Top MLB Betting Picks of the Week – May 14th Edition

Some of the divisional races in Major League Baseball are proceeding like many of us thought, such as the dramatic back-and-forth between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees, who remain tied atop the division. We also thought that the Washington Nationals would be at or near the top of the National League East, and we thought that Philadelphia would emerge as an early sleeper. Atlanta has taken over first in that division, although the Nats have won 8 of 10 to move within 1 ½ games. We thought that the Cubs and Brewers would tangle in the NL Central, but we did not see the Pirates and the Cardinals in the thick of things with them. In the National League West, we did not foresee the injury parade in Los Angeles, but we did like the Arizona Diamondbacks to play well at the beginning, and they have a 24-16 record — despite dropping three of their last ten. In the American League West, the arrival of Shohei Otani has sparked the Angels to compete with Houston, sitting just a game behind the Astros. For the week ahead, check out our MLB betting previews for three games that should bring you some cash.

Top MLB Betting Picks of the Week – May 14th Edition

Yankees leapfrog Red Sox for the top spot in the latest MLB power rankings. https://t.co/gd3jGQ0NDS

— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) May 14, 2018

Tuesday, May 15

Chicago Cubs at Atlanta Braves (7:35pm ET)

Projected Pitching Matchup: Yu Darvish (0-3, 5.40 ERA) (CHI) vs Mike Foltynewicz (3-2, 3.21 ERA) (ATL) Dubbed “Flu Darvish” by the Chicago press after heading onto the disabled list for a brief stint due to the flu, it’s safe to say that Yu Darvish has underwhelmed since signing that big free-agent contract in the off-season. Darvish had shown a major regression in Texas last season, giving up a lot of long balls, and while he found his form in Los Angeles with the Dodgers as the regular season wound down — and pitched well in the first two rounds of the postseason — he was shelled in two ugly starts against Houston in the World Series that helped doom the Dodgers’ hopes. He has permitted at least four earned runs in four of his six starts, and his last start, against Colorado on May 2, saw the Rockies pound him for three home runs and five earned runs in just 4 ⅓ innings. Darvish will face an Atlanta team that has won six of 10 and a counterpart in Mike Foltynewicz who has had four great starts in his last five outings, permitting just four earned runs in those starts, lasting 21 ⅔ innings and fanning 25. Most recently, he threw five innings of one-run ball (none earned) against Miami, enroute to a 9-2 win. His setback in that stretch game on May 4 against San Francisco, as he permitted six earned runs on nine hits in five innings. His 0.86 HR/9 innings is solid, as is his 47:19 strikeouts-walks ratio. MLB Betting Prediction: Atlanta 5, Chicago 3

Wednesday, May 16

N.Y. Yankees at Washington (7:00pm ET, ESPN) Projected Pitching Matchup: C.C. Sabathia (2-0, 2.23 ERA) (NY) vs Max Scherzer (7-1, 1.29 ERA) (WAS) The ageless C.C. Sabathia has been a major part of the Yankees’ early success this season — although his last outing, against Boston, was an aberration, as he permitted a home run among nine hits, with four total earned runs permitted, in four innings, in a 5-4 loss. In his seven starts, he has permitted three or more earned runs just twice and has blanked teams on three occasions. He does best against teams without mashers, as he needs to find enough of the plate to get some called strikes. Sabathia’s counterpart on Wednesday is Max Scherzer, who seems hell-bent at compensating for the shelling he took in Game Five of the National League Division Series against the Cubs last year. In his last start, Scherzer threw seven strong innings against a solid Arizona Diamondback lineup and delivered, permitting one earned run on a solo shot, scattering three other hits. He struck out 11 batters without walking a single one. The Yankees’ lineup is filled with danger for a pitcher who makes mistakes, but there are few pitchers who can navigate that kind of lineup like Scherzer can. Plus, playing this game in a National League park means that the Yankees will have one fewer big bat in their lineup. MLB Betting Prediction: Washington 4, New York 2

Thursday, May 17

Texas at Chicago White Sox (8:10pm ET)

Projected Pitching Matchup: Cole Hamels (2-4, 3.48 ERA) (TEX) vs Hector Santiago (0-1, 5.60 ERA) (CHI) The Texas Rangers have spent a great deal of the season in the basement of the American League West, but Cole Hamels has turned this around in his last four starts. He has pitched a combined 23 ⅓ innings, permitting just five earned runs, and lowering his ERA from 4.76 to 3.48 over that stretch. In his last start, he delivered six shutout innings en route to a 1-0 win over the big-hitting Houston Astros. Nomar Mazara has been bashing lately for the Rangers, hitting two home runs in the last week, and when the Rangers have Hamels, Mike Minor or Bartolo Colon on the mound, they’ve been winning more often. The Rangers will see Hector Santiago on the mound for the White Sox. He will make his third start of the season, and his twelfth appearance. The Sox (10-27) have lost all 10 games in which Santiago has appeared, and his starts, on April 29 and May 5, did not go well, as he permitted 10 earned runs in 8 combined innings, walking nine. If there is any pitcher who can get the Rangers’ confidence going — and as long as Hamels can escape the first inning without damage, the Rangers should roll here. MLB Betting Prediction: Texas 6, Chicago 2