MLB Daily Betting Guide: Opening Day Odds for April 12, 2022

Boston Red Sox at Detroit Tigers (1:11 pm ET)

Team Favored and Spread: Boston -1.5

Total Runs: 9

After falling to the Tigers in the opener 3-1, the Boston Red Sox will look to bounce back on Tuesday. At 1-3, the Red Sox have not gotten off to the strongest start, but will look to veteran southpaw Rich Hill to get them back on track.

The Tigers will counter with their own lefty in 27-year-old Tyler Alexander. In 41 games (15 starts) last season, he went 2-4 with a 3.81 ERA and 1.26 WHIP.

Neither of these offenses have clicked quite yet. The Red Sox are averaging 3.67 runs per game while the Tigers are averaging just 2.67. Expect Boston to get back into the win column and even this series up.

Take Boston -1.5 and expect the total to go over nine.

Seattle Mariners at Chicago White Sox (4:11 pm ET)

Team Favored and Spread: Chicago -1.5

Total Runs: 9

The Seattle Mariners and Chicago White Sox will clash in the Windy City Tuesday afternoon. Vince Velasquez will take the ball for the Southsiders against the Mariners’ Matt Brash. This will be the 23-year-old Brash’s first start of his major league career.

Of all the offenses to have to go against in your first professional game, the White Sox are a tough draw. They rank third in the majors averaging 6.33 runs per game this season.

Vince Velasquez isn’t exactly untouchable as he had a 6.30 ERA last season, so expect the total to go over nine. Of the two teams, it is just a bit easier to trust Chicago’s offense to produce at this point. Take them to cover the -1.5 runline.  

Cleveland Guardians at Cincinnati Reds (4:11 pm ET)

Team Favored and Spread: Cleveland -1.5

Total Runs: 8

It is an all Ohio showdown on Tuesday as the Cleveland Guardians start a quick two-game series with the Cincinnati Reds.

After scoring just one run in the first two games of the season, the Guardians erupted for 27 runs in their last two games. Even just a fraction of that output might be enough Tuesday with ace Shane Bieber on the mound.

The Reds will counter with their own ace in righty Tyler Mahle (1-0, 0.00 ERA).

With two elite pitchers on the mound, expect this to be a really low-scoring game. As a result, the most value is in taking the under eight runs and the Reds +1.5.

Toronto Blue Jays at New York Yankees (7:06 pm ET)

Team Favored and Spread: New York -1.5

Total Runs: 9.5

After blanking the New York Yankees 3-0 on Monday in the series opener, the Blue Jays will look to steal the first two games on the road against the Bronx Bombers on Tuesday.

George Springer hit his second home run of the season on Monday with a three-run shot off of Jameson Taillon. Toronto is now tied for the second-most home runs in the majors with eight. 

It will be a battle of the southpaws as Yusei Kikuchi makes his debut with the Blue Jays against the Yankees’ Nestor Cortes.

Toronto’s offense just seems to be clicking too much right now to bet against them. Take the Blue Jays +1.5 and expect the total to go over.

Houston Astros at Arizona Diamondbacks (9:40 pm ET)

Team Favored and Spread: Houston -1.5

Total Runs: 9.5

AL and NL West divisions will battle it out in an interleague matchup between the Houston Astros and the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Astros were able to take three of four from the Angels in their opening series while the Diamondbacks lost three of four to the Padres.

Finishing second in the AL Rookie of the Year voting last season, Luis Garcia will take the mound for the Astros on Tuesday. After a dynamite rookie season, he went scoreless during spring training and seems ready to build on his success from last year.

The Diamondbacks will turn to Zac Gallen to square off with Houston, but their biggest concern is their offense. Through the first four games, they are averaging just 2.75 runs per game (25th in the majors).

Take Houston to cover the -1.5 runline, but expect the total to stay under the 9.5.

San Diego Padres at San Francisco Giants (9:46 pm ET)

Team Favored and Spread: San Diego -1.5

Total Runs: 7.5

End your night with an NL West matchup between the San Diego Padres and the San Francisco Giants. Last season, the Giants had the last laugh as they won the division, but the Padres are hoping to get the upperhand in 2022.

The Padres will send ace Yu Darvish to the bump on Tuesday. He went six innings, allowing no hits and three strikeouts on Opening Day. His lone issue was four walks that he gave up to the Diamondbacks.

The Giants will counter with 34-year-old righty Alex Cobb, who is making his first start of the season.

Both offenses have players that have done damage to the opposing pitchers in their careers. Outfielder Mike Yastrzemski has three home runs and six runs batted in over 10 at bats against Darvish. On the other side, Manny Machado is batting .364 with a home run against Cobb.

Expect this one to go over 7.5 runs, and there is a lot of value in the Giants at +1.5 against Darvish and the Padres.