With the NBA and NHL both taking off days before resuming their championship series, Major League Baseball takes center stage in the sporting landscape Tuesday. All 30 teams are in action across a 15-game slate with some compelling matchups. Most notably, the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres meet for the second game of a three-game series (9:40 p.m. ET, Padres -120), after the first was won 8-7 by L.A. in extra innings on Monday. The NL West contenders are separated by just two games in the standings.
The NL West is far from the only tight race. In a sporting era that has seen many major sports leagues noted for business models that lend themselves to parity (the NBA is notably guaranteed its seventh consecutive different champion), Major League Baseball, despite its lack of a salary cap, has quietly fallen into a season of competitive equality of its own.
Heading into Tuesday’s action, the biggest gap that exists in any of the divisional races lies in the AL Central, where the Detroit Tigers (43-24) currently hold a seven-game lead over the Minnesota Twins (35-30). All other divisional leaders hold an edge of four games or fewer and, coincidentally, the longest current winning streaks heading into Tuesday belong to the Cincinnati Reds (34-33) and Pittsburgh Pirates (27-40) at four games each. However, those clubs are mired in a battle for the cellar in the NL Central.
Below is a snapshot of what to watch and bet for Tuesday, June 10:
MLB best bets, game to watch on Tuesday
Yankees at Royals, 7:45 p.m. ET (TBS)
- SportsLine model pick: Yankees -200
- Player prop pick: Aaron Judge Over 1.5 total bases (-135), Owen O’Brien
The Yankees will rely on ace Max Fried (8-1, 1.78 ERA), who has wont wo of his past three decisions and has yielded more than two earned runs just once this season. The reliable lefty is 4-1 with a 2.15 ERQ in six road starts this season. In his previous outing, Fried allowed just one hit across six innings in a 4-0 home victory last Thursday over the Guardians. The Yankees are looking to get back on track following a two-game skid against the AL East rival Red Sox in which they allowed 21 combined runs.
The Royals have split their last 10 but saw their stagnant offense come alive with 16 hits in a 7-5 victory Sunday over the White Sox to avert a three-game sweep. First baseman Vinnie Pasquantino has been hot of late, going 16 for 38 with two home runs and eight RBI in the past 10 games.
More MLB best bets
- Braves vs. Brewers Under 8.5 runs (A-grade SportsLine model pick)
- Rays -1.5, +140 (Bruce Marshall, 36-33, +1067 in his last 69 MLB run-line picks)
- Model’s best strikeout props for Tuesday
- Model’s top HR props for Tuesday
WNBA best bets, game to watch on Tuesday
Fever at Dream, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN 3)
- CBS expert pick: Over 161.5 (Calvin Wetzel and Aaron Barzilai)
No Caitlin Clark, no problem for the Indiana Fever, according to WNBA analysts Calvin Wetzel and Aaron Barzilai. Although the high-scoring superstar remains sidelined with a quadriceps injury, the WNBA analysts believe the Fever have enough firepower to carry this contest over the posted total. They note that the Fever, who are averaging 84.5 points per game, scored 68 through three quarters in their last game before coasting to a 79-52 victory over the Chicago Sky.
Looking ahead
NBA Finals Game 4: Thunder at Pacers (8:30 p.m. ET Wednesday)
- Game 4 model pick: Pacers +5.5
Following their stunning 111-110 home loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder bounced back with a resounding 123-107 Game 2 home victory behind 34 points from Finals MVP front-runner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Now, the Thunder are back to a -500 favorite to win the Finals, with the Pacers fetching a price of +400. A pivotal Game 3 awaits Wednesday as the Pacers take their home court for the first time in the series. The SportsLine Projection Model sees the Pacers sneaking inside the 5.5-point spread, with a projected final score of 113-110 in favor of the Thunder.
NHL Stanley Cup Final Finals Game 4: Oilers at Panthers (8 p.m. ET Thursday)
- SportsLine model pick: Oilers (+128)
- SportsLine expert pick: Oilers +128 (Jeff Hochman, 4-3, +368 last seven NHL picks)
The Florida Panthers took a 2-1 series lead behind a dominant 6-1 victory Monday that saw them convert three power-play goals in 11 opportunities. However, as we saw last year in a wild series between these clubs, this outcome doesn’t necessarily mean the series over. Both the SportsLine Projection Model and top NHL expert Jeff Hochman are in agreement that there is value on the Oilers in Game 4. Hochman notes that he expects Edmonton to play with a needed sense of urgency and reduce the foolish errors that spelled their downfall in Game 3.
