Tuesday's Top MLB Betting Picks & Predictions

Now there’s less than a month remaining in baseball’s regular season. So how about two potential playoff preview games on Tuesday? Houston is going to win the AL West and could face the Mariners in the divisional round if the M’s get a wild-card spot and win that game. It’s the same scenario for the Dodgers, who will win the NL West and could face Arizona in the divisional round if the Snakes get to the wild-card game (which is very likely) and win it. So, who are the top MLB betting picks for Tuesday you ask? We take a look at our top picks for September 5th. Although the MLB odds and lines for Tuesday aren’t out yet, you can always check out the daily odds provided by MyBookie.

Tuesday’s Top MLB Betting Picks & Predictions – September 5th

#LaborDay vibes. pic.twitter.com/c1JC9Po2rD
— MLB (@MLB) September 4, 2017

Houston Astros at Seattle Mariners

When: 10:10 PM ET Where: Safeco Field TV: MLBN (out-of-market only), ATT SportsNet-SW (Houston) / ROOTNW (Seattle) Stream: MLB.tv Radio: KBME 790 (Houston) / 710 ESPN (Seattle) MLB Betting Odds: TBA It’s the Houston debut of former Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander. He was surprisingly acquired Thursday – the last day to acquire players and have them be eligible for the playoff roster – from Detroit. In 28 starts this season, Verlander is 10-8 with a 3.82 ERA. Since May 30, Verlander has a 3.24 ERA with 118 strikeouts in 111 innings. It’s a great trade for Houston as it badly needed another ace-type starter alongside Dallas Keuchel. Houston was going to win the division whether it got Verlander or not. This is all about the playoffs. Verlander is a playoff veteran, having appeared in the postseason five times. He is 7-5 with a 3.39 ERA and 112 strikeouts in 16 career starts in the playoffs. In 2013, Verlander signed a five-year, $140 million contract extension guaranteeing him $28 million per season through 2019. The deal also gave Verlander a no-trade clause in his contract. He had to thus agree to the trade to Houston. If there’s a concern, it’s that Verlander does have a large home/road split, pitching much better in Detroit, and he has struggled against the four other teams currently in a playoff position (1-4, 6.16 ERA in seven starts).

Who Will Kick Off for the Mariners?

It’s Erasmo Ramirez (5-5, 4.13) for Seattle. Ramirez lost after allowing two runs on five hits (two homers) and two walks with seven strikeouts in six innings against the Orioles last Tuesday. Ramirez was the tough-luck loser as Seattle was shut out, with both of the runs he allowed coming on solo homers. It was the fourth straight quality start for the righty, who has solidified himself in the Mariners’ rotation by posting a 2.25 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP during the streak.

Latest MLB Betting Trends

Houston is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 games
Houston is 4-1 SU in the last 5 games
The total went OVER in 5 of Seattle’s last 7 games
Seattle is 2-8 ATS in the last 10 games at home
Seattle is 5-0 SU in the last 5 games at home

Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Dodgers

When: 10:10 PM ET Where: Dodger Stadium TV: FS-1 (Arizona) / SportsNet LA (LA) Stream: MLB.tv Radio: KHOV 105.1 (Arizona) / 570 LA Sport (LA) MLB Betting Odds: TBA The Dodgers look rather mortal all of a sudden. They remain without 2016 NL Rookie of the Year Corey Seager. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that Seager will require a 4-to-7 day throwing progression once he resumes throwing on Monday. Seager is dealing with swelling and inflammation in his throwing elbow. Meanwhile, Arizona has won 10 straight games entering this week. It’s the Diamondbacks’ longest winning streak since they captured a franchise-best 12 straight in 2003. Paul Goldschmidt is the NL MVP favorite right now. Goldschmidt is batting .314 with 33 homers and 109 RBI this season. Those numbers at this point of the season are at or ahead of what he posted in `15 (.319, 27, 97), and `13 (.293, 31, 104) when he was the NL MVP runner-up. Arizona had a 3-game series sweep of the Dodgers in the last meeting from Aug. 29-31 at Chase Field. It was the fourth time in the expansion era (since 1961) that a team that was 50+ games above .500 at the start of the series was swept. The other 3, all 3-game series, were the Yankees over the Orioles (108-48) in 1969, A’s over the Mariners (106-41) in 2001 and Astros over the Cardinals (103-52) in 2004. Goldschmidt is a career .325 (66-for- 203) hitter with 14 home runs and 38 RBI in 52 games @ Dodger Stadium.

Are the Diamondbacks a safe MLB betting pick for Tuesday?

Who Will Start for the Dbacks?

It’s ace Zack Greinke on the hill for Arizona. Greinke (16-6, 3.08) allowed a single run on four hits and two walks while striking out six batters through six innings during Thursday’s win over the Dodgers. Greinke became the Majors’ first 16-game winner and lowered his ERA to 3.08 (fifth in MLB) on Thursday. After a down year in 2016 (4.37 ERA), the 33-year- old has responded with his best strikeout rate (9.8 K/9) since ’11 while still maintaining an excellent walk rate (2.0 BB/9) across 172 1/3 innings this season. L.A. goes with lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu (5-3, 3.71). He lost after allowing six runs on eight hits (three homers) and three walks with two strikeouts in four innings Wednesday against the D-backs. Ryu had been on a roll prior to Wednesday’s outing, going 3-0 with a 2.13 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 50 2/3 innings over his previous nine starts. He allowed three runs on a pair of homers in the first, however, and wasn’t able to settle in.