MLB Tips & Odds: The Panel's Picks And Best Bets For Wednesday's Games 06/19

Our MLB Picks For Wednesday 6/19

• The Panel Pick 1: Gerrit Cole Over 5.5 Strikeouts Vs Baltimore @ -120 With DraftKings
• The Panel Pick 2: NY Mets And Texas Rangers Over 8.5 Runs @ -115 With FanDuel
• The Panel Pick 3: Kansas City (-1.5 Runs) Over Oakland @ -100 With BetMGM 

A split slate of afternoon and night games greets us on Wednesday, including a huge tilt in the Bronx. 

The New York Yankees are a solid -170 favorite with sports betting sites to win their American League East clash with the Baltimore Orioles.

We'll also take a quick look at the game between the New York Mets and Texas Rangers while Kansas City play once more in California against the Oakland Athletics to round off the night.   

The Panel has looked at all the stats, data and key players ahead of Wednesday night’s Major League Baseball schedule to bring you these three predictions. 

Baltimore Orioles @ New York Yankees, 7:05pm ET

The New York Yankees initially thought they were going to lose Gerrit Cole for a large chunk, or even all of the 2024 season. 

Last year’s reigning American League Cy Young winner has not pitched at all this year due to an elbow injury and this is start number one. 

New York are not in the most enviable position here. Anthony Rizzo is injured, Aaron Judge should play and Cole is expected to be limited by pitch count. He tossed 68 pitches in his last rehab start at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. 

This is why we're not seeing the usual out props for Cole as nobody is quite sure what will happen. 

Baltimore are one of the best teams in baseball at 47-25 and it's one thing for Cole to face minor league batters. It is another to face the Orioles.       

Best betting sites are offering several other options, including hits and walks props for Cole. The early line on strikeouts is 5.5 at around -115.

Some have asked if last year was a blip. Cole’s K/9 rate dropped to 9.6 from 11.5, which is steep and not something that can be taken lightly. 

The adrenaline is expected to flow heavily with Cole, who has been walking around 1.5 batters per start for the past two seasons. 

DraftKings are offering the Over of 1.5 walks at +110, which is certainly worth a look, while Cole to strike out six or more batters at -120 looks appealing.

The Panel believes that the Yankees’ starter will want to make a statement. Even with a pitch count, the K’s will come.

The Panel Pick 1: Gerrit Cole Over 5.5 Strikeouts @ -120 With DraftKings

Texas Rangers @ New York Mets, 8:05pm ET

Baseball can be a very strange game. 

The New York Mets were horrid throughout most of 2024. Then June started and they suddenly found something - winning 11 of 15 games and seven straight.  

On Tuesday night, New York were down 6-2 and appeared to be on their way to a loss for the first time in a week. 

Then, the Mets rallied, scored five runs, and held on for a 7-6 win. 

Do not laugh at this, but last week Grimace threw out the first pitch at a home game for the Mets at Citi Field and New York have not lost since. 

The one problem with the Mets tonight, however, is that they are playing in Texas. 

While the tropical rains are not expected to have as much of an impact, the soupy air will.

Two pitchers who will give up some runs seem to help here, too.   

The Panel pick here is to see those runs pour in and we're taking the Over.

The Panel Pick 2: Mets And Rangers Over 8.5 Runs @ -115 With FanDuel

Kansas City Royals @ Oakland Athletics, 8:40pm ET

The Kansas City Royals were bound to face some adversity in this 2024 season. 

For a team that came off a 56-win campaign in 2023, this kind of rise almost lends itself to some bumps in the road somewhere along the way.  

Kansas City are still eight games over .500 facing the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday night and the Royals will not be happy after dropping a 7-5 decision on Tuesday.   

Cole Ragans has been good all the season for Kansas City and should easily keep them close. 

In his past three starts, Ragans' pitching has had some bad luck in the decision department (three straight no-decisions), but that is expected to change today.   

Thinking on a more modest scale lends hope to Kansas City covering the spread by a slim margin on Wednesday night. 

The Panel believes -100 is a reasonable number.       

The Panel Pick 3: Kansas City (-1.5 Runs) Over Oakland @ -100 With BetMGM