20* Arizona/Hawaii 2019 CFB Season Opener on Hawaii +11 

It’s an exciting time of year with college football starting back up on August 24th.  And I’m expecting we could have a huge upset right out of the gates here as Hawaii is more than capable of hanging toe-to-toe with Arizona in the opener.  I’ll take the whopping 11 points for some insurance, though. 

Hawaii OVER 5.5 is one of my favorite season win total bets this year.  There’s several reasons why I’m high on this team.  They return a whopping 18 starters in Year 4 under head coach Nick Rolovic, and this is easily his best team yet.  That’s saying a lot after the Rainbow Warriors went 8-6 last season. 

QB Cole McDonald was one of the best quarterbacks in the country that not many people heard about.  He threw for 3,875 yards with a 36-to-10 TD/INT ratio, while also rushing for 359 yards and four scores.  Most impressively, he put up those numbers despite missing two starts, and played through a torn ligament in his knee for much of the year. 

Now McDonald is back healthy and heading an offense that returns nine starters after returning just three last year.  This is a much more veteran unit that returns all 5 O-Line starters and adds in an Arizona transfer and two JUCO’s who redshirted last year.  McDonald has two stud receivers in Cedric Byrd and JoJo Ward, who combined for 130 receptions, 1,835 yards and 18 touchdowns last year. 

Defensively the Rainbow Warriors should be greatly improved.  They gave up 35.1 points and 440 yards per game last season with just five returning starters.  Now they have nine starters back on defense, including each of their top three tacklers from a year ago.  With how good the offense is going to be, the defense just needs to be average for this team to win its share of games. 

Arizona UNDER 6.5 is one of my favorite win total bets as well, so this is an easy choice here.  The Wildcats went just 5-7 in Kevin Sumlin’s first season on the job after he was oustered from Texas A&M.  Sumlin has always been able to recruit decently, but he’s just obviously not a very good head coach. 

You’re going to hear a lot about Arizona QB Khalil Tate once again this season.  He was among the Heisman favorites last year, but injuries hampered him last year and he hardly used his dual-threat ability, only rushing for 224 yards and two touchdowns.  He had to become a pocket passer, which he’s clearly not as he completed just 56.3% of his passes last year.  I think he’s one of the most overrated players in college football, and he’ll once again be protected by the play calling because he means to much to their team, so he won’t run that much. 

Making matters worse for Tate is that each of his top four receivers from last year are now gone.  The Wildcats are expected to start a pair of freshmen at receiver, and chemistry and communication will be an issue in Game 1.  I think their offense will be fine, but it’s no more potent than what Hawaii will put on the field with McDonald and company. 

Defensively, the Wildcats are no better than Hawaii, either.  They gave up 32.6 points per game and 432 yards per game last season despite having eight returning starters.  They also have eight starters back this season on D, so the improvements can’t be great.  This is one of the worst defenses in the Pac-12 and the talent level just isn’t there to make much progress. 

Last year, Arizona lost at home to BYU 23-28 as 10-point favorites.  They also lost at Houston 18-45 as 3-point underdogs.  The year before they lost at home to Houston 16-19.  And the year before that, they lost at home to BYU 16-18.  They have obviously been vulnerable early in the season in non-conference play, and I think that’s the case here against a Hawaii team that is one of the most underrated in the country. 

Last year, Hawaii went 4-1 in non-conference play en route to a 6-1 start.  They upset Colorado State as 16-point road dogs, upset Navy as 11-point home dogs, and beat both Rice and Duquesne handily.  Their only loss in the non-conference was at Army 21-28, and that was a terrible body clock game that started at 9:00 AM for them.  They hung right with an Army team for four quarters that won a school-record 11 games last year. 

Hawaii is notoriously underrated to start each season, going 26-11 ATS in the first two weeks of the season since 1992.  Arizona is 12-27 ATS in its last 39 games as a favorite of 10.5 to 21 points.  The Wildcats are just 4-13 SU & 4-13 ATS in all games played away from home the last three years.  Arizona is 5-16 ATS in its last 21 true road games.  The Rainbow Warriors are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 vs. Pac-12 opponents.  Bet Hawaii Saturday. 

15* NFLX Saturday No-Doubt Rout on New Orleans Saints -3 

No analysis for preseason. 

15* NL PLAY OF THE DAY on St. Louis Cardinals -1.5 (+110) 

The Cardinals are fighting for an NL central title, while the Rockies are out of playoff contention.  The Cardinals are playing like it, going 11-3 in their last 14 games overall with nine of those wins coming by two runs or more.  The Rockies are just 14-32 in their last 46 games overall. 

Dakota Hudson is also one of the hottest starters in baseball.  He is 2-0 with a. 1.08 ERA and 1.020 WHIP in his last three starts.  He is also 5-2 with a 3.24 ERA in 12 home starts this season. 

Chi Chi Gonzalez is one of the worst starters in baseball.  He is 0-3 with a 5.28 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in six starts this season, including 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA and 1.431 WHIP in four road starts. 

Hudson is 11-1 against a team with a losing record this season.  The Cardinals are winning by 3.1 runs per game on average in this spot.  Hudson is 10-1 as a favorite of -110 or higher this season.  The Cardinals are winning by 2.8 runs per game in this spot.  The Rockies are 0-6 in Gonzalez’s last six starts.  St. Louis is 8-1 in its last nine home games.  Roll with the Cardinals on the Run Line Saturday. 

15* AL PLAY OF THE DAY on Minnesota Twins -1.5 (-145) 

Instead of laying -300 or more on the Twins money line, I’ll back the Twins at a much cheaper price of -145 here on the run line.  They are fighting for an AL Central title and will be highly motivated following an upset loss to the Detroit Tigers yesterday. 

Edwin Jackson is arguably the worst starter in baseball, and the Twins should feast on him tonight.  Jackson is 2-5 with an 8.25 ERA and 1.834 WHIP in eight starts this season, including 0-2 with an 11.68 ERA and 2.514 WHIP in three road starts.  He is also 1-4 with a 5.01 ERA and 1.516 WHIP in six career starts against Minnesota. 

Kyle Gibson is having a solid season for the Twins at 11-6 with a 4.43 ERA in 25 starts this season.  Gibson has had great success against the Tigers of late, allowing 3 earned runs or fewer in seven of his last eight starts against them. 

The Tigers are 14-49 in their last 63 games following a win.  Detroit is 12-43 in its last 55 vs. a team with a winning record.  The Twins are 36-16 in their last 52 games following a loss.  Minnesota is 44-20 in Gibson’s last 64 starts vs. a team with a losing record.  The Twins are 6-2 in Gibson’s last eight starts against the Tigers.  Take the Twins on the Run Line Saturday. 

25* NFLX GAME OF THE YEAR on Houston Texans PK 

No analysis for preseason. 

20* NL Friday No-Doubt Rout on St. Louis Cardinals -1.5 (-111) 

These are two teams headed in opposite directions.  The Cardinals are fighting for an NL Central title and have gone 10-3 in their last 13 games overall with eight of those wins coming by two runs or more.  The Rockies are just 14-31 in their last 45 games overall and have fallen out of playoff contention. 

The Cardinals have a massive edge on the mound tonight.  Jack Flaherty is 7-6 with a 3.46 ERA and 1.104 WHIP In 25 starts this season, including 4-3 with a 2.89 ERA and 0.865 WHIP in 12 home starts.  He is 3-0 with a minuscule 0.35 ERA in four starts this month, allowing just one earned run in 26 innings with 31 K’s. 

Peter Lambert is 2-3 with a 6.55 ERA and 1.561 WHIP in 13 starts this season.  It hasn’t gone any better of late for Lambert, who is 0-1 with a 9.64 ERA and 1.929 WHIP in his last three starts. 

The Rockies are 2-9 in Lambert’s last 11 starts.  Colorado is 7-22 in its last 29 road games.  The Cardinals are 7-1 in their last eight home games.  St. Louis is 5-1 in Flaherty’s last six starts.  The Cardinals are 41-19 in their last 60 vs. a team with a losing record.  St. Louis is 22-6 in its last 28 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.  The Cardinals are 40-17 in the last 57 meetings, and 37-14 in the last 51 meetings in St. Louis.  Bet the Cardinals on the Run Line Friday. 

15* AL PLAY OF THE DAY on Minnesota Twins -1.5 (-148) 

The Minnesota Twins have a very easy schedule here down the stretch.  I like the fact that they had yesterday off, while Detroit played in Houston.  So they have the rest advantage, as well as the advantage in every phase of the game and should have no problem winning by two runs or more Friday night. 

Ace Jose Berrios is 10-6 with a 3.337 ERA and 1.180 WHIP in 25 starts this season, including 5-3 with a 3.26 ERA and 1.228 WHIP In 11 home starts.  Berrios has owned the Tigers of late, going 3-0 with a 2.45 ERA in his last four starts against them, allowing just 7 earned runs in 25 2/3 innings with 29 K’s. 

Drew Verhagen is 1-2 with a 6.58 ERA and 2.048 WHIP in three starts this season for the Tigers.  He is 0-2 with a 9.34 ERA and 2.422 WHIP in his two road starts as well.  He is no match for a potent Twins lineup that is scoring 5.8 runs per game this season and has the most HR’s in baseball. 

Minnesota is 10-1 after scoring one run or less this season.  It is coming back to win by 3.4 runs per game in this spot.  The Tigers are 10-44 in their last 54 games vs. a right-handed starter.  Minnesota is 12-4 in the last 16 meetings.  Take the Twins on the Run Line Friday. 

15* Bills/Lions CBS No-Brainer on Buffalo -3 

No analysis for preseason. 

20* NFLX Thursday No-Doubt Rout on Atlanta Falcons +3 

No analysis for preseason. 

20* MLB Thursday No-Doubt Rout on Washington Nationals -1.5 (-135) 

The Nationals have been one of the hottest teams in baseball for months.  They are 8-2 in their last 10 games overall and have scored 11 or more runs in five of their last seven games coming in.  The Pirates are 8-29 since the All-Star Break and offering little resistance to teams in contention like the Nationals right now. 

Washington will be excited to win this game for Max Scherzer, who makes his return from the disabled list.  He hasn’t pitched since July 25th, but this guy is a warrior and will be just fine.  Scherzer is 9-5 with a 2.41 ERA and 0.990 WHIP in 20 starts this season with 189 K’s in 134 1/3 innings.  He is also 5-2 with a 2.78 ERA and 0.863 WHIP in 12 career starts against Pittsburgh. 

Steven Brault is overmatched here.  He is 2-1 with a 3.45 ERA and 1.367 WHIP in 12 starts this season and has already walked 26 batters in 60 innings.  He is only averaging 5.0 innings per start, so the Nationals should get into the weak Pirates’ bullpen early in this one. 

Washington is 27-8 in its last 35 vs. a team with a losing record.  The Nationals are 7-1 in Scherzer’s last eight starts.  Washington is 40-16 in Scherzer’s last 56 starts vs. a team with a losing record.  Pittsburgh is 3-14 in its last 17 home games.  The Pirates are 0-7 in Brault’s last seven starts vs. a team with a winning record.  Pittsburgh is 0-5 in Brault’s last five starts overall.  Bet the Nationals on the Run Line Thursday. 

15* NFLX Thursday UPSET SHOCKER on New York Giants +3 

No analysis for preseason. 

20* MLB Wednesday No-Doubt Rout on Texas Rangers -119 

Great value here with Mike Minor and the Texas Rangers as small home favorites over the Los Angeles Angels.  Both teams have gassed bullpens after playing a double-header yesterday, and after playing two 11-inning games the last two days.  So we want the starter that is going to go deeper, and that is certainly Minor. 

Minor is having a tremendous season.  He is 11-7 with a 2.94 ERA and 1.179 WHIP in 25 starts this season.  Minor comes in pitching very well at 2-1 with a 1.23 ERA and 1.000 WHIP in his last three starts.  He has never lost to the Angels, going 3-0 with a 2.55 ERA and 1.189 WHIP In six career starts against them. 

Patrick Sandoval gets the ball making just his third start of the season for the Angels.  He is 0-1 with a 7.00 ERA and 1.778 WHIP in two starts, averaging just 4.5 innings per start.  He’s likely to get roughed up early in this one as well, which will get into that tired Angels bullpen. 

The Angels are 21-49 in their last 70 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  Los Angeles is 3-9 in its last 12 road games.  The Rangers are 9-3 in Minor’s last 12 home starts vs. a team with a losing record.  Texas is 6-1 in its lsat seven home games vs. a team with a losing record.  Bet the Rangers Wednesday. 

20* NL West GAME OF THE MONTH on Arizona Diamondbacks -144 

The Arizona Diamondbacks are still fighting for a playoff spot just 4 games back in the wild card.  The Colorado Rockies are 9.5 games back and basically done for.  The Diamondbacks have the motivational and pitching edge tonight over the Rockies. 

Alex Young has held his own this season, going 4-3 with a 4.21 ERA and 1.181 WHIP in eight starts for Arizona. Young fired six scoreless innings while allowing just one base runner in a 5-3 win over the Rockies in his lone start against them this season on July 7th. 

Kyle Freeland has been a disaster all season.  He is 3-10 with a 7.08 ERA and 1.606 WHIP in 19 starts this season.  He has not had any success against the Diamondbacks this year, either.  Freeland is 0-1 with a 10.80 ERA in three starts against Arizona in 2019, allowing 18 earned runs and 7 homers in 15 innings. 

The Rockies are 6-20 in their lsat 26 road games.  The Diamondbacks are 4-0 in their last four home games vs. a left-handed starter.  Arizona is 6-1 in the last seven meetings, and 4-0 in the last four home meetings.  Bet the Diamondbacks Tuesday. 

15* AL PLAY OF THE DAY on Minnesota Twins -1.5 (-104) 

The Minnesota Twins will want to bounce back from a 6-4 loss to the Chicago White Sox in Game 1 of this series.  They should be able to come back with a victory by multiple runs in Game 2 thanks to their edge at the plate and on the mound. 

Michael Pineda is 8-5 with a 4.20 ERA and 1.197 WHIP in 22 starts this season for the Twins.  Pineda has been as steady as they come, allowing 3 earned runs or fewer in 15 of his last 16 starts.  He is 4-1 with a 2.61 ERA in his last seven starts coming in.  Pineda has faced Chicago twice in 2019, going 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA while allowing just 3 earned runs in 13 innings. 

Reynaldo Lopez is 7-10 with a 5.29 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in 25 starts this season, including 3-5 with a 5.57 ERA and 1.547 WHIP in 12 road starts.  Lopez is 1-2 with a 5.46 ERA in five career starts against Minnesota as well.  He allowed 8 earned runs and 3 homers in 3 2/3 innings of a 4-11 loss at Minnesota on May 24th in his lone start against the Twins this season. 

The White Sox are 6-20 in their last 26 games vs. a right-handed starter.  Chicago is 1-5 in its last six games following a win.  The Twins are 42-15 in their last 57 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.  Minnesota is 42-17 in its last 59 vs. a team with a losing record.  The Twins are 7-1 in their last eight home meetings with the White Sox.  Roll with the Twins on the Run Line Tuesday. 

15* MLB Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on Washington Nationals -147 

The Washington Nationals are one of the hottest teams in baseball.  They are 7-1 in their last eight games overall and closing in on the Atlanta Braves.  They are having as much fun as any team as well as you can see it with their reactions after every home run. 

There have been a bunch of home runs for the Nationals lately.  Indeed, the Nationals have hit 16 homers over their last three games and have scored a combined 62 runs in their last five games.  They had four homers and 11 extra-base hitts in Monday’s 13-0 victory over the Pirates. 

Stephen Strasburg is 15-5 with a 3.82 ERA and 1.095 WHIP in 25 starts this season.  Strasburg owns the Pirates, going 6-2 with a 2.40 ERA and 0.832 WHIP in nine career starts against them.  He’ll be opposed by Chris Archer, who is 3-9 with a 5.23 ERA and 1.40-7 WHIP in 22 starts this season. 

The Pirates are just 7-28 in their last 35 games overall and finding it hard to be motivated on a nightly basis now that they’re in last place in the NL Central.  Pittsburgh is 1-10 in home games off a loss by 8 runs or more over the last three seasons.  Washington is 44-13 in Strasburg’s last 57 starts vs. a team with a losing record. The Pirates are 0-7 in Archer’s last seven starts.  Take the Nationals Tuesday. 

15* AL PLAY OF THE DAY on Minnesota Twins -1.5 (-110) 

The Minnesota Twins just swept the Texas Rangers in four games over the weekend while scoring a combined 35 runs in the process.  Now they hold a 2.5-game lead over the Indians in the division and play 26 of their final 38 games against the Tigers, White Sox and Royals. 

The Twins should stay hot at the plate against Ivan Nova of the White Sox in Game 1 of this series Monday.  Nova is 8-9 with a 4.51 ERA and 1.345 WHIP in 25 starts this season, including 4-5 with a 4.43 ERA and 1.476 WHIP in 14 road starts.  Nova is 1-2 with a 4.67 ERA in his last three starts against the Twins. 

Kyle Gibson owns the White Sox, going 9-4 with a 2.74 ERA and 1.105 WHIP in 16 career starts against them.  He is also 3-0 with a 1.42 ERA in his last three starts against Chicago, giving up just 3 earned runs in 19 innings with 25 K’s. 

Gibson is 20-4 in his career against a team that is outscored by 0.5 or more runs per game in the second half of the season.  The Twins are winning by 2.9 runs per game in this spot.  Minnesota is 13-3 in Gibson’s last 16 starts vs. a team with a losing record.  The Twins are 42-16 in their last 58 vs. a team with a losing record.  Take the Twins on the Run Line Monday. 

15* 49ers/Broncos ESPN ANNIHILATOR on San Francisco +1.5 

No analysis for preseason. 

20* NL GAME OF THE WEEK on Washington Nationals -115 

The Washington Nationals are one of the hottest teams in baseball.  They have gone 6-1 in their last seven games overall while scoring an average of 9.4 runs per game during this stretch.  That includes 14, 16 and 17 runs in three of their last four coming in. 

The Pittsburgh Pirates are 7-27 in their last 34 games overall and finding it hard to get motivated.  They’ll certainly have a hard time getting motivated today after playing the division rival Cubs in the MLB Little League World Series Classic last night on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball. 

Joe Ross has earned his spot in the Nationals’ rotation by going 3-1 with a 1.54 ERA and 1.200 WHIP in four starts this season, including 3-0 with a 0.50 ERA and 1.000 WHIP in his last three.  Ross is also 1-1 with a 2.81 ERA and 1.188 WHIP in three career starts against Pittsburgh. 

Trevor Williams is 5-5 with a 5.33 ERA and 1.404 WHIP in 18 starts this season, including 2-1 with a 7.87 ERA and 1.875 WHIP in his last three starts.  Not to mention, Williams is 2-2 with a 6.11 ERA and 1.467 WHIP in eight home starts this year. 

The Nationals are 25-7 in their last 32 vs. a team with a losing record.  Washington is 20-7 in Ross’ last 27 starts vs. a team with a losing record.  The Pirates are 3-13 in their last 16 home games.  Pittsburgh is 1-10 in its last 11 home games vs. a team with a winning record.  The Pirates are 1-5 in Williams’ last six starts vs. a team with a winning record.  Bet the Nationals Monday. 

15* Saints/Chargers CBS No-Brainer on New Orleans -1.5 

No analysis for preseason. 

20* MLB DOG OF THE MONTH on Minnesota Twins +128 

The Minnesota Twins should not be underdogs to the Texas Rangers today.  The Twins are in a battle with the Indians for the AL Central division title and highly motivated.  The Rangers are 2-9 in their last 11 games overall to fall out of playoff contention and are having a hard time getting motivated. 

The Twins have scored 29 combined runs in winning each of the first three games in this series.  They’ll provide Martin Perez with plenty of run support again today as he takes on his former team.  Perez is 7-5 with a. 4.36 ERA in 21 starts this season, including 4-2 with a 4.04 ERA in nine road starts. 

Lance Lynn is having a good season at 14-8 with a 3.54 ERA in 25 starts, including 9-1 with a 3.94 ERA in 12 home starts.  However, that record is getting him too much respect from oddsmakers.  This is easily one of Lynn’s toughest tests of the season here against the red hot Twins. 

The Twins are 5-0 in Perez’s last five starts vs. AL west opponents.  Minnesota is 6-1 in its last seven road games vs. a right-handed starter.  The Rangers are 0-7 in their last seven games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Texas is 7-22 in its last 29 during Game 4 of a series.  Minnesota is 5-1 in the last six meetings.  Bet the Twins Sunday. 

20* MLB Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Minnesota Twins -151 

The Minnesota Twins are taking advantage of their easy schedule moving forward, winning the first two games of this series with the Rangers while scoring 17 runs in the process.  The Rangers are just 2-8 in their last 10 games overall and will find it hard to be motivated now that they have fallen out of playoff contention. 

The Twins have a big edge on the mound tonight behind Jose Berrios, who is 10-6 with a 3.29 ERA and 1.148 WHIP in 24 starts this season.  Berrios has been really good on the road as well at 5-3 with a 3.31 ERA and 1.078 WHIP in 13 starts away from home. 

Ariel Jurado is 5-7 with a 6.09 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in 15 starts this season.  It’s amazing that the Rangers continue to send him out there, especially after he just allowed 8 earned runs and 12 base runners in 3 2/3 innings in a 4-19 loss at Toronto last time out. 

The Twins are 17-4 in their last 21 Saturday games.  Minnesota is 41-14 in its lsat 55 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.  The Twins are 6-1 in Berrios’ last seven road starts vs. a team with a losing record.  The Rangers are 1-6 in Jurado’s last seven starts.  Texas is 0-4 in Jurado’s last four home starts.  The Rangers are 0-6 in their last six vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Bet the Twins Saturday. 

15* NFLX PLAY OF THE DAY on Houston Texans -4.5 

No analysis for preseason. 

15* NL PLAY OF THE DAY on Philadelphia Phillies -110 

The Philadelphia Phillies have awoken and should be bigger favorites here over the Padres.  They have won four straight coming in while scoring a combined 30 runs in the process, which has coincided with Charlie Manuel being named hitting coach.  The Padres are 1-4 in their last five games overall. 

Zach Eflin returns to the rotation and should find some success against a weak Padres lineup that is missing arguably their best hitter in Fernando Tatis Jr.  Eflin has a 3.00 ERA in one career starts against San Diego. 

Dinelson Lamet is getting way too much respect from oddsmakers tonight.  He is 1-2 with a 3.86 ERA and 1.257 WHIP in seven starts while averaging just 5.0 innings per start. 

The Padres are 3-13 in Lamet’s last 16 starts.  San Diego is 0-11 in Lamet’s last 11 starts vs. a team with a winning record.  The Phillies are 6-0 in Eflin’s last six home starts vs. a team with a losing record.  Philadelphia wins its 5th straight tonight.  Take the Phillies Saturday.

15* MLB Friday Late-Night BAILOUT on Houston Astros -1.5 (-116) 

The Houston Astros will be highly motivated for a victory Friday night.  They have lost three straight overall and four of their last five coming in for a rare bad stretch.  But now they have ace Justin Verlander on the mound to stop the bleeding and a big edge over Tanner Roark. 

Verlander is 15-4 with a 2.88 ERA and 0.855 WHIP in 25 starts this season with a whopping 217 K’s in 162 2/3 innings.  He is 18-6 with a 2.26 ERA and 1.011 WHIP in 27 career starts against Oakland, including 2-0 with a 0.64 ERA in two starts against them in 2019, giving up just one earned run in 14 innings with 19 K’s. 

Tanner Roark is 7-8 with a 4.06 ERA and 1.385 WHIP in 23 starts this season, including 2-6 with a 4.42 ERA and 1.407 WHIP in 11 home starts.  Roark is 1-2 with a 4.80 ERA and 1.467 WHIP in his last three starts as well. 

The Astros are 21-5 in Verlander’s last 26 road starts, including 14-3 in his last 17 road starts vs. a team with a winning record.  Houston is 41-13 in its last 54 vs. AL West opponents.  Houston is 40-17 in the last 57 meetings, including 5-0 in Verlander’s last five starts against the A’s.  Oakland is 1-4 in its last five games following a win.  Take the Astros on the Run Line Friday. 

20* NL GAME OF THE MONTH on Atlanta Braves -118 

The Atlanta Braves want to make a statement in this series against the Los Angeles Dodgers and let them know they’ll be a force in the postseason.  The Dodgers don’t have a lot to play for at this point and certainly could be going through the motions down the stretch. 

But the big reason to back the Braves today is due to their edge on the mound.  Mike Soroka is 10-2 with a 2.32 ERA and 1.078 WHIP in 21 starts this season.  Soroka is 0-0 with a 1.71 ERA and 0.810 WHIP in his last three starts as well. 

Kenta Maeda has been one of the few weak links in the Dodgers’ rotation.  He is 8-8 with a 4.15 ERA in 23 starts this season, 2-5 with a 5.66 ERA in 12 road starts, and 1-1 with a 6.58 ERA in his last three starts overall. 

The Dodgers are 3-8 in Maeda’s last 11 road starts.  The Braves are 6-1 in Soroka’s last seven home starts.  Atlanta is 11-1 in Soroka’s last 12 starts when their opponent scored 5 runs or more in their previous game.  Bet the Braves Friday. 

25* NFLX TOTAL OF THE YEAR on Bills/Panthers UNDER 40.5 

No Analysis for Preseason. 

20* MLB Thursday No-Doubt Rout on Minnesota Twins -160 

The Minnesota Twins are just 0.5 games ahead of the Cleveland Indians for first place in the AL Central.  We know we’re going to get their best effort night in and night out.  The same cannot be said for the Texas Rangers, who are 10-18 in their last 28 games overall. 

Michael Pineda comes back off the disabled list to start this game for the Twins Thursday.  Pineda is 7-5 with a 4.15 ERA and 1.188 WHIP in 21 starts this season, including 3-1 with a 2.23 ERA in his last six starts.  In fact, Pineda has allowed 3 earned runs or fewer in 14 of his last 15 starts overall. 

Pedro Payano will be making his fourth start of the season for the Rangers.  He is 0-1 with a 4.98 ERA and 2.133 WHIP in three starts this season while averaging just 4.2 innings per start.  He has allowed 27 base runners in 12 2/3 innings as walks (10) continue to be an issue. 

The Twins are 7-1 in their last eight during Game 1 of a series.  Minnesota is 35-16 in its last 51 games following a loss.  The Rangers are 2-7 in their last nine home games off a road trip of seven or more days.  Texas is 5-13 in its last 18 vs. a right-handed starter.  Minnesota is 7-1 in Pineda’s last eight starts following a loss in their previous game.  The Twins are 40-14 in their last 54 games vs. a starter with a WHIP of greater than 1.30.  Bet the Twins Thursday. 

15* Raiders/Cardinals ESPN No-Brainer on Arizona -1.5 

No Analysis for Preseason. 

20* NL West GAME OF THE MONTH on Arizona Diamondbacks -139 

The Arizona Diamondbacks are right in the thick of the wild card race but nobody is talking about them.  They are just 2.5 games back after going 7-3 in their last 10 games overall.  They are swinging a hot bat right now as they have scored at least 6 runs in in six of those 10 contests. 

The Diamondbacks should stay hot at the plate against the awful Kyle Freeland, who is 3-10 with a 7.06 ERA and 1.613 WHIP in 18 starts this season.  Freeland is 2-4 with a 9.50 ERA and 1.800 WHIP in nine starts at Coors Field this year.  He has faced the Diamondbacks twice in 2019, going 0-1 with a 13.00 ERA while allowing 13 earned runs and 5 homers in 9 innings. 

Arizona has the clear edge on the mound tonight behind Robbie Ray.  The left-hander is 10-7 with a 3.99 ERA and 1.279 WHIP in 25 starts this season with 185 K’s in 140 innings.  Ray is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in his last two starts against the Rockies this season while allowing just 4 earned runs in 12 innings. 

The Rockies are 13-33 in their last 46 games overall.  The Diamondbacks are 6-1 in Ray’s last seven starts.  Colorado is 1-11 in its last 12 vs. a left-handed starter.  The Rockies are 1-5 in Freeland’s last six starts.  Arizona is 5-0 in the last five meetings.  Bet the Diamondbacks Wednesday. 

20* MLB Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on Houston Astros -1.5 (-182) Game 1 

The Houston Astros should have no problem beating the Chicago White Sox by multiple runs in Game 1 today.  The Astros are 18-4 in their last 22 games overall with 16 of those wins coming by two runs or more.  They should have no problem winning by multiple runs in Game 1 of this doubleheader Tuesday. 

The Astros and Zack Greinke both are rejuvenated after trading for him before the deadline.  Greinke is 11-4 with a 3.08 ERA and 0.967 WHIP in 24 starts this season.  He has been at his best on the road, going 6-3 with a 2.85 ERA and 0.911 WHIP in 13 starts. 

Dylan Cease is overmatched here.  He is 2-4 with a 5.73 ERA and 1.545 WHIP in six starts this season despite facing a pretty weak slate of lineups in the Tigers (twice), Royals, Rays, Mets and Twins.  He gave up 5 runs in 5 innings to the Twins, which is the best lineup he faced.  And this will be his toughest test yet against an Astros lineup that has scored 7 or more runs in seven of their last nine games overall. 

Houston is 30-5 in road games after batting .333 or better over a three-game span over the last three seasons.  It is winning by 3.9 runs per game in this spot.  The Astros are 31-6 in road games vs. teams that are outscored by 0.5 or more runs per game over the last two seasons.  They are winning by 2.7 runs per game in this spot.  The White Sox are 1-9 in their last 10 home games vs. a right-handed starter.  Bet the Astros on the Run Line in Game 1 Tuesday. 

20* MLB Sunday No-Doubt Rout on St. Louis Cardinals -1.5 (+105) 

The Pittsburgh Pirates are one of the worst teams in baseball right now.  They are 4-23 in their last 27 games overall and have lost 17 of those games by two runs or more.  The Cardinals have won each of the first two games of this series by multiple runs and I think they complete the series sweep in the same fashion today. 

Miles Mikolas has been dominant at home this season, going 5-5 with a 1.98 ERA and 0.977 WHIP In 11 starts.  Mikolas has posted a 2.79 ERA and 1.052 WHIP in nine career starts against Pittsburgh.  He is 2-1 with a 2.05 WHIP in his last three starts against the Pirates this season. 

Steven Brault has a 3.35 ERA despite a 1.469 WHIP in 10 starts this season.  He is only averaging 4.8 innings per start, so the Cardinals should get into their bullpen early.  Brault has never beaten the Cardinals, posting an 8.02 ERA and 2.026 WHIP in three career starts against them.  He hallowed 6 runs and 11 base runners in 3 2/3 innings in his only start against the Cardinals this season. 

Mikolas is 16-4 in day games over the last two season with the Cardinals winning by 2.4 runs per game in this spot.  The Pirates are 5-22 in their last 27 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  Pittsburgh is 0-5 in Brault’s last five starts vs. a team with a winning record.  St. Louis is 44-20 in its last 64 home meetings with Pittsburgh, and 22-8 in the last 30 meetings overall.  Bet the Cardinals on the Run Line Sunday. 

15* Cowboys/49ers NFLX ANNIHILATOR on San Francisco -4 

No Analysis for Preseason. 

15* Nationals/Mets NL East No-Brainer on New York -118

The New York Mets are the hottest team in baseball.  They are 14-1 in their last 15 games overall and closing in hard on a wild card spot in the National League.  They are feeling like they can’t lose right now, especially after coming back from a 6-3 deficit in the bottom of the 9th to win in walk off fashion last night. 

New York starter Noah Syndergaard has really turned it on lately.  He is 2-1 with a 1.78 ERA in his last five starts while allowing just 7 earned runs in 35 1/3 innings.  He has given up just 4 earned runs in 14 innings for a 2.57 ERA in his last two starts against the Nationals this season as well. 

Patrick Corbin has been great at home for the Nationals, but it has been a different story on the road.  Corbin is 3-4 with a 5.32 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in 12 road starts this season.  Corbin hasn’t fared very well against the Mets either, going 2-5 with a 4.71 ERA in 12 career starts against them. 

The Mets are 9-0 in their last nine games after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.  New York is 7-2 in Syndergaard’s last nine starts.  The Mets are 10-1 in their last 11 home games.  New York is 5-0 in the last five meetings.  Take the Mets Saturday. 

20* MLB Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Atlanta Braves -1.5 (-134) 

The Atlanta Braves are raking right now having scored a combined 33 runs in their last four games overall.  They should stay hot at the plate tonight against the Miami Marlins and easily win this game by two runs or more to cover the run line for us. 

Ace Mike Soroka gets the ball for the Braves.  He is 10-2 with a 2.45 ERA and 1.107 WHIP in 20 starts this season, including 6-0 with a 1.45 ERA and 0.937 WHIP in 12 road starts.  Soroka has never lost to the Marlins, going 2-0 with a 0.92 ERA and 0.966 WHIP in three career starts against them. 

Sandy Alcantara is 4-10 with a 4.50 ERA and 1.469 WHIP in 22 starts for the Marlins, including 0-1 with a 6.32 ERA and 1.595 WHIP in his last three.  He gave up 2 earned runs and 9 base runners in 4 innings in his only start against the Braves back in April. 

Soroka is 11-0 vs. an NL team with a batting average of .245 or worse over the last two seasons with the Braves winning by 4.0 runs per game in this spot.  Soroka is also 10-0 vs. a team with a losing record this season with the Braves winning by 4.1 runs per game.  Bet the Braves on the Run Line Saturday. 

20* MLB Friday No-Doubt Rout on St. Louis Cardinals -136 

The St. Louis Cardinals were tied for first place in the NL Central just a week ago.  But they’ve lost five straight since during a very tough five-game road trip at Oakland and at the LA Dodgers.  Now they’re back home and highly motivated for a win Friday night. 

Fortunately, the Cardinals get to face Chris Archer and the hapless Pirates, who have gone 4-21 in their last 25 games overall.  Archer is 3-8 with a 5.35 ERA and 1.421 WHIP in 20 starts this season, including 0-4 with a 7.14 ERA and 1.478 WHIP in nine road starts. 

Dakota Hudson has held his own for the Cardinals this season, going 10-6 with a 4.01 ERA in 22 starts.  He has been at his best at home, going 4-2 with a 3.54 ERA in 10 starts. 

Hudson is 8-0 with a money line of -100 to -150 this season.  St. Louis is 8-0 in Hudson’s last eight starts vs. a team with a losing record.  The Pirates are 0-6 in Archer’s last six starts.  These three trends combine for a perfect 22-0 system backing St. Louis tonight.  Bet the Cardinals Friday. 

15* NFLX PLAY OF THE DAY on New Orleans Saints -2.5 

No Analysis in the Preseason. 

15* MLB Run Line PLAY OF THE DAY on Houston Astros -1.5 (-150) 

The Houston Astros are unstoppable right now.  They are feeling good after trading for Zack Greinke and are now the World Series favorites.  They are playing like it, going 9-1 in their last 10 games overall while winning all nine games by at least two runs. 

That’s why I’ll take them on the Run Line today instead of laying -230 with Wade Miley on the mound.  Miley is 10-4 with a 3.05 ERA in 23 starts this season, including 2-0 with a. 1.89 ERA in his last three starts.  Miley is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in his last two starts against the Orioles, pitching 12 shutout innings. 

Dylan Bundy is 5-11 with a 5.11 ERA in 21 starts this season, including 1-7 with a 5.89 ERA in 11 home starts.  Bundy is 0-1 with a 5.02 ERA in four career starts against Houston.  He’ll be up against a hot Houston lineup that has scored at least 7 runs in five of their last six games overall coming in. 

Bundy is 1-18 vs. AL teams that score 4.9 or more runs per game over the last two seasons.  The Orioles are losing by 3.1 runs per game in this spot.  Miley is 12-1 as a road favorite of -110 or higher over the last two seasons.  His teams are winning by 3.3 runs per game in this spot.  Houston is 21-5 in its last 26 games following an off day.  The Astros are 22-5 in the last 27 meetings.  Roll with the Astros on the Run Line Friday. 

25* AL Central GAME OF THE YEAR on Kansas City Royals -133 

The Detroit Tigers won yesterday in walk off fashion.  They haven’t won two games in a row since winning sthree straight from May 28-31.  The Tigers are now 0-12 in their last 12 games following a win.  We’ll gladly fade them tonight considering they are starting the worst pitcher in baseball. 

Edwin Jackson keeps coming back from the grave.  He was in Toronto earlier this season and went 0-4 with an 11.90 ERA and 2.238 WHIP in five starts, giving up 26 earned runs, 8 homers and 44 base runners in 19 2/3 innings.  Somehow, the Tigers managed to pick him up after that.  Jackson is 3-5 with a 5.72 ERA in eight career starts against Kansas City. 

Brad Keller has been the best starter for the Royals this season.  He is 7-11 with a 3.95 ERA in 24 starts, including 1-2 with a 2.57 ERA and 0.905 WHIP in his last three starts against the Twins, Blue Jays and Braves, so he has fared well recently against some great lineups.  Keller is 2-1 with a 2.39 ERA and 1.101 WHIP in four career starts against Detroit as well. 

Detroit is 1-16 as a home dog of +125 to +175 this season.  The Tigers are 0-11 after scoring 8 runs or more this season.  Jackson is 2-15 at home with a total of 10 to 10.5 in his career.  Bet the Royals Friday. 

15* MLB Friday Undervalued Underdog on New York Mets +115 

The New York Mets are the hottest team in baseball.  They are 13-1 in their last 14 games overall to pull within 0.5 games of the second wild card spot in the National League.  Now they get to play the Nationals, who own the first wild card spot currently. 

Somehow, the Mets are getting no respect here as home underdogs with Marcus Stroman on the mound.  Stroman has posted a 3.07 ERA in 22 starts this season, which is impressive considering he pitched in the brutal AL East before getting traded to New York. 

Stephen Strasburg is getting too much respect from oddsmakers.  He is 14-5 with a 3.72 ERA in 23 starts, but he’s coming off a start in which he allowed 9 earned runs and 3 homers in 4 2/3 innings to the Diamondbacks.  He is shaken and vulnerable right now. 

The Mets are 8-0 in their last eight home games.  New York is 4-0 in its last four meetings with Washington.  Take the Mets Friday. 

15* MLB Thursday Late-Night BAILOUT on San Diego Padres -104 

The San Diego Padres are showing great value at basically even money at home tonight.  They face a Colorado Rockies team that is 8-23 in their last 31 games overall, including 5-16 in their last 21 road games. 

San Diego starter Eric Lauer is 3-3 with a 2.66 ERA and 1.224 WHIP in nine home starts this season as he has been much more effective at home than on the road.  He pitched 5 innings without allowing a single earned run and only two base runners in a 3-2 victory over the Rockies in his only career home start against them. 

Jon Gray has actually been better at Coors Field this season than on the road.  Gray is 5-5 with a 4.17 ERA and 1.420 WHIP in 12 road starts this season.  In his last two starts against the Padres this season, Gray has allowed 7 earned runs, 3 homers and 17 hits in 12 innings for a 5.25 ERA. 

The Rockies are 1-10 in their last 11 games vs. a left-handed starter.  The Padres are 4-1 in Lauer’s last five home starts.  Bet the Padres Thursday. 

20* NFLX GAME OF THE WEEK on Indianapolis Colts -2 

No analysis for preseason. 

20* MLB Wednesday No-Doubt Rout on Arizona Diamondbacks -132 

The Arizona Diamondbacks have gone 3-1 in their last four games overall while scoring a combined 33 runs in their three victories.  Look for them to stay hot at the plate against Jason Vargas and the Philadelphia Phillies tonight. 

Vargas is 3-3 with a 5.03 ERA and 1.324 WHIP in 10 road starts this season.  Vargas has never been able to figure out the Diamondbacks, going 2-3 with a 6.82 ERA and 1.484 WHIP in six career starts against them. 

The Diamondbacks traded for Zac Gallen, who was one of the top prospects for the Marlins.  Gallen is having a great season, going 1-3 with a 2.73 ERA and 1.184 WHIP in seven starts with 43 K’s in 36 1/3 innings.  He has a 1.40 ERA and 0.879 WHIP in his last three starts as well. 

Philadelphia is 12-34 in road games vs. NL West opponents over the last three seasons.  The Phillies are 3-17 as an underdog of +125 to +175 this season.  Arizona is 13-5 in the last 18 meetings, including 6-2 in the last eight home meetings.  Bet the Diamondbacks Wednesday. 

15* MLB Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on St. Louis Cardinals +122 

The St. Louis Cardinals are highly motivated for a win today against the Los Angeles Dodgers.  They have lost four straight and certainly do not want to get swept in this series.  They have the edge on the mound and should not be underdogs as a result. 

Jack Flaherty is on a tear, going 1-1 with a 1.15 ERA in his last five starts.  Few teams have had as much success against the Dodgers as Flaherty.  Indeed, he is 1-1 with a 1.50 ERA and 0.667 WHIP in three career starts against Los Angeles. 

Dustin May is making a lot of headlines for his big red hair and ‘Gingergaard’ nickname.  But he wasn’t very effective in his first start against the Padres, giving up 4 runs and 9 hits in 5 2/3 innings.  He took the loss as a -160 favorite, and he’s getting too much respect from oddsmakers again today. 

The Cardinals are 39-26 (+13.9 units) with a line of +125 to -125 this season.  St. Louis is 40-16 in its last 56 games after losing the first two games of a series.  The Cardinals are 5-0 in Flaherty’s last five starts on 5 days’ rest.  Take the Cardinals Wednesday. 

15* MLB Wednesday Early ANNIHILATOR on Minnesota Twins +107 

The Minnesota Twins are 9-3 in their last 12 games overall and hitting the cover off the ball.  They should not be home underdogs to Max Fried and the Atlanta Braves this afternoon.  We’ll take the value and side with the Twins in this one. 

Fried is getting way too much respect from oddsmakers for his 12-4 record, including his 7-1 road record.  But he has simply been the beneficiary of good run support as he has a 4.13 ERA on the season, and a 4.53 ERA and 1.545 WHIP in 11 road starts. 

Martin Perez is 7-4 with a 4.35 ERA and 1.319 WHIP in 19 starts this season, including 3-2 with a 4.18 ERA and 1.237 WHIP in 11 home starts.  It’s worth noting the Twins are feasting on left-handed starters like Fried this season, hitting .291 and scoring 6.5 runs per game off them. 

The Braves are 14-31 in their last 45 interleague games against a team with a winning record.  The Twins are 7-1 in Perez’s last eight starts after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.  Minnesota is 36-15 in its last 51 games off a loss.  They will bounce back in a big way motivated from behind down 11-0 to the Braves yesterday.  Roll with the Twins Wednesday. 

20* Interleague GAME OF THE WEEK on Minnesota Twins -143 

The Minnesota Twins have a huge edge on the mound tonight over the Atlanta Braves.  They should be closer to -200 favorites as a result.  We’ll gladly lay less than -150 to back the Twins at home tonight.  They are hot right now having gone 9-2 in their last 11 games overall. 

The Twins give the ball to ace Jose Berrios tonight.  He is 10-5 with a 2.79 ERA and 1.102 WHIP in 22 starts, 5-2 with a 2.10 ERA and 1.133 WHIP in nine home starts, and 2-0 with a 0.92 ERA and 0.864 WHIP in his last three starts overall. 

Mike Foltynewicz is 2-5 with a 6.37 EAR and 1.416 WHIP in 11 starts this season.  He is making his first start back from injury since June 22nd.  He’ll surely be on a pitch count tonight.  Foltynewicz has posted a 6.97 ERA and 1.936 WHIP in two career starts against Minnesota. 

Minnesota is 40-12 in its last 52 games vs. a starter with a WHIP of 1.30 or greater.  The Twins are 25-9 in Berrios’ last 34 home starts.  The Braves are 3-10 in Foltynewicz’s last 13 starts vs. a team with a winning record.  Bet the Twins Tuesday. 

20* MLB Sunday No-Doubt Rout on New York Mets -135 

The New York Mets are surging now.  They have gone 8-1 in their last nine games overall and are closing in on the wild card.  They are motivated after management didn’t sell at the deadline.  Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Pirates are 4-16 in their last 20 games overall and just aren’t motivated at all right now. 

Noah Syndergaard was the big name that was in trade talks for the Mets.  Well, he stayed put, and he has delivered a 1.69 ERA in his last three starts for the Mets.  Syndergaard is 1-1 with a 2.66 ERA and 1.033 WHIP in three career starts against the Pirates as well. 

Joe Musgrove is 8-9 with a 4.45 ERA in 22 starts for the Pirates, including 4-4 with a 4.52 ERA in 11 home starts.  He’ll be facing a hot Mets lineup that has scored 4 or more runs in six straight and eight of their last nine overall. 

The Mets are 5-0 in their last five during Game 3 of a series.  The Pirates are 0-6 in their last six during Game 3 of a series.  Pittsburgh is 1-6 in its last seven home games.  We’ll back the more motivated team with the better starter today.  Bet the Mets Sunday. 

15* MLB Saturday Total DOMINATOR on Padres/Dodgers UNDER 8.5 

This total seems way too high tonight in a battle between two starting pitchers who have held their own this season, especially the starter for the home team in the Dodgers.  And it will be played in a pitcher-friendly park here, so 8.5 runs is too much. 

Walker Buehler is likely to shut down the Padres.  He is 9-2 with a 3.38 ERA and 1.022 WHIP in 20 starts this season, including 4-0 with a 2.78 ERA and 0.806 WHIP in nine home starts.  Buehler has owned the Padres, going 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA and 0.538 WHIP in two career starts against them. 

Cal Quantrill has held his own this season for the Padres.  He is 2-2 with a 4.24 ERA and 1.264 WHIP in nine starts this season.  Quantrill is coming off two of his best starts of the season, going 1-0 with a 0.79 ERA in his last two starts against the Giants and Braves. 

The UNDER is 13-3 in Padres last 16 vs. a team with a winning record.  The UNDER is 12-3 in Padres last 15 road games.  The UNDER is 6-0-1 in Buehler’s last seven Saturday starts.  The UNDER is 8-1 in Dodgers last nine vs. NL West opponents.  The UNDER is 6-1 in the last seven meetings.  Roll with the UNDER in this game Saturday.

15* MLB Saturday Undervalued Underdog on San Francisco Giants +119 

The Giants are coming off back-to-back losses and will be highly motivated for a victory here against the Colorado Rockies.  In fact, the Giants haven’t lost three straight since June 18-20, a span of a month and a half.  They are as hot as anyone in baseball and will get back on track today. 

Ace Madison Bumgarner has really come to life since July.  The Giants are 6-1 in his last seven starts, in which he has gone 3-0 with a 2.51 ERA while allowing 12 earned runs in 43 innings.  Bumgarner owns the Rockies, going 16-8 with a 3.15 ERA in 33 career starts against them. 

Jon Gray is 10-7 with a 3.87 ERA and 1.333 WHIP in 22 starts for the Rockies this season.  While solid, Gray has struggled against the Giants.  Indeed, Gray is 1-4 with a 5.08 ERA and 1.647 WHIP in nine career starts against San Francisco.  He just faced the Giants at home on July 17th and allowed 6 earned runs and 14 base runners in 5 1/3 innings of a 8-11 loss. 

The Giants are 8-1 in their last nine games following a loss.  San Francisco is 7-1 in Bumgarner’s last eight starts vs. a team with a losing record.  The Giants are 20-8 in their last 28 games overall.  The Rockies are 7-20 in their last 27 games overall.  Colorado is 2-8 in its last 10 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.  Take the Giants Saturday. 

20* MLB Saturday No-Doubt Rout on New York Mets -118 

The New York Mets had their seven-game winning streak come to an end yesterday after blowing a 3-0 lead to the Pirates.  They’ll be motivated to start a new streak here and to get back in the win column against a terrible Pirates team that is just 4-15 in their last 19 games overall. 

Marcus Stroman makes his Mets’ debut Saturday.  He posted a 2.96 ERA in 21 starts for the Blue Jays, including a 2.60 ERA in nine road starts.  That’s very impressive considering he pitched in the brutal AL East.  A switch to the National League will only work in his favor.  He pitched 8 innings without allowing a single earned run in his only career start against Pittsburgh. 

Chris Archer has been a huge disappointment for years.  That has been the case again in 2019 as Archer is 3-8 with a 5.58 ERA and 1.436 WHIP in 19 starts this season.  Archer is also 0-1 with a 6.55 ERA and 1.545 WHIP in two career starts against the Mets.  He faced New York on July 28th in his last start and allowed 5 earned runs and 9 base runners in 5 innings. 

The Mets are 7-1 in their last eight games overall.  The Pirates are 0-4 in their last four games following a win.  Pittsburgh is 0-4 in Archer’s last four starts.  New York is 4-1 in the last five meetings.  Bet the Mets Saturday. 

20* MLB Friday No-Doubt Rout on New York Mets -110 

Don’t look now but the Mets have won seven straight games to pull within four games in the wild card standings.  This team is feeling really good right now, especially after not selling at the deadline.  They have the belief that they can make the playoffs, and that’s half the battle. 

Now the Mets take on the Pirates, who are playing as poorly as anyone.  The Pirates are 3-15 in their last 18 games overall and in last place in the NL Central.  Pittsburgh starter Trevor Williams is 1-1 with a 5.71 ERA and 1.413 WHIP in six home starts this season.  He’s 0-2 with a 6.23 ERA in his last three starts as well. 

Steven Matz comes in pitching as well as he has all season.  He is 1-0 with a 1.89 ERA and 0.947 WHIP in his last three starts.  One of those starts was a complete game shutout in a 3-0 win over these same Pirates on July 27th.  Look for him to shut down the Pirates once again tonight. 

The Mets are 6-1 in Matz’s last seven games when working on five days’ rest.  New York is 7-0 in its last seven games overall.  Pittsburgh is 1-8 in its last nine games following a loss.  The Pirates are 0-6 in their last six vs. a left-handed starter.  Pittsburgh is 1-4 in Williams’ last five starts.  New York is 4-0 in the last four meetings.  Bet the Mets Friday. 

15* Broncos/Falcons HOF Game No-Brainer on Denver -2.5 

No Analysis in the Preseason. 

20* NL GAME OF THE WEEK on St. Louis Cardinals -111 

The St. Louis Cardinals squandered a ton of runners in scoring position last night and lost 2-0 to the Cubs.  They’ll be highly motivated to bounce back and take this series from the Cubs with a Game 3 victory tonight. 

Jack Flaherty is the better starter in this matchup.  He is 3-3 with a 3.20 ERA and 0.912 WHIP in 11 home starts this season with 75 K’s in 64 2/3 innings.  Flaherty comes in pitching very well with a 1.56 ERA and 1.039 WHIP in his last three starts with 24 K’s in 17 1/3 innings. 

Jon Lester has not been good on the road this season, going 3-4 with a 4.42 ERA and 1.358 WHIP in nine starts away from home.  Lester has been battered in his last two starts against St. Louis, allowing 12 earned runs and 4 homers in 9 innings for a 12.00 ERA. 

St. Louis is 14-2 at home after scoring 4 runs or less in four straight games over the last three seasons.  Sooner rather than later they’ll start cashing in some of this scoring opportunities.  The Cubs are 1-5 in Lester’s last six road starts.  Bet the Cardinals Thursday. 

15* AL PLAY OF THE DAY on Boston Red Sox -122 

The Boston Red Sox come in highly motivated for a victory tonight after losing the first two games of this series to the Tampa Bay Rays.  They certainly want to avoid the sweep against a team they are trailing in the wild card standings, and I believe they take Game 3 tonight. 

Andrew Cashner is coming off his best start since being traded to Boston, holding the Yankees to 3 runs in 6 2/3 innings in a 10-5 victory.  Cashner enjoys facing the Rays, going 2-1 with a 4.03 ERA in five career starts against them.  His teams are 4-1 in those five starts. 

Brandan McCay is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA and 1.350 WHIP in his last three starts.  The Rays have recalled the rookie to make his fifth start of the season here.  This will clearly be his toughest test of the season against this potent Red Sox lineup that is scoring 5.8 runs per game. 

Boston is 20-3 at home after six or more consecutive home games over the last two seasons.  The Red Sox are 19-4 when revenging two straight home losses over the last three seasons.  Boston is 25-3 in its lsat 28 games after losing the first two games of a series.  Take the Red Sox Thursday. 

15* Brewers/A’s MLB Late-Night BAILOUT on Oakland -114 

The Oakland A’s are playing with a ton of confidence right now.  They have won three straight games by exactly one run and it certainly has helped bolstering their bullpen before the deadline by adding devastating lefty Jake Diekman to the mix. 

I’m shocked the A’s aren’t bigger favorites today over the Brewers considering their huge edge on the mound.  Brett Anderson continues getting it done at a high level, going 9-6 with a 4.05 ERA and 1.275 WHIP in 21 starts this season. 

Shockingly, the Brewers traded for one of the worst starters in baseball in Jordan Lyles prior to the deadline.  Lyles is 5-7 with a 5.36 ERA and 1.469 WHIP in 17 starts this season, including 0-2 with a 14.61 ERA and 2.996 WHIP in his last three starts.  He has allowed 16 runs, 13 earned, and 5 homers in 8 innings in his last three starts.  He is averaging just 4.8 innings per start this season. 

Lyles is 16-49 (-25.7 units) when playing against a team with a winning record in his career.  Lyles is 0-18 (-18.1 units) in July games in his career.  Oakland is 9-2 in its last 11 home games.  The A’s are 5-0 in Anderson’s last five starts on five days’ rest.  Milwaukee is 2-9 in its last 11 Interleague road games.  The Brewers are 2-9 in their last 11 road games vs. a left-handed starter.  Roll with the A’s Wednesday. 

15* Cubs/Cardinals NL Central No-Brainer on UNDER 8.5 

Runs will be hard to come by tonight between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals in this hated rivalry.  I think we see something similar to the 2-1 final we saw yesterday between two lesser starters than we’ll see today in Darvish and Wainwright. 

Miles Mikolas takes the ball for the Cardinals tonight.  He has been awesome at home this season, going 5-4 with a 2.15 ERA and 0.955 WHIP in 10 starts.  Mikolas owns the Cubs, going 3-1 with a 1.95 ERA and 1.108 WHIP in six career starts against them. 

Kyle Hendricks is 7-8 with a 3.26 ERA and 1.129 WHIP in 19 starts for the Cubs, including 0-1 with a 2.00 ERA and 0.889 WHIP in his last three starts.  Hendricks owns the Cardinals as well, going 7-2 with a 3.06 ERA and 1.066 WHIP in 17 career starts against them.  Better yet, Hendricks is 4-0 with a. 1.45 ERA in his last four starts against the Cardinals, allowing just 5 earned runs in 31 innings. 

The UNDER is 10-2-1 in Cubs last 13 games overall.  The UNDER is 42-15-1 in Hendricks’ last 58 starts vs. a team with a. Winning record.  The UNDER is 43-17 in Hendricks’ last 60 starts overall.  The UNDER is 7-1 in Cardinals last eight home games vs. a team with a winning record.  The UNDER is 21-6 in Cardinals last 27 home games.  The UNDER is 6-1 in Mikolas’ last seven home starts.  The UNDER is 4-0 in Mikolas’ last four starts vs. Chicago.  The UNDER is 7-1 in the last eight meetings in St. Louis.  Take the UNDER in this game Wednesday.

20* MLB Wednesday No-Doubt Rout on Minnesota Twins -1.5 (-117) 

The Minnesota Twins should win this game by multiple runs tonight thanks to their advantage on the mound and at the plate.  They have scored 6.1 runs per game on the road this season behind one of the best offenses in baseball, and certainly the most powerful offense in the league with 206 homers compared to just 87 for Miami. 

Ace Jose Berrios gets the ball for the Twins looking to continue his stellar season.  Berrios is 9-5 with a 2.95 ERA and 1.143 WHIP in 21 starts this season.  He’ll be facing a weak Miami lineup that his hitting just .230 and scoring 3.4 runs per game against right-handed starters this year. 

Sandy Alcantara is one of the weakest starters for the Marlins.  He is 4-9 with a 4.18 ERA and 1.445 WHIP in 20 starts this season, including 0-1 with a 6.35 ERA and 1.706 WHIP in his last three starts. 

Miami is 13-35 as an underdog of +125 to +175 this season.  Minnesota is 38-14 in its last 52 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.  The Marlins are 1-9 in their last 10 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.  Miami is 1-5 in Alcantara’s last six home starts.  Bet the Twins on the Run Line Wednesday. 

25* Interleague GAME OF THE YEAR on Oakland A’s -118 

The Oakland A’s should be bigger favorites at home today in Game 1 of this series against the Milwaukee Brewers.  The A’s have a massive edge on the mound tonight and it will show by game’s end. 

Chris Bassitt is 7-5 with a 4.09 ERA and 1.204 WHIP in 17 starts this season for the A’s, including 4-2 with a 3.51 ERA and 1.195 WHIP in seven home starts.  He is by far the superior starter in this matchup. 

Adrian Houser is 0-4 with a 7.83 ERA and 2.000 WHIP in six starts for the Brewers, including 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA and 2.077 WHIP in three road starts.  He is averaging just 3.8 innings per start this season and has already allowed 20 earned runs, 6 homers and 46 base runners in 23 innings pitched. 

Oakland is 10-0 vs. an NL starting pitcher with a WHIP of 1.750 or worse since 1997.  It is winning by 2.9 runs per game on average in this spot.  The Brewers are 27-55 in their last 82 interleague road games vs. a right-handed starter, and 2-8 in their last 10 interleague road games overall.  Bet the A’s Tuesday. 

20* MLB Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on Minnesota Twins -136 

The Minnesota Twins feel the Indians on their heels, and now it’s time to take advantage as their schedule eases up.  They took three of four from the White Sox last series, and now they should handle their business against the Miami Marlins.   

The Twins have a big rest advantage coming into this series after having Monday off, while the Marlins concluded a four-game series with the Diamondbacks on Monday.  Their bullpen is probably taxed, and they just traded away their closer in Sergio Romo to the Twins. 

Minnesota gives the ball to Jake Odorizzi, who is having a great 2019 season.  Odorizzi is 11-5 with a 3.84 ERA and 1.204 WHIP in 20 starts this season.  Not to mention, Odorizzi is 2-0 with a 0.53 ERA in his last three starts against the Marlins, allowing just one earned run in 17 innings with 20 K’s. 

Miami is 13-34 as an underdog of +125 to +175 this season.  Minnesota is 13-3 in Odorizzi’s last 16 starts vs. a team with a losing record.  The Marlins are 1-4 in Gallen’s last five starts.  Take the Twins Tuesday. 

15* MLB Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on San Francisco Giants +119 

The San Francisco Giants are the hottest team in the National League.  They are 19-5 in their last 24 games overall to pull within 2.5 games of the final wild card spot in the National League.  One of those teams they are trailing is the Phillies, so it’s important for them to handle their business in this series. 

I believe the Giants have a big edge on the mound tonight with Tyler Beede, who is really pitching well of late. Indeed, Beede is 2-1 with a 2.63 ERA in his last four starts, allowing just 8 earned runs in 27 1/3 innings.  San Francisco is 8-3 (+8.5 units) in Beede’s 11 starts this year, including 6-1 (+7.6 units) in his seven road starts. 

Drew Smyly has been a disaster all season.  The left-hander is 1-4 with a 6.97 ERA and 1.766 WHIP In 10 starts this year, including 0-3 with an 8.31 ERA and 1.885 WHIP in seven home starts. 

Smyly is 12-20 (-15.6 units) as a favorite of -125 to -175 in his career.  Beede is 7-2 (+8.5 units) as a dog of +100 or higher this season.  San Francisco is 10-0 on the road with a total of 10 or higher this season.  The Giants are 13-3 in their last 16 road games.  Roll with the Giants Tuesday. 

15* MLB Late-Night BAILOUT on Los Angeles Angels -1.5 (-127) 

The Los Angeles Dodgers are 55-52 and five games back in the wild card.  They really need to handle their business against the Tigers in this series, especially after losing last series to the lowly Orioles.  The Tigers are just 12-51 in their last 63 games overall, so that shouldn’t be a problem. 

The Angles have a big edge on the mound tonight with Jaime Barria, who is 2-1 with a. 3.60 ERA and 1.100 WHIP in four starts this season.  Barria is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in one career start agains the Tigers, pitching 5 2/3 shutout innings in a 6-0 victory against them last season. 

Jordan Zimmerman is still in search of his first victory of the season.  Indeed, Zimmerman is 0-8 with a 7.57 ERA and 1.714 WHIP in 13 starts for the Tigers this year.  That includes 0-2 with a 12.75 ERA and 2.333 WHIP in his last three starts. 

Detroit is 3-22 vs. an AL starting pitcher with a WHIP of 1.200 or better this season.  It is losing by 4.3 runs per game in this spot.  The Tigers are 1-15 against AL West opponents this season, losing by 4.5 runs per game.  Roll with the Angels on the Run Line Monday. 

15* NL PLAY OF THE DAY on Los Angeles Dodgers -123 

The Los Angeles Dodgers should be much bigger favorites against the Colorado Rockies today.  The Rockies are just 5-18 in their last 23 games overall to fall out of playoff contention.  Now they are certainly sellers with the trade deadline approaching on Wednesday. 

The Dodgers have the clear edge on the mound tonight with Kenta Maeda, who is 7-7 with a 3.85 ERA and 1.068 WHIP In 20 starts this season.  Maeda is 5-3 with a 2.67 ERA and 1.078 WHIP in 11 career starts against the Rockies, which is impressive with so many starts at Coors Field. 

Jon Gray is 9-7 with a 4.06 ERA and 1.371 WHIP in 21 starts this season for the Rockies.  Gray is 4-5 with a 4.75 ERA and 1.538 WHIP In 13 career starts against the Dodgers.  Worse yet, Gray is 1-2 with a 7.03 ERA in his last five starts against the Dodgers, allowing 19 earned runs in 24 1/3 innings. 

The Dodgers are 50-23 in their last 73 during Game 1 of a series.  The Rockies are 0-8 in their last eight vs. NL West opponents.  Los Angeles is 21-8 in the last 29 meetings.  Take the Dodgers Monday. 

20* AL GAME OF THE WEEK on Kansas City Royals -125 

The Kansas City Royals are playing some of their best baseball of the season.  They are 10-6 in their last 16 games overall.  They have a huge edge on the mound tonight and should be bigger favorites over the lowly Toronto Blue Jays because of it. 

Outside of Marcus Stroman, the Blue Jays’ rotation is awful.  And they just traded away Stroman to the Mets yesterday.  Thomas Pannone gets the ball tonight, and he is 0-3 with a monstrous 14.47 ERA and 2.358 WHIP in three starts this season, giving up 15 earned runs in 9 1/3 innings. 

Brad Keller is quietly having a great season for the Royals.  He has been especially good at home, going 4-3 with a 3.29 ERA and 1.135 WHIP in eight starts.  Keller is 3-0 with a 1.27 ERA and 0.938 WHIP in his last three starts overall.  He has won both of his career starts against Toronto, including allowing just one run in 7 innings in a 3-1 victory in his lone home start against them. 

The Royals are 5-0 in Keller’s last five starts.  Kansas City is 7-1 in Keller’s last eight home starts vs. a team with a losing record.  Kansas City is 7-0 in its last seven when its opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.  The Blue Jays are 26-53 in their last 79 games overall.  Bet the Royals Monday. 

20* MLB Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Arizona Diamondbacks -140 

The Arizona Diamondbacks have a big edge on the mound today over the Miami Marlins.  I also like the fact that the Diamondbacks are fighting for a wild card berth, while the Marlins are well out of contention. 

Robbie Ray is an elite talent who is 9-6 with a 3.95 ERA in 22 starts this season for the Diamondbacks.  He has 162 K’s in 123 innings with absolutely filthy stuff.  And Ray is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in his last two starts against the Marlins, pitching 13 2/3 shutout innings. 

Eliser Hernandez is 1-3 with a 4.05 ERA in five starts for Miami, including 1-1 with a 4.80 ERA in his last three starts.  Hernandez is 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA and 1.857 WHIP in two career starts against Arizona. 

Ray is 14-3 in road games vs. an NL team with an OBP of .315 or worse over the last three seasons.  Miami is 12-34 as a dog of +125 to +175 this season.  The Diamondbacks are 4-0 in Ray’s last four starts.  The Marlins are 2-8 in Hernandez’s last 10 starts.  Arizona is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings.  Bet the Diamondbacks Sunday.

20* NL GAME OF THE WEEK on New York Mets -128

The New York Mets continue to fight as they are 8-4 in their last 12 games overall.  Three of those losses came to the red hot San Francisco Giants, and all three by one run in walk-off losses in extra innings.  Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Pirates are 2-12 in their last 14 games and have lost six straight coming in.  They seem to have given up. 

Steven Matz has been at his best at home this season for the Mets.  Indeed, Matz is 3-0 with a 2.61 ERA and 1.158 WHIP in seven home starts this year.  He allowed just 3 earned runs and 6 base runners in 7 innings in a 4-3 victory in his only career home start against the Pirates, which came last season. 

Trevor Williams is 3-3 with a 4.96 ERA and 1.359 WHIP in 14 starts this season for the Pirates.  He has been terrible of late, going 1-2 with an 8.13 ERA in his last five starts while allowing a whopping 25 earned runs and 9 homers in 27 2/3 innings. 

The Pirates are 0-7 in their last seven games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.  Pittsburgh is 7-19 in its last 22 road games.  New York is 20-8 in its last 28 home games vs. a team with a losing record.  The Mets are 6-1 in their last seven Saturday games.  New York is 7-2 in Matz’s last nine home starts.  Bet the Mets Saturday.

15* MLB Friday Undervalued Underdog on San Francisco Giants +131 

The San Francisco Giants are the hottest team in baseball.  They have gone 17-4 in their last 21 games overall to get back into the wild card race in the National League.  They continue to get no respect from oddsmakers here Friday night. 

The Giants have a huge scheduling advantage here.  They had yesterday off, while the Padres concluded their series in New York against the Mets last night.  That means they had to fly all the way cross country to San Diego, which is always an adjustment.  The Giants will be rested while the Padres clearly will not be. 

Jeff Samardzija is 5-2 with a 2.42 ERA and 0.932 WHP in 10 career appearances at Petco Park with nine of them being startes.  He is also 2-0 with a 2.59 ERA in his last five outings against the Padres.  In two starts at San Diego in 2019, Samardzija has allowed just 2 earned runs in 13 innings for a 1.38 ERA. 

Joey Lucchesi is 0-2 with an 8.10 ERA in his last two starts against the Giants this season, allowing 9 earned runs in 10 innings.  He is 1-1 with a 6.32 ERA and 1.533 WHIP in his last three starts overall coming in. 

The Giants are 8-0 in their last eight vs. NL West opponents.  San Francisco is 4-0 in Samardzija’s last four road starts.  The Padres are 0-7 in their last seven home games.  San Diego is 0-6 in its last six during Game 1 of a series.  These four trends combine for a perfect 25-0 system backing San Francisco.  Roll with the Giants Friday. 

15* MLB Run Line PLAY OF THE DAY on Arizona Diamondbacks -1.5 (-105) 

The Arizona Diamondbacks are right in the thick of the wild card race.  They need to handle their business against the lowly Miami Marlins in this four-game series, and it starts with Game 1 tonight. 

The Diamondbacks have a huge edge on the mound here with ace Zack Greinke, who is 10-4 with a 2.94 ERA and 0.948 WHIP in 21 starts this season.  Greinke has never lost to the Marlins, going 7-0 with a 3.28 ERA in 11 career starts against them, and his teams are a perfect 11-0 in those starts. 

The Marlins do have some nice young talent in their rotation, but Sandy Alcantara isn’t one of them.  He is 4-9 with a 4.25 ERA and 1.451 WHIP in 19 starts this season, including 0-2 with a 6.48 ERA and 1.740 WHIP in his last three starts. 

Greinke is 17-3 vs. NL teams that score 4 or fewer runs per game over the last two seasons, and the Diamondbacks are winning by 2.4 runs per game in this spot.  Take the Diamondbacks on the Run Line Friday. 

20* MLB Friday No-Doubt Rout on Cincinnati Reds -129 

There’s a lot to like about the Cincinnati Reds tonight.  First and foremost, they had yesterday off while the Rockies just completed a four-game series with the Nationals in three days.  They played a double-header on Wednesday before concluding their series Thursday.  Each of the last three games were decided by two runs or less, so their bullpen is taxed right now. 

The Reds have a massive edge on the mound tonight with Luis Castillo, who is 9-3 with a 2.44 ERA and 1.110 WHIP in 20 starts this season.  Castillo has been at his best at home, going 5-2 with a 1.80 ERA and 0.886 WHIP in 11 starts. 

German Marquez has been a big disappointment for the Rockies this season.  He is 9-5 in spite of a 4.99 ERA in 22 starts this season.  Marquez has been awful of late, going 1-2 with a 9.76 ERA and 1.468 WHIP in his last three starts while allowing 17 earned runs and 5 homers in 15 2/3 innings. 

The Rockies are 8-21 in their last 29 games overall.  Colorado is 2-8 in its last 10 road games.  The Reds are 16-7 in Castillo’s last 23 home starts.  Cincinnati is 11-4 in Castillo’s last 15 starts during Game 1 of a series.  Bet the Reds Friday. 

20* MLB Thursday No-Doubt Rout on Washington Nationals -1.5 (-145) 

The Washington Nationals are 23-8 in their last 31 games overall and closing in on the Braves in the NL East.  The Rockies are 7-21 in their last 28 games overall, including 1-9 in their last 10 games.  The Rockies are finding it hard to be motivated now that they have fallen out of contention. 

Max Scherzer returns to the rotation tonight to pick up where he left off.  Scherzer is 9-5 with a 2.30 ERA and 0.982 WHIP In 19 starts this season, including 3-0 with a 0.78 ERA and 0.609 WHIP in his last three starts with 35 K’s in 23 innings. 

Jeff Hoffman has really struggled for the Rockies this season.  He is 1-3 with a 6.75 ERA and 1.560 WHIP in seven starts, including 0-2 with an 8.10 ERA and 1.724 WHIP in three road starts.  Hoffman has never beaten the Nationals, going 0-2 with a 5.73 ERA and 1.455 WHIP in two career starts against them. 

The Rockies are 1-8 in their last nine road games.  Colorado is 0-5 in Hoffman’s last five starts against NL East opponents.  The Nationals are 22-6 in their last 28 vs. a team with a losing record.  Washington is 7-0 in Scherzer’s last seven starts.  The Nationals are 40-15 in Scherzer’s last 55 starts vs. a team with a losing record.  Bet the Nationals on the Run Line.

20* MLB Wednesday No-Doubt Rout on Washington Nationals -1.5 (-110, Game 2) 

These are two teams headed in opposite directions.  The Nationals are 21-8 in their last 29 games overall and closing in on the Braves in the NL East and currently a wild card.  The Rockies are 7-19 in their last 26 games overall and falling out of contention for a playoff spot. 

In Game 2 tonight, the Nationals have a huge edge on the mound behind Pat Corbin, who is 7-5 with a 3.40 ERA and 1.158 WHIP in 20 starts this season with 144 K’s in 124 1/3 innings.  Corbin has been at his best at home, going 4-1 with a 1.84 ERA and 0.864 WHIP in 9 home starts. 

Kyle Freeland is having a disastrous 2019 for the Rockies.  He is 2-7 with a 7.62 ERA and 1.648 WHIP in 14 starts this season, including 0-1 with a 12.27 ERA and 2.273 WHIP in his last three starts.  He is in line to get rocked tonight, which is why I’m not worried about laying the Run Line. 

Colorado is 0-8 vs. NL teams that allow 4.5 or more runs per game in the second half of the season this season, losing by 5.9 runs per game on average.  The Rockies are 1-5 in Freeland’s last six road starts.  Colorado is 0-7 in its last seven during the second game of a double-header.  Washington is 5-0 in Corbin’s last five home starts.  Bet the Nationals on the Run Line in Game 2 Wednesday. 

20* MLB DOG OF THE MONTH on San Francisco Giants +105 

The Giants are the hottest team in baseball.  They are 16-3 in their last 19 games overall to climb above .500 for the first time this season and put themselves in the wild card race.  Now they are home underdogs with their ace on the mound and they shouldn’t be. 

This is manager Bruce Bochy’s final season, and it could also be the last stand for Madison Bumgarner in a Giants’ uniform.  He is pitching like it.  Bumgarner is 2-0 with a. 1.55 ERA in his last five starts.  The left-hander is 9-2 with a 2.35 ERA and 1.043 WHIP in 14 career starts against Chicago. 

Yu Darvish is getting way too much respect from oddsmakers.  It’s because he is coming off two of his best starts of the year, but those came against the Pirates and Reds, the two worst teams in their division.  Darvish is 3-4 with a 4.46 ERA in 20 starts this season. 

The Cubs are 8-20 in their last 28 road games.  Chicago is 1-4 in Darvish’s last five road starts.  The Giants are 5-0 in Bumgarner’s lsat five home starts.  San Francisco is 6-0 in Bumgarner’s last six starts against Chicago.  Bet the Giants Tuesday. v

20* MLB Monday No-Doubt Rout on Arizona Diamondbacks -1.5 (-118) 

The Arizona Diamondbacks just lost three of four to the Brewers last series to fall back to .500 on the season.  They blew a couple late leads in that series and come into this series with the Orioles highly motivated.  They are now 2.5 games behind the Brewers for the 2nd wild card and right in the thick of the playoff race. 

Robbie Ray is probably Arizona’s most talented starter.  He is 8-6 with a 3.92 ERA in 21 starts this season with a whopping 152 K’s in 117 innings.  That includes a 3-2 record and a 3.45 ERA in eight home starts.  Ray comes in pitching well at 3-0 with a 2.95 ERA and 0.982 WHIP in his last three starts. 

I think the Orioles are in line for a big letdown after surprisingly taking two of three from the Red Sox over the weekend.  Baltimore starter Aaron Brooks is 2-3 with a 5.15 ERA in eight starts this season, including 1-2 with a 7.05 ERA in three road starts. 

Baltimore is 5-27 in road games off three or more consecutive home games over the last three seasons.  The Orioles are 3-22 vs. a starting pitcher that strikes out 5 or more batters per start this season, losing by 3.6 runs per game on average.  Baltimore is 14-51 in its lsat 65 during Game 1 of a series.  The Diamondbacks are 6-0 in their last six interleague games.  Arizona is 6-1 in Ray’s last seven starts during Game 1 of a series.  Bet the Diamondbacks on the Run Line Monday. 

20* MLB Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Tampa Bay Rays -1.5 (-111) 

The Tampa Bay Rays are riding a season high five-game losing streak into Sunday.  It’s safe to say they will be highly motivated for a victory to end this skid and avoid the sweep at the hands of the lowly Chicago White Sox, who are 2-7 in their last nine games overall with their only two wins coming against the Rays. 

Tampa Bay has the obvious edge on the mound today with Blake Snell, which is why I’m willing to lay the Run Line.  Snell is 3-3 with a 3.17 ERA and 1.076 WHIP in nine home starts this season, and 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA and 0.937 WHIP in his last three starts overall. 

Snell has never lost to the White Sox, going 3-0 with a 1.07 ERA and 1.026 WHIP In five career starts against them.  Dylan Cease is 1-1 with a 5.73 ERA and 1.545 WHIP in two starts for the White Sox, and those have come against the Royals and Tigers, two of the worst lineups in baseball. 

Snell is 15-2 vs. teams whose hitters strike out 7 or more times per game in the second half of the season over the last two seasons.  His teams are winning by 2.9 runs per game on average in this spot.  The White Sox are 3-11 in their last 14 road games.  Tampa Bay is 20-6 in Snell’s last 26 home starts, including 6-1 in his last seven home starts vs. a team with a losing record.  Bet the Rays on the Run Line Sunday. 

20* NL GAME OF THE MONTH on San Francisco Giants -140 

The San Francisco Giants are the hottest team in baseball.  They are 14-2 in their last 16 games overall.  They are coming off a pair of gutsy extra innings wins over the Mets to open this series, leaving the Mets certainly deflated and the Giants rejuvenated.  And at 49-49, the Giants have a chance to get above .500 for the first time all season. 

Jeff Samardzija is having a great season for the Giants.  He is 7-7 with a 3.93 ERA and 1.177 WHIP in 19 starts this year, including 2-4 with a 3.31 ERA and 1.163 WHIP in nine home starts.  Samardzija comes in throwing well, going 3-0 with a 1.66 ERA and 0.738 WHIP in his last three starts. 

Walker Lockett has been a disaster in his two starts for the Mets this season.  He is 0-1 with an 11.75 ERA and 1.697 WHIP in two starts while allowing 10 earned runs and 13 base runners in 7 2/3 innings against the Phillies and Cubs.  He has a 10.32 ERA in his big league career to this point. 

The Mets are 2-13 in road games vs. an NL starting pitcher with a WHIP of 1.250 or better this season.  New York is 12-29 in its last 41 road games overall.  The Giants are 6-0 in their last six vs. a team with a losing record.  San Francisco is 4-1 in Samardzija’s last five starts.  Bet the Giants Saturday. 

20* MLB Friday No-Doubt Rout on Tampa Bay Rays -1.5 (-120) 

The Tampa Bay Rays come in highly motivated for a victory after losing three straight to the Yankees to fall further behind in the AL East.  They need to bounce back in a big way, and they have a good shot at doing just that tonight as they take on the reeling Chicago White Sox. 

The White Sox are 1-9 in their last 10 games overall while losing seven straight in the process.  It won’t get any easier for them with Reynaldo Lopez on the mound.  He is 4-8 with a 5.97 ERA and 1.538 WHIP in 19 starts this season.  Lopez is 0-2 with a 9.58 ERA and 1.936 WHIP in two career starts against Tampa Bay as well. 

Lopez faced the Rays on April 10th, giving up 8 earned runs, 3 homers and 14 base runners in 4 1/3 innings of a 1-9 loss in his lone start against them this season.  He’ll be opposed by the young, talented Brendan McKay, who is 1-0 with a 1.69 ERA and 0.687 WHIP in three starts this season for the Rays. 

Chicago is 18-38 in its last 56 road games.  The White Sox are 57-120 in their last 177 vs. a team with a winning record.  Chicago is 3-7 in Lopez’s last 10 road starts.  The Rays are 51-22 in their last 73 vs. a team with a losing record.  Bet the Rays on the Run Line Friday. 

20* Mets/Giants NL Late-Night BAILOUT on San Francisco -110 

The San Francisco Giants are the gift that keeps on giving.  They are 12-2 in their last 14 games overall while averaging more than 8 runs per game during this stretch.  They have scored at least 7 runs in nine of those 14 contests as their offense feels like it can’t be stopped right now. 

Madison Bumgarner knows his days in San Francisco may be numbered, and he’s been making the most of it.  Indeed, the left-hander is 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA in his last four starts.  Bumgarner has never lost to the Mets, going 7-0 with a 1.71 ERA and 0.952 WHIP in nine career starts against them. 

Noah Syndergaard is also on the trading block.  But he hasn’t been nearly as effective as his counterpart.  Syndergaard is 7-4 with a 4.55 ERA in 18 starts this season.  He is 2-0 in spite of a 4.58 ERA and 1.415 WHIP in his last three starts as well. 

The Giants are legitimately back in the wild card race and feeling great about themselves.  The Mets are 2-10 in their last 12 during Game 1 of a series.  San Francisco is 4-0 in Bumgarner’s last four home starts.  The Giants are 5-1 in Bumgarner’s last six starts vs. a team with a losing record.  San Francisco is 7-0 in Bumgarner’s last seven starts against the Mets.  Bet the Giants Thursday. 

20* MLB Wednesday No-Doubt Rout on Cleveland Indians -1.5 (-140) 

The Cleveland Indians have gone 10-1 against the Detroit Tigers this season.  Nine of those 10 wins have come by 2 runs or more.  So instead of laying -275 on the money line, we’ll lay the -140 on the run line to back them Wednesday night. 

Mike Clevinger has been virtually unhittable at home this season.  He is 1-0 with a 0.53 ERA and 0.706 WHIP in three home starts this year.  Clevinger owns the Tigers, going 5-2 with a. 2.28 ERA and 1.154 WHIP in eight career starts against them. 

Spencer Turnbull is 0-2 with a 6.30 ERA and 1.700 WHIP in his last three starts.  Turnbull has never beaten the Indians, going 0-3 with a 7.07 ERA and 2.071 WHIP in three career starts against them, all of which have come in 2019. 

Cleveland is 15-1 vs. AL teams that score 3.9 or fewer runs per game this season.  They are winning by 3.9 runs per game in this spot.  Detroit is 3-20 vs. an AL starter with a WHIP of 1.200 or better this season, losing by 4.2 runs per game.  The Tigers are 8-37 as a road dog of +175 to +250 over the last two seasons, losing by 2.8 runs per game.  Bet the Indians on the Run Line Wednesday. 

20* MLB Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on Boston Red Sox -1.5 (-105) 

The Boston Red Sox have been coming on strong over the past month as they try and get back into the wild card race.  They have gone 17-9 in their last 26 games overall.  Now they’ll be motivated to win this game for Andrew Cashner, who they just traded for and will make his Boston debut tonight. 

Cashner is 9-3 with a 3.83 ERA and 1.194 WHIP in 17 starts this season, including 4-0 with a 3.47 ERA and 1.239 WHIP in six home starts.  What he has done for Baltimore this season has been absolutely remarkable.  Not to mention, Cashner is 3-2 with a 2.49 ERA and 1.164 WHIP in eight career starts against Toronto, including 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA in two starts against them in 2019. 

Jacob Waguespack will be making his first big league start and his third appearance in the majors overall.  He has a 5.00 ERA in his two previous appearances.  He hasn’t even been good in the minors, going 2-6 with a 5.30 ERA at Buffalo across 11 starts and one relief appearance.  He certainly won’t fare well against the Red Sox tonight. 

Cashner is 8-2 (+10.4 units) when facing a team with a losing record this season.  His teams are winning by 3.6 runs per game in this spot.  Cashner is 5-0 (+8.3 units) when the total is 10 or higher this season.  His teams are winning by 7.0 runs per game in this spot.  Bet the Red Sox on the Run Line Tuesday. 

20* MLB Monday No-Doubt Rout on Cleveland Indians -1.5 (-110) 

The Cleveland Indians are in the thick of the wild card race and are still trying to catch the Minnesota Twins in the AL Central.  They have a lot more to play for than the Tigers, who are 29-59 on the season.  The Indians have owned the Tigers this season, going 8-1 against them while winning seven of those meetings by 2 runs or more. 

Adam Plutko has held his own as a starter this season, going 3-1 with a 4.26 ERA and 1.011 WHIP in six starts, including 1-0 with a 3.14 ERA and 0.977 WHIP in his last three.  Plutko is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA and 1.000 WHIP in two career starts against Detroit as well. 

Daniel Norris is 2-8 with a 5.03 ERA and 1.397 WHIP in 15 starts this season, 1-4 with a 5.36 ERA and 1.450 WHIP in nine road starts, and 0-3 with a 7.41 ERA and 1.471 WHIP in his last three starts overall.  Norris faced Cleveland on June 23rd, allowing 6 runs in 7 innings of a 3-8 loss in his only start against them this season. 

Detroit is 9-30 vs. a team with a winning record this season, losing by 2.5 runs per game on average.  The Tigers are 8-27 vs. a starting pitcher that allows 5.5 or fewer hits per start this season, losing by 3.0 runs per game.  Cleveland is 13-1 vs. AL teams that score 3.9 or fewer runs per game this season, winning by 3.7 runs per game.  The Indians are 4-0 in Plutko’s last four starts.  Cleveland is 9-2 in its last 11 vs. a left-handed starter.  The Tigers are 12-40 in their last 52 games overall.  Bet the Indians on the Run Line Monday. 

20* AL Central GAME OF THE MONTH on Cleveland Indians -136 

The Cleveland Indians went into the break just 5.5 games back of the Twins in the AL Central.  After losing the first two games of this series, they are now 7.5 games back and in desperate need of a win.  I expect the Indians to be highly motivated in Game 3 today to avoid the sweep. 

Shane Bieber earned an All-Star bid and shined by striking out the side in his lone inning to earn MVP honors.  Bieber is 8-3 with a 3.43 ERA and 0.988 WHIP in 18 starts this season, including 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA and 0.656 WHIP in his last three.  He has never lost to the Twins, going 2-0 with a 3.65 ERA in four career starts against them. 

Jose Berrios is 3-16 (-15 units) in road games in the second half of the season over the last three seasons.  The Twins are 1-4 in Berrios’ last five starts.  Minnesota is 0-4 in its last four Sunday games.  Cleveland is 9-2 in its last 11 games following a loss.  The Indians are 7-0 in Bieber’s last seven starts after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.  Bet the Indians Sunday. 

20* NL GAME OF THE WEEK on San Diego Padres -115 

The San Diego Padres get the nod today as short home favorites over the Atlanta Braves.  I expect them to bounce back from a Game 1 loss yesterday and to get a win here thanks to their edge on the mound. 

Joey Lucchesi has been dominant at home this season.  Indeed, he is 6-2 with a 2.76 ERA and 1.040 WHIP in 10 home starts.  He also has the advantage of having never faced the Braves, so they won’t know what to expect from him. 

Julio Teheran has struggled on the road this season, going 2-4 with a 4.61 ERA and 1.359 WHIP in 11 starts away from home.  He is also 0-1 with a 6.08 ERA and 2.026 WHIP in his last three starts.  Teheran faced the Padres on April 30th earlier this season, allowing 3 homers and 4 runs in 7 innings of a 3-4 defeat. 

The Padres are 8-2 in their last 10 vs. a team with a winning record.  San Diego is 6-1 in Lucchesi’s last seven starts vs. NL East opponents.  The Braves are 1-5 in Teheran’s last six starts when working on 7 or more days’ rest.  Bet the Padres Saturday. 

20* MLB Friday No-Doubt Rout on Colorado Rockies -125 

The All-Star Break came at a perfect time for the Colorado Rockies.  They lost six in a row heading into the break to fall to 44-45 on the season.  Still, they are right in the wild card hunt and ready to take advantage of their seven-game home stand coming out of the break. 

Jon Gray is 9-6 with a 3.93 ERA in 18 starts for the Rockies this season, including 4-1 with a 3.37 ERA in seven home starts, which is impressive at Coors Field. 

Jon Gray has never lost to the Reds, going 4-0 with a 4.76 ERA in four career starts against them.  He’ll be up against Sonny Gray, who is 1-3 with a 3.79 ERA in seven road starts this season. 

The Reds are 0-4 in their last four road games.  Cincinnati is 1-5 in Gray’s last six starts vs. a team with a losing record.  The Rockies are 35-17 in their last 52 home games vs. a right-handed starter.  Colorado is 4-0 in Gray’s last four home starts.  Bet the Rockies Friday. 

20* Interleague GAME OF THE WEEK on Washington Nationals -1.5 (-125) 

The Washington Nationals have had a tremendous turnaround prior to the All-Star Break to get to 46-42 on the season and back in the NL East race.  They have gone 9-2 in their last 11 games overall with seven of those wins coming by two runs or more. 

Thanks to their edge on the mound here, the Nationals should easily win by 2-plus runs today.  Pat Corbin is 7-5 with a 3.55 ERA and 1.138 WHIP in 17 starts this season, including 4-1 with a 2.06 ERA and 0.882 WHIP in eight home starts. 

The Royals are 2-8 in their last 10 games overall with all eight losses coming by two runs or more.  Jake Junis is 4-8 with a 5.53 ERA and 1.480 WHIP in 18 starts this season for the Royals. 

Kansas City is 21-51 in its last 72 road games.  The Royals are 0-4 in Junis’ last four interleague starts.  Washington is 27-11 in its last 38 games overall.  The Nationals are 4-0 in Corbin’s last four home starts.  Bet the Nationals on the Run Line Sunday. 

20* MLB Saturday Late-Night BAILOUT on Oakland A’s -136 

The Oakland A’s are 6-1 in their last 7 games overall and coming on strong prior to the All-Star Break.  They would love to win these final two games and put themselves in better position to win the AL West or grab a wild card spot.   

Conversely, the Mariners just can’t wait for the break.  They are playing terrible going in with a 1-7 record in their last eight games overall.  I think given the motivation of these two teams, we are getting the A’s at a great value tonight. 

The A’s have the obvious edge on the mound too with Chris Bassitt.  He is 5-3 with a 3.80 ERA in 13 starts this season, including 2-1 with a 3.52 ERA in seven road starts.  Bassitt has posted a 3.45 ERA in five career starts against the Mariners as well. 

Marco Gonzalez is 9-7 with a 4.39 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in 19 starts this season, including 4-4 with a 6.00 ERA and 1.52 WHIP in nine home starts.  He has been terrible in Seattle, and I see no reason that changes here. 

The Mariners are 1-11 in their last 12 Saturday games.  Seattle is 1-4 in Gonzalez’s last five home starts.  The Mariners are 13-27 in their last 40 home games.  The A’s are 7-1 in their last eight vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.  Oakland is 18-5 in its last 23 road games.  Bet the A’s Saturday. 

20* NL Central GAME OF THE MONTH on Milwaukee Brewers -110 

The Milwaukee Brewers come into this series with the Pittsburgh Pirates highly motivated for a victory.  They just lost three straight to the Reds last series and certainly don’t want to lose four in a row. 

Meanwhile, the Pirates are feeling good after taking three of four from the Cubs last series and could suffer a letdown because of it.  Pittsburgh starter Steven Brault is fortunate to have a 3.46 ERA in spite of his 1.590 WHIP across eight starts this season.  He has already walked 19 batters in 39 innings and his lack of control will catch up to him. 

Zach Davies is one of the more underrated starters in baseball.  He is 7-2 with a 3.24 ERA in 17 starts for the Brewers this season, including 3-1 with a 3.02 ERA in nine road starts.  Davies has allowed 3 earned runs or fewer in each of his last seven starts against the Pirates, including 2 runs or less in six of those.  He has posted a 2.41 ERA in those seven starts while yielding just 11 earned runs in 41 innings. 

Milwaukee is 12-1 after batting .200 or worse over a 5-game spend over the last three seasons.  The Brewers are 20-4 off an un upset loss to a division rival as a favorite over the last two seasons.  Milwaukee is 26-7 after scoring 4 runs or less in three straight games over the last two years.  Bet the Brewers Friday. 

20* MLB Thursday No-Doubt Rout on Chicago Cubs -120 

The Chicago Cubs will be highly motivated for a victory tonight after losing the first three games of this series to the Pittsburgh Pirates.  I expect them to take Game 4 Thursday and avoid the sweep. 

Jose Quintana is coming off a great start in which he pitched six shutout innings at Cincinnati in a 6-0 victory.  Quintana owns the Pirates, going 2-1 with a 2.31 ERA and 1.029 WHIP in six career starts against them.  He shut them out in 7 innings with 11 K’s in a 2-0 victory over them in his only start against them in 2019. 

Jordan Lyles is having a solid season overall, but he has struggled of late.  Lyles is 0-2 with a 6.00 ERA and 1.667 WHIP in his last three starts.  He has given up three homers, 10 earned runs and 25 base runners in 15 innings during this stretch. 

Lyles is 0-14 in July games in his career, and his teams are losing by 3.8 runs per game in this spot.  The Cubs are 36-17 in their last 54 during Game 4 of a series.  The Pirates are 0-4 in Lyles’ last four starts.  Bet the Cubs Thursday. 

15* MLB Wednesday No-Doubt Rout on San Diego Padres -123 

The San Diego Padres come in highly motivated for a victory tonight.  They have lost the first two games of this series to the San Francisco Giants and want to avoid the sweep with a win in Game 3 tonight. 

I think that motivation will certainly help them overcome what appears to be a disadvantage on the mound with Cal Quantrill against Shaun Anderson.  Quantrill has never faced the Giants, which gives him the edge in that matchup.  The Padres just saw Anderson on June 12th. 

San Francisco is 4-20 off four or more consecutive overs over the last three seasons.  The Giants are 16-35 in their last 51 during Game 3 of a series.  The Padres are 4-1 in their last five games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.  San Diego also wants revenge from four straight losses to the Giants overall.  Take the Padres Wednesday. 

20* MLB DOG OF THE WEEK on Oakland A’s +103 

The Oakland A’s should not be home underdogs to the Minnesota Twins tonight.  They are playing their best baseball of the season, going 11-3 in their last 14 games overall.  The Twins are just 1-4 in their last five games. 

The A’s have a big edge on the mound tonight over the Twins. Mike Fiers is 5-1 with a 2.17 ERA and 0.886 WHIP in eight home starts this season.  He is 2-0 with a 0.93 ERA in his last three starts.  Fiers owns the Twins, going 6-1 (9-1 money line) with a 2.91 ERA in 10 career starts against them. 

Kyle Gibson is no match for Fiers.  He is 8-4 with a 4.26 ERA in 15 starts this season, including 3-3 with a 4.68 ERA in eight road starts.  He is also 2-2 with a 4.03 ERA and 1.657 WHIP in four career starts against the A’s. 

Fiers is 11-0 vs. poor base running teams that average 0.5 or fewer stolen bases per game in the second half of the season over the last two seasons. Oakland is 46-12 in its last 58 vs. AL Central opponents, including 9-1 this season.  The A’s are 5-0 in Fiers’ last five starts.  Oakland is 35-17 in its last 52 meetings with Minnesota.  Bet the A’s Wednesday. 

15* Interleague PLAY OF THE DAY on Houston Astros -130 

The Houston Astros should be much bigger favorites over the Colorado Rockies tonight considering they have the edge on the mound, at the plate and in the bullpen in this one. 

Wade Miley has been one of the most underrated starters in baseball this season.  He is 6-4 with a 3.39 ERA and 1.171 WHIP in 17 starts this season, and the Astros have gone 11-6 (+5 units) in those 17 starts.  Miley owns the Rockies, going 7-2 with a 3.81 ERA in 14 career starts against them. 

Peter Lambert has had a rough start to his rookie season for the Rockies.  Indeed, he is 2-0 in spite of a 6.57 ERA and 1.459 WHIP in five starts this season.  He is 1-0 with a 9.94 ERA and 1.815 WHIP in three home starts, and 0-0 with an 11.37 ERA and 2.052 WHIP in his last three starts overall. 

Miley is 10-0 as a favorite of -125 to -175 over the last two seasons.  Houston is 24-4 in road games off a win by 2 runs or less over the last two seasons.  The Astros are 9-2 in the last 11 meetings.  Roll with the Astros Wednesday. 

20* MLB Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on Texas Rangers -136 

The Texas Rangers have been one of the most underrated teams in baseball this season.  They are 28-15 (+17.8 units) at home this year while scoring 5.7 runs per game in Arlington. 

Speaking of underrated, ace Mike Minor gets the ball tonight for the Rangers.  He is putting up Cy Young-like numbers at 8-4 with a 2.40 ERA in 17 starts, including 4-2 with a 2.02 ERA in eight home starts. 

Not to mention, Minor has never lost to the Angels, going 3-0 with a 2.03 ERA in five career starts against them.  He has faced them twice in 2019, allowing just one earned run in 15 innings.  He’ll be opposed by Jose Suarez, who is 2-1 with a 5.57 ERA and 1.475 WHIP in four starts for the Angels this season. 

Texas is 6-0 in home games after scoring two runs or less this season.  Los Angeles is 14-38 in its last 52 road games vs. a team with a winning record. The Rangers are 5-0 in Minor’s last five starts.  Texas is 7-1 in its last eight home games vs. a left-handed starter.  Bet the Rangers Tuesday. 

15* MLB Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on Cincinnati Reds +100 

I like the Reds to bounce back from a tough loss to the Brewers in Game 1 of this series yesterday.  They blew a two-run lead late and lost 8-6.  The Brewers used their setup man and closer and will be short on bullpen arms tonight. 

That’s not good news for them considering starter Chase Anderson is only averaging 4.7 innings per start in his 10 starts this season.  He is 3-2 with a 4.40 ERA in those 10 starts, including 1-1 with a 6.26 ERA in his last three.  Anderson is 0-2 with a 9.34 ERA in his last two starts against the Reds, giving up 9 earned runs in 8 2/3 innings. 

Tanner Roark is the better starter in this matchup.  He is 5-6 with a 3.36 ERA in 16 starts this season, including 1.1 with a 1.96 ERA in his last three.  Roark owns the Brewers, going 5-2 with a 2.90 ERA and 1.034 WHIP in nine career starts against them. 

The Reds are 6-2 in their last eight home games.  The Brewers are 0-6 in their last six Tuesday games.  Cincinnati wants revenge after losing six straight home meetings with the Brewers.  Take the Reds Tuesday. 

15* MLB Run Line PLAY OF THE DAY on Tampa Bay Rays -1.5 (-131) 

Instead of laying -280 on the Rays today, I’ll gladly pay half price and back them on the Run Line at around -130 to win by two runs or more.  They are facing the hapless Orioles, who are 24-59 on the season. 

Charlie Morton is putting up Cy Young-like numbers this season for the Rays and he’ll get the ball tonight.  Morton is 8-2 with a 2.43 ERA and 1.050 WHIP in 17 starts this season with 120 K’s in 100 innings.  He has pitched 9 shutout innings for a 0.00 ERA in his last two starts against the Orioles. 

The Orioles are 10-47 in their last 57 road games vs. a right-handed starter.  The Rays are 15-3 in their last 18 home meetings with Baltimore.  Tampa Bay is 8-2 in its last 10 meetings with the Orioles.  Roll with the Rays on the Run Line Tuesday. 

20* MLB Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Arizona Diamondbacks -138 

The Arizona Diamondbacks have a huge edge on the mound today with Zack Greinke over Drew Pomeranz.  They should be much bigger favorites as a result. 

Greinke is 8-3 with a 3.08 ERA and 0.954 WHIP in 17 starts this season, including 5-2 with a 2.78 ERA and 0.873 WHIP in nine road starts.  Greinke owns the Giants, going 12-3 with a 2.34 ERA and 1.033 WHIP in 19 career starts against them. 

Pomeranz is 2-8 with a 6.79 ERA and 1.748 WHIP in 14 starts this season for the Giants.  He has never beaten the Diamondbacks, going 0-4 with a 9.10 ERA and 2.093 WHIP in seven career starts against them. 

Greinke’s teams are 31-6 vs. NL teams that score 4 or less runs per game in the second half of the season in his career.  The Diamondbacks are 7-0 in Greinke’s last seven Saturday starts.  Arizona is 34-13 in Greinke’s last 47 starts vs. a team with a losing record.  Bet the Diamondbacks Saturday. 

20* MLB Friday Late-Night BAILOUT on Arizona Diamondbacks -105 

The Arizona Diamondbacks get the nod Friday at basically even money against the San Francisco Giants.  The Diamondbacks are playing well having won four of their last five.  They have been one of the best road teams in baseball at 25-19 on the season as well. 

Arizona goes with the underrated Merrill Kelly tonight.  He is 7-7 with a 3.93 ERA in 16 starts this season, including 1-1 with a 3.20 ERA in his last three. Kelly is also 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA in two career starts against San Francisco. 

Shaun Anderson is 2-2 with a 3.94 ERA in eight starts this season for the Giants, including 1-1 with a 4.29 ERA in four home starts.  Anderson is also 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA and 1.455 WHIP in two career starts against Arizona. 

The Diamondbacks are 7-0 in road games vs. teams who are outscored by one or more runs per game this season.  Arizona is 4-0 in Kelly’s last four starts on four days’ rest.  San Francisco is 17-45 in its last 62 vs. a team with a winning record.  Bet the Diamondbacks Friday. 

20* MLB Thursday No-Doubt Rout on Arizona Diamondbacks -102 

The Arizona Diamondbacks have a big edge on the mound today with Alex Young over Tyler Beede.  They also have the edge at the plate as they score 5.2 runs per game, indulging 5.8 per game on the road.  The Giants score 3.9 per game and 3.2 per game at home. 

Arizona left-hander Alex Young will be making his major league debut for the Diamondbacks today.  I always like taking left-handers who are making their debuts because they are so difficult to hit. 

But this play is more about a fade of Tyler Beede than anything.  He is 1-1 with a 7.07 ERA and 1.786 WHIP in six starts this season.  He has faced Arizona twice in his career, going 0-0 with a 6.75 ERA and 2.125 WHIP in those two outings. 

The Diamondbacks are 7-3 in their last 10 road games.  Arizona is 6-1 in its last seven after allowing two runs or less in their previous game.  The Giants are 1-4 in their last five vs. a left-handed starter.  Arizona is 4-0 in its last four trips to San Francisco.  Bet the Diamondbacks Thursday. 

20* MLB Wednesday No-Doubt Rout on Texas Rangers -102 

The Texas Rangers have been flying under the radar all season.  They have now won three straight to get to 43-36 on the season and right in the wild card race. 

Speaking of underrated, Texas starter Mike Minor has been putting up Cy Young numbers this season.  He is 7-4 with a 2.52 ERA and 1.148 WHIP in 16 starts with 103 K’s in 103 2/3 innings. 

Matt Boyd got off to a great start this season, but he has struggled of late and come back down to reality.  Boyd is 0-1 with a 6.35 ERA and 1.529 WHIP in his last three starts.  He is also 1-5 with a 6.54 ERA and 1.484 WHP in six career starts against Texas. 

The Tigers are 1-9 in their last 10 games overall to drop to 26-48 on the season.  The Rangers are 4-0 in Minor’s last four starts.  Texas is 6-1 in its lsat seven vs. a team with a winning % below .400.  The Tigers are 0-4 in Boyd’s last four starts.  Detroit is 0-5 in Boyd’s last five starts vs. a team with a winning record.  Bet the Rangers Wednesday. 

20* MLB Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on Houston Astros -1.5 (-125) 

Gerrit Cole finally gets a chance to face his former team in the Pittsburgh Pirates.  It’s safe to say emotions will be high for him tonight as Cole is already an emotional guy as it is.  He will be motivated to beat his former team. 

Not to mention, the Astros have lost seven of their last eight, so they return home motivated as a team also.  Cole is 6-5 with a 3.54 ERA and 1.024 WHIP in 16 starts this season with 148 K’s in 96 2/3 innings. 

Trevor Williams gets the start for the Pirates.  He is 2-1 with a 4.12 ERA in 10 starts this season.  However, Williams recently returned from a one-month absence due to injury and gave up 7 earned runs in 5 innings on June 19th to the lowly Detroit Tigers.  I can’t imagine he’ll fare well against a much better Houston lineup here. 

The Pirates are 2-8 in their last 10 road games.  Pittsburgh is 1-7 in its last eight vs. a team with a winning record.  Houston is 11-1 in Cole’s last 12 home starts vs. a team with a losing record.  The Astros are 8-2 in Cole’s last 10 starts overall.  Bet the Astros on the Run Line Tuesday. 

20* MLB Monday No-Doubt Rout on Philadelphia Phillies -125

The Philadelphia Phillies will be highly motivated for a victory today against the New York Mets.  They were just just swept by the lowly Miami Marlins and have now lost seven straight overall. 

The Phillies have a big advantage on the mound today behind Zach Eflin.  He is 6-7 with a 2.83 ERA and 1.163 WHIP in 14 starts this season, including 4-2 with a 2.13 ERA and 0.992 WHIP in six home starts. 

Steven Matz is 5-5 with a 4.28 ERA and 1.371 WHIP in 14 starts for the Mets.  He has been terrible on the road, going 2-5 with a 6.21 ERA and 1.593 WHIP in eight road starts.  Matz is 1-3 with a 5.02 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in seven career starts against the Phillies. 

The Mets are 0-6 in their last six during Game 1 of a series.  New York is 1-5 with Katz’s last six road starts.  The Phillies are 28-11 in their last 39 home games vs. a left-handed starter.  Philadelphia is 5-0 in Efflin’s last five home starts vs. a team with a losing record.  The Mets are 1-4 in Matz’s last five starts against Philadelphia.  Bet the Phillies Monday. 

20* MLB TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Orioles/Mariners OVER 9 

The Mariners are 54-22 to the OVER this season, including 26-11 in home games.  It’s the gift that keeps on giving, and it has the past two games in this series as the Orioles and Mariners combined for 19 runs Friday and 12 runs Saturday.  And now we’re once again seeing a total of only 9 here. 

This total should be much higher considering these starting pitchers and these bullpens.  Both bullpens are atrocious as the Orioles have a 6.34 ERA on the season, while the Mariners have a 5.32 ERA.  Both offenses are respectable, especially Seattle, which puts up 5.4 runs per game against right-handed starters. 

Gabriel Ynoa is 0-3 with a 5.68 ERA in five starts for the Orioles this Eason, including 0-1 with a 7.15 ERA in two road starts.  Yusei Kikuchi is 3-5 with a 5.15 ERA in 16 starts, 1-3 with a 5.67 ERA in seven home starts, and 0-2 with an 8.78 ERA in his last three starts. 

Seattle is 9-1 OVER vs. a terrible bullpen with an ERA of 5.20 or worse this season.  The Mariners are 16-2 OVER after winning two of its last three games this season.  Kikuchi is 13-2-1 to the OVER in all starts this season.  The OVER is 6-0-1 in Kikuchi’s last seven home starts.  The OVER is 8-2-1 in Orioles last 11 games overall.  Bet the OVER in this game Sunday. 

15* MLB Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Arizona Diamondbacks -142 

It’s safe to say the Arizona Diamondbacks will be highly motivated for a victory Sunday.  They have lost six straight overall, including the first two games of this series to the Giants.  They desperately want to end this skid and avoid the sweep today at home. 

The Diamondbacks have a big edge on the mound today with Merrill Kelly, who is 7-7 with a 3.99 ERA in 15 starts this season, including 3-3 with a 3.05 ERA in seven home starts.  Kelly pitched 5 1/3 shutout innings in a 7-0 home victory over the Giants on May 17th in his only career start against them. 

Shaun Anderson is 2-2 with a 4.08 ERA and 1.386 WHIP in seven starts for the Giants this season.  One of those starts came against Arizona on May 26th in which he allowed 6 runs, 4 earned, and 10 base runners in 5 innings of a 2-6 defeat. 

San Francisco is 0-11 off five or more consecutive ‘overs’ over the last three seasons.  The Giants are 10-28 in their last 38 during Game 3 of a series.  The Diamondbacks are 5-1 in their last six during Game 3 of a series.  Roll with the Diamondbacks Sunday.