MLB Betting Cheat Sheet: Harper making Nats a safe bet on multiple fronts
By Doc Sports
Here’s a comprehensive look at betting notes for this week’s major-league schedule:
Bryce canyon national park
Washington Nationals’ outfielder Bryce Harper (.300, 11 HR, 28 RBI) blasted six homers and drive in 12 runs during a three-game stretch last week. He is on a four-game hitting streak, with multiple hits in each of those four contests. The Nationals have won four in a row, seven of their last eight, and 10 of their last 12, and they are 4-0 O/U in their last four 11-4 O/U in their last 15.
Count Craig out
Boston Red Sox outfielder Allen Craig is headed to the minor leagues. The former St. Louis Cardinals’ all-star is batting .135 (7-for-52) with one home run and two RBIs in 24 games this season. He has a .130 average since being dealt from St. Louis to Boston in July of 2014. The Sox called up Jackie Bradley Jr. as a replacement. They are 2-7 in their last nine games, 0-5-1 O/U in their last six, and 1-8-1 O/U in their last 10.
Counsell’s counseling
The Milwaukee Brewers’ first week under new manager Craig Counsell was an outstanding one by their lowly standards. Milwaukee (11-21) went 4-3 and scored 37 runs. The team went 5-1-1 O/U.
Pitching Notes
* Pittsburgh Pirates’ righty A.J. Burnett has not given up more than two runs in any outing this season and his five most recent starts have been of the quality variety. The 38-year-old is sporting a 1.38 ERA through 38 innings of his 2015 campaign to go along with 31 strikeouts. Next up for Burnett is a Tuesday date at the Philadelphia Phillies, who have scored an MLB-worst 91 runs.
* The Detroit Tigers have all kinds of pitching problems, but none involve Alfredo Simon. Simon is 4-1 with a 3.44 ERA through six starts. The 34-year-old will take the bump on Tuesday at home against Kyle Gibson and the Minnesota Twins. Gibson’s first outing of the season also came in Detroit, where he allowed six runs in 3.2 innings on eight hits and five walks.
Hitting Notes
* The St. Louis Cardinals are 5-2 O/U in their last seven overall thanks to a sudden emergence of bats. A previously-slumping Jason Heyward hit .423 in seven games this past week. Fellow outfielder Matt Holliday is hitting .417 in his last six appearances. Second baseman Kolten Wong batted .480 last week with two home runs and nine RBIs.
* Although the Houston Astros are still leading the American League West by five games, they are 2-5 in their last seven games and 2-5 O/U in those seven. From just about out of nowhere, the bats have gone silent. Three everyday players hit .148 or worse last week: third baseman Luis Valbuena (.148), designated hitter Evan Gattis (.130), center fielder Jake Marisnick (.130) and first baseman Chris Carter (.125).
Totals Streak
Minnesota Twins (18-13-1 O/U): The Twins are 5-0 O/U in their last five overall and 7-1 O/U in their last eight overall. They have scored 37 runs in their last five outings. All three of their games at Cleveland this past weekend went over the total and the Twins are back on the road for a three-game set at Detroit starting on Tuesday.
Weather Watch
* Wind is forecast to blow out to right-center field at around 16 miles per hour when the Chicago Cubs host the New York Mets at Wrigley Field Monday.
Injury Notes
* Tampa Bay Rays’ outfielder Michael Saunders has been plagued by knee issues throughout the season and he went on the 15-day disabled list on Sunday because of inflammation. Saunders (.194, 3 RBIs) has played in just nine games this season. The Rays have called up utility man Steve Tolleson, who batted .200 with two RBIs in a previous seven-game stint in Tampa Bay earlier in 2015.
* Los Angeles Dodgers’ outfielder Yasiel Puig suffered a setback in his rehab from a hamstring injury while playing in a minor-league game last Friday. Puig (.279, 2 HR, 4 RBI in 11 games) had been scheduled to rejoin the team on Monday, but that is no longer happening. A new timetable for his return is pending an upcoming MRI.
