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Hey there, RotoBallers, it's Thunder Dan and I am back with some of my favorite MLB bets for Thursday, September 22nd, 2022. Games are all spread out today with a handful of contests in the afternoon and early evening, so make sure you are paying attention to the start times before betting.
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Today's MLB Betting Picks - Seattle Mariners @ Oakland Athletics
O/U: 7 | Moneyline: SEA -230
SEA: George Kirby| OAK: Adrian Martinez
This season George Kirby has faced the Athletics three times and is 1-0 against them with a 2.50 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 18 innings. His last start of those three was the most impressive as he went 7 innings in that one allowing only one run on two hits and a walk while whiffing nine.
Kirby has been the best pitcher on this staff down the stretch (yes, you heard me Robbie Ray) and is blossoming into the ace that the Mariners hoped he could be. He's lowered his season-long ERA to 2.98 and his WHIP to 1.12. He hasn't walked more than one hitter in any start in over two months and he simply continues to get results.
This Oakland team can be pesky, but I like Kirby's chances of keeping their bats at bay. Meanwhile, the Seattle lineup will face Martinez who just served up four home runs in his last start to the Astros. He's now allowed 11 ER in his last two starts and it's pretty clear that he's nothing more than a Triple-A talent that is only out there because Oakland simply doesn't have any other options. I expect Seattle to score enough runs to cover this run line they may only need 3 or 4 with how well Kirby is pitching.
Pick: SEA -1.5 (-135), DraftKings Sportsbook
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Today's MLB Betting Picks - Cleveland Guardians @ Chicago White Sox
O/U: 7 | Moneyline: CLE -135
CLE: Shane Bieber | CHW: Johnny Cueto
On to the evening games and another potential pitching mismatch where the odds don't seem to reflect it as much as you'd think. The Guardians took it to the White Sox last night with an 8-2 beatdown as Triston McKenzie whiffed 13 and the Cleveland bats got to Lance Lynn.
Now Cleveland gets to hand the ball to their ace, Shane Bieber, to try to complete the sweep of Chicago and put a little more distance between them and their AL Central foes in the playoff race. Meanwhile, Chicago has to rely on Johnny Cueto. Now, don't get me wrong, Cueto's revival this season and reinvention of himself has been pretty impressive, but he's simply no longer an elite pitcher at this stage of his career. He has been effective as a groundball pitcher and has been eating innings all year and keeping his team in games, but he's also prone to getting hit around when he doesn't have his best stuff or can't locate.
Cueto's last outing against the Guardians was excellent, but he got hit pretty hard the start before that. And he just gave up five earned runs in his last start to...Oakland. Bieber, on the other hand, has been stellar down the stretch for Cleveland, allowing more than one earned run just once in his last six starts.
I look for Bieber to dominate here and for this opportunistic Cleveland offense to give him some solid run support. Cleveland strikes out the least of any team in the majors and that should play well against Cueto, who pitches to contact more than he ever used to.
Cleveland rolls here and finishes off the sweep, which could end up being the final dagger in the White Sox playoff hopes as they move to six games ahead of them in the AL Central.
Pick: CLE ML (-135), DraftKings Sportsbook
Good luck, RotoBallers! Stay tuned for more great DFS and betting content throughout the week!
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