2017 MLB Betting Predictions And Free Picks For AL West

As the halfway point of the baseball season approaches, we thought it might be a good idea to look at each of the divisions and make some MLB betting predictions about how things might go down in the second half. There are a couple of divisions where the leader had a large lead, but as history has shown us, those big margins can quickly be swallowed up after teams make savvy moves at the trade deadline. The 162-game season is a set-up that usually means that every team is going to go through at least one long losing streak, and that is what 4 of the 5 teams in the AL West will be hoping happens to the Houston Astros, as they are running away with it right now. Let’s look at the current MLB run lines of each team, and see if we can predict how things might go in the second half.

2017 MLB Betting Predictions And Free Picks For AL West

   

Houston Astros (53-26)

No team in the MLB has more wins than the Houston Astros, which may explain why they have opened up a 12.5-game lead in the division. This is a team that really does not appear to have any visible weaknesses. They are 1st or 2nd in all of the major offensive stats, and while they are down in the middle of the pack when it comes to quality starts, their team pitching numbers are also all up in the top 3. Perhaps the most astonishing stat that the Astros have delivered in the first half is that that have only lost 9 games on the road this season. Yes, we have seen teams blow big MLB betting leads in the past, but I just don’t see it happening here. Astros will win this division.

LA Angels (42-40)

The Angels are 12.5 games back of the Astros, and while their offensive numbers don’t look so bad, the reality is that this is a team that is seriously underperforming. Albert Pujols is putting up numbers below his career average, and once again it is only Mike Trout who is keeping this team somewhat afloat. The Angels needed the offense to perform so that it could take advantage of some good work from their pitching staff, and since that has not happened often enough, the Angels find themselves in a tough spot. The Angels are just a game out of a Wild Card spot, so they may still be a team interested in buying at the trade deadline.

Texas Rangers (39-39)

There have been few teams more infuriating to watch this season than the Texas Rangers. They are a total Jekyll and Hyde team, going from looking great to turning into an absolute disaster in the space of a week. Offensively, the Rangers have done a decent job and are currently sitting in 7th in runs scored, and they have also been getting some solid pitching, with their starts currently tied for 5th in quality starts. The bullpen needs to get better if this team is to become more consistent in the second half. You still get a sense that the Rangers could be a Wild Card team, so look for them to go shopping at the deadline.

Seattle Mariners (39-41)

The Astros aside, this division is actually quite close, and the Mariners find themselves just 2 games out of second. The reason they are down in 4th right now, though, is because they simply cannot seem to put together a consistent run of form. They recently went on a 6-game winning streak, which they followed up with a streak of 4-straight losses that is still in the process of growing. The unfortunate thing here is that this is a team that is solid offensively, but which is repeatedly let down by their pitching staff. Unless that changes, they appear doomed to stay where they are right now and this will affect their current MLB betting odds.

Oakland A’s (35-43)

It’s not really a huge surprise to see this team propping up the division, as they were always going to be up against it. This is another team that has struggled with consistency, and they are currently on a run that is like win 3, lose 4, win 3, lose 3. They are still within reach of 2nd place in this division, but it’s almost impossible to make up any ground without the ability to put together an extended run of good form. Given that this team is bleeding runs at an alarming rate, nothing much is likely to change.