Ricky Dimon
The week in Major League Baseball continues with a full 15-game slate on Saturday. It includes Braves vs Phillies, Diamondbacks vs Brewers and Cubs vs Giants. The Pickswise team is on an 14-3 run in this MLB best bets series. Let’s build on that momentum and hopefully deliver some more winners today!
Make sure you also check out our MLB picks for every game on Saturday, August 30.
MLB best bet: Philadelphia Phillies ML over Atlanta Braves (-142)
Odds available at Bet365 Sportsbook at time of publishing
Atlanta’s Chris Sale is coming off the 60-day IL to make his first start since June 18, when he suffered a shoulder injury. There is nothing bad to say about the veteran left-hander, but he has to be a considered a question mark due to rust. Even if he performs well on Saturday in Philadelphia, you know his pitch count is going to be limited. The Braves’ bullpen is going to get work, and that probably isn’t a good thing. The used both Dylan Lee and Pierce Johnson during Friday’s 2-1 loss, this after getting humiliated 19-4 in the series opener on Thursday.
The Phillies should be able to keep the train rolling with Christopher Sanchez on the mound. Sanchez is 11-5 with a 2.66 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 173 strikeouts compared to just 41 walks in 162.1 innings of work. The southpaw should get enough run support on Saturday, even going up against Sale. Kyle Schwarber, who hit 4 home runs in a single game on Thursday, is 4-for-11 all time against Sale with 2 home runs and a triple. Give the Phils to put themselves within 1 game of a sweep.
MLB best bet: Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 over Arizona Diamondbacks (-102)
Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing
The Dodgers have seemingly regained control of the National League West after briefly giving up the lead to San Diego. Los Angeles is by no means out of the woods yet, though, so it has a ton for which to play. Arizona, on the other hand, is way out of wild-card contention. The Diamondbacks are pretty much just going through the motions after unloading Eugenio Suarez and others at the trade deadline. Friday’s series opener went to the Snakes, but the Dodgers had previously won 4 in a row – all by at least 3 runs.
L.A. has a great chance to get back on track with Tyler Glasnow toeing the rubber on Saturday. Glasnow’s ERA is under 3.00 since returning at the start of July from a 2-month absence. Arizona is countering with Eduardo Rodriguez, who is 5-8 with a 5.67 ERA and 1.64 WHIP. The southpaw’s lone outing against Los Angeles earlier this season came on May 9, and it was a complete disaster – 8 runs allowed (6 earned) on 9 hits and 3 walks in just 2.2 innings of work. Count on the Dodgers victimizing Rodriguez once again and rolling to a multi-run victory.
