TOM STRYKER’S FREE BASEBALL SELECTION TUESDAY, AUGUST 18TH
#926 MINNESOTA with Maeda (-165) over Milwaukee with Burnes at 8:10 PM EST
Off a day of rest and three huge road wins over the Cubs, the Brewers will travel to the Twin Cities on Tuesday and get blasted. The Twinkies enter this contest off a pair of home wins over the Royals and they will stay hot in this series opener.
On the bump for Minnesota will be former LA Dodgers hurler Kenta Maeda. With four starts in the bank this year, No. 18 has been in a zone allowing only seven earned runs and 13 hits in 23.2 innings of work. Maeda has whiffed 21 and walked four en route to a golden 3-0 record with a solid 2.66 ERA. History will be on Kenta’s side too. With six career starts against the Brew Crew completed, Maeda owns a 3-2 mark with a respectable 2.94 ERA.
Filling in the starting spot for southpaw Eric Lauer for Milwaukee will be bullpen righty Corbin Burnes. So far this season, No. 39 has appeared in four games for Milwaukee (one start) and surrendered six earned runs and eight hits in 16.0 frames. Burnes has struck out 24 and walked 11 on his way to an 0-0 tally with a 3.38 ERA. Overall, with 103.0 career innings completed, Corbin has been clocked for 65 earned runs and 105 hits. After the math, that equates to a lofty 5.68 ERA.
There are plenty of elite angles that support this Best Bet. Minnesota has tasted victory in seven of its last eight when favored against National League teams, 46 of its last 65 as chalk overall, 42 of its last 61 in the first game of a series, 71 of its last 104 as a home favorite and six straight at home against a right-handed starter. On the other side of the field, Milwaukee has slipped in four straight in the first game of a series and 57 of its last 84 on the interleague road battling a right-handed starter.
Clinging to a 1.5-game advantage over the Indians in the AL Central, the Twins know they must defend Target Field in order to stay in the division hunt. Take Minnesota with Maeda. Thanks and best of luck, Tom.
TOM STRYKER’S 11-0 ATS 4* NBA PLAYOFF OPENING ROUND BEST BET
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