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MLB weekend betting preview: Trust Kluber, Yankees bats vs. Orioles

Greg Fiume / Getty Images Sport / Getty

We enjoyed yet another 2-1 week to bring our record to 10-3 over the last two weeks heading into the weekend. We're feeling good once again as we move into a slate full of surprising pitchers, starting with a former two-time Cy Young winner.

Yankees (-170) @ Orioles (+150)
May 14, 7:05 p.m. ET

Starting pitchers: Corey Kluber (2-2, 3.06 ERA) vs. Dean Kremer (0-3, 6.23)

The last time Kluber took the mound against the Orioles, he allowed just one run through 6 2/3 innings - his longest start in over two years - in what essentially kickstarted his comeback campaign. It also sparked an 11-4 run for the Yankees, who have won eight of those games by multiple runs.

The difference has been on offense - New York ranks fourth in OPS (.755) during its 15-game run after ranking 29th (.650) in the 22 contests prior. The team has also benefitted from elite pitching performances from the likes of Kluber, who punched out 10 Tigers batters across eight frames on May 2 before holding the Nationals to two runs with six strikeouts Saturday.

His gains are for real, as are these talented Yankees bats. The Orioles have lost five of their last six games, with four by multiple runs - and that was before tossing out Kremer against one of MLB's hardest-hitting lineups. Expect another big loss Friday.

Pick: Yankees -1.5 (-110)

Royals @ White Sox (TBD)
May 15, 7:10 p.m.

Starting pitchers: Mike Minor (2-2, 5.75) vs. Carlos Rodon (5-0, 0.58)

Will we ever stop betting on Rodon? The day may come soon, but it won't be on Saturday against a Royals lineup he mowed through just eight days prior.

The 2014 third overall pick threw five shutout innings with eight strikeouts and zero walks in his May 7 start against Kansas City, bringing his ERA to a sterling 0.58 - best among all pitchers with 30-plus innings - and rewarding bettors with his fifth win in as many starts this season.

Minor, on the other hand, has been a below-average pitcher by nearly every metric and was tagged for five runs in his last start against the White Sox. Don't get cute with this one.

Pick: White Sox -1.5 (TBD)

Rangers @ Astros (TBD)
May 16, 2:10 p.m.

Starting pitchers: Kyle Gibson (3-0, 2.28) vs. Lance McCullers Jr. (3-1, 3.10)

For the second straight week, Gibson comprises one half of an unlikely pitcher's duel - though it shouldn't be surprising to see these two succeed, given that one was a former first-round pick and the other a former ace.

McCullers may be a present-day ace, too, with the way he's working his breaking stuff. His always nasty curveball is striking out batters at an elite rate, but he's introduced a brand-new slider this year that has surrendered just two hits to 10 strikeouts with a 35.8% whiff rate. As a result, he's allowed just six runs over his last 27 innings.

Gibson has been ace-like in his own right, boasting a stellar 2.97 xERA for the Rangers behind a legitimate five-pitch mix - three of which own a whiff rate north of 30%. The Astros' lineup is dangerous, sure, but these two are steady enough to trust the under on a total that will likely undersell the talent.

Pick: Under (TBD)

C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.

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