MLB picks: Mets vs. Orioles, Astros vs. Red Sox

We scanned all 14 games on the MLB docket for Wednesday night and came up with our top two plays for the evening!

First we’ll take a look at the interleague series finale between the New York Mets and the Baltimore Orioles from Camden Yards. Then we’ll discuss a battle concerning AL heavyweights, as the Houston Astros take on the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

New York Mets (29-24) at Baltimore Orioles (22-38), 7:05 p.m. ET

The Mets lit up former staff ace Matt Harvey at Citi Field when they met the Orioles last month, and they can do so again at Camden Yards on Wednesday night.

Harvey was actually pitching well prior to his meeting with the Mets, as he was 3-2 with a 3.60 ERA. Since that fateful day, Harvey is 0-4 with a 12.96 ERA, with New York contributing seven of those earned runs allowed.

Three of the Mets’ best hitters – Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso and Dominic Smith – are all batting above .320 in June with five combined home runs. They should lead the charge against Harvey and Baltimore’s 19th-rated bullpen by ERA (4.34).

Taijuan Walker starting for the Mets only bolsters their chances at picking up a road win on Wednesday. He boasts the sixth-best ERA in the majors (2.17) and is holding opponents to a scant .181 batting average. Walker is backed by a New York bullpen that’s seventh in the majors by ERA in 2021 (3.55).

MLB pick: Mets -136

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Houston Astros (34-26) at Boston Red Sox (37-24), 7:10 p.m. ET

The Red Sox have a huge edge in the starting pitching battle over the Astros on Wednesday night, as they should take full advantage at Fenway Park.

Jake Odorizzi starts for Houston, and three of his first four efforts in 2021 (excluding his one out of work before getting hurt on April 24) have been miserable, as evidenced by his 7.16 ERA and .262 opponent batting average. Boston plated three runs against him in only three innings at Minute Maid Park last Thursday.

Xander Bogaerts is swinging a hot bat over the last seven days (.370 average) and is 10-for-34 (.294) with five extra-base hits in his career against Odorizzi, so look for him to lead the way on offense for the Red Sox.

Nathan Eovaldi will toe the rubber for Boston, and he’s won each of his last three starts while pitching to a 1.62 ERA. He struck out 18 batters in that span while walking only three.

The Red Sox hold the edge in the bullpen battle too, as their season ERA is 3.44 (sixth), while the Astros’ is 4.32 (17th).

MLB pick: Red Sox -141