MLB Best Bets for Monday, June 21st
Tonight, we have a shorter slate, but we are going to do our best Yankees impression and work to turn a triple play with three MLB Best Bets.
Brewers vs. Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks are having a really rough season. They are already 30 games under .500 and don’t have much reason to think they will turn it around soon. In fact, they’ve lost 17 consecutive games, which is almost as hard as winning 17 in a row. They’ve actually won just five of their last 45 games. So, why am I picking them to win tonight? Well, to start, they face a lefty who has a 5.47 ERA on the road so far this year. The Diamondbacks are batting almost .250 against lefties on the season. And, against Brett Anderson, they are hitting .301 lifetime. The biggest problem here is that the Brewers are batting almost .400 against Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly. He is better at home, albeit slightly. I’m taking my shot on the Diamondbacks to win at +100.
Indians vs Cubs
Anyone who follows the Cubs knows that the wind is always a factor. Tonight, reports say that the wind will blow straight in at between 12 and 16 mph. The game has a line of just seven runs. Neither pitcher in the game tonight is overly stellar. Adbert Alzolay for the Cubs has been better at home but has really struggled in night games, giving up all 10 of his home runs in night games. Aaron Civale is a strong enough third or fourth starter for the Indians. He has also given up 14 home runs on the season, which is where most of the damage has come from. Both of these pitchers should be able to keep the ball in the park with the wind blowing in. Take the under 7, even though you’ll likely be nervous the entire game.
Reds vs. Twins
One pitcher is 5-1 with a 1.63 and has a batting average of .069 against him. The other is 2-1 with a 4.35 ERA and a batting average of .235. The first pitcher is Tyler Mahle for the Reds, and the stats are for his away pitching. The second pitcher is J.A. Happ with home pitching stats. The only Reds batters with much experience and success against Happ are Castellanos and Votto. Most Twins hitters have faced Mahle once, and only one has hit against him. I’m taking the Reds on the run line at +130. If you feel like you’d rather lay the juice and just hope for the win, take the moneyline.