Locks
MLB (0.75 Unit) Oakland A’s/Minnesota Twins Game 1 Over 8.5 (-110; Odds via Caesars): 1:10 PM CT on Bally Sports North
The Minnesota bats are finally hot, and with the hot weather hitting Minneapolis today, I think a great situation exists for plenty of scoring here. High temps and humidity, plus a big wind blowing out to left, should provide the environment needed for the ball to jump, and there are two pitchers going today who could easily fall victim to good hitting conditions.
With JP Sears going for Oakland, the Twins finally get to face a lefty starter in this series. They’ve hung 6 runs in both games against righthanded starters and the ugly Oakland bullpen, but they hit lefties like Sears almost 40 points better than righties. And while the A’s struggle against righties, all I’m asking for is a small contribution off Bailey Ober who is in the midst of a rough stretch, posting a 7.61 ERA his past 5 starts. The Twins might do most of the work, but I think this game has plenty of runs written all over it.
MLB (0.5 Unit) Miami Marlins @ Washington Nationals -1.5 (+165; Odds via ESPN BET): 12:35 PM CT on Bally Sports FL
Don’t sell this Nationals team short, as they’re only half a game out of the wild card right now, and getting better. It helps when you beat who you’re supposed to beat, and in Washington’s case that has meant beating up on the putrid Marlins. All six games this season have seen the Nationals roll by multiple runs, posting a plus-28 run differential in the process.
All I’m doing is betting on this dominance to continue, because Miami starter Jesus Luzardo has been bad on the road, while Nats starter Mitchell Parker is always solid at home. It’s a bigger mismatch than anyone is realizing, including the books, so I’m looking for the big plus-juice return here.
WNBA (0.5 Unit) Seattle Storm/Phoenix Mercury Over 164.5 (-110; Odds via Caesars): 2:00 PM CT on ABC
Both of these teams are red hot offensively, bolstered by the gelling of their true rosters, and I think it continues today. The Mercury roster is the big story with them finally getting Brittney Griner and Rebecca Allen back, and they’ve scored 86.0 PPG in regulation with them back in the fold. Phoenix had a total dud of a game in the first meeting with Seattle, but that was the game before their stars came back. Seattle meanwhile has scored in the 90’s the past two games and face a weak defense here. The Storm have elite scoring talent and when it comes together, the points pile up. In a showcase national TV game, I expect that to be the case today as this goes over the total.
Degenerates
No degenerates today.
Tiny Nick is 2330-2149 ATS (+88.2 Units) on his Locks since joining Zone Coverage.
Every day he will offer his Locks and Degenerate picks. Locks are the games he’s confident in. Degenerates are entertaining but riskier picks.