Docs Website

53 Years Strong! A Trusted Leader In Sports Picks, Best Bets and Predictions Since 1971.

Main Menu
Five to Follow Expert MLB Betting Picks: 6/14/2017, Opening Line Report

by - 6/13/2017

Jose Altuve Houston Astros

The Rays have been a moderate surprise so far this season as they are right in the wild-card race, but I expect them to fall out soon and eventually be a seller ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. That's because the team is going to be without center fielder Kevin Kiermaier, a defensive dynamo, and pitcher Matt Andriese each until August. Kiermaier, who got a six-year extension before this season, will miss at least two months with a hairline fracture in his right hip. The 2016 AL Gold Glove winner was hitting .258 with seven homers, 20 RBIs and 10 steals in 62 games. Andriese left Sunday's game with what the team said was a re-straining of his groin, but further exam showed a "stress reaction" in his hip. It's a bit of an unusual injury, but the Rays don't expect him back before August. Andriese has emerged as a very solid starter, going 5-1 with a 3.54 ERA. The Rays, as usual, are drawing flies, so management has to be aggressive one way or the other: either push for the playoffs or get younger and cheaper. Expect the latter.

A's at Marlins ( -163, 9 )

Earliest-starting game of the day at 12:10 p.m. ET and on the MLB Network.Not much reason for A's fans to watch their team this year, but the future could be on the mound Wednesday in top prospect Daniel Gossett, the team's second-round pick in 2014 out of Clemson. He makes his big-league debut here. Gossett was 3-3 with a 3.56 ERA at Triple-A Nashville and has allowed only four runs over his past three starts. He is taking the spot of Andrew Triggs, who was placed on the disabled list Saturday with a left hip strain. Miami's Edinson Volquez (3-7, 3.41) couldn't join Johnny Vander Meer as the only pitchers to throw back-to-back no-hitters. He was still darn good last time out, blanking the Pirates on three hits over seven. He became the first pitcher to pitch at least seven shutout innings while allowing three or fewer hits in a start immediately following a no-hitter since the Phillies' Tommy Greene had a three-hit shutout against the Expos on May 28, 1991 after tossing a no hitter against Montreal in his previous start.

Key trends: The Marlins are 2-5 in Volquez's past seven vs. teams with a losing record. The "over/under" has gone under in his past five at home.

Early lean: Marlins and under.

Royals at Giants (-170, 7.5)

A 3:45 p.m. ET matinee from AT&T Park. The Royals don't win the 2015 World Series without trading for then-Cincinnati pitcher Johnny Cueto that season. San Francisco's Cueto, who might be on the move again this July, takes on his former team. Cueto (5-5, 4.33) comes off a no-decision in Milwaukee, allowing two earned over five innings. He is 1-2 with a 3.79 ERA lifetime against the Royals. Mike Moustakas is 3-for-4 off him with two doubles. Brandon Moss is 1-for-14 with five strikeouts. Kansas City's Jason Hammel (2-6, 5.43) has potentially saved his job with back-to-back quality starts. He dominated the Astros last time out in allowing one run over seven. Against the Giants on April 18, Hammel tossed six innings and yielded one run on six hits in a no-decision. Hunter Pence is 7-for-22 off him with a homer and six RBIs.

Key trends: The Royals are 0-4 in Hammel's past four on the road. The Giants are 10-1 in Cueto's past 11 at home vs. teams with a losing record. The over is 7-1-2 in his past 10 at home.

Early lean: Giants and over.

Cubs at Mets (+100, 9)

MLB Network's night offering. Cubs lefty Mike Montgomery (0-3, 2.43) makes another start with Kyle Hendricks on the disabled list. Montgomery lasted four innings as a replacement for Hendricks on Friday vs. Colorado, giving up two runs and walking three. His 73 pitches were a season-high, and I doubt the Cubs let him get to 80. So this will be a bullpen game for sure. Montgomery has never faced the Mets. Yoenis Cespedes is 0-for-0 against him with two walks. The Mets' Matt Harvey (4-3, 5.02) threw five shutout innings in his last start in Atlanta but reached 104 pitches in that time so was yanked. Harvey has been lousy at home with a 6.11 ERA in 2017. The Cubs' Jason Heyward is 2-for-9 off him with a homer. Miguel Montero might start behind the plate as he's 3-for-5 off Harvey with three walks.

Key trends: The Mets are 5-2 in Harvey's past seven vs. the NL Central. The over is 5-0-1 in his past six at home.

Early lean: Mets and over.

Rangers at Astros (-153, 9.5)

The Astros are running out of starting pitchers as they lost Dallas Keuchel back to the DL last week and now Lance McCullers has joined him. Fellow rotation guys Collin McHugh and Charlie Morton are also on the DL. Good thing Houston has a massive lead in the division. McCullers, who was supposed to start Tuesday, is dealing with lower back discomfort. The Astros go with top pitching prospect Francis Martes in his big-league starting debut here. The 21-year-old played in his first MLB game last Friday vs. the Angels and allowed four runs and four hits in 3.2 innings of relief. I know for a fact that the White Sox have demanded Martes as part of any package should the Astros want to acquire Jose Quintana. Baseball America ranks Martes as Houston's No. 1 overall prospect and No. 17 in baseball. The Rangers' Andrew Cashner (3-5, 3.17) won in Washington on Friday in allowing one run over seven. He's 0-2 with a 5.25 ERA in two starts vs. Houston. Carlos Beltran is 4-for-7 off him with a homer.

Key trends: The Rangers are 1-4 in Cashner's past five vs. the AL West. The under is 8-3 in his past 11 overall.

Early lean: Rangers and over.

Yankees at Angels (+115, 8)

Only game that starts after 8:15 p.m. ET (10 p.m.) and is on ESPN. The Bombers start Michael Pineda (7-3, 3.39). He beat Boston on Thursday and didn't allow an earned run over seven innings with eight strikeouts. Six of his past seven starts have been quality. Yunel Escobar hits him well, going 7-for-18 with two homers and six RBIs. Albert Pujols is 0-for-3. The Halos' Matt Shoemaker (6-3, 4.22) won in Houston on Friday as he gave up four runs over seven innings. Shoemaker is 5-1 with a 3.19 ERA in his past six outings. He is 0-2 with a 4.05 ERA in two career starts against the Yankees. Superstar rookie Aaron Judge hasn't faced him. Chris Carter is 3-for-8 with two homers. Aaron Hicks is also 3-for-8.

Key trends: The Yanks are 5-2 in Pineda's past seven vs. the AL West. The Angels are 9-1 in Shoemaker's past 10 at home. The over is 4-1 in Pineda's past five. It's 7-1-1 in Shoemaker's last nine at home.

Early lean: Yankees and over.

The handicappers at Doc's Sports are offering $60 worth of member's baseball picks absolutely free - no obligation, no sales people - Sign up here for free baseball picks . Also, for a limited time only get three MLB handicappers for the price of one. Click here for details . Get free baseball picks today at Doc's Sports baseball predictions page .

Read more articles by

Most Recent Baseball Handicapping

One E-mail A Week Is All You Need!
Our weekly newsletter is loaded with exclusive free picks,insight and advice from our expert handicappers