MLB Best Bets for Tuesday, October 19, 2021
MLB has been a crazy place lately. The Red Sox offense is scorching hot with them having three grand slams in this series alone. The Braves have two walk-off wins in the first two games of the series. No matter, our focus is on how we can make money.
Braves vs. Dodgers
Charlie Morton is one of the more decorated names of the recent postseason pitching having thrown for the Rays and Astros in recent years. Now, he is trying to make it to the World Series with the Braves. First, he has to get through Walker Buehler and the Dodgers. He faced the Dodgers twice this season and allowed three earned runs over 11 innings. In his one start in LA, he went six innings, allowing just three hits, one earned run and struck out eight. In the playoffs, he’s gone 9.1 innings, both against the Brewers, and allowed four earned. Last year, he gave up five earned runs in 4.2 innings in the World Series to the Dodgers. Walker Buehler throws for the Dodgers tonight, coming in with a 2.05 ERA at home. Before September started, Buehler was easily the Cy Young favorite. Something happened and he had a stretch of bad outings. In the postseason he has been fine, going 10.2 innings and allowing four earned runs. He went seven innings against the Braves and allowed two earned runs during the regular season. The Braves have been doing late-inning damage to the Dodgers, but I think that Los Angeles makes this a series and wins tonight’s game. I’ll take a shot at the under 7.5 runs at -115.
Astros vs. Red Sox
Do the Astros have an answer for the Red Sox offense? They are paying a lot of money hoping that Zack Greinke is the answer. Greinke does not have a good history at Fenway though, he’s had only four outings there and this year he went three innings and allowed four earned runs. In his previous outing, which was years ago to be honest, he went just 1.2 innings and allowed nine earned. 2010 was the only time he had a quality start there. Current Red Sox hitters are batting .341 against him. Not much reason for optimism. The Astros are going to have their work cut out for them against Nick Pivetta, but he’s also allowed a 5.40 ERA at Fenway this year. He’s only allowed three earned runs in 8.2 innings pitched in the postseason so far. In his one-season start against the Astros, he allowed two earned runs over six innings. Tonight, I’m taking the Red Sox to win at -130.