Season MLB Baseball Betting – Colon Looks For Better Support, Rangers Challenged At Top Of AL West

The early week MLB betting action will include a certain unlikely hero out of the American League looking for a little more run support, a couple of teams battling it out to challenge the defending AL champions at the top of their division, and two of the biggest surprise stories so far this season for opposite reasons clashing in Ohio. Here is a look at a couple of key matchups for early next week.

Toronto Blue Jays @ New York Yankee

Monday, 7:05 PM ET

Bartolo Colon has been one of the biggest reasons why the Yankees remain at the top of the AL East this season, and will be looking for more support from his teammates after a disappointing result in his last outing. Colon pitching eight solid innings of shutout ball including striking out the side in his final inning of work to get New York to the ninth with a 1-0 lead over the Baltimore Orioles, only to watch as closer Mariano Rivera allowed the tying run and they went to extras. The Yankees ended up winning that game, but this one will be for Bartolo.

MLB Betting Pick: New York Yankees

Oakland Athletics @ Los Angeles Angels

Monday, 10:05 PM ET

The A’s and Angels are right there with the defending AL Champion Texas Rangers for the top spot in the AL West division, and the winner of this series could very well find themselves in the lead. The end in this one goes to Los Angeles with Jared Weaver getting the call in the midst of a solid sports betting start to 2011. The Angels’ ace will go up against Brandon McCarthy for the Athletics.

MLB Betting Pick: Los Angeles Angels

Boston Red Sox @ Cleveland Indians

Tuesday, 7:05 PM ET

No team in baseball has been a bigger surprise this season than the Indians and for all of the right reasons. Boston could have challenged them for that title early on in the year and for all of the wrong reasons, but with the 2011 Preakness Stakes betting race out of the way the Red Sox are now back on track and challenging for a division title. One of the more pleasant surprises in Boston this season has been the play of Josh Beckett, who will get the call against Fausto Carmona in this one. Beckett is 3-1 with a 1.73 ERA, and should be able to do enough to allow the Red Sox bats to get the job done.

MLB Betting Pick: Boston Red Sox

Tampa Bay Rays @ Detroit Tigers

The Rays have gotten by with some tremendous pitching and an aggressive offensive style, but Wade Davis has been very inconsistent and he will be throwing against Justin Verlander, who has looked very good as of late. The Tigers are looking to close on Cleveland before they fall too far behind too early, and they should be able to squeeze this one out at home despite Tampa Bay’s strong road record.