Happy Memorial Day Eve to everyone. Hopefully everyone has a safe and enjoyable weekend and takes time to appreciate those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the betterment of their peers’ lives.
After a tough stretch, we got back in the win column on Thursday. We will look to continue our hot streak on a Sunday full of excellent pitching matchups.
This season, I have decided to treat readers to four bets in each article under the following parameters: 1) A bet on a team, 2) A bet on a total, 3) A batter prop bet, and 4) A pitcher prop bet. Hopefully, this diversification will lead to success in our wagers (but probably not).
Orioles @ Red Sox Run Line
There is not a hotter trio of teammates in baseball than Boston’s Trevor Story, Rafael Devers and JD Martinez. On Sunday, they face Orioles LHP Bruce Zimmermann, who has allowed a brutal seven home runs in his last three starts. While Zimmermann has only given up 11 total earned runs in that span, that surely is not sustainable if he is going to be allowing balls to leave the yard at that rate. Devers and Martinez have both homered off the Baltimore lefty earlier in their careers, and I think we see some fireworks from the Boston bats today.
On the other side, Nick Pivetta has enjoyed a bit of a resurgence lately with four consecutive quality starts, including a complete game against Houston on May 18. I don’t think a complete game is in the cards, but a quality start out of Pivetta should be more than enough for Boston to enjoy a comfortable win on Sunday.
Pick: Red Sox -1.5 (+100 DK, +108 FD)
Padres @ Pirates O/U 4 Runs After 5 Innings
A pair of exciting young hurlers take the mound in Sunday’s matchup between the Padres and Pirates. MacKenzie Gore and Roansy Contreras have been absolutely electric in their brief tenures in the major leagues, and their matchup should be must-see television. Gore has yet to allow more than 3 ER in any start, and hopefully one day San Diego will allow him to go more than 5 innings. Contreras showcased a big-time arsenal in his first start of the season against Colorado on Tuesday and has finally provided Bucco fans a reason to be excited. San Diego and Pittsburgh haven’t exactly been ripping the cover off the ball during the first two games of this series, scoring seven and six runs total. We shouldn’t expect Gore and Contreras to pitch much past the 5th inning, so that is where we are going to look for this bet, taking the under after 5 innings.
Pick: UNDER 4 Runs After 5 Innings (-125 DK)
Jose Ramirez O/U 1.5 Total Bases
Jose Ramirez just continues to put up MVP caliber numbers year in and year out, and he has been even better in 2022, slashing .297/.391/.646 with 12 HR. Over the last seven days, he has posted a 306 wRC+ with a .636 ISO. Oh yeah, and he has yet to strike out in that span. On Sunday, Cleveland faces Tigers rookie RHP Elvin Rodriguez and his 9.39 ERA. I’m not sure why Ramirez’s odds are only at +105 for over 1.5 total bases, but I will gladly take that for one of the best hitters in baseball.
Pick: Ramirez OVER 1.5 Total Bases (+105 DK, -120 FD)
Luis Severino O/U 5.5 Strikeouts
Another electric pitching matchup is going down on Sunday in Tampa Bay when Luis Severino and the Yankees face off against Shane McClanahan. It has been great to see Severino pitch as well as he has this season after several years of injury-plagued ineffectiveness. The 28-year old has allowed just 1 ER in 13 innings over his last two starts and is rounding into form for what is becoming a dangerous Yankee rotation.
The Rays have been one of the more strikeout-prone teams in baseball this season, especially against RHP and especially of late. Tampa has a 24.9 K% against RHP on the season (top 5 in baseball) and a 25.1 K% over the last week (also top 5 in baseball). 5.5 seems like a fairly conservative strikeout line for Severino and I like it at -105 on Sunday.
Pick: Severino OVER 5.5 Outs (-105 DK, -110 FD)
Kyle Stanzel Overall Record: 26-27-0
Net Money (Assuming all wagers are $100): $570.71
Featured image by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter)