Major League Baseball is back for another day in its grueling regular season with some extremely entertaining matchups.
The Los Angeles Angels are beginning to trend down after starting the season red-hot, while the New York Mets could be headed for dark times, not that Max Scherzer is likely out for six-eight weeks.
Here are the best games to bet on Friday.
Chicago White Sox vs. New York Yankees
The Yankees have been the best team in baseball from wire to wire, landing the league’s best record at 28-10 and dominating almost all of their opponents in every way. Even with yesterday’s loss to the Baltimore Orioles, they have won nine of their last 11 matchups and are clicking in ways they could not last season when they failed to capitalize on their potential. Nestor Cortes (2-1, 1.35 ERA) will get the start for the pinstripers at home.
The White Sox have a nice team but are at a massive disadvantage offensively, given their lack of show-stopping batters and inability to match New York’s power; this gives them a lower margin for error and greater dependence on a pitching staff which has not excelled as many expected. Dallas Keuchel will get the start, bringing a 2-3 record and 5.54 ERA with him.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies took three of four games off the Dodgers when they met last week, but both teams have taken turns in opposite directions; the Dodgers swept the Arizona Diamondbacks and moved their winning streak to five games, while the Phillies lost two of three against the San Diego Padres. Lefty slinger Julio Urias will get the start for LA, and although he is just 2-3 with a 3.00 ERA this season, he has a career mark of 34-13 and will not continue losing for long.
The Phillies have lots of offensive talent but have defensive and pitching lulls that have held them to an 18-20 record. The key to their series win against LA was the fact that they were able to score a ton of runs, but this is unsustainable against one of the league’s best pitching staffs. Ranger Suarez (4-1, 3.72 ERA) will toe the rubbers when the game starts Friday.
Cincinnati Reds vs. Toronto Blue Jays o8.5
The Reds have suddenly roared to life after being on a historically-poor trend, winning seven of their last 10 and showing some heart in the box. Toronto, in the opposite vein, has all of the batting talents any team could ask for but has not been able to start seriously contending for the World Series as they were expected to, especially after refurbishing their pitching rotation.
Because of both teams’ potential but overall inconsistency in winning games, the over looks extremely appetizing. Luis Castillo and Hyun Jin Ryu will get the starts for their respective ball clubs, meaning the two starting pitchers will enter with a combined ERA of 14.59, nearly double the over/under mark of 8.5.
