Category: MLB

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

One of the most intriguing baseball betting options is the “run first inning” market, where you can wager on whether there will be runs scored in the opening frame.

The San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres have been two of the worst-hitting teams to start the season, and my MLB picks expect their bats to get off to another cold start tonight.  

Check out the rest of my free NRFI and YRFI bets for Tuesday, March 31.

Best NRFI/YRFI bets today

Pick	Odds
/ - YRFI	-130
/ - YRFI	-113
/ - NRFI	-120

Nationals at Phillies: YRFI (-130)

The Philadelphia Phillies are sending talented prospect Andrew Painter to the hill, but it’s unclear what we’ll get in his MLB debut.

Painter posted a 5.26 ERA across 26 minor league starts last year, and the Washington Nationals feature dangerous bats like James Wood and CJ Abrams at the top of their order.

Meanwhile, the Nats are using relief pitcher P.J. Poulin as an opener; he posted a 3.93 xERA over 24 2/3 innings last year. I don’t trust him against a Phillies lineup led by Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, and Bryce Harper — especially with a stiff 13-mph breeze blowing toward the outfield at the hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park today.

• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: MLB Network

Tigers at Diamondbacks: YRFI (-113)

Casey Mize struggled during the second half of last season, posting a 5.54 ERA over his final 13 starts for the Detroit Tigers. He now faces an Arizona Diamondbacks lineup loaded at the top with Ketel Marte, Corbin Carroll, and Geraldo Perdomo.

The Tigers also feature dangerous hitters at the top of their order, going up against D-Backs righty Brandon Pfaadt, who ranked in the bottom 10th percentile last year in barrel rate, exit velocity, and xBA (.285).

Pfaadt pitched to a 5.25 ERA across 33 starts in 2025, with that number ballooning to 7.31 in the first inning.

• Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: DBacks.TV | Tigers.TV

Giants at Padres: NRFI (-120)

Logan Webb was roughed up in his season debut for the San Francisco Giants. That said, he’s a proven ace, posting a 2.94 FIP across 132 starts over the last four years, so I'll be looking for him to bounce back.

Meanwhile, German Marquez makes his debut for the San Diego Padres and will be excited to pitch at Petco Park after spending his entire career at altitude. 

Marquez gets a favorable matchup against San Francisco, which ranks last in the majors in OPS (.441) and sits in the bottom three in barrel rate and hard-hit rate. San Diego isn’t much better, sitting 28th in OPS (.512) and 26th in barrel rate.

• Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBC Sports BA | Padres.TV

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across Major League Baseball. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Yankees fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Last week, I had the Pinstripe Alley staff make predictions on the 2026 season, and one of them had to do with a certain three-time AL MVP who is already fourth on the all-time Yankees home run list behind some fellas named Babe, Mickey, and Lou.

I know that some of you already made predictions on Aaron Judge’s home run total after seeing our predictions, but now it’s time to submit them in Reacts survey form! We have a few different range options to select, so pick where you think he’ll land. He’s topped 50 in three of his last four seasons, and was on pace for 50 in 2023 had it not been for that damn Dodger Stadium bullpen fence.

Also, while we asked for predictions on what the Yankees’ playoff fate would be in 2026, we didn’t ask for a classic win total prediction. So there are some ranges in a question for that as well!

Vote in the poll and we’ll check out the results later this week.

Last season, I was fascinated with Drew Waters and how he would perform when the Kansas City Royals called him back up to the big-league club. It seemed to me that Waters would never get a better chance to establish himself in the majors than with the 2025 Royals. The outfielders the Royals started the season with last year were terrible, and there was no team in baseball that could have used a top outfield prospect to step up and finally realize his potential more than Kansas City. Waters had his moments, particularly after he was first called up, but his overall numbers were poor. The Royals designated him for assignment after Spring Training this year, and he has since cleared waivers and been assigned to Triple-A. It’s still possible for the outfielder to figure it out and turn himself into a viable major-league player, but it’s extremely unlikely to happen at this point in his career.

The situation that Royals infielder Nick Loftin finds himself in this year reminds me of where Waters was last year. They aren’t completely equivalent, as Waters started in the minors but had a more direct path to a starting job when he arrived in Kansas City. Loftin will start the season on the Opening Day roster, but he will begin the year in a bench role.

Loftin will also be under pressure to produce early in the season if he wants to keep his roster spot. Michael Massey is starting the season on the IL with a calf strain, but he is likely to snag one of the bench roles once he’s healthy and available. Up to this point in their careers, Massey has been given more opportunity than Loftin and, before last season, had clearly been the better player. Massey had a dreadful year at the plate in 2025 and has battled injuries throughout his career, which leaves his place on the team more up in the air than it has been in recent seasons.

Massey’s injuries and poor hitting last season open the door for Loftin to grab a spot on the team. Massey looked very comfortable in the outfield last year and is presumably going to be a better defender than Loftin. Loftin, however, has the potential to be a valuable hitter and force the Royals to keep him on the roster.

The Royals have needed more hitters who get on base to set up and complement hitters like Bobby Witt Jr. and Vinnie Pasquantino. The team is in a good position with its core options. Having one of the best players in baseball certainly helps, but it needs a more complete lineup this season to reach its goals. Based on his minor-league track record, Loftin could be a perfect fit. The infielder has shown impressive on-base ability in Omaha, posting a .409 OBP in 2024 and a .447 OBP in 2025. Loftin can clearly get on base at a high level in Triple-A, but he has yet to translate that ability to the MLB level. He’s accumulated 427 plate appearances over the last three years for Kansas City but has posted just a .294 OBP.

Loftin has flashed some of the skills in the majors that have helped him be an on-base machine in the minors. He has posted well above-average chase and whiff rates, which has led to a very low strikeout rate. The 27-year-old has dealt with both poor BABIP luck and too much weak contact, which has made him a career 28% below league-average hitter. Even for a bench role, that’s not enough offensive punch and far below what he has shown he can be with the Storm Chasers. If he can get on base at even a league-average rate, there will be a spot for him on the roster.

The positions where Loftin has the most major-league experience – second base and left field – are also among the least settled spots in the Royals lineup. Isaac Collins is the first option in left field, but it remains to be seen if he can repeat his offensive performance from last year. Jonathan India is starting at second base, but he had a disappointing season at the plate last year and is not the strongest defender. He’s in the final year of his contract, and we’ve seen the Royals move on early from players in that situation if they struggle.

Loftin started at second base in the final game of the series against the Atlanta Braves and went 1-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. He looked fine defensively, but unless the injury bug strikes again, he’s going to have to look like more than just fine to keep a roster spot. That’s not exactly fair to Loftin. He will likely have to perform well in a small sample size, where variance can determine a large portion of the outcome. Not many players, however, get a chance to stick on a roster in four consecutive seasons, and Loftin will have every opportunity to prove himself.

The Boston Red Sox stink.

I don’t necessarily know if that statement can be categorized as hyperbolic — right now it sure feels correct, but I have been known to overreact and this exact franchise did something very similar last season before eventually making the playoffs.

I just can’t help but shake the feeling…

The Red Sox have, quite frankly, been a miserable watch to kickstart the season. The lineup hasn’t done anything with consistency except for ground into double plays, the newcomers have had a rough introduction, the pitching staff isn’t generating any swing-and-miss, the bats are generating way too much, etc. It’s safe to say that things aren’t going well, but is it time to hit the panic button?

Yes! Panicking is the sensible choice!

I’ve always been one to base my hypotheses off vibes, and the vibes with this team are genuinely horrific.

Alex Cora has already admitted that “it’s not easy” to manage the outfield logjam, despite spending the entire offseason talking about how great it was to have only four spots for Roman Anthony, Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela, Jarren Duran, Masataka Yoshida, and Nate Eaton.

Craig Breslow – who was all but thrown under the bus with those comments – didn’t stop there with puzzling roster building decisions, either!

Trevor Story isn’t what you want out of a number two hitter – and while you can see much better options in the opposing lineup on a nightly basis, you also saw it over the last several seasons in Rafael Devers and Alex Bregman. Kristian Campbell and Triston Casas don’t have a path back to the big leagues, even if they start raking for Triple-A Worcester. Caleb Durbin and Willson Contreras are batting in the heart of the order, and that shouldn’t be the case for a team with real expectations. Yoshida gives you better at-bats than more than half of the everyday regulars but is glued to the bench. Isaiah Kiner-Falefa and Andruw Monasterio have jobs, but it seems as though the manager wants no part in playing them. Connor Wong hasn’t been half bad, but we can revisit that one in a few months.

Durbin, Contreras, and Kiner-Falefa — the crop of newcomers in the lineup — have combined to go 1-of-29 through four games and have zero extra-base hits. Ranger Suarez, Sonny Gray, and Johan Oviedo — your crop of newcomers on the pitching staff — have allowed 11 runs in 12.0 innings and have made their own lives more difficult than they need to be. Duran is still making inexcusable mistakes. Story is still lunging at balls in the other batter’s box. Durbin is about to lose his job. I have indigestion!

It’s not hindsight to crap on an ugly first few days, it’s foresight that is coming to fruition in front of our eyes.

No! You don’t know ball!

It’s March…

I fundamentally do not believe in making sweeping generalizations before June, let alone May, let alone April.

Boston even has a few things to be excited about!

Wilyer Abreu (sans-sugar) is the greatest hitter of our generation, and has more doubles (three) through four games than the Kansas City Royals. Roman Anthony is going to be great, though it might take a bit longer than we all thought. Marcelo Mayer is already an elite defender, so it really is just about staying healthy. Duran and Story are never going to change, but let’s not act like they aren’t going to be key to the runnin’ Red Sox! Durbin was put in an unfortunate position, and while he absolutely looks overmatched right now, there is time for him to come into his own. Contreras, Rafaela, and Carlos Narváez are going to be fine.

Garrett Crochet is going to be in the conversation for the American League Cy Young. Connelly Early is going to be in the conversation for American League Rookie of the Year. Suarez and Gray will be better than what they showed early on.

It’s ultimately going to be okay!

I won’t pretend like I am having fun, though.

The Boston Red Sox could stink, but they could also be really good. It’s simply too early to tell. Though what isn’t acceptable is operating as if stinking is even an option.

Lock in, boys.

The Winston-Salem Dash finished 56–74 in 2025, falling way short of a postseason berth. The Dash scored 580 runs (4.46 per game) and allowed 629 (4.84 per game). Among the 12 teams in the South Atlantic League, Winston-Salem ranked fifth in runs scored but just 11th in runs allowed. Guillermo Quiroz, who managed the Double-A Birmingham club to a Southern League championship in 2025, will take over as manager. The Dash will open the season with far more high-upside prospects than they did last year, putting them in a strong position to take a sizable step forward.

Infielder Caleb Bonemer, 20, is the headliner of the group. The White Sox selected Bonemer in the second round of the 2024 draft, and he has made an immediate impact in the farm system. Across Kannapolis and Winston-Salem, Bonemer slashed .281/.401/.473 (151 wRC+) while providing solid defense at shortstop and third base. He is ranked No. 61 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list and No. 3 among White Sox prospects. Last year, Bonemer was the king of our weekly and monthly Minor League awards. Bonemer’s development is way ahead of schedule, and he could be a strong candidate for a promotion to Double-A before the All-Star break.

Kyle Lodise, 22, is another infielder with a chance to make an impact. The White Sox drafted Lodise in the third round of the 2025 draft out of Georgia Tech, where he slashed .329/.429/.667 (135 wRC+) for the Yellow Jackets. He also appeared in 28 games for Winston-Salem, posting a .185/.319/.370 line (108 wRC+) in a small sample. Lodise primarily plays shortstop, and his overall profile was strong enough for MLB Pipeline to rank him No. 10 among White Sox prospects. Between Lodise and Bonemer, the Dash infield already projects as one of the better units in the South Atlantic League—and there is even more depth behind them.

Jeral Pérez, 21 and ranked No. 15 in the system, also has plenty of upside. Pérez played 125 games for the Dash in 2025 and showed significant power, slashing .244/.315/.448 (124 wRC+) with 22 home runs to lead the South Atlantic League. Most of his time came at second base, though he also saw action at shortstop. While his power stands out, MLB Pipeline grades his hit, speed, and field tools at 45 (slightly below average). If Pérez can improve his on-base consistency and defensive reliability, he could make a significant impact in 2026.

Ryan Burrowes, 21, is another infielder capable of sparking the offense. He opened 2025 in Kannapolis, slashing .256/.343/.341 (103 wRC+), before earning a promotion to Winston-Salem, where he improved to .254/.338/.386 (117 wRC+). Burrowes went 47-for-53 (88.7%) in stolen base attempts, making him a major threat once on base. One caveat to his game is his lack of power, though his extra-base production trended upward late in the season. MLB Pipeline gives him a 60-grade run tool, which seems a bit low given how dangerous he was on the basepaths. Burrowes enters 2026 ranked No. 30 in the system, according to MLB Pipeline. Burrowes primarily plays second base but also has experience at third.

On the pitching side, Christian Oppor, 21, is expected to lead the rotation. The left-hander, drafted in the fifth round in 2023, spent most of 2025 with Winston-Salem (65 1/3 innings) while also logging 22 1/3 innings in Kannapolis. Overall, Oppor posted a 3.08 ERA and 3.50 FIP while averaging 11.91 strikeouts per nine innings. His performance boosted him to No. 8 in the White Sox system. Oppor has an 60-grade fastball along with a 55-grade slider and a 55-grade changeup, giving him above-average marks across all three pitches. His primary area for improvement is control, as he posted a 4.31 BB/9 rate. If he can reduce that, his ceiling will rise significantly.

Mathias LaCombe, 23, a right-handed reliever, emerged as an intriguing prospect in his first season of affiliated ball. Ranked No. 17 in the system, LaCombe threw 35 2/3 innings in the Complex League and 17 2/3 in Kannapolis. He posted a 3.04 ERA and 4.15 FIP while holding opponents to a .188 average and striking out 12.32 per nine frames. The White Sox selected LaCombe in the 12th round of the 2023 draft, and his ability to generate swings and misses stands out. Like Oppor, however, he will need to reduce his walk rate (4.05 BB/9) as he advances throughout the system.

Aldrin Batista, 22, is ranked No. 23 in the system and enters 2026 looking to bounce back from injury. A stress fracture in his right elbow limited him to just a handful of appearances in 2025. Before that injury, Batista was on a roll. In 2024, he posted a 2.93 ERA and 3.75 FIP between Kannapolis and Winston-Salem while allowing just 0.65 home runs per nine innings. Notably, across 40 innings with the Dash between 2024 and 2025, he has yet to allow a home run. Batista’s well-rounded profile helps him limit hard contact, making him an important arm to watch.

Finally, I cannot preview this team without discussing outfielder Samuel Zavala, 21. Acquired in the Dylan Cease trade in March 2024, Zavala was once among the Padres’ top prospects, and initially, he was near the top of the White Sox system. Although he has since fallen outside MLB Pipeline’s Top 30, I am still a believer. After struggling in 2024, when he slashed .187/.340/.301 (97 wRC+), Zavala rebounded in 2025, slashing .254/.360/.372 (122 wRC+). He has also shown the ability to handle center field, adding defensive value and increasing error margins at the plate. Even during down years like 2024, he found ways to reach base, which is a good sign.

In recent years, top prospects have largely bypassed Winston-Salem, contributing to the club’s lower win totals. However, the 2026 team seems ready to change that trend, and the Dash should have a solid chance to compete for a playoff spot.

Each week, we will take a look at the best and not-so-best Astros performances and stories of the week.

3 Up:

1. Lance McCullers Jr. : What a performance from LMJ last night vs the Red Sox. He goes 7 innings for the first time since 9/21/22. His final line: 7 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 9 K. NINE! This is Lance’s best start since 5/11/21 – which is the last time he went at least 7 innings and gave up 1 run or fewer. Incredibly encouraging outing from Lance, who maintained his velocity around 93 MPH for the full 7 innings and 96 pitches. Lance was in command all night, and gives hope that the “Old Lance” is still in there.

2. Jose Altuve: What slow start? Altuve had his 42nd 4-hit game last night, including 2 home runs. With that performance, Altuve leads the team in AVG, OBP, OPS, hits, walks, and total bases through 5 games. Every year, there are rumors of his demise. Every year, he proves those rumors to be greatly exaggerated. As an added bonus, he currently has a +4% success rate added defensively.

3. Christian Walker: Currently leading the team with 4 doubles, Walker has been stinging baseballs in the early going. While last season he really struggled against high velocity, an offseason conditioning program and a mechanical adjustment to his swing have led to excellent results so far against high velocity pitches. Espada moved him up to 5th in the order last night, and he delivered an RBI double. While he will always be a strikeout guy, he has also walked 3 times this season which is a great sign for a guy with a career .325 OBP that early on he is taking to the Astros new philosophy at the plate

3 Down:

1. Cristian Javier: The velocity issues that have plagued him since returning from Tommy John surgery last year still persist, and Javier lacks the kind of pinpoint control to be effective with a low velocity fastball. Javier likes to live at the top of the zone with his fastball, and that isn’t a place you can miss throwing 91. He still has great movement on his breaking stuff, but as we saw last year with Lance McCullers Jr., it is very hard to be successful as a MLB starter with a fastball no one fears beating them. It allows hitters to sit on breaking pitches knowing the fastball can’t beat them. It also allows them to spit on breaking balls because they are looking for them, so it becomes easier to identify when they will be out of the zone to lay off. Whether or not Javier can rediscover his prior form will be vital to his success. This is a major situation to watch for the Astros.

2. Bryan Abreu: No matter how much the Astros try to downplay things with Abreu, every red flag should be at full mast with him right now. Abreu averaged 97.3 MPH on his fastball in 2025, often hitting 99-100 MPH. When he came out on Sunday throwing 92, everyone in the organization should have been worried. Espada tried to say it was mechanical after the game, but for a guy to lose 5 MPH on his fastball doesn’t seem like mechanics to me. With Hader out likely until at least May, the team really cannot afford to lose Abreu for a long stretch. Maybe it’s just a dead arm period, maybe it’s more. They need to find out definitively and not take any chances with his health. Losing both back of the pen arms, two guys who have been thoroughly dominant, would be an incredibly tough blow to a team that has been ravaged by injuries the last two season.

3. Brice Matthews: Boy that 434 foot HR last night was a TANK, and I was really happy for him to get that blast. However it cannot obfuscate from the bigger picture, which is Brice has struck out 6 times in 9 AB, and he looked shaky in centerfield on Friday night, seeming to have trouble getting jumps on balls. Center field is the easiest of the outfield positions to see the ball clearly and get a good jump, so that was strange that he struggled so much with it Friday night. Cam Smith bailed him out on one play coming across to make a great running catch in right center on a play that should have been Matthews. Matthews let a couple of balls fall in front of him that he didn’t get good reads on as well. I am not down on Brice, but that HR was the lone bright spot on what was a tough week overall for him. Hopefully it gets him going.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

We kick off the first full week of MLB action with all 30 teams in action today, and prediction markets like Kalshi allow baseball bettors in every state (excluding Nevada) a chance to lock in their favorite MLB best bets.

To help you find some winners among today's games, we've polled our baseball experts for their favorite MLB picks today — as well as offering extra MLB expert picks from the rest of the Covers staff for Tuesday, March 31.

MLB expert picks for today

Pick	Odds
Josh Inglis: Rays ML	+123
Jon Metler: Giants ML	-133
Joe Osborne: Dodgers -1.5	-108

Prices courtesy of Kalshi.

Josh Inglis' expert pick: Rays moneyline

Price: 45¢ (+123) at Kalshi

There’s value on the Tampa Bay Rays at +123, with most books at +115, and THE BAT making them a slight favorite at -112. Shane McClanahan gets the start, and while there are fair questions about his workload and effectiveness coming off two major surgeries, he looked sharp this spring. He’s also backed by a lineup carrying momentum after a ninth-inning comeback win last night vs. a Milwaukee offense that finally didn't get to pick on White Sox pitching.

Jon Metler's expert pick: Giants moneyline

Price: 57¢ (-133) at Kalshi

If you’re a fan of backing elite starting pitchers, you’ll love this bet — we’re getting Logan Webb at a much better price than we should at Kalshi on Tuesday. The San Francisco Giants are trading as a 57% favorite, and I see clear value, as I price them closer to 66%. The Giants are 1–3 to start the season, but Rafael Devers and Luis Arraez profile very well at the top of the order against Germán Márquez, who relies heavily on his fastball. The humidity in San Diego is also expected to be high on Tuesday, which should further enhance the effectiveness of Logan Webb’s sinker.

Joe Osborne's expert pick: Dodgers -1.5

Price: 52¢ (-108) at Kalshi

This looks like a strong bounce-back spot for the Dodgers after taking their first loss of the season last night. Shohei Ohtani posted a 1.71 ERA at home last year, and he looks to be in peak form after punching out 11 in his final spring tune-up. Meanwhile, Tanner Bibee is a different pitcher on the road: He had a 5.17 ERA in away games last season — nearly two runs higher than his mark at home — and he was hit hard in one start vs. LA. Add in the Dodgers’ clear edge with the bats and bullpen to open the season, and this shapes up as a multi-run win.

More MLB best bets for today

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

Rafael Devers is one of the most dangerous left-handed hitters in the majors.

A lot of his production comes against right-handed pitching, and my Giants vs. Padres predictions and MLB picks see him taking advantage of a gettable righty in German Marquez.

Giants vs Padres predictions

Giants vs Padres best bet: Rafael Devers Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI (-135)

Rafael Devers has a mouthwatering matchup to jumpstart his campaign against German Marquez.

The veteran pitcher struggled mightily with lefties last season, allowing a .311 average, .396 wOBA, and 1.71 homers per nine innings.

Devers is a prime candidate to take advantage. Isolating Marquez’s three most-used pitchers against left-handed bats, Devers posted a .355 OBP and 59.9% hard hit rate against righties last season. Focus on Marquez’s two go-to pitches, and that hard hit rate spikes to 63.4%.

Devers should generate good contact in this matchup, and good things tend to happen when he does.

COVERS INTEL: Rafael Devers has posted an average exit velocity of 94.5 miles per hour over the last 10 balls put in play against Marquez’s pitch mix.

Giants vs Padres same-game parlay (SGP)

Jung Hoo Lee is another lefty poised to cause Marquez problems. He hit .286 against Marquez’s three most prominent pitches last season while striking out only 7% of the time. He’s great at getting the bat on the ball and generating contact, while Marquez struggles to miss bats.

Ace Logan Webb will take the bump for the Giants, and he is already ramped up from the WBC and starting the MLB’s season opener. He is a quality start machine, and the Giants are poised to provide him run support against Marquez.

Giants vs Padres SGP

• Rafael Devers Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI
• Jung Hoo Lee Over 0.5 hits
• Giants moneyline

Giants vs Padres home run pick: Matt Chapman (+360)

Matt Chapman has made a lot of powerful contact out of the gate. He's responsible for the three hardest hit balls the Giants have this season, indicating the production is not far off.

Chapman has enjoyed a lot of success against Marquez in his career. He is 6-for-15 with four hits going for extra bases, three of which left the park.

Giants vs Padres odds

• Moneyline: San Francisco -135 | San Diego +115
• Run line: San Francisco -1.5 (+125) | San Diego +1.5 (-145)
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5

Giants vs Padres trend

Rafael Devers has cleared 1.5 hits + runs + RBI in four consecutive games working on zero days of rest. Find more MLB betting trends for Giants vs. Padres.

How to watch Giants vs Padres and game info

Giants vs Padres latest injuries

Giants vs Padres weather

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The Detroit Tigers visit the Arizona Diamondbacks once again tonight as they look to bounce back from a loss in the series opener. 

My Tigers vs. Diamondbacks predictions are eyeing Dillon Dingler to keep swinging it well for the visitors. 

Read more for my MLB picks for Tuesday, March 31.

Tigers vs Diamondbacks predictions

Tigers vs Diamondbacks best bet: Dillon Dingler 1+ RBI (+195)

Dillon Dingler was a key piece for the Detroit Tigers last season, hitting .278 across 126 games with 13 home runs and 57 RBI. He’s off to a red-hot start in this young 2026 campaign, batting .333 with five RBI already. 

The catcher drove in a run in Monday’s loss and has recorded at least one RBI in three games. 

When it comes to tonight’s matchup, the Tigers face Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Brandon Pfaadt, whose 5.25 ERA was the fifth-highest among all qualified starters last season. 

Dingler has typically been batting seventh, but is getting RBI opportunities hitting behind Riley Greene, Spencer Torkelson, and uber-rookie Kevin McGonigle.

COVERS INTEL: Thirty-nine of Dingler’s RBI last season came against right-handed hurlers, and four so far this year are against righties as well.

Tigers vs Diamondbacks same-game parlay (SGP)

The Tigers may have lost the opener, but they were a perfect 3-0 last season against Arizona, and as a lineup, Detroit is hitting .360 against Pfaadt across 25 at-bats. Three different players in this lineup have registered multiple hits vs. the righty in minimal ABs. 

After a tough defeat in Game 1 of the series, Detroit should come out with some fire and jump on Pfaadt early, setting the tone for a victory. 

Colt Keith is 6-for-14 with three doubles, and in just four games, the 24-year-old has collected 2+ hits in three of those contests. 

He was 2-for-5 on Monday with a pair of doubles, and all of his damage has come against right-handed pitchers.

Tigers vs Diamondbacks SGP

• Dillon Dingler 1+ RBI
• Tigers moneyline
• Colt Keith 1+ hits

Tigers vs Diamondbacks home run pick: Riley Greene (+330)

Greene is hitting just .176 this season, but he finally found a bit of an offensive rhythm on Monday, finishing 2-for-5 with a pair of singles. 

Sometimes, all a hitter needs is some confidence to get them going, and Greene has homered against Pfaadt before, who gave up 26 bombs last season, 14 coming off left-handed bats. 

Greene also had a career year in 2025, clubbing 36 bombs. 

Tigers vs Diamondbacks odds

• Moneyline: Detroit -108 | Arizona -108
• Run line: Detroit -1.5 (+155) | Arizona +1.5 (-188)
• Over/Under: Over 9.5 (+110) | Under 9.5 (-134)

Tigers vs Diamondbacks trend

The Detroit Tigers have hit the Game Total Over in 76 of their last 142 games (+10.40 Units / 7% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Tigers vs. Diamondbacks.

How to watch Tigers vs Diamondbacks and game info

Tigers vs Diamondbacks latest injuries

Tigers vs Diamondbacks weather

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

It was, honestly, a much better opening week for the Guardians than many had anticipated, and there were plenty of positives to come out of it.

Chased History

Making his (technical) MLB debut on Thursday’s Opening Day, Chase DeLauter shocked the nation and made his name known. In his very first at bat, he launched an 85.3 mph slider from Logan Gilbert into right center field to give the Guardians a 1-0 lead. In the top of the ninth inning, he did it again on an 85.8 mph cutter from Cooper Criswell. On Friday, he decided he’d do it again and clobbered an 87.4 mph slider from George Kirby for another 1-0 lead for the Guards. On Saturday, he decided that wasn’t enough. He took Andrés Muñoz’ 96.6 mph offering 365 feet into left field. With one swing, he made Major League history by becoming one of only two players to hit four home runs in their first three career regular season games (Trevor Story 2016).

2-2 for 2

Facing a rotation of Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, and Bryan Woo, the Guardians’ odds were not in their favor. Many fans had come to terms with the fact that the team might start the season 0-4. I was one of them. However, we were pleasantly surprised with a 2-2 record that currently has the team in solo-second place in the American League Central. DeLauter’s superstar offensive showing and strong outings from multiple members of the bullpen gave the Seattle Mariners a run for their money and no guaranteed wins (well, except for Sunday). Vibes are great heading into the David vs. Goliath series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Good News for Bibee

It was a nerve-wracking scene on the mound in the sixth inning of Thursday’s opener as Tanner Bibee exited the game with the team’s trainer. It was later announced that he had left with right shoulder inflammation. While that was worrisome, Bibee shared that he was already feeling better after the game and was throwing weighted balls the following day. He threw a 25-pitch bullpen session on Saturday and said he felt good. He is still day-to-day, but hopes to be able to make his next start.

Social Media Spotlight

A lot of teams have their own home run celebrations that are always super fun to watch. Toronto has the home run jacket, the Mariners have the trident, and so on. The Guardians haven’t had a set celebration until now. After his first inning home run on Thursday, he donned a knight’s helmet (is that what you call it?) in the dugout.

It was unfortunate to see the Yankees’ perfect 3-0 record go by the wayside. Obviously that was never going to last, but it was almost more annoying to lose a close game, even when the opponent is a tough one in Seattle. Ryan Weathers didn’t go very deep, the bullpen was exposed a bit with Paul Blackburn one of the few arms left by the ninth (though David Bednar and Tim Hill went unused), and the offense couldn’t do anything with multiple opportunities against Luis Castillo, held to a single sacrifice fly and an 0-for-6 showing with runners in scoring position.

Whatever. So it goes. If it’s any solace, the Dodgers, Marlins (lol), and Blue Jays entered Monday undefeated as well, and all of them now have losses on their ledgers as well. The two-time defending champions surprisingly got blanked at home over six by rookie Cleveland southpaw Parker Messick in a 4-2 loss, the Fish fell to the White Sox in Chicago’s first win of 2026, and the woebegone team that the Marlins just swept away over the weekend pulled off the upset of the night in the Great White North.

Want more on that? I’m so glad you asked.

Toronto Blue Jays (3-1) 5, Colorado Rockies (1-3) 14

Every dog has its day, and that extends to the rebuilding Rockies. Remember, even though they lost an eye-popping 119 games a year ago, they also won 43. So roughly every four games, Colorado eked one out.

The Rockies didn’t leave this one to chance, either. They drew some fortune early on in a way that they honestly wouldn’t have wanted, as Blue Jays starter Cody Ponce—fresh off returning stateside after winning the 2025 KBO MVP with the Hanwha Eagles—suffered a knee injury while trying to field a comebacker in the third. He was carted off the field and Toronto had to gp to the ’pen early. Colorado scored its first run on that play, and though George Springer then promptly homered off Tomoyuki Sugano in his Rox debut, that was just a solo shot.

The Rockies regained the lead on small ball, Ezequiel Tovar leading off the fourth with a single, stealing second, and taking advantage of a bobble at second base from Ernie Clement to score their second run. Sugano departed two outs into the fifth with Springer due up next and a runner in scoring position, but the previous Springer dinger was one of only two knocks allowed. Jaden Hill got Springer to ground out to preserve the 2-1 lead.

From there, it was all Rockies.

Troy Johnston (??) got the party started in the sixth with a two-run shot off Spencer Miles, and Brendon Little was even worse for Toronto in relief of his bullpenmate. After fanning Kyle Karros, Braxton Fulford—see Matt Ferenchick on BlueSky for more on this amusing fella—singled in Jordan Beck, who had singled against Miles and stole second on Little. Defensive specialist Brenton Doyle got a knock of his own, 2025 All-Star Hunter Goodman walked to load the bases, and free-agent signing Willi Castro flared a two-run double to right. Tovar followed with a two-bagger of his own and the Rockies had a seven-run inning and a 9-1 lead.

The Jays went quietly in the sixth and seventh before effectively waving the white flag in the eighth by putting backup catcher Tyler Heineman on the mound. Doyle, Goodman, and Tovar all doubled as the lead increased to 13-1, and honestly, manager John Schneider might have regretted the surrender because former first-round pick Chase Dollander really faltered for Colorado in the Toronto half of the eighth. Andrés Giménez and Davis Schneider’s first long balls of the season cut into the lead, but 13-4 is far less interesting than 9-4 (Kazuma Okamoto also went yard an inning later against Dollander). Fulford tacked on with a homer off Heineman in the ninth, and that was all she wrote.

Houston Astros (3-2) 8, Boston Red Sox (1-3) 1

The date was September 21, 2022. Aaron Judge had already reached the 60-homer plateau with multiple weeks remaining in the season, Paul Skenes had only just transferred from the Air Force Academy to LSU, the cast-drama-riddledDon’t Worry Darling was No. 1 at the U.S. box office, and Twitter was blissfully not yet owned by That Particular Idiot. It was also the last time that injury-riddled Lance McCullers Jr. went seven innings in a ballgame. It’s a little weird to say that a 32-year-old turned back the clock, but that’s exactly what he did in his 2026 debut, firing seven brilliant frames of four-hit ball and striking out nine Red Sox in a smooth Houston victory.

If one of Boston’s prized signings had lived up to his end of the bargain, this might have been a pitchers’ duel. Alas for Red Sox Nation, Ranger Suarez’s debut was an absolute dud. He immediately loaded the bases in the first on three-straight singles and was fortunate to escape with just one run scoring on Carlos Correa’s double-play ball. Two innings later, Yordan Alvarez dropped the hammer with a two-run homer.

Suarez would be knocked out in the fifth, shortly after a solo shot from rookie Brice Matthews. Fellow offseason addition Johan Oviedo—previously a starter for the Pirates—piggybacked on Suarez and was slightly worse, Jose Altuve taking him yard twice. Suarez and Oviedo’s pitching lines were remarkably similar:

Suarez: 4.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R (4 ER), 1 BB, 3 K, 2 HR (loss)
Oviedo: 3.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R (4 ER), 1 BB, 3 K, 2 HR, HBP, WP

It’s not what you want. Well, it’s what we want, but it’s not what Alex Cora and Craig Breslow want.

Detroit Tigers (2-2) 6, Arizona Diamondbacks (1-3)9

The D-backs were one of the league’s last winless teams as they began their Monday night game against Detroit, and unlike the 0-4 A’s (who fell to Atlanta), they got off the schneid. However, they made life more complicated than it needed to be for their hometown fans, as they came close to squandering the 8-0 lead gifted to them by a decrepit-looking Justin Verlander in his return to a Tigers uniform.

It’s easy to underrate how young Corbin Carroll is, huh? He already has a nine-figure contract, two All-Star berths, a World Series run under his belt, and nearly 500 big-league games under his belt. Verlander is fading into memory, but we may still only be at Carroll’s ascent. He disrespected his elders by carving up JV, first with one of his patented triples (he’s led the NL in three consecutive seasons with 41 total from 2023-25) in the first to plate Ketel Marte, and then by clobbering a Verlander slider 403 feet for a three-run homer in the second.

Verlander was gone by the fifth, when Arizona tacked on three more to make it a blowout. And skipper Torey Lovullo got outstanding work from starter Michael Soroka in his D-backs debut. He fanned 10 in five scoreless frame, including an immaculate inning in the fifth — the first of 2026, the 119th in MLB history, and just the fourth by a D-backs pitcher.

This game was all but over. Then, it wasn’t. 2019 Nationals legend Joe Ross was abysmal in relief when he entered in the seventh. Dillon Dingler doubled in Kevin McGongile for Detroit’s first run after the rookie’s leadoff walk, Javy Báez singled him in, and following a Gleyber Torres knock, Colt Keith doubled to score both of them. A third out for Ross proved elusive, as Riley Greene singled to make it 8-5, sending Ross to the showers.

Ryan Thompson was no better, as he balked twice to move Greene to third and Spencer Torkelson shrank the lead to a measly two runs with a double to left. Eight consecutive pitchers out of the zone followed to McGonigle and Dingler, and Lovullo had to turn to the bullpen yet again. With the tying run at second and the go-ahead run at first, Juan Morillo restored sanity by getting Parker Meadows to ground out.

Ildemaro Vargas helped Arizona fans breathe a little easier with an insurance-run solo shot off Brant Hurter, and the one-two punch of Taylor Clarke and Paul Sewald slammed the door on the Tigers in order before they could get another shot.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

St. Louis Cardinals starter Andre Pallante struggled mightily in 2025, and he doesn't get a soft landing to open his 2026 campaign against the New York Mets tonight.

The right-hander's lack of swing-and-miss stuff headlines my Mets vs. Cardinals predictions.

See why the Mets can run up the score in St. Louis with my MLB picks on Tuesday, March 31.

Mets vs Cardinals predictions

Mets vs Cardinals best bet: Mets team total Over 4.5 (-113)

Among qualified starters, St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Andre Pallante had the fourth-highest ERA in 2025 (5.36). His peripherals weren't much better, either, as he ranked in the 25th percentile in whiff rate, the 17th in chase percentage, and all the way down in the fourth in strikeout rate.

Simply put, he doesn't miss bats, and teams tend to plate runs when he's on the mound.

This bodes well for a New York Mets offense that boasts a ton of typically strong contact hitters. Ignore Bo Bichette's 40% strikeout rate in his first four games; he has a career K% of just 19.5. Likewise, sluggers Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto have K-rates below 18% for their careers.

Expect heavy traffic on the basepaths early and often as the Mets clear this total with ease.

COVERS INTEL: Cardinals relievers have posted a 7.94 ERA with a 13.6% K-rate and 12.5% BB-rate, so the damage might not stop even after Pallante is yanked.

Mets vs Cardinals same-game parlay (SGP)

Fading Pallante is the name of the game, and I'm targeting the top of the Mets' lineup to do the bulk of the heavy lifting. 

Pallante had similar numbers against right-handed and left-handed bats, so we can trust the historic numbers of this trio to make contact on his offerings.

Lindor has batted leadoff in all four games, and he's scored in three of them, including the last two. Soto only has one extra-base hit so far, but he's batting .353, and the matchup is extremely favorable. 

Bichette may seem like the wild card, given how Mets fans booed him out of Citi Field, but he's going to get to the dish with traffic on the bases, and his longstanding contact numbers mean more than one series of struggles.  

Mets vs Cardinals SGP

• Francisco Lindor 1+ runs
• Juan Soto 2+ total bases
• Bo Bichette 2+ hits + runs + RBI

Mets vs Cardinals home run pick: Carson Benge (+870)

I'm not taking rookie Carson Benge to hit a home run because he's one of only two Mets to go deep this season, but because he's hitting the tar out of the ball, with an average exit velocity ranking in the Top 3 per cent.

That's a small sample, but it aligns with his minor-league track record, where Benge hit 15 homers across three levels last season while posting a 150 wRC+. The +870 price tag pushes us over the top in a matchup against a pitching staff that struggles to limit contact.

Mets vs Cardinals odds

• Moneyline: New York -158 | St. Louis +134
• Run line: New York -1.5 (+106) | St. Louis +1.5 (-128)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-110) | Under 8.5 (-110)

Mets vs Cardinals trend

New York has hit the F5 team total Over in 63 of its last 111 games (+9.35 Units / 7% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Mets vs. Cardinals.

How to watch Mets vs Cardinals and game info

Mets vs Cardinals latest injuries

Mets vs Cardinals weather

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.