Holy bad baseball, Batman. It’s ugly! Cover your eyes, Los Angeles Dodgers fans.
The Dodgers have a loaded roster filled with absolutely filthy baseball players. It’s hard not to like the talent they have: Clayton Kershaw, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez, Will Smith, and the list goes on. (Seriously, this team is unfair!)
The team has won ten division titles in a row dating back to 2013 and won a World Series in 2020. However, the Dodgers often cannot get out of their way. Meltdowns and the Dodgers are nearly synonymous.
For example, after winning a franchise-record 111 games, they were eliminated in the 2022 National League Division Series (NLDS) by the San Diego Padres, a team they went 14-5 against during the regular season.
It’s deja vu, as the Arizona Diamondbacks have surprised the Dodgers (we tried to tell you) and the baseball world in the 2023 NLDS with a commanding 2-0 lead as the series heads back to Arizona.
Dodgers and MLB fans expect greatness, but they’re all getting sadness. Rightfully so, they are tweeting through it, even though the Dodgers could still come back.
I am sending thoughts and good vibes and highlighting reels of better days to fans everywhere.
Things got hot quickly between the Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros in Game 2 of the ALCS on Saturday, thanks to J.D. Martinez and his stunning first-inning grand slam.
In the top of the first with Luis Garcia on the mound for the Astros — who lead the series, 1-0 — Red Sox first baseman Kyle Schwarber doubled to right field. Then a little later, third baseman Rafael Devers and left fielder Alex Verdugo walked.
And with the bases loaded super early in this postseason matchup, 34-year-old slugger Martinez stepped up to the plate.
After taking the first ball from Garcia, Martinez then swung on a 93-mile an hour four-seam fastball and homered 363 feet for a huge grand slam and a 4-0 first-inning lead for the Red Sox.
The top of the first ended not long after, but the early damage was done. And if you tuned into the game a little late, you missed an incredible moment for the Red Sox.
If there’s one thing you can always count on to happen in baseball, it’s that big-league players will find the weirdest and most inopportune ways to hurt themselves.
Last week, we learned that relief pitcher Devin Williams would likely miss the entire postseason after he fractured his throwing hand by punching a wall. And it wasn’t even the first time this season that a pitcher broke his hand punching something! The wall always wins.
But even the simplest of tasks — like jogging to your position in the outfield — can pose a danger to a Major League Baseball player at a given moment. For Red Sox outfielder J.D. Martinez, it meant missing the AL Wild Card game against the Yankees.
JD Martinez is missing tonight's win-or-go-home AL Wild Card Game because he rolled his ankle on second base while jogging out to his position in right field in the last game of the regular season on Sunday pic.twitter.com/rkJlKvwTg3
Martinez was left off the Red Sox roster for Tuesday’s single-elimination game with a sprained ankle, and MLB Network got a hold of the ballpark cam that showed exactly how that injury took place.
Between innings of Sunday’s game in Washington, Martinez evidently rolled his ankle on second base while he made his way to the outfield. It was such a random thing to happen. Why did he even step on the bag? It’s a route he’s taken countless times during his career without issue, but for him to get injured on it 48 hours before the AL Wild Card game — man, that’s just some terrible luck.
Martinez was still getting treatment on the ankle on Monday, and he’ll probably have a decent chance to return to the lineup should the Red Sox win Tuesday night.
He’ll have to watch his step next time. That’s for sure.
Analyzing the top 10 MLB season prop bets that should be exploited for easy wins.
The 60-game MLB season begins Thursday, July 23. The truncated season means player stats will look different. Nonetheless, there is action to be had with prop bets for the coming season. Below, we look at BetMGM futures odds, making our picks and best bets for the top 10 MLB season props to bank on.
St. Louis Cardinals 1B Paul Goldschmidt has become a slow starter, struggling the last two seasons in March, April and May. But this 2020 MLB season is July, August and September. He batted .274 from March to May in 2019 and .209 in 2018 during the same months. Take the UNDER .275 (-115) for his batting average this season.
2. Gerrit Cole’s strikeouts: 104.5
(Over -115/Under -115)
Gerrit Cole should get 12 starts for his new team, the New York Yankees, this season. He had 112 strikeouts in his first 12 starts last season and 116 in his first 12 starts of 2018. Take the OVER 104.5 (-115).
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3. Gerrit Cole’s wins: 6.5
(Over -130/Under +100)
Cole has had more than six wins in his first 12 starts of a season only once in the last four years – and that was 2015. He’ll have the quality Yankees lineup to give him support, but it’s smart to go with history. Go UNDER 6.5 (+100).
4. Arizona Diamondbacks’ runs: 299.5
(Over -125/Under -105)
The Diamondbacks averaged 5.01 runs per game last season. They upgraded two bats in the lineup with CF Starling Marte and RF Kole Calhoun. That, combined with a likely scenario in which batters are better than pitchers early in the season, means the Diamondbacks will not struggle to score runs. Go OVER 299.5 (-125).
5. J.D. Martinez’s home runs: 14.5
(Over -110/Under -120)
To hit 15 home runs in 2020, Boston Red Sox DH J.D. Martinez will need to average one every four games he plays – and that’s playing every game. He has averaged fewer than four games per homer only once in the last three seasons. Go UNDER 14.5 (-110).
Jul 12, 2020; Boston; J.D. Martinez during practice at Fenway Park. (Photo Credit: Brian Fluharty – USA TODAY Sports)
6. J.D. Martinez’s hits: 62.5
(Over -115/Under -115)
In his last two seasons, Martinez averaged 1.23 hits per game, while appearing in 91.3% of Boston’s games. In a 60-game season, that means playing in 55 games and getting 67-68 hits. Take OVER 62.5 (-115).
7. Jose Altuve’s batting average: .300
(Over -115/Under -115)
Houston Astros 2B Jose Altuve only batted .298 in 2019, snapping five consecutive seasons of .313 or higher. Take OVER .300 (-115).
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8. Clayton Kershaw’s strikeouts: 70.5
(Over -115/Under -115)
If Los Angeles Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw makes all 12 of his starts this season and averages only six innings per outing, he will pitch 72 innings. He has averaged at least nine strikeouts every nine innings in four of the last five seasons. In his career, the future Hall of Famer averages 1.08 strikeouts per inning. Using his career rate, he would have 71 strikeouts if he made only 11 starts and averaged only six innings per start. Take the OVER 70.5 (-115).
9. Freddie Freeman’s batting average: .295
(Over -115/Under -115)
Atlanta Braves 1B Freddie Freeman has batted at least .295 four seasons in a row. Go OVER .295 (-115).
10. Aaron Judge’s home runs: 15.5
(Over -110/Under -120)
Based on Aaron Judge’s last two seasons, the Yankees slugger averaged a home run every 3.96 games. At that rate, he would have 15 if he played in every single game. Take the UNDER 15.5 (-120).
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