Chowder and Champions’ Best Boston Bets for 7/20 (AL East Action, Tony Allen in the Big 3)

After dropping their last series to the Athletics, the Red Sox get a much-needed day to reset on Thursday. Plenty of their AL East foes are in action, though, so fans will want to monitor how today’s results impact the standings — and possibly cash in as well.

We’re also looking ahead to Big 3 basketball this weekend, as former Celtic Tony Allen takes the floor for 3’s Company against Bivouac. An upset could be brewing given this matchup.

Here are our editors’ top betting picks for Thursday.

Best Boston Betting Picks: July 20

Jason Schandl: Padres Runline

Looking to another AL East game with the Red Sox and even the Yankees (who it’s been wonderful to bet against every day this week) off, the Toronto Blue Jays make for another AL East rival to fade.

The Jays came out of the All-Star break hot, but they’ve dropped the first two games against the Padres by a combined score of 11-1. And their offense isn’t likely to pick it up today against Blake Snell.

Snell is in the midst of what is probably his best season as a Padre, sporting a 2.71 ERA and 1.22 WHIP while averaging 12.15 strikeouts per nine.

The Jays, on the other side, rank below average in wRC+ and sit 27th in the majors in slugging percentage against southpaws. There’s a reason Toronto has 1 run in its last two games, and this is an absolutely brutal spot for the offense to try to turn it around.

We can also count on the loss being a lopsided one, as Chris Bassitt will be starting for the Jays and is in the midst of one of the worst seasons of his career (4.12 ERA).

Isaiah De Los Santos: 3’s Company Moneyline

The NBA being in the thick of the offseason doesn’t mean there’s no (former) Celtics to bet on right now. Beloved Boston pest and agitator Tony Allen is back in action this weekend for his Big 3 team, 3’s Company, as they take on Bivouac.

Though Allen’s squad has struggled during the 2023 season, going just 1-3, this could be the game that helps spark a run down the stretch. Bivouac has a similarly poor defense, with Celtics flameout Ryan Hollins being their only big man. Their offensive output is worse by a big margin, though, as they rank second-worst in points scored among all Big 3 teams.

This suits 3’s Company’s strengths extremely well. They’ve got a high-scoring offense led by Michael Beasley, who’s tied for the league lead with 21.0 PPG. The 6-foot-9 forward should face no significant resistance in the paint given Bivouac’s makeup, which could lead to another huge day.

With Beasley and Mario Chalmers leading the offense, and Allen providing lockdown defense, I can see 3’s Company pulling off the upset. I’ll happily take them on the moneyline at -105 on DraftKings Sportsbook, especially with their amazing bet $5, win $200 promo going on right now!

Tyler Maher: Rays Moneyline

The Red Sox are off today, which is probably a good thing after losing two of three to the lowly A’s (ugh). The three teams in front of them in the AL East standings are all playing today, though, including two in the same game.

The Orioles head to Tampa Bay for the start of a four-game set with the Rays. Baltimore has pulled ahead of Tampa Bay in the AL East standings on the basis of winning percentage, so this is a massive series for both teams.

The O’s have been playing stellar baseball lately, winning nine of their last 11. The Rays, on the other hand, are in total free fall, having lost 11 of 14 games this month.

That said, Tampa Bay’s in a good spot to stop the bleeding at home tonight with Tyler Glasnow on the bump. Glasnow owns one of the highest strikeout rates in the majors at 13.4 K/9 and has been lights-out lately with a 2.42 ERA and a 15.3 K/9 over his last four starts.

Baltimore’s at a disadvantage with Kyle Gibson on the mound. The 35-year-old is trending in the wrong direction with a 7.62 ERA across his last five outings and is likely to be outmatched by Glasnow’s dominance.

It’s been a rough month for the Rays, but I like their chances tonight and recommend backing them on the moneyline.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change