Expecting a low-scoring MLB affair in Kansas City: Best Bets for Sept. 23

September 23, 2022 at 3:55 pm CDT

Kansas City Royals' Nate Eaton warms up before a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins in Kansas City, Mo., Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Nate Eaton Kansas City Royals' Nate Eaton warms up before a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins in Kansas City, Mo., Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) (Charlie Riedel/AP)

Each day, one of our experts will offer up a best bet (or two or three) that mobile sportsbooks are offering. It might be a traditional spread bet, a player prop or one of the various odds boosts that books offer.

Here are our best bet for Friday, Sept. 23:

TOP PLAY

The play: MLB, Royals-Mariners under 7.5 runs

The odds/bet: -110 ($33 to win $30)

The book: Caesars Sportsbook

Time/TV: 7:10 p.m. (MLB.tv)

Our take: Six of the past nine games for both of these teams have stayed under this total, several of them well under, and the starting pitching lines up for a close, low-scoring game, too.

The Royals send to the mound Brady Singer, who’s been their best starter and actually has them favored in this matchup over a team chasing a playoff spot. He’s 4-0 with a 2.11 ERA in his past seven starts, and the numbers don’t drop off much if you go back further than that, either. He also gets a Mariners lineup that’s missing top sluggers Eugenio Suarez and Julio Rodriguez.

For the Mariners, Marco Gonzales is the No. 5 starter, but he’s been quietly effective, especially lately. He’s had quality starts in four of his past five, and it would be five in a row if not for a seventh-inning home run Sunday when he was left in the game a bit too long to rest a tired bullpen.

There should be no such concerns on this day — the M’s bullpen is mostly rested and among the best in baseball. With two below-average offenses going up against hot pitching, expect this one to stay under the total.

HOW WE’VE FARED

Thursday’s best bets

NFL: Steelers +4 over Browns (LOST $33)

NFL: Steelers-Browns under 38 (LOST $10.50)

Thursday’s profit/loss: -$43.50 (0-2)

[Go Full Caesar: Wager up to $1,250 for your first bet. If you don’t win, you’ll get 100% of your stake back as a Free Bet. And win or lose, you’ll also get 1,000 Reward Credits® and 1,000 Tier Credits]

Total for the week: -$65.50 (3-5)

Total for September: -$247.90 (15-26)

Total for 2022: -$296.70 (238-275)

NOTE: If a line or odds are minus, it considers the juice one must lay to place the bet. Ex: Team A is -160 on the money line, one would have to bet $160 to win $100 (or $16 to win $10). OR Team B is a 5-point favorite at -110, one would have to bet $110 to win $100 (or $11 to win $10.)

Conversely, on positive lines, if Team C is +140 on the money line, a $100 would bring in $140 (or $10 to win $14).

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Zach Ewing

Zach Ewing is the sports betting editor for The Advocate