MLB Series Analysis & Betting Lines

MLB Series Predictions & Matchups

May Baseball Matchups to Look Out For:

Washington Nationals @ New York Mets from Tuesday, the 17th to Thursday the 19th

The Mets and Nationals duking it out at the top of the NL East this year should come as a surprise to no one. With the lackluster Braves, underachieving Marlins and the short-handed Phillies making up the rest of the East, New York and D.C. were the favorites to win way back in the winter. Though Philly has come on strong to start the year, the Mets and Nats are still the top dogs here. 

Let's take a look at how each team performed against one another in 2015. After starting last year slow, the Mets came on strong as one of the hottest teams in baseball following the All-Star break. The Mets ended the season with a 11-8 record against the Nats. In fact, New York dominated the rest of the division which is why they were one bad innning away from winning the World Series. 

Predicting the winner of this series is a lot harder than just looking at the numbers from last year though. As of the second week in May, both teams were locked in at the top of the East and each had near identical home and away records.

So the x-factor here comes down to pitching. While the Nationals do have bonafide aces in Stephen Strasburg and a superb number two pitcher in Max Scherzer, the Mets hold the overall advantage with their tremendous foursome of Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom and Steven Matz.

Though New York has the overall edge in pitching, Washington holds the advantage in hitting with MVP Bryce Harper anchoring the lineup. However, just as last season finished, the Mets will finish just ahead of the Nationals.

 Prediction: Mets over Nationals, 2-1

Kansas City Royals @ Chicago White Sox from Friday the 20th to Sunday the 22nd

If last season was any indication on how much these teams like each other, it can only be heightened in 2015. After a brawl in late April of last year that saw five players ejected during the bottom of the seventh inning, Kansas City would go on to dominate the White Sox and the rest of the AL Central as they won both the World Series and were 12-7 against Chicago.

Even though the Royals got the better of the White Sox in 2015, the Sox have been baseball's best team to start the season. Through mid-May, Chicago has the best record in the Americal League and is second only to the cross-town rival Cubs for the finest overall record in the MLB. 

Both starting pitchers that were thrown out in the 2015 scuffle (Chicago ace Chris Sale and also Kansas City's Yordano Ventura) should be a part of the matchup in 2016 when the teams collide for the first time this season.

That might not matter much as Ventura has been struggling and Sale, along with the rest of the Chicago rotation, have been thriving.

Coupling that with the Sox's record at home (10-5, thru May 11th) and Kansas City's porous record on the road (6-12) should give Chicago the overall advantage in the series.

Both of the Windy City teams are the hottest in baseball and there are no signs of the White Sox cooling off. Expect these games to be close given the championship pedigree of the Royals, but look for Chicago to continue their smoking 2016 start. 

Prediction: Chicago over Kansas City, 2-1

Category : Betting Picks

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