X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Top MLB Betting Picks for Today's Slate (5/31/19)

Nate Duffett's MLB betting picks for 5/31/19. He analyzes Vegas lines and recommends the top expert bets for today's MLB slate including money-lines, spreads and totals.

Welcome to the Friday, May 31st edition of Rotoballer's MLB Betting Picks. I will be serving up some of my top options on tonight's 15 game slate.

In this article, we will dive into the numbers and pick out my top recommended betting picks for today's slate. Feel free to hit me up on Twitter @Roto_Nate if you have any questions.

So without any further delay, below are my picks for Friday, May 31st. Be sure to also check out all the MLB Vegas Odds and MLB Park Factors for today's slate. Good luck!

Featured Promo: Get any Props Premium Pass for 50% off using code SUMMER. Win more with our two new Props Optimizer tools -- one for PrizePicks Props, and one for Sportsbook Betting Props. Find optimal prop bets and get our recommended picks daily! Go Premium, Win More!

 

Boston Red Sox (-152) @ New York Yankees

O/U: 9.5

I expect it to be a low-scoring affair in the first game of the series tonight at Yankee Stadium. Sale has always performed well against the Yankees. He is 7-5 with a 1.93 ERA in 20 appearances against New York, including the postseason. The Yankees are also in the bottom-third of the league in hitting against left-handed pitching.

The Red Sox as a team are only batting .213 against J.A. Happ in their careers, and he already had a quality start against them this year where he only allowed three earned runs over 6 1/3 innings. In two games between these teams at Yankee stadium, the total came in below 9.5 on both occasions. In a normally hitter-friendly ballpark, the over is only 10-20 this season at Yankee Stadium.

My Pick: Under 9.5

 

Toronto Blue Jays @ Colorado Rockies (-265)

O/U: 11.5

It's one of those pitching matchups tonight where the total could go up by a run or two, and I still might consider hammering the over. Edwin Jackson has a 9.00 ERA on the season and allowed seven earned runs and three home runs in his last start. In two of his three starts this season, the total number of runs has exceeded 11.5 by a significant margin. German Marquez is a more talented pitcher, but he struggles in his home ballpark, recording a 5.40 ERA at home, while only boasting a 2.08 ERA on the road. The over is 17-10 in Coors Field games this season, while the Blue Jays have hit the over in seven of their last ten games.

My Pick: Over 11.5

 

Washington Nationals (-116) @ Cincinnati Reds

O/U: 9

We are seeing a lot of the public's money coming in on the Over for this matchup, but I will be looking to take advantage and go the opposite way here. Patrick Corbin has been having a great first year with the Nationals, coming in with a 2.85 ERA, failing to allow more than four runs in a start since April. Tyler Mahle has a higher ERA, but the numbers will show that he has also had a good month of May, despite a tough start in his last game against the Cubs where he allowed three home runs. I am willing to throw this game out as the wind was blowing out the seats at Wrigley, which is a tough situation for pitchers.

They also square off in a pitcher-friendly ballpark where the over is only 12-15 so far this season. An interesting stat to watch with this total, the total has exceeded nine in only two of Mahle's ten starts. While Corbin has kept the total below nine in four straight starts, and eight of his eleven on the season.

My Pick: Under 9

 

Chicago Cubs @ St.Louis Cardinals (-123)

O/U: 9

I'll take the Cubs with underdog odds every time in this matchup since, in my opinion, they are far from an underdog. Yu Darvish has shown glimpses of his old self, especially on the road where he has only allowed eight earned runs over four starts. He has no decisions in five straight games, but the Cubs have managed to win three of those games.

Miles Mikolas has struggled at home, allowing 14 earned runs over six starts, and has lost three straight games. The Cubs are a respectable 13-13 on the road, and I expect them to bring that record above .500 after tonight's game.

My Pick: Cubs (+103)

 

Cleveland Indians (-172) @ Chicago White Sox

O/U: 9.5

The value in the White Sox is too high to not spark my interest. The Indians are 3-7 over their last ten games and have a 13-14 record on the road this season. While the White Sox are 6-4 over their last ten games and have a 15-13 record at home. Trevor Bauer has been prone to blowups this season, and in his lone start against the White Sox, he had one of those games where he allowed seven earned runs.

I can see the Indians continuing their struggles in this game, so I will ride with the White Sox four-game winning streak at these odds.

My Pick: White Sox (+147) 

More Fantasy Baseball Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
NBA

Alex Ducas Heading to Australia
NBA

Dominick Barlow Inks Two-Way Deal with 76ers
NBA

Spurs Re-Sign Jordan McLaughlin to One-Year Deal
Dylan Harper

Out Thursday, Expected to Play Saturday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Homers Twice on Wednesday
Cleveland Browns

Greg Newsome on the Trade Block?
VJ Edgecombe

Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
Zach Tom

An Extension Candidate in Green Bay
Devin Booker

Agrees to Extension with Phoenix
Trevor Williams

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery
Kyren Williams

Rams Not Willing to Pay Kyren Williams Top-Market Money?
Byron Buxton

Exits After Hit-by-Pitch, X-Rays Negative
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Playing on Wednesday
Alex Bregman

has "Really Good Chance" to Return Before All-Star Break
Christian Kirk

the No. 2 WR in Houston?
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Expected to Return on Friday
Jerome Ford

the Likely Starter for Cleveland to Begin 2025
Chig Okonkwo

"Poised" for Best Season of Career
Xavier Watts

Falcons High on Xavier Watts
Xavier Restrepo

Training With Star Wideouts
Walter Clayton Jr.

Leads Jazz to Summer League Win
Carter Bryant

Struggles in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Drops a Double-Double in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Oklahoma City Thunder

Malevy Leons Logs Impressive Summer League Outing on Tuesday
Dalton Knecht

Collects 25 Points in Lakers Summer League Win
Los Angeles Lakers

Darius Bazley Drops 27 Points in Summer League on Tuesday
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Tristan Wirfs

Undergoes Knee Surgery, Likely to Miss Start of Season
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Chet Holmgren

Agrees to Rookie Max Extension
Alex Bregman

Not Returning Wednesday
Jhoan Duran

Unavailable Due to Illness
Shane McClanahan

Tosses Clean Frame in First Rehab Appearance
Jacob Wilson

Day-to-Day After HBP
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. to be Reassessed Wednesday
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Malaki Branham

Traded to Washington
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Blake Wesley

Moves to Washington
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Kelly Olynyk

on the Move Again
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Anthony Davis

Recovering From Eye Surgery
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic to Delay Extension Talks Until 2026
Cal Raleigh

Continues Historic Homer Pace Tuesday
Jacob Wilson

Exits Early On Tuesday With Left Hand Contusion
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
Laken Tomlinson

Confident in Texans Offensive Line
J.K. Dobbins

the Starter in Denver?
JT Woods

Seahawks Release JT Woods
Darren Waller

Trade to Miami Becomes Official
Asante Samuel Jr.

Dolphins Interested in Asante Samuel Jr.
Nyheim Hines

Seeking Return to NFL
Dak Prescott

Expects to be Full-Go for Training Camp
Ajay Mitchell

Posts 16 Points in Summer League Win on Monday
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Waived by Bucks
Luis Garcia

Fans Four in Rehab Outing
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Anthony Santander

Hoping to Hit Soon
Luis Robert Jr.

Returning in Short Order
Alex Bregman

Could Return Later This Week
Ketel Marte

Day-to-Day with Groin Tightness
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Hunter Greene

Suffers Setback on Monday
T.J. Watt

Pittsburgh Still Not Close on New Contract
Terry McLaurin

Still Not Pleased with Contract Situation
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Yu Darvish

to Make Season Debut on Monday
MLB

Nationals Fire Dave Martinez, Mike Rizzo
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
KaVontae Turpin

Arrested on Two Charges
Theo Johnson

Prioritizing his Health this Offseason
Jermaine Burton

Continues to Show Growth
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF