MLB Betting Predictions for the Last Two Months of the 2018 Regular Season

The calendars now read August, which means that we’re entering the stretch run of the 2018 Major League Baseball regular season. There are some teams that are pulling away in their division races, like Boston and Cleveland, but there are others with fights on their hands right now, including those upstart Philadelphia Phillies and the deadlocked Dodgers and Diamondbacks. This is the time when pressure ramps up, and teams either wilt or thrive. We have some MLB betting predictions for things to come in the next couple of months that you should consider in your sports betting picks.

MLB Betting Predictions for the Last Two Months of the 2018 Regular Season

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Cleveland will add a big bat to their lineup

The Indians shouldn’t have a problem winning the AL Central over Minnesota, unless things just fall off the table for them. Their starting is one of the best in the major leagues, with Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar serving as a terrific top three. They added two key arms to their bullpen to shore up a real problem. However, they’re missing a big bat down the lineup to deliver power. One possibility would be Shin-Soo Choo, who left the Indians as a free agent to sign with Texas. The Rangers are in seller mode right now, so if Choo can clear waivers, he would be a fit. So would Toronto third-baseman Josh Donaldson, who should clear waivers thanks to the fact that he is still owed over $10 million for the remainder of the season and that he has a gimpy calf.

Mookie Betts wins the AL MVP Award

Everyone likes to tout Mike Trout as the AL MVP, and deservedly so, but the Angels are going nowhere this season, while Boston is winning at an historic rate. Betts is white-hot in August so far, going 7 for 13 with a 1.300 OPS, continuing the terrific play he put up for the Red Sox before the All-Star break. He leads the American League in batting average, and if he can push past 30 home runs on the season, he should be a shoo-in for the award.

Max Scherzer wins the NL Cy Young Award

The Washington Nationals are certainly underwhelming their fans as they can barely stay above .500 as a team, while two young teams — Philadelphia and Atlanta — lead the NL East. Jacob deGrom is currently the National League’s ERA leader, at 1.85, and he has shown dominant form for the Mets this season, but the Mets aren’t going anywhere — while the Nationals still have a shot to push into the postseason. Scherzer has piled up strikeouts all season long, and he is the only Washington starter who has won consistently, as he is looking to finish the year with 18-20 wins — and the Nats are only 5 ½ games out of first. Scherzer will get the press and should take the Cy Young, even if deGrom finishes with a slightly better ERA.

Eloy Jimenez makes a big splash in Chicago

…but not for the Cubs. Jimenez is one of the top prospects in any team’s minor league system, and he has been raking for the Chicago White Sox affiliates. At Double-A, he posted a .317/.368/.556 slash line and then upped his game at Triple-A, with a slash line of .376/.425/.679. On September 1, major league rosters can expand to 40, but he might get called up before then. He has shown he can manage the strike zone, and he can hit for power and average. This is the kind of young player who can energize a franchise — and the White Sox could definitely use a jolt in the collective arm.

Tampa Bay wins the Chris Archer trade

In return for sending Chris Archer to the Pirates, the Rays received Tyler Glasnow, a former top-10 prospect, and Austin Meadows. Glasnow is a 6’8” pitcher who has a ton of potential, and given the fact that the Rays use a committee pitching system (in which no pitcher goes more than three innings), he should be able to work in with minimal pressure. Meadows is an elite leadoff hitting candidate, and the Rays can definitely use some offense. These two players should start making noise down in Florida in these last two months.