Free MLB Picks For Today 4/18/2023
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Cleveland Guardians vs. Detroit Tigers MLB Pick Prediction 4/18/2023
Guardians at Tigers—With Game 1 of this series postponed they play two on Tuesday. Hunter Gaddis to start for Cleveland in Game 1. Gaddis in three starts in 2023 produces an ERA 8.53 with WHIP 1.50. The righty is striking out 18.6% with 8.5% walks. Ground ball rate of 18.6% with 0.71 home runs per nine innings. His FIP is 4.31 suggests a drop in ERA based on these numbers. Eduardo Rodriguez starts for Detroit. Rodriguez in three starts on the campaign an ERA 4.50 plus WHIP 1.31. The lefthander has seen his strikeout rate plummet to 13.6% with 7.6% walks. Ground balls 38.5% with 1.69 home runs per nine innings. His FIP is 5.61 suggests a rise in ERA if form doesn’t improve. High contact for Rodriguez and Gaddis form poor. Both teams hitting. Play Cleveland and Detroit over 8 in this pitching matchup in Game 1.
Peyton Battenfield to start for Cleveland in the nightcap. Battenfield had 28 starts in Triple A in 2022 with an ERA 3.63 and WHIP 1.27. The righthander in his MLB debut allowed one earned run with three strikeouts in 4 2/3rd innings at home to the Yankees. Edwardo Rodriguez to start for Detroit. Rodriguez has three starts in 2023 with an ERA 4.50 with WHIP 1.31. The lefty a strikeout mark of 13.6% and 7.6% walks. Ground balls are 38.5% with 1.59 home runs per nine innings. A FIP of 5.57 suggests a rise in ERA should form holds. Rodriguez high contact the concern here. Guardians are hitting lefty’s and have the better bullpen. Play Cleveland -115 in this pitching matchup in Game 2.
Philadelphia Phillies vs. Chicago White Sox MLB Pick Prediction 4/18/2023
Phillies at White Sox—With the weather postponement on Monday they play two on Monday. Pitching matchups for Monday are in Game 1. Zack Wheeler to start for Philadelphia. Wheeler in three starts on the campaign an ERA 4.02 with WHIP 1.40. The righthander is striking out 26.5% with 10.3% walks. Ground ball rate 41.9% with limited home run damage. Lance Lynn to start for Chicago. Lynn has three starts in 2023 with an ERA 7.31 plus WHIP 1.63. The veteran has a strikeout mark of 28.8% with 9.6% walks. Ground balls 29.5% with 3.38 home runs per nine innings. A line drive rate of 27.3% and FIP 7.11. Phillies hitting .299 against righthanders. Lynn and the bullpen form tough to back. Play Philadelphia -123 in Game 1.
Bailey Falter to start in Game 2. Falter in three starts in 2023 has an ERA 4.80 with WHIP 1.33. The lefthander a strikeout mark of 14.5% with 1.6% walks. Ground balls 55.8% with 1.20 home runs per nine innings. Lucas Giolito to start for Chicago. Giolito has three starts on the campaign with an ERA 6.00 plus WHIP 1.67. The righthander is striking out 22.2% with 4.2% walks. Ground balls 32% with 1.20 home runs per nine innings. White Sox hitting lefthanders and Phillies pounding righthanded pitching. Both bullpens getting rocked. Play Philadelphia and Chicago over 8.5 in Game 2.
San Francisco Giants vs. Miami Marlins MLB Pick Prediction 4/18/2023
Giants at Marlins—Alex Wood to start for San Francisco. Wood made 26 starts last season with an ERA 5.10 and WHIP 1.24. The lefthander has two starts in 2023 allowing one earned run with eight strikeouts in 7 2/3rd innings. Edward Cabrera to start for Miami. Cabrera in his three starts on the year has an ERA 4.63 with WHIP 1.97. The righthander has seen his strikeouts dip to 17.5% with 24.6% walks. Ground balls 57.6% with no homers allowed. Marlins crushing lefthanders. Giants bullpen is struggling. Play Miami +100.
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Cincinnati Reds MLB Pick Prediction 4/18/2023
Rays at Reds—Taj Bradley expected to start for Tampa Bay. Bradley spent 2022 in the minors with good numbers in Double and Triple A. In his MLB debut this season the righthander allowed three earned runs with eight strikeouts in five innings at home to Boston. Nick Lodolo will start for Cincinnati. Lodolo in three starts this season has an ERA 2.12 with WHIP 1.41. The lefthander is fanning 36% with 8% walks. Ground balls 48.8% with 0.53 home runs per nine innings. Rough road trip for the Rays. They had issues winning on the road last year. Lodolo form outstanding. Play Cincinnati +110.
LA Angels vs. New York Yankees MLB Pick Prediction 4/18/2023
Angels at Yankees—Jose Suarez to start for LAA. Suarez appeared in 22 games in 2022 with an ERA 3.96 with WHIP 1.25. The lefty has two starts on the season allowing ten earned runs with two homers and eighteen hits tossing 8 1/3rd innings. Clarke Schmidt to start for NYY. Schmidt in three starts on the season has an ERA 8.44 with WHIP 1.97. The righty a strikeout mark of 20.85 with 9.4% walks. Ground balls dished at 36.1% with 2.53 home runs per nine innings. LAA 21-43 facing teams with good bullpens an ERA 3.45 or below. LAA has lost 28 of 41 against the AL East. Play New York Yankees -141.
Baltimore Orioles vs. Washington Nationals MLB Pick Prediction 4/18/2023
Orioles at Nationals—Dean Kremer to start for Baltimore. Kremer in three starts this season has an ERA 9.49 with WHIP 1.78. The righthander has seen his strikeout mark plummet to 13.8% with 10.3% walks. Ground balls 39.5% with 3.65 home runs per nine innings. Josiah Gray to start for Washington. Gray has three starts in 2023 with an ERA 4.32 plus WHIP 1.44. The righthander has seen his strikeouts dip to 18.1% with 6.9% walks. Ground balls 50% with 2.16 home runs per nine innings. A FIP 6.14 suggests a rise in ERA with these numbers. Both starters form very poor. Play Baltimore and Washington over 9.5.
Minnesota Twins vs. Boston Red Sox MLB Pick Prediction 4/18/2023
Twins at Red Sox—Sonny Gray to start for Minnesota. Gray has three starts on the campaign with an ERA 0.53 and WHIP 1.00. The veteran is fanning 27.9% with 10.3% walks. Ground balls 31.7% with 0.53 home runs per nine innings. Chris Sale to start for Boston. Sale in three starts in 2023 has an ERA 11.25 plus WHIP 2.08. The lefthander a strikeout rate of 29.7% with 10.9% walks. Grounders sit at 38.9% with 3.75 home runs per nine innings. Sale’s form poor and Twins bullpen performing well as is Gray. Play Minnesota -113.
Texas Rangers vs. Kansas City Royals MLB Pick Prediction 4/18/2023
Rangers at Royals—Nathan Eovaldi to start for Texas. Eovaldi starts in three games in 2023 with an ERA 6.32 plus WHIP 1.53. The righty is fanning 27.9% with 4.4% walks. Ground balls 50% with limited home runs damage. A FIP 2.30 suggests a drop in ERA if form holds. Brad Keller to start for KC. Keller in three starts on the campaign an ERA 2.12 plus WHIP 1.12. The righty a strikeout mark of 23.2% with 11.6% walks. Ground balls 53.5% with limited home run damage. His FIP is 3.97 indicates a possible rise in ERA with these numbers. KC hitting just .201 and bullpen performing poor. Eovaldi strikeout and walk rate encouraging and so is his FIP. Play Texas -120.
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. St Louis Cardinals MLB Pick Prediction 4/18/2023
Diamondbacks at Cardinals—Drey Jameson to start for Arizona. Jameson in four appearances an ERA 1.46 plus WHIP 1.05. The righthander fans 25% with 10.4% walks. Ground ball rate of 38.7% with 1.46 home runs per nine innings. Jordan Montgomery to start for St Louis. Montgomery in three starts carries an ERA 2.45 with WHIP 1.09. The lefty strikes out 22.7% with 6.7% walks. Grounders 50.9% with no homers allowed. Diamondbacks face a good NL pitching on the road with a WHIP 1.25 or better they have lost 46 of 56. Arizona is hitting only .210 on the road. Play St Louis -162.
Toronto Blue Jays vs. Houston Astros MLB Pick Prediction 4/18/2023
Blue Jays at Astros—Chris Bassitt to start for Houston. Bassitt in three starts in 2023 has an ERA 7.63 and WHIP 1.63. The righthander has seen his strikeouts drop to 17.1% with 11.4% walks. Ground balls 31.3% with 2.93 home runs per nine innings. Jose Urquidy to start for Houston. Urquidy in three starts posts an ERA 2.35 and WHIP 1.37. The righty strikes out 20% with 7.7% walks. Ground ball rate of 36.2% with 1.17 home runs per nine innings. Bassitt eight walks in his past twelve innings. Urquidy coming off back to back strong starts. Play Houston -105.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Colorado Rockies MLB Pick Prediction 4/18/2023
Pirates at Rockies—Vince Velasquez to start for Pittsburgh. Velasquez in three starts carries an ERA 5.40 with WHIP 1.58. The righty has seen his strikeout plummet to 16.4% with 11.5% walks. Ground balls 25% with 1.35 home runs per nine innings. Jose Urena to start for Colorado. Urena has three starts in 2023 with an ERA 9.90 and WHIP 2.50. The righty a strikeout mark of 12.7% with 14.5% walks. Ground balls dished at 37.5% with 4.50 home runs per nine innings. Urena and Rockies bullpen the concern here. Play Pittsburgh -113.
Atlanta Braves vs. San Diego Padres MLB Pick Prediction 4/18/2023
Braves at Padres—Spencer Strider will start for Atlanta. Strider in three starts in 2023 an ERA 3.38 plus WHIP 1.19. The righty is fanning 40.9% with 12.1% walks. Grounders 25.8% with 0.56 home runs per nine innings. Blake Snell too start for San Diego. Snell has three starts posting an ERA 6.92 with WHIP 2.15. The lefthander has seen his strikeout rate drop to 24.2% with 15.2% walks. Grounders 37.5% with 2.08 home runs per nine innings. Padres have lost five of six struggled for runs. Braves are pounding lefthanders and getting better production from their pen. Play Atlanta -133.
Chicago Cubs vs. Oakland Athletics MLB Pick Prediction 4/18/2023
Cubs at Athletics—Marcus Stroman to start for Chicago. Stroman has three starts on the campaign with an ERA 1.00 with WHIP 1.00. The veteran a career high 28.2% strikeouts with 11.3% walks. Ground balls 69% with no homers allowed. Ken Waldichuk to start for Oakland. Waldichuk in three starts in 2023 produces an ERA 10.20 plus WHIP 1.93. The lefty is striking out 15.1% with 9.6% walks. Grounders sit 38.9% with 4.20 home runs per nine innings. Athletics team record 12-33 against the run line during first half of 2022 and 2023 seasons. Play Chicago Cubs on the run line -1.5 runs at +100.
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Seattle Mariners MLB Pick Prediction 4/18/2023
Brewers at Mariners—Colin Rea to start for Milwaukee. Rea spent 2022 in Japan after a successful stint in 2021 in Triple A. He signed a minor league contract and had one start this season in Nashville. In his 2023 debut with Milwaukee the righthander allowed one earned run in 5 2/3rd innings at San Diego. In 37 career appearances an ERA 4.78 with WHIP 1.33 and 1.12 home runs per nine innings. Logan Gilbert to start for Seattle. Gilbert in three starts in 2023 compiled an ERA 2.70 with WHIP 1.08. The righty a career high 29.9% strikeouts with 6% walks. Ground balls 53.5% with limited home run damage. Play Milwaukee and Seattle under 8.
New York Mets vs. LA Dodgers MLB Pick Prediction 4/18/2023
Mets at Dodgers—Tylor Megill will start for NYM. Megill in three starts this season an ERA 2.25 with WHIP 1.19. The righthander fans 20% with 10.8% walks. Ground ball rate of 43.2% with 1.13 home runs per nine innings. A FIP of 4.63 suggesting a rise in ERA if form holds. Clayton Kershaw is the starter for the Dodgers. Kershaw in three starts in 2023 an ERA 3.50 with WHIP 1.11. The veteran strikes out 23.3% with 5.5% walks. Grounders dished at 52% with 1.50 home runs per nine innings. Kershaw home run rate and Dodger bullpen the concern here. Play Mets at +148.