Welcome to the Saturday, Aug. 24th edition of RotoBaller's MLB Betting Picks. I will be serving up some of my top options on today's 15 game slate.
- Last Tuesday's Picks: 4-0 (100.0%) +445
- Year-to-Date: 41-25 (62.1%) +1412
In this article, we will dive into the numbers and pick out my top recommended betting picks for today's slate. Feel free to contact me on Twitter @JoeWilliamsVI if you have any questions or if you'd like additional content and occasional gambling notes and tidbits.
Here are my picks for Saturday, Aug. 24th. Be sure to check out all the MLB Betting System and MLB Depth Charts for today's slate. Good luck!
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Kansas City Royals @ Cleveland Indians (-355)
O/U: 9
The chalk is still quite a bit to eat on the Tribe at home (-1.5, -175), but it will be worth it behind RHP Mike Clevinger, especially at home. Clevinger has posted a sparkling 8-2 record with a 3.11 ERA and 105 strikeouts across just 72 1/3 innings. In his most recent showing against the Royals, he allowed just one earned run while scattering eight hits with seven strikeouts and no walks in a 9-1 win on July 27 at Kauffman Stadium. He also twirled six scoreless frames with four hits allowed, no walks and nine whiffs in a victory on July 3 in K.C.
Conversely, the Royals roll out RHP Glenn Sparkman, who is a dismal 3-8 with a 5.40 ERA and 30 walks across 105 innings. Sparkman was tattooed for eight earned runs, nine hits and three homers in five innings on July 27 in the most recent meeting against Clevinger, and the big 27-year-old Texan righty has a poor 0-2 record, 9.37 ERA and .342 opponent batting average across 16 1/3 innings in three outings against the Indians this season.
My Pick: Indians (-1.5, -175)
Texas Rangers @ Chicago White Sox (-120)
O/U: 9.5
The White Sox are a fabulous play at Guaranteed Rate Field against the visiting Rangers.
The Rangers have really struggled lately, winning just seven of their previous 26 games on the road while going 5-13 across the past 18 overall. They're also just 1-4 in the past five against a right-handed starting pitcher, and 4-12 in the past 16 on the road vs. RHP. Texas has dropped eight in a row against American League Central Division foes, too.
On the flip side, you do not have to eat very much chalk to back RHP Ivan Nova and the Pale Hose. Chicago has won four in a row at home, they're 4-1 in the past five overall and 7-1 in the past eight vs. LHP. They're also 9-4 in the past 13 at home against southpaws. If that's not good enough, how about the fact the ChiSox are 4-0 in Nova's past four starts at home and a perfect 6-0 across his past six starts overall.
My Pick: White Sox (-120)
San Francisco Giants @ Oakland Athletics (-140)
O/U: 8.5
In the past, a start by Giants LHP Madison Bumgarner likely meant an 'under' play, but times have changed. While the under is 17-8-1 across the past 26 for the Giants, the over is 3-1-2 in MadBum's past six road outings, and 4-1 in the past five interleague games for Frisco against a team with a winning overall mark. In addition, the over is also 8-2-1 in the past 11 meetings in Oakland between these Bay Area rivals, and 12-5-2 in the past 19 battles overall.
The under has been the play lately for Oakland, but not with RHP Chris Bassitt on the bump. The under is 3-0-1 in Oakland's past four overall, and 3-0-1 in the past four at home. However, the over is 3-0-1 in the past four at home vs. LHP while going 10-4 in the past 14 at home against losing teams. The over is also 6-1 in Bassitt's past seven starts at home while going 5-2 in the past seven against losing teams.
My Pick: Over 8.5 (-105)