MLB Picks & Predictions: Sunday (8/2)
The MLB season rolls on today with an exciting 15-game slate starting in the early afternoon, with three games getting underway around 1:30 p.m. ET and concluding with the Dodgers and Red Sox in primetime. Here are my best MLB picks for today.
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Sunday’s Best MLB Picks & Predictions
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Detroit Tigers vs. Athletics
Tiger Nation may be a little down after learning Detroit traded Tarik Skubal, but the team should give them something to cheer about today in Sacramento.
Keider Montero is scheduled to start. He has often had his best stuff on the road, where he is 3-2 in nine appearances and five starts (2.45 ERA, .153 opponents’ batting average). Pitching in a hitter-friendly park makes it more challenging, but the Athletics’ lineup has hit just .245 over the last week.
Even if Montero does struggle, the Tigers’ lineup has been on fire, hitting an MLB-best .332 over the last week and scoring 21 combined runs against the A's in Games 1 and 2. A's starter Gage Jump has had some promising outings, but like most A's pitchers, he has struggled at home (5.24 ERA, 2-4, .306 opponents’ batting average)
Run lines always make me nervous in games involving two teams with losing records. But Detroit’s lineup has been on fire. Even though they went 1-2 versus Baltimore, they scored 28 combined runs. Jump has had some good outings, but Sutter Health Park has not been good to him. He's going to have a hard time containing Detroit.
With Gage’s lineup not providing much support, the A’s will likely lose a fifth consecutive game and third by two or more runs.
Pick: Tigers -1.5 (+126)
Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers come into this game hitting .295 over the last week but scored just 25 runs (six games). Boston, on the other hand, hit .254 and scored 34 runs in seven games. Jake Bennett (2.53 ERA on the road) is not going to make it easy for the Dodgers to get on base, let alone score. There is no reason to have the same or similar confidence in Emmet Sheehan (4-7, 4.95 ERA).
But when Sheehan has had solid outings, the bullpen has let the team down. He allowed two earned runs or fewer in three of his last four starts, but the Dodgers lost all three.
The Dodgers’ lineup could wake up and beat up on Bennett as no one has, but it looks more likely that Bennett will control the Dodgers and help his team complete the sweep. At +162, the Boston Moneyline is certainly a solid value play.
Pick: Red Sox Moneyline (+162)