Top MLB Betting Picks of the Week – May 20th, 2024

The White Sox are one of the worst teams in baseball but also haven’t had their best player, outfielder Luis Robert, for weeks due to a hip injury, but the All-Star reportedly is close to starting some game rehab action and could be back with the Pale Hose by the end of the month. I’d keep fading them until then. Here’s a look at two intriguing early-week matchups.

Top MLB Betting Picks of the Week (May 20th, 2024)

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Arizona Diamondbacks vs. LA Dodgers

• When: Monday, May 20th, 2024, 10:10 PM ET
• Where: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
• TV: ARID, SNLA, MLBN
• Radio: Sportsnet 590 The FAN AM (Diamondbacks) // 98 Rock FM (Dodgers)
• Live Stream: MLB.tv
• MLB Betting Odds: Diamondbacks (+197) // Dodgers (-233)

The Dodgers enter on a three-game winning streak and already are running away with the NL West, leading it by 7.5 games over second-place San Diego. All-Star catcher Will Smith was not in the lineup for Sunday’s 3-2 win in 10 innings over the Reds, but surely will be tonight.

That win over Cincinnati was via Shohei Ohtani’s first walk-off hit for his new team – and his first game-ending hit in the majors in nearly four years. Ohtani pulled a low fastball to right with two outs in the 10th inning, scoring Jason Heyward with the winning run. With two hits Sunday, Ohtani is batting .393 in May — the third-highest batting average in MLB among hitters with at least 20 at-bats this month — with 6 homers and 14 RBIs while making more hard contact than he ever did in Anaheim and striking out at the lowest rate in his major league career.

Playing only as a designated hitter this season while his pitching arm rests and heals, Ohtani entered the weekend as the majors’ leader in batting average, OPS, total bases and hits. “He’s had a lot of big hits for us,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “But the first walk-off, certainly at home, was exciting.”

Arizona of course is the reigning National League champion but has disappointed thus far at 22-25. The Diamondbacks did snap a two-game skid Sunday with a 6-4 win over Detroit to avoid a sweep. Joc Pederson went 3-for-3 with a double and RBI. He’s now got three games with at least three hits this month and has six hits over his last five games. Though he’s strictly been platooning against righties, Pederson has been effective when in the lineup, slashing .317/.421/.558 with five homers and 12 RBI.

Paul Sewald secured the save Sunday after working a perfect ninth inning. He struck out one. Sewald needed just 10 pitches to get the job done. He’s now converted all three of his save chances on the year and has tossed four straight scoreless innings while giving up just one hit since giving up a run in his season debut May 7.

On the mound for Arizona tonight is Joe Mantiply (2-1, 4.67) – he will serve as an opener. Two of the Dodgers’ usual top three hitters bat from the left side (Ohtani and Freddie Freeman), so manager Torey Lovullo will likely have the left-handed Mantiply work the first inning or two before turning the game over to the right-handed Slade Cecconi (1-3, 5.27).

It’s NL Cy Young and Rookie of the Year candidate Yoshinobu Yamamoto (4-1, 3.21) on the mound for the Dodgers in the series opener. Yamamoto allowed four runs on five hits and two walks while striking out six over 5.2 innings in a no-decision versus the Giants last Monday. The Giants took an early lead with Luis Matos’ three-run home run in the second inning, and Heliot Ramos added an RBI single in the sixth, which ended Yamamoto’s start and ended Yamamoto’s run of four straight quality starts. He has four scoreless outings this year, but he’s also given up three or more runs four times in nine starts.

MLB Betting Pick: Dodgers

Chicago Cubs vs. Atlanta Braves

• When: Tuesday, May 21st, 2024, 7:40 PM ET
• Where: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Il
• TV: BSSO, MARQ, TBS
• Radio: The Fan 680 AM (Braves) // 670 The Score (Cubs)
• Live Stream: MLB.tv
• MLB Betting Odds: TBA

TBS has this national telecast, and I happen to believe this could be a National League playoff preview – it’s just a matter of if the teams end up on the right side of the bracket. Atlanta is going to the postseason, no doubt. Chicago isn’t a lock, but most likely will as well.

The Braves will be at a pretty big disadvantage here as they had to play a day-night doubleheader at home on Monday vs. San Diego and then obviously fly to Chicago. All-Star third baseman Austin Riley hasn’t played in more than a week due to intercostal inflammation in his left side. He hopes to try swinging a bat soon but would appear to be at least a few days away from returning to the lineup.

Veteran Charlie Morton is on the hill Tuesday and because of that Monday doubleheader, the Braves need some length from him to spell the bullpen. Morton (3-1) took the loss last Wednesday versus the Cubs, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits and three walks while striking out four over three innings. Morton surrendered an opposite-field leadoff homer to Mike Tauchman on the opening pitch, and then watched helplessly as Seiya Suzuki’s come backer hit off his shoe and landed in right field for a double. It was just one of those nights for Morton, who allowed an infield single and hit Pete Crow-Armstrong with a pitch while the bases were loaded as the Cubs outfielder was trying to bunt. This all occurred during the three-run first.

Morton worked a high pitch count, needing 76 pitches (48 strikes) to get through three frames in his shortest outing of the season. He had pitched into the sixth inning in each of his other seven starts. The 40-year-old’s poor start caused his ERA to balloon to 3.52 from 3.14, and he’s sporting a 1.15 WHIP and 44:17 K:BB over 46 innings. Morton is still throwing 95-96 mph at age 40 and pitching deep into games against the best hitters in the world.

“I’ve been allowed to throw a lot of pitches. I’ve been fortunate enough for my body to hold up enough to do it,” Marton said. “And really what I tell guys is like, eventually you learn to throw without pain. Because pain’s a good indicator that you’re doing something wrong in your delivery.”

The Cubs are hoping to have second baseman and leadoff hitter Nico Hoerner back in the lineup for Tuesday. He has missed six straight games with a sore left hamstring. Nick Madrigal has been serving as the Cubs’ primary second baseman in Hoerner’s absence. It’s also possible the Cubs simply put Hoerner on the IL but backdate it with shortstop Dansby Swanson expected to be activated on Tuesday, so the team will need to create a roster spot.

One of the most surprising pitchers in the NL this season has been Chicago’s Javier Assad, who starts Tuesday. Assad (4-0) tossed six scoreless innings to earn the win last Wednesday against Atlanta. He allowed four hits and a walk, while striking out seven.

Assad has now allowed two earned runs or fewer in all nine of his starts this season, which has allowed him to compile a stellar 1.49 ERA across 48.1 innings. The young righty was effective as a long reliever last year, and it was uncertain in spring training if he’d be able to grab a rotation spot, but at this point it’s unlikely that he’s moved back to the bullpen given his strong play.

MLB Betting Pick: Cubs

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*All odds stated are subject to change without prior notice.

READ MORE: Top MLB Betting Picks of the Week – May 27th, 2024