MLB picks: Cubs vs. Brewers, Angels vs. Royals

All 30 MLB teams are in action this Tuesday, with 17 total games on the slate. We’ve narrowed things down to the two best bets to be had.

We’ll start with an NL Central affair between the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers, before shifting over to an AL contest between the Los Angeles Angels and Kansas City Royals.

Chicago Cubs (4-6) at Milwaukee Brewers (6-4), 7:40 p.m. ET

When Kyle Hendricks and Brandon Woodruff met at Wrigley Field last Wednesday, the pair put up zero after zero on the scoreboard. Bettors should expect this trend to continue at Miller Park this Tuesday night as the Cubs visit the Brewers.

Hendricks flummoxed Milwaukee over two starts last season, allowing just two earned runs over 16 2/3 innings. His opponent batting average was a scant .155. Bettors should note how Christian Yelich has struggled against the Cubs’ ace, going just 8-for-33 (.242) with 12 strikeouts.

Woodruff enjoyed similar success against Chicago in 2020, striking out 21 batters over 16 1/3 innings while allowing a microscopic .153 opponent batting average. The Cubs’ “big three” of Javier Baez, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo sports a dismal .116 career batting average against Woodruff (5-for-43) with no homers and only three RBI.

MLB pick: Under 3.5 runs first five innings (+102)

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Los Angeles Angels (7-3) at Kansas City Royals (4-4), 8:10 p.m. ET

The Angels should dominate the Royals in both facets of the game at Kauffman Stadium on Tuesday night.

L.A.’s Dylan Bundy holds a significant edge in the starting pitching battle over Kansas City’s Danny Duffy. Bundy is off to a sharp start in 2021, fanning 16 batters while allowing a .217 opponent batting average over 12 innings. He was lights-out on the road in 2020, surrendering only six earned runs over 28 2/3 innings (1.88 ERA).

Bundy has had his way with this lineup in the past; Hunter Dozier, Whit Merrifield, and Salvador Perez are a combined 5-for-30 (.167) all-time against the Oklahoma native.

Duffy was horrid at home in 2020 – producing a 6.00 ERA over 21 innings – and his career numbers against some of the Angels' best hitters are not encouraging. Mike Trout, for example, has a 1.200 OPS against Duffy in 20 prior at-bats.

L.A. is tearing the cover off the ball this year, as they’re fourth in runs per game (5.8). Trout has been brilliant as usual, but the re-emergence of Shohei Ohtani – with his team-leading 11 RBI – has been a catalyst to the Angels’ 2021 success.

MLB pick: Angels -139