Great Britain vs. United States: World Baseball Classic Odds, Picks and Predictions
Great Britain vs. United States Odds
| Great Britain ML | +2000 |
| United States ML | -8000 |
| Over/Under | 13.5 |
| Date | Sat, Mar. 11 |
| Time | 9:00 p.m. |
| TV | FOX |
Tonight, Great Britain and the United States will meet at Chase Field in pool play for the 2023 World Baseball Classic. First pitch is at 9:00 p.m. EST on FOX.
This is the first time that Great Britain has qualified for the event since its inception in 2006. The United States are the defending champions of the Classic.
Due to the extreme talent disparity between these two teams, oddsmakers have priced the United States as -8000 favorites on the moneyline in this matchup, with over/under on the total set at 13.5 runs.
Great Britain
Built Ford Tough
Per MLB.com, catcher Harry Ford was one of the most impressive bats for Great Britain in their three-game run to qualify for the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
In 2022, Ford spent the entire season at Single A in the minor leagues as part of the Seattle Mariners’ farm system. Playing 104 games, he impressed with 11 home runs, 65 runs-batted-in, and 23 stolen bases. Perhaps most notable was his 17.6% walk rate, showing a mature approach in the batter’s box for a player who is still not legally allowed to purchase alcohol.
Vance Worley
Tonight’s starting pitcher for Great Britain, Vance Worley, has spent the last two seasons pitching in the independent leagues for Kane County. Last summer, he appeared in 18 games, delivering a 4.89 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP. His 11.2% strikeout percentage and 7.4% walk rate do not suggest that he will have any amount of success in this matchup.
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United States
Adam Wainwright draws the start
Adam Wainwright is not the best pitcher in the United States, but he is still a fine option for any team on the mound, even at the age of 41. Last summer, Wainwright posted a 3.71 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP across 191.2 innings of work. He will rarely touch 90 mph with his fastball, but his high IQ still helps him limit hard contact than almost any pitcher in the big leagues from season to season. Expect him to pitch well this evening, especially considering the lack of experience from his opponent.
Mookie Betts leads talented USA offense
In an exhibition contest on March 8, Mookie Betts batted leadoff in a lineup that also featured Mike Trout, Kyle Schwarber, Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, Kyle Tucker, Trea Turner, J.T. Realmuto, and Jeff McNeil. Simply, this is one of the most impressive collections of offensive talent that we have ever seen on one roster, excluding MLB All-Star games.
Being overlooked here is the fact that this is also one of the most elite defensive rosters that has ever been assembled. Mookie Betts finished last year in the 86th percentile in defensive efficiency. Mike Trout, Nolan Arenado, J.T. Realmuto, and Jeff McNeil have also finished in the 80th percentile or better in outs above average in 2021 or 2022. This is an elite team.
Dominican Republic vs. Venezuela – Picks & Predictions
It may seem ludicrous to even consider betting on a baseball team, in any context, to win a game by nine runs. However, there is real potential for the United States to win by mercy rule against Great Britain on Saturday.
For those unfamiliar with the World Baseball Classic rules, the game will be called if a team is winning by 10 or more runs after the seventh inning, or 15 or more runs after the fifth inning.
If Australia, a respectable, but far from elite team, can mercy rule China – the United States should absolutely be able to take care of business in this spot.
PICK: United States -8.5 (-115, DraftKings)
Image Credit: Getty Images