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The Baltimore Orioles take on the Arizona Diamondbacks. Our MLB odds series has our Orioles Diamondbacks prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Orioles Diamondbacks.
The Arizona Diamondbacks are part of a truly wild story: the five-team National League wild card race. They are trailing the Philadelphia Phillies, who occupy the No. 1 wild card spot, and the Chicago Cubs, who currently inhabit the No. 2 wild card position. However, Arizona is tied with the San Francisco Giants for the third wild card berth entering Saturday's play, one game ahead of the Cincinnati Reds and a few games ahead of the Miami Marlins. The D-Backs don't have to catch the Phillies and Cubs as long as they can fend off the Giants, Reds and Marlins. If Arizona finishes ahead of San Francisco, Cincinnati and Miami, it will go to the postseason. Arizona got off to a good start in this series on Friday night, getting great pitching and timely power hitting in a 4-2 win over Baltimore. Winning a series against the O's would give the D-Backs a big lift heading into the final four weeks of the season.
The Orioles are locked in a battle with the Tampa Bay Rays for the American League East title. Baltimore has a 1.5-game lead over Tampa Bay, and the stakes are obvious: The winner gets the No. 1 seed in the American League playoffs. Home-field advantage is part of the package, but the main prize is getting a bye in the best-of-three wild card series and going straight to the American League Division Series.
Here are the Orioles-Diamondbacks MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Orioles-Diamondbacks Odds
Baltimore Orioles: -1.5 (+122)
Arizona Diamondbacks: +1.5 (-146)
Over: 9 (-108)
Under: 9 (-112)
How To Watch Orioles vs. Diamondbacks
TV: MASN (Orioles) / MLB (Diamondbacks) / MLB Extra Innings
Stream: MLB.tv
Time: 8:10 p.m. ET/5:10 p.m. PT
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*Watch Orioles-Diamondbacks LIVE on fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Orioles Could Cover The Spread
The Orioles have played two really bad baseball games in a row, losing 10-5 to the Chicago White Sox at home before getting shut down on Friday night by a non-Zac Gallen Arizona pitcher. That might seem like a reason to pick against the O's instead of betting on them, but remember: Baltimore has not been swept in a series this season. The Orioles have gone more than 80 straight series without being swept. Are they really going to start getting swept now? The consistency of the O's and their ability to limit damage is why they're so good. They just don't go on really long losing streaks.
Why The Diamondbacks Could Cover The Spread
The Diamondbacks were terrible in the first month after the All-Star break, but they found a way to snap out of that tailspin. They have won 13 of their last 20, and three of their losses in those last 20 games have come against the Los Angeles Dodgers, one of the best teams in baseball. The Arizona pitching staff performed really well against Baltimore on Friday. The D-Backs can carry that level of performance into Saturday and grab another important win in pursuit of a National League wild card berth.
We should also ask ourselves if the young Orioles — so good, so consistent, so talented — are finally hitting a late-season wall. It wouldn't be that surprising given how much heavy lifting this team has done all year. Moreover, star reliever Felix Bautista is injured, which could really matter if the game is tied in the late innings.
Final Orioles-Diamondbacks Prediction & Pick
The Orioles simply do not get swept. Take Baltimore.
Final Orioles-Diamondbacks Prediction & Pick: Orioles -1.5
