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Welcome back, RotoBallers! It was another great day of baseball on Saturday, and while some of the outcomes didn't go our way, it feels fantastic to have full slates of MLB games again. We get plenty of afternoon baseball on a great Sunday in July, and all of a sudden things are feeling right in the world again! Let's try to get back on the winning side of things on Sunday.
Steve Janik already got us started with two great betting articles to start the year, so this is where I pick up! All season long we'll be supplying you MLB betting articles with a few of our favorite picks for the day in baseball. Along with the picks, we'll give a little write-up with some supporting evidence for the picks, and we'll keep track of our records throughout the course of the season. You can always find my updated picks for the day as well as my running tally @BellRoto on Twitter. I'll also do my best to post my picks there on my "Off Days" for this series.
- Saturday, July 25: 2-4
- 2020 Season Total: 5-6
Without further ado, let's get to the picks for today's slate. Please make sure to follow me on Twitter @BellRoto, as I'll post any updates and/or additions to these picks there throughout the day. I'll also field any questions or comments on Twitter as well as in our Premium RotoBaller Slack Chat under the Sports Betting channel. Here we go!
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Colorado Rockies at Texas Rangers (-145)
O/U: 8.5
COL: Kyle Freeland, TEX: Corey Kluber
While the fractured arm injury does create a bit of a mystery as to what kind of Corey Kluber outing we'll see, I'm not going to over-think this one. Assuming the Klu-Bot is right, this is a enormous advantage for Texas on the mound, as the lefty Kyle Freeland was beat up bad for most of last season. The Rangers have plenty of strong righty hitters that can take advantage of a good lefty split. If Kluber can give them 6 strong innings, Texas can win this one easily.
Pick: Rangers ML (-145) 1 Unit
Arizona Diamondbacks at San Diego Padres (-125)
O/U: 8
ARZ: Zac Gallen, SD: Garrett Richards
Speaking of question marks at pitcher due to injury, enter Garrett Richards. The Padres made a move for the once-promising righty a couple of years ago with hopes that he'd be back on track for this season. We're going to see quickly if his velocity is still in tact for the long haul of a 100-pitch outing, and if he can avoid the long ball. Meanwhile, young stud Zac Gallen showed promise in Miami, and began sprouting at the end of last year after getting dealt to Arizona. The kid has some of the best stuff you haven't seen yet, and he should be able to pick up where left off at the end of last saeason: Dominating.
The new and improved Diamondbacks lineup should be able to get to Richards the second or third time around the order, and I think Gallen gives them 7 strong innings like he did against this same club in 2019. I'm so confident in Gallen's stuff and preparation for this spot that I'm upping this to a 2-unit play on the underdog!
Pick: ARZ ML (+105) 2 Units
Atlanta Braves (-112) at New York Mets
O/U: 9.5
ATL: Sean Newcomb, NYM: Rick Porcello
I don't feel nearly as confident in Sean Newcomb and the Braves as I do about Gallen and his Dbacks, but I am leaning that way on Sunday night. I have two main reasons for my pick. For one, Newcomb finally started showing his potential in the bullpen last season, and it sounds like Atlanta has spent a lot of time this offseason trying to get that to translate to a starting pitcher role. I always liked the lefty's stuff, so I'm siding with talent here in hopes that some good coaching has done him well.
Secondly, I am going to keep banking on these Braves bats to come alive, especially against a high-contact pitcher in Rick Porcello. There are too many dangerous sticks in the Atlanta lineup for them to continue to be in pitcher's duels. The extra innings barrage was great to see on Saturday (especially because it saved my 2-unit bet), but I'd love to see Acuna, Freeman, and the other fellas jump on Porcello early. One unit on the Braves for Sunday Night Baseball!
Pick: Braves ML (-112) 1 Unit
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