Top MLB Betting Picks of the Week – September 16th

With about a dozen games left in the 2019 regular season, the Los Angeles Dodgers have clinched a division title, as they lead the National League West by 19 ½ games. Atlanta is a few wins away from clinching, as they lead Washington by 10 ½ games in the NL East, thanks to a 3-7 stretch by the Nationals. St. Louis leads the Cubs by three games in the NL Central. In the American League, the Yankees are close to clinching the East, nine games ahead of Tampa Bay, and Houston is 7 ½ games ahead of Oakland in the AL West. The Minnesota Twins have the tightest division race in the AL, leading Cleveland by 5 ½ games. If the season ended today, Oakland and Tampa Bay would hold the AL wild cards, while Washington and the Cubs would play in the NL wild card game. What can you expect in your sports betting for Major League Baseball this week? Check out our top two MLB betting picks.

Top MLB Betting Picks of the Week – September 16th

Power Rankings: A new No. 1 emerges as the Dodgers, Astros and Yankees duel for MLB’s best record https://t.co/J9qhPlljZc

— SI MLB (@si_mlb) September 15, 2019

Monday, September 16

Kansas City at Oakland (10:07pm ET)

• Projected Pitching Matchup: Glenn Sparkman (4-11, 5.94 ERA) (KC) vs Tanner Roark (10-8, 4.01 ERA) (OAK)

Kansas City did get a win during Glenn Sparkman’s last start, an 8-6 victory over the Chicago White Sox on September 11. He threw five innings of four-hit, three-run ball in that win, and the Royals’ bats kept the team in front even after the bullpen let the White Sox back into the game. However, before that, the Royals had not won a game that Sparkman had started since July 16, an 11-0 shellacking of those same White Sox — a nine-inning complete game shutout. However, he has been very hittable as of late, giving up at least four earned runs in six of his ten starts since that shutout. In his last three starts, he has permitted 14 runs on 20 hits over 13 ⅓ combined innings. Sparkman’s counterpart will be Tanner Roark. Roark’s season numbers are not great, but wince he came over to Oakland from Cincinnati, he has a 4-1 record and a 3.40 ERA. In two of his last three starts, though, he has started to give up more offense, with nine earned runs on 18 hits allowed over his last 18 ⅓ innings — including five home runs. The Royals beat him on August 28, hitting a pair of home runs and scoring four earned runs against him over six innings. Oakland is pushing hard to host that wild card game, though, and Roark and the Oakland bats should have enough to get this win. MLB Betting Prediction: Oakland 7, Kansas City 5

Tuesday, September 17

San Diego at Milwaukee (7:40pm ET)

• Projected Pitching Matchup: Chris Paddack (9-7, 3.38 ERA) (SD) vs Gio Gonzalez (2-2, 4.01 ERA) (MIL)

Chris Paddack has strung together three terrific starts in a row for the San Diego Padres. He has permitted one earned run (on a solo shot) on 12 hits, over 18 ⅓ combined innings, and he has not permitted an earned run in two consecutive starts. In those last three games, he has struck out 23 while walking just three, keeping the Giants, Diamondbacks and Cubs largely at bay. In a largely disappointing season for the Padres, Paddack’s pitching, particularly over the last few weeks, has been a bright spot. Gio Gonzalez takes the hill for the Brewers. The offense has hung him out to dry over his last three starts, as he has permitted just three earned runs on nine hits over 12 innings. Those short starts have a lot ot say about the arm fatigue that has plagued Gonzalez all season. The Brewers have won the last three games that Gonzalez has started, but after he has departed, as the Brewers have victimized opposing bullpens. Can the Brewers get to Paddack and the San Diego bullpen? MLB Betting Prediction: Milwaukee 5, San Diego 2