Five To Follow MLB Betting: Tuesday, May 26, 2015 Opening Line Report

by Alan Matthews - 5/25/2015

San Francisco Giants Starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner

Memorial Day is always a good benchmark for determining which teams will make the playoffs. Since the start of three-divisional play in 1995, about 60 percent of the teams leading their divisions or their league's wild-card race on Memorial Day have made it into the postseason. Last year on Memorial Day your division leaders were the Blue Jays, Tigers, A's, Braves, Brewers and Giants. Only Detroit won its division, but the A's and Giants made it in as wild cards. I believe the three NL division leaders -- the Nationals, Cardinals and Dodgers -- will end up there at the end, but I'm not confident in the three AL leaders, the Rays, Royals and Astros.

Nationals at Cubs (+100, TBA)

This is the first game of an ESPN doubleheader and thus will have live betting at the sportsbooks. What I find interesting about this matchup is that you hear in baseball circles that Washington's Jordan Zimmermann is almost a lock to sign with the Cubs this winter as a free agent as he's a Midwestern boy. The Cubs are going to add one arm and have money to spend. Zimmermann (4-2, 3.52) got off to a shaky start but has been very good since and the Nats have won his past five outings. He hasn't allowed more than three earned in any of them. Starlin Castro is just 3-for-19 off him. Miguel Montero hits .353 with three doubles. Chicago's Kyle Hendricks (1-1, 4.14) comes off the best start of his young career, throwing a complete-game five-hitter in San Diego without a walk. All five of the Padres' hits were singles. He has never faced Washington.

Key trends: Washington is 10-1 in Zimmermann's past 11 on Tuesday. The Cubs are 7-1 in Hendricks' past eight at home. The "over/under" has gone over in six of his past eight.

Early lean: Nationals and under a total that I'm guessing will be 7 if the wind isn't a factor.

Mariners at Rays (-110, 7)

Tampa Bay had a rough game from an injury perspective on Sunday as shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera left in the eighth inning after suffering a mild groin sprain and first baseman James Loney suffered a sprained finger but was able to complete the game. He will be re-evaluated on Monday, but neither injury sounds too serious. It's lefty J.A. Happ (3-1, 3.61) for Seattle here. He lasted only two innings last time out due to a long rain delay in Baltimore, allowing four runs and four hits. Loney, assuming he plays, is 7-for-16 with two doubles off him. Alex Colome (3-1, 4.81) goes for Tampa. He pitched five shutout innings last time out against Oakland. He has now allowed three runs or fewer in 10 of his 13 career starts. Colome has never faced Seattle.

Key trends: The Mariners are 4-1 in their past five in Game 2 of a series. The under is 6-2 in Colome's past eight.

Early lean: Rays and under.

Rockies at Reds (-110, 7)

The slumping Reds have two injury concerns. Outfielder and speedster Billy Hamilton missed Sunday's game after hurting his shoulder and wrist sliding into second base on Saturday. Catcher Devin Mesoraco was expected to decide Monday whether to have surgery to fix his hip, and that would end his season; he has been placed on the DL. He's not able to catch right now, only DH when the Reds play an interleague series. They start Michael Lorenzen (1-1, 3.79) in this one. His past two outings have been out of the bullpen. He was good in his last start, allowing the White Sox a run over five innings. He has never faced Colorado. It's lefty Jorge De La Rosa (1-2, 6.51) for the Rockies. He lasted only 4.1 innings last time out against Philly, allowing three runs. He did become the all-time franchise leader in strikeouts. Brandon Phillips is 3-for-10 with a homer and three RBIs against him.

Key trends: The Rockies are 2-8 in De La Rosa's past 10 on the road. The Reds are 12-5 in their past 17 at home vs. a lefty. The under is 7-3 in De La Rosa's past 10 on the road.

Early lean: Reds and over.

Giants at Brewers (+135, 7.5)

When San Francisco couldn't re-sign third baseman Pablo Sandoval, the team traded for the Marlins' Casey McGehee. That didn't quite work out. The team designated for assignment over the weekend -- meaning it will eat his $4.8 million salary because no team will claim him. Matt Duffy will take over as the regular at third. Duffy, a rookie, is hitting .297 with 19 RBIs. Ace Madison Bumgarner (5-2, 2.84) starts for the Giants. He shut out the Dodgers over 6.1 innings last time out in beating Clayton Kershaw yet again -- also homering off Kershaw. Ryan Braun hits Bumgarner well, going 6-for-20 with two homers and three RBIs. Milwaukee's Matt Garza (2-6, 5.71) allowed four runs over 6.1 innings last time out in Atlanta. Hunter Pence is 4-for-15 with two RBIs off Garza.

Key trends: The Giants are 6-0 in Bumgarner's past six vs. the NL Central. The Brewers are 1-4 in Garza's past five vs. teams with a winning record. The Giants are 4-1 in Bumgarner's past five against Milwaukee.

Early lean: Giants and under.

Tigers at A's (+100, 7)

Detroit got good news on Sunday when it was revealed that shortstop Jose Iglesias had no structural damage in his knee after colliding with Houston's Chris Carter on Saturday. He might miss a few days, however. Iglesias is second on the Tigers with a .333 batting average. Lefty David Price (3-1, 3.32) gets the call for Detroit. He struck out a season-high 12 last time out against Houston but didn't factor in the decision. The Tigers have won his past five. Marcus Semien is 3-for-8 with a double and two RBIs off Price. It's right-hander Jesse Chavez (1-4, 2,89) for the A's, who have lost his past three. In nine appearances (two starts) against Detroit, he is 0-3 with a 9.90 ERA. Miguel Cabrera is 3-for-7 with a homer and six RBIs against him.

Key trends: The Tigers are 4-0 in Price's past four against teams with a losing record. The A's are 0-5 in their past five against a lefty. The under is 10-1 in Detroit's past 11 on Tuesday.

Early lean: Tigers and under.

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