Good news for the Tampa Bay Rays as they try to stay in the wild-card hunt. Their ace, Chris Archer, recently left a game on Saturday with forearm tightness. But Archer has no structural damage. Though the baseball betting odds for Thursday’s games aren’t out yet, you can always start gearing up before it goes off the board. Here are two MLB betting predictions for Thursday.
MLB Betting Picks & Predictions for Thursday – September 7th
What. A. Night.
Back at it bright and early tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/UxvLSZNHW0— MLB (@MLB) September 6, 2017
Chicago Cubs at Pittsburgh Pirates
When: 7:05 PM ETWhere: PNC ParkTV: MLBN (out-of-market only) / CSN-C (Chicago) / ATT SportsNet-PIT (Pittsburgh)Stream: MLB.tvRadio: 670 The Score (Chicago) / KDKA-FM 93.7 (Pittsburgh)MLB Betting Odds: TBAIt’s the series finale between these two. Back in the spring, one of the Mybookie.ag favorites to be the first MLB manager fired in 2017 was Pittsburgh’s Clint Hurdle. Well, not only did that not happen but Hurdle and GM Neal Huntington both got extensions through the 2021 season on Tuesday. Both Hurdle and Huntington, who was named the GM in 2007, are in the final guaranteed year of their current contracts. Since taking over the team in 2011, the 60-year- old Hurdle has led the Pirates to three playoff appearances, but none since 2015.The Cubs are awaiting word on an MRI of Jake Arrieta, who has been one of MLB’s best pitchers in the second half. If he’s seriously hurt, Chicago’s chances to repeat as World Series champion is in trouble. Arrieta left Monday’s start against the Pirates with a right hamstring injury. The issue was downplayed after the game, but the Cubs just want to be thorough before deciding on the next step.Who Will Start Off for Chicago on Thursday?
It’s lefty Jon Lester here for the Cubs. Lester (9-7, 4.46) allowed four runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out four batters through five innings during Saturday’s win over Atlanta.As a matter of fact, Lester had some problems with command in his first start off the disabled list but was sharpest in his last inning, and that’s something to build off. The left-hander has been limited by a 65.8 percent strand rate this year, so his 4.46 ERA is likely to regress down the stretch.Pittsburgh goes with young right-hander Jameson Taillon (7-5, 4.50). Taillon took a no-decision after allowing three hits and one walk with four strikeouts over six innings Saturday vs. the Reds. Taillon is back to doing what he does best: inducing ground-ball outs (nine) and limiting free passes (one). He has been hampered by a .353 BABIP this season despite a 30.4 percent hard contact rate allowed. Taillon is 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA over 12 innings in two starts against the Cubs this season.MLB Betting Sleepers That Could Steal Their Division Title
Colorado Rockies at LA Dodgers
When: 10:10 PM ETWhere: Dodger StadiumTV: MLBN (out-of-market only) / ATT SportsNet-RM (Colorado) / SportsNet LA (LA)Stream: MLB.tvRadio: 570 LA Sports (Colorado) / 570 LA Sports (LA)MLB Betting Odds: TBAIt’s a series opener between these NL West rivals and the latest-starting game on the schedule. The Dodgers are targeting this weekend's series versus the Rockies for Corey Seager’s (elbow) return to the lineup. Seager began a throwing program at 70 feet on Monday and will continue to progress histhrowing the next few days as he works his way back from inflammation in his right elbow. Seager indicated Monday that he could have surgery over the offseason to repair the problem.Could Colorado’s Charlie Blackmon make history this year? All 33 of his homers this season have come from the leadoff spot. No one has ever hit 40 homers from the leadoff spot in a season, but Blackmon has a chance. Alfonso Soriano has the record, hitting 39 of his 46 homers in 2006 as a leadoff man. Soriano is also second on that list, with 38 in 2002, and tied for third with 35 in 2003 (the others with 35 were Bobby Bonds in 1973 and Brady Anderson in 1996).
