It’s the beginning of the weekend and there are some really juicy clashes to keep you entertained. Make sure you don’t miss out on watching any of these top matchups for the day, and if you like to make any extra buck doing it, then have a look below as our experts have analysed some of the best games and provided our picks.
Look below to find our free MLB Picks for the five best games on today’s schedule!
Kansas City Royals @ Toronto Blue Jays – 3.07PM ET
This Saturday afternoon game between the Kansas City Royals and the Toronto Blue Jays will be the second of a three game series. In the first game, the Blue Jays managed to get the win at home, 6-4.
Jesse Livermore
Although they finished with a 5-1 record after their last two home series against the Tigers and White Sox, I don’t think that the Royals are capable of continuing their solid form in Toronto on Saturday. The Blue Jays will be full of confidence now that they are playing their home games in Canada and they will have an advantage on the mound with Alex Manoah making his ninth start of the season.
Manoah has a 2-1 record and 2.90 ERA from 40.1 innings of action this season, while Kansas City’s Mike Minor will take a 5.32 ERA into this matchup. As well as that, Toronto are a top five scoring team in baseball this season and we like them to continue their offensive production at the Rogers Center in the second half of the year.
Jesse’s MLB Pick: Toronto Blue Jays (-225)
Tim Newton
While this preview was written before the series opener on Friday, I would be taking the Royals spread regardless of the result. Kansas City has won 8 of their last 9 games, including a 2-0 series win over the Brewers and 3-1 series win over the White Sox. The worry is that Toronto will have some wind under their sails and take advantage of Mike Minor starting on the mound, who has a 5.32 ERA, especially after returning home for the first time this season.
HANDS DOWN, the BEST way to end a game!
🐐 @santdr13 🐐 pic.twitter.com/TdKqBtOBsD
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) July 31, 2021
However, I’m expecting them to have a massive up in the opener and then be on the bottom of the roller coaster ride in this one. Kansas City are averaging five runs per game from their last 13 games and that should be good enough to compete with the very good Blue Jays offense.
Tim’s MLB Pick: Kansas City Royals +1.5 (-108)
Katherine Mouradian
The Blue Jays go into this second game clash with more confidence as they won the first game on Friday. But the Royals have had a really good month so far and actually were recently on a six game win streak, until a loss to the White Sox put that to bed. The Royals have won just 28 of their previous 90 when playing a team in the AL East, and have won four of their previous 14 second games of a series.
On the flip side, the Blue Jays have won six out of their last seven games on a Saturday and have also won 13 of their previous 18 when it comes to the second game of a series. I’m liking the look of the Blue Jays to get another win here at home.
Katherine’s MLB Pick: Toronto Blue Jays (-225)
Baltimore Orioles @ Detroit Tigers – 6.10PM ET
This Saturday evening clash between the Baltimore Orioles and the Detroit Tigers will be the third of a four game series. In the first game, the Tigers managed to draw first blood while playing at home, winning 6-2. The Orioles were then able to strike back in the second game, narrowly winning, 4-3.
Jesse Livermore
Although the Tigers have been one of the biggest surprises so far in the second half of the 2021 MLB regular season, I am going to take the Orioles on the road with John Means back on the mound for Baltimore. Means has completed two starts since making his return from left deltoid tightness, which saw him allow nine earned runs in 11.2 innings of action.
However, Means still owns a 4-3 record and 2.94 ERA in 2021 and I like him to get the better of the Tigers in Detroit on Saturday evening. Especially when considering that Matt Manning will be making his eighth start of the year for the Tigers and he will enter Saturday’s game with a 6.00 ERA so far this season.
Jesse’s MLB Pick: Baltimore Orioles (-106)
Tim Newton
Again, this preview is being made before the Friday game between the sides, and while I took Detroit in that one, Baltimore seems to be the play tonight. The Tigers have Matt Manning starting for this clash and his massive ERA of 6.00 should allow Baltimore to get on the board in this one.
The Orioles may not have a good offense, but that ERA is quite average and is more than enough to give the road team a shot of stealing this one. Depending on the value on offer, I’m happy to take the safe bet with Baltimore getting the runs in the spread.
Tim’s MLB Pick: Baltimore Orioles -1.5 (+158)
Katherine Mouradian
The teams come into this game winning one game a piece. If the Tigers can string together a few more wins that could do well enough to pop themselves up into the second position in the AL Central. Whereas the Orioles are in dead last in the AL East, and it’s going to be difficult for them to even move out of that position.
Looking at the stats, the Orioles have won just 22 of their previous 72 games on the road, and the over has hit 11 in the previous 15 Saturday games. The Tigers have won 19 of their previous 26 games at home, and the over has hit four times in the previous five games. I’ll be taking the over for this clash.
Katherine’s MLB Pick: Over 9 (-110)
Boston Red Sox @ Tampa Bay Rays – 6.10PM ET
This Saturday night clash between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays will be the second of a three game series. In the first game, the Rays were too good for the Red Sox at home, winning 7-3.
Jesse Livermore
Seeing as they possess the better lineup and superior starting pitcher in this matchup, I am going to take the Red Sox on the road on Saturday evening. Nathan Eovaldi has a 9-5 record and 3.49 ERA this season and the veteran right hander should give Boston an advantage at the mound with Ryan Yarbrough getting the start for Tampa Bay.
Yarbrough has been solid this season, bue the southpaw has conceded eight earned runs in his last two starts at home. As well as that, Boston has a top three scoring lineup this season and they have the best road record in the American League, 30-20.
Jesse’s MLB Pick: Boston Red Sox (-106)
Tim Newton
A clash between the two top sides in the AL East and I like the home team to get this one. With the prediction being written before their clash on Friday, Tampa Bay seems to be coming in with better momentum and will be at home, where they are 32-20.
Another big one tomorrow
Time to catch some Zs pic.twitter.com/dV09jXRjz3
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) July 31, 2021
While Boston’s starting pitcher is slightly better, Nathan Eovaldi is 9-5 with a 3.49 ERA compared to Ryan Yarbrough’s 6-4 record with a 4.38 ERA, Eovaldi is 0-2 from his last three starts on the road while Yarbrough is 2-1 from his last five starts at home. Boston may be the better side going in, but at home and with more to play for, Tampa comes out on top for me
Tim’s MLB Pick: Tampa Bay Rays (-110)
Katherine Mouradian
The Rays will have all the confidence going into this clash, seeing through they are at home and were able to get the job done against the Red Sox in the first game. All three games in this series have huge implications on the AL East ladder as both teams are on a similar season record and sit first and second.
The Red Sox seem to be struggling as of late on a Saturday and they haven’t won any of their previous four Satruday games. Whereas, the Rays have won 20 of their previous 27 games on a Saturday. But what I like is the under. The under has hit seven out of the Red Sox previous eight games overall and has hit in four out of the Rays previous five games overall.
Katherine’s MLB Pick: Under 8 (-104)
Milwaukee Brewers @ Atlanta Braves – 7.20PM ET
This Saturday evening clash between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Atlanta Braves will be the second of a three game series. In the first game, the Brewers were able to get the win away from home, 9-5.
Jesse Livermore
Although they are on the road for this matchup, I am going to take the Brewers over the Braves due to their advantage in the pitching matchup. Milwaukee will be sending Brandon Woodruff to the mound for his 21st start of the season.
The right hander has a 7-5 record and 2.14 ERA to go along with 146 strikeouts this year and he has held opponents to two earned runs or fewer in all but four starts in 2021. As well as that, Atlanta are just one game above .500 at home this season, while Milwaukee’s 33-18 record on the road is the best travelling record in baseball and I like them to improve on that on Saturday.
Jesse’s MLB Pick: Milwaukee Brewers (-154)
Tim Newton
With this prediction being made before the series opener on Friday, Milwaukee head into the series undefeated from their last six games on the road, with a massive combined score of 54-13 over that stretch. Those are some incredible numbers by the NL Central-leading Brewers and they have Brandon Woodruff starting, who is 7-5 with an ERA of 2.14.
However, he is 0-2 from his four starts in July and has allowed 10 runs and 20 hits from those game. On the other hand, Atlanta, at home, have Kyle Muller starting, who is just 2-3 on the season but has an ERA of only 2.55 and had a five innings shut-out in his last start. This is a tough one, but I like the home team to just get over the line in this matchup.
Tim’s MLB Pick: Atlanta Braves (+130)
Katherine Mouradian
Lots of people expected the Brewers to win on Friday, and that’s exactly what they did. There are a lot of stats that back up the top of the NL Central Brewers, including that they have won 28 of their previous 36 games when playing at team that has a losing record, and they have won 38 of their previous 52 games on a Saturday.
On the other hand, the Braves have only won two of their previous seven when it comes to the second game of a series. I think the Brewers will be able to get the job done quite comfortably on Saturday night.
Katherine’s MLB Pick: Milwaukee Brewers -1.5 (+116)
Colorado Rockies @ San Diego Padres – 8.40PM ET
This Saturday evening clash between the Colorado Rockies and the San Diego Padres will be the third of a four game series. In the first game, the Padres managed to get the win and keep the Rockies scoreless in the process, 3-0. In the second game, it was a fairly high scoring affair, with the Padres victorious once again, 9-4.
Jesse Livermore
Although he has struggled in his last three starts, I am going to take Yu Darvish to lead the Padres to a victory over the Rockies in San Diego on Saturday night. Even though he has allowed 12 earned runs in his last three starts, Darvish still boasts a 3.27 ERA in 2021.
Colorado will be starting German Marquez (3.54) on Saturday, who admittedly is having a solid season of his own, however seeing as the Rockies are on the road I can’t go past the Padres on Saturday. Colorado owns the league’s worst road record this season, 11-40, while San Diego’s 36 wins at Petco Park are the most of any team in baseball at home this season.
Jesse’s MLB Pick: San Diego Padres (-198)
Tim Newton
I think this is a pretty straightforward pick here. San Diego won the series opener 3-0 and with this prediction being made before the second game on Friday, I think they should be able to claim this. The Rockies are terrible on the road and I think it is a simple equation. If Colorado pulls one out on Friday then I expect the Padres to bounce back in this, and if San Diego wins on Friday then they should continue rolling on against a much weaker opponent.
Ok, we’ll bite… SLAM DIEGO 😤😏 pic.twitter.com/mtypSUnKzF
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) July 31, 2021
The worry is that Yu Darvish has been leaking runs lately, giving up 16 runs from his four starts in July and 8 runs from his last three home games. Especially with German Marquez starting for Colorado, who pitched a seven innings shutout last time he played them, July 10th. He has given up 7 runs in two games since then though, so I prefer the over in this matchup, and would take the Padres in the double if you are feeling risky.
Tim’s MLB Pick: Over 7 (-104)
Katherine Mouradian
Both the Padres and the Rockies have been struggling to get into any kind of consistency as of late, and the Padres really need to get some more wins under their belt if they want to stay in touch with the top two teams in the highly competitive NL West, with the Giants (64-38) and the Dodgers (62-42) ahead of them.
The Padres have 36 wins at home this year, which is actually the most out of any team in the division. On the flip side, the Rockies have only won 11 games on the road this season, which is the lowest out of any team in the division. Having won both the two opening games of this series as well, I think the Padres will be able to make it three from three.
Katherine’s MLB Pick: San Diego Padres (-198)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
