MLB Betting Odds, Picks and Trends – August 20

Gambling911.com has your Major League Baseball betting odds, picks and trends for Sunday’s games.

Mariners-Rays – PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Yovani Gallardo (5-8, 5.84 ERA) vs. Rays LH Blake Snell (1-6, 4.78)

Seven of the last ten games in this series have gone OVER the current total of 9.5.

Gallardo has not been able to get deep into games since rejoining the rotation - going more than five innings once in five starts - but is 1-1 in that span while allowing three or fewer runs four times.

Snell snapped a 16-game winless streak Tuesday when he limited Toronto to four runs and seven hits over six innings for his first victory since Sept. 22.  Snell faced Seattle in his second career start last year and suffered the loss, permitting five runs (one earned) on eight hits in 3 1/3 innings.

Athletics-Astros - PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Jharel Cotton (5-10, 5.83 ERA) vs. Astros RH Brad Peacock (10-1, 3.30)

Cotton's struggles since returning from a stint on the disabled list due to a blister continued Monday as he was tagged for six runs on eight hits and three walks over six innings of a loss to Kansas City.

Cotton has made two career starts against the Astros - a no-decision last season and a loss at Houston on April 28, when he yielded six runs - three earned - and a career-high 10 hits in 4 1/3 frames.

Peacock has made 10 starts since suffering his lone loss of the year on June 9, winning six of them. The 29-year-old Floridian escaped with a no-decision in his last outing after yielding four runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings at Arizona on Tuesday.

Oakland is 7-19 in the last 26 meetings in Houston but, with over 75 percent of the action on Houston, the price is too high at -210.

Cardinals-Pirates - PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Mike Leake (7-11, 3.88 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Ivan Nova (10-10, 3.77)

Half of the last ten games in this series have gone UNDER the current total and this is a desperation game for both starting pitchers.

Leake is winless in his last four outings, allowing 19 runs (18 earned) over 20 1/3 innings after getting pounded for eight tallies at Boston on Tuesday.  He is 10-5 with a 3.33 ERA in 31 career starts against Pittsburgh.

The UNDER is 4-1 in Leake’s last 5 starts vs. Pirates.

Nova pitched better Tuesday at Milwaukee, permitting two runs (one earned) over six innings but lost for the fourth time during a five-game winless streak.

The UNDER is 9-3 in Nova’s last 12 starts overall.

We will be on the UNDER 9.5 here – Granted this is a dangerous play with both teams scoring plenty of runs of late and the OVER 11-0 in the Cardinals last 11 games vs. a right-handed starter and 12-1 in their last 13 overall.

- Dan Shapiro, Gambling911.com