Monday offers 9 MLB matchups on the board with plenty of betting opportunities to build our bankrolls.
There’s still plenty of value to be found in the early going of the season as sports books adjust to slow or fast starts by teams.
Going against a good pitcher that’s struggling is usually a good trend to follow until they get it together.
Below is a few top free MLB baseball picks and analysis for Monday, April 29th, 2019 from our expert handicappers.
Click on a handicapper’s name for more top rated plays, subscriptions, season packages and handicapping records.
Jimmy Boyd
St. Louis Cardinals @ Washington Nationals
Monday, April 29 ’19, 7:05 PM ET
Love the value here with Washington as a pretty small home favorite in Monday’s series opener against the Cardinals. I get St Louis has won 7 of their last 8, while the Nationals have dropped 6 of their last 9, but this is all about the starting pitching matchup.
I believe the Nationals have a huge edge on the mound in this one. Washington will send out Pat Corbin, who has shown that last year’s breakout campaign was no fluke.
Corbin has a 2.48 ERA and 0.918 WHIP in 5 starts. He’s got a 1.74 ERA and 0.822 WHIP in 3 home starts and has struck out 26 hitters in his last 20 2/3 innings of work.
St Louis will send out Michael Wacha, who has pitched well in 3 of his 4 starts. However, Wacha is coming off the DL, as he hasn’t thrown in almost 2 weeks.
I like to fade starters in the first game back off a long layoff, especially on the road against a talented team like the Nationals.
Pick: Nationals (-135) at GTBets
Mike Lundin
Oakland A’s @ Boston Red Sox
Monday, April 29 ’19, 7:10 PM ET
The Oakland Athletics suffered a three-game sweep at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays over the weekend. I like them to put an end to the losing streak here in the opener of a three-game series with Boston Red Sox Monday night.
The A’s have won seven of the last nine head-to-head meetings and they’re 6-2 right-hander Frankie Montas (4-1, 3.10 ERA) last eight road starts. Montas is 3-0 with a 3.50 ERA in his last three outings and owns a solid 26/8 K/BB ratio over 29 innings of work this season.
The Red Sox suffered a pair of losses to the Rays over the weekend. Tonight they hand the ball to Eduardo Rodriguez (2-2, 5.88 ERA) who has lowered his ERA significantly since an abysmal start to the season, but he has still struggled with his command lately as well as the long ball.
Rodriguez gave up three free passes through six innings against the Tigers last time out, which was his first outing without serving a home run this season.
Rodriguez last faced the A’s on April 4 when he was tagged with six runs on eight hits in just 3 2/3 frames of a 7-3 loss. All in all, good value on the visitors.
Pick: A’s (+127) at Pinnacle
Rob Vinciletti
Colorado Rockies @ Milwaukee Brewers
Monday, April 29 ’19, 7:40 PM ET
The Brewers are 10-0 at home off a road game and have won 6 of 7 in the series with Colorado. Milwaukee is 7-2 at home vs losing teams and Colorado has lost 8 of 12 as a dog in this range and 4 of 5 vs N.L. Central teams.
Freeland for the Rockies is 0-4 in road April starts ands 1-3 as a road dog.
Daves for Milwaukee is 5-1 vs losing teams and has won 5 of 6 with 5 days rest.
From the database we see that home favorites that scored 4 or less runs with 5+ hits in a road dog loss have won 18 of 23 vs a team off a +140 or higher road dog loss that scored 5 or more runs like the Rockies.
Look for milwaukee to take the opener.
Pick: Brewers (-111) at Bookmaker
Jack Jones
Tampa Bay Rays @ Kansas City Royals
Monday, April 29 ’19, 8:15 PM ET
The Tampa Bay Rays are proving to be one of the best teams in baseball this season. They are 18-9 and outscoring opponents by 1.6 runs per game, including 9-2 on the road and outscoring them by 2.8 runs per game.
The Kansas City Royals certainly are one of the worst teams in baseball. They are 9-19 on the season and getting outscored by 0.8 runs per game.
Brad Keller faced the Rays earlier this season on April 22nd, and he gave up 5 earned runs in 6 1/3 innings of a 6-3 loss.
The Rays simply own the Royals, too. They are 10-1 in their last 11 meetings with Kansas City. Tampa Bay is 10-3 in Ryan Stanek’s last 13 starts.
The Rays are 46-20 in their last 66 games overall. The Royals are 8-44 in their last 52 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600. Bet the Rays Monday.
Pick: Rays (-136) at 5Dimes
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