Odds and Bets: U.S.A. and Portugal in Each Other’s Way to Survive Group E

Portugal vs U.S.A.

On Tuesday morning team U.S.A will contend with Portugal in Group E’s final match. Something we don’t think very often about the American female national team is the pressure they can be under. Granted, they are the world’s number one ranked team and typically take care of their opponents. But when people start talking about a third successive World Cup title, that’s rare air. One can’t be perfect all the time. Perhaps fans got a little glimpse of that when the Netherlands held the U.S. to a 1-1 draw last week.

Should Portugal somehow defeat the Americans, they would go through to the knockout stages with the Netherlands. Yes, it’s true. Portugal, partaking in their first World Cup, dealt with Vietnam 2-0 courtesy of an excellent performance by Telma Encarnacao (one goal and one set up). The Iberian side is playing with house money. No World Cup experience, a win under their belt, and no one thinks they can beat the U.S. For the latter, Lindsay Horan is turning into a catalyst, having scored in both the team’s games so far.

Best Bet: U.S.A. to win

Baltimore Orioles (64-41) vs Toronto Blue Jays (59-47)

After surviving a weekend against Shohei Ohtani, the Toronto Blue Jays host the division-leading Baltimore Orioles. It was almost a perfect trio of games for Toronto had it not been for a 3-2 extra-innings defeat in the series finale on Sunday. The Orioles continued to demonstrate their serious intentions by taking two of three at home against the Yankees.

Kyle Gibson (9-6, 4.68 ERA) will help Baltimore start the four-game set on the right foot, whereas Chris Bassitt (10-5, 3.91) gets the nod for John Schneider’s group. An interesting stat is that Toronto has conceded three runs or fewer in seven of its last nine games, so at least the club always gives itself a chance on defence and with good pitching. If the Blue Jays can win two of three on the road against the Dodgers as they did last week, there’s no reason to think they can’t, at worst, win a couple of these matches.

Best Bet: Toronto with the runline

Arizona Diamondbacks (56-50) vs San Francisco Giants (58-48)

The Arizona Diamondbacks, the darlings of the first half of the regular season, have fallen back to earth. The team is only 2-8 in its last ten matches and now trails both the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants in the NL West, a division they led for an extended period of time earlier this year. They now head to northern California to face those same Giants.

Arizona is hampered with injuries at the moment, with seven players placed on short or long-term injury lists in the last eight days. But so is San Francisco, and they’ve found ways to win games. Ryne Nelson (6-5, 4.97 ERA) takes to the mound for the visitors and Alex Cobb (6-3, 2.97 ERA) will home colours on Monday night. The Diamondbacks will need Ketel Mare (.296 bating average, 55 RBIs) to step up big.

Best Bet: Giants on the moneyline. Check our National League odds as they develop.