MLB Monday betting picks & top odds – August 22, 2022

A dozen teams enjoy a day off in Major League Baseball (MLB) on Monday, but there are plenty of good bets to be made and great games to watch. The Yankees and Mets will do battle in the Bronx, Sonny Gray and the Twins host the Rangers, and the Brewers visit Dodger Stadium. Here are the best bets on games scheduled for August 22, starting at 2:10pm ET.

Texas Rangers @ Minnesota Twins

Sonny Gray has enjoyed a revival in Minnesota this season, going 7-3 with a 3.11 ERA and 1.13 ERA. It has been his best year since 2019. Even better news for bettors is the Rangers’ numbers against him. Texas batters have just 24 hits in 102 at-bats against Gray. Just four of those hits have gone for extra bases, and all four of those are doubles. It all adds up to a .235 batting average and .596 OPS against.

Texas is scheduled to start Cole Ragans, who is 0-2 with a 5.02 ERA and 1.47 WHIP in 14.1 innings pitched. Minnesota is unfamiliar with him, so Ragans will have a slight advantage the first time through the lineup. The lefty has struggled to get right-handers out, allowing 13 hits and four homers in 51 at-bats against righties.

While the Rangers’ relievers have performed slightly better than the Twins’ relievers, and these offenses have scored basically at the same rate, expect Gray to pitch the Twins to a lead that their bullpen will hold. The Twins bolstered the backend of their bullpen before the Trade Deadline, and it has paid dividends. Take the Twins in the first five innings and on the moneyline.

New York Mets @ New York Yankees

Domingo German is expected to start for the Yankees against the Mets. He is 1-2 with a 4.45 ERA and 1.41 WHIP this season, and his numbers against the Mets are worse. In 57 plate appearances against German, the Mets have 16 hits, eight walks, three doubles, a triple, and four dingers for a .327 batting average, .421 on-base percentage, and 1.095 OPS. Mark Canha is seven-for-11 with a double and a dinger, so bet on him to have multiple total bases and multiple hits. Pete Alonso is also two-for-five with a double and a dinger.

Max Scherzer is scheduled for the Mets, and he remains dominant with a 9-2 record, 2.15 ERA, and 0.93 WHIP. He has also been excellent against the Yankees, who are 21-for-100 with just seven extra-base hits for a .210 batting average and .605 OPS.

Bet on the Mets to win the first five innings and the game. Parlaying the Mets with Minnesota on the moneyline only pays around +140 with most betting sites, so consider adding another leg.

Milwaukee Brewers @ Los Angeles Dodgers

Julio Urias is expected to take the bump in Los Angeles, and the Dodgers seem pretty comfortable with him out there. His 2.40 ERA ranks sixth overall, and his 0.98 WHIP is 10th in MLB. Urias has stifled the Brewers over his career, holding them to 12 hits in 63 at-bats. Just three of those hits have gone for extra bases, making for a .190 batting average and .552 OPS against.

The Brewers will counter with Eric Lauer, who is 8-5 with a 3.58 ERA and 1.20 WHIP. Lauer is a top-50 pitcher when it comes to striking out batters, but he has struggled with the Dodgers. Los Angeles batters have 35 hits against him in 138 at-bats, including 15 extra-base hits, of which 10 are homers. That’s a .254 batting average and .825 OPS against. Trea Turner is five-for-12 with a double and two dingers, and Cody Bellinger is five-for-15 with two doubles and a dinger. Consider betting on either or both players to have multiple total bases on Monday.

Bet on the Dodgers in the first five innings, on the moneyline, and on the run line. Los Angeles is notorious for covering the spread, especially at home. Parlaying the Dodgers, Twins, and Mets in a moneyline trifecta pays +252 with Bovada.

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