AL West Match-Ups: June 6, 2013
With the addition of the fledgling Houston Astros and with the disappointing start from the Los Angeles Angels, the AL West hasn’t shone as bright in the first half of the season as it has in years past. But with the Texas Rangers and Oakland A’s still fielding consistent winning squads, there’s still a lot to root for and a lot to be excited about in the division, including the four games it has on tap for bettors today. Check out our picks for each contest below!
Baltimore Orioles -1.5 at Houston Astros +1.5
For all of last season and for the first month of this season, all the Houston Astros had been good for was a good laugh. However, they’ve been the only ones laughing lately, as they’ve won eight of their last 10 games. And the good news for Stros fans is they’ll have a good chance to pick up another victory as they send Bud Norris to the mound – who has a 3.39 ERA on the year – against the Orioles today.
Baltimore has been solid all season, but the pitching match-up seems to favor the Astros (Norris vs. Miguel Gonzalez) and considering they have home field and they are swinging the bats well, I like Houston to cover +1.5 today.
Texas Rangers +1.5 at Boston Red Sox -1.5
Both teams come into this match-up playing fairly well and both will send out one of their best hurlers, but only one of those flame throwers is hot at the moment.
Derek Holland has dominated the Red Sox with a 5-1 career record, while Jon Lester is 0-2 with a 8.55 ERA in his last four starts against the Rangers. After starting the season 6-0, Lester has dropped two of his last three starts and has posted a 6.05 ERA over that span.
Although Texas is on the road today, it should easily cover +1.5 against a team it has played well against recently. Take the Rangers in this big-time rubber match.
Oakland A’s -1.5 at Chicago White Sox +1.5
It’s been tough sledding for the White Sox lately, who are just 2-8 in their last 10 games, but they are hoping they can start to turn the tide by sending one of their better starters, Jose Quintana, out to the hill today.
The problem is, they’ll be up against a surging A’s team that has shut opposing offenses down over the last month. A’s starters have only given up 10 bombs in the last 125-plus innings and have posted a 12-2 record in their last 19 games.
Young Dan Straily, who gets the ball for Oakland today, has been a major contributor to those numbers, as he’s allowed just two earned runs in his last 19 innings of work. The Sox should be in for a long and unproductive day at the plate, so take the A’s to cover -1.5 in the win here.
New York Yankees -1.5 at Seattle Mariners +1.5Â
The Yankees will be bringing a three-game win streak into Seattle today, but Phil Hughes starting against the M’s means the boys from the Bronx might be in big trouble.
The Mariners continue to struggle at the plate, but not against Hughes, whom they knocked in seven runs against in a 12-2 Seattle win back on May 15. Hughes hasn’t fared much better since. In fact, he’s coming off a loss to Boston, in which he couldn’t get out of the fifth inning, giving up five earned.
The Yankees will probably take the series from Seattle, but this is one game where I like the Mariners. Take Seattle to cover +1.5 in the home win today.
