MLB Weekend Picks

The fourth weekend of the 2021 MLB season is here and it’s time to take a look at our Weekend MLB picks for Friday, April 16 to Sunday, April 18 BetRivers.com is proud to provide a wide variety of MLB game odds, teasers, props, player markets, team markets and futures odds. Longtime Poker broadcaster and sports bettor David Tuchman is here to preview the notable games and make his MLB Weekend picks. Follow the latest MLB season news and predictions with BetRivers, the best online sportsbook in the US.

Well, things didn’t work out so well for us last week. The best thing about those picks was a rainout. After an 0-3 start, I’m looking to rebound in a big way. So I crunched the numbers and I’m taking another crack at it. Good news is that it’s a long season and there are bound to be ups and downs – we’re just getting the downs out of the way. 

Lets see if we can’t turn things around. Here are our weekend MLB picks.

WEEKEND MLB PICKS: FRIDAY, APRIL 16

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (8-4) at MIAMI MARLINS (5-7), 7:10 p.m. ET
MONEYLINE: Giants -141 ML, Marlins +120 ML
SPREAD: Giants -1 (-108), Marlins +1 (-110)
OVER/UNDER: 8.5 runs (-106/-113)
Click here for the full list of Giants-Marlins odds.

The Giants are an absolutely stunning 8-4 as of Wednesday night, while the Marlins aren’t terrible, playing just under .500 ball, at 5-6. A big reason for the Giants early success is surprising SP. Friday’s starter, Anthony DeSclafani is 1-0 on the young season, with an 0.82 ERA and 12 K over 11 IP. The Marlins have had some injuries to their rotation (Eliser Hernandez) and are going with promising rookie Daniel Castano.  There’s no history here, so based on the early season results, Sclafani and the Giants are rolling. While I expect them to cool off, it won’t be Friday night. Evan Longoria is playing like he was back in Tampa, with 4 home runs already. The Giants bullpen has been a pleasant surprise as well, with Jake McGee leading the way, with five saves. Expect the Giants to win this one with solid pitching from start to finish, take them to win on the road.

The Pick: San Francisco Giants – 143 ML

LOS ANGELES DODGERS (11-2) at SAN DIEGO PADRES (8-4), 10 p.m. ET
MONEYLINE: Dodgers -150 ML, Padres +125 ML
SPREAD: Dodgers -1 (-121), Padres +1 (+102)
OVER/UNDER: 8 runs (-103/-117)
Click here for the full list of Dodgers-Padres odds.

Here’s a freebie. The Dodgers will beat the Padres Friday night. Picking the Dodgers to win isn’t really that great a task, since I think they’re going to win 108 games this year, I basically figure you’ve got a 66.67% chance of winning if you bet the Dodgers on any given night. But it’s Walker Buehler vs. Craig Stammen. The Padres are good. The Dodgers are better. Two N.L. heavyweights are gonna slug it out, and the Dodgers will take Round 1. 

The Pick: Los Angeles Dodgers -159 ML

WEEKEND MLB PICKS: SATURDAY, APRIL 17

TAMPA BAY RAYS at NEW YORK YANKEES, 1:05 p.m. ET

The Rays are taking on the Yankees this weekend and both have been tremendously disappointing, at 5-7. The Yankees, more so, as they can’t seem to buy a win unless Gerrit Cole is pitching. The Yankees have not hit, hit in the clutch, played any semblance of defense, and had lousy starting pitching (Except for the aforementioned Cole). The Rays haven’t been much better, but Saturday sees their ace, Tyler Glasnow, take the mound against someone not named Gerrit Cole. Glasnow has 29 K in 19 IP. The only thing the Yankees like more than striking out, apparently, is hitting in to double-plays, as they lead the majors in that stat, with 15. Things should improve for the Yankees at some point. That point won’t be Saturday. Glasnow gets double-digit K’s and the win. Take the Rays – another road pick – for the win.

The Pick: Tampa Bay Rays

WEEKEND MLB PICKS: SUNDAY, APRIL 18

MINNESOTA TWINS at LOS ANGELES ANGELS, 4:10 p.m. ET

The Angels-Twins series should be a statement series for the Angels, as the Twins are expected to contend in the Central and we think the Angels win the West. On Sunday, the Twins will send J.A. Happ to the mound against Alex Cobb. Both these guys are somewhat reclamation projects and this could be an absolute slugfest. But Cobb seemed to find something his last start, racking up 10 K’s. The Twins could be without two of their top hitters Sunday, as Byron Buxton tweaked his hamstring Wednesday and is questionable for the weekend. Andrelton Simmons popped for COVID-19 so he will miss the series. Buxton is hitting .469 while Simmons is hitting .355. The Angels will be without Anthony Rendon, but Mike Trout, hitting .368, and Shohei Ohtani, 4 HR, 12 RBI (leads team in both) will both play. I don’t think Happ can get Trout or Ohtani out, unless it’s an accident. The Angels win this one.

The Pick: Los Angeles Angels 

HOUSTON ASTROS at SEATTLE MARINERS, 4:10 p.m. ET

I like to finish with Sunday shockers. Here’s one. The Mariners beat the Astros. The Mariners are a surprising 6-5 while the Astros are 6-6. However, the Astros started 6-1 and have since lost five straight. Their issue has been a complete breakdown of their pitching – both starters and bullpen. They are still hitting, however. Sunday’s game is based almost entirely on the starting pitching matchup. Justus Sheffield has been okay over his first two starts, with nearly a K per inning and a 4.91 ERA. Not great. But the talent is there. Meanwhile, Jake Odorizzi, Sunday’s Astro starter will be good for what ails the anemic Mariner hitting. In his first start of 2021 Odorizzi tossed just 3 1/3 innings, giving up 5 Runs, 7 hits and 3 HRs. His ERA is 13.50.  Recall, also, I said “almost entirely” on the pitching. The other factor here is that as of Wednesday, Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez – basically the heart of the Astros lineup – are in COVID-19 protocols. They “could” be back Sunday, depending on their level of exposure and if they are actually positive for COVID-19 – but they could also miss the game. Either way, combine COVID-19 and Odorizzi, and you’ve got a recipe for a Mariner win.

The Pick: Seattle Mariners