Blake Snell vs Amir Garrett MLB The Show 20 Odds and Pick
By Daniel Coyle in MLB Baseball
Published:
- MLB The Show 20 Players League kicks off with a matchup between Blake Snell and Amir Garrett
- Snell is aiming to avenge his loss to Garrett in the final of a smaller event last month
- Get all the odds and insight into the MLB The Show 20 Players League season opener in the story below
Blake Snell will be aiming to avenge his loss to Amir Garrett in the final of last month’s MLB The Show 20 players tournament when he faces off against the Cincinnati Reds reliever in the Friday evening’s opening game of the MLB The Show Players League as a narrow -135 favorite (April 10, 9:00 PM ET)
Blake Snell vs Amir Garrett Odds: MLB The Show 20 Tournament
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Rays (Snell) | -135 |
| Cincinnati Reds (Garrett) | -105 |
Odds taken April 10, 2020.
Snell, Garrett Clashed in Tourney Final Last Month
Snell is one of 30 major leaguers taking part in the three week-long tournament, with each competitor in the MLB The Show Players League playing as their respective MLB team. Snell enters with the best odds to win the MLB The Show Players League.
Both Snell and Gerrett participated in a recent, smaller MLB The Show competition. Snell earned a spot in the finals with a decisive 8-1 victory over San Francisco Giants outfielder Hunter Pence.
Garrett arrived for the competition ready to play, dressed in his complete Cincinnati Reds uniform. And the 28-year-old showed off the stuff that generated 78 strikeouts for him in just 56 innings of work during the 2019 MLB season, opening the tournament with a narrow 2-1 win over Minnesota Twins reliever Trevor May, and claiming the title with a victory over Snell by the same score.
The four major leaguers that took part in last month’s tournament competed with stacked rosters with Garrett’s virtual Reds featuring the likes of Christian Yelich and Mike Trout, and Snell’s Rays roster featuring Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger
The four major leaguers that took part in last month’s tournament competed with stacked rosters with Garrett’s virtual Reds featuring the likes of Christian Yelich and Mike Trout, and Snell’s Rays roster featuring Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger.
However, things could prove to be more challenging this time around, with each of the 30 players competing with their respective team’s current roster.
Rays Roster Gives Snell an Edge
The tournament format is likely to give Snell the edge in Friday’s opening clash with Garrett. Tampa Bay is coming off its second best season in franchise history, posting 96 wins. That is reflected in the MLB The Show team rankings, where the Rays are ranked ninth overall.
https://youtu.be/9N2TiDmwwk8
They are the No. 2 defensive squad in the game, while the team’s pitching is ranked fifth overall. In addition, Snell also enjoys the benefit of home field advantage in Friday’s contest, and will likely be eager to use himself as the starter in the season opener, a move that paid dividends last month when he tossed four scoreless innings before turning the ball over to reliever Adam Ottavino in his 8-1 rout of Pence and the Giants.
Garrett’s Reds Built for Power
The Reds are pegged at a respectable No. 11 on the MLB The Show 20 team rankings. However, with Cincinnati sporting a 27th-ranked defense, Garrett could struggle to play the low-scoring baseball that won him last month’s title.
With a hard-hitting batting order that features the likes of third baseman Eugenio Suarez, who cracked 49 home runs last season, and new arrival Mike Moustakas hit 35 long balls, the Reds rank fourth in power.
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While nothing has been announced, Garrett is likely to turn to Reds ace Luis Castillo to start Friday’s contest. Castillo is coming off a career year in 2019, compiling a 15-8 record and striking out 226 batters. The 27-year-old also enjoys a solid record when facing AL opponents, with the Reds going 4-2 in his six career appearance against Junior Circuit opponents, and earning wins over the Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland Indians last season.
Pick: Tampa Bay Rays (Snell) -135
Sports Writer
Daniel has been writing about sports and sports betting for over 23 years. The seasoned pro has contributed to the likes of Sports Illustrated, Sportsnet, NESN, Bleacher Report, OddsShark, the Globe and Mail, and The Nation magazine.
