Friday’s MLB best bets & parlay picks – July 15, 2022

On Friday in Major League Baseball (MLB), Zach Plesac and the Guardians play host to the Tigers, Jose Urquidy and Houston host Oakland, and Ian Anderson and Atlanta visit the Nationals. Here are the best bets on games scheduled for July 15, starting at 2:20pm ET.

Detroit Tigers (+165) @ Cleveland Guardians (-195)

Zach Plesac is scheduled to start for the Guardians against Detroit, whom he’s absolutely owned. Plesac has been a top-50 pitcher this season despite his 2-7 record, but against the Tigers, he’s an ace. Detroit is a combined 21-for-106 against Plesac, with four doubles, a triple, and a homer. That’s a .481 OPS and .161 batting average against, and most of that damage has been done by Willi Castro, who is six-for-13 with a double and a triple. Consider betting on him to have multiple hits or multiple total bases on Friday.

Going for Detroit will be Drew Hutchison, who has been been better than his 1-4 record, but won’t likely improve upon that record against the Guardians. Cleveland batters are 10-for-31 against him with four doubles, a triple, and a homer. That’s a 1.032 OPS and .352 batting average against. Jose Ramirez has led the way for the Guardians, going four-of-eight with two doubles and a dinger. Definitely get a player prop bet in on him to have multiple total bases on Friday.

Take Cleveland in the first five innings, on the moneyline, and consider taking them by two or more runs. Beware, though, the Tigers have the seventh-best bullpen in baseball with a 1.19 WHIP. Cleveland is 15th (1.24).

Oakland Athletics (+167) @ Houston Astros (-208.33)

Jose Urquidy is scheduled to start for Houston against Oakland’s anaemic offense. He’s 8-3 with a 4.08 ERA and 1.27 WHIP this season. Against Oakland, Urquidy is especially good, holding the A’s to nine hits in 61 at-bats, with just five going for extra bases. That’s a .423 OPS and .109 batting average against. While four of those extra-base hits have traveled out of the ballpark, no Oakland batter has multiple extra-base hits against him.

Oakland will counter with Cole Irvin, who is 3-7 despite a respectable 3.32 ERA amd 1.13 WHIP. That’s how bad the Athletics are offensively. Their .603 OPS is the worst in MLB by a lot. Detroit has the next worst team OPS at .624. There’s a good chance Irvin will need ample run support, too. The Astros are 23-for-94 against him with seven doubles and four dingers, making for an .847 OPS against. Jake Meyers has been especially comfortable against Irvin, with three hits in four at-bats, including a double and a dinger. Consider betting on him to have multiple total bases on Friday.

Houston shouldn’t have a problem in the first five innings or the next four. Take the Astros across the board and to win by two or more runs.

Atlanta Braves (-222.22) @ Washington Nationals (+179)

Patrick Corbin and the Nationals host Atlanta on Friday, and the pitcher probably wishes his day to work came against just about any other team. Corbin hasn’t been great against anybody this season, going 4-11 with a 5.70 ERA and 1.67 WHIP, but against the Braves he’s been especially ineffective.

Atlanta batters are 67-for-221 against Corbin with 14 doubles and eight dingers. That’s an .847 OPS and .339 batting average against. Doing the bulk of the damage has been Adam Duvall, with 11 hits including four doubles and two dingers in 32 at-bats. Bet on him to have multiple total bases on Friday. Consider doing the same for Austin Riley, who is seven-of-24 with three doubles and a dinger.

Ian Anderson is expected to start for Atlanta, and he’s 7-5 despite a 4.98 ERA and 1.51 WHIP. But against the Nationals he’s allowed just eight hits in 42 at-bats, with just one going for extra bases. While he has walked nine Washington batters, he’s struck out 12, making for a .304 on-base percentage against him. None of the Nationals have more than a single hit off him.

Take Atlanta in the first five innings and on the moneyline. Also consider taking the Braves to win by two or more given their third-best team OPS (.758) and fifth-best reliever WHIP (1.16).

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