As things currently stand, Friday projects to be a very busy day across baseball with 17 games on the schedule. Let’s get right down to business and highlight some wagers on the DraftKings Sportsbook that might be worth considering.
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Arizona Diamondbacks vs. San Francisco Giants
Diamondbacks ML (-175)
The Diamondbacks have been dreadful on the road this season with a 5-12 record. However, they have been much better with an 8-7 mark at home. The Giants have similar splits, posting a 9-8 record at home and a 6-10 mark on the road. The Diamondbacks will be looking to get some retribution in this series after they were swept by the Giants in San Francisco last weekend.
Despite losing eight straight, this is shaping up nicely for the Diamondbacks to earn a win. Starting for them will be Zac Gallen, who was originally slated to start Thursday before their game was postponed. He’s been excellent this season with a 2.25 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 42 strikeouts across 36.0 innings. The last time he faced the Giants, he held them to one run across six innings.
Chicago White Sox vs. Kansas City Royals
White Sox Over 5.5 Runs (+112)
The White Sox are on fire. Their lineup has particularly thrived, averaging seven runs across their last their 10 games. The push has been led by Jose Abreu, who has hit 19-for-40 with nine home runs and three doubles during that stretch. Tim Anderson has been almost as productive, hitting 15-for-42 with four home runs, two doubles and three steals across those same 10 contests.
They will look to keep things rolling against Danny Duffy, who has actually surprised in the strikeout department this season with a 28.3% rate. To put that into perspective, his career strikeout rate is 20.9%. The problem is that he has pitched more than five innings in only one of his starts and he’s had trouble keeping hitters off base over the course of his career. With how hot the White Sox are right now, taking the over might be worth the risk considering these odds.
Philadelphia Phillies vs. Atlanta Braves
Didi Gregorius Over 0.5 Hits (-190)
Gregorius didn’t look like he was fully recovered from Tommy John surgery when he returned to the Yankees last season. Although he’s never been a great hitter, his .238 batting average last year was uncharacteristically low for him. Now, with added time to heal and prepare during the offseason, Gregorius has bounced back to hit .297 through 26 games with his new team.
Taking the mound for the Braves in this game will be Robbie Erlin, who had a 1.57 WHIP with the Padres last season in mostly a relief role. With the Braves desperate for starting pitchers, he’ll be facing the Phillies for the second time in as many starts. He’s actually pitched against them twice previously this year, allowing six runs over 6.2 innings. Left-handed hitters have hit .292 against him in his career, so this is a favorable spot for Gregorius to provide at least one hit.
Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati Reds
Cubs ML (-129)
Despite losing their last two games, the Cubs lead the NL Central with an 18-12 record. The Reds, on the other hand, have been a disappointment at 13-17. Their lineup has been partially to blame since they are only averaging 4.1 runs per game. Their .315 OBP as a team is the eighth-lowest mark in baseball.
Things might not get any easier in his matchup against Kyle Hendricks, who is once again pitching well with a 3.55 ERA and a 3.36 FIP. The only time that he’s allowed more than three runs in a game this season was actually against the Reds when he gave up six of them across 4.1 innings. Opposing him will be Tyler Mahle, who has a 1.44 WHIP for his career and has once again struggled in that area this season with a 1.35 WHIP. Given this pitching mismatch, look for the Cubs to emerge victorious.
Washington Nationals at Boston Red Sox
Max Scherzer Over 7.5 Strikeouts (+112)
Let’s take a chance on another player prop with plus odds. Scherzer’s overall numbers haven’t been great this season, but his strikeout rate has been stellar at 32.1%. As a result, he’s registered at least 10 strikeouts in three of his six starts. It’s also worth noting that in one of the starts that he didn’t reach that threshold, he pitched only one inning before departing with an injury. The Red Sox have averaged 8.9 strikeouts per game as a team, so don’t be surprised if Scherzer racks up strikeouts in bunches.
Moneyline Parlay
Nationals ML + Dodgers ML (+130)
Two heavy favorites make for an interesting parlay. First, the Nationals will look to beat up on the Red Sox’s lackluster pitching staff, a staff that has been one of the main reasons why they are 10-21 this season. Meanwhile, the Nationals will start the aforementioned Scherzer, who will be looking to help them end a three-game losing streak. The Nationals haven’t been great at 11-17, but with Scherzer on the mound, they have the clear advantage.
The Dodgers will look to extend the struggles of Mike Minor, who has a 6.75 ERA and a 5.30 FIP through six starts this year. One glaring difference between his slow start and his strong performance last season has been his hard hit rate, which is 40.7% this season compared to 30.4% in 2019. The Dodgers have won eight of their last 10 games and have the best record in baseball while the Rangers are 11-19 and have lost nine of their last 10 contests. Everything could be coming up roses here for the Dodgers to earn another win.
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All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
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