Best Teams in the MLB Against the Run Line

By Justin Hilbert

We’ve passed the halfway mark of the 2021 MLB season. Today’s date is July 21st. So, by the time you read this, the stats may have changed somewhat. However, you’ll still be armed with the top teams to consider for your run line betting.

Let’s look at a few of the best Run Line teams overall and then dig into a few standouts for specific situations.

San Francisco Giants

The SF Giants are hands down the best run line team in baseball at the moment. As of today, they are 59-35-0 against the run line, good enough to have hit at a 62.8% clip. Those of you who aren’t exactly sure what the run line is are basically the point spread for baseball. It’s set at either +1.5 or -1.5, depending on who is the favorite in the matchup. In other words, choosing -1.5 means you think the team you’re backing can win by two runs or more; choosing +1.5 means, you think the underdog will lose by no more than one run.

San Francisco has climbed their way to the top of perhaps the toughest division in baseball—at the moment—and hung on. They are currently 1st in the NL West, with a win/loss record of 59-35-0.

Seattle Mariners

The Seattle Mariners are 54-42-0 against the run line. This puts them hitting at a clip of 56.2%. So far, they are 3rd in the AL West and have been one of the more consistent teams in baseball as far as winning more than they lose, but not going on any massive win-streaks or long runs of consecutive losses. They are the kind of team that wins three, loses one, then wins two, loses one. Then wins one and loses two. Then back to winning three, and so forth.

Tampa Bay Rays

The TB Rays have the same RL record as the Mariners. And their division is no easier. The AL West and the AL East are both tough divisions to be in. Like the Seattle Mariners and the Giants, the Rays can be counted on to hit the run line more often than not. So, if you blindly take these three teams day in and day out against the run line, you are likely to nickel and dime the sportsbooks, like DraftKings betting site, for a profit over the long run.

Best Teams against the Run Line at Home

The four teams likely to help you turn a profit while playing in their home park are:

• The Colorado Rockies
• The SF Giants
• The Detroit Tigers
• The Chicago White Sox

The Rockies are an incredible 62.3% against the RL while up in Coors Field. At 33-20-0, they are worth a blind bet on the RL whenever they play in Colorado. The Giants are again on the list, with a home RL record of 26-17-0, good enough to hit 60.5% against the RL. Just behind the Giants are the Detroit Tigers. The Motor City Cats are 29-17-0 against the RL for a 60.4% clip. Finally, we have the ChiSox, who are 56.9% against the RL, with a spread record of 29-22-0.

Best Away Teams Against the RL

The best highway teams against the RL are:

• The Oakland A’s
• The SF Giants
• The Milwaukee Brewers
• The Tampa Bay Rays

There is no team better at covering the runline on the road than the Oakland A’s. They earn their backers money 67.4% of the time, with a road cover record of 29-14. AMAZING!

The Giants actually cover the number better on the road as well. They hit against the books 64.7% of the time, making them profitable against the RL in most situations. The Brew Crew is not far behind, with a rate of coverage of 63.8% while playing as the visiting squad. And finally, Tampa Bay has been stinging the books 62.5% of the time while on the road, with a RL record of 30-18-0.

Honorable mention goes to the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox, who are both 28-20, good enough for 58.3%.

Best RL Teams as Dogs

The best underdogs teams hit at incredible rates.

1. SF Giants 81.8% (30-7-0)
2. Milwaukee Brewers 78.1% (25-7-0)
3. Boston Red Sox 74.4% (29-10-0)
4. Tampa Bay rays 72.5% (29-11-0)
5. NY Mets 71.4% (25-10-0)
6. Atlanta Braves 67.9% (19-9-0)

Best RL Teams as Favorites

• Arizona DiamondBacks 58.8% (10-7-0 )
• Chicago White Sox 57.1% (44-33-0)

There you have it. Some teams you can back across the board and in a few situations as well. Get out there and cross-reference these teams against their opponents and make yourself some money!

Martin Woolridge

“Pop culture advocate. Troublemaker. Friendly student. Proud problem solver.”