Key Points
- Cardinals Take Eight-Game Win Streak into Philly
- Tigers Have Best Record in American League, Host Hot Red Sox
- Diamondbacks and Giants Face Off in Battle of the West
A fascinating feature of the MLB season is the long schedule, which allows for twists and turns, ups and downs, and many narratives over the course of more than 180 days from spring to fall.
Here in mid-May we see the St. Louis Cardinals rolling with an eight-game winning streak.
(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
It's been a few years since this proud franchise has had something to make its fans cheer. A balanced offense and surprising bullpen are leading the Redbirds toward the top of the National League Central.
The Detroit Tigers are proving that the end of 2024 was not a fluke
Detroit has the best record in the American League, powered by a relentless offense. The pitching staff fuels this team however, with ace Tarik Skubal and emerging aces Jackson Jobe and Reese Olson. All three of those hurlers are 28 years and younger.
Detroit seems poised to rule the AL Central for some time
As I predicted entering the season, the NL West will not be a patsy to the Dodgers. The Giants are improved, and the Padres and Diamondbacks are also worthy playoff contenders.
With the Rockies on pace to smash the record for losses, the other four teams in that division could all rack up 90+ wins.
Tonight's odds for MLB games are from the baseball betting experts at FanDuel Sportsbook
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Red Sox vs Tigers Prediction
The Tigers lost two of three this past weekend to the Rangers. That cooled the Motor City Kitties a bit. But, young phenom Jackson Jobe is on the mound tonight in Detroit.
The righty is coming off his worst two outings of the season: nine earned runs in 7 2/3 innings. But, the 22-year old is poised beyond his years, and has a 1.93 ERA in four career games at Comerica Park.
There's little doubt that Jobe feels much more comfortable on his home field
The Red Sox are proving they can do more than stir controversy. Boston has won four of five, including a series win over the Royals this last weekend.
This despite the distraction of Rafael "MR. Team" Devers announcing that he was refusing the team's request to play first base. Devers has two home runs in his last four games.
He's best suited for using his brain to concentrate on one thing only: hitting a baseball as a designated hitter.
Doing what is best for his teammates confuses him too much
This will be the first look for the Red Sox at Jobe, who is still making only his ninth appearance in the regular season since debuting late last season as a heralded pitching prospect.
I like unfamiliarity to play into Jobe's favor. Take the youngster to baffle the overly aggressive BoSox.
Best Bet: Detroit +1.5 Runs (-184 FanDuel)
Home Run Prop Bet: Kerry Carpenter +450
Carpenter murders righties, and he will be facing Tanner Houck. The Boston sidearm righty has surrendered eight HR in eight starts, including five in his last four.
Left-handed batters are torching Houck for a 348/433/596 slash line and 6 jacks in 89 at-bats in 2025.
Cardinals vs Phillies Moneyline Bet
Runnin' runnin' Redbirds! Here come the Runnin' Redbirds! Led by Victor Scott II, who once stole as many as 94 bases in a professional season.
No, these aren't the Stealin' Cards of the Whitey Herzog era, but the Cards are delighting their fans with a fun style of play. St. Louis has garnered eight straight wins, outscoring their opponents 44-16.
That means the pitching staff has a lot to do with the newfound success of the surprising Cardinals
Tall southpaw Matthew Liberatore is on the mound for St. Louis tonight against the Phillies. Liberatore matriculated out of the Tampa Bay farm system.
He's an orthodox lefty with a no-nonsense delivery and a wicked slider
In April, he tossed six shutout innings against Philly in a victory in St. Louis. In that game, Liberatore masterfully worked every corner of the strike zone, and pitched up and down when needed.
He can elevate his heater, he can dive his slider out of the zone: he's tough. The Phils had no answer for him last time.
Best Bet: St. Louis ML (+152 FanDuel)
Diamondbacks vs Giants Prop Pick
The NL West is remarkably interesting, because the three teams chasing the mighty Dodgers are fearless in their efforts.
Most notably, the Giants have retooled their roster and refined a few key veterans to make themselves a handful in the NL.
Tonight, they host the rival D-Backs
It's Justin Verlander vs Merrill Kelly tonight in the Bay Area. Verlander is stuck on 262 wins: he's yet to capture a win wearing a Giants' cap. He has three quality starts, so he's deserved better.
But the worry with JV is his command: the 42-year old has a 35-to-15 K-to-BB ratio
That's well below his established standards, and begs the question of whether the future Hall of Famer can still be dominant at this level.
Tonight, Verlander will be tested by a lineup that battles deep into counts. Verlander will need to handle Ketel Marte and Eugenio Suárez with care.
I say he won't be able to, and like the Snakes to slither into San Fran to get a win on Monday evening.
Best Bet: Ketel Marte to Record 2+ Hits (+200 FanDuel)
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