The line for the November 10th MLB game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants is currently -335. We’re about to enter one of the most critical months of the year in Major League Baseball. As the regular season inches ever closer, the excitement is palpable. The MLB betting line will likely be one of the major topics of discussion among baseball enthusiasts, especially as playoffs rapidly approach.
The postseason begins with best-of-seven series, the winners of which advance to the World Series. Teams are seeded based on regular-season record and advance to the Championship Series either by winning a bye or by winning their division. The odds of teams winning their divisions/conferences increase as the season goes on. For instance, the Houston Astros have a 12.5% chance of winning the East Division and a 6.9% chance of winning the entire National League. Likewise, the Boston Red Sox have a 19.2% chance of winning the AL and a 10.5% chance of winning the World Series.
As a general rule, there are certain advantages to being the oddsmaker. You can make intelligent bets based on the assumed outcome of the game. For instance, if you think the visiting team will defeat the home team by a large margin, then you can bet on that outcome and make a nice profit. You can also consider placing bets on whether a certain player will get a base hit or walk. The point is you can find analytical information about virtually any sport on the internet, although keeping in mind that the data may be old or inaccurate. Of course, you have to do your own research and gather your own information independently.
Best Ball Game Picks for the MLB Playoffs
There are several prominent sportsbooks that specialize in making NBA, NHL, and MLB picks. Here are some of their best bets for this month’s games:
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants currently have a 58-44 record and the highest winning percentage (69.3%) among the five National League teams that made the postseason this year. Their run differential (+25) is also the best in the league. Additionally, the Giants have the fifth-best offense (4.724 runs per game) and the seventh-best batting average (.260). As a result, they’re receiving 13.8 points (85.2% winning probability) in the National League Championship Series.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are the defending champions and have a 53-48 record this year, good for a.512 winning percentage. They’re also receiving 14.2 points (82.6% winning probability) in the National League Championship Series. The Dodgers have the sixth-best offense (4.637 runs per game) and the fifth-best batting average (.262) in the Senior Circuit. Expect them to bring their run differential into the postseason.
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2004 and have a 51-49 record. They’re receiving 13 points (76% winning probability) in the American League Championship Series. The White Sox have the twelfth-best offense (4.457 runs per game) and the ninth-best batting average (.263) in the AL.
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are currently riding a five-game winning streak and have the best record in the American League (67-44,.609). They qualified for the postseason as the second wild card team and have a 12.5% chance of winning the East Division. The Astros have a balanced scoring attack, ranking third in the league with 4.431 runs per game. George Springer leads the league with 54 homers and is followed by José Altuve (51), Alex Bregman (45), and Josh Reddick (43).
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox have an overall record of 59-45 this year and a winning percentage of.582. They’re receiving 19.2 points (82.6% winning probability) in the American League Championship Series. The Red Sox have the second-best offense (4.654 runs per game) and the fourth-best batting average (.273) in the Majors. The team’s ace is Chris Sale, who leads the Red Sox with 17 wins, 76 strikeouts, and a 1.87 ERA. Manager Alex Cora has his team well-prepared for the postseason, as evidenced by their +19 run differential.
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees have the best record in the American League (66-43,.649) and are receiving 17.2 points in the AL Championship Series. The Yankees’ offense (4.635 runs per game) and pitching (2.592 innings per game, 29th in the league) are both above-average, as are their at-bats (13th, 4.375 runs per game). Their lineup features a bunch of All-Stars, which no doubt helped them earn the number two seed in the AL. Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Mike Trout are a few of the notable names on this team. There’s no question that this team is peaking at the right time and has every reason to believe they can bring home the hardware.
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals have an overall record of 53-48 this year and the highest losing percentage (47.3%) among the five NL teams that made the postseason. Their offensive production (3.819 runs per game) and pitching (21.6 innings per game, 28th in the league) are both below-average. The team’s star is Bryce Harper, who won the NL MVP this year and has four World Series rings.
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles have an overall record of 43-67 this year and a losing percentage (37.3%) that’s nearly identical to their.370 winning percentage in the win-loss column. They don’t score a lot of runs (3.563 per game) and don’t pitch a lot (20.85 innings per game), ranking twenty-third in the league in both categories. They do have a below-average offense (3.814 runs per game), mostly due to the fact that their best player, Manny Machado, is on the wrong side of 30. However, as a whole, this team makes up for its low offensive output with solid defense and a strong bullpen. The fact they’ve still won 22% of their games is proof positive they’re playing well above their heads as often as not.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies have the highest winning percentage (54.8%) among the four NL playoff teams. Their offense (4.421 runs per game) also ranks ninth in the league, while their pitching (2.982 innings per game) is seventeenth. Their ace, Aaron Nola, has put up the third-best numbers among starters (12-5, 2.45 ERA) in the National League. This team makes a lot of sense to bet on, especially since they played in the same division as the Washington Nationals and have an easier schedule in the playoffs.
Miami Marlins
The Miami Marlins have a disappointing 41-60 record this year but the highest losing percentage (54.4%) among the eight NL playoff teams. Despite the losing, this team does have some interesting story lines. First, their starting pitcher, Gerrit Cole, is on a mission to win the NL ERA title and has pitched in three consecutive postseasons. Second, their bullpen (1.791 ERA, 22nd in the league) has been the club’s biggest strength, leading to a lot of clutch performances down the stretch. Third, their offense has been fueled by a rookie sensation in José Fernández, who hit.346 with seven homers and 41 RBIs in his first full season. Finally, their manager, Don Mattingly, is playing a big role in getting his team to fight through difficult times and stick together.
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays have a disappointing 71-61 record this year but at least they make for one fun team to watch. They’re currently the only team in MLB that boasts a positive run differential (+40), which is how they’ve gotten to the point where they’re competing in the postseason. Their ace, Chris Archer, is on a run of seven consecutive postseason appearances and eight total postseasons. He leads the team with 16 wins and is followed by Blake Snell (12), Charlie Morton (11), and Matt Moore (10).