MLB Betting Preview: 3 Best Bets and 2 Player Props for Wednesday, April 3
Our MLB best bets just keep on rolling, as they went a profitable 2-1 on Tuesday to run our yearly record to 8-1. The Red Sox and Dodgers pulled out a couple of nail-biters for us, but the Rangers fell to the Rays. While it would've been nice to sweep the board on back-to-back days, we'll never complain about a night in the green.
I don't know about y'all but I love Wednesdays and Thursdays during baseball season because of all the fun day games! Today, three of our wagers have start times of 4:10 Eastern Time or sooner, so get those bets placed as soon as you can. Let's get to the card!
Rangers +105 (ESPN Bet)
Yes, Texas burned me last night but I just can't jump off the bandwagon just yet. Being a successful MLB capper requires a short-term memory. The Rangers lineup ran into a buzzsaw last night against Zach Eflin, but I expect them to fare much better today against Aaron Civale.
Civale has a nice cutter, but Jared Walsh, Travis Jankowski, and Marcus Semien are all hitting .400 or better against him in their careers (albeit with small sample sizes). Texas also brought up a top prospect from AAA named Justin Foscue to fill in for the injured Josh Jung. The 25-year-old smashed 18 homers for Round Rock last season, and he adds even more punch to an already dangerous lineup.
I'm a big believer in Nate Eovaldi. He's really resurrected his career since coming to the Rangers. Eovaldi has also been pretty dominant against this Rays lineup, as his K-rate is almost 30% and his expected batting average against is just .210. Give me Texas again as a dog!
Carlos Rodon Under 5.5 Ks -111 (FanDuel)
We cashed with a Rodon Under last Friday and don't mind firing away on him again today. I'll give the veteran lefty some credit. His stuff looked pretty good against Houston in that start.
Even though Rodon's fastball seems to have returned, he still walks too many hitters for my taste. That limits his ability to pitch deep into games. His median strikeout number was just 4 in 2023.
Rodon faces Arizona today and they have the lowest K-rate in the league so far this season. Six D'Back hitters have strikeout rates below 18%. Give me the Under at FanDuel.
Logan Allen Over 4.5 Ks -140 (DraftKings)
Get on this one as quickly as you can. I found -135 earlier but it's been on the move ever since. Even still, I think anything under -150 is a bargain for Allen to get at least 5 strikeouts. The 25-year-old lefty had a median strikeouts number of 5 in 2023.
The median alone made me interested in the Over in this spot, but what really caught my eye was Allen's opponent. The Seattle Mariners have struck out 66 times in only 6 games. They've been especially baffled by breaking pitches, and Allen's specialty is a nasty slider that gets hitters chasing.
Tigers +110 (Bet365)
Why are the Mets favored today against the Tigers? New York is 0-4 and their bats have been ice cold to start the season. The Metamucils are averaging just 1.5 runs per 9 innings against right-handed pitchers.
Yes, I know that Casey Mize hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 2022, so that's a concern. Nevertheless, I think the Tigers' lineup can get him a few runs early to keep his nerves calm. Mark Canha leads the team with a .308 batting average and a homer on the young season.
Lastly, you have to love how well Detroit's bullpen has performed so far. Their ERA is just 0.53 this season, which is impressive, even with a small 4-game sample size. Let's ride the Motor City Kitties at a plus price!
Cubs -0.5 (First 5 Innings) -125 (BetMGM)
I wanted to play the Cubbies -1.5 at plus money, but that could get a bit dicey with a game total of just 7. This play is a straight up fade of the Colorado Rockies, who are just 1-5 so far. I think Colorado and Oakland will battle it out all year long for MLB's worst record.
The North Siders are off to a decent 3-2 start and they have a great chance of making the playoffs this year. Christopher Morel is knocking the cover off the ball, as he's hitting .381 with 2 homers so far. Ian Happ is also rolling, as his batting average is .421.
I don't really like either starting pitcher in this game, but the Cubs definitely have an edge on offense and with their bullpen. Let's lay the half run and cheer for Chicago to build an early lead. Good luck today, fellow sports investors!