This Week in the MLB: Wildcard Game 1 Best Bets, Odds, Lines, and More

MLB Wildcard is back! And there's no better place to spend it than with betJACK! Don't worry, we've got you covered, whether you are looking for odds and spreads, game storylines, or you’re a new member looking to get some insight on this weekend's slate of games. Speaking of new members, first-time signups can get up to $500 in bonus bets. Regardless of your team, this wildcard matchup is one for the ages. With defending champions taking on World Series hopefuls and comeback kids facing their rivals. These matchups have something for everyone! Now, let's take a closer look at the games:

Detroit Tigers (-159) @ Cleveland Guardians (+128):

Spread: Detroit Tigers -1.5 Over/Under: 6.5

Pitching: Tarik Skubal (13-6, 2.21 ERA) VS TBD

Story: The Cleveland Guardians overcame a historic deficit against their rivals, the Detroit Tigers, to secure the AL Central crown and claim the 3 spots in the AL Wildcard round, guaranteeing them homefield advantage this series. This season has been nothing but magical for Guardians fans and players alike, as they pull off a miracle comeback to end the season, and Jose Ramirez continues to set records in the franchise. It seems their luck is going to continue into this game one matchup. Tarik Skubal found success against the Guardians this year, 1-1 with a .64 and 40 Ks in 4 games this season. But he’ll need a bit of help getting through this one, as Detroit will be starting him on short rest to kick off the series. Tanner Bibee (12-11, 4.24 ERA) or Gavin Williams (12-5, 3.06 ERA) will likely take the mound for the Guardians. Both have found success versus Detroit this year, as both starters have managed to have a sub-1.50 ERA in their appearances. Granted, Cleveland is known for their pitching. Offensively, they’ve required a bit of a miracle and talent to get them ahead. This team is 29th in just about every offensive stat in the book; the only team they are better than is the Los Angeles Angels (per ESPN). Meanwhile, the Tigers sit at 16th overall. They will have to rely on their pitching, where they rank 4th best in the league despite losing a starter AND their All-Star closer halfway through the season. If the Guardians' offense can get to Skubal quickly and their pitcher holds the Tigers from striking quickly, the Guardians can be a force to reckon with. Otherwise, this magical run will come to a screeching halt. 

San Diego Padres (+100) @ Chicago Cubs (-124):

Spread: Pending Over/Under: Pending

Pitching: Nick Pivetta (13-5, 2.87 ERA) VS TBD

Story: After sweeping the Arizona Diamondbacks to end the season, the Padres are riding hot, winning 7 of their last 10 to end the season. This team has been RAKING this year. Top 10 in the league for almost every single metric, and when you are averaging 4 runs a game, they will be a powerhouse if their pitchers can put up a quality start. With Nick Pivetta taking the mound for them, they’ll more than likely have that. Unfortunately for Chicago fans, their star rookie Cade Horton is unavailable to pitch this series after being put on the 15-day IL. So hopefully the return of star outfielder Kyle Tucker will help boost this offense and the confidence of whoever Chicago’s starter ends up being. Regardless, we will be seeing two top 10 offenses square off against each other for the 7th time this year. The series is split 3-3 with the Padres having a .249 AVG and a .345 OBP vs the Cubs, .233 AVG and .332 OBP in the series. Both teams will have to lean on their bats this series, regardless of the pitching matchup, and it may end up being that home-field advantage gives the Cubs the edge over their opponent. 

Boston Red Sox (+114) @ New York Yankees (-143):

Spread: New York Yankees -1.5 Over/Under: 7.0

Pitching: Garrett Crochet (18-5, 2.59 ERA) VS Max Fried (19-5, 2.86 ERA)

Story: Boston has found itself sitting in the 5 seed and looks to take on the Yankees, in what might be the most beneficial matchup they could have. And with Garrett Crochet taking the mound, he’ll look to continue his winning streak vs the Yankees (3-0, 2.95 ERA and 45 Ks). Though the most interesting part is on the Yankees' side. Aaron Judge, who is known for his lack of offense, comes in October. Add that to the compiling issues that the Yankees have had in terms of basic baseball, and this Red Sox series gets a lot more interesting than most people expect. Max Fried has been a reliable starter for their club, and while both pitchers have had their struggles, both have DOMINATED away and home, respectively. However, this comes down to offensive production; the Yankees have the power to put themselves in a position to win early, whereas the Red Sox just need to play sound baseball to find success. If Crochet can keep it close, then the Red Sox offense can put this game away well before it's over.

Cincinnati Reds (+150) @ Los Angeles Dodgers (-143):

Spread: Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 Over/Under: 7.5

Pitching: Hunter Greene (7-4, 2.76 ERA) VS TBD

Story: It seems the Terry Francona era has been a success. In his first year as manager, the Reds have made the playoffs for the first time since 2013 (excluding the shortened 2020 year), and though it relied on a little outside help (Mets' collapse), they’ve managed to find themselves in the postseason and in a good spot. Looking at this matchup at face value, it’s hard not to take the Dodgers, a team that is laced with stardom from their pitching to their offense. But the Reds have been sneaky good, with top 10 talent on the mound. Much like the Cleveland Guardians, this team doesn’t rely on power to put them ahead, so offensively, their rankings aren’t anything significant, but they make up for that with their pitching. Granted, with that being said, it’s hard not to see the defending World Series champions taking this series with ease. Especially with this season being Clayton Kershaw's last. So, adding in that emotional aspect, along with talent, makes it feel like success is all but guaranteed. Even with their starter up in the air, this team is a dangerous one, and the Reds will need all hands on deck if Francona wants to cement himself and this Reds team in history as the 10th team in the MLB to make a World Series after changing managers (2022 Phillies and 2003 Marlins most recent). On the other side of the mound, the Dodgers are also looking for a spot in history as the 15th team to win back-to-back World Series.