That supporting cast will be very familiar to Bautista, who registered a record 7.4-million votes for this year’s midsummer classic. Six of the other eight AL starters hail from the same division as the Blue Jays, including four sports betting bonus hitters from the New York Yankees. That group includes Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson, who are both right behind Bautista in this year’s home run race. Teixeira and Granderson are joined by Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter, while the other two AL East selections are David Ortiz and Adrian Gonzalez of the Boston Red Sox. Reigning AL Cy Young award winner Felix Hernandez leads a pitching staff stocked with talent but lacking the big name presence of the NL side.
MLB Picks Preview: National League
While the AL boasts a ton of power hitters, the makeup of the NL roster is based on a ton of talented arms, led by three of the five pitchers in the starting rotation of the Philadelphia Phillies. Last year’s NL Cy Young award winner Roy Halladay is joined by teammates Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee on a staff that will also include Tim Lincecum and Brian Wilson of the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants. The NL rode some outstanding pitching to break out from under their losing skid a sports betting year ago, and if they can put together another solid effort then Lance Berkman, Prince Fielder, and company should be able to do enough to earn another win. Vegas Odds have the American League slight favorites.
MLB Picks Preview: Outlook & Pick
For as good as the NL pitching staff is once again this year, it is not much better than the AL side, and definitely not good enough to overlook how strong the AL lineup is. Bautista, Teixeira, and Granderson alone have combined for close to 80 home runs through the first half of the season, and it will only take one from each for them to at least match last year’s run total as they look to avenge the 3-1 loss.
MLB Betting Pick: American League - 110







