MLB Betting: Twins Host Cooled-Off Braves
Division leaders match up as part of the return of interleague action on the MLB slate when the Twins host the Braves. Could this World Series rematch from 1991 be a World Series preview this year?
The Atlanta Braves were the hottest bet in baseball just last week, but a recent mini-skid has them coming back down to the earth.
Losers of four of their last seven games, the Braves (35-26, +5.99 units) have their work cut out for them when they take on the Minnesota Twins (35-25, +4.54 units) in a three-game series beginning on Friday night at Target Field.
Atlanta’s recent downturn came on the heels of a nine-game winning streak against the betting odds during which it took over top spot in the National League East. Heading into the interleague schedule this weekend, the Braves led second-place Philadelphia by 2.5 games.
One area where Atlanta remains a sharp play is on the ‘over’. The Braves are 12-4-1 O/U in their last 17 games (12-5 SU).
Thing is, injuries could derail Atlanta before it makes another surge up the MLB moneylist. Jair Jurrjens (hamstring), Takashi Saito (hamstring), and Matt Diaz (thumb) are already on the 15-day disabled list, and Nate McLouth (head) and Kris Medlen (shoulder) could be sidelined this weekend.
Medlen has been pulled from his scheduled start in Sunday afternoon’s series finale, while McLouth is day to day after going down in a collision with teammate Jason Heyward in the Braves’ 2-1 loss as +105 underdogs at Arizona on Wednesday night.
You wouldn’t guess it, but Diaz’s injury could take the biggest toll on Atlanta’s profitability. The platoon outfielder absolutely torches left-handed pitching, and that’s where the Braves are struggling right now.
Atlanta is hitting only .239 against southpaws this season – including an anemic .207 away from Turner Field. Heyward, McLouth, and Brian McCann all bat from the left side, while switch-hitter Chipper Jones has always been more dangerous while batting left-handed.
Look to fade the Braves in their matchup on Friday night (8:10 p.m. ET) with the Twins, who have cashed four of their last six games against the money line.
Minnesota sends lefty Francisco Liriano (5-3, 3.10 ERA) to the hill on Friday night, and he’s coming off his best outing of the season. Liriano allowed only one run over seven innings while fanning 11 in the Twins’ 4-3 win as -115 chalk at Oakland last Saturday.
To boot, Liriano has a 2.25 ERA at Target Field, and is holding left-handed hitters to a paltry .179 batting average this season.
Minnesota is also laying a decent price for the opener considering its 20-9 money line mark at home thus far.
Oddsmakers opened the Twins as -125 favorites for Friday night’s contest, with the total set at 8. The Braves were listed as +105 underdogs with the sizzling Tim Hudson (6-1, 2.44 ERA) taking the mound.
Hudson’s heroics aren’t likely to be enough to offset Atlanta’s offense against lefties, but he could conspire with Liriano to keep the game ‘under’ the total. Hudson has a 2.05 ERA in his last eight outings, and has yet to allow more than three runs in any start this season.
If Minnesota and the ‘under’ is the smart parlay for the opener, than the ‘over’ is the wise call for Saturday night’s second game (7:10 p.m. ET) of the weekend set.
Saturday’s starters Derek Lowe (8-5, 5.04 ERA) and Nick Blackburn (6-3, 5.21 ERA) have been lit up recently. That’s especially true for Blackburn, who’s given up 10 runs over only 6 1-3 innings in his last two starts, both Twins losses.
Lowe was rocked for seven runs over four innings to take the loss in the Braves’ 7-4 loss as +115 pups at Arizona on Monday night, although he had posted a 2.45 ERA in his five previous starts.
With Medlen potentially headed for the DL, Atlanta had yet to announce its starter for Sunday afternoon’s getaway game (2:10 p.m. ET) as of press time. Minnesota turns to Kevin Slowey (7-3, 3.45 ERA) for the finale, as the righthander is poised to build on some recent success.
Slowey has allowed only two runs in his last three trips to the bump – a span of 20 2/3 innings. Too bad the Twins were able to capitalize only twice in the three outings.
Division leaders match up as part of the return of interleague action on the MLB slate when the Twins host the Braves. Could this World Series rematch from 1991 be a World Series preview this year?
The Atlanta Braves were the hottest bet in baseball just last week, but a recent mini-skid has them coming back down to the earth.
Losers of four of their last seven games, the Braves (35-26, +5.99 units) have their work cut out for them when they take on the Minnesota Twins (35-25, +4.54 units) in a three-game series beginning on Friday night at Target Field.
Atlanta’s recent downturn came on the heels of a nine-game winning streak against the betting odds during which it took over top spot in the National League East. Heading into the interleague schedule this weekend, the Braves led second-place Philadelphia by 2.5 games.
One area where Atlanta remains a sharp play is on the ‘over’. The Braves are 12-4-1 O/U in their last 17 games (12-5 SU).
Thing is, injuries could derail Atlanta before it makes another surge up the MLB moneylist. Jair Jurrjens (hamstring), Takashi Saito (hamstring), and Matt Diaz (thumb) are already on the 15-day disabled list, and Nate McLouth (head) and Kris Medlen (shoulder) could be sidelined this weekend.
Medlen has been pulled from his scheduled start in Sunday afternoon’s series finale, while McLouth is day to day after going down in a collision with teammate Jason Heyward in the Braves’ 2-1 loss as +105 underdogs at Arizona on Wednesday night.
You wouldn’t guess it, but Diaz’s injury could take the biggest toll on Atlanta’s profitability. The platoon outfielder absolutely torches left-handed pitching, and that’s where the Braves are struggling right now.
Atlanta is hitting only .239 against southpaws this season – including an anemic .207 away from Turner Field. Heyward, McLouth, and Brian McCann all bat from the left side, while switch-hitter Chipper Jones has always been more dangerous while batting left-handed.
Look to fade the Braves in their matchup on Friday night (8:10 p.m. ET) with the Twins, who have cashed four of their last six games against the money line.
Minnesota sends lefty Francisco Liriano (5-3, 3.10 ERA) to the hill on Friday night, and he’s coming off his best outing of the season. Liriano allowed only one run over seven innings while fanning 11 in the Twins’ 4-3 win as -115 chalk at Oakland last Saturday.
To boot, Liriano has a 2.25 ERA at Target Field, and is holding left-handed hitters to a paltry .179 batting average this season.
Minnesota is also laying a decent price for the opener considering its 20-9 money line mark at home thus far.
Oddsmakers opened the Twins as -125 favorites for Friday night’s contest, with the total set at 8. The Braves were listed as +105 underdogs with the sizzling Tim Hudson (6-1, 2.44 ERA) taking the mound.
Hudson’s heroics aren’t likely to be enough to offset Atlanta’s offense against lefties, but he could conspire with Liriano to keep the game ‘under’ the total. Hudson has a 2.05 ERA in his last eight outings, and has yet to allow more than three runs in any start this season.
If Minnesota and the ‘under’ is the smart parlay for the opener, than the ‘over’ is the wise call for Saturday night’s second game (7:10 p.m. ET) of the weekend set.
Saturday’s starters Derek Lowe (8-5, 5.04 ERA) and Nick Blackburn (6-3, 5.21 ERA) have been lit up recently. That’s especially true for Blackburn, who’s given up 10 runs over only 6 1-3 innings in his last two starts, both Twins losses.
Lowe was rocked for seven runs over four innings to take the loss in the Braves’ 7-4 loss as +115 pups at Arizona on Monday night, although he had posted a 2.45 ERA in his five previous starts.
With Medlen potentially headed for the DL, Atlanta had yet to announce its starter for Sunday afternoon’s getaway game (2:10 p.m. ET) as of press time. Minnesota turns to Kevin Slowey (7-3, 3.45 ERA) for the finale, as the righthander is poised to build on some recent success.
Slowey has allowed only two runs in his last three trips to the bump – a span of 20 2/3 innings. Too bad the Twins were able to capitalize only twice in the three outings.