Top MLB Picks and Predictions Today (Phillies Pull Off Upset, Yankees Advance to ALCS Tuesday)
We have a pair of Major League Baseball playoff games on Tuesday, as the NLCS between the San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies kicks off tonight.
The New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians will also finish the ALDS after last night's rain out. With the NBA returning as well on Tuesday, why not dabble in a few baseball plays to round out your betslip?
Here is a best bet for each game from the BetSided team:
Cleveland Guardians vs. New York Yankees Odds, Prediction and Pick
The Yankees paid Gerrit Cole a ton of money to be their ace, and man did he deliver in this series, throwing 13.1 innings and allowing just three runs in both of New York’s wins.
Cole’s performance in Game 4 has to have energized this Yankees squad, and New York has jumped on the Guardians early in two of the last three games. With Aaron Civale on the mound for Cleveland, I think there is value on New York getting off to a hot start. Civale has a 5.40 ERA in the first inning of games this season.
Nestor Cortes wasn't great in Game 2, laboring through five innings and allowing two runs, but the Guardians were 28th in baseball in OPS against left-handed pitching in the regular season. If Cortes can give the Yankees three to four strong innings, it should help them limit the number of bullpen arms they have to use.
The bullpen is obviously an issue for New York, but the Yankees have a better offense and more firepower to get this done at home.
Philadelphia Phillies vs. San Diego Padres Odds, Prediction and Pick
Yu Darvish struggled in Game 2 against the Dodgers, allowing three home runs on seven hits in five innings of work, but the Padres were still able to get the win. However, Darvish has now allowed four big flies in two postseason starts, and that can be problematic against a Philadelphia team that can send balls over the fence.
The Phillies were sixth in slugging percentage this season (far better than the Padres 22nd ranking for that matter), and can put pressure on Darvish's vulnerability.
On the other side, Zack Wheeler enters in fine form after missing a month this summer. While he allowed three earned runs in six innings of work in the Phillies only loss in the NLDS, it was on four hits and zero home runs. The Padres may be hitting well right now, but I question if they can handle Wheeler, who tossed seven innings of shutout baseball against San Diego earlier this season.
There is a very small difference between the two teams and I'm interested in backing either team at dog money, which in this case is the Phillies in Game 1. I give the edge to Wheeler on the mound and think they jump out to a 1-0 start.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.