Welcome to Best Bets, Wednesday edition. I’m your host, Tim Speros, but you can call me cousin Timmy. My goal for this article is to hit for the cycle. The four hits will start with a single, our most likely bet to hit according to the odds, and will finish with my Home Run call of the night, our most difficult bet to hit according to the odds. Grab your helmet, adjust your batting gloves if you’re wearing any, and step up to the plate, it’s time to swing the bat. Ready to win some money? Let’s go.
*All of tonight’s lines are from DraftKings Sportsbook
Single
Starting pitching has been hard to come by to start the season with many guys not going far in games due to the short spring training. However, there are two starters that I like tonight and they are facing each other, Corbin Burnes and John Means. The Brewers are in Camden Yards which is now a pitchers park, with the new dimensions. In the Orioles’ five games they’ve managed to score only 10 runs total. The run total for Baltimore is set at 2.5. I know Burnes struggled with three walks in the opener for Milwaukee but I think he’s ready to throw 90+ pitches against the O’s who currently lead the majors with a 30% strikeout rate. Milwaukee’s bats have not found their stride yet but I just don’t see Baltimore scoring enough runs against a great pitching staff. I’m taking the Brew Crew.
Milwaukee Brewers Money Line (-180)
Double
I just mentioned the Orioles’ 30% K rate so what better bet is there than to double down on the Brewers and go with the 2021 Cy Young winner, Corbin Burnes. His strikeout prop is set at 6.5 on DraftKings Sportsbook and I think he gets there tonight. If he can avoid the walks, he should throw enough pitches to reach seven strikeouts. Burnes had a 35.6 CSW% and an 18.4 SwStr%, both second-best in the majors in 2021.
Corbin Burnes OVER 6.5 Ks (-135)
Triple
The Blue Jays are in Yankee Stadium, a great hitter’s park. Unfortunately, they get Gerrit Cole on the mound, not ideal. However, Cole has struggled vs. this Toronto lineup, surrendering a .336 batting average in 127 at-bats. George Springer has started the season hot going 7-for-18 with two doubles and two homers. Springer is 4-for-6 against Cole with two doubles. He should get four at-bats today in the lead-off spot and have a pretty good chance to hit the over. I’ll take the plus odds here.
George Springer OVER 1.5 Total Bases (+115 )
Home Run
All right, here it is the big call of the night. Last time out I called the Rafael Devers homer off Gerrit Cole, let’s do it again. Tonight I’m going with the last game of the night, Chicago White Sox @ Seattle Mariners. Dallas Keuchel is on the hill for Chicago and he’s not the same pitcher who won 20 games for Houston in 2015. Keuchel gave up 25 home runs in 2021 and in 11 spring training innings he gave up two homers and five walks, not a good start. Batting second for the Mariners is Ty France who has a 30% hard contact rate through his first 20 AB, and he does have a home run off Keuchel. Seattle scores some runs and Ty France has a big night.
Ty France OVER 0.5 HR (+550)
There you have it folks, your second chance to hit for the cycle with me in 2022. If you rocked with me last time you won some major money. Let’s keep the profit coming. If you parlay these bets together you get odds of +3684. Good luck tonight and I hope you win some beer money for the weekend. See you next time.
Tim Speros Overall Record: 4-0-0
Net Money (Assuming all wagers are $100): $654.00