Happy Hump-Day baseball fans! Check out our free moneyline picks for this Wednesday’s MLB action!
Look below to find our free MLB Picks for the five best games on today’s schedule!
Chicago White Sox @ Minnesota Twins – 1.10PM ET
The division leading Chicago White Sox will look to extend their lead atop the AL Central when they head to Minnesota to take on the Twins for the final match of their three game series on Wednesday afternoon.
Although Chicago had won the four previous games between these two teams heading into Tuesday’s match, Minnesota tied this series at one game a piece thanks to a 5-4 victory.
The White Sox led 4-0 at the bottom of the fourth and 4-2 at the bottom of the eighth, before the Twins scored three runs in the final two innings to steal the victory. Miguel Sano hit three home runs for four RBIs in Tuesday’s win, while Jorge Polanco hit a walk off single at the bottom of the ninth.
Miguel Sano has 3 HRs in one game 😨
(via @mlb)pic.twitter.com/e5EAjRZdLz
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) May 19, 2021
Lucas Giolito will be looking to turn around his rough start to the season when he takes the ball for Chicago on Wednesday. In eight starts this yeer, Giolito has a 2-4 record, 4.97 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP after giving up five runs in six innings against the Royals in his last outing.
Similarly, Matt Shoemaker will take the ball for Minnesota on Wednesday with a 2-4 record from seven starts this season. Having allowed five runs, including three home runs, in six innings against the Athletics in his last start, Shoemaker’s ERA sits at 6.62 heading into Wednesday’s clash.
In terms of a win-loss record, these two teams could not be faring any differently. Minnesota are 3-7 in their past 10, while Chicago are 7-3 their past 10, including four victories over the Twins in that time.
Seeing as the White Sox have scored 46 runs against the Twins in their five games so far this season and Giolito will give them an advantage at the mound, we like Chicago to wrap up a second consecutive series victory against Minnesota on Wednesday.
MLB Pick – Chicago White Sox (-148)
Spread Pick – Unlock Premium Picks
Total Runs Pick – Unlock Premium Picks
San Francisco Giants @ Cincinnati Reds – 6.40PM ET
The Reds and Giants will continue their four game series in Cincinnati on Wednesday for the pivotal third game in their head to head set.
As a result of Tuesday 4-2 victory, the Giants took a 2-0 lead over the Reds in their four game series. Led by Anthony DeSclafani, San Francisco’s pitching staff one again steered them to a victory. DeSclafani struck-out seven Reds batters and allowed just one earned run in seven innings with the ball.
Alex Dickerson made the offensive play of the day, clubbing a three run homer at the top of the fourth to give the Giants an unassailable two run lead.
Wade Miley will take the ball for the Reds in this matchup. Although he threw five scoreless frames against the Giants on April 12, Miley (3.29 ERA) is coming off a poor performance in his last start, having allowed eight runs on 11 hits across three innings.
San Francisco will be advantaged at the mound on Wednesday with Kevin Gausman getting the start for the Giants. Gausman has thrown at least six innings in his eight starts this season, striking out a career-high 12 batters in his last outing. The right hander is 3-0 with a 1.84 ERA this year and he has been best starter in the league’s fourth best pitching staff (team ERA of 3.28).
Ranking fourth in the major league for runs scored and batting average, Cincinnati have been one of the league’s best offensive teams so far this year. However, as damaging as their lineup can be, the Reds have struggled to find consistency with the bat.
Seeing as Gausman is putting up Cy Young caliber numbers and he will be supported by the league’s fourth pitching staff, we like the Giants to win this one on the road. Cincinnati have been poor with the ball this season and they are just too inconsistent with the bat to pick in this matchup.
MLB Pick – San Francisco Giants (-134)
Spread Pick – Unlock Premium Picks
Total Runs Pick – Unlock Premium Picks
Tampa Bay Rays @ Baltimore Orioles – 7.05PM ET
The Baltimore Orioles will host the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night for the second game in this series between the two AL East rivals.
Tampa Bay started their series in Baltimore with a bang, piling on 10+ runs for the second time in three matches during their 13-6 victory.
Brett Phillips and Austin Meadows both clubbed three run homer runs at the top of the second to give the Rays a 6-0 lead, before Mike Zunino hit a pair of two run homers in the third and fifth innings to extend Tampa Bay’s lead. Ji-man Choi joined the party in the eighth, hitting a two run homer of his own.
Matt Harvey took the loss with the ball for Baltimore, having allowed six earned runs on seven hits in just 1.2 innings at the mound.
Enjoy all 113 pitches and 27 outs from John Means’ no-hitter: pic.twitter.com/5Ty8z7mi8C
— BMOREcenter (@BMOREcenter) May 6, 2021
Tampa Bay has not announced its starter for this game, however the Rays do not have a pitcher in their bullpen that will give them the starting advantage at the mound on Wednesday, as Baltimore is giving John Means the ball for his ninth start of the year.
Wednesday will be Means’ second start since throwing a no-hitter on May 5th, as the left hander threw six shutout innings against the Mets in his last outing. Means is 4-0 this season with 53 strikeouts, while his 1.21 ERA and 0.71 WHIP are both the second best in the league.
As the Rays are likely going with a bullpen day of sorts, we are going to take the Orioles at home as underdogs. Although Tampa Bay have been scoring well recently, Baltimore is sending the AL’s ERA leader to the mound. Means has led the Orioles to a 6-1 record from his last seven quality starts, and although Baltimore’s struggling offense will likely see this one go down to the wire, we like the O’s to put a winnable score against the Rays on a bullpen day.
MLB Pick – Baltimore Orioles (TBD)
Spread Pick – Unlock Premium Picks
Total Runs Pick – Unlock Premium Picks
New York Mets @ Atlanta Braves – 7.20PM ET
The Mets and the Braves will wrap up their three game set in Atlanta on Wednesday, as New York are looking to complete a sweep against their NL East Rivals.
As a result of their most recent 4-3 victory over the Braves on Tuesday, the Mets have taken a 2-0 lead in this series heading into game three on Wednesday.
Jonathan Villar’s two run homer at the top of the third gave New York an early 2-0 lead on Tuesday. The Mets held onto their lead until Atlanta’s Marcell Ozuna tied the game 3-3 at the bottom of the eighth. However, Tomas Nido hit a go ahead home run at the top of the ninth to give the Mets a 4-3 lead.
New York have now held their opponents to three runs or fewer in nine of their past 12 games.
Neither New York’s David Peterson (4.86 ERA) nor Atlanta’s Charlie Morton will give their side a drastic advantage at the mound in this matchup, meaning the team with the stronger rotation and lineup will more than likely win this encounter.
Although they possess lots of firepower with the bat, Atlanta have ultimately struggled offensively this season, hitting at just .226 as a team for the season (22nd in the league).
As the Mets are batting at a higher average and will be supporting Peterson with the third ranked team ERA in baseball (3.23), we like New York to win Wednesday’s game and wrap up a series sweep over their divisional rivals.
MLB Pick – New York Mets (TBD)
Spread Pick – Unlock Premium Picks
Total Runs Pick – Unlock Premium Picks
New York Yankees @ Texas Rangers – 8.05PM ET
The Yankees and Rangers will continue their midweek set on Wednesday with game three of their four game series in Texas.
New York’s 7-4 victory over the Ranger’s on Tuesday has resulted in the Yankees tying this four game series at 1-1 heading into game three on Wednesday.
Although Texas broke out to a 3-0 lead by the bottom of the third on Tuesday, New York took the lead back in the fourth after piling on five runs to zero.
Round ’em in.#SquadUp pic.twitter.com/6gnXIGV7sf
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 19, 2021
Corey Kluber will make his ninth start of the year for New York on Wednesday. Kluber took the win in his last start against Baltimore, despite allowing four runs on seven hits in six innings with the ball. The right hander has a 3.48 ERA and 41 strikeouts from 41 innings at the mound this season.
Texas are yet to name their starter for Wednesday’s game.
Although Kluber gave up four runs in his last start, he has been one of the key contributors to the Yankees sixth ranked team ERA (3.41) this season. We like Kluber to lock down Texas’ lineup early on Wednesday before the Yankees bullpen closes it out.
New York’s offense has also been improving recently and we think that they are capable of putting up a winning score against the Rangers 22nd ranked pitching staff (4.38 team ERA) on a bullpen day.
MLB Pick – New York Yankees (TBD)
Spread Pick – Unlock Premium Picks
Total Runs Pick – Unlock Premium Picks
If you need more news, information and predictions, head over to our MLB hub page for all your baseball needs!
Want more picks? We have just launched our Premium Picks service, and for a limited time only, it is free! *T&Cs Apply.
*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
