Are the Cubs a safe MLB betting pick for this Saturday?

Saturday’s Top MLB Betting Picks & Expert Analysis

Written by on July 28, 2017

If you weren’t already betting against the terrible Chicago White Sox, you should be now. The Sox already have traded most of their best players and now the team’s leading hitter and All-Star, Avisail Garcia, is expected to miss at least two weeks due to a ligament strain in his right thumb. Fade the Pale Hose! Here are three MLB betting game recommendations for Saturday.

Saturday’s Top MLB Betting Picks & Expert Analysis

LA Angels at Toronto Blue Jays

When: 1:07 PM ET Where: Rogers Centre TV: FS-W (LA) / SNET (Toronto) Stream: MLB.tv Radio: KLAA 830 (LA) / SN590 (Toronto) MLB Betting Odds: TBA The all-time series between these two is tied at 205-205. These two clubs split four-game series at Angel Stadium in April. The Angels are 23-17 vs. Jays since 2012 (12-6 on road in span). LA has dropped just one season series to Jays since 2008 (2-5 in 2015). Mike Trout has hit at least one home run against Toronto each season since 2012. Trout has 5 HRs in 19 career games at Rogers Centre. The Angels’ rotation is a bit of a mess right now with injuries, etc., so it’s not clear who will start Saturday. It probably will be Parker Bridwell (4-1, 3.09). Bridwell won after allowing two runs on five hits (one homer) and one walk with three strikeouts over seven innings last Sunday vs. the Red Sox. The 25-year-old was efficient, needing only 78 pitches to get through seven innings as he notched his third straight quality start.

Who Will Take the Mound for the Blue Jays?

It’s lefty Francisco Liriano (6-5, 5.99) for Toronto. That’s if he’s not traded. Liriano won after allowing two runs on two hits (one run) and two walks with five strikeouts in five innings vs. the A’s on Monday. He was working on three days rest after lasting just 1 2/3 innings in his previous start. Liriano lost at the Angels on April 24, allowing two runs over 5.1 innings.

Latest MLB Betting Trends

  • Angels are 2-4 ATS in the last 6 games on the road
  • Angels are 2-4 SU in the last 6 games
  • The total went OVER in 4 of LA Angels’s last 6 games
  • Blue Jays are 4-2 ATS in the last 6 games
  • Blue Jays are 4-1 SU in the last 5 games
  • The total went UNDER in 4 of Toronto’s last 6 games

Chicago Cubs at Milwaukee Brewers

When: 7:10 PM ET Where: Miller Park TV: WGN (Chicago) / FSWI (Milwaukee) Stream: MLB.tv Radio: 670 The Score (Chicago) / WTMJ 620 (Milwaukee) MLB Betting Odds: TBA Arguably the series of the weekend with first place in the NL Central Division on the line. The Brewers are 28-24 at home, going 7-6- 3 in series play. They are 9-2 over their last 11 games there. The team went 41-40 at home last season, going 10-12- 4 in series play. The Cubs start reining NL ERA champ Kyle Hendricks (4-3, 3.95). Hendricks (hand) allowed one run on eight hits with no walks across 4.1 innings in a no-decision Monday against the White Sox. He struck out five. Making his first start in roughly seven weeks after shaking off a hand injury, Hendricks threw 67 percent of his pitches for strikes and induced plenty of weak contact. He was forced to leave a bit early, however, with an elevated pitch count in the fifth — partially due to 21 foul balls. He’s 1-0 vs. the Brewers this season, but he has given up eight earned runs over 11 innings.

Who Will Start for the Brewers on Saturday?

Milwaukee’s Junior Guerra (1-4, 5.22) only tossed four innings in his last start on Sunday, allowing five earned runs in a losing decision to the Phillies. Guerra posted a solid 3.11 ERA through his first seven starts this season, but was due for regression thanks to a 27-to- 22 K/BB ratio and 1.67 HR/9 rate in that span. That has played out, as Guerra has recorded an 8.00 ERA and a 1.89 WHIP in his past six trips to the hill. He has yet to face the Cubs this season, but he made two quality starts (1-0) against them in 2016.

Latest MLB Betting Trends

  • Cubs are 4-1 ATS in the last 5 games
  • Cubs are 11-2 SU in the last 13 games
  • The total went UNDER in 13 of Chi Cubs’s last 18 games on the road
  • Brewers are 1-6 ATS in the last 7 games
  • Brewers are 2-9 SU in the last 11 games
  • The total went UNDER in 9 of Milwaukee’s last 12 games
Are the Cubs a safe MLB betting pick for this Saturday?

Baltimore Orioles at Texas Rangers

When: 8:05 PM ET Where: Globe Life Park in Arlington TV: MASN 2 (Baltimore) / FSSW (Texas) Stream: MLB.tv Radio: 105.7 The Fan (Baltimore) / 105.3 The Fan (Texas) MLB Betting Odds: TBA The Orioles swept a four-game series at Camden Yards from Texas from July 17-20. Texas has dropped 6 of 7 in the series dating to 2016. But dating to 2015, the Rangers are 6-1 at home vs. Baltimore. It’s Kevin Gausman on the mound for Baltimore. Gausman (7-7, 5.79) pitched six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts through six innings during Monday’s win over Tampa Bay. Gausman’s up-and- down season continues, and he’s now won four of his past eight outings with just a single run surrendered and 29 strikeouts over 24.1 innings during the wins. He also allowed 21 runs through the other four outings. six scoreless frames in this one, winning his fourth straight decision. After getting off to a poor start this season, Gausman has recorded a promising 57-to- 15 K/BB ratio in 42 2/3 innings over his past eight starts — though a .379 BABIP has contributed to a 4.64 ERA in that span. On July 19, Gausman beat Texas, allowing one run and four hits over six innings.

Who Will Start Pitching for Texas this Saturday?

The Rangers’ Martin Perez (5-8, 4.67) posted his second quality start in three outings since the All-Star break on Monday, but he received no run support in a shutout loss to the Marlins. Perez lost after allowing three runs on seven hits (one homer) and two walks with three strikeouts in seven innings. He was efficient with his pitches, needing only 94 to get through seven innings. With a 71-to- 40 K/BB ratio and an .833 OPS allowed over 108 innings this season, Perez is too inconsistent, although two of his three 7-plus inning starts have come after the break. He lost in Baltimore on July 19, allowing five runs in six innings.

Latest MLB Betting Trends

  • Orioles are 8-2 ATS in the last 10 games
  • Orioles are 2-4 SU in the last 6 games
  • The total wentOVER in 7 of Baltimore’s last 9 games
  • Rangers are 3-8 ATS in the last 11 games
  • Rangers are 4-2 SU in the last 6 games
  • The total went OVER in 6 of Texas’s last 9 games

Expert MLB Betting Predictions for Saturday

Recommend the Jays at home, even if it’s not Liriano, Cubs in Beer Town and the over on the Orioles- Rangers even though the total likely will be 10.