MLB weekend preview: Bet the Indians in a revenge spot
Friday's MLB slate is limited, but it's enough to get us rolling into the weekend.
Here are a few betting angles to monitor.
Tigers (+170) @ Indians (-189)
April 10, 7:10 p.m. ET
Julio Teheran and the Tigers defeated Zach Plesac and the Indians last week in the second of a three-game set between the AL Central rivals. The market is betting Detroit can't do it again.
Cleveland opened -185 and has hit north of -200. Though Teheran allowed just one run on four hits over five innings last week against this same roster, he has his work cut out for him.
The Indians strike out a league-low 6.6 times per game, and Teheran's numbers aren't going to blow anyone away. He finished in the bottom 3% of the league in K rate (13.4%) and bottom 7% in barrel rate (21.4%) last season.
Detroit is just 13-50 straight up the last 63 meetings, while Cleveland has cashed seven of the last nine as a home favorite.
Rockies @ Giants (N/A)
April 10, 4:05 p.m. ET
Coors Field would have been the ideal setting for this one, but the Bay Area will certainly suffice for an over bet.
Oracle Park has never been known as a hitter-friendly park - or an over bettor's first look - but the venue quietly ranked 13th in the majors in adjusted runs created last season. Add in starting pitchers' success - or lack thereof - against both rosters, and the total becomes that much more intriguing.
Colorado's Chi Chi Gonzalez has surrendered 17 hits over 60 at-bats versus the Giants, seven of which went for extra bases. San Francisco's Logan Webb, meanwhile, has allowed a .356/.388/.511 slash line in his career against the Rockies, alongside a poor 12.2% K rate.
The Giants are 13-6-1 to the over the last 20 during Game 2 of a series, while the over is 3-1-1 the last five meetings between these clubs.
Angels @ Blue Jays (N/A)
April 11, 1:07 p.m. ET
Tanner Roark threw a dud in his last outing as the Rangers pumped him for three homers, six total hits, and five runs en route to a 7-4 win.
The 34-year-old is expected to toe the rubber for the Blue Jays on Sunday against the Angels, a matchup that better suits him.
Roark has never posted a strikeout rate better than 22% over a single season. He's regressed in that department in each of the last two campaigns, logging a career-low 13% mark in 2020.
Against Los Angeles' current roster, however, Roark has registered a 21.6% K rate. He's held the tandem of Mike Trout and Justin Upton to a combined 6-for-35 at the plate with 10 strikeouts over his career, and he should be a buy at a cheap price against Alex Cobb.
Cobb - who has seen plenty of the Blue Jays over his career while pitching for the Rays and Orioles - has struggled against this lineup. Current Toronto hitters are slashing .361/.391./.492 against the right-hander, who gave up the fourth-highest average exit velocity last season.
The Blue Jays are a solid look.
Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AJKolodziej.