MLB Games Of The Day For Wednesday, Aug. 24
The best matchups of the day, all in one place
Matthew Horner - Aug 24, 2022, 12:42pm EDTA little morning matinee for us here in the central time zone and out west, and one that should feature a pretty good matchup between the Atlanta Braves and Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday. I know, the Pirates are bad and aren't going anywhere in the near future, so why are we making this a game of the day? Well, we take these games on a day-by-day basis, not what a team has done all year around. Plus, I have a best bet in this game, and isn't that what we are all here for? Let's make some money today.
Atlanta continues to rake as they try to inch closer and closer to the New York Mets for the NL East division crown. They have every motivation to win this game, and they have Wright on the hill. He's been magnificent in 2022, with his breakout campaign seeing him earn a 15-5 record with a 3.14 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. Atlanta usually always has a chance when he is out there, and this game definitely should be no exception. Austin Riley, Dansby Swanson and Matt Olson all continue to have their great seasons unfold. We haven't even mentioned Ronald Acuna Jr., that's how great it has been for Atlanta.
Pittsburgh is a different story entirely. They once again are at the bottom of the league standings and one has to wonder: when will the front office get serious about winning? They have had some great players over the last 5-10 years, and they have let all of them walk or traded them away. Bryan Reynolds is a guy on their team right now who is carrying them this season, but do we really have faith that Pittsburgh will hang on to a talented player who could serve a role on a championship team? I don't.
Keller comes into this game off an injury in which he had to leave his last start. He had given up four earned runs in two innings before leaving, and that isn't very promising. He has struggled at home this season, with a 4.80 ERA and 0-5 record. Wright has been pretty good on the road, with a 3.27 ERA and a 5-3 record.
Lean: Don't overthink it and take Atlanta here -0.5 first five innings.
The Baltimore Orioles are having a season to remember, while the Chicago White Sox are having a season to forget. Two contrasting teams will meet in charm city Wednesday night, and I have a best bet for this game that you might not expect.
It is clear and obvious to everyone that pays attention to baseball that the White Sox are the league's biggest disappointment in 2022. A team with so much talent and promise that they were top-5 favorites to win the World Series before the season began. I'll send you flowers for that bet if you unfortunately made it, but let's focus on the here and now in this game against Baltimore. This would be a great park to start hitting homers, but unfortunately, that seems to have gone extinct in the Chicago clubhouse. No one one the team has been hitting with power, which is extremely concerning for a team with as much power as they should have. Lucas Giolito is expected to be on the hill, a prime candidate for biggest regression out of a player this season. He's been just terrible, pitching to the tune of a 5.34 ERA and 1.53 WHIP. Dysfunction is the word that describes this year's White Sox team, and it all stems from the worst hire possibly ever in MLB history. Tony La Russa has been a disaster from the start, as every single person on the planet knew he would be except the front office in Chicago.
Baltimore is the exact opposite. They may have a similar record as the White Sox, but even sitting around .500 is a total shock to most. This was team that was supposed to be horrendous in 2022, and they have come out and proven everyone wrong. The Orioles have a chance to secure a playoff berth if they keep playing as well as they have. For some reason, the organization traded away the heart and soul of the team in Trey Mancini, but they have stayed competitive even after his departure. Make no mistake, this team is dangerous and can beat you soundly if you underestimate them. Spenser Watkins gets the start here for Baltimore. He's been okay, with a 4.04 ERA and 1.33 WHIP. What has really helped him out is his road starts, as he has been a better pitcher away from Baltimore.
That is where our best bet lies. Giolito has been a sieve, but what you might not see in his terrible numbers is how much better he is on the road. He owns a 5-2 record away from home, and a 4.16 ERA to boot. It is risky, but with Watkins struggling more at home as well, I'll take the guy with better numbers.
Lean: White Sox F5 ML.