April 15 MLB Odds and Picks – deGrom Tries Once Again for First Win
- There are 12 games on the MLB schedule for Thursday, April 15th
- Season record: 15-23: -$957 loss (based on $100 wagered per unit)
- Wagering advice for Thursday’s games can be found below
There are 12 games on the MLB schedule for Thursday, April 15th, which is designated as Jackie Robinson Day by the league.
All players, managers, coaches and umpires will wear No. 42 in honor of Robinson. April 15th marks the 64th anniversary of Robinson breaking baseball’s color line.
The Boston Red Sox will go for their 10th straight win when they visit the Minnesota Twins at 1:10 p.m. ET. Boston is also trying to sweep the four-game series.
Garrett Richards (0-1, 10.29 ERA) will pitch for the Red Sox, who haven’t lost since being swept in a three-game series by the Baltimore Orioles to begin the season. Michael Pineda (1-0, 1.64) goes for the Twins, who are on a five-game losing streak. Boston is the first team in MLB history to lose its first three games of a season then win its next nine.
In what is seemingly a daily occurrence, the Dodgers are the slate’s biggest favorites as -345 choices over the Colorado Rockies at 10:10 p.m. in Los Angeles. Julio Urias (2-0, 2.84) starts for the Dodgers against fellow left-hander Austin Gomber (0-2, 2.89).
April 15 MLB Picks
Matchup | Pick and Odds at DraftKings | Units Risked |
---|---|---|
Phillies vs Mets | Mets (+210) | 1 unit |
Padres vs Pirates | Pirates (+165) | 1 unit |
Red Sox vs Twins | Under 8.5 (-104) | 1 unit |
Odds as of April 15th
Pick 1: Phillies (+210)
Hard luck Jacob deGrom (0-1, 0.64) pitches for the New York Mets at 12:10 pm EST against Zach Eflin (0-0, 3.46) and the visiting Philadelphia Phillies.
deGrom should consider legally changing his first name to Hard Luck Jacob. He has allowed only one run in 14 innings, with 21 strikeouts and two walks over his first two starts of the season and has no wins to show for it – as per usual.
Jacob deGrom, 99mph Fastball and 92mph Slider, Overlay.
Yes, those mechanics are overlaid too. 😳 pic.twitter.com/cX27qFd7NW
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 10, 2021
deGrom’s ERA is 2.08 since the start of the 2018 season. Yet the Mets have gone 36-42 in his starts. It has been truly an amazing – not in the good sense for the Amazin’s – run for deGrom to continually get little run support or bullpen help.
Eflin has had his struggles with the Mets, going 3-4 with a 5.21 ERA in 11 career starts. However, he did not face them last season and posted a 2.25 ERA in two outings in 2019, the year he began throwing his sinker more often.
So, perhaps he has a better chance of this kind of shower Thursday than an early shower.
After a complete game, Zach Eflin gets a well-deserved early shower. pic.twitter.com/5f9IVFGwtV
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) April 28, 2019
The Mets are looking to sweep the four-game series. The Phillies have scored four runs in three games in New York. All logic dictates to bet the Mets in this game.
However, logic rarely factors into a deGrom start.
Pick 2: Pirates (+155)
Two talented young right-handers who have yet to put everything together square off in Pittsburgh as the San Diego Padres’ Chris Paddack (0-1, 5.63) faces the Pirates’ Mitch Keller (1-1, 4.50).
Paddack looked like a potential ace as a rookie in 2019 when he went 9-7 with a 3.33 ERA in 26 starts. However, he slipped to 4-5 and a 4.73 ERA in 12 starts last season.
Padres’ Chris Paddack just shoved Cody Bellinger in a locker with this breaking ball 👀 pic.twitter.com/WRONACertA
— Danny Vietti (@DannyVietti) August 4, 2020
Keller came to the major leagues in 2019 hyped as one of baseball’s top pitching prospects. However, he has a 3-7 record and 5.68 ERA through 17 career starts.
Paddack hasn’t pitched well this season but hasn’t been terrible. Yet the fact that he has last just four innings in both outings is a bit concerning.
Keller is coming off one of his best starts, allowing one run and four hits in five innings to beat the Chicago Cubs while striking out seven and walking only one. Some in the Pirates’ organization believe that outing could give Keller the boost of confidence he needs.
I’m not sure what’s going to come of Derek Shelton as a major league manager or Mitch Keller as a major league starter, but if either of them is ever a part of paying off on the promise to turn the Pirates around, this is going to be a special moment to look back on. pic.twitter.com/PNpCMOQ7Z4
— Chris Mack (@THEChrisMack) April 11, 2021
So, let’s give Keller a shot here at a good price.
Pick 3: Red Sox-Twins Under 8.5 (-103)
Just 19 runs have been scored in the first three games of the series between the Red Sox and Twins, which has been played in near-freezing temperatures in Minneapolis.
The weather has not cooled off the Red Sox’s Alex Verdugo, who had five hits Wednesday in a doubleheader sweep. He also shined on defense.
Alex Verdugo makes the Game Winning catch while DIVING up 1 with a man on 2nd to win the game for the Red Sox to beat the Twins in the bottom of the 7th (7 Inning Game) pic.twitter.com/EEKIVBQ7cz
— MLB Walk Offs & Game Winning Plays (@MLBWalk_Offs) April 14, 2021
Yet while the temperature is supposed to reach 50 today at Target Field, the starting pitchers can keep the runs down.
Richards pitched much better his last time out, allowing two runs in five innings to the Orioles, after an awful Red Sox’ debut. He is 2-1 with a 3.02 ERA against the Twins in seven career games.
Pineda has allowed three earned runs or less in 10 straight starts.