Practice Pick: TOR (-125) vs. BOS || DET (-150) @ ATL -- PARLAY

I like two games today.  I'm sitting fastball and swinging for the fences on this one.

Brayan Bello (1-3) has been awful this season for the Red Sox.  He allowed 13 hits and five homers in his last start at Baltimore.  The young righty seems to have lost his way.  His 5.3 BB/9 and 3.3 HR/9 is a recipe for a long career in used car sales.  Bello is paid in full, he doesnt have to worry about money any time soon and that could be a detriment in someway.  A player who is guaranteed a check might not put in his work and might show up to the game without the edge that made him one of the best prospects in Boston's system a few years back.  Bello is no longer a prospect but if he bombs a few more starts, he might be one of the highest paid AAA pitchers in MLB.

Eric Lauer (1-3) starts for Toronto.  Lauer is off to a slow start this season as well but for all together different reasons.  Lauer wasn't prioritized for a starting role this season after a strong year in '25.  The 30 year old, former first round pick, will be a free agent for the first time in 2027 and was certainly set to lose a significant amount of money being relegated to the bullpen this season.  With Cody Ponce, Jose Berrios and Max Scherzer all out with injuries, Lauer is back in the rotation.  He has some rust to shake off but Lauer has the incentive and the motivation as he seeks a long term contract this off-season.  His 4.6 BB/9 and 3.1HR/9 isn't much better than Bello's but I feel like Lauer has more motivation to turn it around this season.

The Red Sox bullpen is well-rested and that is a big advantage but Bello was so bad in his last start that I like Toronto today.  I want to hammer Bello until he throws a couple good games and that is what I intend to do.

In the second leg of the parlay, I'm taking the Tigers on the road and Tarik Skubal (3-2) over the best team in the league at 21-9, the Atlanta Braves.  

Skubal's early numbers are in line with his Cy Young seasons.  He is the best pitcher in the game.  

JR Ritchie (1-0) is a rookie.  He gave up a pair of dingers in his first start against the Washington Nationals.  He got the win in that one but faces a Tigers lineup that is stacked with hitters one thru nine.  

I'm not digging any deeper on this one.  Skubal at (-150) against a rookie starter.  It's hard to pass up.  I don't want the bullpens or the injury reports swaying my pick here.

I'm going to put on a parlay for a (+200) payday.  I like both picks.  Let's see how it goes.  

-------------------Sunday, April 19--------------------

Today's Pick: 2-Team Parlay (+200)

-  TOR (-125) ML vs. BOS 
-  DET (-150) ML @ ATL 

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Units in Play: xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Amount Wagered: xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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