Baseball is back, sort of, and baseball bettors have lots of trends to consider. Or do they?
This abbreviated MLB season presents all kinds of challenges for players and fans, not to mention oddsmakers and bettors. Early in the season could be a prime time for some big underdog winners as oddsmakers get back in the swing of things.
Or maybe the same streaks and trends from 2019 will just continue. Either way, here are some betting trends and thoughts on the first three MLB games July 23-24.
LA Dodgers vs San Francisco Giants
When the 2019 season was closing, the Dodgers had been enjoying a dominant stretch against the rival Giants where San Fran scored just three runs in five head to head matchups. They were shut out three times in four games and managed a 1-0 victory in the fifth.
Will that trend hold up, nearly a full calendar year later? The Dodgers were also on a 9-3 SU run against the Giants as they head for Opening Day in the 2020 season. LA was also 13-3 last September against divisional foes.
Chicago White Sox vs Chicago Cubs
The Cubs hold a mild 9-4 SU edge in inter-league play vs their cross-town White Sox foes. And heading into this strangest of strange seasons, starting pitching is a question mark in both sides of Chicago.
If the Cubs are favored, beware the fact they lost their final nine games of 2019 as moneyline faves.
Washington Nationals vs New York Yankees
The Nationals won the World Series, rallying to beat the Houston Astros. It capped a season in which the Nats were 18-9 in inter-league games in 2019 and then 4-3 in the series.
Regardless of who the Nationals start on Opening Day, it’s going to be a struggle for Yankee bats. Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg were both awesome and Patrick Corbin would also be the No. 1 on many teams.
The Nationals are 17-3 in Scherzer’s last 20 starts, and 21-6 in Strasburg’s last 27. A lot of moneyline bets cashed. Gerrit Cole could be the guy for the Yankees and his team won 26 of his final 30 starts in 2019. Could be an UNDER regardless, but this is basically spring training after a nearly full year lay-off.