MLB picks: Red Sox vs. Orioles, Rangers vs. Giants

It's a relatively small Monday slate of MLB games, but the betting opportunities are plentiful!

Let’s preview a wraparound series finale between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles before moving on to an interleague opener between the Texas Rangers and the San Francisco Giants.

Boston Red Sox (22-13) at Baltimore Orioles (15-19), 7:05 p.m. ET

Over bettors shouldn’t hesitate to get their bets down in the series finale between the Red Sox and Orioles at Camden Yards.

Martin Perez starts for visiting Boston here. He’s fresh off his two best outings of the year, scattering three earned runs over 11 1/3 innings against the Rangers and Detroit Tigers, respectively. But Baltimore should be able to figure him out nonetheless.

The Orioles are fourth in the majors in batting average against lefties this year (.272), with center fielder Cedric Mullins leading the way (.380). Baltimore is batting .377 all-time as a team against Perez, with first baseman Trey Mancini going 6-for-13 (.462).

Baltimore starter Jorge Lopez exits his strongest performance of 2021, as he held the Seattle Mariners to one run over 4 2/3 innings. But the degree of difficulty will be ratcheted up against Boston’s MLB-best lineup (5.34 runs per game).

Designated hitter J.D. Martinez – leading the majors in homers (10) and RBI (31) – is clubbing righties this year, registering a 1.177 OPS.

MLB pick: Over

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Texas Rangers (18-18) at San Francisco Giants (20-14), 9:45 p.m. ET

The Rangers are appealing underdogs against the Giants at Oracle Park this Monday night.

Southpaw Alex Wood starts for San Francisco. Although there’s little to knock about his first four outings of 2021 (1.96 ERA), it’s unlikely that Texas is intimidated, as they’re 11-1 in their last 12 games against lefties.

No team holds a higher average (.301) or OPS (.860) than the Rangers this month. Shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa and center fielder Adolis Garcia are a combined 28-for-69 (.406) with six homers and 20 RBI in the month of May.

Once Wood is out, Texas can attack the Giants’ 21st ranked bullpen by ERA over the last 14 days (4.62).

Meanwhile, Rangers ace Kyle Gibson gets the call here. Since getting tagged for five runs on Opening Day, Gibson has reeled off six straight quality starts. Behind him is a Texas relief corps that’s second in the majors by ERA over the last two weeks (1.71).

MLB pick: Rangers +130