Major League Baseball predictions: Opening Day is here!

As the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres kicked off with a few matches in Korea last week, Major League Baseball officially commences this Thursday with an exciting Opening Day lineup.

This Thursday, the diamond comes alive with 13 eagerly awaited games marking the real start of the season. The spotlight has been on the Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani recently, stirring up the MLB scene. Now, shifting focus back to the field is a welcome change.

Leading the pack as favorites for the World Series title are the Dodgers at +341*, closely followed by the Atlanta Braves (+567*), New York Yankees (+949*), and Houston Astros (+1004*).

BEST MONEY LINE BET

Heading into the season, the Washington Nationals face modest expectations. Their Opening Day pitcher, Josiah Gray, has a knack for strikeouts but is equally known for his erratic aim, clocking in 4.5 walks per nine innings last year.

While Gray is on a journey towards consistency, the Nationals are poised to take on Frankie Montas and the Cincinnati Reds. Montas, having only played a minor role for the Yankees towards the end of last season due to shoulder recovery, poses a less daunting challenge for the Nationals, positioning them as hopeful underdogs.

Nationals ML (+136*)

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BEST RUN LINE BET

Last season, the Colorado Rockies were at the bottom with a 78 Weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+), with no significant improvement to their batting lineup.

The Diamondbacks, while not having an overpowering offense, performed near the league average last season. Corbin Carroll, last year's National League Rookie of the Year, is set to make a difference.

The Rockies, with their offensive shortcomings, might find themselves at a disadvantage against the Diamondbacks, who boast a stronger lineup and ace pitcher Zac Gallen.

Diamondbacks -1.5 (-108*)

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Cleveland Guardians' ace Shane Bieber, having missed some time last season, is known for his exceptional starts, keeping his earned runs at zero in three of his last four season openers.

Facing a weak Oakland Athletics lineup, last in batting average and slugging percentage, and second to last in on-base percentage, Bieber's matchup seems favorable.

With the Guardians' slightly below-average offense, there's a chance for the Athletics' pitcher Alex Wood to manage the game, but facing a top-tier pitcher like Bieber might push this match towards a lower scoreline.

Guardians-Athletics Under 7.5 (-120*)

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Detroit Tigers' Tarik Skubal, a front-runner for the American League Cy Young award, is known for his strikeout ability, achieving at least seven strikeouts in his final eight starts of 2023.

The Chicago White Sox, ranking among the lower echelons of the league, had one of the higher strikeout rates last season. Up against a Cy Young hopeful like Skubal, the White Sox may find the start of the season challenging.

Tarik Skubal Over 6.5 strikeouts (-109*)

Now you know this week's Major League Baseball predictions. Sign Up Now or click HERE to play at 7x7Bets, the most reliable and trustworthy online casino in India. Don't forget to claim your withdrawable real money welcome deposit bonus, weekly cashback bonus and referral bonus!