MLB Best Bets for Friday, May 20, 2022

We go 1-1 on the plays posted yesterday. If you re-upped with the Reds/Guardians play, you lost, so hopefully, you didn't. Let's get to it and get some beer money for this weekend.

Cardinals at Pirates

I wrote essentially this last time I talked about Adam Wainwright: For big games, he is still a stud. He then went out and allowed two runs in six innings. Playing the Pirates on a random Friday night is not a big game. However, last time he faced the Pirates, he went six innings, allowed just five hits and no runs. Zach Thompson goes for the Pirates and he has had a nice May after a really tough April. He has gone 12 innings and allowed just four hits and no earned runs. However, 11 of those innings have come against the Reds - the worst team in baseball. He is historically a better pitcher at home than the road. I think the first three innings should be scoreless. I'll take the under 2.5 at -110.

Reds at Blue Jays

Luis Castillo takes the hill for the Reds, and aside from this game, my guess is that he will be on the trading block as soon as possible. He isn't doing a great job of getting the trade market hot with two starts of five or less innings and three earned runs allowed in both games. I think the Blue Jays should mash against him. With Hyun Jin Ryu, I think they have enough pitching strength to also win by more than one run. I'll play the Blue Jays run line at +116.

White Sox at Yankees

Okay, so this will be the last time I plan to try this. I have faded Dallas Keuchel the last two times he pitched and it did not work out for me. He faced the Yankees and Red Sox and won both games with a final score of 3-2. The Yankees haven't hit Keuchel particularly well, but that is mostly because of how good he used to be. For the Yankees, Nestor Cortes is pitching and he has been great for the Yankees. Last week, he started against these same White Sox and allowed three hits and one earned run over 8 innings. I think he can do it again. I'll play the Yankees run line at -110.