MLB Best Daily Bets: Streaking A's Bats Are Smart Play

We have our three favorites MLB bets of the day, including backing the hitters in a Masahiro Tanaka-James Paxton pitching duel.

Welcome to the 3 at 3, where our MLB expert, Gabriel Baumgaertner, will give you his three favorite baseball bets on the day (via current odds from William Hill) at 3:00 p.m. EST.

Chicago Cubs at Washington Nationals: Cubs -1.5 (+120)

Jon Lester shut out the Phillies over six innings in his last outing while Nationals starter Joe Ross is making his first start of 2018 after a long injury rehab. Washington has remedied its inconsistency on offense recently, but is on a three-game losing streak due to weak starting pitching and bullpen work. The Cubs, conversely, are arguably the best team in the National League since the All-Star break.

Chicago’s lineup is fully healthy and features a streaking Daniel Murphy, who is hitting .306 with four homers since coming to the Cubs from the Nationals. Chicago hit Washington starter Stephen Strasburg hard last night and are in the thick of a tight divisional race, which bodes well for the Cubs even if they are on the road.

New York Yankees at Seattle Mariners: Over 4 FIRST 5 (+110)

It’s a low over/under because this matchup features two established starters—Masahiro Tanaka and James Paxton—and is in the pitcher-friendly Safeco Field. Tanaka has been good on the road (four earned runs over his past 26 innings), but early-inning struggles have plagued him throughout his career. Paxton hasn’t looked like an ace since early July (a 4.96 ERA over his last seven starts) and has struggled with home runs (six homers in those seven starts).

The two offenses have been inconsistent, but there is good value in betting on a low under involving two starting pitchers whose consistency issues are well noted.

Texas Rangers at Oakland A’s: -1.5 (+120)

This one is pretty simple. The Oakland offense is one of the most dominant in the big leagues and faces a starter in Yovani Gallardo whose ERA is 5.58 over his last six starts. The A’s may pursue a bullpen game as starting pitcher Chris Bassitt went just 4 2/3 innings in his August 26th start, but that should be offset by the team’s streaking offense (37 runs over its last six games). Gallardo is one of the worst starting pitchers in the American League and the A’s are one of the best offenses. They should roll. The over (9 at -105) is another reasonable bet on this game.