Yankees-Red Sox tonight is basically a playoff game, so bet accordingly, plus other top picks for Wednesday

Yankees-Red Sox tonight is basically a playoff game, so bet accordingly, plus other top picks for Wednesday

Sport

Hello and happy Wednesday. You know, I don’t typically like patting myself on the back, but if you’ll allow me to indulge myself for a moment, I want to congratulate myself on working three straight days without going on vacation.

It’s been tough, but thankfully I’ve been able to dig down and find that will deep inside just to keep going. I’m not going to call myself a hero or anything because that’s for history to decide, but I have to think I’m a candidate.

Anyway, we’ve got another night of baseball picks for you tonight, but I can’t lie. Like you, I am eagerly anticipating the football season getting underway so we can mix it up. I mean, I love baseball, but we’ve reached the point of the season when I wish it would just end, and we can get on with the playoffs.

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This tends to happen to me every August. Once the trade deadline passes, there are too many games featuring teams with no real incentive to win. That’s not to say they aren’t trying. They are. The problem is every good player on the team is gone, so they’re just not good enough to do so, and it skews the ability to handicap games a bit too much for my liking.

So that’s why I need something solid and reliable like preseason football to bet on. We’ll get our wish tomorrow, but until then, catch up on these stories, and then we’ll get our Pete Rose on.

OK, let’s make some money

All times Eastern, and all odds via Caesars Sportsbook


🔥 The Hot Ticket

⚾ Red Sox at Yankees, 7:05 p.m. | TV: ESPN

The Pick: Under 10 (-105)
: So things are tightening up in the AL East. Well, at least they are behind the division-leading Rays. The Yankees have won five straight and seven of 10 to cut Boston’s lead for a wild card spot to nothing. Entering play today, the Yankees, Red Sox and Oakland Athletics are all tied for the two spots, so this game is crucial to both sides.

And while it’s not a playoff game, given the stakes, I’m expecting there to be a playoff atmosphere. Not from the crowd perspective — it’s Red Sox/Yankees, the crowd is always into it — but from how the respective managers treat the game. I’m guessing any starter in trouble will be given a quick hook, and both managers will use their bullpens liberally, and that tends to depress scoring.

Even with the thunder in both lineups, the total seems a little too high to me sitting at 10. Buy the hook if it makes you more comfortable, but I think we’re fine here.

Key Trend: The under is 7-1-1 in the last nine meetings.

Here’s what SportsLine is saying about the game:  The Advanced Computer Model doesn’t love anything about tonight’s game. If it has a favorite play, it’s on the spread.


💰 The Picks

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USA TODAY Sports

⚾ MLB

Athletics at White Sox, 8:10 p.m. | TV: MLB.TV

The Pick: Under 8.5 (+100) — 
We’re taking the under in Chicago for the third night in a row. It didn’t win last night, but it was due to circumstances outside our control. Oakland starter Chris Bassitt was hit in the head by a line drive in the second inning and had to be carted off the field. As terrifying as the image was, thankfully, it sounds like Bassitt will be OK.

As for tonight’s matchup, I like the under for all the same reasons I’ve enjoyed it in the first two games. We have an excellent pitching matchup between Lance Lynn and Cole Irvin. Irvin is not a strikeout pitcher, but he has excellent command and does not allow much hard contact. Lance Lynn doesn’t either, but he also does a much better job of missing bats.

I do worry about what might happen if Irvin can’t get deep into the game with Oakland’s bullpen having to cover so many innings last night, but if Irvin can’t get through at least five innings tonight, we’re probably losing this bet regardless. I think he’ll be fine.

Key Trend: The under is 6-2-1 in the last nine meetings.

Phillies at Diamondbacks, 9:40 p.m. | TV: MLB.TV

The Pick: Diamondbacks (+157) — 
The Diamondbacks have the worst record in the National League, but they’ve been playing pretty well as of late. Not only have they won four of five — including last night against the Phillies — but they’ve outscored opponents 27-15 in the process. Tonight they send Humberto Castellanos to the mound. You’ve never heard of him — that’s fine because I hadn’t either — but his numbers have been pretty decent through 15.2 innings.

Philly is starting Ranger Suarez, who has a 1.07 ERA through 50.1 innings but has managed this despite walking 10.2% of the hitters he faces. When I see a pitcher with a walk rate over 10% and an ERA under 2.00, I can’t help but believe some regression is coming. So with that cloud looming over Suarez’s head and the Arizona bats heating up as of late, I think the DBacks are worth a flyer tonight.

Key Trend: Arizona has won eight of the last 10 meetings in Arizona.

🔒 SportsLine Pick of the Day:  SportsLine’s Zack Cimini is on fire when it comes to betting MLB money lines, and he’s one of two SportsLine experts making a money line play on tonight’s game between the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Angels.


 ⛳ The Northern Trust Top 10s

We are betting on the following five golfers to finish in the top 10 this weekend.

  • Daniel Berger (+300)
  • Abraham Ancer (+333)
  • Harris English (+400)
  • Cameron Tringale (+900)
  • Kevin Streelman (+900)

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