MLB Weekend picks: Predictions & Odds for July 30 to August 1

After a wild week of trades, we’re excited for a wild week on the diamond and our MLB weekend picks should reflect that. BetRivers.com is proud to provide a wide variety of MLB game lines, props, teasers, as well as our MLB weekend picks. Longtime Poker broadcaster and sports bettor David Tuchman is here to preview the notable games and make his MLB Weekend picks for a interesting weekend of baseball. Place a bet and learn how to win at sport betting PA. 

We were feeling pretty good about ourselves going into last weekend, but sports betting can be a humbling experience at times. We ended up going 0-2 because in three of our other games the teams juggled their starting pitchers.

MLB WEEKEND PICKS: FRIDAY, JULY 30

Baltimore Orioles (+130) at Detroit Tigers (-152)
Pitchers: Harvey (5-10, 6.65) v. Skubal (6-9, 4.42)
Click here for the full list of Orioles-Tigers odds.

The Orioles and Tigers square up for the last weekend of July in a battle of two teams going nowhere fast. They’re both just playing out the string and it’s not even August. Some money can be made here, however, and that’s all we care about.

The Tigers are going with rookie Tarik Skubal, who’s compiled 113 K over 99 IP and represents what the Tigers are hoping will be one of their future stars. Meanwhile, the Orioles will toss out the corpse of Matt Harvey, who’s somehow still got a job in the Majors, despite his awful 5-10 mark and unsightly 6.65 ERA. I think the Tigers will feast on Harvey, with Akil Baddoo (.275-10-40, .496 Slg, .844 OPS) and Jonathan Schoop, (.284-17-60, .463 slg, .789 OPS) leading the way. Robbie Grossman, 16 HR, 48 RBI and Eric Haase (Catcher), .242-17-38, are also swinging hot bats. The Orioles can hit as well as the Tigers, if not better, but I don’t think Harvey will keep them in this one. The Tigers are the Friday play.

Cincinnati Reds (+120 ML) at New York Mets (-141 ML)
Pitchers: Sonny Gray (2-6, 4.50) v. Carlos Carrasco (0-0, -)
Click here for the full list of Mets-Reds odds.

The first-place Mets take on the Reds this weekend, and Friday presents the season debut of Carlos Carrasco for the Mets. Carrasco has been hurt all season but is finally ready to take the mound. With Jacob deGrom, David Peterson, Joey Lucchesi, Robert Gsellman, Sean Reid-Foley, Corey Oswalt, Robert Stock, Jordan Yamamoto, Nick Tropeano, Dellin Betances, and Albert Almora all hurt, the Mets need the lift. Seriously tho, the Mets really only have 2 healthy starters – Stroman and Taijuan Walker, so getting a healthy Carrasco back will be a huge lift for them. In 2020, Carrasco compiled a 2.91 ERA and 82 K in just 68 IP.

The Mets can hit – Pete Alonso has 22 HR, 60 RBI, JD Davis is hitting .342, Dominic Smith has 11 HR and Brandon Nimmo is hitting around .300. Meanwhile, the Reds are playing well as of late, moving into 2nd place in the Central, but Sonny Gray, the Reds starter, has been abysmal. He’s 2-6 on the year, with a 4.50 ERA. In his last 2 starts he’s been even worse –  over 8 IP total, he’s allowed 13 ER, 14 H and 5 BB – and seen his ERA climb from 3.19 to 4.50. Take the Mets to pound Sonny on Friday.

MLB WEEKEND PICKS: SATURDAY, JULY 31

Houston Astros (63-40) at San Francisco Giants (64-38)
Pitchers: Zack Greinke (10-3, 3.48) at Alex Wood (9-3, 3.65)

This weekend features a great matchup between two first-place western division teams as the Astros face the Giants.  Despite everyone waiting for the Giants to fall apart, they’ve shown no signs of slowing down.

This is a tough matchup tho, as the Astros are also rolling at 62-40 and Saturday will put Zack Greinke, 10-3, on the mound. Greinke is 4-1 over his last 7 starts, with 31 K over 41 IP. Greinke’s last 5 games v. San Fran, going back to 2016, he’s 4-1 with a 1.05 ERA.

He owns the Giants.

The Giants have been slumping a bit and are really feeling the loss of SS Brandon Crawford. Meanwhile, the Astros are missing only Alex Bregman. Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker have combined for 77 HR and 244 RBI on the year.

The Pick: Houston Astros

Baltimore Orioles (35-66) at Detroit Tigers (50-55)
Pitchers: John Means (4-3, 2.94) @ Matt Manning (2-3, 6.00)

On Friday, we took the Tigers to beat the Orioles. Now, we’re flipping the script and going with the Orioles to beat the Tigers. In this matchup, the Orioles are going with their “ACE” John Means, and he’s overdue for a win. He’s had no decisions in his last 3 starts going 6+ in all of them, but leaving tied or with the lead and having the Orioles not be able to close it out. The current Tiger hitters have not hit well against Means – or haven’t faced him at all. The Tigers starter, meanwhile, Matt Manning, is 1-3 over his last 5 starts and has been very hittable, allowing 25 hits over his last 15 IP – that’s not good.

The Orioles will roll with Cedric Mullins (.319-17-36, .926 OPS), Trey Mancini (.268-18-59, .820), and Ryan Mountcastle (.246-16-55, .734 OPS).  The Orioles will hit Manning early and often and I think Means gets a win finally. Go with the Orioles over Detroit on Saturday.

The Pick: Baltimore Orioles

MLB WEEKEND PICKS: SUNDAY, AUGUST 1

New York Yankees (53-48) at Miami Marlins (44-58)
Pitchers: Jordan Montgomery (4-5, 3.78) at Jordan Holloway (2-3, 3.21)

Sunday, the Yankees will play the Marlins, and Jordan Montgomery has quietly been the Yanks 2nd best starter lately.  Montgomery has not allowed more than 3 runs in a start since June 15th. He’s been a tough-luck pitcher, however, as the Yankees haven’t scored for him. The Marlins will roll with spot-starter, Jordan Holloway. He’s pitched well enough, with 32 K over 33 IP, and a 3.21 ERA.  He’s only 2-3 but he’s not an innings eater. I expect the Marlins will go to their bullpen early in this one.

The Marlins have been slumping, going 4-6 over their last 10, and they just traded their best hitter, Starling Marte, to Oakland. Meanwhile, the Yankees have won 6 of their last 10, and just acquired a LEFTY and a huge power bat in Joey Gallo. This commitment to winning this season should help and was one of the reasons we suggested betting on the Yankees to win the World Series at +2500 last week