MLB National League betting preview & odds | Monday, June 13

What a weekend of baseball. It is clear that the weather is warming up and the bats are starting to get going as offense is up across the entire league, a great thing for the game.

Here are our some of our favorite National League picks for Monday, June 13th slate of Major League Baseball games.

San Diego Padres (-1.5, -125 ML) @ Chicago Cubs (+1.5, +105 ML)

Probable Pitchers : Yu Darvish vs Justin Steele

For as kind as the weekend had been to some, it was brutal for the Cubs. The Cubs lost three of four to the St. Louis Cardinals, a game to the Orioles and are coming off a weekend of getting swept by the New York Yankees. The Cubs have certainly cooled down since their hot start to the season, in total, they are 23-35. The Padres obviously have one of the better rosters in the league and have been playing like that under the first year of Bob Melvin. The Padres are 7-3 in their last 10 games and are managing to keep pace with the Los Angeles Dodgers despite missing Fernando Tatis Jr.

The Padres will roll out former Cub, Yu Darvish. The 35 year old has pitched to a 3.61 ERA in a little over 67 innings thus far. Darvish has been solid since joining the Padres and should be in for one of his easier matchups of the year on Monday night. Darvish will be opposed by Justin Steele. Steele has been shaky for the Cubs thus far in 2022 but is a serviceable five starter. It seems as if Steele is good for five innings, three runs or less but to win this one Steele will need to be much better than that.

The Padres are going to Chicago to face a reeling Cubs team, they are clearly the better team here. Keep an eye on Yu Darvish player props and take the Padres -1.5 in this one.

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Atlanta Braves (-1.5, -155 ML) @ Washington Nationals (+1.5, +135)

Probable Pitchers : Ian Anderson vs Josiah Gray

How about the Braves? The defending World Series Champions have finally found their mojo as they’ve won 11 straight games. With Ronald Acuna Jr back and Matt Olson finding his stride, the Braves look just as dangerous as they did to end last season. They’ll head to the nation’s capital to take on the division-rival Nationals.

The starting pitching matchup in this one is noteworthy. Anderson, 24, will oppose the Nationals with a 4.53 ERA thus far this season. The former first round pick has looked shaky to start this season but has enjoyed success for two straight years. It seems like only a matter of time until Anderson puts it together and becomes the pitcher we have seen in recent years. In his last two starts, Anderson has allowed seven earned runs and 15 hits in only 12 innings against the Rockies and Athletics, two teams of the Nationals caliber.

For the Nationals, Josiah Gray has been about the same as Anderson. Gray was brought over in the big trade deadline swap between the Nationals and Dodgers including Trea Turner and Max Scherzer. Gray was a centerpiece of that trade thanks to his skill set but has failed to put it together in the majors thus far. There is certainly more time but he will surely have a tough assignment taking on one of the hottest lineups in all of baseball Monday night.

While the pair of 24 year olds will look to find some success in this one, it will be Gray with the tougher challenge. Ultimately, we do believe the Braves winning streak will come to an end in this series but it won’t be this one, take the Braves Moneyline.

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Miami Marlins (+1.5, +130 ML) @ Philadelphia Phillies (-1.5, -150 ML)

Probable Pitchers : Sandy Alcantara vs Aaron Nola

It looks like there will be meaningful baseball in Philadelphia this summer after all. After parting ways with Joe Girardi, this Phillies team caught fire. The team won nine games in a row, eight of which were under the new interim manager Rob Thomson. Despite losing Sunday’s matchup to the Diamondbacks ending the win streak, Thomson has brought a Phillies team that was in shambles just two weeks ago, all the way back to .500. It should be fun to watch them duke it out with the Braves, Mets, and Marlins for the division and wildcard.

In this one, the Phillies will send Aaron Nola to the hill. Nola boasts a 3.50 ERA so far this season and has shown signs of the Nola that finished third in Cy Young voting just three seasons ago. Nola has certainly been shaky at times in the past but has implemented a fourth pitch making him less predictable and it has quickly paid dividends for the Phillies second ace.

The Marlins will oppose Nola with Alcantara who has been dominant this year. The Marlins have quietly become a pitching factory with Alcantara, Pablo Lopez and so many more. Alcantara has been very good against the Phillies specifically. He has a career 6-4 record in 11 games vs the Phillies with a 3.11 ERA but has never faced this Phillies lineup.

While the Phillies look to have the edge in the pitching matchup, there is certainly something to be said for the mental part of baseball. The Marlins have absolutely owned the Phillies dating back to the mid-2010s. Some of the Phillies’ most horrific memories over the past few years have been against these very Marlins. Until the Phillies prove that they can win against Miami, we will not be picking them. Take the Marlins Moneyline as long as they’re plus odds.

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