The Los Angeles Dodgers open a series at the red-hot Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday without Max Muncy, the MLB home run leader. That game is one of three betting picks we have for Tuesday with the best MLB odds courtesy of our top books.
Picks Summary
- • Orioles ML (-135)
- • Pirates +1.5 (-140)
- • Diamondbacks ML (-135)
Boston Red Sox vs. Baltimore Orioles
Tuesday, April 25, 2023 – 06:35 PM EDT at Camden Yards
Two top AL Rookie of the Year candidates are in this series in Red Sox outfielder/DH Masataka Yoshida (+350 at top-rated books to win the award) and Orioles infielder Gunnar Henderson (+900), who entered the season as the betting favorite but is really struggling at the plate (.183/.355/.283) and didn’t start Monday’s game.
The Orioles lead MLB with 26 Net Bases Gained, which is an all-encompassing baserunning stat that includes stolen bases, caught stealing, taking an extra base on hits, advancing on wild pitches, passed balls, and fly balls, and not getting thrown out on the bases. They are second with 25 steals.
Two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber (0-4, 8.50 ERA) has had a nice career – not Hall of Fame worthy – but he looks way past his prime in his first year in Boston at age 37. Kluber was rocked for seven runs over five last time out against Minnesota. The Royals got him for five runs over 3.1 innings on March 30. Ramon Urias (.467), Anthony Santander (.421) and Jorge Mateo (.357) are among Baltimore batters with good splits off him.
It’s Kyle Bradish (1-0, 0.00 ERA) for Baltimore. He was plunked by a line drive in his season debut on April 3 and returned this past Wednesday vs. Washington and threw six shutout innings.
- • Red Sox are 3-8 in their last 11 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- • Orioles are 12-3 in their last 15 Tuesday games.
MLB Pick: Orioles ML (-135) at WynnBet
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Tuesday, April 25, 2023 – 06:35 PM EDT at PNC Park
Potential NL playoff preview? The Dodgers play extra baseball every year and surely will again this October, while Pittsburgh is the biggest surprise in the sport at 16-7, on a seven-game winning streak and atop the NL Central. It’s Pittsburgh’s longest streak since winning 11 straight in 2018. The 16-7 start is the team’s best since its last division title in 1992. The team is off back-to-back series sweeps of opponents for the first time since Sept. 3-8, 2018.
Oddsmakers don’t believe in Derek Shelton’s team yet, though, as the Bucs are still +1300 long shots in the Central. Might surprise you to know the Pirates went 5-1 against Los Angeles in 2022, including a three-game sweep at Dodger Stadium from May 30 to June 1.
It’s Johan Oviedo (2-2, 2.22 ERA) on the mound Tuesday. He has a 0.92 ERA over 19.2 innings since April 9, the sixth-lowest in all of MLB. Oviedo recorded a scoreless streak of 15.1 innings from April 3-14, the longest by a Pirate this season and the third-longest of the season in all of MLB. He has pitched just 1.1 career innings vs. the Dodgers.
Can the Dodgers Make It Without Muncy?
LA figures to be without Max Muncy this series after he was placed on the paternity leave list Monday. He leads the majors in homers with 11, while hitting .254 with 21 RBIs and 16 runs scored.
On the mound Tuesday is Noah Syndergaard (0-3, 4.91 ERA). He was shelled for six runs in four innings in his lone road outing so far.
- • Dodgers are 1-6 in their last 7 games following a win.
- • Pirates are 6-1 in their last 7 during game 1 of a series.
MLB Pick: Pirates +1.5 (-140) at BetMGM
Kansas City Royals vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
Tuesday, April 25, 2023 – 09:40 PM EDT at Chase Field
The Royals don’t homer often because their lineup is pretty terrible, but they have unveiled a new Home Run Helmet when one of their players hits one: A gleaming, curved head-piece with small spikes protruding from either side of a sharp crest. The Royals’ hitting coaches, inspired by the movie “Gladiator,” cooked up the idea. Only Detroit has a worse team batting average than KC does, so we may not even see the helmet this entire series.
It’s struggling Brady Singer (1-2, 8.14 ERA) on the mound Tuesday for Kansas City. He allowed five runs on six hits over 5.0 innings last time out and lost to Texas.
Since allowing one run on two hits in 5.0 innings in his season debut, Singer has surrendered 18 runs on 24 hits over his last three starts (16.0 IP). He made his lone career start against Arizona on Aug. 24, 2022 and pitched 7.0 innings of one-run ball with six strikeouts to earn the win. Singer has never won a game in a National League ballpark.
Arizona’s Pitcher
Arizona’s Ryne Nelson (1-0 4.91 ERA) struggled last time out against a very good San Diego lineup but was solid his first three starts of the year and has two quality starts on the year. This will be his first-ever start against an American League team. Nelson gets approximately 20 inches of induced vertical break on his fastball – his pitch falls 20 fewer inches than it would without any spin. League average is between 16 and 17 inches.
“He stays behind the ball so he creates the hoppy type of fastball,” pitching coach Brent Strom said. “Which, the ball doesn’t really rise but it doesn’t go down as most everybody else. So that makes him a semi-unicorn.”
- • Royals are 3-14 in their last 17 interleague games vs. a right-handed starter.
- • Diamondbacks are 8-3 in their last 11 during game 2 of a series.
MLB Pick: Diamondbacks ML (-135) at Caesars Sportsbook
