MLB Season Opening Game Betting Analysis

Posted by Eric Williams on Thursday,March 31, 2016 5:49, EDT in

With the start of the 2016 baseball betting season just over 72 hours away from getting started, baseball fans and betting enthusiasts everywhere are looking to gather as much pertinent information as possible.

To that end, you’re about to get some expert insight on a quartet of Opening Day matchups that will help you maximize your chances of cashing in on all four contests.

Since haste makes waste, let’s get started.

MLB Season Opening Game Betting Analysis

Houston Astros at New York Yankees

When: Monday, April 04 – 1:05 PM EST
Where: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York

Analysis: Elite right-hander Dallas Keuchel (22-8, 2.39 ERA) will take the mound for Houston (86-76) opposite New York (87-75) righty Masahiro Tanaka (12-8, 3.51 ERA), giving the Astros a great chance to get the road win in this opener for both ballclubs.

The Astros won each of Keuchel’s last three starts a year ago while New York lost all three of Tanaka’s final starts while giving up at least five runs in two of those contests.

More importantly, the Astros won all three of their games against the Yankees last season with Keuchel on the mound, giving this game the look of a virtual lock if you ask me.

Houston was the far better defensive ballclub last season and will likely be again this year. Bet the Astros for the ‘upset’ road win if you can call it that.

San Francisco at Milwaukee

When: Monday, April 04 – 2:10 PM EST
Where: Miller Park, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Analysis: Former World Series MVP Madison Bumgarner (18-9, 2.93 ERA) will take the hill for San Francisco while Milwaukee counters with unheralded – and mediocre – right-hander Wily Peralta (5-10, 4.81 ERA), making this contest a virtual Opening Day lock.

The Giants have won eight of the last nine games against their NL West Division rivals and four of Bumgarner’s last five starts against the Brewers. Frisco is the better offensive and defensive team in this matchup and will win by at least two runs.

Seattle at Texas

When: Monday, April 04 – 4:05 PM EST
Where: Globe Life Park in Arlington, Arlington, Texas

Analysis: ‘King’ Felix Hernandez (18-9, 3.53 ERA) gets the call for Seattle while former World Series MVP Cole Hamels (13-9, 3.59 ERA) takes the mound for Texas.

While I’d like nothing better than to back a Seattle Mariners team that I believe is going to be very good this season, I’m going to urge you to back the Texas Rangers top get the narrow win in this opener mostly because they’re playing at home.

The Rangers won three of Hamels’ final three starts after acquiring the former Phillies staff ace at the trade deadline last season and will look to do even more behind their new staff ace this coming season.

Seattle lost two of Hernandez’s final three starts mostly because they struggled to score runs behind their former Cy Young winner.

The Rangers have the far better offense in this matchup and will eke out a narrow one-run win against King Felix.

Boston at Cleveland

When: Monday, April 04 – 4:10 PM EST
Where: Progressive Field, Cleveland, Ohio

Analysis: With new staff ace left-hander David Price (18-7, 2.81 ERA) taking the mound opposite Cleveland’s mediocre Corey Kluber (9-16, 3.49 ERA), this matchup looks like a near lock for a Boston red Sox team looking to get back into serious World Series contention in the loaded American League.

Boston has averaged a league-leading 5.3 runs per game this preseason, but Cleveland has allowed the third fewest hits per game (8.4) during the scrimmage season. Still, once the bright lights come on for this opener, I fully expect Boston to jump all over their mostly younger and far less experienced AL rivals. Back the BoSox to win their opener despite being on the road.