Top 3 MLB Betting Picks for Monday, September 14th
If you were a team going for a series sweep on Sunday, you were in luck. The Yankees, Royals, White Sox, Twins, and Padres all pulled off their respective sweeps. While the Twins and Padres swept playoff contenders in the Indians and Giants, the Royals and White Sox swept the Pirates and Tigers. Thus, we’re getting to the point in the season where it’s justified to start wondering about the motivation levels of teams who have nothing left to play for. Oddsmakers certainly will adjust, but it does not mean bettors cannot take advantage, too.
Here are my MLB top betting plays for Monday. (Odds courtesy DraftKings Sportsbook):
YTD: 73-68-2 (+10.20 units)
Check out our daily MLB consensus game odds here >>
Atlanta Braves -1.5 runs (-110)
The Baltimore Orioles entered their last series against the New York Yankees just a game and a half behind them for the eighth playoff spot in the American League. After a four-game sweep, the Orioles’ playoff chances collapsed. They now find themselves 5.5 games behind with 13 games remaining. It’ll be interesting to see what motivation they have left down the stretch while the Braves are still fighting for an NL East division title.
The Orioles scored just three total runs in their four games against the Yankees. Granted, Atlanta starter Tikki Toussaint (0-1, 7.89 ERA) has not exactly lit it up this year, but the Braves should also be able to get to Orioles starter Jorge Lopez (1-0, 6.38 ERA). The Braves have scored at least seven runs in four of their last five games, and another offensive breakout seems imminent.
Chicago White Sox ML (+117)
The White Sox and Twins start a key series that will go a long way in determining the winner of the AL Central. Currently, the White Sox have a one-game lead over Minnesota, but they are ahead by two in the loss column.
I am aware that two-time All-Star Jose Berrios is starting for the Twins and that he has great career numbers against the White Sox. In 16 starts, Berrios is 12-2 with a 2.69 ERA against them. However, this White Sox lineup is vastly different from the ones he pitched against to accrue such lofty numbers. The White Sox have mashed the ball all season, and their +77 run differential is second only to the Dodgers.
The Twins are a formidable team, but they are much different on the road than at home this year. They are 21-5 at home but just 9-13 on the road. Minnesota is the seventh-worst team in the league at winning as away favorites, as they are just 8-10 straight up. You can’t often get a team as talented as the White Sox as home underdogs, so we are not letting this opportunity slip by.
Milwaukee Brewers ML (+128)
The Milwaukee Brewers were just no-hit by the Chicago Cubs’ Alec Mills. That alone is likely going to have many bettors on the road favorite St. Louis Cardinals. Thus, we like the contrarian nature of this pick, especially considering the pitching edge the underdog Brewers have.
St. Louis’s Daniel Ponce de Leon (0-3, 7.47 ERA) will face Milwaukee’s Corbin Burnes (3-0, 1.99 ERA). Burnes is outstanding at keeping the ball in the yard, as he has allowed just one home run in 45.1 innings this year. He has allowed four home runs in 31 plate appearances combined to current Cardinals hitters, but we will trust Burnes’ current numbers and expect him to fare better in this outing.
With a win, the Brewers will pull within one game of St. Louis for second place in the NL Central, which guarantees them a playoff spot. As a result, they’ll be plenty motivated and eager to shake off the embarrassment of yesterday’s historic day.
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Mike Spector is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @MikeSpector01.