A full MLB betting card is on tap for Tuesday night with all 30 teams in action.
Below is featured free MLB baseball plays and analysis for Tuesday, June 4th, 2019 from our expert handicappers.
Click on a handicapper’s name for more top rated plays, subscriptions, season packages and handicapping records.
Stephen Nover
Chicago White Sox @ Washington Nationals
Tuesday, June 4 ’19, 7:05 PM ET
It has taken two months, but the Nationals are finally rounding into form winning seven of their last nine games. A key for the Nationals is a return to health of a number of key batters.
The danger with backing the Nationals – who are averaging 6.5 runs during their last nine games – is their horrible middle and setup relief pitching and Dave Martinez, who I regard as the worst manager in the majors. Those negatives should be overcome by the Nationals hosting the White Sox and going with Stephen Strasburg. I can’t lay the asking price, so I’ll take a shot on the run line laying 1 1/2 runs at greatly reduced juice.
The White Sox just concluded a 6-1 homestand. Prior to that, though, they were outscored 26-5 by the Twins in their last three road games. The White Sox’s last nine defeats have all been by more than one run. Chicago is 6-21 in its last 27 interleague road games.
The White Sox are going with Reynaldo Lopez, who is pitching against his former team. The flip side to Lopez’s obvious extra motivation is the Nationals know him while the current White Sox are unfamiliar with Strasburg.
Lopez is 3-5 with a 6.20 ERA. He has been at his worst on the road where his ERA is 7.78. The White Sox have lost in his last five road starts. Lopez is in bad current form, too, allowing 13 earned runs in his last two starts spanning 9 1/3 innings.
By contrast, Strasburg has a 2.05 ERA in his last three starts. Strasburg has allowed two earned runs or less in seven of his last eight starts. He is an elite pitcher especially when pitching at Nationals Park. Washington is 29-10 (74 percent) in Strasburg’s last 39 home starts versus sub .500 teams.
Pick: Nationals -1.5 Runs (-118) at Pinnacle
Mike Lundin
Tampa Bay Rays @ Detroit Tigers
Tuesday, June 4 ’19, 7:10 PM ET
The Tampa Bay Rays had won six straight games before suffering three losses to Minnesota over the weekend.
“There’s going to be good series and bad series,” Rays catcher Mike Zunino told MLB.com. “Obviously (the Twins) are one of the best clubs in baseball. We’re getting some guys healthy coming back. All we’ve got to do is take this off-day (on Monday), reset and get ready for Detroit.”
I expect the Rays to be well motivated for this one and looking to take full advantage of a Detroit Tigers side who’s 22-34 record is among the worst in baseball.
Left-hander Blake Snell (3-4, 3.06 ERA) will take the ball for Tampa Bay. He tossed six innings of two-run ball against Toronto last time out and has four quality starts in his last five outings. During that stretch, Snell has 42 strikeouts against just six walks over 30 1/3 innings of work. Snell has the current Tigers roster limited to three hits over 20 at-bats.
The Tigers counter with 28-year-old southpaw Ryan Carpenter (0-2, 7.58 ERA) for his fifth start of the season. Carpenter has served up six homers in his 19 innings on the mound.
This will be the second time this season the Rays close as a road favorite of -200 or more; the first game, back on May 3, they beat the Orioles 7-0 and a similar scoreline tonight would not surprise me.
Pick: Rays -1.5 Runs (-160) at Pinnacle
Jimmy Boyd
San Francisco Giants @ New York Mets
Tuesday, June 4 ’19, 7:10 PM ET
I really like the Mets at home in a showdown of two struggling aces, as Noah Syndergaard faces off against Madison Bumgarner. While the Mets have cooled off after a strong start and are 3-games under .500, they are a very strong 15-9 at home this season.
Also, while New York only managed 1 run in their most recent game, they have scored 5 or more in 11 of their last 14 overall. San Fran is just 2-4 in Bumgarner’s 6 road starts and that includes a loss at Miami to the lowly Marlins in his last start.
Syndergaard is coming off a strong start at LA, where he limited the Dodgers to just 3 runs in 6 innings. Synergaard has been really good in 3 of his last 4 and owns a 2.38 ERA and 0.864 WHIP in 6 career starts against the Giants. Take New York!
Pick: Mets (-128) at 5Dimes
Jack Jones
Oakland Athletics @ Los Angeles Angels
Tuesday, June 4 ’19, 10:07 PM ET
The Los Angeles Angels return home from a tough eight-game road trip. They have really been swinging some hot bats of late, scoring at least 5 runs in seven of their last nine games overall. Look for that to continue against the Oakland A’s tonight.
The A’s have now lost five straight coming in. They have been one of the most streaky teams in baseball this season. Frankie Montas is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in two starts against the Angels this year, so the Angels are familiar with him, which is an advantage for them.
Griffin Canning is one of the top young prospects in baseball. He is off to a tremendous start to his rookie season, going 2-1 with a 3.06 ERA and 0.959 WHIP in six starts. That includes a 1-0 record and a 2.20 ERA and 0.857 WHIP in three home starts.
The Angels are 16-5 in their last 21 home games vs. a team with a losing road record. Los Angeles is 36-17 in its last 53 games vs. a team with a losing record. The Angels are 18-7 in their last 25 home meetings with the A’s. Bet the Angels Tuesday.
Pick: Angels (-107) at 5Dimes
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