Today’s MLB slate features 13 games. Here are three of our top MLB picks & predictions for Thursday, June 5th.
Get instant alerts when a line reaches your target via the BettingPros App >>
Thursday’s Best MLB Bets
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Houston Astros (-162) at Pittsburgh Pirates (+136) | O/U 7.5 (-115/-105)
The Astros and Pirates each have a 3-0 win in this series, so today’s rubber match decides the series. The Astros will send up Framber Valdez, who is on a great run, going at least six innings and allowing one run in four of his last five starts. He's coming off his best start of the year with a complete game, allowing one earned run and striking out nine.
The key to his success is keeping the ball at the lower part of the plate, but his ability to control the ball by hitting those locations is sometimes inconsistent. If Valdez is pitching well, he gets ground balls, but if he isn't hitting his mark, batters will lay off. Walks have been a problem in his career. Valdez has allowed a walk in each start, but he's been better lately, with multiple walks in just one of his last five starts.
Valdez gets a Pirates lineup ranked 10th in walk rate (9.2%), which could put him in trouble. However, Pittsburgh’s offense doesn't do well in other areas, which will help Valdez keep them quiet.
Pick: Astros -1.5 (+105)
San Diego Padres (+100) at San Francisco Giants (-120) | O/U 7.0 (-125/+105)
It's been an inconsistent year for Dylan Cease. He does have four quality starts this season, but he's also had five starts where he hasn't been able to pitch out of the fifth inning. He's coming off an awful start where he allowed seven hits and three earned runs in just 4.2 innings against the Pirates.
On the other side, Robbie Ray looks like he'll throw his name in the National League Cy Young race. If he does win it, he would become just the eighth pitcher to win the award in both leagues. He's been nearly untouchable recently with seven straight quality starts and a 1.57 ERA in that span.
The Padres are struggling at the plate, with a .259 weighted batting average in their last six games, which ranks 28th in that span. It will be tough to break out against Ray.
Pick: Padres Moneyline (-120)
Cleveland Guardians (+215) at New York Yankees (-265) | O/U 8.5 (-120/+100)
Somebody in the starting rotation needed to step up for the Yankees after Gerrit Cole went down for the season. Enter Max Fried. He had been almost unhittable for the season until he went up against the dangerous Dodgers lineup. They tapped him for six earned runs in a loss. Still, his 1.92 ERA is fifth in the league and his 0.97 WHIP is 10th. Fried is still an American League Cy Young contender.
Fried should be able to bounce back against the Guardians and get the Yankees the series win.
Pick: Yankees -1.5 (-125)
