The Guardians have led after 5 innings in four of their last five day games against opponents that held a losing record.
• The Guardians have led after 3 innings in six of their last seven day games against opponents that held a losing record.

Total Runs Facts

• Eight of the last nine games between the Guardians and Nationals at Nationals Park have gone OVER the total runs line.
• Seven of the Guardians’ last eight games as road favorites have gone OVER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in five of the Guardians’ last six day games against National League opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in four of the last five day games between the Guardians and Nationals.

Nationals vs Guardians Prediction

I’ll probably stick with Cleveland in this one. Allen does need to have a good start in the bag, though. He had some issues with Boston during a loss on April 27, posting seven earned runs on nine hits and three walks over 4.1 innings. In the other pair of his last three starts, however, Allen has 11.1 innings with three earned runs on 11 hits and three walks combined. He didn’t register a decision in either one of those outings, though.

The Guardians had a tough loss in the opener of the doubleheader on Tuesday, but the good news is that the offense came through in both installments. If Cleveland can keep the bats going Wednesday, they’ll be in a promising spot for a potential victory.

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Cleveland Guardians Betting Preview

The Guardians kicked things off this year with a set victory over the Kansas City Royals, then took a sweep thanks to the San Diego Padres and fell in a series versus the Los Angeles Angels. Following a sweep over the Chicago White Sox and a series win versus the Royals, Cleveland fell in a set to Baltimore and swept the Pirates. The Guardians then took out the Yankees in a series and lost to the Red Sox, ahead of wins in three of four over Minnesota. Cleveland lost to Toronto on Friday, then managed a 5-3 win in game two. On Sunday, in the finale, the Guardians eked out a 5-4 victory thanks to 10 team hits. Gabriel Arias came away with three hits, two RBI, and a run in the win.

In the Monday opener versus Washington, the Guardians had a rainout and a postponement. That matchup will be made up as part of a doubleheader beginning at 3:35 p.m. ET.

Starter for game one is set to be Luis Ortiz. This year, Ortiz is 2-3 with a 4.78 ERA and 36 strikeouts overall.

As a starter for Tuesday’s game two, Cleveland will send out Ben Lively. This year, in seven starts, Lively is 1-2 with a 3.72 ERA in 36.1 innings total. Lively is 22-29 with a 4.45 ERA in 81 games (68 starts) over his MLB career.

Washington Nationals Betting Preview

Over on the Nationals’ side, they opened up their season with a loss in a set to the Philadelphia Phillies and a sweep thanks to the Toronto Blue Jays. Washington would win two of three over both the Diamondbacks and Dodgers in the next pair, then fall in the next two series versus the Miami Marlins and the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Nats then took out the Rockies and Orioles in the ensuing two sets, then split with the Mets ahead of losses in two of three versus the Phillies. Washington fell to Cincinnati 6-1 on Friday, then in Saturday’s matchup, the Nats powered out an 11-6 win. In the Sunday rubber match, Washington posted nine team hits in a 4-1 victory. Starter MacKenzie Gore finished with 5.0 innings and one earned run.

In game one, the Nationals will send out Jake Irvin as a starter. This year, Irvin is 2-1 with a 4.01 ERA in seven starts and 42.2 innings total.

In the game two starting pitcher slot for Washington on Tuesday, it’ll be Brad Lord. This year, Lord is 1-3 with a 4.43 ERA in eight games (five starts) and 22.1 innings across his rookie campaign.

Why the Washington Nationals will win

• The Guardians have lost six of their last seven games as road favorites against National League opponents following a win.
• The underdogs have won nine of the Nationals’ last 12 games at Nationals Park.
• The Guardians have failed to cover the run line in each of their last four games as favorites following a road win.
• The underdogs have covered the run line in six of the Guardians’ last seven games.
• The Nationals have won the first inning in each of their last three games as home underdogs against American League opponents.
• The Nationals have led after 3 innings in each of their last eight home night games.
• The Nationals have led after 5 innings in five of their last six home night games.

Why the Cleveland Guardians will win

• The Nationals have lost 15 of their last 16 night games against American League opponents following a road win.
• The Guardians have won 12 of their last 13 games against National League opponents that held a losing record.
• The Nationals have failed to cover the run line in 15 of their last 16 night games against American League opponents following a road win.
• The Guardians have covered the run line each of their last six games against National League opponents that held a losing record.
• The Nationals have trailed after 3 innings in seven of their last eight games as underdogs.
• The Guardians have led after 5 innings in each of their last six games against National League opponents that held a losing record.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Nationals’ last 11 night games against American League opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Nine of the Guardians’ last 10 road games against NL East opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in nine of the Nationals’ last 10 night games against AL Central opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in six of the Guardians’ last seven games as road favorites.

Nationals vs Guardians Prediction

For game one, I’ll probably stay with the Guardians. Ortiz had a bumpy loss versus the Yankees back on April 23, but he bounced back well versus the Twins on April 30. Ortiz managed 6.1 clean frames with three hits and two walks in that one. Irvin is coming off six earned runs in 6.0 innings versus Philly, but he was pitching well before that and should be fine in this one. I like a close game in the opener.

In game two, I’ll lean toward the Guardians as well. Lively should be pretty solid here. In his matchup with the Red Sox on April 26, Lively put up 5.0 innings with four earned runs on six hits and three walks in a no-decision. Over the other pair of his last three starts, however, Lively is 1-0 in 11.0 combined frames with zero earned on nine hits and a walk. Those starts came versus the Pirates (win) and the Twins (no-decision). As for Lord, he had a couple of losses in late April but didn’t pitch badly, notching 8.0 innings with four earned runs total. In his latest outing versus the Phillies on May 1, Lord posted a win with 5.0 innings and two earned runs on six hits and a walk.

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Texas Rangers Betting Preview

The Rangers opened up their 2025 campaign with a series win in four games over the Red Sox, then took out the Cincinnati Reds in two of three and swept the Tampa Bay Rays. After the series losses to the Chicago Cubs and the Seattle Mariners, the Rangers swept the Los Angeles Angels. Series losses to the Oakland Athletics (twice) and San Francisco Giants came over the next three matchups, then losses to Seattle on Friday and Saturday. In Saturday’s 2-1 defeat, Texas’s Jonah Helm had the lone RBI with a pair of hits. Starter Patrick Corbin lasted 5.2 innings with one earned run on five hits and two walks alongside a pair of strikeouts.

In the Sunday finale versus the Mariners, the Rangers bagged 12 team hits and six runs in the third inning alone on the way to an 8-1 blowout victory. Adolis Garcia and Corey Seager (run) each had two hits and two RBI, while starting pitcher Jacob deGrom lasted 5.0 innings with one earned run on three hits and two walks alongside three strikeouts. Josh Smith chipped in with four hits, two runs, and an RBI as well.

For the starter gig in the Tuesday game, the Rangers are rolling with Nathan Eovaldi. This year, Eovaldi is 2-2 with a 2.11 ERA in seven starts across 42.2 innings total. Eovaldi is 93-83 with a 4.02 ERA in 301 career games (282 starts).

Boston Red Sox Betting Preview

Over on the Red Sox side, they were able to beat the Baltimore Orioles in a series following their opener defeat versus Texas. After a sweep versus the St. Louis Cardinals, Boston lost consecutive sets versus the Blue Jays and White Sox. The Red Sox beat Tampa Bay and the White Sox over the next two series, then lost one versus the Mariners. Following a set win over Cleveland and a set loss to Toronto, Boston split their first two weekend games with the Twins 6-1 (win) and 4-3 (loss). In the Saturday defeat, the Sox’s Rafael Devers had three hits with two RBI. Starting pitcher Hunter Dobbins had 5.2 innings with four earned runs on seven hits and two walks, along with two strikeouts.

In Sunday’s rubber match, the Red Sox had a 3-1 lead for quite some time but ended up falling 5-4 in the end. Wilyer Abreu posted three hits, two runs, and a solo homer in the defeat, while Carlos Narvaez had two RBI. Starting pitcher Garrett Crochet left after 5.0 innings with one earned run on four hits and two walks.

As the starting pitcher for Tuesday, the Red Sox will go with Lucas Giolito. After his lone start this year (a no-decision), Giolito is sitting with a 4.50 ERA in 6.0 innings of work. During his career, Giolito is 61-62 with a 4.43 ERA in 181 games (179 starts) overall.

Why the Boston Red Sox will win

• The underdogs have won four of the Red Sox’s last five games.
• The Rangers have lost each of their last five games following a win.
• The Rangers have failed to cover the run line in 10 of their last 11 games as road favorites following a win.
• The Red Sox have covered the run line in eight of their last nine games as underdogs against AL West opponents following a loss.
• The Rangers have trailed after 5 innings in seven of their last eight road games against AL East opponents.
• The Red Sox have won the first inning in four of their last five night games against American League opponents that held a losing record.
• The Rangers have trailed after 3 innings in seven of their last eight road games against AL East opponents.

Why the Texas Rangers will win

• The Rangers have won each of their last eight night games against AL East opponents.
• The Red Sox have lost five of their last six games against AL West opponents.
• The Rangers have covered the run line in seven of their last eight night games against AL East opponents.
• The Red Sox have failed to cover the run line in each of their last five home games against AL West opponents following a loss.
• The Rangers have led after 3 innings in each of their last six games against AL East opponents.
• The Rangers have led after 5 innings in each of their last four night games against AL East opponents.

Total Runs Facts

• Eight of the Rangers’ last nine games against AL East opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Each of the last four games between the Rangers and Red Sox have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in seven of the Red Sox’s last eight home games.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in six of the Rangers’ last seven night games.

Red Sox vs Rangers Prediction

I’ll lean toward the Rangers. Eovaldi should be able to put together a nice start here. He’s been doing well lately, even though he’s got just the one win in his last three outings. During that trio of starts, Eovaldi has a combined 18.0 innings with three earned runs on 14 hits and one walk. As for Giolito, he managed to go 6.0 innings in his 2025 debut versus the Blue Jays on April 30, giving up three earned runs on five hits and a pair of walks. We should have a good starter matchup here if Giolito can settle in—and if Eovaldi can maintain form.

Texas recently had a string of four straight games with one run or fewer (all losses), so they’ll need to get the offense moving as well.

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Pittsburgh Pirates Betting Preview

The Pirates opened up the 2025 campaign with a string of series losses, falling to the Miami Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays, and New York Yankees in succession. Pittsburgh got a set win over the St. Louis Cardinals, then got swept by the Reds ahead of a series victory over the Nationals. Following a sweep by Cleveland, the Pirates beat the Angels in two of three and lost a seat against the Dodgers. Pittsburgh lost two of three against the Cubs last week, then fell to the Padres 9-4 on Friday. In Saturday’s game two, Pittsburgh lost another one, this time 2-1. Starting pitcher Bailey Falter had a nice outing, though, logging 7.0 innings with one earned run on two hits and two walks alongside six Ks. Oneil Cruz had the lone RBI (and four walks) with a hit, totaling a 1-for-1 day.

On Sunday, the Pirates gave up all four runs in the first inning along the way to a 4-0 shutout defeat. Joey Bart, Ke’Bryan Hayes, Tommy Pham, and Matt Gorski each had two hits but couldn’t do much with them. Starter Andrew Heaney left after 3.2 innings, four earned, eight hits, and four walks.

In the starter slot for Monday, the Pirates are going with Carmen Mlodzinski. This year, Mlodzinski is 1-3 with a 6.58 ERA in six starts and 26.0 innings total. Mlodzinski is 9-11 with a 3.75 ERA in 81 career games (11 starts).

St. Louis Cardinals Betting Preview

Over on the Cardinals’ side, they swept the Minnesota Twins in their first series of the season, then lost sets versus the Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox, and Pittsburgh Pirates. Series wins over the Phillies and Astros came next, then a sweep by the Mets and a set loss to the Braves. St. Louis would win two of three versus the Brewers and split a four-game set versus the Reds. After a 9-3 loss to the Mets on Friday, in game two, the Cards had a rainout, which resulted in a doubleheader on Sunday.

On Sunday, St. Louis took a 6-5 victory in game one thanks to Willson Contreras’ three hits, three RBI, and a homer. In the nightcap, the Cardinals eked out another win, this time 5-4.

As a starter for Monday’s matchup, the Cardinals are sending out Miles Mikolas. This year, Mikolas is 1-2 with a 4.66 ERA in six starts over 29.0 total frames. Mikolas is 65-66 with a 4.17 ERA in 216 career games (188 starts).

Why the St. Louis Cardinals will win

• The Pirates have lost seven of their last eight games.
• The Cardinals have won five of their last six home games against the Pirates.
• The Pirates have failed to cover the run line in eight of their last nine night games against NL Central opponents that held a losing record.
• The Cardinals have covered the run line in seven of their last eight home games against the Pirates.
• The Cardinals have won the first inning in three of their last four games against NL Central opponents.
• The Pirates have trailed after 3 innings in five of their last six road games against National League opponents.
• The Pirates have trailed after 5 innings in each of their last six games against NL Central opponents.

Why the Pittsburgh Pirates will win

• The Pirates have won each of their last seven games against the Cardinals following a home loss.
• The Cardinals have lost nine of their last 11 games as favorites against the Pirates following a win.
• The Cardinals have failed to cover the run line in each of their last six games as favorites against NL Central opponents.
• The Pirates have covered the run line in each of their last five games as underdogs against the Cardinals following a home loss.
• The Pirates have led after 3 innings in four of their last five games.
• The Pirates have led after 5 innings in three of their last four games against National League opponents that held a losing record.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Cardinals’ last five games have gone OVER the total runs line.
• Nine of the Pirates’ last 11 road games after playing the previous day have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Cardinals’ last 11 games as home favorites against NL Central opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Pirates’ last 10 games at Busch Stadium.

Cardinals vs Pirates Prediction

I’ll lean toward the Cardinals. St. Louis should be in pretty good shape with Mikolas on the mound—if he can maintain form, that is. Mikolas took a no-decision versus the Mets back on April 18 with 4.2 innings, two earned, five hits, and two walks. In his two starts since then, however, Mikolas is 1-0 with a combined 11.1 innings, nine hits, two walks, and zero earned runs. He should do pretty well here if all goes according to plan. As for Mlodzinski, he gave up five earned runs on nine hits and two walks in a loss versus Cleveland on April 18. In his two outings combined since then, however, Mlodzinski has five earned runs in 9.0 innings on 11 hits and two walks total.

St. Louis posted a good showing on Sunday to finish off the Mets in their pair of doubleheader wins, but it was close in both cases. Still, that makes four wins in the last six games for the Cards, with five or more runs scored in each of those victories. St. Louis needs to keep it going with the bats on Monday.

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Cleveland Guardians Betting Preview

The Guardians opened up their 2025 campaign with a series win over the Kansas City Royals, then got swept by the San Diego Padres and lost a set to the Los Angeles Angels. After sweeping the Chicago White Sox and winning another set versus the Royals, Cleveland lost a series to Baltimore and swept the Pirates. The Guardians would then beat the Yankees in a series and lose to the Red Sox in a set before taking three of four over Minnesota. Cleveland lost to Toronto on Friday, then in game two, the Guardians scored four runs in the top of the ninth in a wild comeback win, 5-3. Daniel Schneemann finished with two homers and all five RBI along the way. Starter Gavin Williams had 4.0 innings with two earned runs on seven hits and five walks.

In the Sunday finale, Cleveland scored three runs in the fourth inning along the way to a tight win, 5-4. The Guardians collected 10 hits along the way, with Gabriel Arias providing three of them alongside two RBI and a run. Starter Tanner Bibee went 5.0 innings with two earned runs on five hits and two walks.

As a starter for Monday’s opener, the Guardians will send out Luis Ortiz. This year, Ortiz is 2-3 with a 4.78 ERA in six starts over 32.0 innings. Ortiz is 14-16 with a 4.03 ERA in 65 career games (40 starts) in the MLB.

Washington Nationals Betting Preview

Over on the Nationals’ side, they kicked things off this year with a series loss to the Philadelphia Phillies and a sweep by the Toronto Blue Jays. Washington took two of three from both the Diamondbacks and Dodgers next, then lost consecutive series versus the Miami Marlins and the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Nats would beat the Rockies and Orioles in the next pair of series, then split with the Mets before losing two of three versus the Phillies. Washington lost to Cincinnati 6-1 on Friday, then in Saturday’s matchup, the Nats put up 15 team hits (and surrendered 12) during a wild win 11-6. Amed Rosario had four RBI, a homer, and three hits in the victory. Starting pitcher Trevor Williams had 5.1 innings with four earned runs on nine hits and two walks.

On Sunday, in the final game, the Nationals powered out a 4-1 win. Starter MacKenzie Gore lasted 5.0 innings with one earned run.

As the starting pitcher for Monday, Washington is going with Jake Irvin. So far this year, Irvin is 2-1 with a 4.01 ERA in seven starts and 42.2 innings. Irvin is 15-22 with a 4.43 ERA in 64 career games at the MLB level.

Why the Washington Nationals will win

• The Guardians have lost six of their last seven games as road favorites against National League opponents following a win.
• The underdogs have won nine of the Nationals’ last 12 games at Nationals Park.
• The Guardians have failed to cover the run line in each of their last four games as favorites following a road win.
• The underdogs have covered the run line in six of the Guardians’ last seven games.
• The Nationals have led after 5 innings in five of their last six home night games.
• The Nationals have won the first inning in each of their last three games as home underdogs against American League opponents.
• The Nationals have led after 3 innings in each of their last eight home night games.

Why the Cleveland Guardians will win

• The Nationals have lost 15 of their last 16 night games against American League opponents following a road win.
• The Guardians have won 12 of their last 13 games against National League opponents that held a losing record.
• The Nationals have failed to cover the run line in 15 of their last 16 night games against American League opponents following a road win.
• The Guardians have covered the run line each of their last six games against National League opponents that held a losing record.
• The Nationals have trailed after 3 innings in seven of their last eight games as underdogs.
• The Guardians have led after 5 innings in each of their last six games against National League opponents that held a losing record.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Nationals’ last 11 night games against American League opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Nine of the Guardians’ last 10 road games against NL East opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in nine of the Nationals’ last 10 night games against AL Central opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in six of the Guardians’ last seven games as road favorites.

Nationals vs Guardians Prediction

I’ll lean toward the Guardians in this one. Ortiz had a nice win over the Pirates on April 18, going 5.0 innings with two earned runs on four hits and three walks. That said, in his next outing versus the Yankees, Ortiz took a loss with 4.1 innings, five hits, and five walks for four earned runs. The good news is that he bounced back in the Twins matchup on April 30 with 6.1 clean frames, three hits, and two walks. A quality start here would put Cleveland in a nice spot. As for Irvin, he’s coming off six earned runs in 6.0 innings in a loss to Philadelphia. That said, in his two starts prior, Irvin was 1-0 with three earned runs combined over 13.2 frames.

The Guardians generally played pretty well Sunday and would have dominated if not for a few bad spots. I like Cleveland to keep it going into Monday’s game.

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Kansas City Royals Betting Preview

Kansas City kicked off the 2025 season with losses in the first pair of series versus the Cleveland Guardians and the Milwaukee Brewers, then took a set victory against the Baltimore Orioles. Kansas City then got a series win over the Minnesota Twins ahead of a series defeat in the rematch versus Cleveland. The Royals took a sweep over the New York Yankees ahead of a loss in three of four games against the Detroit Tigers. The Royals notched another sweep over the Rockies, then took wins in two of three versus the Astros. Kansas City bagged a sweep versus the Rays this past week as well. On Friday versus Baltimore, KC couldn’t get anything going on four team hits in a 3-0 shutout loss. Starter Michael Wacha gave up all three earned runs on seven hits and a walk in 6.1 innings. Michael Massey had half the team’s hits, and Freddy Fermin had the other pair.

In the Saturday matchup, the Royals posted eight team hits during a 4-0 shutout win. Vinnie Pasquantino, Cavan Biggio, and Kyle Isbel each had solo home runs.  Starting pitcher Kris Bubic logged 5.0 clean frames, four hits, and a walk.

Starter for the Royals on Sunday will be Michael Lorenzen. This year, Lorenzen is 3-3 with a 3.48 ERA in six starts over 33.2 innings. Lorenzen is 50-47 with a 3.97 ERA in 374 games (99 starts) over his career.

Baltimore Orioles Betting Preview

Over on the Orioles’ side, they took a split in their first series of 2025 versus the Toronto Blue Jays ahead of a set loss versus the Boston Red Sox. Losses in two more series against the Royals and Diamondbacks came next, then a two-game split against the Blue Jays. Baltimore finally got a series win against the Guardians, then lost in two of three against the Nationals and got swept by the Tigers. The Orioles beat the Yankees in two of three games during their early-week set. In the Friday matchup, Baltimore scored all three of their runs in the seventh inning. Ryan O’Hearn came away with two hits, two RBI, and a homer, while starter Dean Kremer put up 7.0 innings, three hits, and a walk.

On Saturday, the Os notched six team hits in the loss, with Gunnar Henderson posting half of them (3-for-4). Tomoyuki Sugano managed 6.0 innings as a starter, giving up two earned runs on four hits and two walks.

It’ll be Kyle Gibson in the starter slot for the Orioles on Sunday. This year, Gibson is 0-1 with a 22.09 ERA off his lone start, lasting just 3.2 innings. Gibson is 112-109 with a 4.55 ERA over his career in 331 games (325 starts).

Why the Baltimore Orioles will win

• The Royals have lost each of their last eight Sunday road games against AL East opponents.
• The Orioles have won seven of their last eight home games against the Royals following a home loss.
• The Orioles have covered the run line in six of their last eight home games against the Royals following a home loss.
• The Royals have failed to cover the run line in three of their last four games at Oriole Park at Camden Yards against teams that held a losing record.

Why the Kansas City Royals will win

• The Royals have won five of their last six games as road underdogs.
• The Orioles have lost seven of their last eight day games against AL Central opponents that held a winning record.
• The Royals have covered the run line in each of their last six day games following a road win.
• The Orioles have failed to cover the run line in seven of their last eight games as favorites against American League opponents following a home loss.
• The Orioles have trailed after 3 innings in seven of their last eight day games against AL Central opponents that held a winning record.
• The Royals have led after 5 innings in five of their last six games against opponents that held a losing record.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Orioles’ last six games as favorites have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Eight of the Royals’ last nine games against AL East opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in seven of the Orioles’ last eight games against AL Central opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in four of the Royals’ last five day games at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

Orioles vs Royals Prediction

I’ll probably lean toward the Royals. Lorenzen is doing quite well over his last two starts, notching 6.0 innings in each for a total of 12.0 frames with two earned runs, nine hits, and six walks combined over that time. Lorenzen did have a rough loss versus Detroit on April 17, though, giving up four earned runs in 4.2 innings. As for Gibson, he’s certainly chomping at the proverbial bit to get another chance after his disastrous debut versus the Yankees on April 29. Gibson gave up nine earned runs on 11 hits and two walks over 3.2 innings in that one, but he’s obviously a much better pitcher than that and should right the ship here.

The Royals got three of their four runs via solo homers in the Saturday victory, and Maikel Garcia had three of the team’s eight hits. I’d like to see a little more variety on Sunday, but I can’t complain about the results.

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Washington Nationals Betting Preview

The Nationals lost their first two sets of 2025, losing two of three games against the Philadelphia Phillies and then facing a sweep against the Toronto Blue Jays. Washington then got two series victories against the Diamondbacks and Dodgers, but they would lose two more sets versus the Marlins and Pirates. Following series victories against the Rockies and Orioles, the Nationals took a split in a set against the New York Mets. The Nationals lost their first two games versus the Phillies, but rebounded for a 4-2 victory on Thursday to stop the sweep. In Friday’s opener against the Reds, Washington gave up five runs over the first three innings in a 6-1 loss. Josh Bell had the lone RBI with a solo homer, and starter Mitchell Parker gave up five earned runs on four hits and four walks in 4.0 innings.

On Saturday in game two the Nationals powered out an 11-6 win. Amed Rosario had four RBI with a homer, while Nathaniel Lowe had three hits, two RBI, and a run. Trevor Williams went 5.1 innings in the starting role with four earned runs on nine hits and two walks.

In the starter slot for the finale, the Nationals will send out MacKenzie Gore. This year so far, Gore is 2-3 with a 3.51 ERA in seven starts across 41.0 innings. Gore is 23-29 with a 4.13 ERA in 82 games (79 starts) over his career.

Cincinnati Reds Betting Preview

Over on the Reds’ side, they started out 2025 with losses in three straight series against the San Francisco Giants, the Texas Rangers, and the Milwaukee Brewers. Cincinnati bagged a series victory in their rematch with the Giants then would take a sweep over the Pirates. After a loss in a series against the Mariners, the Reds beat the Orioles in a set before falling in one versus the Marlins in two of three. Cincinnati dispatched the Rockies in a sweep over the weekend, then bagged a win over the Cardinals on Monday. After losses in both the Wednesday doubleheader games, Cincinnati took a Thursday win to tie the set. In Friday’s matchup, the Reds out-hit the Nationals 7-4. Starter Hunter Greene finished with 6.0 innings, one earned run, two hits, two walks, and 12 strikeouts.

In the Saturday game, Cincinnati had a good offensive night with 12 team hits, but couldn’t keep the pace later in the game. Starter Nick Lodolo lasted 5.1 frames with six earned runs on 10 hits and two walks.

Starter for Sunday will be the Reds’ Nick Martinez. This year, Martinez is 1-3 with a 4.68 ERA in six starts over 32.2 innings. Martinez is 38-48 with a 4.12 ERA in 246 career games (109 starts).

Why the Cincinnati Reds will win

• The Nationals have lost eight of their last nine road games following a win.
• The Reds have won each of their last five day games after playing the previous day.
• The Nationals have failed to cover the run line in each of their last four road games against NL Central opponents following a win.
• The Reds have covered the run line in six of their last seven games after playing the previous day.
• The Nationals have lost the first inning in four of their last five day games against NL Central opponents.
• The Nationals have trailed after 5 innings in seven of their last eight games against National League opponents that held a winning record.
• The Nationals have trailed after 3 innings in seven of their last eight games against National League opponents that held a winning record.

Why the Washington Nationals will win

• The underdogs have won four of the Reds’ last five games.
• The Reds have lost five of their last six games as favorites against the Nationals following a home loss.
• The Reds have failed to cover the run line in each of their last 10 games as favorites against the Nationals following a home loss.
• The Nationals have covered the run line in eight of their last nine day games against the Reds following a win.
• The Reds have trailed after 5 innings in five of their last six day games at Great American Ball Park against NL East opponents.

Total Runs Facts

• Eleven of the Reds’ last 12 day games as favorites have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Each of the Nationals’ last four day games against NL Central opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Reds’ last six games as favorites.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in six of the Nationals’ last seven games as underdogs against NL Central opponents.

Reds vs Nationals Prediction

I’ll lean toward the Reds. Martinez had a fairly rough outing on April 16 versus Seattle, taking a loss with 4.2 innings and three earned runs. In his two starts combined since then, however, Martinez is 1-0 with three earned in 11.2 innings on 10 hits and four walks. As for Gore, he hasn’t done too badly himself over the last three starts, despite a tepid 1-1 record. Gore has gone 6.0 innings in each of those for a total of 18.0 frames, giving up seven earned on 13 hits and three walks.

Cincinnati got multiple hits from three different guys on the offense during the Saturday loss, so it was a pretty solid night for that unit. That said, the bats couldn’t dig out of the hole, and the game went down as an L. Things need to be better on the mound Sunday, starting with Martinez.

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Washington Nationals Betting Preview

The Nationals fell in the first pair of series this year, dropping two of three games versus the Philadelphia Phillies and then getting swept by the Toronto Blue Jays. Washington would get a pair of set victories versus the Diamondbacks and Dodgers from there, however, they then lost two more sets versus the Marlins and Pirates. After two more set wins against the Rockies and Orioles, the Nationals split a series against the New York Mets. The Nationals lost their first two games versus the Phillies, 7-6 and 7-2. In the Thursday finale, Washington powered out a 4-2 win to stop the sweep.

On Friday in the opener versus the Reds, Washington suffered a 6-1 defeat. Starter Mitchell Parker finished with 4.0 innings, five earned, four hits, and four walks.

For the Saturday starting pitcher role the Nationals are sending out Trevor Williams. This year Williams is 1-3 with a 5.70 ERA in six starts over 30.0 innings. In his career over the regular season Williams is 51-58 with a 4.35 ERA in 208 games (167 starts).

Cincinnati Reds Betting Preview

Over on the Reds’ side, they opened up their season by dropping three consecutive sets versus the San Francisco Giants, the Texas Rangers, and the Milwaukee Brewers. Cincinnati took a series victory in their rematch with the Giants, then managed to sweep the Pirates. Following a set loss versus the Mariners, the Reds took out the Orioles in a series before losing one versus the Marlins in two of three games. Cincinnati beat the Rockies in a sweep last weekend, then got a victory over the Cardinals on Monday. Tuesday’s game was rained out and pushed back to a doubleheader on Wednesday, both of which Cincinnati lost. On Thursday, the Reds managed to push the series to a 2-2 tie with a 9-1 blowout victory.

In the Friday game, Cincinnati out-hit the Nats 7-4 and scored five runs over the first three innings. Hunter Greene lasted 6.0 frames in the start with 12 Ks, two hits, two walks, and one earned run.

Starter for Saturday will be Nick Lodolo. This year, Lodolo is 3-2 with a 2.25 ERA in six starts over 36.0 innings total. Lodolo is 18-16 with a 4.24 ERA in 53 career games at the MLB level.

Why the Cincinnati Reds will win

• The Reds have won each of their last six games after playing the previous day.
• The Nationals have lost seven of their last eight games against NL Central opponents that held a winning record.
• The Reds have covered the run line in each of their last six games after playing the previous day.
• The Nationals have failed to cover the run line in three of their last four night games against NL Central opponents.
• The Nationals have lost the first inning in each of their last four night games at Great American Ball Park.
• The Nationals have trailed after 5 innings in each of their last seven games against National League opponents that held a winning record.
• The Reds have led after 3 innings in each of their last six night games against the Nationals.

Why the Washington Nationals will win

• The Nationals have won each of their last six Saturday games as road underdogs against NL Central opponents.
• The Reds have lost seven of their last nine Saturday night games as favorites against NL East opponents.
• The Nationals have covered the run line in seven of their last eight games as underdogs following a loss.
• The Reds have failed to cover the run line in four of their last five night games against the Nationals following a home win.
• The Reds have lost the first inning in four of their last five night games at Great American Ball Park.
• The Reds have trailed after 5 innings in four of their last five home games against NL East opponents.

Total Runs Facts

• Seven of the Nationals’ last eight games against NL Central opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Six of the Reds’ last seven games after playing the previous day have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Nationals’ last six night games at Great American Ball Park.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in nine of the Reds’ last 10 night games at Great American Ball Park.

Reds vs Nationals Prediction

I’ll lean toward the Reds here, as long as Lodolo can maintain form, that is. In his last start, Lodolo was looking pretty darn great with 7.0 innings, two hits, and one walk in a victory over Colorado on the road. In his two starts prior to that, however, Lodolo gave up a combined seven earned runs on 12 hits and three walks in 10.1 innings, going 0-1 in that pair. If he can bag a quality outing Saturday, though, the Reds will be set up well. As for Williams, he’s 0-2 in his last three games. Williams gave up five earned runs on five hits and a pair of walks in 5.1 innings versus the Mets his last time up, but he had just two earned runs over 10.0 innings across his two previous starts. 

Cincinnati played well on Friday, and I like them to keep it going here.

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Kansas City Royals Betting Preview

Kansas City opened up their campaign by losing the first two sets against the Cleveland Guardians and the Milwaukee Brewers, then took a series win against the Baltimore Orioles. Kansas City then took another set victory versus the Minnesota Twins before a set loss in the rematch against Cleveland. The Royals were able to sweep the New York Yankees, then took a loss in three of four games versus the Detroit Tigers. The Royals posted a sweep over the Rockies, then got victories in two of three versus the Astros. KC was able to beat the Rays 3-1 and 3-0 in their first two outings this past week. On Thursday, the Royals completed the sweep with an 8-2 victory.

In the Friday matchup versus Baltimore, KC was out-hit 9-4 in a 3-0 shutout loss that stopped their win streak. Michael Massey logged a pair of hits though, as did Freddy Fermin.

As a starter for Saturday’s game, the Royals will send out Kris Bubic. So far this year, Bubic is 2-2 with a 2.25 ERA in six starts over 36.0 innings. Bubic is 13-31 with a  4.44 ERA over his career in 103 games (66 starts) at the MLB level.

Baltimore Orioles Betting Preview

Over on the Orioles’ side, they split their first set of the season against the Toronto Blue Jays before losing a series versus the Boston Red Sox. Defeats in another pair of sets versus the Royals and Diamondbacks came after that, then a two-game split versus the Jays. Baltimore finally got a set victory versus the Guardians, then fell in two of three versus the Nationals and took a losing sweep thanks to Detroit. The O’s lost badly to the Yankees on Tuesday, 15-3, but won the other two games in that set. During the 5-4 Wednesday victory, Baltimore got a homer and two RBI from Ryan Mountcastle.

On Friday versus the Royals, Baltimore got two hits, two RBI, and a homer from Ryan O’Hearn. Starter Dean Kremer lasted 7.0 frames with no earned runs on three hits and a walk.

It’ll be Tomoyuki Sugano in the starting pitcher role for the O’s on Saturday. This year in his rookie campaign, Sugano is 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA in six starts across 33.0 innings. He’s got 17 strikeouts total.

Why the Baltimore Orioles will win

• The Royals have lost each of their last seven Saturday road games against American League opponents.
• The home team has won six of the Orioles’ last seven games.
• The Royals have failed to cover the run line in eight of their last 10 games at Oriole Park at Camden Yards against teams that held a losing record.
• The Orioles have covered the run line in each of their last four night games against AL Central opponents following a win.
• The Orioles have led after 5 innings in three of their last four games as home favorites against American League opponents.
• The Orioles have led after 3 innings in three of their last four games as home favorites against American League opponents.

Why the Kansas City Royals will win

• The Royals have won four of their last five games as road underdogs.
• The Orioles have lost nine of their last 12 games as favorites following a win.
• The Royals have covered the run line in 10 of their last 11 games against AL East opponents following a road loss.
• The Orioles have failed to cover the run line in each of their last seven Saturday home games against American League opponents.
• The Royals have led after 3 innings in three of their last four night games against American League opponents.
• The Royals have won the first inning in three of their last four night games against AL East opponents.
• The Royals have led after 5 innings in four of their last five night games against American League opponents.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Royals’ last nine night games as underdogs have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Each of the Orioles’ last five games as favorites have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Orioles’ last four games against AL Central opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in four of the Royals’ last five games as underdogs against AL East opponents.

Orioles vs Royals Prediction

I’m going to lean toward the Orioles. Sugano is having a pretty good first year, even though he’s had a bump or two along the way. Over his last three starts combined, Sugano is 2-0 with five earned runs in 19.0 innings on 15 hits and one walk. He’s coming off 5.0 clean innings with five hits and one walk in a victory versus the Yankees on April 28. As for Bubic, he’s got one good start (7.0 innings; zero earned on four hits and no walks) and two pretty rough starts (10.1 combined innings for seven earned on 12 hits and seven walks) over his last three outings. Bubic will need a bit of a bounce-back effort here if the Royals are going to pose a threat.

Baltimore had a pretty nice outing collectively on Friday. If Sugano can set the table in this one, the O’s offense should take care of the rest.

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Washington Nationals Betting Preview

The Nationals lost their first couple of series this year, falling in two of three versus the Philadelphia Phillies and in a sweep versus the Toronto Blue Jays. Washington would get a couple of series wins over the Diamondbacks and Dodgers next, but then fall in two more series versus the Marlins and Pirates from there. Following a couple of set wins versus the Rockies and Orioles, the Nationals posted a split in four games against the New York Mets. On Tuesday in their opener versus the Phillies, Washington blew a late lead and ended up losing a tough one, 7-6. In the Wednesday game two, the Nationals were out-hit 10-5 in a 7-2 loss. Starter Jake Irvin had a rough outing on 6.0 innings, six earned runs, eight hits, and three walks.

On Thursday in their series finale, the Nationals took a 4-2 victory. Starter Brad Lord lasted 5.0 innings with two earned runs on six hits and a walk.

As a starter for the Friday game, Washington is sending out Mitchell Parker. In his 2025 campaign so far, Parker is 3-1 with a 2.65 ERA in six starts across 37.1 innings. In his career, Parker is 10-11 with a 3.97 ERA in 35 starts total.

Cincinnati Reds Betting Preview

Over on the Reds’ side, they started off the 2025 campaign by falling in three straight series versus the San Francisco Giants, the Texas Rangers, and the Milwaukee Brewers. Cincinnati finally would win a set in their rematch with the Giants, then took a sweep over the Pirates. After falling in a series against the Mariners, the Reds beat the Orioles in a set, then lost one versus the Marlins in two of three games. Cincinnati dispatched the Rockies in a sweep last weekend, then beat the Cardinals on Monday. In Tuesday’s matchup, the Reds got rained out, so that matchup was pushed to a doubleheader the next day. In those Wednesday games, Cincinnati couldn’t get much accomplished on offense, falling in both matchups 6-0 and 9-1.

On Thursday versus St. Louis, the Reds managed a 9-1 win themselves to pull off a split in the series. Starter Andrew Abbott finished on 4.0 innings with one earned run, three hits, and four walks.

In the starting pitcher slot for the Reds on Friday, it’ll be Hunter Greene. So far this year, over six starts, Greene is 3-2 with a 2.70 ERA over 36.2 innings total. In his career, Greene is 21-27 with a 3.79 ERA in 78 starts overall.

Why the Cincinnati Reds will win

• The Nationals have lost seven of their last eight road games following a win.
• The Reds have won each of their last five games after playing the previous day.
• The Reds have covered the run line in each of their last five games after playing the previous day.
• The Nationals have failed to cover the run line in six of their last seven night games following a road win.
• The Nationals have lost the first inning in each of their last three night games at Great American Ball Park.
• The Reds have led after 3 innings in each of their last five night games against the Nationals.
• The Nationals have trailed after 5 innings in 12 of their last 13 road night games.

Why the Washington Nationals will win

• The underdogs have won four of the Reds’ last five games at Great American Ball Park.
• The Reds have lost three of their last four games as home favorites.
• The Nationals have covered the run line in 12 of their last 13 games as underdogs against the Reds following a win.
• The Reds have failed to cover the run line in each of their last four night games against the Nationals following a home win.
• The Reds have lost the first inning in each of their last four night games at Great American Ball Park.
• The Reds have trailed after 5 innings in each of their last four home games against NL East opponents.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Reds’ last five games as favorites against the Nationals have gone OVER the total runs line.
• Six of the Nationals’ last seven games against NL Central opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in eight of the Reds’ last nine night games at Great American Ball Park.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Nationals’ last five night games at Great American Ball Park.

Reds vs Nationals Prediction

I’ll stick with the Reds, so long as Greene can sharpen up his numbers a bit. On April 26, in Colorado, Greene recorded a win, but the rare air up there caused him to surrender three earned runs on seven hits in 6.0 innings—not bad, but not spectacular. The start before that was even worse, though, as Greene coughed up five earned runs on six hits and two walks in 3.0 innings during a loss in Baltimore. The good news, however, is that Greene notched 7.0 clean frames in a win over the Pirates on April 13, and he’s more than capable of taming the Nats hitters here.

Cincinnati bounced back well from their two-game loss on Wednesday with a Thursday win, holding the Cardinals to just three hits in the process (all given up by Abbott). The bullpen was great in relief with 5.0 combined innings, no hits, no walks, and six strikeouts between three arms. Another good performance behind Greene will result in another Reds victory—or set the stage for one at least.

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Kansas City Royals Betting Preview

The Royals opened their campaign by losing the first two sets against the Cleveland Guardians and the Milwaukee Brewers, then took a series victory over the Baltimore Orioles. Kansas City then got a win in another series versus the Minnesota Twins, ahead of a series loss in the rematch against Cleveland. KC bagged a sweep over the New York Yankees, then lost in three of four versus the Detroit Tigers. The Royals swept the Rockies, then took wins in two of three versus the Astros last weekend. In their opener versus the Rays, the Royals powered out a 3-1 victory. In Wednesday’s game two, KC bagged another victory, out-hitting the Rays 11-4. Starter Noah Cameron was quite sharp on 6.1 innings, no earned runs, one hit, and five walks.

In Thursday’s finale, the Royals posted 15 team hits on the way to an 8-2 victory. Starting pitcher Seth Lugo finished with 6.0 frames, two earned, five hits, and no walks.

As a starter for Friday, the Royals will send out Michael Wacha. This year, Wacha is 1-3 with a 3.38 ERA in six starts and 32.0 innings total. Wacha is 102-65 with a 3.88 ERA in 284 career games (263 starts).

Baltimore Orioles Betting Preview

Over on the Orioles’ side, they tied their first series of the year versus the Toronto Blue Jays, then lost a set against the Boston Red Sox. Losses in two more series versus the Royals and Diamondbacks came next, then a two-game tie in the rematch with the Jays. Baltimore finally got a series win over the Guardians next, then lost two of three versus the Nationals, and got swept by Detroit. After a Monday win over the Yankees, in game two, the O’s were demolished 15-3, giving up a whopping 19 team hits and committing three errors along the way. Starter Kyle Gibson had a rough day on 3.2 innings, nine earned, 11 hits, two walks, and two Ks.

In their Wednesday finale, Baltimore eked out another victory, 5-4, to take the series against their rivals. The O’s out-hit New York 10-7 along the way, scoring four runs in the second inning alone. Ryan Mountcastle came away with a homer and two RBI, while starter Cade Povich was sketchy on 4.2 innings and three earned runs on three hits and three walks.

In the starter slot for the Friday matchup, the Orioles are going with Dean Kremer. This year, over six starts, Kremer is 2-4 with a 7.04 ERA across 30.2 total innings. Kremer is 32-34 with a 4.44 ERA in 101 career games (100 starts).

Why the Baltimore Orioles will win

• The Royals have lost each of their last nine night games against the Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards following a road win.
• The home team has won five of the Orioles’ last six games.
• The Royals have failed to cover the run line in six of their last seven night games at Oriole Park at Camden Yards following a road win.
• The Orioles have covered the run line in nine of their last 11 games as home favorites against the Royals following a home win.
• The Orioles have led after 5 innings in four of their last five home games against American League opponents that held a winning record.
• The Orioles have led after 3 innings in four of their last five home games against American League opponents that held a winning record.

Why the Kansas City Royals will win

• The Royals have won each of their last four games as road underdogs.
• The Orioles have lost six of their last seven games as favorites following a win.
• The Royals have covered the run line in each of their last eight Friday games against AL East opponents.
• The Orioles have failed to cover the run line in seven of their last eight home games following a win.
• The Orioles have trailed after 3 innings in eight of their last 10 games.
• The Royals have led after 5 innings in seven of their last eight games.
• The Royals have won the first inning in four of their last five night games against American League opponents.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Royals’ last eight night games as underdogs have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Each of the Orioles’ last four games as favorites have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Royals’ last four games as underdogs against AL East opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in five of the Orioles’ last six games against AL Central opponents.

Orioles vs Royals Prediction

I’ll lean toward the Royals here. Much of that is due to Kremer’s last couple of starts, as he’s been struggling lately. The good news is that Kremer posted a win over Cleveland on April 16 with one earned run on four hits and a walk. In his two starts since then, however, Kremer has posted a combined 11.0 innings with 10 earned runs on 15 hits and four walks, losing both games. He’s certainly a better pitcher than that, but if the trend holds, it’s bad news for the Orioles’ chances at winning.

Kansas City had a great offensive day in their win over the Rays on Thursday, bagging three runs in two different innings. Bobby Witt had a homer with three RBI, and Vinnie Pasquantino added two hits, a run, and two RBI of his own. The bullpen was also great on 3.0 combined innings, no earned runs, three hits, no walks, and two Ks total. I like KC to keep it going on Friday.

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Kansas City Royals Betting Preview

The Royals lost their first two series this season against the Cleveland Guardians and the Milwaukee Brewers, ahead of victories in two of three games versus the Baltimore Orioles. Kansas City would take a victory in another set over the Minnesota Twins, then lost in two of three during the rematch against Cleveland. KC took a sweep thanks to the New York Yankees, ahead of losses in three of four versus the Detroit Tigers. The Royals would post a sweep over the Rockies, then won their first two outings versus the Astros 2-0 in both before losing 7-3 in the finale. On Tuesday versus the Rays, KC scored two runs in the first two innings and ended up hanging on for the 3-1 win. Starter Michael Lorenzen lasted 6.0 innings with one earned run on four hits and two walks.

In the Wednesday game two, the Royals scored twice in the first inning on the way to a 3-0 shutout win. Vinnie Pasquantino had two RBI and a homer, while Bobby Witt had one RBI, one run, and two hits. Starter Noah Cameron was great on 6.1 clean frames, one hit, five walks, and three strikeouts.

As a starter for Thursday, the Royals are going with Seth Lugo. Over his six starts this year, Lugo is 2-3 with a 3.08 ERA in 38.0 innings total. Over his career, Lugo is 58-43 with a 3.36 ERA in 340 games (103 starts).

Tampa Bay Rays Betting Preview

Over on the Rays’ side, they won their first two series of the year over the Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates. Following a sweep by the Texas Rangers and a set loss against the Los Angeles Angels, Tampa Bay won a series against the Braves. The Rays fell in two of three against the Red Sox and in three of four against the Yankees in the next two sets, but then took out the Diamondbacks in two of three games. The Rays posted a sweep over the San Diego Padres this past weekend to keep it going. On Tuesday versus the Royals, the Rays saw Junior Caminero notch three of the team’s eight hits, including a solo home run.

In the Wednesday matchup, Tampa Bay’s offense was flummoxed, getting out-hit 11-4. Drew Rasmussen managed 5.0 innings with three earned runs on six hits and one walk in the starting pitcher role.

Shane Baz will start for the Rays on Thursday. This year, Baz is 3-0 with a 2.45 ERA in five starts and 29.1 innings. Baz is 10-5 with a 3.20 ERA in 28 career starts at the MLB level. He’s got 153 strikeouts over 149.0 total innings.

Why the Tampa Bay Rays will win

• The Rays have won each of their last eight day games following a home loss.
• The Royals have lost 24 of their last 30 games against AL East opponents following a road win.
• The Rays have covered the run line in each of their last nine Thursday day games against AL Central opponents.
• The Royals have failed to cover the run line in four of their last five day games against the Rays following a win.
• The Rays have led after 5 innings in each of their last three games against opponents that held a winning record.

Why the Kansas City Royals will win

• The road team has won each of the Rays’ last seven games.
• The Rays have lost each of their last seven games against AL Central opponents.
• The road team has covered the run line in each of the Rays’ last seven games.
• The Rays have failed to cover the run line in each of their last eight Thursday games as home favorites against American League opponents.
• The Rays have lost the first inning in each of their last four games against opponents that held a winning record at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
• The Rays have trailed after 3 innings in seven of their last eight games against American League opponents.
• The Rays have trailed after 5 innings in seven of their last eight games against American League opponents.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Royals’ last six games against AL East opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Eight of the Rays’ last nine games against AL Central opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Rays’ last 12 day games against AL Central opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Royals’ last four day games against American League opponents.

Rays vs Royals Prediction

I’ll try KC in this one, but it’s a coin flip. Depends on how the starters look, really. Lugo is coming off a very nice victory over the Astros on April 25, posting 8.0 clean frames, three hits, and a walk. In his two starts prior, however, Lugo went 0-2 with seven earned over a period of 13.1 innings combined. He’ll need some help from the bats and the pen in order to bag another W in this one. As for Baz, he gave up five earned runs on four hits and four walks over 3.1 innings in a no-decision versus the Yankees, but came back with a victory over the Padres in his last appearance. That one featured 7.0 clean innings with four hits and a walk.

The Royals were great on the mound behind Cameron. The bullpen posted 2.2 innings with just three hits, no walks, and one K. Overall, it was a pretty nice day for KC, and I like them to keep it going Thursday.

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Chicago Cubs Betting Preview

Chicago took a split series in four games versus the Arizona Diamondbacks in their first appearance of the season, then bagged a sweep over the Oakland Athletics ahead of a series victory against the San Diego Padres. The Cubs won a set against the Texas Rangers after that. Following a series victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers was a series loss against the Padres. Chicago took two of three during their rematch against the Diamondbacks, and afterward took out the Dodgers in two games. The Cubs split the first two weekend games with the Philadelphia Phillies, then lost the rubber match 3-1. On Tuesday versus Pittsburgh, the Cubs rolled to a 9-0 blowout victory on the strength of 13 team hits. Starting pitcher Shota Imanaga managed 5.0 innings with six hits, one walk, and three strikeouts in the win.

In the Wednesday game two, Chicago scored three runs in the fifth inning and had a brief lead, but ultimately fell 4-3 in a tough result. Ian Happ came away with two hits and a run, while Dansby Swanson notched three hits with a run. Starter Matthew Boyd had 5.0 innings with two earned runs on six hits and three walks.

As a starter for Thursday’s matchup, the Cubs will roll with Colin Rea. This year, Rea is 1-0 with a 0.96 ERA in six games (three starts). Rea is 27-20 with a 4.43 ERA in 100 career games (79 starts) during his MLB career.

Pittsburgh Pirates Betting Preview

Over on the Pirates’ side, they opened the season by losing three straight series versus the Miami Marlins, the Tampa Bay Rays, and the New York Yankees. Pittsburgh finally won a set versus the St. Louis Cardinals, then got swept by the Reds. After another series victory over the Washington Nationals, the Pirates took a sweep by the Guardians ahead of a set victory over the Angels. Pittsburgh split its first two games versus the Dodgers. On Sunday, the Pirates lost 9-2 to drop the series. On Tuesday versus Chicago, the Pirates gave up three runs in the seventh inning and were cooked from there. Andrew Heaney gave up four earned runs in 4.2 innings in the start on five hits and three walks.

In the Wednesday matchup, Pittsburgh got two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to cement the comeback bid. Andrew McCutchen had two RBI, and starter Carmen Mlodzinski had 4.0 innings with two earned runs on six hits and a walk.

In the starting pitcher role for Thursday, the Pirates are sending out Paul Skenes. In six starts so far this year, Skenes is 3-2 with a 2.39 ERA over 37.2 total innings. In 29 career starts, Skenes is 14-5 with a 2.06 ERA overall.

Why the Pittsburgh Pirates will win

• The Cubs have lost four of their last five games after playing the previous day.
• The Pirates have won three of their last four home games against National League opponents.
• The Cubs have failed to cover the run line in eight of their last nine games after playing the previous day.
• The Pirates have covered the run line in five of their last six day games against NL Central opponents following a win.
• The Pirates have led after 5 innings in each of their last six Thursday games as home favorites.
• The Cubs have trailed after 3 innings in three of their last four games at PNC Park against NL Central opponents that held a losing record.

Why the Chicago Cubs will win

• The Cubs have won each of their last seven games as underdogs against National League opponents following a road loss.
• The Pirates have lost each of their last eight day games against National League opponents that held a winning record.
• The Cubs have covered the run line in each of their last 10 games as underdogs against National League opponents following a road loss.
• The Pirates have failed to cover the run line in each of their last six games as favorites following a win.
• The Pirates have trailed after 5 innings in seven of their last eight home games against opponents that held a winning record.
• The Pirates have trailed after 3 innings in five of their last six day games against opponents that held a winning record.

Total Runs Facts

• Fourteen of the Pirates’ last 15 day games against NL Central opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Each of the Cubs’ last four games as underdogs have gone OVER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Cubs’ last seven games as road underdogs.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Pirates’ last six Thursday games against NL Central opponents.

Pirates vs Cubs Prediction

I’ll lean toward Pittsburgh getting it done here, but you could call it either way. We should have a good starter matchup on our hands. Skenes was still pretty good in his latest loss versus Cleveland on April 19, giving up two earned runs on six hits and a walk in 7.0 innings. Over the other pair in his last three outings, Skenes is 2-0 with 12.1 innings, one earned, eight hits, and no walks. As for Rea, he’s got just two earned across 13.1 innings on 12 hits and three walks in his last three starts combined. Rea is 1-0 in that trio.

The Pirates really only had one bad inning in their Wednesday comeback victory: the three-run fifth. After that, the bullpen finished things off with 4.0 frames, two hits, no earned, no walks, and two strikeouts. Pittsburgh should be competitive on Thursday as well, but it’s a close call. 

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Chicago Cubs Betting Preview

Chicago posted a split in four games against the Arizona Diamondbacks in their opening set of the 2025 campaign, then swept the Oakland Athletics before a set win against the San Diego Padres. The Cubs will take on the Texas Rangers next. After a series win over the Los Angeles Dodgers came a series loss versus the Padres. Chicago won two of three during the rematch with the Diamondbacks, then beat the Dodgers in both of their games. The Cubs split their first two games with the Philadelphia Phillies last weekend, then in the rubber match, Chicago took a 3-1 loss in 10 innings despite a solid pitching performance over seven innings from starter Jameson Taillon.

On Tuesday versus Pittsburgh, the Cubs bagged 13 team hits in a blowout win, 9-0. Seiya Suzuki (three runs; two RBI) and Carson Kelly (three RBI) each had three hits and a home run. Starter Shota Imanaga finished with 5.0 clean frames, six hits, a walk, and three strikeouts.

As a starter for game two, Chicago will roll with Matthew Boyd. This year, Boyd is 2-2 with a 2.54 ERA in five starts across 28.1 innings total. Boyd is 48-71 with a 4.78 ERA in 187 career games (173 starts).

Pittsburgh Pirates Betting Preview

Over on the Pirates’ side, they started things out with a trio of series losses versus the Miami Marlins, the Tampa Bay Rays, and the New York Yankees. Pittsburgh got a series victory versus the St. Louis Cardinals, then faced a sweep by the Reds. Following another set win over the Washington Nationals, the Pirates were swept by the Guardians before taking a series win over the Angels. Pittsburgh split the first two games versus the Dodgers over the weekend. On Sunday, the Pirates lost the series on a 9-2 defeat, giving up four runs in the first inning alone. Starter Bailey Falter gave up five earned runs on eight hits and two walks in 4.1 innings in that one.

In Tuesday’s matchup, Pittsburgh gave up multiple runs in three different innings. Andrew Heaney left after 4.2 innings as a starter, giving up four earned runs on five hits and three walks.

In the starting pitcher slot for Wednesday, the Pirates are sending out Carmen Mlodzinski. So far in 2025, Mlodzinski is 1-3 with a 6.95 ERA over five starts and 22.0 innings in all. In his career, Mlodzinski is 9-11 with a 3.73 ERA in 80 games (10 starts).

Why the Pittsburgh Pirates will win

• The Pirates have won five of their last six games as home underdogs against NL Central opponents following a home loss.
• The Cubs have lost five of their last six games as favorites against the Pirates following a win.
• The Cubs have failed to cover the run line in each of their last six night games against National League opponents following a win.
• The Pirates have covered the run line in each of their last four games against National League opponents following a home loss.
• The Cubs have trailed after 3 innings in three of their last four games as road favorites against NL Central opponents.

Why the Chicago Cubs will win

• The Cubs have won eight of their last nine games at PNC Park.
• The Pirates have lost eight of their last nine home games against National League opponents that held a winning record.
• The road team has covered the run line in 10 of the last 11 games between the Cubs and Pirates.
• The Pirates have failed to cover the run line in each of their last five games at PNC Park.
• The Pirates have trailed after 3 innings in seven of their last eight Wednesday night games against NL Central opponents that held a winning record.
• The Cubs have led after 5 innings in seven of their last eight games as favorites against NL Central opponents.

Total Runs Facts

• Four of the Cubs’ last five road games against NL Central opponents have gone OVER the total runs line.
• Seven of the last nine games between the Cubs and Pirates at PNC Park have gone OVER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Cubs’ last 10 road games against National League opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Pirates’ last six Wednesday games.

Pirates vs Cubs Prediction

I’ll stick with the Cubs here, but I’m probably avoiding this one. The starter matchup should be interesting, though. Boyd is coming off a win over the Dodgers on April 23, posting 6.0 innings with three earned on 10 hits and a walk. In his two starts prior to that, however, Boyd went 0-2 with 11.1 innings combined for five earned runs on 10 hits and five walks. As for Mlodzinski, he’s coming off a decent outing on April 24 versus the Angels with 5.0 innings and three earned runs. Mlodzinski went 0-2 with nine earned runs in 8.1 innings on 14 hits and four walks over his two starts before that, however.

Chicago pummeled the Pirates’ pitching in the Tuesday shutout victory, posting at least one earned run against five of the six arms Pittsburgh put on the mound. Wednesday’s matchup likely won’t be so one-sided, but the Cubs should still have control. Chicago has scored four or more runs in five of the last six games, winning four of those. Another offensive effort like that and the Cubs will be in spectacular shape. 

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