There's nothing quite like an afternoon with a full slate of baseball games, and Easter Sunday doesn't disappoint.
All 30 teams are in action as there are a whopping 15 games on Sunday.
Our experts have looked over the matchups and identified a pair of bets — a first five innings moneyline and a total — worth targeting.
Continue reading to see their picks in the Mariners vs Guardians and Dodgers vs Diamondbacks games.
Sunday's MLB Best Bets
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our MLB betting staff is targeting from today's slate of games. Click the team logos for one the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
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| Specific bet recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our MLB Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Mariners vs. Guardians
Sunday, April 9 1:40 p.m. ET MLB.TV |
Mariners First 5 Innings Moneyline  |
By Jim Turvey
It's always fun to see a pitcher you know you are higher on than the market facing off with one you are lower on than the market.
Such is the case Sunday, when George Kirby heads to Cleveland to face off with Zach Plesac and the Guardians.
Even on the surface last season, Kirby was the far better pitcher. His ERA (3.39) was nearly a full run lower than Plesac's (4.31), but he did so as a 24-year-old with a very high ceiling. He earned every bit of that strong ERA, as well, with a FIP even lower (2.99) and an xERA and xFIP that basically matched.
For Plesac, the case was hardly the same. His xERA (5.28) jumps off the page as one of the worst in baseball last season, and both his FIP and xFIP were a touch higher than his ERA.
Add in the fact that Cleveland, while strong against righties, can sometimes struggle against a pitcher with a good fastball (Kirby throws his well over half of the time), and this makes a best bet. Bettors can find -110 still on the market, but it may not last, as money is already coming in on the Mariners side.
I would bet Seattle's first five moneyline to -135.
Pick: Mariners 1st 5 Innings Moneyline |
What is QuickSlip?
QuickSlip is an Action Network feature that allows users to automatically pre-load their bet slip at FanDuel Sportsbook.
Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks
Sunday, April 9 4:10 p.m. ET MLB.TV |
Over 9.5  |
By William Boor
This game just screams over.
The Dodgers are sending Michael Grove to the mound and the D-backs will counter with Ryne Nelson. If that alone doesn't give you confidence in the over, consider that Chase Field plays well for hitters and both offenses are rolling and combined for 20 runs on Saturday night.
Arizona has scored at least five runs in three of its past four games, while Los Angeles has scored five or more in four of its past five. Additionally, the Dodgers have already scored 10+ runs twice this season.
As for the pitchers, neither has much of a track record in the majors. Grove, who has thrown 33 1/3 innings in his career, gave up three runs over four innings to the Rockies in his first start of the season. Similarly, Nelson has 23 1/3 career innings under his belt and gave up three runs over five innings to the Padres in his first start of the season.
The sample size is obviously small, but it is important to note that Grove's advanced metrics show he should have fared better in the start. He'll likely get some better results as the season progresses — especially considering the Dodgers ability to develop pitchers — but overs are cashing at a rapid rate early in the season and I expect we'll get another here.
I fully expect this line to move up from 9.5 so get it while you can. I'd still bet it at 10 as I'm fine with a push, but would pass at 10.5.
Pick: Over 9.5 |
