Mark Zinno strongly recommends betting Logan Gilbert in the first five innings against the Astros, citing Gilbert's excellent performances at home this year. Through two home starts, Gilbert has struck out 18 batters in 12 innings, with opponents hitting just .163 against him and a strong whip of only 0.67. He emphasized that Gilbert's current form makes him highly backable at home. Additionally, he highlighted the Astros' offensive struggles, particularly against left-handers. The Astros currently possess the second-lowest batting average against LHP in MLB, rank second-to-last in OPS and wRC+ versus left-handed pitching, and hold the fourth-highest strikeout rate against lefties. Zinno concludes these factors strongly favor taking Gilbert and the Mariners' first five inning run line at -118.

Mark Zinno recommended backing Paul Skenes and the Pirates moneyline against Tampa Bay, emphasizing the favorable price at around -120. He cited Skenes' elite pitching talent as rarely being available at such a moderate favorite price, calling it a 'must play' on principle. Despite some bullpen hesitations, Zinno fully expects Skenes to pitch deep into the game (6 or 7 innings), providing significant security. He also pointed out the Pirates' recent strong offensive performance, scoring 6, 6, and 7 runs in their last three contests, producing enough run support for Skenes. Zinno endorsed both the full-game and first-five moneyline plays, acknowledging the Pirates bullpen concerns but expecting Skenes to mitigate that issue.

Mark Zinno advised taking Atlanta Braves plus one and a half against the Los Angeles Dodgers, despite their rough 0-14 start. He emphasized that it's purely a value-driven bet, as this line typically costs around -140 or -150, yet because the Dodgers are heavily favored, bettors can get Braves +1.5 at nearly even money (minus 110). Zinno acknowledged the Braves recent hitting struggles, including getting swept by San Diego with just one total hit in their last game. He also cited Tyler Glasnow starting for the Dodgers, who dominated the Braves once last year (7 IP, 5 hits, 2 ER, 10 Ks). However, Zinno trusted in market correction and baseball's tendency to regress to the mean, indicating the Braves won't continue losing indefinitely, highlighting it as a valuable price-point wager even amidst tough circumstances.

Mark Zinno strongly supports betting the Pirates first-five moneyline behind Paul Skenes on Opening Day due to several favorable conditions. He branded Paul Skenes as the early favorite to win the Cy Young, emphasizing his immense talent and projected dominance in matchups like this one. The Marlins lineup is described as historically weak, projected at -330 odds to end up last in the NL East. Zinno confidently expects Miami's offense to significantly struggle against Skenes, stating he would not be surprised if Skenes gives up zero runs in his first start. Additionally, the first-five format avoids bullpen uncertainty, making Pittsburgh behind Skenes an even more attractive wager scenario.

Mark Zinno thinks the first five innings under is a strong play in the Pirates vs Marlins matchup on Opening Day. He highlighted Miami's starter, Sandy Alcantara, as having a short leash this spring and limited innings heading into the season, suggesting he won't pitch deep into the game. Zinno also noted Miami's bullpen deteriorated significantly following last year's trade deadline, going from surprisingly decent to one of the weakest. Given Marlins' bullpen issues, Zinno strongly implies that if Alcantara exits early, they lose an important pitching edge, creating value on the under through five innings rather than a full game wager where the bullpen becomes a liability. This compounds with Pittsburgh countering with Paul Skenes, a strong pitcher expected to limit Miami's already weak offense.