MLB Odds, Expert Picks, Predictions: 2 Best Bets for White Sox vs. Blue Jays & Yankees vs. Braves (Monday, August 23)
Jim McIsaac/Getty Images. Pictured: Andrew Velazquez, from the Bronx.
- White Sox vs. Blue Jays and Yankees vs. Braves highlight Monday's MLB slate.
- Our analysts have found value on both of those games between contenders.
- Continue reading for our staff's best bets from Monday night in Major League Baseball.
Monday's Major League Baseball slate is small, with just seven games including an afternoon makeup affair between the Rangers and Red Sox.
That means six games under the lights, and our analysts have found value on two of them: White Sox vs. Blue Jays and Yankees and Braves.
Here are our staff's best bets from Monday's Major League Baseball slate.
MLB Odds & Picks
| 7:20 p.m. ET | |
White Sox vs. Blue Jays
Brad Cunningham: Lance Lynn has been one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball this season, posting a 2.62 xERA, which is the second-best mark among qualified starting pitchers. Lynn is about as straight-forward as they come. He rarely throws any breaking pitches and mainly utilizes a fastball, cutter and sinker combination.
However, he’s been incredibly effective with those three pitches, especially his fastball, which he throws most often and is only allowing a .165 expected batting average on it. He will need his fastball to be on point tonight because Toronto is the fourth-best fastball hitting team in the league.
Alek Manaoh has also been pitching really well, posting a 3.45 xERA and a K/9 rate over 10 in his first season in the big leagues. He mainly utilizes a fastball, slider and sinker combination and has been effective with all three pitches. However, the White Sox are one of the best fastball and sinker hitting teams in baseball with a combined 46.7 run value against those two pitches.
The White Sox bullpen also has been very good since the trade deadline, with a 3.82 ERA, 3.70 xFIP and a 11.59 K/9 rate.
I have the White Sox projected at -143, so I think they are undervalued on the road tonight at -110 and would play it up to -126.
Yankees vs. Braves
| 7:20 p.m. ET |
Kenny Ducey: The Yankees and Braves both come into this one riding nine-game winning streaks, so it should come as no surprise that this game is nearly a pick ‘em. With that said, I do see value in the road underdogs here.
New York is a nightmare matchup for Huascar Ynoa, a pitcher with awful peripherals and who has had issues at times with walks. His 45.8% hard-hit rate and 4.54 xERA would indicate he’s due for a correction any day now, and that should be Monday against one of the very best teams in exit velocity and barrels. He also features a 97-mph fastball which is downright filthy, but the Yankees have also shown an ability to hit that pitch well over the last couple of years.
Jordan Montgomery opposes Ynoa here, and he will be delighted to face an offense which has posted a wRC+ just outside the bottom third of the league against lefties. His fastball has been exceptional, and that’s not a pitch the Braves have done overly well against with just 0.24 weighted run per 100 pitches.
New York has been the better offensive team in the second half of the season and should hold the advantage on both sides of the ball here. I love this line, and think the Braves are overpriced coming off of wins against weak opponents.
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