When you think about pitchers doctoring baseballs, whether it’s with saliva, Vaseline, an emery board or any other sort of tool to try and gain an advantage, you probably think about Gaylord Perry back in the 1970s, but it’s as prevalent in Major League Baseball now as it was in the age of disco, and the league is preparing a memo that will clarify the rule so that umpires can start enforcing it. The new guidelines allow random checks for foreign substances, with as many as 8 to 10 per game. Starting pitchers will get a couple of checks from the umpires, and position players will also be watched for ways to apply foreign substances, such as rubbing a ball against a spot on a pant leg. While the league has looked the other way since the days of the likes of Perry, the increasing dominance of pitching in 2021, and the higher number of hit batsmen, has led to a desire to enforce the rule, which could lead to suspensions.
If baseball is part of your MLB betting this week, read on for some more relevant news from the national pastime.
MLB News: The Rumor Mill
Online betting comes to MLB
Nationals Park will feature a retail sportsbook later this year after the launch of the first sports betting app connected to an MLB venue. The app is available throughout the entire District of Columbia, but betting is only accessible within a radius of two blocks around the stadium. The BetMGM app at Nationals Park is the team’s attempt to find a way to take part in the newly legal sports betting market without alienating fans or families who do not want to take part in gambling. The retail location will not allow access to the stadium, keeping the game separate from gambling.
San Francisco represents largest sports betting liability in MLB
Very few people thought that the San Francisco Giants would contend in the National League this season. Not only are they contending, but they currently lead the National League West, ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres, two teams projected to do much better than the Giants. Action has started to come in on a team that was 125/1 to win the World Series at the start of the season — and now that line has dropped to 10/1. A lot of teams that start out with a hot first half, though, fade over the summer — and a lot of bookies are hoping that the Giants do just that.
Yankees continue to struggle for consistency
New York has now lost seven of their last nine and 13 of their last 18. They sit in fourth place in the American League East, 8 ½ games back of Tampa Bay. They trail Boston by 5 ½ games and Toronto by a game, with a record of 33-32 after Sunday’s 7-0 loss to Philadelphia. The last time they were 8 ½ games out of the division lead, it was September 2018. The Phillies swept the two-game set over New York, the first time the Phillies had swept the Yankees since 1997, and just the second time ever. Aaron Judge (back spasms) missed the game and is expected to get treatment on Monday.
Mets’ deGrom favored to win the NL MVP
Only two pitchers have won the MVP award since 1992. One reason is that starters only pitch every fifth day, and even relievers don’t play every day. Also, pitchers have their own award — the Cy Young. Even so, deGrom currently has a microscopie 0.56 ERA. At the plate, he has driven in more runs than he has permitted. Initially, the odds for him to win the MVP were 40/1 to start the season but now he is the favorite at most books. He passed Fernando Tatis Jr of the San Diego Padres last week, even though he had to leave his last start with flexor tendinitis. He should pitch for his next start on Wednesday. The last pitcher to win an MVP award was Clayton Kershaw, in 2014, and this has only happened 25 times in MLB history. Even so, deGrom has worked his way closer to winning it — and the odds show it.
MLB Betting Odds
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