With Imanaga on the Mound, Runs Should be Hard to Come by for Brewers

In today’s newsletter…

- Leading Off: Celtics earn long break
- MLB: Opportunities in Imanaga start
- News: MLB adds Negro Leagues stats

The Timberwolves stopped a conference finals double sweep by escaping Dallas with a win last night. The NBA Finals start on June 6th no matter when the series ends, so Minnesota’s win prevented an exceptionally long break in NBA action. The Celtics are going to have eight full days off, which gives Kristaps Porzingis (who hasn’t played since April 29th) more time to get healthy. The Mavericks have a chance to get a significant break as well, as they head to Minnesota — where the Timberwolves have been awful in the playoffs — with a chance to close out the series on Thursday.

Because of the Celtics’ sweep, there’s no NBA action on the schedule. So we’re all-MLB in today’s newsletter. Malcolm is all over Shota Imanaga’s start and is looking for strikeouts from him and a quiet first inning overall in the Cubs/Brewers matchup.

Yankees vs. Angels under 8.5 runs (-110 at FanDuel) 
Tyler Anderson has been a bright spot for the Angels with a stellar 2.52 ERA, surrendering just two runs across his last two starts. The Yankees counter tonight with Luis Gil, who has had an impressive year as a starter. Despite the Angels' struggles at home, the strength of both pitchers suggests a low-scoring game is likely.

Royals moneyline (+110 at FanDuel) 
Seth Lugo of the Royals is set to face a Twins lineup that hasn't been particularly intimidating, setting the stage for another strong outing from Lugo. The Royals' offense, led by Salvador Perez and Bobby Witt Jr., has been on a tear, with Perez boasting a .323 batting average and Witt Jr. leading in hits. Their recent offensive surge makes them favorites against Bailey Ober and the Twins.

Red Sox vs. Orioles over 7.5 runs (-106 at FanDuel) 
Both bullpens in this matchup face pressure due to recent heavy usage and injuries to starting pitchers. Baltimore, led by Corbin Burnes, has seen its relievers overworked, raising concerns about their ability to sustain effectiveness. With Tyler O'Neill possibly returning for Boston and the Orioles' powerful hitting, including a high home ISO and consistent scoring, this game is set up for plenty of runs. Baltimore has consistently exceeded their scoring totals, and Red Sox pitcher Kutter Crawford has struggled in recent starts, enhancing the likelihood of a high-scoring affair.

Cubs vs. Brewers no runs in the first inning (-135 at FanDuel) 
Shota Imanaga has excelled this season with a 0.84 ERA and 0.91 WHIP, striking out 58 in 53.2 innings. His performance, along with Bryse Wilson's strong showings (2.86 ERA, multiple sub-two earned run starts), against a middling Cubs offense that ranks 19th in runs, suggests the first inning could pass without any runs scored.

Shota Imanaga Over 6.5 strikeouts (-122 at FanDuel) 
Shota Imanaga is in exceptional form, consistently achieving over 7 strikeouts in recent games and maintaining a 0.84 ERA. His ability to generate swings and misses is notable. Against a Brewers team that struggles against left-handers and is unfamiliar with Imanaga’s pitching style, he is well-positioned to exceed this strikeout total.