Top MLB Betting Picks of the Week (May 23rd, 2022)

By Hank Blaine • May 23, 2022

The Baltimore Orioles aren’t very good this season and won’t be but there is a big reason for hope: No. 1 overall prospect and former No. 1 overall pick and catcher Adley Rutschman made his big-league debut on Saturday and had a triple. He’s a future All-Star and among the AL Rookie of the Year favorites. Here’s a look at two intriguing early-week matchups around MLB. Here’s a look at two intriguing early-week matchups. Check back for MLB odds.

Top MLB Betting Picks of the Week (May 23rd, 2022)

.@TheJudge44 rises to the top spot of the Hitter Power Rankings. https://t.co/UpiSRSqL5C pic.twitter.com/P17aW0ZsIo
— MLB (@MLB) May 20, 2022

New York Mets vs. San Francisco Giants

When: Monday, May 23, 2022. 9:45pm ET
Where: Oracle Park, San Francisco, CA
TV: SNY, MLBN (out-of-market only), NBCS BA
Radio: WCBS 880 (Mets) / KNBR 680 (Giants)
MLB Betting Odds: Mets (+125) / Giants (-145)

Could be a playoff preview as the Mets are handily leading the NL East Division despite being down their two aces due to injury in Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom (who have combined for five Cy Young Awards) and the Giants are in the mix in the NL West after winning it last year. More likely, they will be a wild-card team as the Dodgers should take the West.

San Francisco will be missing one of its top hitters in first baseman Brandon Belt. He was placed on the 10-day injured list on Sunday due to right knee inflammation. Kevin Padlo was called up from Triple-A to take Belt’s spot on the active roster. He joins outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr. on the IL with a bone bruise. Belt and Wade combined to hit 47 home runs last year. When Belt dealt with various injuries in 2021, Wade was often manager Gabe Kapler’s top choice to fill in at first base.

Wilmer Flores started at first base Sunday against San Diego and the Giants may have to move forward without a solid left-handed hitting platoon option at the position until Belt or Wade is cleared to return. Darin Ruf has also started at first base recently and Padlo, who was acquired in a trade with the Mariners in April, has experience playing first base in the minors.

New York is an excellent 15-7 on the road this year. The Mets are batting .253/.333/.378 away from Citi Field. Their .253 average ranks third in the majors, while their .333 OBP ranks fourth. New York is without No. 1 catcher James McCann. He had wrist surgery last week and is likely out until early July. After a month-long slump in April (.167 batting average), McCann briefly turned the corner this month by going 4-for-14 in six games before going down. He deftly managed a pitching staff that has the league’s fifth-best ERA. In the meantime, the Mets will rely on Tomas Nido and Patrick Mazeika behind the plate.

On the mound Monday are New York’s David Peterson (1-0, 1.89 ERA) and San Francisco’s Alex Cobb (3-1, 5.61 ERA). Peterson, as the 27th man, earned his first win of the season in a doubleheader spot start last Tuesday against the Braves. Cobb tossed 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball to pick up his second win of the season Wednesday in the Giants’ 7-1 victory over the Rockies.

MLB Betting Pick: Giants

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Washington Nationals

When: Tuesday, May 24, 2022. 7:05pm ET.
Where: Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.
TV: SportsNet LA, MASN 2
Radio: Dodgers Radio AM570 (Dodgers) / WJFK 106.7 The Fan (Nationals)
MLB Betting Odds: TBA

Last summer, the Dodgers traded prospects Keibert Ruiz, Josiah Gray, Donovan Casey and Gerardo Carrillo to the Nationals for Max Scherzer (now with the Mets) and Trea Turner and Gray will face Los Angeles on Tuesday for the first time since the deal.

Gray (4-3, 4.36 ERA) surrendered three runs in six innings and struck out seven last Wednesday against the Marlins. Gray did solid work, but he took his first no-decision of the year after Tanner Rainey gave up the tying run in the ninth.

Turner is currently on his second hitting streak of 10-plus games this season, connecting in 14 straight games since May 9 at Pittsburgh. On the season, he has connected safely in 33 of 40 contests, while recording multi-hit efforts in nine games. Since the start of the 2021 season, Turner owns three of the six longest hitting streaks on the Dodgers and he joined the team on July 30, 2021.

It’s ace right-hander Walker Buehler (5-1, 2.89 ERA) for the Dodgers. He beat Arizona last time out, allowing two runs over five innings. Buehler tossed 6.0 shutout innings against Washington last year. The Dodger starting pitchers are 20-4 with a Major League-best 2.63 ERA. Dodger starters also lead the Majors in opponents’ on-base percentage (.278) and rank second in WHIP (1.09).

MLB Betting Pick: Dodgers

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Top MLB Betting Picks of the Week (May 23rd, 2022)