*3 Star MLB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers have had some really high scoring games this year. These are two teams with questionable rotations and bullpens that are taxed right now. The ball is really flying well at Great American Ballpark with a temperature around 90 degrees in Cincinnati. We have a favorable umpire for this one and two pitchers with plenty of blowup potential. I was surprised to be able to get this price in this matchup.

The over is 7-0-1 in the Brewers last 8 road games. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 road games vs. a team with a losing home record. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more last game. The over is 4-0-1 in their last 5 road games vs. a righty. The over is 7-0-2 in their last 9 following a win. The over is 5-0 in their last 5 vs. the NL Central. The over is 5-0-1 in their last 6 road games with a total of 7 to 8.5. The over is 4-0-1 in Jimmy Nelson's last 5 starts vs. the NL Central. The over is 8-0 in the Reds last 8 home games vs. a team with a losing record. The over is 4-0 in the Reds last 4 following a loss. A 52-0 angle. Take the over. 

*4 Star MLB Run Line ROUT* The Baltimore Orioles have played some really bad baseball in recent weeks. It's hard to expect things to go any better on Sunday for them as they have Chris Tillman on the mound up again a fantastic Toronto Blue Jays offense. To say that Tillman has been bad against the Blue Jays is a big understatement. In 18 career starts, he has a 5.68 ERA. He has faced them four times this year, and he has a whopping 15.00 ERA in those four starts. Marco Estrada has been a nice surprise for Toronto and I think he'll get the run support he needs. Take Toronto -1.5. 

*4 Star MLB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Texas Rangers are good against right handed pitching and Jered Weaver isn't even close to the pitcher he used to be. Weaver is out there throwing 83 mph fastballs on a consistent basis, and it's tough to get big league hitters out doing that unless you are spotting the ball perfectly every single time. Texas' offense has been hot of late, and I see them getting several in this one. The Angels offense has been a disappointment this year, but their career numbers against Derek Holland are terrific. In 119 and 1/3 career innings against the Angels, Holland has a 5.88 ERA. Texas' bullpen is arguably the worst in all of baseball. There should be plenty of scoring chances in this one. 

The over is 4-0-1 in the Rangers last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. The over is 5-0-1 in Holland's last 6 Saturday starts. The over is 7-0 in the Angels last 7 vs. a pitcher with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 home games. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 with a total of 7 to 8.5. The over is 4-0 in Holland's last 4 starts vs. the Angels. The over is 5-0 in home plate umpire Marty Foster's last 5 games behind the plate in a game involving the Angels. A 33-0 angle. Take the over. 

*3 Star MLB Play of Day* The Boston Red Sox offense has been amazing in the past 30 days. They rank 3rd in on base percentage during the past month. Joe Kelly was really bad for a long time this year, but he has turned things around a lot in recent outings. Kelly has allowed 2 runs or less in each of his last five starts. Philadelphia's offense has been much better against lefties than righties this year. On the other hand, Boston has torched left handed pitching in the past month. Only Toronto has better numbers against lefties during that time. Adam Morgan has poor peripherals and he never dominated in the minors. Boston's offense should do quite a bit of damage against Morgan in this one. The Red Sox are 6-0 in Kelly's last 6 starts. I like the Red Sox to win comfortably. Take Boston -1.5. 

*3 Star MLB Play of Day* The Washington Nationals come home to play the lowly Atlanta Braves on Thursday night. Atlanta was a team I was low on coming into the year. The Braves somehow held their own and were a .500 team for a long time. Now, the bottom has fallen out. The Braves are 14-38 in their last 52 games. Atlanta comes into this game having lost eight games in a row. In those eight games, the Braves have lost by a a combined 48 runs. All 8 of those games they have lost by at least two runs. This team is playing the worst baseball in the majors. Washington's Jordan Zimmermann has a great 2.59 ERA against the Braves in his career. Matt Wisler has a 6.52 ERA on the road this season. Take Washington -1.5. 

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* The Los Angeles Dodgers have taken the first two games of this series, and in last night's game we did see the pitching duel I expected. I took the under in that one, and I'm taking the under again here. Mike Leake certainly isn't the pitcher Madison Bumgarner is, but Leake is a solid guy who will be facing a Dodgers lineup that is less than 100 percent. The San Francisco Giants lineup is way less than 100 percent healthy. San Francisco really misses Hunter Pence and Joe Panik, and Brandon Crawford is questionable for this game as well. Clayton Kershaw is nothing short of awesome. Kershaw has allowed more than one run in only one of his last ten starts. That's a ridiculous run, and the under is 20-5-2 in his last 27 starts vs. the Giants. Muchlinksi is behind the plate here and he's a solid under umpire.

The under is 3-0-2 in the Giants last 5 Wednesday games. The under is 5-0 in the Dodgers last 5 games with a total of 6.5 or lower. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 following a win. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 after their opponent allows 2 runs or less. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 as a home favorite of -201 or higher. The under is 7-0 in Kershaw's last 7 starts on 4 days of rest. The under is 5-0 in his last 5 home starts. The under is 4-0 in his last 4 home starts as a favorite of -201 or higher. The under is 5-0 in his last 5 home starts with a total of 6.5 or lower. A 43-0 angle. Take the under. 

*3 Star MLB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The St. Louis Cardinals have been the best team in baseball throughout the course of the year. I continue to be surprised at the little respect they receive from the oddsmakers. St. Louis is definitely beat up right now with several key players out with injuries, but they keep finding ways to come back and win games like they have against Washington in the first two of this series. Max Scherzer has given up at least 3 runs in his last 5 starts. Michael Wacha is lights out at home. The Cardinals have the bullpen edge, and they are a whopping 48-19 at home this year. At this price, I'll gladly take the home team.

The Nationals are 0-4 in Scherzer's last 4 starts. They are 0-4 in their last 4 games with a total of 6.5 or lower. They are 0-4 in their last 4 vs. a starter with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower. They are 0-6 in their last 6 road games with a total of 6.5 or lower. They are 0-4 in their last 4 road games vs. a team with a home win percentage of 60% or higher. The Cardinals are 4-0 in their last 4 during game 3 of a series. They are 4-0 in their last 4 vs. a team with a winning record. They are 4-0 in their last 4 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more last game. They are 4-0 in their last 4 Wednesday games. They are 6-0 in Wacha's last 6 home starts with a total of 6.5 or lower. They are 5-0 in his last 5 starts as a favorite. They are 4-0 in his last 4 home starts vs. a team with a winning record. A 53-0 angle. Take St. Louis. 

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Kansas City Royals have the second best team batting average in baseball. The Detroit Tigers have the best team batting average in baseball. Two of the best offenses do battle in Kansas City on Wednesday night. Randy Wolf starts for the Tigers and I really don't know how he made it back to the big leagues. Wolf wasn't any good in the majors a couple years ago, but the Tigers badly needed a started and have given him a shot. Wolf has been pretty good in his first couple starts, but I don't think that continues. Yordano Ventura has been good lately, but he has a career 4.56 ERA against Detroit. Herrera is out for KC right now and that makes their bullpen a little less dominant. The Tigers bullpen isn't any good. Too low of a number. Take the over. 

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* The San Francisco Giants lost in heartbreaking fashion to the Dodgers in extra innings last night. Madison Bumgarner is the ultimate stopper, and he has been amazing against the Dodgers in the past. Bumgarner needs to work deep into this game because the Giants used up their bullpen a lot last night. Having him around for even longer is a good thing for the under. Bumgarner has a career ERA of 2.08 at Dodger Stadium. Greinke has been amazing all season, and he's even better at home. Greinke has an ERA of 1.42 at home this year. There won't be many baserunners in this game. The under is 6-1-1 in Bumgarner's last 8 starts at Los Angeles. Take the under. 

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The Miami Marlins rank dead last in the majors in offense vs. right handed pitching, but they are 10th against lefties. They'll be up against a lefty tonight. Manny Banuelos starts for the Braves and he has been really shaky in his big league starts thus far. Lefty Justin Nicolino starts for the Marlins. Nicolino is a really good prospect, and he's up against an Atlanta offense that has been awful against lefties all year. Atlanta seems to have given up in recent days, and Miami is still fighting. Miami has the much better bullpen here, so if it's close late they have the edge. Take Miami. 

*4 Star MLB Play of Day* The Cleveland Indians bats have woken up. It's helped that they have started to get healthy, and Carlos Santana is hitting the ball much better of late. Toronto's offense is the best in the league, and it isn't even close. Cody Anderson had a nice first few starts in the big leagues, but he has been hit around hard since then. Toronto was quieted by Danny Salazar last night. Salazar is an elite young pitcher, but Anderson isn't even close to the same quality. Toronto will get back on track offensively here. Miguel Estrada has been extremely fortunate with batted ball luck and his strand rate this year. I think he is overrated at this point. Jerry Meals is the home plate umpire here and he is known for his small strike zone. Take the over. 

*3 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Baltimore Orioles are playing some really bad baseball of late. Texas is going in the other direction. At this point, the Orioles are almost out of the Wild Card race, while the Rangers are in great position. Miguel Gonzalez has been in bad form lately, and the Rangers offense is hot now. The ball will be flying well with a 96 degree day in Texas, and I think that's bad for Gonzelez. Derek Holland has pitched well in Arlington in his career. Take Texas. 

*3 Star MLB Run Line Value* In his last 7 starts, Stephen Strasburg hasn't allowed more than two runs in any single contest. Strasburg looks healthier than he has looked in a long time. Stanton is still out of the lineup for Miami and Yelich has been out the last couple days as well. This Miami lineup is really bad. Brad Hand has an ERA of 7.71 in 7 career starts vs. Washington. The Nationals need this game and I think they win easily. Take Washington -1.5. 

*4 Star MLB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Tampa Bay Rays have the 6th best offense in the majors in the past month. Kansas City has a steady offense that is underrated by most. Nate Karns has struggled at home this year. Danny Duffy has struggled with his control, and that has led to a disappointing season for him. With a total this low, I like the value on the over.

The over is 4-0 in the Rays last 4 as a home favorite. The over is 4-0 in the Rays last 4 after a loss. The over is 6-0 in their last 6 as a favorite. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 after allowing 5 runs or more last game. The over is 3-0-1 in Karns' last 4 home starts. The over is 4-0 in his last 4 vs. the AL Central. A 25-0 angle. Take the over. 

*4 Star MLB Early Bird Special* Mark Buehrle has some awful career numbers against the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers are the second best offense in the league, and they are particularly good against lefties. Toronto is the best offense in the league, and Alfredo Simon has allowed at least 5 runs in 5 of his last 10 starts. This Blue Jays offense is raking right now, and Simon has been terrible. Plenty of run scoring in this one. Take the over. 

*3 Star MLB Run Line Value* It's very rare that I play a +1.5 run line, but in this case I'm doing it. The Minnesota Twins have proven people wrong all year. They are right in the thick of the playoff race, and it's primarily thanks to how great they have been at home. Minnesota is 38-24 at home this year. Houston is only 26-36 on the road. Mike Fiers is a good pitcher, but he threw a career high 134 pitches in his no hitter last game. Mike Pelfrey isn't a guy I trust, but he does have an ERA under 2 at home this year. The Astros hitters have been struggling in the past few weeks. A game with a low total and an under umpire in Doug Eddings is a good spot to play a solid home team at +1.5 and a small amount of juice. Take Minnesota +1.5. 

*4 Star MLB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Philadelphia Phillies offense has been surprisingly good for the past month. The Phillies bullpen is really worn out, and they aren't very good to start with. Adam Morgan is a youngster who doesn't have impressive stuff. His peripheral suggest he has been fortunate to not have worse numbers so far this season. Rea is a youngster who comes with little fanfare for the Padres as well. These are two guys who haven't shown much. Andy Fletcher is a solid over umpire with a very small strike zone. The weather will help with an 80 degree night and wind blowing out. 

The over is 3-0-1 in the Padres last 4 as a road favorite. The over is 7-0-1 in their last 8 after scoring 2 runs or less. The over is 4-0-1 in their last 5 following a loss. The over is 6-0 in their last 6 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less last game. The over is 5-0 in their last 5 during game 2 of a series. The over is 4-0-1 in the Phillies last 5 overall. The over is 2-0-2 in their last 4 home games vs. a team with a losing road record. The over is 4-0-1 in their last 5 vs. the NL West. The over is 4-0-1 in their last 5 as an underdog. The over is 5-0-1 in Morgan's last 6 home starts. The over is 3-0-1 in his last 4 on 4 days of rest. The over is 3-0-1 in his last 4 home starts with a total of 8.5 or lower. A 50-0 angle. Take the over. 

*3 Star MLB Red HOT CASH* The Cincinnati Reds lineup isn't producing of late. Outside of Joey Votto, the Reds haven't been able to count on anyone. Milwaukee's lineup isn't even close to what it was before the trade deadline. Raisel Iglesias and Taylor Jungmann are two very talented youngsters. Iglesias has an ERA under 2 in the month of August. Jungmann has an ERA under 2 at home this year. Jungmann also gave up only one run in 8 innings pitched in his outing vs. the Reds in July. With both lineups looking like a mess right now, I think both starters can work deep into this game and pitch well. Take the under. 

*4 Star MLB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Toronto Blue Jays and Detroit Tigers arguably have the two best offenses in baseball. With Miguel Cabrera back, the Tigers offense is once again dangerous. Toronto's numbers against left handed pitching this year are scary good. They have a .357 OBP and average 5.66 runs per game against left handed pitching. Matt Boyd has struggled so far in his career and this is a tough spot for him against his former team. R.A. Dickey hasn't been good lately, and the Tigers have crushed him in the past. Overall, the current Tigers lineup has an amazing .346 average and a .424 OBP against him.

The over is 4-0 in the Tigers last 4 road games. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 as a road underdog. The over is 4-0 in the Blue Jays last 4 when their opponent scores 2 runs or less last game. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 vs. a left handed starter. The over is 6-0 in Dickey's last 6 as a favorite of -150 to -200. The over is 4-0 in Dickey's last 4 starts vs. the Tigers. A 26-0 angle. Take the over. 

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The San Diego Padres have been swinging the bat better of late. The Philadelphia Phillies bullpen is a disaster right now. They have been overworked and they are coming off an extra innings game last night. Ian Kennedy hasn't allowed more than 4 runs in any of his last 10 games. He has a 1.02 ERA in his last three outings overall. The Phillies have the least talent in the majors right now, so at this price I'm going to back the Padres. Take San Diego. 

*3 Star MLB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays are actually pretty similar teams right now. They both have overachieved compared to their real talent levels this year. Both of them struggle badly against right handed pitching, but they are both much better at hitting left handed pitching. How much better? Minnesota has an OBP of .297 against righties and .311 against lefties. Tampa Bay has an OBP of .302 against righties and .327 against lefties. Drew Smyly and Tommy Milone aren't bad pitchers, but neither of them pitch particularly deep into the game, and they are both lefties. Both of these bullpens are bad right now, and I see the potential for scoring in the late innings. Paul Emmel is the home plate umpire here and he is a solid over umpire. 

The over is 4-0 in the Twins last 4 vs. a team with a losing home record. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 on turf. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 Thursday games. The over is 5-0 in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a losing record. The over is 4-0 in the Rays last 4. The over is 5-0 in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning record. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 games with a total of 7 to 8.5. The over is 5-0 in their last 5 games as a favorite. The over is 5-0 in the last 5 games between these two teams in Tampa Bay. The over is 5-0 in Emmel's last 5 Thursday games behind the plate. A 45-0 angle. Take the over. 

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Cincinnati Reds have been much better at hitting left handed pitchers this year than righties. The Reds have a solid .318 on base percentage against lefties. The Dodgers started the year slowly against lefties, but they have been hitting them really well of late. Los Angeles has a very good .337 OBP against lefties this year. Holmberg hasn't been good at all, and I don't see him turning it around against this good offense. Anderson has been shaky in his last few starts. The Dodgers pen has been bad of late and the Reds pen has been bad all year long. Take the over. 

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The Miami Marlins have hit left handed pitching well all year. They can't hit right handers, but they are 7th in the majors at hitting lefties. Jeff Locke has some ridiculous home/away splits. He's really good at home and really bad on the road. Chris Narveson was bad in the minors and I see no reason to believe he'll be good in the majors. The Pirates have 6 homers against him in only 58 total at bats. Pittsburgh's offense should bounce back from a poor outing on Tuesday. The over is 14-4-2 in Locke's last 20 road starts. Take the over here. 

*4 Star MLB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The New York Mets offense is absolutely on fire right now. Jerad Eickhoff had a really good first outing against Miami, but this Mets offense is far tougher than the Marlins offense is to get through. Eickhoff isn't necessarily a bad pitcher, but he'll definitely have some speed bumps. Bartolo Colon has been bad lately. Colon doesn't have the same kind of stuff he's had in the past, and at 42 years old his career is close to an end. The Phillies offense has been surprisingly good in the past few weeks. The ball flies well in Philly this time of the year and both bullpens have struggled in recent weeks.

The over is 6-0 in the Mets last 6 with a total of 7 to 8.5. The over is 4-0 in Colon's last 4 road starts. The over is 6-0 in his last 6 starts as a road favorite. The over is 5-0 in the Phillies last 5 vs. a team with a winning record. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 after allowing 5 runs or more. The over is 6-0 in Colon's last 6 starts vs. the Phillies. A 31-0 angle. Take the over. 

*4 Star MLB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Kansas City Royals continue to play great baseball at home. The oddsmakers have underrated them on their home field all year. Kansas City is 43-20 at home this year. Danny Duffy isn't necessarily a shutdown pitcher, but he is decent. Miguel Gonzalez has been terrible of late. Gonzalez has a 7.56 ERA in his last 3 starts. The Royals are much better against right handed pitching, while the Orioles are slightly better against righties as well. The Royals have a decided advantage in the bullpen. They also have the better defensive team. A good price on a very good home team.

The Orioles are 0-6 in their last 6 vs. the AL Central. They are 0-5 in their last 5 overall. They are 0-5 in their last 5 as an underdog. They are 0-5 in their last 5 with a total of 7 to 8.5. They are 0-5 in Gonzalez's last 5 vs. a team with a winning record. They are 0-4 in his last 4 starts on 4 days of rest. The Royals are 4-0 in Duffy's last 4 as a home favorite. They are 7-0 in his last 7 starts with a total of 7 to 8.5. Kansas City is 7-0 in their last 7 games vs. the Orioles. They are 5-0 in their last 5 home contests vs. Baltimore. A 53-0 angle. Take Kansas City. 

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Miami Marlins offense went through a brief period where they were crushing the ball. Now, they are back to reality. Without Stanton this offense isn't any good. Charlie Morton is a streaky pitcher and he threw a shutout last outing. Brad Hand has been good at home this year, and he is starting to show some promise for the Marlins. Both of these teams have terrific bullpens. Brian O'Nora is behind the plate in this contest and he is definitely a strike caller. Take the under here. 

*3 Star MLB Total PERFECTION* The Colorado Rockies and Atlanta Braves have two of the worst bullpens in baseball. I expect we'll see a lot of both bullpens here, and that's the biggest reason I like the over. Chad Bettis should be on a pitch count in his first start back from an elbow injury. Mike Foltynewicz hasn't shown the ability to pitch deep into games thanks to his wildness. Foltynewicz has given up at least 6 earned runs in 3 of his last 4 starts. He has an ERA of over 6 this season. The Braves offense is much better at home and they have been a solid over play at Turner Field. The Rockies might be without Carlos Gonzalez here, but the lineup is fairly deep. 

The over is 4-0 in Atlanta's last 4 with a total set at 7 to 8.5. The over is 5-0 in Foltynewicz's last 5 starts on 4 days rest. The over is 5-0-1 in his last 6 starts as a home underdog. The over is 4-0 in his last 4 vs. the NL West. The over is 6-0 in his last 6 starts after Atlanta scores 5 runs or more. The over is 4-0 in his last 4 starts with a total of 7 to 8.5. A 28-0 angle. Take the over. 

*4 Star MLB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Kansas City Royals are 42-20 at home this year. The Baltimore Orioles are 23-35 on the road. Medlen makes his first start for the Royals here. He was a good starter in Atlanta, and I think he can hold his own. Ubaldo Jimenez has been good at home this year, but he has been terrible on the road. The Orioles won last time Jimenez pitched, and that was at home, but Jimenez was really wild and fortunate to get let off the hook multiple times. Kansas City has a bullpen edge and a defensive edge here. At this short price, I'm laying it with the home team. 

The Orioles are 0-4 in their last 4 as an underdog. They are 0-5 in their last 5 vs. the AL Central. They are 0-4 in their last 4 games overall. They are 0-4 in Jimenez's last 4 starts vs. the AL Central. Kansas City is 6-0 in their last 6 games vs. Baltimore. They are 4-0 in their last 4 home games vs. the Orioles. A 27-0 angle. Take Kansas City. 

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The Atlanta Braves have one of the worst offenses in baseball against left handed pitching. Colorado's offense is middle of the pack in weighted on base average in the past month. They go to a much more pitcher friendly park here in Atlanta. Julio Teheran has been much better in the last month. Teheran has been great at home all year. He has a 2.44 ERA at home this season. Jorge De La Rosa is throwing the ball better right now than he has at any point throughout the season. With the move up to 7.5, there is value in the under. The wind will be blowing in and there is no significant warmth in Atlanta. Take the under here. 

*4 Star EPIC 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Colorado Rockies crush right handed pitching. The Colorado Rockies also have a bad starting rotation and a really bad bullpen. The Mets have a good rotation, but making a spot start here is Logan Verrett. It's a really tough spot for the young kid who has below average stuff. Verrett has almost no big league experience, and he hasn't been that great in the minors. I don't expect him to go to Coors Field and find success. Day games at Coors Field are well known for their high scoring tendencies. David Hale isn't a good pitcher at all. He has an ERA above 6 and this Mets offense has been on a great run in the first couple games. They should keep it going against him in this one. The number is high for a very good reason.

The over is 6-0 in the Mets last 6 games. The over is 10-0-1 in their last 11 road games vs. a right handed pitcher. The over is 6-0 in the Mets last 6 road games vs. a team with a losing home record. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 vs. a starter with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. The over is 6-0 in their last 6 games after allowing 5 runs or more last game. The over is 5-0 in their last 5 games as a favorite. The over is 3-0-1 in Hale's last 4 starts when the Rockies opponent scores 5 runs or more last game. The over is 4-0-1 in his last 5 as a home underdog. The over is 4-0-1 in his last 5 starts overall. The over is 5-0 in his last 5 home starts. A 53-0 angle. Take the over. 

*4 Star Saturday's Best Bet* The Los Angeles Angels offense has been much better against right handed pitching as compared to lefties this year. Marco Estrada has been fortunate this year, and I see him getting tripped up in this one. Heaney is a decent lefty, but the Blue Jays rake against left handed pitching. They destroyed the ball against a pretty good lefty last night, and I think they'll hit it well again here. A total of just 8 is too low for these two teams on a warm evening in Los Angeles. I expect at least one of these two offenses to have a big day. Take the over here. 

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The Oakland A's are 7-0 in Sonny Gray's last 7 starts when he is a favorite of -110 to -150. Gray is one of the best pitchers in the American League, and Tampa Bay's offense has been bad all year against right handed pitching. Erasmo Ramirez has been good this year, but he has been much worse on the road. The A's are a perfect 4-0 in Gray's last 4 starts vs. Ramirez. The Tampa Bay bullpen is badly injured right now, and Oakland's bullpen has actually been better in recent weeks. Take Oakland here. 

*4 Star MLB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Colorado Rockies and New York Mets had an exciting high scoring affair on Friday night. The ball was leaving the yard at Coors early and often on Friday. I look for a lot more scoring on Saturday night. Jon Niese has struggled in his three starts at Coors in his career (6.75 ERA). Chris Rusin is coming off a great outing, but he isn't a good big league pitcher. The Mets are solid against lefties of late, and Cespedes has been huge for this lineup. Both bullpens have been bad recently, and there should be a bunch of scoring opportunities for both teams.

The over is 5-0 in the Mets last 5. The over is 5-0 in their last 5 as a road favorite. The over is 5-0 in their last 5 after giving up 5 runs or more last game. The over is 5-0 in their last 5 on grass. The over is 3-0-1 in Niese's last 4 starts with a total of 9 or higher. A 23-0 angle. Take the over. 

*3 Star MLB Road Warrior* Yordano Ventura has been inconsistent this year, but his peripherals suggest he is still a talented guy who should be fine in the long run. Kansas City losing the first two games in this series makes this a play for me. Boston has definitely been playing better lately, but this game means more to Kansas City, and the Royals have big edges in many spots here. Barnes isn't a big league quality starter, and the Royals have huge advantages both defensively as well as in the bullpen. Look for the Royals to bounce back here. Take Kansas City. 

*4 Star MLB Moneyline CASH* The Cincinnati Reds are in freefall right now. The Reds are one of those teams that can't wait for the season to end. They just traded away one of their better bats in Marlon Byrd. Todd Frazier has been ice cold since the All Star Break. Billy Hamilton is on the DL. Brandon Phillips is dinged up too. David Holmberg starts for the Reds in this one. Nothing he has done in the minors or the majors would suggest that he is going to be a good big league starter. De La Rosa starts for Arizona, and I've been impressed the way he has improved in the second half of the season. The Diamondbacks are good against lefties. With Inciarte, Pollock, Goldschmitt, and Peralta the Diamondbacks have an underrated lineup. Good price on the road team. Take Arizona. 

*3 Star MLB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Pittsburgh Pirates shut out the San Francisco Giants in game one of this series last night. It's a key series for both teams. Madison Bumgarner starts for San Francisco in this one. There isn't a better big game pitcher in baseball than Bumgarner. The Giants offense really misses Hunter Pence. Jeff Locke has been very good at home throughout his career. San Francisco is better against right handed pitching, so Locke has a good chance of keeping the Giants under control. Bumgarner is throwing it better than he ever has in the regular season, and the Pirates offense has been inconsistent at best of late. 

The under is 4-0-1 in the Giants last 5. The under is 7-0-1 in the Giants last 8 with a total of 7 to 8.5. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 following a loss. The under is 4-0-1 in their last 5 vs. the NL Central. The under is 3-0-1 in their last 4 vs. a team with a winning record. The under is 4-0-2 in Bumgarner's last 6. The under is 3-0-1 in the Giants last 4 after scoring 2 runs or less last game. A 30-0 angle. Take the under. 

*3 Star MLB Oddsmaker ERROR* The Detroit Tigers are a much better team with Miguel Cabrera healthy and hitting in the middle of the order. I realize that's an obvious statement, but I believe the lines we've been seeing with Detroit in recent days suggest the oddsmakers aren't adjusting this team enough now that they are getting healthy. This Tigers offense is capable of big things when they are healthy. Detroit has been crushing the baseball of late, and now they face Colby Lewis. As a team, Detroit's current lineup has an amazing .347 average against Lewis. Justin Verlander has allowed one earned run or less in 5 of his last 7 starts. He is inconsistent, but he has the better offense backing him, and the Tigers deserve to be a bigger favorite at home. Take Detroit. 

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Collin McHugh has been throwing the ball a lot better lately. McHugh has regained control of his offspeed pitches to keep batters off balance. Tampa Bay's offense has been bad for most of the year, and after a brief hot stretch early this month, they have come back down to earth in the last few games. Chris Archer is one of the best pitchers in baseball and he should bounce back nicely from his poor outing in Texas last time out. The Astros have a lot of free swingers, and I think Archer racks up the strikeouts in this one.

The under is 8-1 in McHugh's last 9 starts. The under is 7-0 in his last 7 vs. a team with a losing record. The under is 4-0 in his last 4 vs. the AL East. A 19-1 angle. Take the under. 

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value Play* The Kansas City Royals haven't gotten enough respect all year long. This is a really good team, and they have made themselves a lot better from their trade deadline deals. Ben Zobrist has been awesome for the Royals. Danny Duffy has pitched better late in the year. The Royals offense is deeper than the Red Sox. Boston has been red hot of late, but I'm fading them here when I can get the much better team at even money. Kansas City has a much stronger bullpen and a much better defense as well. Good price on a very good team. Take Kansas City. 

*4 Star MLB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers offenses have been on fire lately. Detroit scored 25 runs in two games in Chicago against the Cubs. The Rangers have scored at least 5 runs in seven of their last nine games. Martin Perez isn't a bad lefty, but the Tigers are second in the league in hitting lefties and with Cabrera back this lineup is very good. Alfredo Simon has been a total gas can in the last couple months. He is fully capable of giving up a huge inning at any time. Plenty of run scoring opportunities for both teams throughout this game.

The over is 4-0 in Texas' last 4 after allowing 2 runs or less last game. The over is 4-0-1 in their last 5 road games with a total of 9 or higher. The over is 5-0 in Perez's last 5 road starts vs. a team with a losing record. The over is 7-0-1 in Simon's last 8 when the Tigers opponent scores 5 runs or more the previous game. The over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these teams in Detroit. A 24-0 angle. Take the over. 

*4 Star MLB Play of Day* The Toronto Blue Jays have a weighted on base average of .356 against left handed pitching this year. The second best weighted on base average against lefties in the majors is .336. Toronto has been amazing against lefties all year and Adam Morgan isn't a special lefty. Morgan is a rookie who has peripherals that suggest he has gotten relatively fortunate so far this year despite having a subpar ERA already. Philadelphia played good baseball right after the break, but they have been bad of late. Mark Buehrle has been surprisingly good this year, and no one on this Phillies team has good career numbers against him. As a team they are hitting .190 against him. Look for the Blue Jays to pile up the runs in this one as they coast to a nice win. Take Toronto -1.5. 

*3 Star MLB Oddsmaker ERROR* The Baltimore Orioles aren't getting the respect they deserve in this one. Baltimore has been playing some very good baseball of late. The Orioles are 38-22 at home this year. They are 12-2 in Ubaldo Jimenez's last 14 home starts. Noah Syndergaard has tremendous stuff, and I don't like going against him, but there's too much value for me to not to here. Syndergaard has struggled away from home thus far. The Mets are 1-7 in his last 8 road starts. The Mets have beaten the Orioles in 9 straight meetings. I think the Orioles are very hungry in this series finale in Baltimore on Wednesday night. The Orioles should be a bigger favorite. Take Baltimore. 

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Atlanta Braves are playing bad baseball of late, especially on the road. San Diego has finally started hitting the baseball in recent days. Julio Teheran will start for Atlanta in this one, and his home/road splits are huge this year. Teheran has a nice 2.44 ERA at home this year. He has an awful 6.75 ERA on the road. Tyson Ross has a career 2.94 ERA at home, and he'll be up against a Braves lineup that has an ugly .287 on base percentage in the last three weeks. The odds here imply that there is a 40% chance of the Padres winning by two or more. I think the chance is close to 50%. At +150, I see this as a nice value. Take San Diego -1.5. 

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The Los Angeles Dodgers lost a heartbreaker last night in Oakland. I like their chances of bouncing back today. Alex Wood is a guy who has strong peripherals and Oakland doesn't hit lefties well at all. I waited on this play to see what the Dodgers lineup looks like today, and it is strong. Jesse Chavez has struggled in recent outings, and the Dodgers offense is one of the best in baseball. While they didn't show it last night, the Dodgers have the bullpen advantage here as well. Good price on the much better team here. Take the Dodgers. 

*4 Star MLB 100% Angle CRUSHER* Jacob Degrom has been throwing the ball extremely well all year, but the stretch he has been on since May is extraordinary. In his last 15 starts, Degrom has allowed more than 2 runs only two times. He has allowed more than 3 runs only once. He is absolutely locked in right now. He is a serious contender for the NL Cy Young award. Kevin Gausman has been up and down in his career, but Gausman has great stuff and he has been much better at home than on the road. Gausman has a 3.38 career home ERA, and his ERA at home this season is just 1.50. The Mets offense has improved lately, but they still aren't good. These are two good defensive teams with good bullpens. 

The under is 5-0 in the Mets last 5 interleague games vs. a team with a winning record. The under is 6-0 in the Orioles last 6 interleague games as an underdog. The under is 3-0-2 in Gausman's last 5 home starts with a total of 8.5 or lower. The under is 6-0-1 in his last 7 starts when the Orioles gave up 2 runs or less last game. The under is 3-0-2 in his last 5 home starts overall. The under is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings between these two teams. A 28-0 angle. Take the under. 

*3 Star MLB Monday MONEY* The Minnesota Twins have been terrible on the road in recent weeks. Minnesota has a weak .296 on base percentage against right handed pitching this year. Bryan Mitchell is a pretty good prospect for the Yankees. He might not pitch deep into the game, but the Yankees have a huge bullpen advantage over Minnesota here. Kyle Gibson is the primary reason for this play. Gibson has a career 10.70 ERA in four career starts vs. the Yankees. This Yankees lineup is absolutely capable of putting up a huge number here. Gibson's career ERA in the month of August is 5.91. The moneyline is -150 here, and I don't like paying that much. Since I believe the Yankees have a real shot at putting up several runs, the run line is the better value at a big plus money price. Take New York -1.5. 

*4 Star MLB Red HOT CASH* The Miami Marlins are playing some terrible baseball right now. Without Stanton the lineup isn't good, and now they are without arguably their second or third  best hitter in Christian Yelich. The Cardinals have some guys down with injuries offensively, but they have youngsters who are more than picking up the slack. Randall Grichuk has been amazing, and Stephen Piscotty is producing in a big way too.

Carlos Martinez is turning into a very good starting pitcher. Martinez has a spectacular 1.47 ERA so far this year. David Phelps has been getting crushed of late, and his daytime ERA this year is 6.17. This is a mismatch in every way. The Marlins aren't likely to score many runs here, and I see St. Louis covering the run line. St. Louis is 23-5 in Martinez's last 28 starts. The Marlins are 0-6 in Phelps' last 6 starts. Take St. Louis -1.5. 

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The Houston Astros and Detroit Tigers meet on Saturday night. Justin Verlander starts for the Tigers. In four of his last six starts, Verlander has allowed one earned run or less. While I'm still cautious about him, there have been some encouraging signs. Collin McHugh has been throwing the ball better of late, and he is due for some better luck. Opponents have had a lot of batted ball luck against him this year, and that should even out over time. The biggest reason for this pick though was who is behind the plate. Bill Miller is my single favorite under umpire in baseball. He routinely has a massive strike zone, and he'll help these pitchers out.

The under is 4-0 in Houston's last 4 after scoring 5 runs or more last game. The under is 6-0 in McHugh's last 6 vs. a team with a losing record. The under is 4-0 in his last 4 starts after the team scored 5 runs or more last game. The under is 7-1 in his last 8 games. The under is 4-0 in Miller's last 4 Saturday games behind the plate. A 25-1 angle. Take the under. 

*3 Star MLB Major MISMATCH* Johnny Cueto is an elite starter, and the Royals are already looking great for picking him up. He's thrown it well in all three of his starts with the team. The Angels offense has been a disappointment this year, and the bottom of their order isn't any good. Kansas City has been awesome at home this year (40-20), and the Royals have the much better bullpen. The Royals offense is undervalued by many. Matt Shoemaker has an ERA of 10.00 in two career starts vs. Kansas City. He's a streaky pitcher, and he was hit hard in his last outing. Shoemaker is much worse on the road too. The moneyline is too expensive for me (I never lay more than -150 in MLB). Take Kansas City -1.5. 

*3 Star MLB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Chicago Cubs are playing their best baseball of the season right now. They are finding ways to win the close games thanks to great bullpen work and timely hitting. Jake Arrieta is one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball. Arrieta has been terrific all year long, and his consistency has been amazing. The White Sox have had a few nice weeks of late offensively, but this is still one of the weaker lineups in baseball. Jose Quintana is a quality pitcher for the White Sox, but the Cubs are really good against left-handed pitching. The Cubs have the starting pitching edge, the lineup edge, and the bullpen edge. 

The Cubs are 7-0 in their last 7 as a favorite of -110 to -150. They are 4-0 in their last 4 road games as a favorite of -110 to -150. They are 6-0 in their last 6 after scoring 5 runs or more. They are 6-0 in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a losing record. They are 4-0 in their last 4 after allowing 5 runs or more. They are 7-0 in Arrieta's last 7 as a road favorite. They are 5-0 in his last 5 with the total set from 7 to 8.5 runs. They are 4-0 in his last 4 road starts vs. a team with a losing record. The White Sox are 0-4 in their last 4 interleague games. They are 0-5 in their last 5 interleague home games. They are 0-4 in Quintana's last 4 starts as an underdog of +110 to +150. A 56-0 angle. Take the Cubs. 

*3 Star MLB Oddsmaker ERROR* The San Diego Padres have Tyson Ross on the mound for this one. Ross is a rare pitcher who has fared well at Coors Field. He has a career 3.75 ERA at Coors. Ross is a guy who gets a ton of ground balls, and that helps a lot in Colorado. The Rockies lineup is still solid, but it's certainly not what it was at the beginning of the year. Yohan Flande starts for the Rockies and I'm not very high on him. San Diego catches the Rockies after a long road trip here, and the Rockies are likely to be the more tired team. Colorado looks listless of late, and I truly believe the Padres should be the clear favorite in this one.

San Diego is 4-0 in their last 4 as a road favorite. They are 5-0 in Ross' last 5 starts on 5 days of rest. They are 4-0 in his last 4 vs. the NL West. The Rockies are 0-5 in their last 5 home games following a road trip of 7 or more days. They are 0-4 in their last 4 overall. They are 0-5 in their past five games against San Diego. A 27-0 angle. Take San Diego. 

*3 Star MLB Run Line Value* The St. Louis Cardinals have been the best team in baseball this year. This is a team with no real weaknesses. St. Louis has a great starting staff, a great bullpen, and a very good lineup. Miami has one of the weakest lineups in baseball. The Marlins have fallen apart late in the year on the road. Miami is 16-37 in their last 53 road games. They are 1-5 in Tom Koehler's last 6 starts. Koehler has thrown the ball well at home in his career, but he has struggled on the road. August has been his worst month of the year by a large margin. Jaime Garcia has been really good this season, and he has been great at home in his career. I'll take the plus money on the run line here. Take St. Louis -1.5. 

*4 Star MLB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Los Angeles Angels staged a major comeback and beat the Kansas City Royals in a 7-6 thriller on Thursday night. That's two nights in a row that Kansas City's excellent bullpen has blown late leads. The Angels haven't been good on the road this year, and the Royals have been totally dominant at home. Jered Weaver isn't a guy I believe in, and I see the Royals as the value side here. Kansas City has a terrific home field advantage, and their offense has been consistent at home all year. The Angels offense has struggled against lefties this season. I expected a bigger price on this one.

The Royals are 6-0 in Duffy's last 6 starts with a total of 7 to 8.5. They are 4-0 in his last 4 home starts. The Angels are 0-5 in their last 5 road games vs. a left handed starter. They are 0-6 in their last 6 during game 2 of a series. They are 0-5 in their last 5 overall vs. a lefty. A 26-0 angle. Take Kansas City. 

*4 Star MLB Run Line ROUT* The Houston Astros host the Detroit Tigers here. Dallas Keuchel has been amazing at home this year. Keuchel is 10-0 at home this year and he has a brilliant ERA of 1.26. The Astros are 10-1 in his 11 home starts this year. Houston has covered the run line in all ten of Keuchel's wins at home. In this one, Alfredo Simon starts for Detroit. Simon has been awful in his last couple months. Simon has allowed 4 runs or more in 8 of his last 9 starts. That's about as bad as you'll see, and Houston's offense has a lot of power hitters who should thrive against a guy like Simon who gives up a lot of home runs. Take Houston -1.5. 

*4 Star MLB Total PERFECTION* The Atlanta Braves have been terrible against left handed pitching all year. Robbie Ray has had a nice season for the Diamondbacks. Julio Teheran has been very good at home this year. Teheran started the year really badly and he didn't find his form until recently, but he has quality stuff and should have a nice career. I expected a lower total in this one, and I'm glad to take the under at this level. 

The under is 7-0 in the Diamondbacks last 7 games as a favorite of -110 to -150. The under is 4-0 in Ray's last 4 starts on 5 days rest. The under is 3-0-1 in his last 4 road starts. The under is 8-0-3 in the Braves last 11 games vs. a lefty. The under is 4-0-2 in the Braves last 6 home games vs. a lefty. The under is 4-0 in Teheran's last 4 home starts with a total of 7 to 8.5. The under is 4-0 in Teheran's last 4 starts vs. the DBacks. A 34-0 angle. Take the under. 

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* The Los Angeles Dodgers host the Cincinnati Reds for the first game of a four game series tonight. Cincinnati has practically packed things up for the season. The Reds have nothing to play for, and it has been showing on the road of late. Cincinnati is 30-65 in their last 95 road games. They are 19-53 in their last 72 as a road underdog. Cincinnati won yesterday, and the Reds are a miserable 3-13 in their last 16 games following a win. The Dodgers are 50-22 in their last 72 home games. Cincinnati is 8-20 in their last 28 games at Los Angeles.

Sampson starts for the Reds here and he is a decent prospect, but this is the toughest task he's had yet. He should have trouble with a very good Dodgers offense. Mat Latos pitches for the Dodgers and he was traded away by the Reds in the offseason. You have to think there is some extra incentive here for Latos. Latos will be helped a lot by Dodger Stadium being pitcher-friendly. Mismatch here. Take Los Angeles -1.5. 

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The New York Mets have Noah Syndergaard on the mound for Thursday afternoon's game against Colorado. Syndergaard is a tremendous pitching prospect with a bright future. Syndergaard has a 1.57 ERA in 57 and 1/3 innings pitched at home this year. He has a 0.98 ERA when pitching during the daytime. Eddie Butler has been beaten up badly often this year. While the Mets offense isn't very good, they have a massive starting pitching advantage and a massive bullpen advantage here. The Mets have beaten the Rockies 7 games in a row. In 6 of those games, they have won by at least two runs. Too expensive on the moneyline, so I'm taking the runline here.

The Rockies are 0-7 in their last 7 games with Butler on the mound against a team with a winning record. They are 0-4 in his last 4 as an underdog. The Mets are 7-0 in their last 7 after allowing 2 runs or less. They are 5-0 in Syndergaard's last 5 home starts. They are 7-0 in their last 7 games against the Rockies. While I won't lay -250 on the moneyline, I'm glad to take the runline here. Take the Mets -1.5. 

*3 Star MLB Late Night BAILOUT* In seven career starts vs. the Dodgers, Jordan Zimmermann has an ERA of 5.00. He also has a 4.95 ERA on the road this year. This Dodgers lineup has crushed right handed pitching this season. Clayton Kershaw is back in his dominant form, and he has a great track record against Washington. He has a 2.31 lifetime ERA against the Nationals. Kershaw dominated them in July, and I think he can do it again here. While it's always scary to take the run line in a game with a total this low, there is no way I'm laying -200. At plus money, the Dodgers run line is a solid investment. The Dodgers are 6-0 in Kershaw's last 6 starts vs. the Nationals. Take Los Angeles -1.5. 

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Gerrit Cole vs. Michael Wacha is quite a pitching matchup. Over his career, Wacha has been much better when pitching at home, and he'll be at home in this one. Cole has really come on this season, and he has turned into one of the best pitchers in baseball. Ron Kulpa is behind the plate here and the under is a whopping 90-58 in his last 148 games behind the plate. Kulpa's massive strike zone is going to help both of these young pitchers. I look for a lot of punch outs throughout this game. A pitcher's duel as both guys go deep into the game. 

The under is 6-1-1 in Cole's last 8 road starts. The under is 6-0 in the Cardinals last 6 during game 2 of a series. The under is 4-0-1 in the last 5 games between these two in St. Louis. A 16-1 angle. Take the under. 

*4 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The San Francisco Giants are coming off a rough road series, but now they are back at home and the Giants are 9-1 in their last 10 home games. Chris Heston has been great at home this year. Heston has a 2.57 ERA at home this year. He faces a Houston Astros lineup that is without one of their best hitters in Carlos Gomez. Scott Feldman toes the rubber for the Astros. Feldman isn't very good, and I think there's a real chance he doesn't stay in the rotation much longer. Advanced metrics suggest he has gotten very fortunate so far this year, and he is due for some regression. 

Houston is 0-9 in Feldman's last 9 starts after scoring 2 runs or less last game. They are 0-4 in his last 4 road starts vs. a team with a winning record. They are 0-7 in his last 7 as a road underdog of +110 to +150. The Astros are 0-6 in their last 6 games as a road underdog. The Giants are 4-0 in their last 4 as a home favorite of -110 to -150. A 30-0 angle. Take San Francisco. 

*3 Star MLB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers meet on Tuesday night. Minnesota is sliding quickly as expected. The Twins simply were never as good as their record looked earlier this year. Minnesota has overachieved in a big way. Texas is trying to make a push in the Wild Card standings. Yovani Gallardo and Kyle Gibson have both been beaten up pretty badly in recent outings. These are two pitchers who are inconsistent and can be hit hard and give up runs in bunches. Also important here is both bullpens rank in the bottom five in the majors. This is the type of game where it wouldn't surprise me to see a lot of runs scored late in the game. 

The over is 4-0 in the Rangers last 4 after scoring 2 runs or less. The over is 5-0 in the Twins last 5 games. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 after a loss. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 after giving up 5 runs or more. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 vs. a right handed pitcher. A 21-0 angle. Take the over. 

*3 Star MLB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Chicago White Sox offense has been bad most of the year. They got red hot for a two or three week period and now they are starting to settle back into their normal range. The Angels offense ranks 21st in the majors in the past month. Chris Sale is one of the best pitchers in baseball. He has been torched in his last two starts, but I think there is a good chance he'll bounce back here. The Angels have a combined batting average of .093 as a team against him. Los Angeles starts Matt Shoemaker, and he has been dealing of late. Shoemaker hasn't allowed a run in any of his last three starts! He's gone 19 innings in a row without giving up a run. 

The under is 5-0-1 in Shoemaker's last 6 starts. The under is 3-0-1 in his last 4 vs. the AL Central. The under is 7-0 in the White Sox last 7 vs. the AL West. The under is 6-0 in Sale's last 6 home starts with a total of 7 or higher. The under is 5-0 in his last 5 home starts vs. a team with a winning record. The under is 6-0 in his last 6 starts during game one of a series. A 32-0 angle. Take the under. 

*4 Star MLB 100% Angle CRUSHER* I generally look for spots to play unders on get away days in Major League Baseball. Here is one of those spots. Vic Carapazza is behind the plate here, and he has one of the biggest strike zones in the majors. Anthony DeSclafani is a pretty good young pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds. DeSclafani has been dealing in his last few outings. All year long he has thrown much better on the road than at home as well. Patrick Corbin is starting to throw the ball better of late outside of his last outing against Washington. The Reds offense has been slumping in a big way of late.

The under is 9-0 in the Reds last 9 with the total set at 7 to 8.5 runs. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 road games. The under is 4-0 in the Reds last 4 when their opponent scores 2 runs or less last game. The under is 6-0-1 in the last 7 games as an underdog. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 as a road underdog. The under is 4-0-1 in their last 5 games vs. a lefty. The under is 7-0 in Arizona's last 7 games as a home favorite. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 home games. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 vs. the NL Central. The under is 6-0 in their last 6 as a -110 to -150 favorite. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 home games vs. a righty. A 61-0 angle. Take the under. 

*3 Star MLB Total PERFECTION* The Oakland A's offense is a mess. Ben Zobrist is badly missed in the middle of the order. The bottom of the order is among the worst in baseball. Houston has improved offensively, but the bottom of their order is still weak as well. Mike Fiers is a guy with a really deceptive delivery. Oakland hasn't seen him before, and I think that works to his advantage here. Chris Bassitt is a guy I've liked for a while now. He hasn't allowed more than 3 runs in a single game this year. 

The under is 5-0 in the Astros last 5 as an underdog. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 as a road underdog. The under is 4-0 in Oakland's last 4 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less last game. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 during game 4 of a series. The under is 4-0 in Bassitt's last 4 home starts. A 22-0 angle. Take the under. 

*4 Star MLB Moneyline Play of Day* The Chicago White Sox played some great baseball for a couple weeks, but they have fallen off once again. I feel like the oddsmakers are showing them too much respect here. Chicago has been a bad team for nearly the entire year, and Kansas City has dominated them in the recent past. The White Sox have Quintana pitching here. He's a quality pitcher, but his numbers against KC aren't good. The White Sox are dead last (by a long way) against left-handed pitching this year. I was very surprised to see a price this cheap on the home team.

The White Sox are 6-22 in Quintana's last 28 road starts vs. a team with a winning record. The White Sox are 0-6 in their last 6 games in Kansas City. The Royals are 10-3 in Duffy's last 13 home starts. Take Kansas City. 

*4 Star MLB 100% Angle CRUSHER* Jaime Garcia has dominated this Milwaukee Brewers lineup in his career. Milwaukee's hitters have a .202 average against him. This Brewers lineup lost a ton at the trading deadline. Gone are Carlos Gomez, Gerardo Parra, and Aramis Ramirez. This team is having serious problems scoring runs. They have struggled against lefties all year, and Garcia has been sharp. Wily Peralta has been hit hard by the Cardinals. St. Louis has a .331 average as a team against Peralta. The Cardinals have an edge in every aspect of the game.

The Brewers are 0-5 in their last 5 as an underdog. They are 0-6 in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a winning road record. They are 0-5 in their last 5 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less last game. They are 0-4 in Peralta's last 4 starts after lasing 4 innings or less. They are 0-4 in his last 4 starts vs. the NL Central. A 24-0 angle. Take St. Louis. 

*4 Star MLB Dog of Day* I'm willing to admit when I'm wrong. I was wrong about the Cleveland Indians this year. I thought they would be a much better team than they have been. Minnesota has overachieved this year, and I'll look for places to fade them down the stretch, but this price is just silly.  Ervin Santana has dominated the Indians in his career (.179 team average against him). Trevor Bauer has an ERA of 6.07 in five starts against the Twins. Cleveland is playing some very uninspired baseball right now. How on earth do they deserve to be laying this price? This is purely a value play based on the price. Take Minnesota. 

*3 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Houston Astros have Collin McHugh on the hill here, and he has thrown a quality start in 7 of his last 9 starts. Jesse Chavez starts for Oakland. He's going the opposite direction. After a great start to the year, Chavez has been awful in his last few outings. Houston definitely helped their lineup at the trade deadline, and they have a much better bullpen than Oakland. The A's offense is bad to start with and they haven't had success against McHugh in the past. Good price on the road team. Take Houston. 

*3 Star MLB 100% Angle CRUSHER* Dallas Keuchel has been great all year long, and the Oakland A's offense is really bad now. Oakland traded away Ben Zobrist, who was their best hitter. Oakland is also much worse against left handed pitching, and Keuchel is one of the best lefties in the league. Sonny Gray is an amazing pitcher as well. Gray has been on quite a roll all year long. The Astros have a better lineup now, but they still strikeout a lot. Gray has the ability to rack up the punch outs here. 

The under is 5-0 in the A's last 5 games with the total set at 6.5 or lower. The under is 5-0 in Gray's last 5 following a quality start. The under is 3-0-1 in his last 4 starts on 4 days of rest. The under is 5-0-2 in Gray's last 7 starts overall. The under is 5-0 in Gray's last 5 starts with a total of 6.5 or lower. The under is 3-0-2 in Gray's last 5 games vs. a team with a team with a winning record. A 26-0 angle. Take the under. 

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* Julio Teheran is a better pitcher than he showed early this year. He has been rounding into form of late and he has been sharp at home all year long. Teheran also has a 2.54 ERA in 10 career starts vs. the Marlins. Miami's lineup is one of the worst in the majors. Atlanta's lineup isn't much, if any, better than the Marlins. Jose Fernandez is absolutely tremendous. Fernandez hasn't missed a beat after coming back from injury. He's absolutely one of the top five pitchers in the game today. Fernandez has been brilliant against the Braves in the past. He has a career 0.93 ERA against Atlanta. Look for a pitcher's duel here. Take the under. 

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Toronto Blue Jays can obviously score runs in bunches. This is an amazing lineup. Kyle Gibson has a career ERA of 5.72 in the second half of the season. He was good earlier in the year, but he has shown signs of faltering lately. I think that gets even worse against a star studded lineup like Toronto's. The Minnesota bullpen is one of the worst in baseball, so they won't help much. Mark Buehrle has thrown the ball really well in the last couple months. Minnesota's offense is regressing back to the mean of late. If this game is a slugfest, that gives the Blue Jays a nice advantage. Minnesota has lost 8 of their last 10 games, and 7 of those 8 losses were by 2 runs or more. Toronto has won 7 of their last 8 games, and 6 of those 7 wins have come by 2 runs or more. Take Toronto -1.5. 

*3 Star MLB Bookie CRUSHER* The Houston Astros send Scott Kazmir to the mound, and short of Clayton Kershaw there hasn't been anyone in baseball throwing the ball better than him of late. He's a really streaky pitcher, and he can go on prolonged stretches like this. Since Kazmir is capable of getting lit up from time to time, I'm taking the plus money on the run line instead of laying nearly -150 on the moneyline (though it was a tough call). Houston's bullpen is one of the best in baseball. Texas has the worst bullpen in baseball. Nick Martinez has been really bad in the last month, and Houston's offense is much improved. Take Houston -1.5. 

*3 Star MLB Run Line ROUT* The Toronto Blue Jays have the best offense in the majors. Tyler Duffey has been called up from Triple A to make his first career start for the Twins in this one. What a team to have to make your first start against! The Twins are tanking right now. They overachieved for a really long time, but they are finally coming back down to earth. Drew Hutchison's home/road splits are massive. He's pitching at home here, and he has an ERA of 2.47 at home this year. I fully expect Toronto to score several runs here, and Hutchison is capable of getting on a roll and shutting down the Twins. Take Toronto -1.5. 

*3 Star MLB Total PERFECTION* The Chicago White Sox offense has been much better of late, but I believe their amazing offensive output isn't going to continue much longer. Who's the type of pitcher who can stop them? Chris Archer is definitely the type of guy. Archer has actually been better away from home in his career. He pitches deep into the game and will take advantage of the White Sox aggressiveness at the plate. Chris Sale is coming off a rare bad start, and I fully expect him to bounce back in a huge way. Sale is one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball. The Rays lineup isn't very good. Look for both starters to go deep into this game. 

The under is 4-0 in Archer's last 4 road starts vs. a team with a losing record. The under is 4-0 in Sale's last 4 starts. The under is 6-0 in his last 6 starts following a team loss. The under is 6-0 in his last 6 home starts. The under is 5-0 in his last 5 starts after allowing 5 runs or more. A 25-0 angle. Take the under.  

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The San Francisco Giants are a better team than the Atlanta Braves. I don't think anyone can dispute that one. I had my eye on this game last night in hopes that the line would move down. It did move down, and now I'm taking the Giants. San Francisco blew a big lead last night and lost in heartbreaking fashion. San Francisco is a veteran team that has done a ton of winning, and they are well positioned to bounce back quickly. Bochy is the best manager in baseball in my opinion, and the Giants have a huge lineup advantage. Freddie Freeman is doubtful for this one and he is by far and away the Braves best hitter. The Giants bullpen is league average while the Braves have one of the worst in the league. The Braves are 0-5 in Shelby Miller's last 5 home starts. They are 1-11 in his last 12 starts overall. Great price on the road team. Take San Francisco. 

*4 Star MLB Major MISMATCH* The Toronto Blue Jays offense is scary good. Edwin Encarnacion is healthy again now. Troy Tulowitzki was obviously a tremendous pickup. Ben Revere was a nice underrated pickup as well. Toronto's first five hitters are easily the best in the majors. Phil Hughes is a guy who gives up a bunch of home runs, and Toronto is absolutely a team that can launch homers in a hurry. Estrada isn't a pitcher I trust a lot, but this Twins offense is coming back to earth lately. Minnesota's bullpen is one of the worst in the majors. Minnesota has overachieved all year. The Blue Jays should win comfortably. Take Toronto -1.5. 

*3 Star MLB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Kansas City Royals are one of the best teams in baseball. With their acquisitions at the trade deadline, I feel like this team has a real shot at returning to the World Series. Ben Zobrist was a great pickup for this lineup, and I believe the Royals offense is underrated by most. Detroit's offense isn't even close to as good as it was earlier this year. Cespedes is clearly a big loss, and Miguel Cabrera is still on the disabled list. Justin Verlander isn't the pitcher he used to be. He has allowed 6 runs or more in 3 of his last 7 starts. Danny Duffy has very good numbers against Detroit in his career (3.16 ERA in 10 starts). The Royals have a massive edge in the bullpen and defensively here. Great price on the Royals.

Kansas City is 4-0 in their last 4 Tuesday games. They are 4-0 in Duffy's last 4 starts with a total of 7 to 8.5 runs. The Tigers are 0-4 in their last 4 games after scoring 5 runs or more. They are 0-4 in their last 4 Tuesday games. They are 0-6 in Verlander's last 6 with a total of 7 to 8.5. They are 0-8 in his last 8 starts on grass. They are 0-5 in Verlander's last 5 vs. a team with a winning record. A 35-0 angle. Take Kansas City. 

*3 Star MLB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Milwaukee Brewers offense was rolling along really nicely a few weeks ago. Since then, the Brewers lineup has been shredded apart at the trade deadline. Gone are Carlos Gomez, Gerrardo Parra, and Aramis Ramirez. These were three of the team's best hitters, and Milwaukee absolutely has been much worse offensively since then. Tyson Ross is a really good pitcher, and he's been throwing the ball extremely well. I don't see Milwaukee getting going against a pitcher like Ross. Wily Peralta has an ERA almost one full run better in the second half of the season compared to the first. San Diego's offense ranks in the bottom third of the majors in every offensive category this year.

The under is 5-0-1 in the Padres last 6 vs. the NL Central. The under is 7-0-2 in the Brewers last 9 games with a total of 7 to 8.5 runs. The under is 3-0-1 in their last 4 home games. The under is 7-0-1 in their last 8 games against a pitcher with a WHIP of 1.30 or lower. The under is 6-0-2 in their last 8 following a loss. The under is 5-0-1 in the last 6 vs. the NL West. The under is 6-0-2 in their last 8 vs. a right handed starter. The under is 6-0-2 in their last 8 vs. an underdog. The under is 6-0 in Peralta's last 6 starts with a 5 days of rest. A 51-0 angle. Take the under. 

*4 Star MLB 100% Angle CRUSHER* Sonny Gray is absolutely one of the best pitchers in baseball. The Cleveland Indians offense hasn't been able to get anything going against anyone in the last few weeks, and it's hard to imagine them getting things going against Gray. He has great command of all his pitches. Trevor Bauer is an up and down guy, but he's been much better on the road. The A's lineup is a lot weaker without Zobrist in the middle of the order. Phil Cuzzi is the umpire here, and Cuzzi has one of the biggest strike zones in all of baseball. Look for both starting pitcher's to work deep into the game.

The under is 4-0 in the Indians last 4 vs. a team with a losing record. The under is 6-0 in Bauer's last 6 on 4 days of rest. The under is 8-0-1 in his last 9 road starts. The under is 7-0-1 in his last 8 as an underdog. The under is 5-0-1 in his last 6 road starts with a total of 7 to 8.5. The under is 4-0 in the A's last 4 vs. a team with a losing record. The under is 4-0-2 in the A's last 6 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more last game. The under is 4-0-1 in their last 5 home games with a total set at 7 runs or higher. The under is 4-0-2 in Gray's last 6 starts. The under is 4-0 in his last 4 following a quality start. A 50-0 angle. Take the under. 

*3 Star MLB Total PERFECTION* The Chicago White Sox offense has come on in a huge way in the last two weeks. This was an offense that was the worst in baseball for much of the season. Alexei Ramirez, Adam Eaton, and Melky Cabrera have keyed the turnaround. Ivan Nova hasn't looked good so far this year, and Nova gives up a lot of fly balls. The wind is expected to be blowing out at nearly 25 mph for this game. The temperature is expected to be 90 degrees. That's perfect conditions for home runs. Samardzija is a good pitcher, but the Yankees lineup is excellent and they should put up some runs here too.

The over is 5-0 in the Yankees last 5 with the total between 7 and 8.5. The over is 8-0 in their last 8 vs. the AL Central. The over is 5-0 in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. The over is 6-0 in the White Sox last 6. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 with the total set at 7 to 8.5. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 following a win. The over is 6-0 in their last 6 vs. the AL East. The over is 5-0 in their last 5 vs. a righty. A 43-0 angle. Take the over. 

*4 Star MLB Oddsmaker ERROR* The Philadelphia Phillies are really playing good baseball right now. I'm impressed with the work of this team to continue fighting despite having very little to play for. Atlanta is in a terrible tailspin right now, and with the Braves selling off some key assets before the deadline, this is a team that is headed south in a hurry. Julio Teheran isn't necessarily a bad pitcher, but his home/road splits are massive. Teheran has a nice 2.37 ERA at home this year. His ERA on the road is a terrible 7.24. He's on the road in a hitter's park here. Morgan has potential and Atlanta is the second worst team in the majors so far this year against lefties.

Atlanta is 0-4 in their last 4 vs. the NL East. They are 0-6 in their last 6 road games with a total of 7 to 8.5. They are 0-4 in their last 4 vs. a starter with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. They are 0-4 in their last 4 vs. a team with a 40% win percentage or lower. They are 0-4 in Teheran's last 4 road starts. Philadelphia is 7-0 in their last 7 vs. the NL East. They are 6-0 in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a losing road record. They are 5-0 in their last 5 vs. a starter with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. They are 4-0 in their last 4 home games. They are 5-0 in their last 5 after scoring 5 runs or more. They are 4-0 in their last 4 home games vs. a righty. The Braves are 0-4 in their last 4 games in Philly. 

*3 Star MLB Total PERFECTION* The Milwaukee Brewers lineup looks a whole lot different without Carlos Gomez or Gerrardo Parra. Milwaukee has been struggling to score runs with those guys, and now without them I look for some bad offensive numbers from the Brewers the rest of the year. Chicago's offense has been disappointing in the past month. While the Cubs are very good against left handed pitching, they aren't good against righties. Matt Garza hasn't been good this year, but he has pitched well recently against his old team (the Cubs). Garza generally pitches better late in the season too. Kyle Hendricks has allowed just 2 runs in 18 and 1/3 innings against Milwaukee in his career.

The under is 4-0-2 in the Cubs last 6 when their opponent fails to score 2 runs last game. The under is 6-0-2 in the Brewers last 8. The under is 5-0-2 in their last 7 vs. a righty. The under is 4-0-2 in their last 6 after a loss. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 during game 3 of a series. The under is 4-0-2 in their last 6 vs. a team with a winning record. The under is 6-0-2 in their last 8 with a total set between 7 and 8.5. The under is 4-0 in Garza's last 4 starts vs. the Cubs. A 37-0 angle. Take the under. 

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* I had my eye on this one last night, and now the line has dropped to the point where I see enough value to make it a play. Gerrit Cole is a contender for the Cy Young award in the National League. I back Cole whenever I get the chance. He actually doesn't have very good numbers against Cincinnati, but I'm still confident in his ability to get a quality start. Raisel Iglesias has good raw stuff, but he gives up a lot of home runs and that's a really bad thing this time of the year at Great American Ballpark. Cole is a ground ball guy. The Pirates offense has heated up lately, and Pittsburgh has a huge bullpen advantage over Cincinnati. That's important because Iglesias rarely pitches deep into a game. Lay the price here with the favorite. Take Pittsburgh. 

*4 Star MLB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Philadelphia Phillies are really playing hard since the All Star Break. This team deserves a lot of credit for not quitting. Philadelphia has a young core that is swinging the bats well right now. Aaron Nola is a very good pitching prospect for Philadelphia. I expect big things from him. Atlanta's offense overachieved through much of the early season, but they have fallen apart of late. While the Phillies appear to be playing inspired baseball, the Braves appear ready for the season to be over. Wisler isn't a bad young pitcher, but he has been very fortunate in avoiding long balls this year. The warm weather and a hitter's park isn't good for a fly ball pitcher like him. 

Atlanta is 0-7 in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a losing home record. They are 0-5 in their last 5 vs. a righty. They are 0-5 in their last 5 with a total set at 7 to 8.5 runs. They are 0-5 in their last 5 overall. Philadelphia is 6-0 in their last 6 vs. the NL East. They are 4-0 in their last 4 after scoring 4 runs or more. They are 5-0 in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a road win percentage of 40% or lower. They are 4-0 in their last 4 vs. a pitcher with a WHIP of 1.30. A 41-0 angle. Take Philadelphia. 

*3 Star MLB Totals TKO* The St. Louis Cardinals offense broke out last night after being silenced by the Reds earlier this week. Kyle Kendrick starts for the Rockies in this game, and he's one of the worst pitchers in the big leagues. It isn't very often that you'll see a total of 7 on a game where Kendrick is pitching. Michael Wacha is clearly a good pitcher, but he's struggling with his command right now, and the Rockeis lineup is great against right handed pitching. I like the value on this total. Here's another spot where warm temperatures and wind blowing out will help us. Take the over. 

*4 Star TGIF Bookie SMASHER* The San Francisco Giants have been really streaky this year. They are on a nice hot streak right now. San Francisco's offense is good, and they have been great away from home. They'll be in a great hitter's park on Friday night and they'll face a pitcher who is struggling really badly right now. Nick Martinez has been blasted on a consistent basis after starting the year brilliantly. Martinez has a career 7.39 ERA in the month of July. Madison Bumgarner starts for the Giants and he's been great throughout his career away from home. Texas isn't good against lefties. The Giants have an edge in every aspect of the game here. The Rangers bullpen is arguably the worst in baseball. The moneyline is too expensive to the run line is the play. Take San Francisco -1.5. 

*3 Star MLB Total Value* The ball really flies well in Arlington this time of the year. The temperature at game time is expected to be 97 degrees for this one. Nick Martinez is capable of giving up nearly this total by himself when he is off his game, and he has been awful of late. The Rangers should be able to put up a few themselves with the ball carrying well. Texas' bullpen is overtaxed right now, and they are terrible to start with. The Giants have been scoring runs by the bunches on the road this year. Take the over. 

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The Detroit Tigers have been one of the best offenses in the majors against left handed pitching all year. Wei Yin Chen has outperformed his advanced metrics by a huge margin this year. While I think Chen is a decent pitcher, I also believe he is due for some regression. Buck Farmer starts for Detroit, and he has been terrible so far in his young career. Farmer doesn't have the put away pitch needed, and this Orioles offense should jump on him. Neither bullpen is particularly strong, and the weather here is favorable for an over with temperatures in the upper 80's.

The over is 4-0 in Farmer's last 4 starts. The over is 4-0 in the Orioles last 4 meetings between these two in Baltimore. The over is 3-0-1 in Lance Barksdale's last 4 games behind the plate. The over is 21-4-1 in the Tigers last 26 with a total of 7 to 8.5. A 32-4 angle. Take the over. 

*3 Star MLB Moneyline Value* The Kansas City Royals are a really good team. They play great defense, have a solid lineup, and have a tremendous bullpen. Johnny Cueto is the ace the Royals needed badly. While Toronto certainly has a good offense, I think Cueto pitches well in his first start for Kansas City. Hutchison is a guy that can't be trusted to command his pitches, and the Royals offense will certainly be patient and make him work. Huge pitching advantage for the Royals and they are underpriced here. Take Kansas City. 

*3 Star MLB Play of Day* The Toronto Blue Jays average 5.50 runs per game against left handed pitching. They have been historically good this year against lefties. The Blue Jays lineup obviously got much scarier with the acquisition of Troy Tulowitzki. He's one of the best in the game against lefties too. Danny Duffy has a career 6.75 ERA against Toronto. I think Toronto gets to him here. Marco Estrada pitched better than his skill level was for much of the year, but he has struggled in his last couple starts. The Royals offense is really good against right handed pitching, and Ben Zobrist helps this offense in a big way. At a total of just 8.5, I see this as a solid value play with these two offenses. Take the over. 

*3 Star MLB Total DOMINATION* The New York Yankees scored 21 runs last night. In general, I don't love taking an over with a team that just scored that many runs the night before, but I 'm making an exception here. Colby Lewis is pure fade material at home, and I think the Yankees bats have a good chance of staying hot in Texas against Lewis. Lewis has a career ERA of 5 at home. This Yankees lineup is one of the top five in the majors right now. Another major key here in this one is the weather. It is expected to be 98 degrees at game time. That means the ball will be flying extremely well in Arlington on Wednesday night. Tanaka has been pretty good this year, but the Rangers have good numbers against right handed pitching this season. 

The over is 4-0 in the Yankees last 4 games with the total set at 7 to 8.5. The over is 4-0-1 in the Rangers last 5 games as a home underdog of +110 to +150. The over is 5-0-1 in Lewis' last 6 as a home underdog. The over is 5-0 in Lewis' last 5 starts when the team's opponent scores 5 runs or more last game. The over is 4-0 in Lewis' last 4 home starts with a total of 8.5 or lower. The over is 7-1 in Lewis' last 8 on 4 days of rest. A 29-1 angle. Take the over. 

*4 Star MLB Play of Day* The Boston Red Sox have been slumping in a huge way. The Chicago White Sox have won five straight games, but it's important to note how bad the White Sox have been against left-handed pitching. Chicago has a ridiculously bad weighted on base average of .259 against lefties this year. No other team has a weighted on base average worse than .279 against lefties. Wade Miley started the season pitching poorly, but he has been very good of late. The White Sox have been surging offensively of late, but that was against a bunch of right handed pitching. Also very important here is the home plate umpire. Doug Eddings is the ultimate strike caller behind the dish. He'll help both pitchers a bunch here.

The under is 5-0 in the White Sox last 5 after allowing more than 5 runs last game. The under is 3-0-1 in their last 4 vs. a lefty. The under is 5-0-1 in their last 6 during game 2 of a series. The under is 8-0-1 in the Red Sox last 9 during game 2 of a series. The under is 4-0 in Miley's last 4 starts as a favorite of -110 to -150. A 25-0 angle. Take the under. 

*3 Star MLB Oddsmaker ERROR* What would make the Cleveland Indians be a favorite here? I was high on Cleveland coming into the season and I've been wrong on this team. Cleveland has a fantastic starting rotation and some good pieces on offense, but the Indians have been massive underachievers this year. They have been losing some really ugly games the last few days. It looks to me like Cleveland doesn't care in the least right now. Kansas City just continues to go about their business by winning games with defense, a great bullpen, and a good lineup. Chris Young isn't a great starter, but Trevor Bauer has been bad for Cleveland of late. The Royals have a better lineup and a much better bullpen and defense.

The Indians are 0-7 in their last 7 home games. They are 0-6 in their last 6 home games as a favorite. They are 0-5 in their last 5 vs. the AL Central. They are 0-5 in their last 5 with the total set between 7 and 8.5. They are 0-4 in their last 4 after giving up 5 runs or more. A 27-0 angle. Take Kansas City. 

*3 Star MLB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The New York Mets offense is still terrible (I expect more deals for the Mets in the coming days). James Shields has been throwing it well of late. Collectively as a team the Mets have a .155 batting average against Shields. Noah Syndergaard has amazing stuff. When he's on he is nearly unhittable. The Padres offense has been a huge disappointment this year. Syndergaard has struggled at times on the road, but he has a sparkling 1.74 ERA at home. This feels like a 2-1 or 3-2 type game where neither teams gets many baserunners. Look for a pitcher's duel in New York.

The under is 5-0 in the Padres last 5 games following an off day. The under is 4-0 in the Padres last 4. The under is 5-0-1 in the Padres last 6 road games vs. a team with a winning record. The under is 4-0 in the Padres last 4 vs. the NL East. The under is 4-0 in the Padres last 4 vs. a righty. The under is 5-0-2 in their last 7 when their opponent scores 2 runs or less last game. The under is 5-0 in the Padres last 5 during game one of a series. The under is 5-0 in the Mets last 5 following an off day. The under is 5-0 in their last with a total of 6.5 or lower. The under is 7-0 in Syndergaard's last 7 during game 1 of a series. The under is 6-0 in his last 6 home starts. The under is 4-0-1 in his last 5 starts. The under is 5-0 in his last 5 as a home favorite. A 64-0 angle. Take the under. 

*3 Star MLB Play of the Day* The Chicago Cubs hit left handed pitching very well. The Colorado Rockies crush right handed pitching. With a total of 7, I'm going over the total. The wind is blowing in at Wrigley, and I assume that's the reason for this total being so low. It's important to note though, that the projected wind speed is 6 mph on average tonight, so I think this line is an overreaction to the weather. De La Rosa isn't bad, but he is certainly hittable, and the Cubs splits vs. lefties are much better than vs. righties. Colorado is the best team in the majors against right handed pitching. While I do like Kyle Hendricks, I think the Rockies will get to him some here. The Rockies bullpen is awful, so once De La Rosa is gone the Cubs could add on several. Take the over. 

*3 Star MLB Oddsmaker ERROR* The Cincinnati Reds start Michael Lorenzen in this one. Lorenzen can occasionally have some command issues, but he is a guy with a high ceiling. Colorado starts Kyle Kendrick in this one, and I always look to fade Kendrick when he is pitching at Coors Field. Kendrick is one of the worst right handed pitchers in baseball, and he gives up a ton of home runs. Obviously, he isn't a good fit at Coors Field where the ball is really flying this time of the year. Kendrick has a 6.89 ERA at Coors Field so far this year. The Reds aren't a good team now, but they aren't bad enough to deserve being an underdog against Kendrick. Take Cincinnati. 

*3 Star MLB Major MISMATCH* The St. Louis Cardinals are the best team in the National League. The Atlanta Braves are worse than their record would indicate. Atlanta is a team that could easily fall off in a big way in the second half of the season. The Braves offense is in a miserable slump now, and Michael Wacha is dominant at home. Here are the numbers working in Wacha's favor. He has a career home ERA of 2.41. He also has a career daytime ERA of 2.34. Wisler isn't a bad pitching prospect for the Braves, but the Cardinals have roasted right handed pitching all year long. St. Louis' lineup is much better now with Matt Holliday back in the middle of the order. Look for the Cardinals to roll in this one. Take St. Louis -1.5. 

*4 Star MLB Early Bird Special* The Cleveland Indians offense is mired in a severe slump right now. They have been baffled by lefties the last two days. Carlos Rodon is inconsistent because of his inexperience, but he has tremendous stuff and I don't like the Indians chances of breaking out of their funk against him. Danny Salazar has had a lot of bad luck this year, and he shut out the White Sox once already this year. The White Sox, though they have hit it well in this series so far, have a terrible offense on the year. The biggest reason I like this play is home plate umpire Bill Miller. Miller is the biggest strike caller in the major leagues. The under is always worth a look with him behind the plate, and on Sunday (get away day) it's an even stronger indication. 

The under is 4-0 in Chicago's last 4 during game 4 of a series. The under is 4-0 in Salazar's last 4 home starts vs. a team with a losing record. The under is 8-1 in the last 9 vs. these two in Cleveland. The under is 23-4 in the last 27 meetings between these teams. A 39-5 angle. Take the under. 

*3 Star MLB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Boston Red Sox lineup has been disappointing this year. Boston still has the potential to put up runs in bunches. They haven't done it as many times as they should have this year, but Alfredo Simon has been awful lately and I think they'll get plenty of chances here. Simon has allowed at least 4 runs in each of his last 6 starts (34 runs overall in those starts). Steven Wright starts here for the Red Sox. The Tigers offense is still one of the best offenses in the majors. Wright is a knuckleballer who is no better than mediocre, and he has a lot of trouble holding runners on base. Two offenses with a lot of potential and two pitchers I'm not high on. 

The over is 4-0-1 in Simon's last 5 starts with 4 days of rest. The over is 5-0-1 in Simon's last 6 starts as an underdog. The over is 3-0-1 in Simon's last 4 starts during game 2 of a series. The over is 4-0 in Simon's last 4 road starts. The over is 4-0 in the Red Sox last 4 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less last game. The over is 4-0 in Wright's last 4 starts. A 24-0 angle. Take the over. 

*4 Star TGIF MLB Play of Day* The Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox meet Friday night, and I'm expecting a pitcher's duel here. Jose Quintana has been an underrated left hander for quite a while. Quintana has a dazzling 1.21 ERA in 5 appearances (4 starts) at Cleveland. Cleveland's offense hasn't been doing much in the last few days, and they'll likely have a hard time here. Corey Kluber's peripheral numbers aren't much different this year than they were last year. The offense just hasn't been scoring runs for him, and the defense has let him down several times. This is a White Sox lineup that is arguably the worst lineup in the American League. Adam Hamari is a big strike caller behind the plate here as well.

The under is 22-3-1 in Quintana's last 26 vs. a team with a losing record. The under is 4-0-1 in the White Sox last 5 during game 2 of a series. The under is 4-0 in Kluber's last 4 Friday starts. The under is 6-0 in his last 6 home starts. The under is 5-0 in his last 5 home starts with a total of 7 to 8.5. The under is 4-0 in Kluber's last 4 vs. the White Sox. The under is 22-4 in the last 26 meetings between these two teams. A 67-7 angle. Take the under.