MLB Friday Night Games Predictions: Free Baseball Picks

The MLB Baseball season is just underway, in fact, we’re not even a week into the season yet. In most cases, elite pitching match-ups have already been played out, and some surprising performances have impressed me. We’re into the #3 and 4 starters for most teams now, but that doesn’t mean the pitching match-ups are 3 and 4 material everywhere. Here are a couple games with elite hurlers on the bump…

New York Yankees @ Tampa Bay Rays (+100) (4-9: 7:10 PM ET) (Vasquez vs. Price): Javier Vasquez went to Atlanta to get things right – and he certainly did. Vasquez had one of his best seasons last year with Atlanta, so they went ahead and moved him at the peak of his value, those crafty Braves. Regardless, the Yankees now get another ace on the staff to team with last year’s free agent winnings, Sabathia and Burnett. Vasquez will have a tough line-up to deal with in Tampa, as the Rays can’t even find places to put all the hitters they roster. David Price isn’t a hitter, but the kid is going to be big-time for the Rays this season, and in the future. Last year saw some struggles from the future staff ace, but he looks to turn it up a notch this year, and who better to show your stuff against than New York. At home and basically even money, it’s hard for me not to take the Rays, especially when Price has shown a knack for holding the Yankees lineup in check. New York historically struggles early, and the Rays will be looking to prove their worth early.

Minnesota Twins (+120) @ Chicago White Sox (4-9: 8:10 PM ET) (Liriano vs. Danks): Danks is a very underrated young pitcher. He is very consistent and tough to beat – but the Twins have done a good job of getting the better of Danks. Minnesota has beaten Danks in each of the last 4 times he’s been on the bump against them. Liriano might have some of the nastiest stuff in baseball, but there’s so many question marks with him. Not for me, I watched him pitch in the off-season, and I watched him pitch this spring – his stuff is back and it’s nasty as ever. The Twins have beaten the White Sox in 9 of their last 10 meetings. I’m getting +120 here as well… You bet!