MLB betting odds are on the board for the first Saturday of this shortened season, with a full 15-game slate. Among the highlights is a resumption of the New York Yankees-Washington Nationals series, which took Friday off after New York’s rain-shortened 4-1 victory Thursday.
PointsBet USA’s Patrick Eichner provided insights on MLB opening lines and early line movement, sharp money and public betting for three Saturday matchups. Covers will update this action report with MLB sharp picks vs. public bets and line movement throughout Saturday.
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MLB line movement
The Yankees, behind James Paxton, opened -120 at PointsBet USA, with Stephen Strasburg and the Nationals even money for a 7:15 p.m. ET clash. There’s no movement so far, but not due to lack of action. More on that below.
Meanwhile, there was fairly immediate movement on the Los Angles Angels-Oakland Athletics matchup, in which Oakland opened -160 and dipped to -150, with Los Angeles correspondingly tightening from +140 to +130. There was also early money on the Minnesota Twins-Chicago White Sox meeting, taking Minnesota from -130 to -125 and Chicago from +110 to +105 for a 2:10 p.m. ET matchup.
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MLB sharp money
With Strasburg on the bump for the home underdog Nationals, it’s not surprising to see sharp bettors taking even money against the Yanks. Eichner said Angels-A’s saw professional play, as well.
“Some early action coming in on the Angels’ side, grabbing some value at the +140,” Eichner said.
The Twins-White Sox tilt saw sharp play on Under 9.5, prompting a modest price move from Under -110 to -115. First pitch is 4:10 p.m. ET.
MLB public betting
The Yankees-Nationals tilt quickly evolved into a Pros vs Joes game at PointsBet USA, with enough activity on both sides to keep the line stable for the moment at New York -120.
“The public is all over the Yankees in that one,” Eichner said. “It’s a classic sharp/public divide game.”
Public betting also landed early on the home favorite A’s and home ‘dog White Sox.
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