MLB Betting Guide for Tuesday, April 6
MLB Betting Guide for Tuesday, April 6
Tuesday’s slate of 14-games features a showcase of the top arms in the league and prime matchups for teams primed for hitting.
Check out a few games to target today.
Washington Nationals vs. Atlanta Braves Spread, Moneyline, Total, and Odds
Moneyline: Nationals -122 | Braves +104
Spread: Nationals -1.5
Total: 7.5
Odds to Win World Series: Nationals +3000 | Braves +1000
Odds courtesy of Fanduel Sportsbook. Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook today and get your first bet risk-free for up to $1,000.
Washington Nationals vs. Atlanta Braves, Analysis, and Picks
Probables: Max Scherzer (Nationals) vs. Drew Smyly (Braves)
Projected Lineup
The Washington Nationals will make their season debut Tuesday after several players were ruled out before Opening Day due to the league’s COVID-19 protocol.
Starting for the Nationals will be ace Max Scherzer. Scherzer has been a dominant force on the mound, and last season in 12 starts, posted a 5-4 record, with a 3.46 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and a 32.1% K rate and remains among the top in the league in Call Strikes + Whiff % (CSW%), with 32.1% last season.
Using mainly a four-pitch mix of fastball (46%), which averages 95 miles per hour, slider (19%), changeup (16%) and cutter (10%), his slider resulted in a 30.1% PutAway rate and a 50.4% Whiff Rate.
Scherzer is likely to face the Braves power bats of Ronald Acuna Jr., Ozzie Albies, Freddie Freeman and Marcell Ozuna at the top of the order. Acuna has had the most success against Scherzer, with a .294 batting average, going 5-17 with six strikeouts.
The Nationals bats will have to give Scherzer plenty of run support to stay competitive. The team will reportedly be without the recently acquired Kyle Schwarber and Josh Harrison, who are among the Nationals players who are quarantining. Expect the Nationals to deploy Victor Robles, Juan Soto, Trea Turner and Josh Bell at the top of the order. Keep an eye on Starlin Castro making his way into the lineup. Castro is 3-5 against Braves starting pitcher Drew Smyly.
As a member of the San Francisco Giants last season, Smyly posted a 0-1 record, starting seven games. He posted a 3.42 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and a 37.8% K rate. He should keep the ball on the ground, especially with the 68-degree temperature are first pitch and a career 36% ground ball rate. Smyly uses a three-pitch mix of fastball (46%), curveball (37%) and cutter (18%), with his curveball resulting in a 36% PutAway % last season.
Expect Scherzer to continue his dominance on the mound, with the Nationals securing their first win of the season (-122).
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Boston Red Sox Spread, Moneyline, Total, and Odds
Moneyline: Rays -158 | Red Sox +134
Spread: Rays -1.5
Total: 9
Odds to Win World Series: Rays +2500 | Red Sox +5500
Odds courtesy of Fanduel Sportsbook. Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook today and get your first bet risk-free for up to $1,000.
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Red Sox News, Analysis, and Picks
Probables: Tyler Glasnow (Rays) vs. Martin Perez (Red Sox)
Projected Lineup
Tampa Bay will look to bounce back after an 11-2 loss in the series opener Monday against the Boston Red Sox. Starter Michael Wacha pitched five innings, giving up five runs on eight hits during the 90 pitch outing.
Tyler Glasnow will make his second start of the season against the Boston Red Sox after a six-inning, one-hit performance against the Miami Marlins, throwing 77 pitches with six strikeouts. His calling card is his flame-throwing fastball, which he throws 57% of the time, averaging 97 MPH. Aside from his fastball, he relies on a curveball, which he throws 36% of the time, which last season resulted in a 36% PutAway%. Last season, he also led the league among starters with a 28.6% PutAway%.
Glasnow should face a Red Sox lineup featuring JD Martinez, Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers in the 3-4-5 spots of the lineup, with Martinez seeing the most success against Glasnow. In nine at-bats, Martinez has three hits and three strikeouts. Last night, Martinez hit a grand slam in the eighth inning, going 2-3 on the night with two eights and two walks.
The Rays are expected to face Martin Perez, who, in his first season with the Red Sox, started 12 games, posting a 3-5 record, with a 4.50 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 17.6% K rate. In his first start of the season, he pitched four innings in a 13-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles, giving up six runs on nine hits, throwing 82 pitches.
The lefty depends on a four-pitch mix of fastball (33%), cutter (32%), changeup (26%) and curve (95), with his four-seamer responsible for a 24% Whiff%, averaging 92 MPH. He is expected to face a Rays lineup of Austin Meadows, Joey Wendle, Yoshi Tsutsugo and Brandon Lowe at the top of the order. Keep an eye on Brandon Lowe and Yandy Diaz if they appear in the lineup. Lowe is 2-5 against Perez, and Diaz is 5-15 against Perez.
Look for another stellar performance from Glasnow, with run support from the Rays’ power bats, in a game that looks to hit the over (9).