Betting on Colorado at Minnesota MLB Prediction & Pick

Posted by Michael Hunt on Tuesday,May 16, 2017 9:10, EDT in

The Colorado Rockies and Minnesota Twins were both terrible last season. But that’s what makes baseball so interesting each new year: surprising teams. The Twins and Rockies enter this week leading their respective divisions and face off in an interleague matchup Wednesday in Minneapolis. For the Rockies, they had a pretty good series this past weekend against the Los Angeles Dodgers, ending the series at 2-2. Minnesota also had a pretty good weekend series as well. They visited the Cleveland Indians, winning the series at 2-1 . The Twins will be favored on MLB odds behind their ace.

Colorado at Minnesota MLB Prediction & Pick

When: Wednesday, May 17, 8:10 PM ET
Where: Target Field, Minneapolis
Probable pitchers (away/home): German Marquez/Ervin Santana
TV: MLB Extra Innings
Stream: MLB.tv
Radio: Colorado / Minnesota
Opening MLB Lines: Twins favored by TBA

Why Bet On Colorado?

When asked Sunday if young outfielder David Dahl (rib) was close to a return, Rockies manager Bud Black replied, “;not so much.” Dahl has resumed taking dry swings as he works his way back from a stress reaction in his rib, but he’s still got a long ways to go. But Black said that catcher Tom Murphy (wrist) is “closer than you think” to returning. Tests at the beginning of May showed that Murphy’s fractured right wrist was healing slower than expected, but it sounds like he’s made nice progress since then.

In Sunday’s win over the Dodgers, Nolan Arenado went 2-for- 4 and recorded his 12th double, second-most in the National League. He launched his ninth home run of the season, measured at 456’, which is the second-longest homer by a Rockie this season (longest: 458’ on April 11 by Charlie Blackmon). It is also tied for Arenado’s third longest home run in the Statcast Era (2015-present). DJ LeMahieu went 3-for-4, his second consecutive three-hit game and his 17th multi-hit game of the season. His 17 multi-hit games are currently tied for first in the National League (also: Ryan Zimmerman).

Greg Holland has now recorded 16 saves in as many opportunities to surpass the Rockies franchise record for converted saves to start a season (previous: 15, Jose Jimenez, 2002). The Rockies are 20-0 this season when leading after six innings.

It’s youngster German Marquez (1-2, 4.88) on the mound. Marquez was superb in Wednesday’s 3-0 win over the Cubs, tossing eight innings of shutout ball. Marquez allowed just one walk (to Kyle Schwarber) and no hits through his first six frames of work. Kris Bryant finally broke up the no-no bid with a double to lead off the seventh inning. Supplementing this fine work, Marquez struck out eight on the afternoon. He threw just 99 pitches over the course of eight innings. Marquez has now fired off shutouts in two of his last three outings.

Marquez also had a two-RBI single to become the second rookie ever to throw at least eight scoreless innings and drive in two or more runs against the defending champion. Harry Taylor did that for the Brooklyn Dodgers against the Cardinals in 1947. It was only the second time that the Rockies have shut out the defending World Series winner in Denver. They had a 5–0 win over the Giants on May 19, 2013.

Why Bet On Minnesota?

The Twins’ 4-1 record for last week put them at 19-15 for the year, one game over the Indians, and the fourth-best record overall in the American League. Through 34 games last year, the Twins were 18 games under .500 at 8-26.

The Twins have made just 10 errors all season in 34 games. That’s tied with the Royals for the fewest in the majors — and the next-lowest total is 16. What’s interesting within that total is the Twins have made just two throwing errors all season — a testament to accurate throws, scoops at first base (primarily by Joe Mauer) and good work by infielders/catchers on throws from the outfield. By contrast last season, the Twins made 126 errors (second-most in the majors), of which a whopping 54 were throwing errors.

It’s ace Ervin Santana on the mound. Santana rebounded from a rough outing his last time out to fire seven scoreless innings in Friday’s victory over the Indians. The right-hander allowed two hits and walked five while striking out four on the night. He needed to be every bit as good as he was too, as Josh Tomlin twirled a gem on the other side of the diamond as well. Santana now sits at 6-1 on the season with a fantastic 1.50 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and 41/21 K/BB ratio over 54 innings.

Santana’s hot start doesn’t date back just to the beginning of the season. No, it dates back to last June 19 against the New York Yankees. That win, his second of the season, began a string a great starts for the veteran right-hander. Over his last 18 starts of 2016, he allowed two runs or fewer in 15 of them. Three runs or fewer in 17. He had but one hiccup against the Blue Jays in Toronto in which he gave up six runs. Santana’s ERA is the lowest ERA for a Minnesota pitcher through his first eight starts of a season since Scott Erickson began the 1991 season at 1.44 through eight starts. Erickson went on to win 20 games that season and the Twins went on to win the World Series.

Colorado at Minnesota MLB Betting Pick: Minnesota Twins

The bubble is going to burst for Santana at some point but ride him until it does.