Puskar's Daily Picks: May 11, 2023

Two NBA teams facing elimination tonight. Plenty of MLB games on the schedule. With the Guardians and the Reds being off the hook tonight, it's time to start looking elsewhere. Here are three bets worth placing for the Thursday night slate. 

Yankees ML (+100)

Yes, I know fading the Rays is not a good idea this season, And yes, I am aware that I am actively advocating for the Yankees to win. 

Extra noise aside, this is a game the Yankees could easily win at home. Domingo German is on the mound for the Yankees, who is 2-2 this season with a 4.35 ERA. While those numbers aren't the best, he currenty is pitching his highest strikeout rate in his career at 28.2%. Judge is back in the lineup, and the Yankees have some catching up to do. I'll take my chances. 

Nuggets ML (+106)

Going into this series, the Nuggets were the better team. When both teams are healthy, the Nuggets are better. Now, with Deandre Ayton listed as out tonight with a rib contusion, give me the Nuggets all night long to wrap things up and punch their ticket to the Western Conference Finals. 

The two games the Nuggets lost in this series, they lost by seven and by five. In the three games that they have won, they have won by 10+ each time. I like the Nuggets tonight. 

Texas Rangers -1.5 (-143)

It seems like it shoud be pretty simple logic at this point, right? Fade the Athletics at all costs. The team is now 8-30 on the young season, while also being on the verge up heading out to Las Vegas for good.

The A's will be calling up Zach Neal to start for them in this game. 

Neal, a former pitcher from Japan, will make his first MLB appearance since 2018 when he was with the Dodgers. 

Simply put, with the pitching matchup in this one, and given that it is the A's, I'll take my chances with the Rangers tonight.