With the first week of June complete, the MLB schedule heats up with several match-ups which could be playoff previews. The Cardinals and Cubs do battle in the NL Central and highlight the weekend. Four other series will be examined as well.
St. Louis Cardinals versus Chicago Cubs
The St. Louis Cardinals head to Chicago to face the Cubs in this NL Central rivalry. The Cardinals are three games behind in the division, are 6-4 over their last ten and “burning hot”. The Cubs are a game behind in the division but are just 3-7 over their last ten and “ice cold up” on the Team Strength Oscillator. The Cardinals hold a +22 to +18 edge on the Power Ranking Indicator. Be careful when looking at the Cardinals favorite/underdog status because they are among the most unstable teams in the league according to the Team Volatility Oscillator. Best to avoid the “over/under” in this series since the teams are playing in games trending in opposite directions. Of the six scheduled starting pitchers, Cole Hamels is the best bet for the Cubs on Friday coming in at +1490 on the Pitcher Profit Oscillator. Adam Wainwright is at +1583 for the Cardinals on Saturday and Kyle Hendricks has the edge for Chicago on Sunday at +381. Look for the Cubs to win the series, taking two of three games.
New York Yankees versus Cleveland Indians
The Yankees travel to Cleveland in first in the AL East, while the Indians are a game under .500 and 11.5 games out in the AL Central. New York has won seven of their last ten, are “average”‘ on the Team Strength Oscillator and +26 on the Power Ranking Indicator. The Indians are just 4-6 over their last ten, “average down” and +16. The Yankees are among the most stable teams in the league, performing consistently with their favorite/underdog status. Both teams put runs on the board, so betting the “over” is a smart play. Masahiro Tanaka is the most profitable of the six scheduled starters this weekend at +1264. He goes up against the Indians Shane Bieber, who is at +623 on the Pitcher Profit Oscillator. Domingo German is also a good bet for the Yankees in Friday’s game. Cleveland will battle at home but the Yankees are too strong and will win two out of the three games.
Oakland A’s versus Texas Rangers
In this AL West showdown, the third-place A’s take on the second-place Rangers. The A’s have lost five straight, are “dead” on the Team Strength Oscillator and +14 on the Power Ranking Indicator. The Rangers are 6-4 over their last ten, “burning hot” and +21 on the Power Ranking Indicator. Both teams are involved in low scoring games lately, so betting the “under” is a safe play. Brett Anderson, Chris Bassitt and Daniel Mengden are scheduled to start for the A’s and Lance Lynn, Adrian Sampson and Mike Minor are set to pitch for the Rangers. Five of the six starters are in the red on the Pitcher Profit Oscillator. Give the edge to the Rangers at home, particularly with the A’s struggling. Go with the Rangers to win two of three.
Washington Nationals versus San Diego Padres
The Washington Nationals have gone 7-3 over their last ten to pull within 6.5 games in the NL East. They take on the Padres, who are two games above .500, third in the NL West. The Nationals are “burning hot”, although the Padres, despite being “ice cold down”, hold a +15 to +10 edge on the Power Ranking Indicator. Neither team is rated extremely high on the Team Volatility Oscillator, so consider favorite/underdog status carefully before betting. Best to avoid the “over/under” in this one since the teams are trending in opposite directions on the Totals Predictor. Max Scherzer is the best bet this weekend, going for the Nationals on Saturday, while Chris Paddock for the Padres is a solid bet on Sunday. The series could go either way, neither team will sweep. In a bit of a toss-up, pick the Padres because of home-field advantage.
Los Angeles Dodgers versus San Francisco Giants
The Dodgers are the hottest team in the league and hold a 16.5 game lead over the Giants in the NL West. Los Angeles holds a +29 to +3 advantage on the Power Ranking Indicator. Because of a two-game winning streak, the Giants are “burning hot” on the Team Strength Oscillator, however, they are just 3-7 over their last ten games. The Dodgers are also “burning hot”, having won nine of their last ten. Both teams are involved in high scoring games, so best the “over” for games in this series. Clayton Kershaw, Rich Hill and Walker Buehler are set to start for the Dodgers. Shawn Anderson, Jeff Samardzija and Madison Bumgarner and set to pitch for the Giants. Clearly the best team in the NL and possibly all of baseball, the Dodgers have a great chance of sweeping the Giants.
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