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Look below to find our free MLB Picks for the five best games on today’s schedule!
Boston Red Sox @ Minnesota Twins – 2.10PM ET
In the wake of a fatal police shooting in a nearby Minneapolis suburb on Sunday, the Minnesota Twins announced that Monday’s baseball game against the Boston Red Sox was postponed out of concern for the safety of fans and players.
The two clubs are expected to return to the field on Tuesday, as the Twins are currently placed third in the AL Central division with a 5-4 record and the Red Sox are sitting on top of the AL East division with a 6-3 record.
Given Monday’s postponement, neither side’s record has changed since yesterday’s write-up, which means the Twins enter this matchup having dropped their two most recent games against the Mariners, while the Red Sox are coming in with six wins from their past six games.
Tuesday’s encounter will feature some of the best hitters in the league, as Minnesota’s Nelson Cruz and Byron Buxton will go head to head against Boston’s J.D Martinez.
Cruz’s four home runs this season are the equal second most in the league, while Buxton is one of four players to have hit five homers to start the season. Buxton is also hitting at the second highest batting average in the league (.481), while also leading the league in on plate percentage (1.734).
The #MNTwins issued the following statement regarding the decision to postpone today’s scheduled game against the Red Sox. pic.twitter.com/7U1S2P928j
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) April 12, 2021
Like Buxton, Boston’s J.D Martinez is an early season MVP candidate and is one of four players with five home runs so far this season. Martinez is batting at .427 (fourth in the league) to go along with 16 RBIs (first in the league) and 17 hits (equal first in the league).
Although the Red Sox are on a six game winning streak, the Twins will be playing at home and will enter Tuesday’s clash with the equal-third best ERA and the fourth best WHIP in the league, compared to Boston being 16th and 19th respectively.
This advantage at the mound should ensure Minnesota walk away victorious.
MLB Pick – Minnesota Twins (-154)
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Seattle Mariners @ Baltimore Orioles (Game 1) – 4.05PM ET
As was the case for Boston @ Minnesota, Monday’s clash between Seattle and Baltimore was postponed. However this was due to a 90-minute rain delay and a forecast predicting more inclement weather in store for the Baltimore area.
As a result, the two teams are now set to play a doubleheader on Tuesday at Camden Yards.
Currently with a 5-4 record, the Mariners are one game above .500 thanks to a pair of victories from their two most recent games against the Twins. Seattle outscored Minnesota 12-9 in the two matches.
However, the Mariners recently lost first string pitcher James Paxton to a serious forearm injury.
Similarly, the Orioles will enter Tuesday’s encounter having lost their past three games after being swept by Boston in Baltimore.
In Sunday’s loss, Baltimore rallied from a 9-1 deficit after five innings, to a 10-7 scoreline, before Boston finished the game as winners, 14-9. Ryan McKenna (two runs) and Maikel Franco (run, four RBI) each had two hits in the game for the Orioles. Franco (his first) and Trey Mancini (his second) each homered in a losing effort.
With Seattle looking to replace Paxton in their rotation and the Orioles handing the ball to Means (their first string pitcher), we like the Orioles to capitalise on their advantage at the mound in this matchup and think that they’ll return to the winners list in Baltimore on Tuesday.
MLB Pick – Baltimore Orioles (TBD)
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Philadelphia Phillies @ New York Mets (Game 1) – 4.10PM ET
The weather on the east coast claimed another victim on Monday, as the Phillies and Mets game was postponed due to rain. As a result, Philadelphia and New York will lock horns for a double header on Tuesday.
The Mets season has already been plagued with postponements, having only played five games entering Tuesday’s encounter. New York have managed just two wins in that time, one of which was against the Phillies.
Taijuan Walker will make his second start for the season on Tuesday after an impressive Mets debut that saw him only allow two runs in six innings against the Marlins.
Philadelphia currently have a 2-1 lead over the Mets from their three games in 2021.
The Phillies caught a lucky break from their most recent game against the Braves on Sunday Night Baseball, as Alec Bohm appeared not to touch the plate on replay review after a sacrifice fly ball in the ninth. The error resulted in a Phillies victory.
Aaron Nola, 93mph Fastball and 81mph Knuckle Curve, individual pitches + overlay (with a stop) pic.twitter.com/nAygJSGBct
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 7, 2021
After restricting the Braves to only two runs in 6.2 innings and allowing just one run in four innings against the Mets, Aaron Nola will make his third start for the season, currently with a 2.53 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP through two starts.
The Mets have struggled to find any offensive consistency this season due to their multiple postponements, as New York have scored three runs or fewer in four of their five games this season.
Combined with the fact that Nola has only allowed three runs in his 10.2 innings of work this year (including only one run against the Mets in his previous start in a game), we can’t go past Philadelphia to win this one on the road.
MLB Pick – Philadelphia Phillies (TBD)
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San Diego Padres @ Pittsburgh Pirates – 6.35PM ET
In what has the makings to be one of the most lopsided matches of the MLB season to date, the Pittsburgh Pirates will host the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night.
With four wins from their past four games, the Padres are in a rich vein of form. San Diego began their streak by sweeping the Texans (including two shutout victories) and most recently added their fourth win by defeating the Pirates on Monday.
San Diego won Monday’s matchup 6-2 thanks to a two run performance from Manny Machado from his four at bats.
As a result of the victory, the Padres joined the Dodgers as the only eight win teams in the MLB. Contrastingly, Monday’s loss was Pittsburgh’s seventh of the season.
The Pirates have three wins from their six games against the Chicago Cubs this year. However, Pittsburgh have an 0-4 record from their remaining games against the Reds and Pirates, having been outscored 36-10 in that time.
Pittsburgh will start Chad Kuhl on Tuesday who admittedly has struggled through his two starts this season, allowing seven runs in seven innings. Whereas, Blake Snell will make his third start of the season for San Diego, still looking for his first win in a Padres’ uniform. Snell has only given up six hits and owns a 1.86 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP through two starts.
Given their advantage at the mound, superior lineup and undeniably better form, San Diego are the only rational pick for this game, continuing their hot start to the season.
MLB Pick – San Diego Padres (-255)
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Cincinnati Reds @ San Francisco Giants – 9.45PM ET
The Reds will host the Giants for the second time in as many days after Cincinnati held San Francisco scoreless in their most recent game on Monday.
Cincinnati’s lineup was one of the hottest teams in baseball through the first week of the 2021 season, averaging 9.5 runs per game in their opening 5-1 stretch at home. Although the scoring rate has dried up to an extent, the wins have not, as the Reds are now 7-3 after their victory on Monday.
Prior to Monday’s encounter, the Giants were sitting just 1.5 games behind the Dodgers for the number one spot in the NL West division, having won four straight games.
However, having recently been shutout by Cincinnati in a 3-0 loss, San Francisco will be looking to return to the winners list in the final two games of their set at home to remain above .500.
The Reds have been one of the best offensive teams in the first week and a half of the season, averaging 7.33 runs per game. While the San Francisco Giants have had one of the best pitching rotations to start the season, giving up just 2.89 runs per game.
Hi, our name is the Cincinnati Reds and we hit DINGERS. pic.twitter.com/37bYPhNbZw
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) April 7, 2021
However, Cincinnati have the advantage in this matchup due to the Giants lineup struggles, currently ranked 24th in runs scored per game (3.44) and 27th in hits per game (6.56).
Given that the Reds defeated the Giants in their most recent encounter and will be welcoming back their Opening Day pitcher, we can’t go past Cincinnati to get a second win in San Francisco on Tuesday, getting the better of the Giants struggling offense.
MLB Pick – Cincinnati Reds (-116)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
