Top MLB Betting: The Philadelphia Phillies got off to a white-hot start to the 2024 season, but they have cooled off in recent weeks.
They still lead the Atlanta Braves by six games in the National League East, but they have split their last 10 games, and their OPS has dropped by 5.6%.
One reason is the increasing use of breaking pitches by opponents. On Thursday, they lost to Atlanta as Spencer Schwellenbach struck out nine over 6 ⅔ innings for the Braves – focusing on the curveball, especially in the second and third times through the batting order.
Can the Phillies figure out the deuce? We will see. Meanwhile, don’t miss our sports betting picks from MLB for the weekend.
Top MLB Betting Games with Weekend ATS Picks for the Week 20 | MLB Odds
Texas Rangers (+115) at Cleveland Guardians (-130, O/U 7.5)
Pitchers: Nathan Eovaldi (8-7, 3.76 ERA) (TEX) vs Tanner Bibee (10-5, 3.33 ERA) (CLE)
When: Friday, August 23, 7:10 pm ET
Nathan Eovaldi was the hero of Game 5 in the World Series last year, dancing out of trouble time and time again to keep the Arizona Diamondbacks off the board until the Texas offense kicked in and brought home the championship. This season, he’s been solid, and his ERA was 2.97 on July 13. Since then, though, it’s crept steadily upward, and in three August starts, his ERA is a fat 6.60. He’s allowed 12 runs (11 earned) on 19 hits, including three home runs, over 15 combined innings against the Red Sox, Yankees and Twins. The start against Minnesota lasted seven innings, but he still permitted four runs. Can he find that earlier “ace” stuff against Cleveland, or is he gassed?
In contrast, Tanner Bibee has had a terrific August, perhaps building toward a series of impressive postseason starts. In two starts against the Twins and the Brewers, he has allowed just a pair of runs on three hits (including two solo shots) over 10 ⅔ innings, striking out a dozen while walking just one. The Guardians lost to Milwaukee, 2-1, but that was more about poor run support than Bibee’s pitching. The Rangers’ offense has been struggling, and Bibee has the stuff to keep this score low.
MLB Pick: Take the under.
^Houston Astros at Baltimore Orioles
Pitchers: Framber Valdez (13-5, 3.20 ERA) (HOU) vs Albert Suarez (6-4, 3.18 ERA) (BAL)
When: Friday, Saturday, August 24, 4:05 pm ET
Framber Valdez has gotten better as the season has worn on. His ERA for the months of May (5.34), June (3.11), July (2.90) and August (1.27) has shown this improvement. So far in August, he has taken a no-hitter 26 outs into the game against the Rangers (before giving up two runs with two outs in the ninth), held Tampa Bay to a run on three hits over 5 ⅔ innings, and thrown seven shutout innings against the White Sox, scattering three hits and a walk while striking out nine.
Albert Suarez also has a pristine ERA for the month of August – 1.40 over four starts. That includes a shaky 1 ⅔ innings in Cleveland on August 1, when he allowed three runs on three hits before coming out. Since then, he has not allowed a single run over 17 ⅔ innings in three starts against Toronto, Tampa Bay and Boston, scattering 13 hits and striking out 17 while walking just three. So we can expect a pitchers’ duel on Saturday in what could be a potential playoff preview.
MLB Pick: Orioles to win.
^Scouting Report: If you want to stop Aaron Judge … better move the walls back. Really back. pic.twitter.com/CeGfnQ1zs1
— MLB (@MLB) August 23, 2024
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