Friday’s Top MLB Betting Odds, Analysis & Expert Picks

As we enter the last weekend before MLB’s All-Star break, we have three Friday matchups that we think you can turn into big money with the right bet. The Baltimore Orioles are in Minnesota to take on the Twins, who are still in second place in the American League Central. Boston heads down to Tampa Bay in an American League East rivalry, and Kansas City is out in Hollywood to take on the Dodgers in an interleague matchup. Check out all of our tips before locking in your MLB betting on Friday’s contests.

Friday’s Top MLB Betting Odds, Analysis & Expert Picks

Fourth time this year going the distance. 117 pitches, 80 strikes. #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/xWVywapwiz

— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) July 6, 2017

Baltimore Orioles at Minnesota Twins

When: 8:10pm ET Where: Target Field, Minneapolis, Minnesota TV: MLBN (out-of-market only) / FSWI (Baltimore) / YES (Minnesota) Radio: 105.7 The Fan (Baltimore) / Go 96.3 (Minnesota) Live Stream: MLB.tv MLB Series Odds: Twins at -160 / Orioles at +135 Pitching Matchup: Kevin Gausman (5-7, 5.61 ERA) (BAL) vs Felix Jorge (1-0, 5.40 ERA) (MIN) Don’t look now, but Kevin Gausman might finally be snapping out of that season-long slump. In his last two starts, he has picked up a pair of wins over Toronto and Tampa Bay, throwing a combined 12 ⅓ innings of scoreless baseball, striking out thirteen and walking just four while scattering six hits. This would be a great sign for the O’s if Gausman can develop some consistency after the break, as the Yankees have fallen back to earth in the East and Boston is still somewhat inconsistent on the pitching end. Felix Jorge makes his second start of the season on Friday. His debut, on July 1, turned into a win for him, as the Twins doubled up the Kansas City Royals, 10-5. Jorge allowed seven hits, including a home run, and three earned runs over five innings. On Friday, though, I see Gausman putting together a third straight solid start and the Orioles opening this series with a victory.

Latest MLB Betting Trends

• Orioles are 1-5 ATS in the last 6 games
• Brewers are 2-6 ATS in the last 8 games
• Orioles are 1-5 SU in the last 6 games
• Brewers are 4-2 SU in the last 6 games at home
• The total went UNDER in 8 of Baltimore’s last 9 games
• The total went UNDER in 16 of Minnesota’s last 23 games

Boston Red Sox at Tampa Bay Rays

When: 7:10pm ET Where: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida TV: MLBN (out-of-market only) / NESN (Boston) / Fox Sports Sun (Tampa Bay) Radio: WDAE 620 AM (Boston) / WDAE 620 AM (Tampa Bay) Live Stream: MLB.tv MLB Series Odds: Red Sox at -140 / Rays at +120 Pitching Matchup: Drew Pomeranz (8-4, 3.64 ERA) (BOS) vs Jake Odorizzi (5-3, 4.08 ERA) (TB) Drew Pomeranz continues to pitch consistently on a Red Sox staff that gets up and down performances from many of its starters. His last time out, he limited Toronto to a single run over six innings. On the Rays’ roster, no one with more than four at-bats against Pomeranz has a career batting average higher than .250 against him, and there are three likely starters who have never gotten a hit off him. Jake Odorizzi permitted three runs over five innings his last time out, picking up a gritty win at Baltimore on Saturday. At home in 2017, he has posted a 3-2 record and a 3.60 ERA. However, several of the Red Sox hitters (Xander Bogaerts — .375 career average, Dustin Pedroia — .407, 2 HR, 3 RBI, Hanley Ramirez — .308, 1 HR, 4 RBI and Chris Young — 1 HR) have hit Odorizzi well in the past. I like the Red Sox to win this series opener.

Latest MLB Betting Trends

• Red Sox are 6-1 ATS in the last 7 games
• Rays are 2-7 ATS the its last 9 games at home
• Red Sox are 6-1 SU in the last 7 games
• Rays are 8-4 SU in the last 12 games at home
• The total went OVER in 4 of Boston’s last 6 games
• The total went OVER in 17 of Tampa Bay’s last 25 games

Kansas City Royals at L.A. Dodgers

When: 10:10pm ET Where: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California TV: MLBN (out-of-market only) / FSKC (Kansas City) / KCSP 610 (Los Angeles) Radio: KCSP 610 (Kansas City) / KTNQ 1020 (Los Angeles) Live Stream: MLB.tv MLB Series Odds: TBA Pitching Matchup: Jason Hammel (4-7, 5.08 ERA) (KC) vs Kenta Maeda (6-4, 4.56 ERA) (LA) It looked like Jason Hammel had finally shaken that funk in which he started the season, as he strung together four straight quality starts in June. However, in his last two starts, he has not gotten out of the sixth inning. His last start, a loss to Minnesota, saw him permit nine hits and six earned runs in 5 ⅓ innings. He’s still not put things back together on a consistent basis. His opponent on the mound will be Kenta Maeda, making his second consecutive spot start after Hyun-Jin Ryu and Brandon McCarthy went down, moving him to the rotation. His last start, against San Diego, was not impressive as he permitted eight hits, going just 3 ⅔ innings. Given how hot the Dodger bats have been lately, I see Los Angeles getting enough run support against Hammel to give Maeda and the Dodger bullpen the cover they need to win.

Latest MLB Betting Trends

• LA Dodgers is 16-7 ATS in its last 23 games
• LA Dodgers is 16-3 SU in its last 19 games
• The total has gone UNDER in 6 of LA Dodgers’s last 9 games

Final MLB Betting Thoughts for Friday

These games are great to close out the first half of the season. And we’ll have the All-Star Game next Tuesday, so be sure to check out the latest MLB betting odds for other weekend games as well. And remember, have fun!