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: 6/9/2017, Opening Line Report

by - 6/8/2017

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Julio Teheran

It has been quite a week or so around baseball. Last Saturday, Miami's Edinson Volquez threw the first no-hitter of the season. That's nice, but there have been nearly 300 of those in MLB history. What Cincinnati's Scooter Gennett did on Tuesday vs. the Cardinals was incredible as he finished 5-for-5 with four homers and 10 RBIs. Scooter Gennett! He is the 17th player in big-league history with a four-homer game and maybe the least likely considering Gennett doesn't play every day, was a waiver-wire pickup and began the night with 38 career home runs in five seasons (so just less than 10 percent of his career homers are now from one game). He was averaging one home run every 46.2 plate appearances. Gennett became the first player to ever have four homers, five hits and 10 RBIs in a game. The last to hit four HRs was the Rangers' Josh Hamilton on May 8, 2012. Every month, 5Dimes puts up odds on whether a rare occurrence will happen. You can already bet on a four-homer game or a no-hitter in July. I definitely don't recommend the former, although you would win a sweet $825 on a $100 bet. That it doesn't happen is -1725.

Rockies at Cubs ( -175, TBA )

As usual when the Cubs are home on a Friday, they play the lone matinee of the day. It's a 2:20 p.m. ET first pitch from Wrigley and on the MLB Network. Colorado has placed outfielder Gerardo Parra on the DL. He's having a solid season, batting .318 with six homers and 28 RBIs in 49 games. Parra strained his quad on a steal attempt Tuesday. It's rookie German Marquez (4-3, 4.53) for the Rox as he was pushed back due to a bruised thumb. He will be on six days of rest after allowing six runs and eight hits over five innings last Friday in San Diego. Marquez dominated the Cubs on May 10 with eight shutout innings. He had a no-hit bid going until Kris Bryant's double leading off the seventh. Marquez also had a two-run single. Chicago's Kyle Hendricks (4-3, 4.09) looked to have righted the ship after a slow start but has allowed nine runs over nine innings in his past two. He lost in Colorado opposite Marquez, giving up two earned over 6.1. DJ LeMahieu is 4-for-16 off him with five RBIs.

Key trends: The Cubs are 10-4 in Hendricks' past 14 at home vs. teams with a winning record. The "over/under" has gone under in four of his past five on Friday. The under is 4-1 in Marquez's past five vs. teams with a winning record.

Early lean: Rockies on runline and under if wind not blowing out.

Rangers at Nationals (-188, 9)

Matchup of division winners from last season with Texas losing the DH for this interleague matchup. Texas lost first baseman Mike Napoli to the DL earlier this week and might have to put third baseman Adrian Beltre back on there -- this time with an ankle injury. Andrew Cashner (2-5, 3.39) takes the hill in the series opener. He comes off his worst outing, allowing five runs and 11 hits over six innings in a loss to Houston. Cashner is 2-4 with a 4.50 ERA in seven starts and five relief appearances against the Nationals in his career. Daniel Murphy is 5-for-9 off him with a homer. Washington's Tanner Roark (6-2, 3.95) won his third straight start Sunday, allowing four runs over a season-high 7.2 innings in Oakland. A few Rangers have seen him. Jonathan Lucroy is 5-for-13 with a double.

Key trends: The Rangers are 1-4 in Cashner's past five on the road. The Nats are 5-0 in their past five series openers. The under is 7-3 in Cashner's past 10.

Early lean: Rangers on runline and over.

White Sox at Indians (-237, 8.5)

Monitor the status of Cleveland's Edwin Encarnacion as he didn't start Tuesday or Wednesday in Colorado due to minor hip soreness. I think that was more the team didn't feel comfortable with him in the field due to that injury. With Thursday's off day and the DH back here, I'm sure he'll be in there. Encarnacion is 7-for-32 career with two doubles, three homers and 13 RBIs vs. White Sox starter Miguel Gonzalez (4-6, 4.83). He has allowed at least four earned in five of his past six outings. Gonzalez took a no-decision in Cleveland on April 13 (4.2 IP, 3 ER). Cleveland's Corey Kluber (4-2, 4.36) returned from a month on the DL last Thursday and shut out Oakland on two hits with 10 strikeouts over six. That was his second-best outing of the season. The best was a complete-game three-hit shutout at the White Sox on April 21. Jose Abreu is a career .333 hitter off him with three homers in 36 at-bats.

Key trends: The White Sox are 0-7 in Gonzalez's past seven on Friday. The Indians are 10-1 in Kluber's past 11 vs. teams with a losing record. The over is 4-1 in Gonzalez's past five. The under is 10-1 in Kluber's past 11 vs. the White Sox.

Early lean: Indians on runline (-115 much better value compared to -237 on straight moneyline) and under.

Tigers at Red Sox (-159, 10)

The Sox expect to activate second baseman Dustin Pedroia from the DL for this series opener. He landed there May 30 with a left wrist sprain. Boston wants to give ace Chris Sale an extra day of rest so is expected to turn to lefty Brian Johnson (2-0, 2.57), who takes the rotation spot of the injured Eduardo Rodriguez. Johnson did leave his most recent start last Saturday in Triple-A with hamstring cramping but apparently is fine after throwing a bullpen session Tuesday. Johnson's last major-league start was a complete-game shutout against the Mariners on May 27. No Tigers have faced him. Detroit's Jordan Zimmermann (5-4, 5.98) had a rare quality start last time out, giving up one run over six innings in a win over the White Sox. He still has allowed three runs or more in eight of 10 starts this season. Boston's Hanley Ramirez is 10-for-26 off him with three extra-base hits and six RBIs.

Key trends: The Tigers are 2-5 in their past seven series openers. The Red Sox are 2-8 in their past 10 on Friday. The over is 4-1 in Detroit's past five vs. the AL East. The over is 7-2 in Boston's past nine in Game 1 of a series.

Early lean: Red Sox and over.

Mets at Braves (-116, 9.5)

It's Bartolo Colon bobblehead night at SunTrust Park, but he was pulled from the rotation earlier this week and frankly might never make another big-league start. Colon has allowed a whopping 24 runs over 11 innings in his past three to see his ERA rise to an MLB-worst 7.78. The club put him on the DL with a left oblique strain, but that's just so the Braves can decide what to do with Colon. He might be released. The Braves start presumed ace Julio Teheran (5-4, 5.40) here. They should have traded him last year when his value was skyhigh as Teheran obviously has regressed in 2017. He is 1-1 with a 3.93 ERA in three starts this year vs. the Mets. Jay Bruce is 5-for-25 off him with two homers. New York's Matt Harvey (4-3, 5.43) had been pitching better but then was lit up for six runs over five innings last time out vs. the Pirates. Harvey is just too wild these days and walked four more. He's fifth in the NL with 32 free passes. Harvey is 1-2 with a 7.71 ERA in three starts this year vs. Atlanta.

Key trends: The Mets are 1-5 in Harvey's past six vs. Atlanta. The over is 5-1-2 in his past eight overall. The over is 4-1 in Teheran's past five vs. the Mets.

Early lean: Mets and over.

Doc's MLB handicappers are offering $60 worth of member's baseball picks free - no obligation, no sales people - You can use this $60 credit on any of our top MLB handicappers picks here now. Get free MLB picks daily 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