We’ve had a big first two days of the playoffs here at Best Bets Central (OK, yeah, I’m making that a thing). We hit two of three in both wild card games and have gone 2-1-1 over on SportsLine. There are two more live picks today for the two ALDS playoff games, so hop on over there and subscribe. When there’s money to be made, there’s no time to waste, so let’s get to it.
All odds courtesy of Caesars.
Yordan Alvarez homers +250
Alvarez is coming off a regular season in which he clubbed 33 homers, leading the powerful Astros. A few key members of the White Sox bullpen are susceptible to the long ball and Alvarez is 5 for 11 with a home run off White Sox starter Lance Lynn, so this one feels right.
Kyle Schwarber or Nelson Cruz to homer, +125
Schwarber hit 32 homers in just 113 games this season. He just homered in the AL Wild Card Game and has seven career playoff homers in 25 games. Cruz hit 32 homers this season and has 17 home runs in 46 career playoff games. I’m not sure why the bookmakers attached these two, but it’s a decent bet that one of the two goes yard in a playoff game at this point. Both of the players could be had on an individual basis at +300.
Eduardo Rodriguez over 5.5 strikeouts, +100
The Rays are a great team with a strong offense, but they strike out. Their offense was fifth in the majors in strikeout percentage and third to the Cubs and Marlins in strikeouts this season. That means they led the AL — the league that uses a DH more often than not — in strikeouts. Rodriguez overall didn’t have a great year, but he still struck out 185 hitters in 157 2/3 innings (10.6 K/9). In his last four starts, he struck out 6, 5, 8 and 6, respectively, and those were all teams that strikeout less than the Rays. I think the Rays hit him hard eventually, but he’ll stick around long enough to get to at least six strikeouts.
