The 2022 MLB season continues to work its way toward the halfway point. The All-Star break is coming up later this month.
Today, a full slate of games is on the schedule and the teams from New York will be looking to add to their respective division leads. The Yankees continue to have the best record in baseball (56-21). The Mets (48-29) and Dodgers (48-28) have the best records in the National League.
All three teams will be in action today. The Yankees will play a doubleheader after getting rained out last night. Will any of the three teams be among the best MLB team totals picks for Saturday, July 2?
San Diego Padres – OVER 3.5 (-110)
The Padres continue their series with the Dodgers in what should be an interesting pitcher’s duel. Yu Darvish takes on the Dodgers’ Tyler Anderson.
Both pitchers have been outstanding this season. Darvish is 7-3 with a 3.26 ERA. Anderson lost for the first time in his last start. He is now 8-1 with a 3.23 ERA.
Anderson’s first start of the season was against the Padres, ironically also against Darvish. Anderson allowed two earned runs in 4.2 innings and the Padres won 3-2.
Anderson has been great this season, but in his last two starts he has given up 3 and 4 earned runs. The Padres have scored just one run each in the two games this series. In the last 10 games against L.A., San Diego has gone Over 3.5 just twice.
Tonight, they are due to come alive and gain some ground on the Dodgers in the NL West race.
Colorado Rockies – OVER 6.5 (-110)
With tonight’s game at home at Coors Field, the Rockies are going Over their team total. First, of course, are the hitter-friendly confines of the Rockies home field. At home, Colorado averages a MLB high of 5.64 runs per game.
The Rockies will face D-Backs pitchers Dallas Keuchel whose ERA is a ridiculous 8.17. In his last three games, Keuchel has allowed 16 earned runs in 10.1 innings. That’s not good.
In six of Keuchel’s nine starts this season, the game total has gone Over. In his last three starts, Keuchel’s opponents finished with 7, 16, and 7 total runs.
Boston Red Sox – OVER 5.5 (+110)
Boston has one of the best lineups in baseball. Three players – Rafael Devers, Xander Bogaerts, and J.D. Martinez – all hit over .300.
The Red Sox are sixth in MLB in scoring averaging 4.79 runs per game. Over their last 10 games, that number is 5.20.
Tonight, Boston will face Keegan Thompson, the Cubs best pitcher. However, Thompson is coming off a start in which he gave up eight hits and four earned runs to Cincinnati. Earlier in June, Thompson also got rocked by Baltimore for seven earned runs. Neither of those two teams is anywhere close to the caliber of Boston.
The big reason Boston goes Over their team total tonight has more to do with the Chicago bullpen. The Cubs rank 28th in bullpen ERA (4.64).
Cleveland Guardians – UNDER 3.5 (-130)
In the second game of today’s doubleheader, the Yankees will start Nestor Cortes. He is 6-3 with a 2.51 ERA and he will prevail over what will be a tired Cleveland lineup.
The Yankees have the best pitching staff in baseball. The Guardians lineup is not one that scares many starting pitchers in MLB.
After a long day, Cortes will dominate Cleveland.
