If you’re in the mood to place an MLB wager during your work week, see below for some games and matchups to keep your eye on, as well as some trends that have been lucrative so far this season.
Editor's note: All betting lines are courtesy of Sports Interaction, and current as of time of publication.
Toronto Blue Jays @ Washington Nationals
Wager to watch: Taking the under
The Blue Jays wrap up their road trip in Washington D.C. with a mini two-game series beginning Tuesday night at Nationals Park.
I know it sounds counterintuitive because of their wonky bullpen and high-powered offence, but the Jays have been an under machine on the road this season. Toronto is 59-53-5 (52.7 per cent) overall and 35-25-1 (58.3 per cent) as the visitor in 2021 to the under, which is the third-best mark in all of baseball. The Blue Jays are also a spectacular 15-8-0 (65.2 per cent) to the under after a day-off and 21-6 in their last 27 interleague road games.
Washington, meanwhile, are 65-49-4 (57 per cent) overall to the under this season which ranks No. 1 in Major League Baseball. The Nationals are also 36-25-1 (59 per cent) as the home team to the under which is third best in the MLB. The under is 7-3 in Washington’s last 10 interleague games against a team with a winning record and 9-4 in their last 13 interleague home games.
All that goes to say: I lean the under in each game of this two-game series when the odds are posted. Right-hander Alek Manoah (5-1, 2.59 ERA, 1.02 WHIP) is scheduled to start the opener for the Blue Jays. The under is 46-22-1 in Washington’s last 69 interleague games against right-handed starter.
New York Mets @ San Francisco Giants
Wager to watch: Giants on the run line
The San Francisco Giants welcome the New York Mets to Oracle Park tonight to kick off a three-game series that looks like a big-time mismatch on the run line.
San Fran is an incredible 74-44-0 (62.7 per cent) against the spread this season, which is tops in the majors. The Giants are also a solid 34-24-0 (58.6 per cent) versus the run line as the home team in 2021 and 40-24-0 (62.5 per cent) in non-divisional games. San Francisco is 4-0 straight up in their last four games against the National League East and 40-18 in their last 58 home games.
The Mets, meanwhile, have been brutal against the spread this season. New York is a pitiful 49-68-0 (41.9 per cent) against the run line overall, which ranks third-worst in baseball. The Mets are also a mediocre 25-33-0 (43.1 per cent) as the visitor against the spread. New York is 0-4 in their last four versus the National League West straight up and 0-7 in their last seven against a team with a winning record.
Tonight’s pitching matchup is Kevin Gausman (11-5, 2.29 ERA, 0.96 WHIP) for the Giants while Rich Hill (6-4, 4.05 ERA, 1.18 WHIP) counters for the Mets. Hill has been rock solid against San Francisco by going 8-2 with a 2.23 ERA 17 lifetime career starts. Gausman is 0-3 with a 5.09 ERA in four appearances and three starts versus the Mets.
Finally, the Giants are 40-14 in their last 54 games as a home favourite.
These trends are just too good to ignore. I’m taking San Fran at -1.5 (-104) tonight, and I lean on taking the Giants against the run line for each game of this series.
Atlanta Braves @ Miami Marlins
Wager to watch: Dansby Swanson overs on total bases
The Braves and Marlins play a three-game set in Miami beginning tonight at LoanDepot Park.
The player to watch from a betting-prop perspective is Atlanta’s Dansby Swanson, who is slashing .407/.433/.852 over his past seven games with four homers and 11 RBIs. Swanson has been raking all month by slashing .385/.411/.673 in August with four homers and 13 RBIs in 52 at-bats.
Left-hander Braxton Garrett (1-1, 4.65 ERA, 1.71 WHIP) gets the start for the Marlins. Swanson is slashing .245/.279/.471 with five homers and 20 RBI against lefties this season but is hitting .282/.336/.491 with 11 homers and 32 RBIs on the road in 2021.
Feel free to put a little sprinkle on Swanson to continue to his hot hitting and look for overs when it comes to total-bases props.
