The 2016 MLB season gets underway tomorrow morning and the opening day has some goliath matchups as we offer our first baseball betting tips of the year!
St Louis Cardinals at Pittsburgh Pirates (Monday 3:05am)
Pitchers: Wainwright vs Liriano
First up is an NL central divisional battle between two teams that had a combined 198 wins between them last season. Ace pitcher Adam Wainwright is the key for me here. Wainwright is finally healthy after a torn Achilles injury and he will be very motivated to prove he is still a superstar on the mound. The Pirates will still be exciting to watch, especially with Andrew McCutchin. However they did lose three key players in the offseason and I believe they will drop off considerably from last season.
Tip: St. Louis Cardinals to win - $2.05 at CrownBet
Toronto Blue Jays at Tampa Bay Rays (Monday, April 4 at 6:05am AEST)
Pitchers: Stroman vs Archer
Toronto’s offense was unbelievable last season. They put up almost 900 runs... but that was last season. I don’t think they can duplicate those numbers again. Defense is more important in the long run and Tampa Bay has Toronto covered in that department. Chris Archer has a good head on his shoulders and I’ll take the older more experienced pitcher over the younger (emerging/unproven) Marcus Stroman.
Tip: Tampa Bay Rays to win - $1.98 at CrownBet
New York Mets at Kansas City Royals (Monday, April 4 10:35am AEST)
Pitchers: Harvey vs Volquez
The third game is the most exciting - a World Series rematch between the New York Mets and the Kansas City Royals. Matt Harvey, aka 'The Dark Knight of Gotham”, gets his chance to prove he will still be a force on the mound. Although this game is in Kansas City I believe the Mets will be the more motivated team here. There may be a bit of a World Series hangover for the Royals, plus the revenge factor for the Mets.
Tip: New York Mets to win - $1.81 at CrownBet
Take note: Any of the tips in this article are simply the author’s opinion, so bet at your own risk and always gamble responsibly. Also be sure to check out the Before You Bet Twitter Page for all our thoughts in the lead up to bets! Happy punting!
