A closer look at several key games for bettors to target among Friday's MLB slate.
With the Major League Baseball season in full pennant race mode, sports bettors should look to focus their bankrolls on the diamond. SI Gambling is here to highlight two key Friday matchup bettors should look to exploit.
Betting Breakdown for Friday, August 20
Note: Odds Subject to Change
Atlanta Braves (-240) at Baltimore Orioles (+220)
- O/U: 10.5 (-115)
- ATL: 65-56 (1st NL East)
- BAL: 38-82 (Last AL East)
- PROBABLES: Max Fried (10-7; 3.78 ERA vs Keegan Akin (0-7; 8.13 ERA)
Tim Heitman/USA TODAY Sports
The Braves head into a weekend set looking to expand their NL East lead over the Phillies and Mets. The Braves will send out Max Fried, who has been stellar in August, surrendering just two earned runs in his last three starts. The Braves, one of the hottest clubs in baseball, are on a six-game winning streak - winners of 9 of its last 10. Thanks to the torrid play of late, Atlanta has opened up a four-game lead over the second-place Phillies and a five-game lead over the fading Mets. Meanwhile, Baltimore enters Friday night in the opposite direction, having lost 15 consecutive games. Bettors should easily look to back the Braves in this contest.
PITCHING TRENDS
- M. Fried (L): LAST 3 starts: 3-0; 1.00; 1.00 WHIP
- K. Akin (R): LAST 3 starts: 0-3; 13.50 ERA; 2.80 WHIP
SI Betting LEAN: Atlanta Braves (-240)
New York Mets (+230) at Los Angeles Dodgers (-250)
- O/U: 8.5 (-110)
- NYM: 60-61 (3rd NL East)
- LAD: 76-46 (2nd NL West)
- PROBABLES: Carlos Carrasco (0-1; 10.32 ERA vs Walker Buehler (12-2; 2.09 ERA)
The Dodgers, who are 20 games above .500 at home (40-20), will be throwing out ace Walker Buehler who just shut down the Mets last weekend. The hard-throwing righty went seven strong innings striking out 10 while allowing just one run in a 2-1 Dodgers victory. Since July 5, Buehler has been sensational, surrendering one or fewer runs in six of seven starts, leading to a perfect 4-0 record over that span. The Mets, who are 0-4 against Los Angeles this season, are fading from the NL Playoff picture, having lost six of its past seven games. New York will send out Carlos Carrasco, who has missed most of the season due to a hamstring injury. The veteran has failed to last longer 4.1 innings in his five starts since returning from the DL - including last Sunday when the Dodgers roughed him up for six earned runs in just two innings of work.
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PITCHING TRENDS
- C. Carrasco (R): LAST 3 starts: 0-1; 14.73 ERA; 2.32 WHIP
- W. Buhler (R): LAST 3 starts: 1-1; 1.42 ERA; 1.21 WHIP
SI Betting LEAN: Los Angeles Dodgers (-250)
Today's Betting Breakdown
As we know, it is never wise bankroll management to lay heavy chalk, but on Friday, two of the best investments sports bettors can make involve two of the biggest favorites on the board. To limit our liability, rather than wager on both teams straight-up on the money line, we will instead look to place two parlays backing both superior clubs both on the money and run lines.
Two-Team Money Line PARLAY (+100) - 0.5 Unit
Atlanta Braves (-240) / Los Angeles Dodgers (-250)
Two-Team Run Line PARLAY (+204) - 0.5 Unit
Atlanta Braves -1.5 (-149) / Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-122)
You can follow Frankie on Twitter @Frankie_Fantasy for his sharp betting insights from Las Vegas.
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