MLB FanDuel Sportsbook Betting Picks with Lines & Odds – 5/31/19

Wednesday’s Results: 2-1
All-Time Results: 32-33-1, +0.12 Units

Boston Red Sox -102 @ NY Yankees F5 – 1 Unit

Don’t be fooled by Chris Sale‘s 1-6 record. Although he struggled with velocity and control early in the season, the past month his stuff has been lights out. Sale has only allowed only 12 runs in his last 7 starts, and has struck 10+ batters in 5 of those games.

I watched almost every pitch when Sale struck out 17 of his first 24 batters faced back on May 14th against the Colorado Rockies. With 2 innings to go against a team that strikes out a lot, I felt he would have challenged Kerry Wood and Rogers Clemens strikeout record if he hadn’t been subbed out in the 7th.

Against a Yankees squad that is still missing it’s biggest bats, I like Sale to exact some revenge today. The shut-out loss the Yankees handed Sale back on April 16th will be a lot fresher in his mind than anyone else’s on the field.

On the other side J.A. Happ (4-3, 5.09 ERA) is just an average career pitcher, who has given up 9 runs in his last 9 innings pitched.

Philadelphia Phillies + 135 @ Los Angeles Dodgers – 1 Unit

There is an old saying in baseball. Every team wins a third of there game, and every team loses a third of their games. It’s what you do with the other third that makes the difference.

Well, for this to be true the Dodgers are going to have to lose at least one game at some point. After a miracle 4-run 9th inning rally to top the Mets on Wednesday, followed by a subsequent shutout on Thursday, I feel the Dodgers have a sense of invincibility about them that’s just unrealistic over 162 game season. What goes up must come down.

Phillies starter Jake Arietta (5-4, 3.6 ERA) is a seasoned vet having a solid season. In his last outing, Arietta recorded a signature win in a big match-up at Wrigley Field. The bright lights of Dodger stadium will be nothing to him. Arietta has allowed only 3 runs over his last 14 innings, both road wins.

Bryce Harper once again looks a like $30 million man. He will love to showcase what the Dodgers missed out on by by eschewing the free agent market this summer.

Washington Nationals +112 @ Cincinnati Reds F5

Patrick Corbin (5-2, 2.85) has been a revelation for the struggling Nationals. While his much more famous teammates Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg are a combined 7-8, Corbin has kept the Nationals out of the bottom of the NL East with his strong performances. The Nats are 7-4 in Corbin’s 11 starts.

On the other side, the Reds are throwing out possibly their least proven regular starting pitcher in Tyle Mahle (1-5, 4.15 ERA). The Reds have lost 7 out of the last 8 games Mahle hast started. Impressive as a rookie, the 24-year old has had less success each of his first three seasons with the team. The numbers indicate he has been getting somewhat unlucky, as his WHIP and FIP are both a lot better than his ERA or record would indicate. But Mahle is young enough and new enough in the league where a spat of bad luck like this could affect his confidence in the short term.

The Nationals began the season horribly with the recent sting of losing Bryce Harper hanging over the team. But they haven’t been significantly worse than the Reds over the past month. Anthony Rendon is now fully recovered from his injury earlier in the month and is again looking like a player about to earn a monster contract extension.

Definitely eschewing the full game line here, as much of my handicap centers around the starting pitching edge and the Nationals still have the worst bullpen in baseball statistically.