Five To Follow MLB Betting: Wednesday, June 3, 2015 Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews
This may be the first time I've led back-to-back "Five to Follow" stories on the same team, but suddenly the Texas Rangers are rather interesting. You have the whole Josh Hamilton resurgence. Yesterday I mentioned that the team lost starting third baseman Adrian Beltre to an injured thumb for at least two weeks. Well, Texas got more interesting because of that as the team called up top prospect Joey Gallo, also a third baseman. This guy is the top power prospect in all of baseball -- even better than Kris Bryant. Gallo isn't as good of an overall player as Bryant but can flat-out mash. The Rangers' 2014 Minor League Player of the Year, Gallo set a club minor-league record with 42 home runs last season and became the first minor leaguer with back-to-back 40-homer seasons since the White Sox's Ron Kittle in 1981-82. Gallo was set to make his big-league debut on Tuesday.
Yankees at Mariners (+105, 7.5)
That New York entered Tuesday with a lead in the AL East is kudos to Manager Joe Girardi because the Bombers have been without ace pitcher Masahiro Tanaka (2-1, 3.22) since April 23. He will return from a forearm injury for Wednesday afternoon's series finale in Seattle. Frankly, it's just a matter of time that he's going to need Tommy John surgery as Tanaka also has a partially torn ligament in his pitching arm but has been trying to pitch through that since last season. He's a ticking clock on when that surgery happens. The Yanks will limit him to 80 pitches in this one. Seattle's Robinson Cano is 1-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs off him. It's Taijuan Walker (2-5, 6.18) for Seattle, and he showed last time out why he's such a highly-touted prospect. Walker shut out Cleveland over eight innings, allowing only two hits, no walks and striking out eight. This will be his first career start against New York.
Key trends: The Yankees are 4-1 in Tanaka's past five starts during Game 3 of a series. The Mariners are 0-4 in Walker's past four starts vs. teams with a winning record. The "over/under" has gone over in four of Tanaka's past five on the road. The under is 4-0 in Walker's past four on Wednesday.
Early lean: Yankees and under.
Orioles at Astros (-123, 8.5)
The Birds may have to put shortstop J.J. Hardy back on the disabled list after he missed Monday's game with soreness in his left side that could be an oblique problem. Thus far on the season, he has appeared in just 23 games due to injuries. The Astros think catcher Jason Castro is OK after leaving Monday's game after being hit in the knee by a pitch. Miguel Gonzalez (5-3, 3.48) goes for Baltimore. He followed his worst start of the season by holding Tampa Bay to a run and three hits over eight innings last time. Castro is 4-for-10 with three doubles, a homer and four RBIs off him. Astros rookie Lance McCullers (1-0, 2.40) has been solid in his three starts and may stick around in the majors. He hasn't faced Baltimore.
Key trends: Baltimore is 5-2 in Gonzalez's past seven road starts vs. teams with a winning record. The under is 10-2 in his past 12 on the road.
Early lean: Orioles and over.
Dodgers at Rockies (+132, 10.5)
This is your only national TV game of the day, on ESPN, so will have live betting at the sportsbooks. Mike Bolsinger (3-1, 1.15) is scheduled to start for the Dodgers, and he continues to surprise. Bolsinger faced the Rockies in L.A. on May 17 and held them without a run on three hits over six innings. Carlos Gonzalez is 2-for-6 with a double off him. Troy Tulowitzki is 2-for-3 with a homer and two RBIs. Chad Bettis (2-0, 2.96) gets the call for Colorado. His season debut was May 14 in L.A., and he allowed four runs and seven hits over five innings. Bettis has yet to allow a dinger in 27.1 innings. Andre Ethier is 2-for-5 with two doubles off him. Jimmy Rollins is 1-for-5 with a walk.
Key trends: The Dodgers have lost four straight on Wednesday. The under is 4-1 in Bolsinger's past five. The over is 8-2 in the Rockies' past 10 vs. the NL West (entering Tuesday).
Early lean: Understand why the huge total with two young pitchers in Coors, but both have been pretty solid. Go under and Colorado.
Indians at Royals (+119, 7.5)
Cleveland ace Corey Kluber has become must-see TV these days -- if you like strikeouts. He completed a huge May by winning in Seattle last time out, striking out 13. Eight of the final nine outs recorded by Kluber came via strikeout. That was his third game of at least 12 whiffs in the month. He has 50 of them over 32 innings in his past four starts. Kluber is 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA in two starts this year against the Royals, but that was back when he was struggling. Mike Moustakas hits .481 off him with six extra-base hits in 27 at-bats. Eric Hosmer has three homers and 11 RBIs against Kluber in 30 at-bats. Royals lefty Jason Vargas (3-2, 5.16) is 2-0 with a 3.27 ERA in two starts against Cleveland in 2015. Nick Swisher is 5-for-18 with two homers off him. Yan Gomes is 4-for-10 with a homer.
Key trends: The Indians are 0-6 in Kluber's past six vs. the AL Central. The Royals are 1-5 in Vargas' past six during Game 2 of a series. The over is 5-1 in Kluber's past six vs. K.C. and Vargas' past six against Cleveland.
Early lean: Indians and under.
Mets at Padres (-147, 6.5)
New York's six-man rotation officially kicks in Wednesday with the return of right-hander Dillon Gee (0-2, 3.86) from the disabled list. That Gee got hurt helped the Mets in a way because it spurred them to promote Noah Syndergaard, and he's been great. Gee was sidelined with a groin problem. He hasn't faced San Diego this season. Justin Upton is 7-for-26 with two doubles and a homer off him. Matt Kemp is 2-for-5 with two RBIs. James Shields (6-0, 3.69) has been all the Padres could have asked for thus far. He has allowed three runs or fewer in all but two starts. This will be his first look at the Mets. Michael Cuddyer is 7-for-17 with a two doubles and a homer off him. Curtis Granderson hits only .119 with 14 strikeouts in 59 at-bats against Shields.
Key trends: The Mets are 12-3 in Gee's past 15 on Wednesday. San Diego is 5-1 in Shields' past six vs. teams with a winning record. The under is 5-0 in Gee's past five road starts vs. teams with a losing record.
Early lean: Padres and over.
