Top MLB Betting Picks of the Week – July 1st Edition

The Tampa Bay Rays had picked up a little ground on the New York Yankees the week before last, but then New York won nine of ten to move to a seven-game lead in the American League East. In the AL Central, Minnesota dropped five of ten but only lost a game to Cleveland last week and still leads the Tribe by eight games. In the AL West, Texas has moved to 6 ½ games behind Houston — but the Astros just got several injured players back, including star slugger Carlos Correa. In the National League, the Dodgers continue to run away with the West, now leading Colorado by a dozen games. In the NL Central, Milwaukee and the Chicago Cubs are tied at 45-39, and in the NL East, Atlanta now leads Philadelphia by 5 ½ games. If you plan to bet on baseball this week, take a look at our MLB betting picks.

Top MLB Betting Picks of the Week – July 1st Edition

Thoughts on the latest https://t.co/X66ltgHVGH power rankings? #MLBNow pic.twitter.com/GXA0BFNd9N

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 1, 2019

Tuesday, July 2

Minnesota at Oakland (10:07pm ET)

• Projected Pitching Matchup: Trevor Bauer (6-6, 3.55 ERA) (CLE) vs Jakob Junis (4-7, 5.23 ERA) (KC)

Trevor Bauer typifies the struggles that the Indians have had this season, with stretches of dreadful pitching — and stretches of brilliance. The team has won the last four games that he started, and he has been masterful in three of them. In starts against the Reds, Tigers and Royals, he threw 23 ⅓ innings of combined 13-hit, two-run ball, striking out 26. In the fourth start, also against Detroit, he permitted five runs on 10 hits, including two home runs, but the bullpen and offense were able to bail him out. Which Bauer will show up? His stuff has been improving, and so has his location. Jakob Junis has only permitted more than two earned runs once in his last four starts — but it was in his last start, as he gave up a pair of long balls among nine hits in four earned runs over six innings, as the Royals lost 5-3 to the Cleveland Indians on June 26. He has given up at least a home run in each of his last four starts and has given up multiple home runs in five of his ten starts this season. If he can’t keep the ball down, the Twins will feast. MLB Betting Prediction: Minnesota 5, Oakland 3

Wednesday, July 3

N.Y. Yankees at N.Y. Mets (7:00pm ESPN)

• Projected Pitching Matchup: Domingo German (9-2, 3.86 ERA) (NYY) vs Jason Varags (3-3, 3.66 ERA) (NYM)

The 26-year-old German has been a major influence in the Yankees’ rise in the AL East this season. However, he has sputtered in his last three starts, showing possible signs of fatigue. In starts against the Royals, Red Sox and Indians, he has permitted 14 earned runs on 21 hits over 14 ⅔ combined innings, allowing seven home runs over that stretch. His location needs to return to its earlier season form if he is to continue pitching as effectively as he was in the first six weeks of the season. Jason Vargas beat the Yankees the last time he faced them, throwing six innings on June 11, permitting three runs on seven hits, striking out three and walking two. Since then, he has had a hard time lasting into games, failing to complete five innings in two of those games despite only giving up four earned runs combined in those two shorter starts. On June 26, he threw 6 ⅓ strong innings in Philadelphia, permitting just a pair of runs on three hits and striking out ten, but the bullpen could not hold the lead in a 5-4 loss. Vargas also made the national news lately for charging and threatening a Newsday reporter in the Mets’ locker room. Given how poorly the Mets are doing this season, it’s hard not to see the Yankees turning the tables back on Vargas this time. MLB Betting Prediction: Yankees 6, Mets 3