Previews, odds and best bets
Four games are slated for Wednesday in the Wild Card round of the Major League Baseball Playoffs. Four teams face elimination as the best-of-three format tosses a must-win situation at us early in this postseason. The Marlins, Brewers, Blue Jays, and Rays have their backs against the wall. Both No. 3 seeds lost on Tuesday at home. Both teams (Tampa and Milwaukee) are still favored in Game 2.
We have the best MLB Playoff Odds and Promo Offers for baseball playoff series and prop bets, as well as futures bets if you’re seeking to wager on which team will win the next World Series. You can receive as much as $1,500 in bonus bets if your first wager fails to win, or get bonus bets after placing a qualifying $5 wager. Check our our top Michigan sportsbooks here.
Series odds: Texas (-250), Tampa Bay (+210)
Game 2 Odds:
Texas (+124, +1.5 -166) vs. Tampa Bay (-148, -1.5 +140), Over/Under 8 runs (-102, -118)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Game 2: Nathan Eovaldi (12-5, 3.63 ERA, 132 K in 144 IP) vs. Zach Eflin (16-8, 3.50 ERA, 186 K in 177.2 IP)
PREVIEW: The Rays lost to the Rangers 4-0 in Game 1, which makes the all-time postseason record for teams that commit at least four errors to 1-19. Which is how the baseball god’s like it, because if you play sloppy, you deserve to lose. But, Tampa is too fundamentally sound to do that again, right? We also don’t expect the Rays to be shut out for a third consecutive playoff game (going back to the 2022 Playoffs).
BEST BET:
Rays to win the series at +210 (DraftKings Sportsbook). Hope on that now, because all it takes is one win to knot this short series. The Rays have a better lineup, and a better bullpen. If they stop throwing the baseball to the wrong base, they should win Wednesday to force a Game 3 in this Wild Card series.
Series odds: Toronto (+280), Minnesota (-340)
Game 2 Odds:
Toronto (+114, +1.5 -175) vs. Minnesota (-142, -1.5 +145), Over/Under 7.5 runs (-118, -102)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Game 2: José Berríos (11-12, 3.65 ERA, 184 K in 189.2 IP) vs. Sonny Gray (8-8, 2.79 ERA, 183 K in 184 IP)
PREVIEW: It would be easy to overreact to the Jays’ loss on Tuesday. But, the facts show that they got good pitching, and had plenty of chances to score runs, but happened to go 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Meanwhile, Minnesota was just 0-for-4 in those situations. The difference was two swings by Royce Lewis, who may have benefitted from the Twins knowing which pitch was being thrown by Kevin Gausman. The Toronto starter was likely tipping his pitches, which is why Lewis and other Minnesota batters were laying off his breaking pitches. That shouldn’t be the case in Game 2, when the Twins will face Berríos, who beat them this season when he allowed zero runs in 5 ⅔ innings.
BEST BET:
Series odds: Arizona (-250), Milwaukee (+210)
Game 2 Odds:
Arizona (+114, +1.5 -198) vs. Milwaukee (-135, -1.5 +164), Over/Under 7.5 runs (-110, -110)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Game 2: Zac Gallen (17-9, 3.47 ERA, 220 K in 210 IP) vs. TBD
PREVIEW: The Diamondbacks were the only team to have two innings where they put a crooked number on the scoreboard yesterday. The Snakes showed why they have a scrappy, unyielding offense. They ran the bases aggressively, but won the game thanks to three home runs and a two-run double. Those four well-placed extra-base hits scored all six of Arizona’s runs.
Milwaukee is reeling under the news that ace Brandon Woodruff will miss the playoffs with a shoulder injury. No starter has been named for Game 2 as we file this story, but it may not matter, because manager Craig Counsell will need to issue an “all hands on deck” memo. The Brewers are in danger of being eliminated in the first round for the fourth time in five seasons.
BEST BET:
Series odds: Miami (+425), Philadelphia (-500)
Game 2 Odds:
Miami (+130, +1.5 -166) vs. Philadelphia (-155, -1.5 +140), Over/Under 8 runs (-115, -105)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Game 2: Braxton Garrett (9-7, 3.66 ERA, 156 K in 159.2 IP) vs. Aaron Nola (12-9, 4.46 ERA, 202 K in 193.2 IP)
PREVIEW: When you see the Phillies play as inspired as they did in Game 1, with their home fans making noise that could wake up Ben Franklin, you start to think this team could return to the World Series. There’s something to be said for a roster that has superstars like Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, J.T. Realmuto, and Zack Wheeler. Add in Game 2 starter Aaron Nola, Nick Castellanos, and the maligned but dangerous Kyle Schwarber, and you have a team that could go far in these playoffs. Which is why oddsmakers have them at -500 to win this series.
BEST BET:
- Texas at Tampa Bay, 3:08 PM ET on ABC Sports
- Toronto at Minnesota, 4:38 PM ET on ESPN
- Arizona at Milwaukee, 7:08 PM ET on ESPN2
- Miami at Philadelphia, 8:08 PM ET on ESPN
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