Top MLB Betting Picks for the Week – September 3rd Edition

Now that the calendar has turned to September, there are four weeks left in the 2018 regular season in Major League Baseball, and there are some exciting races to watch down the stretch. In the American League West, Houston is only 2 ½ games ahead of Oakland, and in the National League West, the Dodgers lead Colorado by a half-game and the Diamondbacks by a game. In the NL East, Atlanta leads the Phillies by just four games, and in the NL Central, the Cubs have won eight of ten but are still just five games clear of Milwaukee and 5 ½ clear of St. Louis. In the AL East, Boston is 7 ½ games ahead of the Yankees but has just won five of their last 10. Cleveland seems to have the easiest path, with a 14-game lead over Minnesota. In the wild card standings, the Yankees lead Oakland by 4 ½ games, and Oakland has a 5 ½-game lead over Seattle for the American League. In the senior circuit, Milwaukee and St. Louis hold the two wild cards, but just a half-game separates them, and the Rockies, Diamondbacks and Phillies are all within 3 ½ games of the final spot. Check out our MLB betting picks for action in the national pastime for the coming week.

Top MLB Betting Picks for the Week – September 3rd Edition

MLB Power Rankings – September 3, 2018 https://t.co/K4hppNVsyW pic.twitter.com/xPXRPy61VE

— Zesty MLB News (@zesty_mlb) September 3, 2018

Tuesday, September 4

L.A. Angels at Texas (8:05p ET, FS1)

• Projected Pitching Matchup: Andrew Heaney (8-8, 4.09 ERA) (LA) vs Mike Minor (10-7, 4.33 ERA) (TEX)

Texas and Los Angeles play the second game of their midweek series on Tuesday night, as the Rangers welcome the Halos after taking two of three from Minnesota over the weekend. The Angels start Andrew Heaney, who may have found his way out of a rough patch in last start. He held the Astros scoreless over six innings, scattering five hits and striking out six while walking just one in a 5-2 win. In his last two starts before that, though, he was shelled for 11 earned runs in 11 ⅓ combined innings, including an 11-7 loss at Texas on August 18. Heaney’s counterpart is Mike Minor, who has turned things up in the second half, limiting opposing batters to a .171 average since the All-Star break and putting up a 4-1 record with a 2.78 ERA in six outings. His last start saw him give up a pair of solo shots in a 3-1 loss to the Dodgers, but in his start before that he held the A’s to one hit and no runs over six innings, striking out four. In a year where Texas has very little to brag about in their starting rotation, Mike Minor stands out as an exception. MLB Betting Prediction: Texas 4, Los Angeles 2

Wednesday, September 5

Baltimore at Seattle (10:10pm ET)

• Projected Pitching Matchup: Andrew Cashner (4-13, 4.86 ERA) (BAL) vs Mike Leake (8-9, 4.25 ERA) (SEA)

The Baltimore Orioles currently sit 53 ½ games out of first place in the American League East, and the pitching of Andrew Cashner has not helped matters. In his last three starts (all losses), he has permitted 12 combined earned runs over 18 ⅓ innings, permitting 23 hits and four home runs. He is finding the strike zone, but often he is finding too much of it, and opposing hitters are making him pay the price. Seattle sends Mike Leake to the hill for Wednesday’s game. He has also been permitting a lot of runs lately, surrendering 11 earned runs on 18 hits in two combined starts against Arizona and Oakland, managing just 10 ⅓ combined innings. The problem isn’t control — he only has two walks over those games — he’s just leaving the ball out over the plate. The Orioles really don’t have the offensive talent to make him pay, though, so I see the Mariners winning this one. MLB Betting Prediction: Seattle 7, Baltimore 4

Thursday, September 6

Atlanta at Arizona (9:40pm ET)

• Projected Pitching Matchup: Anibal Sanchez (6-5, 2.98 ERA) (ATL) vs Zack Greinke (13-9, 2.97 ERA) (ARI)

Anibal Sanchez has not picked up a win since August 3, and the Braves have not won a game in which he started since August 14. In his three starts since then, he has pitched fairly well but hasn’t gotten a lot of run support, permitting just five earned runs in 17 ⅔ innings over that stretch, striking out 16 while walking just five. The Braves have only scored five combined runs in those starts, and the bullpen has either blown leads or let ties get away in all three of those games. Zack Greinke will start for Arizona, and while his ERA is similar to that of Sanchez, Arizona does a much better job of supporting him with the bat. He lost his last time out in a 3-2 showdown against the Dodgers, permitting three earned runs over 7 ⅓ innings and allowing a pair of home runs. However, the team won both of his two starts before that as he took down San Diego and Seattle, permitting just three earned runs over 12 ⅔ combined innings and fanning 13. I see him taking care of the Atlanta lineup while the Arizona bats find a way to get to Sanchez. MLB Betting Prediction: Arizona 4, Atlanta 1