We haven’t had a manager fired yet this season but one who entered the year on a hot seat, Pittsburgh’s Derek Shelton, isn’t going anywhere as the surprising Bucs gave him a contract extension last week. Here’s a look at two intriguing games early this week around the majors. Check back for MLB odds.

Top MLB Betting Picks of the Week (April 24th, 2023)

The Pirates are off to a 16-7 start, their best since the 1992 club of Barry Bonds and Doug Drabek and Co. won 16 of their first 22. https://t.co/dTMDdG2zqO

— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) April 24, 2023

Houston Astros vs. Tampa Bay Rays

• When: Monday, April 24, 2023, 6:40 PM ET
• Where: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
• TV: ATTH, BSSUN, MLBN
• Radio: 790 AM KBME (Astros) // 95.3 FM WDAE (Rays)
• Live Stream: MLB.tv
• MLB Betting Odds: Astros (+129) / Rays (-149)

This is a potential AL playoff preview. Houston is chasing Texas in the AL West and the Astros are without two injured players in outfielder Chas McCormick and second baseman and future Hall of Famer Jose Altuve. He hasn’t played yet this year and likely won’t until June. McCormick is eligible to come off the injured list Tuesday but won’t be ready.

Tampa Bay has the best record in the majors at 19-3 and is 13-0 at home. The Rays have tied the 2009 Los Angeles Dodgers for the second-longest home winning streak to start a season since 1901. The 1907 New York Giants opened with 15 straight wins at home. The Rays are the eighth team since 1901 to start a year by winning of 19 of 22, and the first since the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers. The 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers and 1911 Detroit Tigers both opened 20-2.

Tampa Bay has homered in each of its first 22 games overall, a big-league record to start a season. . Tampa Bay has 48 home runs, second-most in big league history through 22 games behind the 2000 St. Louis Cardinals (52). Overall, the Rays have opponents 149-61.

Houston enters at 12-10 and off a very impressive three-game sweep in Atlanta. Second baseman Mauricio Dubón extended his career-best hitting streak to 17 games on Sunday, the longest in the AL this season and the longest active streak in the majors, with an eighth-inning single. Dubón, who started most of his games at shortstop and center field in 2022, has made all 18 of his starts at second base this season while filling in for the injured 2B Jose Altuve.

Jose Urquidy (1-1, 3.66 ERA) starts for Houston on the mound. Urquidy surrendered four runs in 4 1/3 innings last Tuesday in a loss to the Blue Jays. Urquidy gave up homers to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Matt Chapman in the fourth, and he surrendered two more runs in the fifth on a walk and three singles, none of which were hit all that well. Urquidy is 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA in two career starts vs. Tampa Bay.

The Rays counter with touted rookie Taj Bradley (2-0, 2.61). Bradley recorded nine strikeouts over 5 1/3 scoreless innings last Tuesday in a win over the Reds. Bradley was given an early four-run lead and was essentially able to cruise to an easy win in his second big-league start. He gave up only three hits and handed out just one free pass. Bradley became the first pitcher in AL history to strike out 8+ batters and earn a win in each of his first two career starts.

MLB Betting Pick: Rays

San Diego Padres vs. Chicago Cubs

• When: Tuesday, April 25, 2023, 7:40 PM ET
• Where: Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
• TV: BSSD, MARQ, MLBN
• Radio: 97.3 The Fan (Padres) // 670 AM The Score (Cubs)
• Live Stream: MLB.tv
• MLB Betting Odds: TBA

Both the Padres and Cubs pursued former Red Sox All-Star shortstop Xander Bogaerts in free agency this winter, and the Padres got him on a 11-year, $280 million contract. The Cubs only had to give Swanson $177 million over seven. Both have been very good so far.

The Cubs come off losing three of four at home to the Dodgers over the weekend but still are way better than expected at 12-9. Outfielder Ian Happ recently agreed to a contract extension and is off to a nice start, batting .307/.418/.507 with four stolen bases and two homers. Happ’s nine doubles are tied for second in the N.L. His 15 walks are tied for fourth. Dansby Swanson ranks fifth in the N.L. with a .432 OBP. Cody Bellinger in his last 16 games since April 4 is hitting .342 with four homers.

The Cubs lead the majors with a .223 average, a .292 on-base percentage and a .362 slugging percentage when batting with two strikes in the count. Chicago has recorded at least one 10-run game in five of their first seven series this season. The last time the franchise turned that trick was in 1938, also recording 10-run games in five of their first seven series.

It’s Justin Steele (3-0, 1.44) scheduled to start Tuesday. He allowed two runs (one earned) over six innings last Wednesday in a win over the Athletics. In his last 11 starts dating to July 22, 2022, Steele is 4-1 with a 1.17 ERA (8 ER/61.2 IP), the lowest ERA in the majors (min. 11 GS) during that span. In his lone career vs. the Padres and June 13, 2022 at Wrigley Field, Steele allowed one run in 7.0 innings with three strikeouts in a no-decision.

San Diego is scheduled to start former AL Cy Young winner Blake Snell (0-3). He was charged with two runs over five innings last Tuesday in a loss to the Braves. Snell gave up three hits, including a fourth-inning solo homer to Sean Murphy. He didn’t get much support from the Padres’ lineup, which managed just one run on four hits in this one. He finished with five strikeouts and also issued three walks. He has a bloated 6.00 ERA, 1.89 WHIP and 21/13 K/BB ratio across 18 innings.

MLB Betting Pick: Cubs

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