Major League Baseball’s 2022 campaign continues to heat up as the New York teams soar into league-leading positions.The Cincinnati Reds continue to trend towards becoming the worst team in the sport’s history.

The weekend is fast approaching, but before it hits, bettors have to navigate a loaded schedule of Friday night games.

Here are the best bets to place from the action.

Texas Rangers vs. New York Yankees

Rangers vs. Yankees Picks

Best Bet: Yankees -1.5 (-113)

The Yankees were on an 11-game win streak before their recent loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. They will be yearning to start another stretch of winning. New York has greatly improved its defense and has also been more consistent at the plate. Both of which have helped them assume their current 18-7 record and American League East division lead.

Last season’s Yanks struggled to put multiple results together because of their various shortcomings and limited win conditions. Gerritt Cole (2-0, 3.00 ERA) will be on the bump for the home-bound pinstripers. He’ll be looking to build off of back-to-back shutouts in his most recent starts.

The Rangers have looked better as of late, winning four straight games. Though they are still just 10-14 on the year. They are close to the bottom in team batting average. They’ll need to find ways to consistently get on base to keep up with the red-hot Yankees offense. This will be a challenge that they will struggle to overcome. Their defensive effort will be spearheaded by Glenn Otto (1-0, 2.89 ERA). He’ll have to shut down one of the league’s most explosive offenses.

Toronto Blue Jays vs. Cleveland Guardians

Blue Jays vs. Guardians Picks

Best Bet: Guardians +1.5 (-148)

The Guardians are not as bad of a team as it seems like the public wants them to be. In fact, they have won five of their last six games. Including one against this same Blue Jays team.

They’ll have the opportunity to start Shaine Bieber (1-1, 2.45 ERA) in Friday’s nightcap. Cleveland also ranks fourth in batting average and eighth in total scoring. Spotting them a run and a half marks a great opportunity for bettors to score a win.

The Blue Jays entered the season with overwhelming expectations. Although they have gone 16-11 thus far, they have not been dominant. Nor have they played at the level pundits and fans thought that they would. Their offense is merely well above average instead of dominant like it was supposed to be. Their rebuffed pitching staff has been decent but not great. Kevin Gausman (2-1, 2.27 ERA) will be on the bump for Toronto after allowing two earned runs in seven innings in his last start against the Houston Astros.

Colorado Rockies vs. Arizona Diamondbacks

Rockies vs. Diamondbacks Picks

Best Bet: Rockies +1.5 (-159)

The oddsmakers have given the Diamondbacks a pretty serious nod here. But in the process, they have given the Rockies too much room to operate. They are 15-10 this season, compared to Arizona’s 13-13. Unlike their National League West rival, they can hit the ball consistently.

The Rockies lead the league in batting average, while the D-Backs are dead last in the same category. The total scoring numbers are not as lopsided but are still very one-sided.

Both teams will have starting pitchers who have been playing out of their skin this season, so neither team has the advantage in that category.