Ricky Dimon
MLB
Show Bio
We are getting the Major League Baseball weekend started with a full 15-game slate on Friday. Every contest is either in the evening or at night, including Brewers vs. Reds on FS1 and Mariners vs. Padres on ESPN+. There is also a big National League West showdown between the Dodgers and Giants. Although none of those games are part of this parlay, overall there are plenty of betting opportunities, so be sure to check out our picks on the side and total for all of today’s matchups. Let’s take a look at our three-team mega parlay for Monday.
Atlanta Braves -1.5 (+115)
Texas Rangers (+135)
Detr0it Tigers (+105)
Parlay odds: +963
For this parlay we are going with one favorite on the run line and two underdog outright winners. Here is a breakdown of the three legs one by one.
Atlanta Braves -1.5 over Pittsburgh Pirates (+115)
In a rotation that has seen nearly nothing go right for Atlanta in 2021, Ian Anderson has quickly become the Braves’ most reliable starting pitcher. He put together a tremendous 2020 albeit in limited work, pitching to a 1.95 ERA in six starts–and has backed it up so far in 2021 (3-1 with an opponents’ batting average of just .210). Pirates lefty Tyler Anderson has also been a much-needed success for his team this year, but unlike his counterpart he will have to face the top two home run hitters in the league in Ronald Acuna and Freddie Freeman. Look for Ian to be the better of the two Andersons, thus allowing Atlanta to bounce back from Thursday’s extra-inning loss to Pittsburgh.
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Texas Rangers ML over Houston Astros (+135)
Kyle Gibson gave up five runs and recorded just one out on Opening Day, so after the better part of a decade as a below-average starting pitcher in the American League it was safe to say that it seemed like he wouldn’t do much for the Rangers this year. But Gibson has rebounded and pitched tremendously ever since–tossing eight straight quality starts, something that’s exceedingly rare in the game these days given the fact that starting pitchers often struggle to complete 6.0 innings at all (let alone do it eight times without giving up more than three runs). Gibson’s numbers for the year now sit at a clean 3-0, 2.32.
The Astros, who seem to have more pitchers on the injured list than they do on the active roster, are calling up 25-year-old Tyler Ivey to make his Major League Baseball debut.
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Detroit Tigers ML over Kansas City Royals (+105)
Jose Urena doesn’t strike out as many guys as most pitchers, and his career numbers might not be the prettiest ones to look at, but he’s managed to hold down a job in the MLB for the better part of a decade for a reason. Urena can go deep into a game when at his best, and he recently completed a stretch of four straight starts of 7.0 innings–giving up just two runs in each of the four.
The Tigers come into this series hot, having won three in a row and eight of 10 to climb out of a last-place spot it seemed like they wouldn’t be able to crawl out of at any time this season. They’ll face veteran lefty Mike Minor, who–like Urena–has been good and bad throughout his career. Minor is four years older, though, and his numbers from the last couple years show a clear regression. Following his 200-strikeout season in 2019 (remember the foul ball the Rangers let bounce?), Minor went 1-6 with a 5.56 ERA last year…and his ERA is over five again in 2021.
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