Friday, July 24 gives you two completely different baseball games depending on where you look. Out west, the Angels and Giants are lining up a pitchers' duel that the total has priced accordingly. In Texas and a few other yards, the bats have been the whole story. Here are the game-market trends that stand out on tonight's board, and one marquee arm making the first inning vanish.
| Bet | Record | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Angels-Giants Game Total Under 8.5 | 9 of last 9 | -110 |
| Cubs First 5 Innings Over 4.5 | 6 of last 7 | +110 |
| Dodgers-Mets Game Total Under 9.0 | 7 of last 8 | -109 |
| Rangers Game Total Over 7.5 | 18 of last 22 | -108 |
| Diamondbacks Run Line -1.50 | 5 of last 5 | +132 |
| Royals-Tigers No Runs First Inning | 8 of last 10 | - |
Angels and Giants Set Up a Grind by the Bay
The latest game between these two starts at 10:15 PM ET, and the total has been heading one direction. The Angels-Giants Game Total Under 8.5 has cashed in 9 straight. Logan Webb takes the ball for San Francisco against Grayson Rodriguez, and the supporting numbers line up: the Giants' First 5 Innings Under has hit in 8 of their last 9, and their team total has landed Under 4.5 in 15 of 21 at home. This is a game the market already expects to crawl, and the recent scores back that read.
Worth a look: the Under 8.5 at -110.
Pittsburgh Turns Into a Track Meet Early
Flip to Pittsburgh for the opposite energy. The Cubs' First 5 Innings Over 4.5 has cashed 6 of the last 7, 5 in a row, and it pays a plus number at +110. Matthew Boyd, a first-time All-Star this season, starts for Chicago opposite Jared Jones, but both lineups have been putting crooked numbers on the board before the fifth is done. Pittsburgh's own game total has gone Over in each of the last 3 meetings with the Cubs. First pitch is 6:40 PM ET, so it is one of the earlier looks on the slate.
The lean is the First 5 Innings Over 4.5 at +110.
Sasaki Brings the Heat, the Mets Keep It Low
The best pure watch of the night is Roki Sasaki against Sean Manaea at 7:10 PM ET. Sasaki's rookie year has been a rollercoaster, triple-digit velocity in one start and hard contact the next, but the Mets' Game Total Under 9.0 has cashed in 7 of their last 8 either way. Manaea has been the steadier of the two arms, and New York's team total has stayed Under 3.5 in each of its last 3. The number is high enough at 9.0 to give the Under real room.
Worth a look: the Under 9.0 at -109.
The Rangers Are the Board's Loudest Bats
If the coasts are grinding, Texas is mashing. The Rangers' Game Total Over 7.5 has cashed in 18 of the last 22, and the offense has been one of the American League's hottest over the past month on the way back to .500. Bryce Miller starts for Seattle against MacKenzie Gore. The honest wrinkle: Seattle's bats have been the quieter side in this season series, so the Mariners' own vs-Texas total actually leans Under. That tension is the fun of it, but the run-scoring form here belongs to the home side.
The Rangers Over 7.5 stands out at -108.
Arizona's Bats Are Doing the Heavy Lifting
Arizona has turned into a run-line play. The Diamondbacks -1.50 has cashed 5 straight and pays +132, which is where the value in this game sits. Eduardo Rodriguez faces rookie Carson Palmquist in Washington at 6:45 PM ET, and the Arizona offense has piled on lately: the team total has landed Over 4.5 in 4 straight and the full game total has cleared 9.5 in each of the last 3. When a favorite is scoring in bunches, laying the run and a half at a plus price is the efficient way to back it.
Worth a look: the Diamondbacks -1.50 at +132.
Skubal Makes the First Inning Disappear
Tarik Skubal is the best pitcher on tonight's board, and it shows up early. Royals games have finished No Runs First Inning in 8 of the last 10, 4 in a row, with Skubal opposing Beck Way in Detroit at 6:40 PM ET. Skubal carries the highest strikeout line on the slate, and a clean first frame is exactly the kind of quiet start his outings tend to produce. There is no listed price on the derived first-inning market, so this one is a watch as much as a bet.
Worth a look: No Runs First Inning.
Quick hits
- Seattle has gone No Runs First Inning in 17 of its last 20, and Bryce Miller has kept the first frame scoreless in 7 of his last 10 starts.
- The Rays' team total keeps climbing: Over 3.5 in 19 of 27 at home, currently -111.
- Baltimore's First 5 Innings Over 4.5 is riding a 4-game cash streak at -115.
- Want the plus-money version of a favorite? The Cubs Run Line -1.50 pays +163 and has cashed in 12 of 17.
Two boards, one night. If you like traffic, Pittsburgh and Texas are open for business. If you like a chess match, the Bay is where to be. For the player side of tonight, check tonight's props board.
Line shopping matters most on plus-money trends like these, so compare the current number in our line shopping guide before you bet, and always gamble responsibly.