It’s a weird way to start the week, as we’ve got little to look at for Monday but plenty coming later in the week. We’ll have a full week of college football starting Thursday (plus a podcast), plus World Cup qualifiers (look for that podcast too), so there’s going to be plenty of action.
For now, we’ll try to get some extra money to have some fun with during that sports betting feast. Here are my best bets for August 30.
RAYS, -140
I’m not overthinking this one. Tampa Bay has won five straight against Boston at home and comes in as winners of 11 of its past 12. Granted, it helps when you get to keep playing the Orioles (seven of those 11 wins were against Baltimore), but wins are wins regardless of who they come against. The Red Sox are in a real dogfight to try to get themselves ahead of the Yankees, but the ship appears to have sailed on the AL East. So far, the Rays have made me look brilliant with my midseason pick on them to take the AL East, and I think they continue that march here.
PHILLIES, -130
The Phils aren’t licked yet, and they get the opponent they need to get back in the race. Washington has been a raging disaster ever since selling off every bit of proven major league talent it could, and the Phillies swept the Nationals here the last time they were in the District. The Phillies’ schedule down the stretch is incredibly soft, as they face a team with a winning record only six times, and three of those are Atlanta. It’s time to ride Philadelphia to the finish line.
BREWERS, -130
Corbin Burnes isn’t tossing two bad games in a row. The Giants continue to find ways to win, but this isn’t a situation where I want to touch San Francisco. Even if the Giants are at home and Johnny Cueto is having a brief resurrection after appearing to be out of bullets a couple weeks ago, Milwaukee is still the team with better pitching. When you’ve got the better pitcher at Oracle Park, you’re 80 percent of the way to a victory.
MARINERS, +140
At this point, Moneyline Monday might as well be called Mariner Monday, because Seattle has been sizzling on Mondays. The M’s have won six straight on Monday, and they send Chris Flexen to the mound to try to close the gap on Houston in the AL West. With the Yankees and Red Sox pulling away in the wild card chase, Seattle needs to be thinking sweep here. Luis Garcia has been luckless against Seattle, as the Astros are 0-2 against the Mariners with him starting.
