MLB Report: Interleague Betting Gives Us A Few Angles To Rely On
Five Interleague Series This Weekend Highlighted by Padres, Red Sox
With the DH no longer in play, we can look at interleague betting numbers more even than in the past when we would have to infiltrate any handicapping trends with the fact that pitchers are hitting in the National League. The current balanced schedule has teams competing 52 times inside their division, 64 games inside their league, and 46 interleague games.
That’s a big jump from where we were until 2018 when teams played 20 times against the opposing league. Fun for the fans, but maddening for handicappers who just got used to a few natural rivalry games, and now we have to be ready for every team in Major League Baseball interleague play. No problem. Let’s give you a few ways to make money as we analyze recent angles in interleague play.
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Expert Pick: Subscribe below to get our Premium Insights!Small Favorites Dominate Interleague Betting
It seems like a broken record when we’re looking for betting trends in baseball. Records show that one side dominates the wins and losses but overall it’s not good enough to turn a profit. Favorites are 200-149 (.573) in interleague play this season but that’s still landing bettors in a hole of 10.42 units. Betting just dogs in interleague play would produce similar results with 13.66 units lost.
So where’s the sweet spot when you’re record says there are over 57% winners when betting interleague favorites? Bettors betting interleague favorites who fall between -115 and -130 are 55-37 (.598), good for 7.97 units of profit.
This continues a two-year record of 154-116 (.570) good for 9.73 units. This betting pattern has shown incredible consistency with five winning seasons in the last six years (287-211 .576, +23.67). Only 2022 produced a loser with a 3.58 unit loss behind a 26-25 record. Believe it or not, the Oakland Athletics are a perfect 5-0 when a small favorite in interleague play this season.
They’re followed by the Milwaukee Brewers 5-1, Tampa Bay Rays 3-0, and Texas Rangers 5-2. If we throw the New York Mets (2-0) into the mix, there are six teams with a combined 20-3 interleague record as a small favorite (+13.28). Of course, we want to keep up with the latest MLB news and rumors to round out our daily handicapping but these numbers will give every handicapper a solid start.
Pitching Cashes Tickets Interleague Play Too
We talked yesterday about how important pitching was to a handicapper but does that hold in interleague play when dealing with unfamiliar line-ups against unfamiliar pitching? Let’s take the team MLB league leaders in ERA in 2024 and apply our interleague filter. The Philadelphia Phillies (3.07), Los Angeles Dodgers (3.25), Baltimore Orioles (3.39), New York Yankees (3.39), and Cleveland Guardians (3.51) are a combined 61-42 (.592) this season with a small 4.16 units of profit.
Let’s take a step back to last year to get the perspective of a full season. The top five teams in ERA last year were the Milwaukee Brewers (3.71), San Diego Padres (3.73), Seattle Mariners (3.74), Toronto Blue Jays (3.78), and Tampa Bay Rays (3.86). Against interleague opponents, they were a combined 113-95 (.543) good for 7.49 units.
That number would have been more impressive had it not been for the Mariners who were -7.06 unit in the hole after a 22-24 mark in interleague play. Let’s conclude our MLB interleague betting angle analysis with a look back at which teams have continued to be the most reliable clubs to put your money behind during interleague play.
Teams You Wouldn’t Expect, Excel In Interleague Play For Public
Over the last three seasons, there is only one large market or public team in the top five in total profit. The Milwaukee Brewers continue to dominate interleague play with a 24-14 record in 2024, adding to a three-year mark of 67-37 (.644, +21.08 units).
They haven’t finished in the red against American League teams since 2021 (8-12). The Cincinnati Reds have been even more impressive with a 6-year record of 173-122 (.586). The Reds have added over 18 units to bankrolls over the last three seasons with a 49-37 (.570) interleague record but beware because in 2024 they are just 9-11 (-3.47 units).
The Washington Nationals has been the best underdog to bet when facing the American League with 12.26 units won but with an overall record of 46-52. Since 2019, the Nats are 79-77 against the AL but up 16.72 units, 11.32 coming as an underdog (45-60).
The Dodgers are the only high-profile team to find long-term interleague success with a three-year mark of 57-28 (.671) 3-year mark. Los Angeles is 13-7 to start 2024 and to stretch it out further is 85-40 (.680) since 2020 (+10.92). The top five teams over the last three seasons are washed down with the Toronto Blue Jays 53-33 record (.616).
The Jays are just 10-10 this season (-2.17) and if that trend continues, this will be the first losing season for Toronto in interleague play since 2019 (77-49, +13.65). That does it for our MLB interleague play analysis, it’s almost time for MLB scoreboard-watching as we move past the halfway point in the season.
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