MLB Friday betting picks & best parlay odds – August 12, 2022

Cal Quantrill starts for Cleveland against Jose Berrios in Toronto, Carlos Rodon and the Giants host the Pirates, and Max Scherzer and the Mets take on the Phillies in Major League Baseball (MLB) on Friday. Here are the best bets on MLB games scheduled for August 12, with the action starting at 6:40pm ET.

Cleveland Guardians (+155) @ Toronto Blue Jays (-180)

Cleveland is on a roll, winning five straight games to take over first place in the American League Central Division. The Guardians have won Cal Quantrill’s last six starts, with Quantrill getting the win in four of those games. As a result, he is 8-5 with a 3.88 ERA and 1.28 WHIP. The Blue Jays are six-for-38 against him with one homer for a .188 batting average and .652 OPS against.

Going for Toronto will be Jose Berrios, who has struggled with a 5.19 ERA and 1.35 WHIP despite going 8-4 this season. The Blue Jays had won his last six starts until a disaster against his former team. The Twins forced Berrios to the bench before he could finish four innings, tagging him with five earned runs and two home runs. Cleveland is plenty familiar with him, too, and comfortable, it seems. The Guardians have 19 hits in 73 at-bats with a .356 batting average and 1.024 OPS against.

Take the Guardians in the first five innings and bet on their seventh-ranked bullpen (1.19 WHIP) to hold onto the lead against Toronto’s relievers (13th-ranked reliever WHIP). Take the underdog Guardians on the moneyline.

Pittsburgh Pirates (+225) @ San Francisco Giants (-265)

Carlos Rodon is 10-6 with a 2.95 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. He has the fourth most strikeouts in MLB. The fact he remained a Giant at the MLB trade deadline shocked almost everyone, but he is signed through next season and perhaps San Francisco intends to extend his contract. He should pick up another win against the Pirates on Friday. They have just one hit in 18 at-bats against him.

Bryse Wilson is expected to start for Pittsburgh. He is 2-6 with a 5.86 ERA and 1.52 WHIP. The Giants are mostly unfamiliar with him, but that shouldn’t stop them from scoring runs. Their 506 runs scored ranks 10th in MLB.

Bet on the Giants in the first five innings, on the moneyline, and to win by two or more runs. Parlaying the Guardians and Giants on the moneyline pays around +251 with most sports betting sites.

Philadelphia Phillies (+155) @ New York Mets (-180)

Max Scherzer has been his old self: 8-2 with a 1.98 ERA and 0.90 WHIP. He’s puzzled the Phillies, allowing 36 hits in 186 at-bats, with just nine going for extra bases. That’s a .539 OPS and .212 batting average against. Kyle Schwarber and Jean Segura are most comfortable against the ace with two eye colors. Schwarber obviously has a better chance of getting multiple total bases given his power. In 11 at-bats he’s got four hits with two of them being homers. Segura is 12-for-33 with a homer.

Ranger Suarez is expected to start for Philadelphia. He is 8-5 with a 3.68 ERA and 1.37 WHIP. He has been quite good against the Mets, holding them to 10 hits in 35 at-bats with just two going for extra bases. That’s a .236 batting average and .603 OPS against. Eduardo Escobar is three-of-five with a double and a dinger, so consider betting on him to have multiple hits and/or multiple total bases.

The Phillies might keep it close, but bet on the Mets to win the first five innings and the game. Parlaying New York with Cleveland and San Francisco pays a sweet +446 with Bovada.

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