MLB picks: Padres vs. Giants, Red Sox vs. Mariners

Lots of solid wagering opportunities await MLB bettors this Monday night, so let’s dive right in!

We’ll start with a look at an NL West showdown between the San Diego Padres and the San Francisco Giants. Then we’ll preview the series opener between the Boston Red Sox and the Seattle Mariners.

San Diego Padres (74-68) at San Francisco Giants (93-50), 9:45 p.m. ET

The red-hot Giants should pick up their eighth straight victory when they host the Padres at Oracle Park on Monday night.

Yu Darvish goes for visiting San Diego, and the second half of the season has been a slog for the five-time All-Star, as he’s 1-6 with a 6.15 ERA over eight starts. He’ll take on a San Francisco offense that’s averaged 8.86 runs per game during its seven-game win streak.

Brandon Belt has been particularly lethal over his last five games, amassing 10 hits – including three homers – and seven RBI.

Dominic Leone (3-3, 1.48 ERA) counters for the Giants in what will mostly likely be an “all hands on deck” bullpen game. Fortunately for San Francisco manager Gabe Kepler, his relief corps has been lights-out over the last two weeks, pitching to a 1.74 ERA (third in the majors in that span). By contrast, the Padres’ relief pitchers have produced a woeful 5.40 ERA (26th) in the same stretch.

MLB pick: Giants -112

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Boston Red Sox (81-64) at Seattle Mariners (77-66), 10:10 p.m. ET

Bettors shouldn’t hesitate to back the Over as the Red Sox visit the Mariners at T-Mobile Park on Monday night.

Eduardo Rodriguez starts for Boston, fresh off a disastrous outing against the Tampa Bay Rays in which he was chased after giving up six earned runs over 3 2/3 innings. His 5.15 season ERA could climb even higher as he faces a Seattle lineup that’s plated 5.1 runs per game this month on the road.

Logan Gilbert, responding for the Mariners, has a similar 5.10 ERA on the year. He’s yet to face the Red Sox in his rookie season, but bettors should be bearish about how he’ll fare against baseball’s fourth-best offense by runs per game (5.04). Boston catcher Christian Vazquez should be back behind the dish in this one after getting Sunday off, and he owns a robust .917 OPS in September.

The bullpens will likely add gasoline to the fire in this spot; the Mariners are a decent ninth by ERA over the last two weeks (3.33), but the Red Sox are a middling 19th (4.61) in the same span.

Trend bettors should note that the Over has cashed in nine straight games involving Seattle, and is 10-4 in Boston’s last 14 games as the betting favorite.

MLB pick: Over