Monday MLB Betting Odds, Picks, & Predictions: Bet the Under for Angels vs. Rockies (July 26)

Article Image

MLB betting analyst Sloan Piva previews MLB betting odds and picks for Monday, July 26. If you don’t yet have an account at BetMGM, take advantage of our MLB special offer below!

Somehow, we have reached the last week of August. Is it just me or is 2021 flying by after 2020 felt like it took 10 years!? We have a little over two months of MLB regular season action to look forward to, and then it’s playoff time.

A lot can happen this week, with the trade deadline looming on Friday. All-Star second baseman Adam Frazier has already swapped coasts from the Pirates to the Padres. The Cubs could finish the week without stars Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, and Craig Kimbrel. Stud second baseman Whit Merrifield could be on his way to the Mariners. As Craig Robinson’s character exclaimed in “Pineapple Express,” this is so exciting!!

What happens around the trade deadline could separate the contenders from the pretenders, and make things easier for MLB bettors in the home stretch of the season. That’s why it’s always prudent for bettors to stay on top of the latest news and happenings in the league—every piece of knowledge, and every morsel of information could provide an angle to attack at the sportsbooks.

We have had plenty of luck crushing the books so far this season, with our Bets of the Day going 29-16 and a plethora of parlays paying off in the process. We came so close to a clean sweep Friday, but the Yankees choked against the Red Sox once again, and White Sox-Brewers missed the UNDER by a half run. Brutal!

Time to soldier on toward August, and put our first 1-2 day in a long while right where it belongs: in the rear-view mirror. We are still 13 games above .500, and very capable of going on a significant winning streak. The home stretch is the easiest time to rake in the money. So, let’s get to it.

Monday MLB Odds & Betting Picks

All betting odds are from BetMGM and/or PointsBet. All stats are from MLB.com and Baseball Reference.

Detroit Tigers vs. Minnesota Twins

Tigers Odds +135
Twins Odds -167
Over/Under 10.5
Pitchers Matt Manning vs. Michael Pineda
Time 8:10 p.m. ET
TV FSD
Odds accurate as of Monday, July 26 at BetMGM

Note: As of 7:30am, there’s a nice middling opportunity available at online sportsbooks. The O/U is 10.5 at BetMGM but only 9.5 at PointsBet.

I’m sure more than a few of our readers will do a double-take when they first see “Tigers +135,” but hear me out. The Twins have been reeling lately, losing three of their last four games and nine of their last 11. These same Tigers swept Minnesota the weekend after the All-Star break. And the Twins have averaged just 2.5 runs over their past four games.

On paper, most bettors will see Pineda vs. Manning and pound the favorites. But after a strong start to the season, Pineda has seen his ERA steadily increase with every passing month. He’s a vastly different pitcher than he was in his All-Star rookie season 10 years ago. He is inconsistent and not worthy of your trust—he has allowed five earned runs in two of his last five starts, one of which was against Baltimore.

Bettors will also look quickly at Manning’s ERA and bet against him. However, save for one start, the Detroit rookie has actually been quite impressive this season. He has allowed two runs or fewer in five of his six starts, and nine earned runs in one bomb of a start in Cleveland. He won’t blow batters away, or throw any no-hitters, but he will certainly limit hard contact.

This game is a textbook example of why you should do your due diligence before placing a bet. The Tigers are not as bad as their reputation would lead you to believe—they have swept two of their past three series, and they are fully capable of sweeping a struggling Twins club that already lost Nelson Cruz and will probably lose Byron Buxton by the end of the week.

Detroit is currently 4.5 games ahead of Minnesota in the AL Central standings—I think that gap will be at 5.5 games by Tuesday.

Pick: Tigers +135

gradient
  • Use Code: GRINDERS
  • Exciting Brand
  • Beginner Friendly

Chicago White Sox vs. Kansas City Royals

White Sox Odds -120
Royals Odds +100
Over/Under 10
Pitchers Dallas Kuechel vs. Mike Minor
Time 8:10 p.m. ET
TV CSCH
Odds accurate as of Monday, July 26 at BetMGM

There are few certainties in life these days, but death, taxes, and the White Sox over the Royals are three of them. Chicago just keeps rolling under 76-year old Tony La Russa, with a 59-40 record and a nine-game lead in the AL Central. The Royals, meanwhile, have a 42-55 record, and there are rumblings their best player, Whit Merrifield, could be on the move.

Keuchel may not have the dominant stuff he displayed earlier in his career, but he’s still serviceable enough to get the South-Siders a victory over a lowly divisional foe. The veteran southpaw is 7-3 with a 4.22 ERA on the season, and he’s faced many of the Royals more than a handful of times. No Kansas City player has taken Keuchel deep in their career.

Meanwhile, Minor has struggled just like his team has this season. The KC lefty is 7-8 with a 5.45 ERA and 1.300 WHIP in 2021. He does have 108 strikeouts, but his BAbip is .304 and he has surrendered 17 round-trippers.

I don’t like Minor’s chances of silencing a potent ChiSox lineup, led by reigning MVP Jose Abreu (2 homers, 6 RBI, .269/.321/.654 slash line over the last seven days). In this battle of former All-Star pitchers, I’m going with Keuchel and his vastly-superior Sox.

Pick: White Sox -1.5 (+125)

gradient
  • Use Code: GRINDERS
  • Exciting Brand
  • Beginner Friendly

Colorado Rockies vs. Los Angeles Angels

Rockies Odds +135
Angels Odds -161
Over/Under 8
Pitchers Shohei Ohtani vs. German Marqueza
Time 9:38 p.m. ET
TV ATRM
Odds accurate as of Monday, July 26 at BetMGM

The Rockies suck on the road, with a 10-36 record away from Coors Field. They are about to be huge sellers at the trade deadline, and now they face the hottest player in the sport in Showtime Shohei Ohtani. Good luck, boys!

The good news for the Mile High faithful: All-Star German Marquez will be toeing the rubber for the Rockies. The six-year veteran has been the lone bright spot for Colorado, with a 3.50 ERA and 1.158 WHIP to go with a 119/44 SO/BB ratio. Marquez also has three complete games and one shutout on the year.

I fully expect the Angels to win this game, so bet their -160 moneyline if you fancy. Hell, I might even entertain their -1.5 run line at +125, considering Marquez is 2-5 on the road this season. But the most intriguing bet of this game, to me, is the UNDER on the 8-run total.

Marquez has allowed two or fewer runs in five of his last six starts, and in 12 of his last 17. Ohtani has allowed two or fewer runs in 11 of his 14 starts this season. The last six Angels games have averaged a total score of six runs, while the Rockies have scored the second-fewest runs in the MLB over the course of the past 15 days (36).

Pick: Under 8 (-110)

gradient
  • Use Code: GRINDERS
  • Exciting Brand
  • Beginner Friendly

Image Credit: Imagn

About the Author

SloanPiva
Sloan Piva (SloanPiva)

Sloan Piva is a veteran of the sports journalism industry, and a freelance sports betting analyst. He received his master’s degree in Professional Writing from the University of Massachusetts, and currently resides in East Bay, Rhode Island with his wife and daughter. He covers the MLB, NFL, NBA, NCAA, and PGA, as well as anything related to fantasy sports and sports betting. Shoot him an email anytime at SloanPiva@gmail.com!