There is always plenty of attention on what is occurring at the top of the Major League Baseball Standings, especially this year with three teams separated by minimal margins in the regular season table. The Minnesota Twins are currently leading the way from Houston Astros having played two games fewer, but there is a wider gap at the bottom as Baltimore Orioles struggle to keep in touch with their rivals above them. They have now lost their last six outings - the latest coming against Oakland Athletics on Monday evening - but can they return to winning ways in their remaining games against the same opposition this week?
The MLB betting lines at 888 Sport New Jersey would suggest not with Oakland currently priced at -265, but you have to take into consideration that Athletics have also not been at their best recently. They prevailed by a 3-2 scoreline in the first meeting between the teams on Monday evening but it was tight, with most of the scoring coming during the early period of the game. Nerves probably played their part given that they did not want to succumb to a team who had been enjoying little success, as well having witnessed Baltimore give Boston Red Sox a competitive clash in the third of their triple-header last week.
That leads us to think that you should take a punt on the Orioles over the next 24 hours. They can be had at +205 - which is a respectable price given their improvement - and under nine runs in the game is also available at -103. There is value in that price because when Baltimore do end their losing streak, it will likely come in a close, low-scoring contest - just like the one on Monday. Oakland are capable of running riot when they want to - as proven in their 11-2 demolition of the Seattle Mariners - but they have shown no consistency over the past month, and we feel that will continue on Tuesday.
There could perhaps be another shock on the cards when the San Francisco Giants go up against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Giants are seven places from the foot of the table while the Dodgers sit in third spot, but that mattered little as the underdogs won by the odd run in five on Monday. It leaves the Dodgers having lost four of their last seven outings, although San Francisco are still priced at +245 despite a recent record of six wins and four defeats. The class of the Dodgers may very well shine through over the next 48 hours - it did last season as they reached the World Series final - but you cannot ignore the value in backing the Giants. You should also consider placing a bet on under eight runs at -118 with none of the last three games for the Dodgers having featured more than five runs.
