Top MLB Betting Picks & Predictions of the Week – April 16th Edition

Did you think that 44-year-old Bartolo Colon would outduel Justin Verlander on national television last night, and that the Texas Rangers would ride the bat of journeyman catcher Robinson Chirinos to a 3-1 win over the defending World Series champion Houston Astros? If you did (and if you put money down on it), you would have taken advantage of a +270 moneyline, the largest of any game so far this season. Looking for some MLB betting picks from the national pastime this week? Check out our predictions for three games from the week ahead.

Top MLB Betting Picks & Predictions of the Week – April 16th Edition

The Red Sox are on a 13-1 roll, their best 14-game stretch since 2006, and have surpassed the Houston Astros for the No. 1 spot in our latest power rankings. https://t.co/1wwHABpScM

— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) April 16, 2018

Monday, April 16

Miami Marlins at New York Yankees (6:35pm ET)

• Projected Pitching Matchup: Caleb Smith (0-1, 4.73 ERA) (MIA) vs Luis Severino (2-1, 3.50 ERA) (NY)

The Yankees’ young phenom pitcher would like to get things going back in the right direction after giving up five earned runs on five hits and three walks his last time out, in a 14-1 beating at the hands of the Boston Red Sox. His starts before that were solid, as he picked up wins over Toronto (5 ⅔ shutout innings with seven strikeouts) and Tampa Bay (7 ⅓ innings, 2 ER, 5 H, 7 K). Despite the fact that the Yankees have only made it out to a 7-7 record so far, the arrival of the 4-11 Marlins should get things rolling. Miami dropped two of three at home against Pittsburgh over the weekend, including a 7-3 loss on Sunday. The Marlins send Cable Smith to the hill, and despite an impressive start to the season (a 1-run performance in a 5 ⅓ stint that saw Miami beat the Cubs, 2-1), since then he has given up six earned runs in eight combined innings at Philadelphia and at home against the Mets. The Yankee lineup has been sputtering to find some consistency, and I see the Miami pitching staff giving them lots of pitches to hit. MLB Betting Prediction: New York Yankees 6, Miami 2

Tuesday, April 17

Cleveland Indians at Minnesota Twins (San Juan, PR) (7:10pm ET, FS1)

• Projected Pitching Matchup: Corey Kluber (1-1, 1.57 ERA) (CLE) vs Jake Odorizzi (1-0, 2.21 ERA) (MIN)

Tuesday night features an American League Central battle between the division-leading Twins and the Indians, who (at this writing) sit a half-game out of the lead. Cleveland sends ace Corey Kluber to the hill, and he’s coming off a dominant performance against the Detroit Tigers his last time out, in which he threw eight scoreless innings, permitting just two hits and striking out 13. He was scheduled to start Saturday, but rain forced a postponement of that game, so he will have extra rest when he takes the mound against Minnesota. The Twins will start Jake Odorizzi, who dazzled against the hard-hitting Houston Astros, limiting them to a single earned run on five hits with four strikeouts to get his first win of the year on April 10. His first outing was a hard-luck no-decision after throwing six shutout innings against Baltimore just to see the bullpen give things away, and his second was also a no-decision in which he lasted just 4 ⅓ innings in a game the Twins would eventually win. As well as Odorizzi has pitched, though, I see Kluber as coming off an even better win and the Indians’ offense with more weapons. Playing this game in Puerto Rico takes a “home” game away from the Twins as far as fan momentum goes. MLB Betting Prediction: Cleveland 3, Minnesota 1

Wednesday, April 18

Washington Nationals at New York Mets (7:10pm ET)

• Projected Pitching Matchup: Tanner Roark (1-1, 3.50 ERA) (WAS) vs Steven Matz (1-1, 3.77 ERA) (NY)

The Nationals have limped out of the gate this year and are just 7-9 on the young season, six full games behind the Mets, who have won nine of 10 and roared out to a 12-2 start to the year. Tanner Roark has pitched well in two starts, including his most recent effort on April 13 against Colorado, when he scattered three hits and gave up two runs (one earned) in a 2-1 tough-luck loss. His other solid start was the first of the year in Atlanta, when he cruised through seven innings, permitting just a single run in an 8-1 win. He has faced the Mets already this year, permitting five earned runs in five innings in a 6-5 loss. Steven Matz was Roark’s counterpart in that Mets win back on April 7, as he went five innings and permitted just one unearned run. In his last outing, he went 5 ⅓ innings, permitting three earned runs and a pair of home runs, but the Met offense was able to back him up, and he delivered a 6-5 win. On the year, he has a decent WHIP of 1.19, but he has made his bullpen work hard, as he has only made it more than four innings twice. MLB Betting Prediction: New York Mets 5, Washington 4