The surging Cleveland Indians and the middling Baltimore Orioles begin a four-game MLB betting series tonight at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Time: 7:05 PM
Venue: Oriole Park
Sportsbook odds for fans who bet on baseball:
Indians -1½ (EV) 9 (-110) -157
Orioles +1½ (-120) 9 (-110) +14
Cleveland
On the mound: Corey Kluber (RHP, 5-2, 4.15 ERA, 69 K) allowed the Dodgers two runs on four hits and struck out 10 in seven innings in a no-decision in his previous start. He has a 2.37 ERA with 28 strikeouts and four walks in 19 innings in his last three appearances since coming back from the DL, a period during which he has thrown 33.1% curveballs, producing a swing-and-miss rate of 28% – an increase from 19.4% and 22.3% before being sidelined. Additionally, Kluber throws his curve ball approximately 37% of the time when he’s ahead in the count and about 38% of the time with two strikes. His curve has slider-like action. He has a .063 expected batting average-against with his curve, which is the lowest among more than 50 qualified pitchers with at least 40 at-bats with the pitch. He also has recorded 39 of his 69 Ks this season with that throw. Kluber is 1-1 with a 3.51 ERA in five career starts versus Baltimore.
Trends for fans who bet on baseball: The Tribe has won their last five straight games, including a sweep of the Twins, a streak in which they have covered in each game. Moreover, the Indians are 4-1 straight-up and against the spread in the last five road games. The MLB betting total has gone under in four of Cleveland’s last five on the road.
Miscellanea: Michael Brantley missed the four-game series against the Twins because of the birth of his son but is expected to report back today and move back to the lineup’s third spot. Jose Ramirez fared well against Minnesota in that spot, but manager Terry Francona likes to protect Edwin Encarnacion by having the third baseman as No. 5.
Baltimore
On the mound: Dylan Bundy (RHP, 7-5, 3.29 ERA, 63 K) has not gone beyond the fifth inning in two of his previous three starts, during which his ERA has increased from 2.89 to the current 3.29. Furthermore, he posted a 5.06 ERA in those three appearances (and the entire rotation had a 7.79 ERA as a result of 73 earned runs in 84 1/3 innings). He surrendered four earned runs on six hits in five innings in his last outing.
At bat: Orioles batters have a .239 average and .651 OPS all-time against Kluber. Individually, Jonathan Schoop (ba-doop ba-doop ba-doop) has a .444 average with a home run and a double in nine career plate appearances against the Tribe’s starter. Schoop (Schoop a-doobie like Scoobie Doobie) is .346 (18-for-52) with 10 extra-base hits and 13 RBIs in his last 15 games.
Trends for fans who bet on baseball: Baltimore has defeated Cleveland in 90% of their last 10 meetings as well as in the Indians’ last five visits. The MLB betting total has gone under in 12 of these teams’ last 16 encounters.