A Double Play Of Best Bets For MLB Friday: Blue Jays At Red Sox, Mariners At Rangers

It's the "dog days of summer," aka there is nothing to bet on besides MLB and the PGA TOUR, and I'm in hell. Granted, the Saratoga Race Course opens in a couple of weeks, so I can start betting on the ponies. But, as depressing as this sounds, there is a huge hole in my life during the football and basketball offseasons since sports betting is my biggest hobby. 

That said, if I hit my two looks on Friday's MLB card, you bet your a** I'll keep gambling on baseball. There are another two months before football starts, and I'd love to use my MLB winnings on NFL and college football futures later this summer. 

MLB Betting Card: June 27 

• Toronto Blue Jays +100 moneyline, up to -115, at Boston Red Sox via Caesars Sportsbook, risking 1 unit (u).
• Seattle Mariners -119 moneyline, up to -125, at Texas Rangers via DraftKings, risking 1.19u.

Blue Jays (43-37) at Red Sox (40-42), 7:10 p.m. ET 

Season Series: 

• Blue Jays lead 5-2.

Current Form: 

• Toronto is 5-5 over its last 10 games.
• Boston is 4-6 in its last 10 games and has lost five straight.

Starters 

• Blue Jays RHP Jose Berrios (3-3, 3.51 ERA).
• Red Sox RHP Brayan Bello (3-2, 3.31 ERA).

Since acquiring Berrios in 2021, Toronto is 8-3 when he starts vs. the Red Sox, including five in a row, and 5-1 in Berrios' trips to Fenway Park. He's allowed just three earned runs on 11 hits and four walks with 10 strikeouts in 13.2 innings and two starts against Boston this year. Berrios has a better exit velocity and K-BB% vs. active Red Sox than Bello against the Blue Jays, per Statcast. 

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Jose Berrios taking the mound vs. the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. (Photo credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images)

Plus, Boston's bats have been ice-cold lately. Over the past two weeks, the Red Sox are 29th in WAR and wRC+, and 28th in K/BB rate, according to FanGraphs. Finally, the Blue Jays out-rank Boston in wRC+ (102-95) and have better plate discipline (0.46-0.34 BB/K rate) against right-handed pitching. 

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Mariners (41-39) at Rangers (40-41), 8:05 p.m. ET. 

Season Series: 

• Mariners lead 5-1.

Current Form: 

• Both teams are 5-5 over the last 10 games.

Starters: 

• Mariners RHP Logan Gilbert (2-2, 3.12 ERA).
• Rangers RHP Nathan Eovaldi (4-3, 1.56 ERA).

Gilbert has dominated Texas's lineup over his last five starts, while Eovaldi has struggled against Seattle. Eovaldi has a 7.25 ERA in his previous five starts vs. the Mariners with three straight losses. Gilbert has won three in a row against the Rangers and has a 1.99 ERA and 34/6 K/BB rate over his last five outings vs. Texas. 

This is Eovaldi's first start since last month after missing time with a triceps injury. Yet, the Rangers have a good bullpen and an off-day Thursday, so they'll be well-rested. Regardless, this is a "good spot" for Gilbert. The Mariners are 10-4 as short road favorites (-130 or less) with him on the bump and a +3.2 run margin. 

Also, Seattle's lineup is more productive against right-handed pitching. Per FanGraphs, the Mariners are seventh in wRC+, eighth in hard-hit rate, and 10th in wOBA vs. righties, whereas the Rangers are 15th in hard-hit rate, 26th in wRC+, and 27th in wOBA. 

Finally, the market is backing Seattle, and I'm more willing to follow line movement in regular-season MLB because the public only moves odds in the NFL and the playoffs for other leagues. Pinnacle Sportsbook, a market-making oddsmaker, opened this game at even-money (+100), and the Mariners are slight favorites (-120-ish) at the time of writing. 

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Follow me on X (or Twitter, whatever) @Geoffery-Clark, and check out my OutKick Bets Podcast for more betting content and random rants. I'll add bets to my MLB 2025 betting record via X all season.