Top MLB Betting Picks of the Week –  June 3rd Edition

The New York Yankees took two games out of three from their American League East rivals, the Boston Red Sox, over the weekend, and they now lead the division by 2 ½ games over Tampa Bay. Minnesota has the best record in the American League, sitting at 40-18 and winners of eight of ten, 11 ½ games ahead of Cleveland and the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central. Houston leads the AL West by 8 ½ games over Texas, who took three of four from Kansas City this past weekend. In the National League East, Atlanta has moved to within a game of Philadelphia, and things are really tight in the NL Central, as Milwaukee leads the Chicago Cubs by just 1 ½ games, St. Louis by three, and Pittsburgh by five. The Colorado Rockies have won nine of ten but have failed to pick up even a single game in the division — as the Dodgers are still nine games ahead. If you are planning to include the national pastime in your MLB betting this week, take a look at our primo picks.

Top MLB Betting Picks of the Week –  June 3rd Edition

The Rockies have righted the ship over the last two weeks and have cruised up our MLB power rankings. https://t.co/E01DuhoFyL

— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) June 3, 2019

Tuesday, June 4

Chicago White Sox at Washington (7:05pm ET)

• Projected Pitching Matchup: Reynaldo Lopez (3-5, 6.20 ERA) (CHI) vs Stephen Strasburg (5-3, 3.19 ERA) (WAS)

Reynaldo Lopez had strung two gems together, holding Cleveland and Toronto to three runs (two earned) on six hits combined over 13 ⅔ innings on May 13 and 19. However, his last two starts have been disastrous, as he got shelled in Minnesota for eight earned runs on seven hits (including three home runs) and two walks in just 3 ⅔ innings and then gave up five earned runs on a dozen hits on May 29. His problems do not have anything to do with control; instead, he is finding too much of the plate. If he cannot find better location, the Nationals will pound him. Stephen Strasburg is one remnant of the grand plan to bring a World Series title to the nation’s capital. With the departure of Bryce Harper and no real additions to take his place, the Nats now sit at 26-33, behind the Phillies, Braves and Mets in the NL East. Strasburg continues to pitch well enough; in his last four starts, he has not permitted more than two earned runs, and he has finished seven or more innings three times, striking out 30 in 28 innings over that stretch. He has the stuff to control a White Sox offense that has not been particularly consistent. MLB Betting Prediction: Washington 6, Chicago 3

L.A. Dodgers at Arizona (9:40pm ET)

• Projected Pitching Matchup: Hyun-Jin Ryu (8-1,1.48 ERA) (LA) vs Taylor Clarke (1-1, 5.19 ERA) (ARI)

Hyun-Jin Ryu has been red-hot for the Dodgers, winning in his last five starts and six of his last seven. In those last five starts, he has permitted just two earned runs in 37 ⅔ innings, including a four-hit complete game shutout of the Braves and eight innings of one-hit balls against Washington. In his last start, he held the Mets scoreless for 7 ⅔ innings, scattering four hits and a walk while fanning seven. He’s putting together the finest stretch of his career as he prepares for his next start against the Diamondbacks. Arizona counters with Taylor Clarke, who will make his fourth start of the season. His first start, in Tampa Bay, was solid, as he permitted just two earned runs over six innings in Tampa Bay. However, in his last two starts, he has been hit hard for eight earned runs on ten hits, walking five, in 8 ⅓ combined innings against San Francisco and Colorado. It’s hard to see Clarke having much success against a Dodger offense that is raking right now. MLB Betting Prediction: Los Angeles 5, Arizona 1