For an updated breakdown of Friday’s betting action, be sure to tune in to the VSiN Market Insights Podcast with Josh Appelbaum. It will be posted at 3 p.m. ET. I’ll also be joining The Lombardi Line at 1:30 p.m. ET to offer a market update and then I’ll be co-hosting Betting Across America with Femi Abebefe from 3 to 4 p.m. ET.
In the meantime, let’s discuss a trio of MLB games receiving sharp action today…
3:07 p.m. ET: Tampa Bay Rays (40-35) at Toronto Blue Jays (43-33)
The Blue Jays took last night’s series opener 4-1, cashing as -140 home favorites. In this late afternoon rematch, the Rays send out righty Corey Kluber (3-4, 3.45 ERA) and the Jays tap fellow righty Jose Berrios (5-4, 5.86 ERA). This line opened with Toronto listed as a -145 home favorite and Tampa Bay a +135 road dog. Sharps have pounced on the Rays getting plus money, dropping Tampa Bay from +135 to +115. Road teams off a loss who made the playoffs the previous year are 91-65 (58%) this season. The Rays also have value as a divisional dog in a high total game (9). Kluber has a 2.54 ERA in five June starts. Meanwhile, Berrios has been getting knocked around hard as of late, posting a 6.28 ERA in five June starts. The Rays have the edge in pitching overall, sporting a team ERA of 3.23 compared to 4.02 for Toronto.
8:10 p.m. ET: Los Angeles Angels (37-41) at Houston Astros (48-27)
Both of these AL West rivals have played well as of late. The Angels just took two of three at home against the White Sox while the Astros just swept a combined three game set against both the Mets and Yankees. In tonight’s series opener, the Angels hand the ball to righty Michael Lorenzen (6-5, 4.24 ERA) and the Astros counter with fellow righty Cristian Javier (5-3, 2.73 ERA). This line opened with Houston listed as a -145 home favorite and Los Angeles a +130 road dog. Pros have laid the chalk with the surging Astros, steaming Houston up from -145 to -155. Favorites who made the playoffs last year against teams who did not are 298-158 (65%) this season. The Astros are 41-18 as a favorite, 21-11 at home and 34-19 against righties. On the flip side, the Angels are 5-18 as a dog, 16-18 on the road and 27-30 against righties. Both teams are hitting .238. The difference comes on the mound, where the Astros’ team ERA is 2.98 and the Angels sit at 3.82. Javier is coming off a combined no-hitter against the Yankees where he struck out 13. Lorenzen has a 6.75 ERA in four June starts.
8:10 p.m. ET: Arizona Diamondbacks (34-42) at Colorado Rockies (33-43)
Both of these NL West cellar-dwellers have struggled lately, with Arizona just 2-6 over their last 8 games and Colorado 3-6 over their last 9 games. In tonight’s series opener, Arizona hands the ball to righty Merrill Kelly (6-5, 3.64 ERA) and Colorado starts fellow righty Antonio Senzatela (3-4, 4.66 ERA). This line opened with the Rockies listed as a short -110 home favorite and the Dbacks a +100 road dog. Sharps have sided with Colorado at home, steaming the Rockies up from -110 to -120. When both teams are coming off a day off, as is the case here, the favorite is 61-34 (64%) this season. Colorado is 9-7 as a favorite as 21-10 at home. On the flip side, Arizona is 24-34 as a dog and 15-20 on the road. Colorado has a big edge at the plate, hitting .261 as a team compared to .215 for Arizona.