MLB Picks Today:
Expert baseball handicapper Greg Peterson shares his top MLB picks today for Tuesay, June 17.
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6:45 PM Eastern
Colorado Rockies vs. Washington Nationals
The Rockies’ offense ranks last in the league in road run creation with 2.7 runs per game. Their .261 on-base percentage away from home is 24 points lower than the next-worst team. They face Nationals starting pitcher Mike Soroka, who has a 5.14 ERA overall this season. That goes down to a 3.71 ERA at home with just one home run and four walks allowed in his three home starts. Rockies starting pitcher Antonio Senzatela owns a 7.23 ERA with 15 hits allowed per nine innings.
Picks: Nationals Run Lines -1.5 +105 and Under 9.5 Runs (Greg’s Handicap Nationals -1.5 -130 and Total 8.6)
7:05 PM Eastern
Los Angeles Angels vs. New York Yankees
Angels starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks owns a 5.20 ERA with 1.5 home runs per nine innings allowed. That ERA goes up to 6.37 on the road with two home runs per nine innings allowed. He is backed up by an Angels bullpen that is 28th in ERA at 5.56, but is also backed up by a lineup that ranks second in the league in home runs per at-bat away from home. They face Yankees starting pitcher Will Warren, who owns a 4.86 ERA with 4.1 walks per nine innings.
Picks: Yankees Run Line -1.5 -120 and Over 9 Runs (Greg’s Handicap Yankees -1.5 -126 and Total 9.6)
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Toronto Blue Jays
Diamondbacks starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt has had a rough stretch, allowing 16 runs in his past three starts across eight total innings. He has a 5.50 ERA with 1.8 home runs per nine innings overall this season. Blue Jays starting pitcher Chris Bassitt owns a 3.70 ERA. Though he has allowed four runs or more in three of his past four starts, he is backed up by a bullpen that owns a 3.65 ERA, which ranks 10th. The Diamondbacks’ bullpen ranks 27th with a 5.20 ERA.
Picks: Blue Jays Moneyline -122 and Over 8 Runs (Greg’s Handicap Blue Jays -146 and Over 8.7)
7:10 PM Eastern
Minnesota Twins vs. Cincinnati Reds
Reds starting pitcher Andrew Abbott has allowed zero or one run in nine of his 11 starts this season, posting a 1.87 ERA with 9.2 strikeouts and 0.9 home runs allowed per nine innings. Twins starting pitcher David Festa owns a 4.76 ERA with 1.6 home runs and 3.6 walks per nine innings allowed. He is backed by a bullpen whose 5.02 ERA over the past 30 days ranks 27th in the league.
Picks: Reds Moneyline -114 and Over 8.5 Runs (Greg’s Handicap Reds -144 and Total 9.2)
7:35 PM Eastern
Baltimore Orioles vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Orioles starting pitcher Dean Kremer is registering a 4.99 ERA with 1.4 home runs allowed and 6.9 strikeouts per nine innings. He is backed up by a bullpen that ranks 24th in ERA at 4.54/ Rays starting pitcher Zack Littell leads the league in home runs allowed with 21, but still has a 3.84 ERA. He is backed by a lineup that entered Monday ninth in the league with nearly 4.6 runs per game and a bullpen whose 3.05 ERA ranks first in the American League.
Pick: Rays Moneyline -122 (Greg’s Handicap Rays -149)
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Chicago White Sox
Cardinals starting pitcher Matthew Liberatore is in a rough patch with at least four earned runs allowed in each of his past three starts. He now has a 4.17 ERA, but his 3.15 fielding independent with 0.9 home runs and 1.4 walks allowed per nine innings should lead to positive outcomes, especially against a White Sox lineup that ranks 27th in scoring with under 3.5 runs per game. White Sox starting pitcher Shane Smith has a solid 2.37 ERA with three earned runs or fewer allowed in all 13 of his starts this season.
Pick: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Chicago White Sox Under 8.5 Runs (Greg’s Handicap 7.8)
8:05 PM Eastern
Kansas City Royals vs. Texas Rangers
Both teams have had a tough time scoring. They are in the bottom five in runs per game, with both starting pitchers, Jack Leiter and Seth Lugo, pitching to a lot of contact. They each get fewer than 7.4 strikeouts per nine innings, but Leiter’s 4.5 walks per nine innings are a concern. Both starters are backed up by good bullpens. The Rangers’ 3.40 bullpen ERA ranks seventh. The Royals’ 3.50 bullpen ERA ranks eighth.
Picks: Royals Moneyline +113 and Under 8.5 Runs (Greg’s Handicap Royals -116 and Total 7.8)
