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MLB Best Bets: Friday Picks for Cardinals-Cubs and Red Sox-Angels Happy 250th to all! Weve got a packed weekend of baseball on tap, lets celebrate the holiday with some winning MLB picks.
Season Record 40-40-2, -2.68 Units Cardinals at Cubs Cards F5 (+102 FanDuel) We get a nice Rivalry Series here with the added twist that these teams are right in the middle of the NL Wild Card chase.
Thats kind of surprising as far as the Cardinals are concerned as they sold off all sorts of pieces in the offseason as they looked to open up playing time for their younger players.
Well its worked way better than they could have imagined.
Jordan Walker has finally lived up to his prospect hype, and then some as hes slashing 288/.342/.509 with 18 homers and 59 RBIs in a shade over half a season.
Meanwhile JJ Wetherholt is the current NL ROY favorite as he mans 2B and bats leadoff every day and hes popped 12 homers with 9 steals and a .259 average.
Hes got crazy good control of the strike zone for a rookie with a 10.35 BB% vs, a 15.9% K%.
I mostly love the Cards in this spot thanks to the pitching matchup.
St Louis starts Andre Pallante, whos quietly given them a very solid season.
He has a 3.83 ERA and 1.23 WHIP while not missing a start and getting decently deep into games.
Hes gone at least 6 IP in his last 4 starts and 8 of his last 11.
He doesnt get the whiffs youd like as he has just an 18.7% K%, but he does limit contact well.
His EV against is just 87 and its mostly on the ground with a 6.8 LA.
That should prove helpful in hot and possibly windy Wrigley.
The Cubs counter with David Peterson, just imported from the reeling Mets.
He pitched well in his first start with Chicago (5.2 IP, 2 ER) but it came with only 2 Ks.
Its been an overall forgettable year though with a 5.86 ERA and 1.59 WHIP.
Like Palencia, he doesn't strike out many (19.2%) and keeps in on the ground (7.7 LA).
Unlike Pallante, its 90 EV contact.
Hell be better with the Cubs thanks their infield defense, but its a really tough formula for success.
Give me the Cards here.
Red Sox at Angels Under 8 (-115 bet365) Its two pretty weak teams here but we have a nice matchup of lefties at least.
Jake Bennett starts for the Red Sox and he has a 3.27 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in 6 starts.
Hes really been lethal in his last 2 outings, limiting the Rockies (at Coors) and the Yankees to just 1 ER total over 12.1 IP.
The Angels start Reid Detmers and hes a rare bright spot in another dismal season in Anaheim with a 3.88 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 27.8% K%.
His xERA of 3.01 suggests hes been even better than that.
The Red Sox have played a bit better recently, but its mostly thanks to the their pitching as they still have a lousy lineup.
Lets bank on the arms here.
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