7* National League Game of the Month on Atlanta Braves -134

The Key: The Atlanta Braves are just 2-6 to open the 2017 season.  But all eight games have been on the road, and now they break in their new stadium in their home opener Friday, and it should be a great atmosphere.  It also helps that they are sending ace Julio Teheran to the mound.  He has pitched 13 shutout innings in his two starts against Pittsburgh and New York to open the season.  He'll be opposed by Jhoulys Chacin, who is 1-1 with an 8.10 ERA while allowing 9 earned runs in 10 innings against the Giants and Dodgers.  Teheran is 2-0 with a 2.14 ERA in his last 3 starts against San Diego while allowing 5 earned runs in 21 innings.  Take Atlanta.

7* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on San Francisco Giants -160

The Key: The advantage on the mound clearly goes to the San Francisco Giants in this one.  Ace Madison Bumgarner sports a 3.00 ERA and 0.933 WHIP in 2 starts this season.  He is 12-6 with a 3.11 ERA in 25 lifetime starts versus Colorado.  Jon Gray has been shaky in the early going, sporting a 5.79 ERA in two starts while giving up 6 runs and 15 base runners in 9 1/3 innings.  Colorado is 4-22 against the money line in road games off a loss to a division rival as a home favorite since 1997.  Gray is 1-11 against the money line in road games with a team slugging percentage .400 or worse on the season (NL) over the last 2 seasons.  The Rockies are 4-16 in Gray's last 20 road starts.  The Giants are 15-3 in Bumgarner's last 18 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.  Take San Francisco.

7* Cubs/Indians World Series *HEAVY HITTER* on Chicago -115

The Key: The Chicago Cubs send ace Kyle Hendricks to the mound tonight to finish off this series, just as he did in Game 6 against the Dodgers by pitching an absolute gem.  Hendricks is on full rest, while his counterpart Corey Kluber is only on 3 days of rest.  Since this is the Cubs' third time seeing Kluber, I think they'll have their most success against him.  They did get a base runner on in all but one inning against Kluber in Game 4, but they didn't do much with it.  They will do more damage this time around.  I look for Hendricks to depart with the lead and for the bullpen to finish it off.  Take Chicago.

7* World Series Game of the Year on Chicago Cubs -144

The Key: The Chicago Cubs feel like they can pull off the comeback from a 3-1 deficit.  After winning Game 5, they now have Jake Arrieta back on the mound in Cleveland.  The last time he was there in Game 2 he took a no-hitter into the 6th inning in a 5-1 victory for the Cubs.  I expect Arrieta to come up big, and for the Cubs to tee off on Josh Tomlin, who has been pitching above his head thus far in the postseason and is due to get knocked around a little bit here.  Take Chicago.

7* MLB Playoffs Game of the Year on Toronto Blue Jays -179

The Key: After finally picking up a win this series, the Toronto Blue Jays really believe they can come back and win it all.  After all, they won four straight games to open the postseason, and that's the task they have in this series if they want to advance to the World Series.  They believe they can do it, and that's the first part.  They also have a great advantage on the mound in Game 5 at home tonight.  Marco Estrada has pitched 16 1/3 innings of 3-run ball thus far in the postseason, and he's 10-10 with a 3.32 ERA and 1.081 WHIP in 31 starts this year.  He'll be opposed by rookie Ryan Merritt, who will be making just his 2nd career start in the big leagues.  That's why the Blue Jays are worth the price of admission today as -179 favorites.  They are also 4-0 in their last 4 games vs. left-handed starters.  Take Toronto.

7* Indians/Blue Jays ALCS *HEAVY HITTER* on Toronto -116

The Key: The Toronto Blue Jays won four straight games to open the postseason.  Down 3-0, they will need to win four straight to win this series against Cleveland.  It starts with one, and that's Game 4 today.  I like Aaron Sanchez, who is 15-2 with a 3.23 ERA in 31 starts this year and wins almost every time he takes the mound.  Corey Kluber has struggled against the Blue Jays in the past, going 2-3 with a 4.37 ERA and 1.600 WHIP in 6 lifetime starts.  He pitched well against them in Game 1, but the chances of shutting down this potent Blue Jays lineup twice in one series is not very good.  Take Toronto.

7* Cubs/Giants Game 4 *HEAVY HITTER* on Chicago -119

The Key: The Chicago Cubs are 18-7 in their last 25 games following a loss.  They are 4-1 in John Lackey's last 5 starts.  Lackey is the better starter in this matchup.  He is 11-8 with a 3.35 ERA and 1.057 WHIP in 29 starts this season.  He'll be opposed by Matt Moore, who is 13-12 with a 4.08 ERA and 1.291 WHIP in 33 starts.  The Cubs are 8-2 in their last 11 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.  Take Chicago.

7* Orioles/Blue Jays AL *HEAVY HITTER* on Baltimore +133

The Key: The Orioles are 4-0 in games against the Blue Jays in which Chris Tillman has started this season.  He has given up 2 earned runs or less in 3 of those 4 starts.  The Blue Jays are 0-3 in Marcus Stroman's last 3 starts against the Orioles this season.  He has allowed 15 earned runs in 16 innings in those 3 outings.  Tillman is 8-3 with a 2.97 ERA in 14 road starts this year.  Stroman is 4-3 with a 4.59 ERA in 16 home starts.  It appears the wrong team is favored in this matchup as the Orioles have the better bullpen as well.  Take Baltimore.

7* NL East Game of the Month on New York Mets -108

The Key: The Miami Marlins poured in a lot of effort and emotion to their win on Monday following Jose Fernandez's tragic death.  They fell flat Tuesday in a 12-1 loss to the Mets and now have essentially been eliminated from postseason contention.  The Mets still have work to do and I like their mental state more right now because of it.  I also like Seth Lugo, who has gone 4-1 with a 2.59 ERA and 1.104 WHIP in seven starts this season while filling in admirably in this rotation.  I also like fading Jose Urena, who is 3-7 with a 5.40 ERA in 11 starts, including 0-2 with a 21.60 ERA in his last 2 starts, giving up 12 earned runs in 5 innings.  The Mets are 6-0 in Lugo's last 6 starts.  The Marlins are 1-8 in Urena's last 9 home starts.  Take New York.

7* National League *HEAVY HITTER* on St. Louis Cardinals -1.5 (-104)

The Key: The St. Louis Cardinals are one game back of the Giants for the 2nd wild card spot in the National League.  They have to win this game today against the lowly Cincinnati Reds.  I trust in veteran Adam Wainwright to get the job done and for the Cards to win by 2 runs or more.  Wainwright is 6-4 with a 2.92 ERA in 14 home starts this year. He has given up 2 earned runs in each of his last 2 starts against the Reds this season.  He'll be opposed by Robert Stephenson, who is 2-2 with a 5.59 ERA in 6 starts this year, and 0-1 with a 10.79 ERA in 2 road starts.  He is 0-1 with a 9.25 ERA in his last 3 starts as well.  Wainwright is 50-15 (+27.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a bad team (Win Pct. 38% to 46%) lifetime.  His teams are winning these games by 2.6 runs per game.  The Reds are 33-70 in their last 103 vs. a team with a winning record.  The Cardinals are 46-22 in Wainwright's last 68 starts.  Take St. Louis.

7* MLB Tuesday Night *BAILOUT* on Houston Astros -122

The Key: The Houston Astros are 3 games back in the wild card.  They have made a nice push here of late in winning 4 of their last 5 games overall.  Look for their success to continue behind Joe Musgrove, who has given up 5 earned runs over 12 1/3 innings in his last 2 starts against the Rangers and Cubs.  Musgrove pitched 5 1/3 shutout innings in a 6-0 victory over the A's on August 29 in his only start against them this season.  The Astros are 23-6 in their last 29 vs. a team with a losing record.  The A's are 4-14 in their last 18 vs. AL West foes.  Oakland is 0-4 in its last 4 home games.  Take Houston.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Kansas City Royals -132

The Key: After losing the first 2 games of this series to the Oakland A's, I fully expect the Kansas City Royals to be hungry for a win in Game 3 here tonight.  I believe they have the edge on the mound behind Yordano Ventura, who is 10-10 with a 4.26 ERA in 28 starts, and 6-3 with a 4.09 ERA in 11 home starts.  Sean Manaea is 5-9 with a 4.43 ERA in 20 starts, and 0-6 with a 6.44 ERA in 8 road starts.  Ventura is 16-4 (+11.5 Units) against the money line vs. AL teams scoring 4.7 or less runs/game in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.  The A's are 1-7 in Manaea's last 8 road starts.  The Royals are 7-1 in Ventura's last 8 starts.  Kansas City is 26-10 in Ventura's last 36 home starts.  Take Kansas City.

7* NL East Game of the Month on New York Mets -130

The Key: The New York Mets are in a battle with the Giants and Cardinals for the last two wild card spots in the National League.  They need every game the rest of the way, while the Washington Nationals have little to play for as they already have the NL East basically clinched.  The Mets have the clear edge on the mound tonight behind Noah Syndergaard, who is 13-8 with a 2.49 ERA in 27 starts, and 7-3 with a 2.45 ERA in 12 road starts.  Syndergaard sports a 3.02 ERA in 7 lifetime starts vs. Washington as well.  A.J. Cole has struggled in limited action for the Nationals, going 1-2 with a 4.56 ERA in 4 starts.  The Mets are 25-10 (+14.1 Units) against the money line in road games in September games over the last 3 seasons.  New York is 4-1 in Syndergaard's last 5 road starts.  The Mets are 6-0 in their last 6 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.  Take New York.

7* MLB Run Line Game of the Week on Boston Red Sox -1.5 (-132)

The Key: The Boston Red Sox are tied for 1st place in the AL East with the Toronto Blue Jays.  It's almost like they're playing at home in San Diego because they have had more fans there than the Padres the past two games.  I look for them to take this series with a Game 3 victory by multiple runs.  David Price has really stepped up his game, going 5-0 with a 2.06 ERA in his last 5 starts while allowing only 8 earned runs in 35 innings.  Jarred Cosart gets the ball for the Padres.  He is 0-2 with a 5.14 ERA and 1.673 WHIP in 10 starts this year.  He just gave up 7 earned runs in 4 1/3 innings to the Braves of all teams his last time out.  Price is 32-11 (+17.3 Units) against the money line in road games vs. teams whose hitters draw 3 walks or less/game lifetime.  His teams are winning by 2.1 runs per game in this spot.  San Diego is 39-84 (-39.1 Units) against the money line vs. an AL starting pitcher whose ERA is 4.00 or better since 1997.  It is losing by 1.8 runs per game in this spot.  Take Boston on the Run Line.

7* MLB Dog of the Week on San Francisco Giants +117

The Key: If they San Francisco Giants want to catch the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West, they need to get going now.  They are 4 games back and have been awful since the All-Star Break.  But I have faith in this veteran team to get things turned around.  I like the price we are getting with the Giants behind Jeff Samardzija, who is 11-9 with a 4.06 ERA and 1.225 WHIP in 27 starts, and 1-1 with a 2.50 ERA and 1.222 WHIP in his last 3 starts.  Samardzija really enjoys facing the Rockies, going 3-1 with a 2.13 ERA and 1.026 WHIP in 5 lifetime starts.  San Francisco is 9-1 (+8.6 Units) against the money line after scoring 3 runs or less 4 straight games over the last 2 seasons.  Take San Francisco.

7* National League Game of the Month on St. Louis Cardinals -163

The Key: St. Louis is only clinging on to the 2nd wild card spot in the National League by one game right now.  That's because the Cardinals have lost 3 straight coming in.  It's safe to say that they'll be hungry for a victory Sunday to avoid the sweep against the Reds.  I like their chances of getting in the win column thanks to their massive advantage on the mound.  Carlos Martinez is 12-7 with a 3.07 ERA in 25 starts, 7-1 with a 2.30 ERA in 12 road starts, and 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in his last 3 starts.  Martinez has never lost to the Reds, going 2-0 (4-0 money line) with a 2.63 ERA in 4 lifetime starts.  Take St. Louis.

7* MLB Dog of the Month on Kansas City Royals +131

The Key: We are getting a great price on the hottest team in baseball in the Kansas City Royals at home tonight against the New York Yankees.  The Royals have won seven consecutive series while going 18-4 in their last 22 games overall.  They are once again home underdogs tonight, and we'll take advantage.  Edinson Volquez is 6-3 with a 4.25 ERA in 15 home starts, and 2-0 with a 3.52 ERA in his last 3 starts overall.  Volquez is 2-1 with a 3.10 ERA and 0.836 WHIP in 3 lifetime starts vs. New York.  Masahiro Tanaka was roughed up in his only lifetime start against the Royals, which came earlier this season.  He gave up 6 earned runs and 3 homers in 7 innings.  The Royals are 41-21 at home this season.  Kansas City is 22-8 in Volquez's last 30 home starts.  The Royals are 7-0 in their last 7 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.  Take Kansas City.

7* MLB Run Line Game of the Week on Washington Nationals -1.5 (-118)

The Key: The Washington Nationals have lost 6 of their last 8 games overall, including 2 straight over the weekend.  They will come back hungry today to get back in the win column.  I like their chances of winning this game by 2 runs or more due to their advantage on the mound.  Tanner Roark is 13-7 with a 3.04 ERA and 1.205 WHIP in 26 starts this year.  Roark is 2-0 with a 0.86 ERA in 3 starts against the Phillies this year, giving up just 2 earned runs over 21 innings in the process.  Recent call-up Jake Thompson has struggled mightily for the Phillies.  he is 1-3 with a 9.78 ERA and 1.811 WHIP in 4 starts this year.  Philadelphia is 2-13 (-11.6 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Monday over the last 2 seasons.  It is losing by 2.1 runs per game in this spot.  The Nationals are 10-1 in Roark's last 11 starts vs. a team with a losing record.  The Nationals are 8-1 in the last 9 meetings in Philadelphia and 6-0 in the last 6 meetings overall.  Take Washington on the Run Line.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Houston Astros -105

The Key: The Houston Astros have gone 7-1 in their last 8 games overall and now trail the Baltimore Orioles for the final wild card spot by just 2 games.  I expect them to sweep the Tampa Bay Rays, who have the 2nd-worst record in the American League at 54-74.  Doug Fister remains one of the most underrated starters in baseball.  He has gone 12-8 with a 3.59 ERA in 25 starts for the Astros this season.  He'll be opposed by Chris Archer, who is 7-17 with a 4.11 ERA in 27 starts, including 4-8 with a 5.97 ERA in 13 road starts.  Archer is 4-17 (-14.8 Units) against the money line when the money line is +125 to -125 this season.  Archer is 1-12 (-12.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.  Take Houston.

7* MLB Run Line Game of the Week on New York Mets -1.5 (+115)

The Key: The New York Mets are making one final push here at the end of the season.  They have won 5 of their last 6 games overall and should continue to roll against the Philadelphia Phillies.  That's especially the case with ace Noah Syndergaard on the mound.  He is 11-7 with a 2.63 ERA and 1.170 WHIP in 24 starts with 175 K's in 147 innings.  Syndergaard has never lost to the Phillies, going 3-0 with a 1.40 ERA and 0.983 WHIP in 3 lifetime starts against them.  Jeremy Hellickson hasn't fared nearly as well against the Mets, going 2-2 with a 7.01 ERA and 1.597 WHIP in 5 lifetime starts against them.  Take New York on the Run Line.

7* NL Central Game of the Month on Pittsburgh Pirates -121

The Key: We are getting a good price on the Pittsburgh Pirates as small road favorites over the Milwaukee Brewers today.  The Pirates need a big finish if they want to get back to the postseason, so motivation won't be an issue for them here down the stretch.  I like what I've seen from starter Chad Kuhl, who is 3-1 with a 3.62 ERA and 1.179 WHIP in 7 starts, and 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA and 0.778 WHIP in 3 road starts.  He'll be opposed by Wily Peralta, who is 5-9 with a 6.00 ERA and 1.738 WHIP in 16 starts this year.  Milwaukee is 4-15 (-12.0 Units) against the money line after a win by 6 runs or more over the last 2 seasons.  The Pirates are 4-0 in their last 4 road games.  Pittsburgh is 6-1 in Kuhl's last 7 starts.  The Brewers are 3-7 in Peralta's last 10 starts.  Milwaukee is 25-51 in its last 76 vs. a team with a winning record.  Take Pittsburgh.

7* MLB Total of the Month on Angels/Blue Jays OVER 8.5

The Key: I look for a slug fest tonight between two of the best offenses in baseball in the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Angels.  Matt Shoemaker hasn't been very good on the road this season, going 3-9 with a 5.09 ERA over 13 starts.  Shoemaker gave up 8 runs over 6 innings in his lone lifetime start against the Blue Jays.  Marco Estrada is having a decent season, but he hasn't fared well against the Angels, posting a 4.97 ERA in his 2 lifetime starts against them.  The OVER is 18-7-1 in the last 26 meetings in this series.  Take the OVER.

7* Giants/Dodgers NL West *BAILOUT* on San Francisco -109

The Key: After a disastrous run post-All-Star Break, the San Francisco Giants now find themselves trailing the Los Angeles Dodgers by one game atop the NL West.  But the Dodgers always bring the best out in the Giants, and I look for them to take Game 1 of this series behind ace Madison Bumgarner.  The left-hander is 12-7 with a 2.31 ERA and 1.019 WHIP in 26 starts this year.  Bumgarner is 13-8 with a 2.59 ERA and 1.049 WHIP in 23 lifetime starts vs. Los Angeles as well.  Kenta Maeda is having a good year as well at 12-7 with a 3.29 ERA and 1.068 WHIP in 24 starts, but he's certainly no Bumgarner and has started showing signs of wearing down late in his rookie season.  Bumgarner is 22-6 (+12.9 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 7 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.  The Giants are 21-7 in their last 28 vs. NL West foes.  Take San Francisco.

7* Mets/Giants ESPN Sunday Night *BAILOUT* on New York -113

The Key: The New York Mets have a massive advantage on the mound tonight over the San Francisco Giants and should be bigger favorites.  Noah Syndergaard is 10-7 with a 2.78 ERA and 1.209 WHIP in 23 starts this season with 169 K's in 139 innings.  Jeff Samardzija is 10-8 with a 4.24 ERA and 1.225 WHIP in 24 starts for the Giants.  Samardzija has never beaten the Mets, going 0-3 with an 11.40 ERA and 1.867 WHIP in three lifetime starts.  Take New York.

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Toronto Blue Jays -118

The Key: The Blue Jays had won 4 of their last 5 games coming into this series with Cleveland.  They lost Game 1 by a run, but they will bounce back in Game 2 due to their edge on the mound.  Aaron Sanchez is 12-2 with a 2.89 ERA in 23 starts this season, including 7-1 with a 2.50 ERA in 12 road starts.  He's a better starter over Josh Tomlin, who has posted a 4.11 ERA in 22 starts this year.  Tomlin is 0-3 with a 9.36 ERA in his last 3 starts, so he's really slowing down.  Sanchez has never lost to the Indians, going 1-0 with a 3.17 ERA in 1 lifetime starts.  Tomlin is 1-0 with a 4.24 ERA in 4 lifetime starts vs. Toronto.  The Blue Jays are 4-0 in their last 4 games following a loss.  Toronto is 13-6 in Sanchez's last 19 starts.  The Indians are 2-8 in their last 10 vs. American League East.  Take Toronto.

7* NL East Game of the Year on Washington Nationals -138

The Key: The Washington Nationals should be bigger favorites over the Atlanta Braves tonight.  Tanner Roark continues to lack the respect he deserves from odddsmakers.  Roark is 13-6 with a 2.85 ERA and 1.183 WHIP in 24 starts this season.  Roark loves facing the Braves, going 5-1 with a 1.77 ERA and 1.054 WHIP in 9 lifetime starts against them.  Julio Teheran is 3-3 with a 3.95 ERA and 1.456 WHIP in 13 lifetime starts vs. Washington.  He gave up 6 earned runs in 7 innings in his last start against the Nationals on April 14.  Teheran is 1-13 (-13.0 Units) against the money line in night games this season.  The Nationals are 13-3 in Roark's last 16 starts and 7-1 in his last 8 road starts.  The Braves are 18-42 in their last 60 home games and 1-11 in Teheran's last 12 home starts.  Take Washington.

7* Mariners/Angels AL West *BAILOUT* on Seattle +104

The Key: The Seattle Mariners have won 10 of their last 12 games overall and are now serious postseason contenders here down the stretch.  Hisashi Iwakuma has won each of his last 3 starts and 8 of his last 9.  During that stretch, he has compiled a 2.78 ERA with 41 strikeouts and 10 walks in 55 innings.  He'll be opposed by Matt Shoemaker, who is 6-13 with a 4.22 ERA in 23 starts this season.  Iwakuma is 8-3 with a 2.95 ERA and 1.004 WHIP in 15 lifetime starts vs. Los Angels.  The Angels are 1-12 in their last 13 games overall with nothing to play for.  Take Seattle.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Boston Red Sox -114

The Key: The Boston Red Sox have won five straight games coming into this Game 2 showdown against the Baltimore Orioles Wednesday night.  Look for them to continue to roll tonight behind ace David Price, who is 10-8 with a 4.29 ERA and 1.283 WHIP in 25 starts this season.  Price has had his way with the Orioles, going 8-6 with a 2.89 ERA and 1.165 WHIP in 22 lifetime starts against them.  The Orioles are 0-4 in their last four games vs. a left-handed starter.  Baltimore is 2-7 in its last nine vs. AL East opponents.  Take Boston.

7* AL East Game of the Week on Boston Red Sox -110

The Key: The Boston Red Sox are in an intense battle with the Orioles and Blue Jays atop the AL East.  Sitting in 3rd place today, the Red Sox have a serious chance to gain some ground with an important series against the Orioles here.  I look for them to take Game 1 tonight due to their edge on the mound.  Eduardo Rodriquez has been pitching awesome of late with a 2.55 ERA and 1.019 WHIP in his last 3 starts.  Yovani Gallardo is 4-4 with a 5.17 ERA and 1.596 WHIP in 15 starts this year, including 1-2 with a 4.41 ERA and 1.470 WHIP in his last 3 outings.  Gallardo is 2-2 with a 5.26 ERA and 1.675 WHIP in 5 lifetime starts vs. Boston as well.  The Red Sox are 5-0 in their last 5 during Game 1 of a series.  Take Boston.

7* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on New York Mets +104

The Key: The New York Mets have gotten back on track with two straight victories following a big slump.  Now they should not be dogs to the Arizona Diamondbacks, who were just swept in three games by the Boston Red Sox while giving up a combined 31 runs in the process.  They definitely shouldn't be dogs with the advantage they have on the mound in this one, too.  Bartolo Colon is 10-6 with a 3.38 ERA and 1.203 WHIP in 23 starts, including 6-3 with a 3.29 ERA and 1.188 WHIP in 11 road starts.  Robbie Ray is 5-11 with a 4.50 ERA and 1.445 WHIP in 23 starts, including 3-5 with a 5.25 ERA and 1.540 WHIP in 11 home starts.  Colon sports a 3.20 ERA in 3 lifetime starts vs. Arizona.  Ray is 1-10 (-10.0 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 3 seasons.  The Mets are 23-6 in their last 29 Monday games.  The Mets are 9-0 in Colon's last 9 Monday starts.  Take New York.

7* MLB Dog of the Month on Detroit Tigers +105

The Key: The Detroit Tigers should not be underdogs to the Texas Rangers with the edge they have on the mound this afternoon.  Rookie Michael Fulmer has been brilliant, going 9-3 with a 2.43 ERA and 1.063 WHIP in 18 starts this year.  He'll be opposed by A.J. Griffin, who is 5-1 with a 4.38 ERA and 1.282 WHIP in 15 starts, including 2-0 with a 5.62 ERA in his last 3 starts.  Griffin has never fared well against the Tigers, going 1-1 with a 7.27 ERA and 1.788 WHIP in 4 lifetime starts against them.  The Tigers are 15-3 in Fulmer's 18 starts this season, including a perfect 7-0 in his day starts.  Take Detroit.

7* AL Central Game of the Week on Kansas City Royals +131

The Key: The Kansas City Royals should not be big underdogs to the Minnesota Twins today.  That's especially the case with Tyler Duffey starting for the Twins.  Duffey is 7-8 with a 5.93 ERA and 1.485 WHIP in 19 starts this year, 3-4 with a 7.22 ERA and 1.586 WHIP in 10 home starts, and 2-1 with a 7.43 ERA and 1.650 WHIP in his last 3 starts.  Duffey gave up 5 earned runs in 6 2/3 innings in his lone start against Kansas City this season back on May 25.  Dillon Gee is 17-9 (+14.9 Units) against the money line in road games against division opponents lifetime.  The Twins are 0-4 in their last 4 games overall.  Minnesota is 1-5 in Duffey's last 6 starts vs. a team with a losing record.  The Royals are 47-21 in the last 68 meetings and 22-8 in their last 30 meetings in Minnesota.  Take Kansas City.

7* AL Dog of the Week on Seattle Mariners +124

The Key: Thanks to winning 6 straight and 8 of their last 9 overall, the Seattle Mariners now have a realistic shot at chasing down a Wild Card spot in the American League.  Look for them to keep rolling tonight as they should not be underdogs to the Oakland A's.  The young, talented Ariel Miranda will be making his 2nd start of the season, so he's undervalued right now.  His first was impressive as he held the Red Sox to just 2 runs in 6 innings of work.  He'll be opposed by Sean Manaea, who is 3-7 with a 4.63 ERA and 1.350 WHIP in 16 starts this year.  The A's actually had a game yesterday while the Mariners had a rest day, which also works in their favor.  The A's are 1-7 in Manaea's last 8 starts following a loss in their previous game.  Oakland is 4-12 in its last 16 vs. a left-handed starter.  The Mariners are 7-0 in their last 7 trips to Oakland.  Take Seattle.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Baltimore Orioles -138

The Key: The Baltimore Orioles have lost 3 straight games by exactly 1 run to the Oakland A's to begin this series.  They will be hungry to avoid the sweep and take Game 4 today.  That shouldn't be a problem with ace Chris Tillman on the mound.  The right-hander is 14-4 with a 3.50 ERA and 1.236 WHIP in 24 starts, including 6-3 with a 3.24 ERA and 1.154 WHIP in 11 road starts.  He'll be opposed by youngster Alex Triggs, who only went 3 innings in his first start this year.  Tillman has never lost to the A's, going 3-0 with a 2.58 ERA and 1.148 WHIP in 6 lifetime starts against them.  Take Baltimore.

7* Tigers/Mariners American League *BAILOUT* on Seattle -108

The Key: The Seattle Mariners have made a nice push to get back into the postseason discussion.  They have gone 6-1 in their last 7 games overall.  Wade LeBlanc continues to be one of the most underrated starters in baseball.  He has gone 1-0 with a 2.88 ERA and 0.960 WHIP in 4 home starts this season for the Mariners.  Daniel Norris continues to struggle as a starter, posting a 5.25 ERA and 1.583 WHIP in 3 starts this year for the Tigers.  Norris sports a 5.40 ERA in 2 lifetime starts against Seattle.  The Mariners are 4-0 in LeBlanc's last 4 home starts.  Take Seattle.

7* MLB Run Line Game of the Week on St. Louis Cardinals -1.5 (+109)

The Key: The St. Louis Cardinals are coming off back-to-back poor home losses to the Atlanta Braves.  That will have them hungry for a victory as they enter this series with the Cincinnati Reds Monday night.  I expect them to win by multiple runs in Game 1 tonight.  Michael Wacha is 7-7 with a 4.35 ERA in 22 starts this year, including 2-0 with a 3.71 ERA in his last 3 starts.  Wacha loves facing the Reds, going 6-1 with a 2.09 ERA in 11 lifetime starts against them.  Cody Reed is still searching for his 1st win this year.  He is 0-6 with a 7.30 ERA in 8 starts.  That includes an 0-1 record with a 9.00 ERA in his lone start against St. Louis on August 3 in his last outing.  Take St. Louis on the Run Line.

7* National League *HEAVY HITTER* on San Francisco Giants -129

The Key: I'll gladly back ace Madison Bumgarner at this price Sunday.  He's 10-6 with a 2.31 ERA and 1.028 WHIP over 23 starts with 174 K's in 155 2/3 innings.  Bumgarner has owned the Nationals, sporting a 2.86 ERA and 1.045 WHIP in 10 lifetime starts against them.  He pitched a 9-inning shutout in a 5-0 victory in his last start against them.  Take San Francisco.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Houston Astros -135

The Key: The Astros need to make up some ground on the Rangers if they want to win the division.  They got off to a good start with a 5-0 win yesterday, and they are certainly thinking sweep in this series.  I expect them to take Game 2 tonight behind Doug Fister, who is 10-7 with a 3.56 ERA and 1.256 WHIP in 21 starts this season.  Fister has allowed a combined 5 earned runs over 18 innings in his last 3 starts against Texas.  The Rangers are 3-14 in their last 17 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.  The Astros are 24-11 in their last 35 home games.  Houston is 24-8 in its last 32 vs. AL West opponents.  The Astros are 10-2 in Fister's last 12 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.  Houston is 13-4 in Fister's last 17 starts and 8-1 in his last nine starts vs. AL West opponents.  Take Houston.

7* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on St. Louis Cardinals -1.5 (-106)

The Key: The St. Louis Cardinals need to get going if they want to make the playoffs.  They have lost 4 of their last 5 coming in.  A home series against the NL-worst Atlanta Braves should be just what the doctor ordered to get the Cardinals back on track.  Jaime Garcia has been at his best at home this season, going 4-5 with a 3.68 ERA and 1.212 WHIP in 11 starts.  He'll be opposed by Joel De La Cruz, who is 0-2 with a 3.86 ERA and 1.347 WHIP in 3 starts, and 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in 1 road start.  The Cardinals are 11-1 (+13.5 Units) against the money line after batting .225 or worse over a 5 game span this season.  They are coming back to win by 3.5 runs per game in these spots.  Take St. Louis on the Run Line.

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Boston Red Sox -136

The Key: The Boston Red Sox come into this game hungry for a win after losing their past 2 games to the Mariners.  They should get it behind Drew Pomeranz, who is 8-9 with a 3.09 ERA and 1.143 WHIP in 20 starts this year, and 4-5 with a 2.87 ERA and 1.073 WHIP in 10 road starts.  Pomeranz has never lost to the Mariners, going 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 0.333 WHIP in 2 lifetime starts against them.  He has pitched 12 shutout innings while giving up only 4 base runners in those 2 starts.  Look for him to shut down the Mariners again tonight and to outduel Seattle youngster Ariel Miranda.  Take Boston.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Boston Red Sox -115

The Key: After blowing a 4-0 lead in the 8th inning to lose 5-4 to the Mariners last night, the Red Sox will certainly come back hungry tonight.  They should take down the Mariners with ease due to their massive advantage on the mound.  Rick Porcello is having a career year, going 14-2 with a 3.47 ERA and 1.111 WHIP in 21 starts, including 3-0 with a 2.45 ERA and 0.818 WHIP in his last 3 starts.  Porcello is 6-3 with a 3.73 ERA and 1.197 WHIP in 10 lifetime starts vs. Seattle.  Hisashi Iwakuma is washed up, going 11-7 with a 4.21 ERA and 1.320 WHIP in 21 starts this year. Iwakuma has never fared well against the Red Sox, going 1-1 with an 8.18 ERA and 1.955 WHIP in 5 lifetime starts against them.  The Red Sox are 7-0 in Porcello's last 7 starts on grass.  The Mariners are 2-8 in their last 10 games following a win.  Take Boston.

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Cleveland Indians -1.5 (+100)

The Key: The Cleveland Indians are hungry following their 5-12 loss to the Minnesota Twins yesterday.  But now they have a huge advantage on the mound today behind Carlos Carrasco, who is 7-4 with a 2.45 ERA and 1.025 WHIP in 15 starts this year.  He'll be opposed by Kyle Gibson, who is 3-6 with a 4.54 ERA and 1.396 WHIP in 13 starts, including 2-2 with a 5.14 ERA and 1.429 WHIP in 5 road starts.  Gibson is 2-3 with a 5.80 ERA and 1.587 WHIP in 8 lifetime starts vs. Cleveland as well.  The Indians are 8-2 in their last 10 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.  The Twins are 10-26 in Gibson's last 36 starts vs. a team with a winning record.  Take Cleveland on the Run Line.

7* MLB Run Line Game of the Week on Washington Nationals -1.5 (-116)

The Key: The Washington Nationals should have no problem winning this game against the Arizona Diamondbacks by multiple runs.  They are hungry following back-to-back losses to the Giants over the weekend.  Now they'll give the ball to one of their aces in Stephen Strasburg, who is 14-1 with a 2.68 ERA and 0.987 WHIP in 19 starts, including 7-0 with a 1.72 ERA and 0.994 WHIP in 8 road starts.  Archie Bradley goes for the Diamondbacks.  he's 4-6 with a 4.17 ERA and 1.415 WHIP in 14 starts, including 1-3 with a 5.15 ERA in 6 home starts.  Arizona is 0-6 (-7.6 Units) against the money line in home games after 2 or more consecutive road games this season.  It is losing by 4.4 runs/game in this spot.  Strasburg is 17-2 (+13.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.  The Nationals are winning by 3.3 runs/game in his 19 starts.  Take Washington on the Run Line.

7* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Pittsburgh Pirates -137

The Key: The Pittsburgh Pirates get the nod Sunday as they look to avoid the sweep at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers.  I like their chances with their edge on the mound in this one.  Francisco Liriano is 7-6 with a 4.48 ERA and 1.336 WHIP in 16 lifetime starts vs. Milwaukee.  He faced them once this season on July 21, striking out 13 and allowing only 2 earned runs in 6 2/3 innings of a 5-3 victory.  Matt Garza is terrible, going 1-4 with a 5.74 ERA and 1.677 WHIP in 8 starts this year.  Garza is 2-4 with a 4.61 ERA and 1.573 WHIP in 10 lifetime starts vs. Pittsburgh.  Liriano is 11-1 (+10.4 Units) against the money line vs. NL teams scoring 4.3 or less runs/game in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.  The Pirates are 6-1 in their last 7 during game 3 of a series.  The Pirates are 8-1 in Liriano's last 9 Sunday starts.  The Brewers are 0-11 in their last 11 during game 3 of a series.  The Brewers are 1-9 in Garza's last 10 starts vs. a team with a winning record.  Take Pittsburgh.

7* National League *HEAVY HITTER* on St. Louis Cardinals -110

The Key: The St. Louis Cardinals are playing very well right now.  They have gone 9-3 in their last 12 games and look to win a fourth straight tonight against the Miami Marlins.  They should do just that due to their advantage on the mound.  Jaime Garcia is 7-7 with a 3.97 ERA in 20 starts this season.  He has never lost to the Marlins, going 2-0 with a 1.99 ERA in 5 lifetime starts against them.  Colin Rea is 5-5 with a 4.85 ERA in 18 starts this year, and 0-2 with a 5.94 ERA in his last 3 starts.  Rea has never beaten the Cardinals, going 0-2 with a 6.00 ERA in 3 lifetime starts against them.  Take St. Louis.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Boston Red Sox -1.5 (-105)

The Key: The Boston Red Sox are hungry for a victory after losing four straight and blowing a save in the 9th inning last night.  They should have plenty of room to spare in the 9th tonight as they win this one by multiple runs.  Rick Porcello is 13-2 with a 3.57 ERA and 1.151 WHIP in 20 starts, including 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA and 0.950 WHIP in his last 3 starts.  Tim Lincecum is 2-4 with an 8.70 ERA and 2.267 WHIP in 7 starts this year.  Lincecum is 0-2 with a 10.13 ERA and 2.625 WHIP in 2 lifetime starts vs. Boston.  Porcello sports a 1.50 ERA in his last 2 starts at Los Angeles, yielding just 2 earned runs in 12 innings.  Porcello is 9-0 (+9.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a bad team (Win Pct. 38% to 46%) over the last 2 seasons.  He's winning these starts by 4.3 runs per game. Take Boston on the Run Line.

7* NL East Game of the Week on Philadelphia Phillies -120

The Key: The Philadelphia Phillies should be bigger favorites tonight against the Atlanta Braves.  They have the advantage on the mound behind Aaron Nola, who is 5-9 with a 4.92 ERA and 1.274 WHIP in 19 starts this year with 116 K's in 106 innings.  Nola owns the Braves, going 2-1 with a 1.73 ERA and 1.115 WHIP in 4 lifetime starts against them.  Matt Wisler is 4-10 with a 4.97 ERA and 1.327 WHIP in 19 starts this year, including 1-2 with a 9.98 ERA and 1.696 WHIP in his last 3 starts.  Wisler is 1-2 with a 5.12 ERA in 3 lifetime starts vs. Philadelphia as well.  Atlanta is 8-27 (-17.7 Units) against the money line in home games in night games this season.  The Braves are 4-24 (-21.0 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 7 to 7.5 this season.  Atlanta is 2-9 in Wisler's last 11 home starts.  Take Philadelphia.

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Kansas City Royals -109

The Key: The Kansas City Royals have a huge advantage on the mound tonight over the Los Angeles Angels.  Danny Duffy is 6-1 with a 3.17 ERA in 13 starts this season, and he has struck out 34 batters while walking only 4 in his last 36 innings pitched.  Matt Shoemaker is 5-10 with a 3.99 ERA on the season, and 3-6 with a 4.74 ERA on the road this year.  The Angels are 1-5 in Shoemaker's last 6 road starts.  But what really stands out is that Shoemaker is 0-2 with an 8.64 ERA in 4 lifetime starts against Kansas City.  The Angels are 0-4 in those 4 games.  The Royals are 26-9 in Duffy's last 35 home starts and 9-0 in his last 9 starts as a favorite.  Take Kansas City.

7* MLB Run Line Game of the Week on Boston Red Sox -1.5 (-114)

The Key: You won't find many bigger mound mismatches than the one the Red Sox have over the Tigers here Tuesday night, which is why I expect them to win by 2 runs or more with ease.  Knuckleballer Steven Wright is 12-5 with a 2.67 ERA and 1.148 WHIP in 19 starts this season, including 7-1 with a 3.20 ERA in 10 home starts.  He'll be opposed by Mike Pelfrey, who is 3-9 with a 5.35 ERA and 1.812 WHIP in 19 starts this season for Detroit.  The Tigers are 0-14 (-14.0 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +175 to +200 over the last 2 seasons.  They are losing by 3.9 runs per game on average in this spot.  Take Boston on the Run Line.

7* MLB *MOUND MISMATCH* on Toronto Blue Jays -1.5 (-125)

The Key: The Toronto Blue Jays have a massive advantage on the mound tonight over the San Diego Padres.  As a result, I expect them to win by 2 or more runs today with ease.  Aaron Sanchez is 10-1 with a 2.94 ERA and 1.181 WHIP in 19 starts this season, including 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA and 0.850 WHIP in his last 3 starts.  He'll be opposed by Colin Rea, who is 5-4 with a 4.87 ERA and 1.440 WHIP in 17 starts, including 2-2 with a 5.11 ERA and 1.730 WHIP in 7 road starts.  San Diego is 1-11 (-10.8 Units) against the money line after a game where the bullpen threw 6 or more innings over the last 2 seasons.  It is losing by 2.3 runs per game in this spot.  Take Toronto on the Run Line.

7* MLB *MOUND MISMATCH* on Boston Red Sox -1.5 (-125)

The Key: The Boston Red Sox have a big advantage on the mound today and at the plate, and they should win by multiple runs as a result.  David Price is 9-7 with a 4.36 ERA and 1.231 WHIP in 20 starts, 6-3 with a 4.06 ERA and 1.088 WHIP in 11 home starts, and 1-2 with a 2.49 ERA and 1.200 WHIP in his last 3 outings.  Price is 9-3 with a 2.14 ERA and 0.970 WHIP in 14 lifetime starts vs. Minnesota as well.  Ricky Nolasco is 4-8 with a 5.02 ERA and 1.352 WHIP in 19 starts this year.  Nolasco sports a 4.50 ERA in 6 lifetime starts vs. Boston.  Minnesota is 3-16 (-12.3 Units) against the money line after 4 or more consecutive road games this season.  It is losing by 2.2 runs per game in this spot.  Take Boston on the Run Line.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Houston Astros -144

The Key: Los Angeles' Matt Shoemaker is coming off his first complete game shutout of the season in his last start.  Now, Shoemaker will likely be fatigued and is primed for a letdown tonight against the Houston Astros.  Lance McCullers has been dominant at home over the past two seasons with the Astros.  The right-hander is 7-3 with a 2.16 ERA and 1.160 WHIP in 17 starts while striking out 119 batters in 104 1/3 innings.  McCullers is also 1-1 with a 2.35 ERA and 1.109 WHIP in five lifetime starts against Los Angeles.  Shoemaker is 2-11 (-11.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.  The Angels are 16-35 in their last 51 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  The Angels are 4-17 in Shoemaker's last 21 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.  The Astros are 51-23 in their last 74 home games vs. a right-handed starter.  The Astros are 8-0 in the last 8 meetings.  Take Houston.

7* AL Central Game of the Month on Chicago White Sox -117

The Key: The White Sox have the clear edge on the mound today of the Detroit Tigers.  James Shields has really turned it on of late, going 1-2 with a 2.08 ERA and 0.877 WHIP in his last 3 starts while giving up just 5 earned runs in 21 2/3 innings.  Mike Pelfrey has been awful all season for the Tigers, going 2-9 with a 5.55 ERA and 1.819 WHIP in 18 starts, and 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA and 1.857 WHIP in his last 3 starts.  Pelfrey is 1-5 wiht a 5.81 ERA and 1.747 WHIP in 10 lifetime starts vs. Chicago.  The Tigers are 2-8 in their last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  Take Chicago.

7* National League *HEAVY HITTER* on Washington Nationals -110

The Key: The Washington Nationals are hungry for a win after dropping two straight, including Game 1 of this series to the Dodgers.  I like their chances with Gio Gonzalez on the mound tonight.  He has great stuff and has struck out 104 batters in 103 1/3 innings this season.  Gonzalez also owns the Dodgers, going 2-1 with a 1.73 ERA and 1.038 WHIP in 4 lifetime starts against them.  Bud Norris is 5-7 with a 4.17 ERA and 1.33 WHIP on the season for Los Angeles.  The Dodgers are 6-15 in their last 21 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600. The Nationals are 15-4 in Gonzalez's last 19 Wednesday starts.  Take Washington.

7* Interleague Game of the Week on Colorado Rockies -135

The Key: The Colorado Rockies should make easy work of the Tampa Bay Rays once again Tuesday.  The Rays simply cannot put the wheels back on.  They have gone 4-25 in their last 29 games overall.  The Rockies have the clear advantage on the mound in this one, too.  Tyler Chatwood is 8-5 with a 3.29 ERA and 1.286 WHIP in 16 starts while allowing only 6 homers in 95 2/3 innings this season.  Blake Snell is 1-4 with a 3.70 ERA and 1.579 WHIP in 6 starts for the Rays.  The Rays are 1-10 in their last 11 road games vs. a right-handed starter.  Tampa Bay is 1-5 in Snell's 6 starts this season.  The Rockies are 9-4 in the last 13 home meetings.  Take Colorado.

7* Orioles/Yankees AL East *HEAVY HITTER* on Baltimore -113

The Key: Kevin Gausman has gotten some poor run support this season, which is why he has a 1-6 record on the year.  But that should change here Monday against the Yankees and starter Ivan Nova, who is 5-4 with a 5.18 ERA and 1.379 WHIP in 12 starts.  Gausman sports a 4.15 ERA in 15 starts this year and a 3.37 ERA over his last 3 starts. But what really stands out are the head-to-head numbers.  Gausman is 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA in 7 lifetime starts vs. New York, while Nova is 7-4 with a 5.34 ERA in 15 lifetime starts vs. Baltimore.  Guasman has allowed just 2 earned runs over 19 innings in his last 3 starts against New York.  Nova has given up 10 earned runs in 11 2/3 innings in his last 2 starts against Baltimore.  The Orioles are 34-11 (+19.3 Units) against the money line as a favorite of -110 or higher this season.  Take Baltimore.

7* National League *HEAVY HITTER* on St. Louis Cardinals -139

The Key: The St. Louis Cardinals should be bigger favorites over the Miami Marlins today.  We'll take advantage of this generous price and back the Cards at home as they win this series with a victory in Game 3.  Michael Wacha has been on his game of late, giving up 3 earned runs or fewer in each of his last 6 starts while going 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA over that span.  Miami is 4-20 (-16.0 Units) against the money line in road games after having won 3 of their last 4 games over the last 2 seasons.  The Cardinals are 24-10 in Wacha's last 34 home starts.  The Marlins are 2-7 in the last 9 meetings.  Take St. Louis.

7* NL Central Game of the Week on Milwaukee Brewers -101

The Key: We're getting a great price here with the better team and the better starting pitcher at nearly even money today.  The Milwaukee Brewers clearly have the edge on the mound in this one behind Jimmy Nelson, who is 5-7 with a 3.53 ERA in 18 starts this year, including 0-1 with a 2.12 ERA in his last 3 starts.  Cincinnati's John Lamb is 1-6 with a 5.29 ERA and 1.530 WHIP in 13 starts this year, including 0-2 with a 7.05 ERA and 1.631 WHIP in his last 3 starts.  Lamb has never beaten the Brewers, going 0-2 (0-4 money line) with a 6.98 ERA and 1.499 WHIP in 4 lifetime starts against them.  Take Milwaukee.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Toronto Blue Jays -133

The Key: The Toronto Blue Jays are one of the hottest teams in baseball coming out of the All-Star Break.  They have won 8 of their last 9 games overall and now open a series with one of the worst teams in the AL in the Oakland A's.  Marcus Stroman is coming off a couple of his best starts of the season.  He has given up only 3 earned runs over 14 2/3 innings in his last two starts.  Daniel Mengden is 1-4 with a 4.54 ERA and 1.374 WHIP in 6 starts this year for the A's.  Stroman pitched 7 shutout innings in his only lifetime start against Oakland.  The Blue Jays are 26-10 in their last 36 games vs. a right-handed starter.  The A's are 3-8 in their last 11 games overall.  Oakland is 17-36 in its last 53 vs. AL East foes.  The Blue Jays are 6-1 in the last 7 meetings.  Take Toronto.

7* National League *HEAVY HITTER* on St. Louis Cardinals +115

The Key: The St. Louis Cardinals should not be underdogs to the Milwaukee Brewers today.  Junior Guerra is getting way too much respect from oddsmakers as the starting pitcher for the Brewers.  The Cardinals are 8-1 (+9.6 Units) against the money line in road games after having lost 4 or 5 of their last 6 games this season.  St. Louis is 11-4 in its last 15 road games.  The Brewers are 19-40 in their last 59 vs. a team with a winning record.  Milwaukee is 0-6 in its last 6 during game 3 of a series.  Take St. Louis.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Cleveland Indians -160

The Key: The Cleveland Indians have been on a tear to close out the All-Star Break.  They should pick up another win with ease today thanks to their advantage on the mound over the New York Yankees.  Danny Salazar has been their ace, going 10-3 with a 2.36 ERA and 1.141 WHIP with 113 K's in 99 innings.  He's 5-1 with a 2.05 ERA and 0.993 WHIP in 7 home starts as well.  C.C. Sabathia has really struggled of late, going 0-2 with an 8.31 ERA and 1.616 WHIP in his last 3 starts while allowing 16 earned runs in 17 1/3 innings.  The Indians are 45-22 in their last 67 home games.  Cleveland is 7-0 in Salazar's last 7 starts overall.  The Indians are 20-7 in Salazar's last 27 home starts.  Take Cleveland.

7* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Chicago Cubs -158

The Key: The Chicago Cubs have lost 7 of their last 8 games overall heading into this series with the Pirates.  It's safe to say they'll be hungry for a win in Game 1 here tonight.  The good news is that ace Jake Arrieta will be taking the ball, giving the Cubs a massive edge on the mound.  Arrieta is 12-3 with a 2.33 ERA and 1.062 WHIP in 17 starts this season.  The right-hander is 10-1 with a 1.31 ERA and 0.753 WHIP in 13 lifetime starts vs. Pittsburgh.  Francisco Liriano has been off all season, going 5-8 with a 5.34 ERA and 1.643 WHIP in 16 starts, including 1-1 with a 6.91 ERA and 1.745 WHIP in his last 3.  Arrieta is 20-2 (+16.8 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 7 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.  The Cubs are 23-3 in Arrieta's last 26 road starts.  The Pirates are 0-6 in Liriano's last 6 starts vs. a team with a winning record.  The Cubs are 13-3 in the last 16 meetings, including 7-0 in the last 7 meetings in Pittsburgh.  Take Chicago.

7* Tigers/Blue Jays AL *HEAVY HITTER* on Toronto -113

The Key: The Toronto Blue Jays are on a tear right now.  They have won 5 straight while outscoring opponents a combined 44-14 in the process.  Look for their bats to stay red hot against Justin Verlander and the Tigers.  Verlander is 1-1 with a 5.30 ERA in his last 3 starts.  He is 3-4 with a 4.90 ERA in 10 lifetime starts vs. Toronto.  Verlander has given up 12 earned runs and 4 homers over 12 innings in his last 2 starts against the Blue Jays.  Drew Hutchison is 1-1 with a 2.89 ERA in 3 lifetime starts vs. Detroit.  Toronto is 14-1 (+12.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a marginal winning team (Win Pct. 51% to 54%) in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.  The Blue Jays are 45-21 in their last 66 home games vs. a right-handed starter.  The Blue Jays are 19-7 in Hutchison's last 26 home starts.  Take Toronto.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Houston Astros -134

The Key: The Houston Astros are one of the hottest teams in baseball.  They have gone 28-11 in their last 39 games overall to give themselves a realistic chance of chasing down the Texas Rangers for first place in the AL West heading into the All-Star Break.  I expect them to continue to roll behind Mike Fiers, who is 2-0 with a 1.12 ERA in his last 3 starts.  Fiers has fared well at home this season, going 5-2 with a 2.87 ERA in 9 starts.  Wade LeBlanc is getting too much respect from oddsmakers for what he has done in limited action this season.  He past posted a 1.50 ERA in 2 starts.  The Mariners are 3-14 in their last 17 road games.  Seattle is 0-7 in its last 7 road games vs. a right-handed starter.  The Astros are 7-1 in Fiers' last 8 home starts.  Houston is 10-1 in its last 11 home games.  Take Houston.

7* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on St. Louis Cardinals -153

The Key: Stephen Brault will make his MLB debut tonight against the St. Louis Cardinals.  He's certainly going to be overmatched here by Mike Leake.  Brault's fastball tops out at 91 MPH and he's only making this start due to all of the injuries to Pittsburgh's rotation.  Leake is having a fine season at 5-6 with a 4.13 ERA and 1.204 WHIP in 16 starts.  Leake has owned the Pirates, going 9-4 with a 3.46 ERA and 1.224 WHIP in 16 lifetime starts against them.  St. Louis is 40-14 (+16.9 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -150 to -200 over the last 2 seasons.  The Cardinals are 20-6 (+12.9 Units) against the money line off a loss to a division rival as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.  The Cardinals are 13-3 in their last 16 NL Central games.  Take St. Louis.

7* Yankees/White Sox AL *HEAVY HITTER* on Chicago +115

The Key: James Shields had a disastrous stretch there when he got traded from the Padres to the White Sox.  But he has gotten it together over his last two starts, giving up just 4 earned runs in 11 2/3 innings against Boston and Minnesota.  C.C. Sabathia has gone the other direction.  After a tremendous start to the year, he has come back down to reality of late.  Sabathia has given up 11 earned runs over 11 1/3 innings in his last 2 starts and should not be favored here.  Shields sports a 4.15 ERA and 1.291 WHIP in 31 lifetime starts vs. New York.  He has given up just 9 earned runs over 36 innings in his last 5 starts against New York for a 2.25 ERA.  The Yankees are 2-10 in their last 12 road games vs. a team with a winning record.  Take Chicago.

7* National League *HEAVY HITTER* on Chicago Cubs -114

The Key: I've been on the Cubs the past two days with no success.  But I'm certainly not going to miss out on them picking up their only win of this series, so I'll back the Cubs against Sunday.  They are 0-3 in this series against the Mets but certainly do not want to get swept.  I look for Jon Lester to lead them to victory in Game 4 this afternoon.  Lester is 9-3 with a 2.03 ERA in 16 starters this year, and 5-1 with a 1.73 ERA in 8 road starts.  Lester is 14-1 when starting against a team that hits .245 or worse over the last 2 seasons as well.  Take Chicago.

7* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Chicago Cubs -161

The Key: The Chicago Cubs are fuming mad right now.  They lost to the Mets in the NLCS last year, and now they have dropped the first two games of this series.  That's OK because ace Jake Arrieta is here to save the day Saturday and get the Cubs in the win column against them.  Arrieta is 12-2 with a 2.10 ERA and 1.019 WHIP in 16 starts this year, including a perfect 8-0 with a 2.50 ERA and 0.889 WHIP in 8 road starts.  Arrieta is also 2-2 with a 2.50 ERA and 0.933 WHIP in 6 lifetime starts vs. New York.  Bartolo Colon has never beaten the Cubs, going 0-2 with a 3.89 ERA and 1.373 WHIP in 6 lifetime starts against them.  Arrieta is 21-2 (+18.7 Units) against the money line in road games vs. teams whose hitters strike out 7 or more times/game over the last 2 seasons.  Arrieta is 22-1 (+20.6 Units) against the money line as a road favorite of -110 or higher over the last 2 seasons.  Take Chicago.

7* Cubs/Mets National League *HEAVY HITTER* on Chicago -110

The Key: The Chicago Cubs are in revenge mode today.  They lost to the New York Mets in the NLCS last year, and they blew a 3-0 lead to lose 4-3 in Game 1 of this series Thursday.  Look for them to bounce back behind Jason Hammel, who is 7-4 with a 2.58 ERA in 15 starts this year, including 4-3 with a 2.45 ERA in 9 road starts.  Jacob DeGrom is having a great season as well, but he's 1-2 with a 5.24 ERA in 4 lifetime starts vs. Chicago.  The Cubs are 41-16 in their last 57 during game 2 of a series.  Chicago is 13-4 in Hammel's last 17 starts during game 2 of a series.  The Mets are 1-4 in DeGrom's last 5 starts.  Take Chicago.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Toronto Blue Jays +111

The Key: The Cleveland Indians' 12-game winning streak comes to an end tonight in Toronto.  It's to the point where they are overvalued now being road favorites against a team the caliber of the Blue Jays.  Plus, Cleveland starter Carlos Carrasco has never pitched well against Toronto.  He is 1-1 with a 7.98 ERA and 1.840 WHIP in 3 lifetime starts against them.  Meanwhile, R.A. Dickey is 4-2 with a 2.70 ERA and 1.114 WHIP in 7 lifetime starts vs. Cleveland.  Toronto is 11-1 (+10.0 Units) against the money line after 3 consecutive games versus an interleague opponent over the last 2 seasons.   Take Toronto.

7* Interleague *MOUND MISMATCH* on Toronto Blue Jays -127

The Key: The Toronto Blue Jays clearly have the edge on the mound tonight over the Colorado Rockies and should roll to victory as a result, just as they did yesterday in their 14-9 victory.  Aaron Sanchez has been brilliant all season, going 7-1 with a 3.33 ERA and 1.264 WHIP in 15 starts.  Sanchez has actually been at his best on the road, going 5-0 with a 2.48 ERA and 1.103 WHIP in 9 starts away from home.  Tyler Anderson has pitched well in his 3 starts this season for the Rockies, but two of them have come against the Marlins and Padres, who are light-hitting teams.  He'll now be up against the best lineup he's faced this season in the Blue Jays.  Colorado is 1-11 (-10.6 Units) against the money line after allowing 12 runs or more over the last 2 seasons.  Take Toronto.

7* National League *HEAVY HITTER* on Chicago Cubs -1.5 (-140)

The Key: We'll back the Chicago Cubs to win by 2 runs or more for a 2nd consecutive day here as they take on the lowly Cincinnati Reds with a big advantage on the mound once again.  Jon Lester is 9-3 with a 2.10 ERA in 15 starts, and 5-1 with a 1.83 ERA in 7 road starts.  Lester has never lost to the Reds, going 2-0 (6-0 money line) with a 3.38 ERA and 0.925 WHIP in 6 lifetime starts against them.  John Lamb is 1-4 with a 4.79 ERA in 10 starts for the Reds this year.  Lamb is 0-1 with a 9.64 ERA in his lone lifetime start vs. Chicago.  Cincinnati is 1-13 (-12.2 Units) against the money line in home games after allowing 10 runs or more over the last 2 seasons.  It is losing by 3.5 runs per game in this spot.  Take Chicago on the Run Line.

7* MLB Run Line GAME OF THE WEEK on Chicago Cubs -1.5 (-145)

The Key: The Chicago Cubs are in the midst of their worst stretch of the season.  They have gone 1-6 in their last 7 games overall.  But now they'll turn to ace Jake Arrieta tonight, and I'll back them on the run line to win this game by 2 runs or more as a result.  Arrieta is 11-2 with a 1.74 ERA and 0.980 WHIP in 15 starts this year.  The right-hander is also 4-2 with a 2.81 ERA and 0.816 WHIP in six career starts against Cincinnati.  Dan Straily is 4-4 with a 3.89 ERA in 13 starts for the Reds, including 1-2 with a 5.71 ERA in his last 3 starts.  Cincinnati is 1-11 (-9.9 Units) against the money line revenging a home loss vs opponent of 6 runs or more over the last 2 seasons.  It is losing by an average of 3.1 runs per game in this spot.  Take Chicago on the Run Line.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Boston Red Sox +100

The Key: I like the value we are getting with the Boston Red Sox as underdogs to the Texas Rangers today.  I don't think Martin Perez should be favored here.  He has struggled recently with a 4.91 ERA and 1.528 WHIP in his last three starts.  Perez is 1-1 with a 6.19 ERA and 1.938 WHIP in 3 lifetime starts vs. Boston, too.  The Red Sox are 9-3 in Buchholz's last 12 Sunday starts.  Take Boston.

7* National League *HEAVY HITTER* on Washington Nationals -140

The Key: The Washington Nationals have lost 6 straight for the 1st time this season.  Now they'll be motivated for a win Saturday to stop the bleeding.  I like their chances against Matt Garza, who is 0-4 with a 7.41 ERA and 1.858 WHIP in 8 lifetime starts vs. New York.  Take Washington.

7* MLB *MOUND MISMATCH* on Cleveland -107

The Key: Cleveland continues to be one of the hottest teams in baseball and they bring their ace to the mound tonight in Danny Salazar.  On the season, Salazar sits at 8-3 with a 2.23 ERA in 13 starts.  He'll be backed by an Indians squad that has owned the Detroit Tigers of late, notching a 6-0 record against them, including taking the last three meetings in Detroit.  The Tigers are fresh off of a sweep over Seattle, but they will find this hungry Cleveland team a much tougher opponent to handle, especially with one of the great young pitchers in the game on the mound.  Take Cleveland.

7* NL East GAME OF THE MONTH on New York Mets -143

The Key: The New York Mets were just swept in three games by the Atlanta Braves over the weekend.  That will have them hungry for a victory and revenge in Game 1 of this new series Thursday.  Matt Harvey has really turned it around of late, posting a 2.08 ERA over his last four starts.  Harvey sports a 3.71 ERA in six lifetime starts vs. Atlanta.  Matt Wisley has gone 1-5 with a 4.50 ERA in 8 home starts this year, and he's 1-2 with a 9.20 ERA in his last 3 starts coming in.  Atlanta is 2-14 (-12.7 Units) against the money line in home games after scoring 3 runs or less 2 straight games this season.  The Braves are 3-19 (-17.0 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 7 to 7.5 this season.  Take New York.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Cleveland Indians -117

The Key: The Cleveland Indians are proving to be the best team in the AL Central behind the best rotation in the division.  They have won 5 in a row to get to 40-30 on the season.  The Tampa Bay Rays are reeling, having lost 6 straight coming in while scoring a combined 14 runs in the process.  Trevor Bauer will keep the Rays' bats cold tonight.  Bauer is 3-2 with a 3.23 ERA and 1.187 WHIP in 10 starts, including 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA in his last 3 starts.  Chris Archer has been awful this season, going 4-9 with a 4.60 ERA and 1.442 WHIP in 15 starts, and 3-4 with a 6.75 ERA and 1.790 WHIP in 8 road starts.  Archer has never beaten the Indians, going 0-4 with a 4.91 ERA and 1.682 WHIP in 4 lifetime starts against them.  Take Cleveland.

7* MLB *MOUND MISMATCH* on San Francisco Giants -139

The Key: I'm going to back the hottest team in baseball in the San Francisco Giants, who have won 8 of their last 9 games overall coming in.  They will be up against a Pittsburgh Pirates team that has lost 10 of its last 12 games overall.  There's no question the Giants have a big edge on the mound in this one as well.  Johnny Cueto has been brilliant, going 10-1 with a 2.10 ERA and 1.003 WHIP in 14 starts.  Cueto is 18-5 with a 2.23 ERA and 1.009 WHIP in 29 lifetime starts vs. Pittsburgh as well.  Wilfredo Boscan will be making his season debut for the Pirates, and he's simply overmatched in this one.  Cueto is 11-1 (+9.4 Units) against the money line as a favorite of -110 or higher this season.  The Giants are 9-0 in Cueto's last 9 starts vs. a team with a losing record.  Take San Francisco.

7* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on San Francisco Giants -1.5 (-110)

The Key: The San Francisco Giants are the hottest team in baseball right now.  They have gone 8-0 in their last eight games with five of their last six victories coming by 2 runs or more.  They should continue to roll tonight due to the edge they have on the mound.  Ace Madison Bumgarner has gone 8-2 with a 2.01 ERA and 1.032 WHIP in 14 starts this year for the Giants.  Bumgarner is 3-3 with a 2.68 ERA and 1.041 WHIP in 6 lifetime starts vs. Pittsburgh.  Jeff Locke is now 5-5 with a 5.92 ERA and 1.487 WHIP in 13 starts for Pittsburgh.  He has gone 1-2 with a 12.06 ERA in his last 3 starts, yielding 21 earned runs in 15 2/3 innings.  Locke is 0-1 with a 9.42 ERA and 2.024 WHIP in 3 lifetime starts vs. San Francisco.  Bumgarner is 9-0 (+9.5 Units) against the money line in road games against NL Central opponents over the last 3 seasons.  The Giants are winning by 5.0 runs per game in this spot on average.  Take San Francisco on the Run Line.

7* NL Central GAME OF THE MONTH on Chicago Cubs -220

The Key:  Lester has been dominant all season.  He'll continue to shine against the Pittsburgh Pirates today.  Take Chicago.

7* MLB Friday Night *BAILOUT* on Washington Nationals -160

The Key: The Washington Nationals are playing their best baseball of the season right now.  They have won 9 of their last 11 games overall and don't appear to be slowing down any time soon.  They're up against a San Diego Padres team that has lost 5 of its last 6 coming in.  The Nationals certainly have the edge on the mound tonight behind Joe Ross, who is 5-4 with a 3.14 ERA and 1.158 WHIP in 12 starts, including 3-2 with a 2.77 ERA and 1.154 WHIP in 7 road starts.  Ross is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in one lifetime starts vs. San Diego, pitching 6 innings while allowing only 3 base runners and no earned runs in a 4-2 victory.  Christian Friedrich has never beaten the Nationals, going 0-2 with a monstrous 10.57 ERA and 2.350 WHIP in 2 lifetime starts against them.  Washington is 22-7 (+11.9 Units) against the money line as a favorite of -125 to -175 this season.  The Nationals are 8-1 in Ross' last 9 starts vs. a team with a losing record.  Take Washington.

7* AL Central GAME OF THE MONTH on Cleveland Indians -133

The Key: The Cleveland Indians are very hungry to avoid the sweep today against the hated Kansas City Royals after losing the first two games of this series by exactly one run each.  The Indians have the edge on the mound today and should avoid the sweep as a result.  Corey Kluber is 6-6 with a 3.65 ERA and 1.015 WHIP in 13 starts this year, including 4-2 with a 2.96 ERA and 0.8222 WHIP in 7 road starts.  Kluber is also 6-5 with a 3.17 ERA and 1.037 WHIP in 15 lifetime starts vs. Kansas City.  Ian Kennedy is 4-5 with a 4.06 ERA in 12 starts this year, including 0-2 with a 6.11 ERA in his last 3.  Kennedy is 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA in 4 lifetime starts vs. Cleveland.  He gave up 5 earned runs in 6 innings of a 1-7 loss to the Indians on June 4 earlier this month.  Cleveland is 14-4 (+11.0 Units) against the money line in road games after 2 or more consecutive losses over the last 2 seasons.  The Royals are 2-7 in their last 9 games vs. a right-handed starter.  Take Cleveland.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Tampa Bay Rays -111

The Key: The Tampa Bay Rays come in playing some of their best baseball of the season.  They've won 7 of their last 9 games overall.  The Mariners come in playing some of their worst, losers of 7 of their last 10 games overall.  I believe the Rays have the edge on the mound tonight with Jake Odorizzi.  He's 3-3 with a 3.47 ERA in 13 starts, including 0-2 with a 2.52 ERA in 6 home starts.  Taijuan Walker is 3-6 with a 3.48 ERA in 12 starts, and 1-3 with a 5.00 ERA in 4 road starts.  Odorizzi has owned the Mariners, going 1-1 with a 0.52 ERA and 0.866 WHIP in 3 lifetime starts against them.  He has allowed just 1 earned run in 17 1/3 innings over those 3 starts.  Walker gave up 4 runs in 5 2/3 innings in his only lifetime start against Tampa Bay back on May 11 this year.  Take Tampa Bay.

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Houston Astros -127

The Key: The Houston Astros have clawed their back to near .500 on the season after a disastrous start.  They will make another stride forward today in the win column considering the edge they have on the mound.  Dallas Keuchel has gotten his act together of late, going 1-2 with a 3.98 ERA and 0.984 WHIP in his last 3 starts.  I'll gladly back him over Matt Moore, who is 2-4 with a 5.55 ERA and 1.478 WHIP in 12 starts this season.  Moore has already given up a whopping 14 homers in 69 2/3 innings pitched, so he has clearly been off his game all year.  The Astros are 5-0 in their last 5 during game 3 of a series.  The Astros are 9-2 in their last 11 vs. a team with a losing record.  The Rays are 1-8 in Moore's last 9 starts.  Take Houston.

7* NL West GAME OF THE MONTH on San Francisco Giants -120

The Key: The San Francisco Giants get the nod today as short home favorites over the rival Los Angeles Dodgers.  Jeff Samardzija looks to continue his great start to the season.  He's 7-4 with a 3.33 ERA and 1.136 WHIP in 12 starts, including 3-1 with a 2.93 ERA and 1.120 WHIP in 4 home starts.  Scott Kazmir hasn't been nearly as effective for the Dodgers, going 5-3 with a 4.46 ERA in 12 starts, including 2-0 with a 5.13 ERA in 6 road starts.  Kazmir is 1-2 with a 5.22 ERA and 1.548 WHIP in 4 lifetime starts vs. San Francisco.  In 2 starts against the Giants in 2016, he has given up 10 earned runs in 8 innings.  The Giants are 17-4 in their last 21 vs. National League West.  The Dodgers are 4-11 in the last 15 road meetings in this series.  Take San Francisco.

7* Indians/Mariners MLB *BAILOUT* on Cleveland +123

The Key: The Cleveland Indians get the nod Thursday as nice-sized road underdogs to the Seattle Mariners Thursday night in the final game on the board.  Josh Tomlin is killing it this season, going 8-1 with a 3.54 ERA and 1.098 WHIP in 10 starts.  He has been at his best on the road at 4-0 with a 2.93 ERA and 0.867 WHIP in 4 starts.  Nate Karns is 5-2 with a 4.23 ERA and 1.427 WHIP in 11 starts for the Mariners and shouldn't be the favorite here.  He's also 1-1 with a 6.89 ERA and 1.851 WHIP in his last 3 starts.  Tomlin is 4-1 with a 3.41 ERA and 0.903 WHIP in 5 lifetime starts vs. Seattle.  He pitched a one-hit shutout in his last start against the Mariners.  The Indians are 17-4 in Tomlin's last 21 starts overall, including 8-0 in his last 8 road starts.  Take Cleveland.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Toronto Blue Jays -123

The Key: The Toronto Blue Jays have a huge edge on the mound tonight over the Detroit Tigers.  Aaron Sanchez has been their best starter all season, going 5-1 with a 2.99 ERA and 1.216 WHIP in 11 starts, including 4-0 with a 2.38 ERA and 1.104 WHIP in 6 road starts.  Matt Boyd is 0-1 with a 5.56 ERA in two starts this season for Detroit.  Over his 2-year career, Boyd is 1-7 with a 6.75 ERA and 1.486 WHIP in 14 starts and 2 relief appearances.  He gave up 5 earned runs and 3 homers in 6 innings of a 3-5 loss to the Blue Jays in his only lifetime start against them last year.  Toronto is 21-7 (+13.2 Units) against the money line after batting .200 or worse over a 3 game span over the last 2 seasons.  The Blue Jays are 5-0 in their last 5 games following a loss.  Toronto is 6-1 in Sanchez's last 7 starts.  Detroit is 3-8 in Boyd's last 11 starts.  Take Toronto.

7* National League *HEAVY HITTER* on Colorado Rockies +131

The Key: The Colorado Rockies should not be underdogs to the Los Angeles Dodgers today with the edge they have on the mound.  Tyler Chatwood is one of the most underrated starters in baseball.  He's 6-4 with a 2.99 ERA and 1.212 WHIP in 11 starts this year, including a perfect 4-0 with a 0.53 ERA and 0.891 WHIP in 5 road starts.  Mike Bolsinger is no more than a fill-in starter for the Dodgers.  He's 1-2 with a 4.20 ERA in 3 starts this year.  Chatwood sports a 3.68 ERA in 8 lifetime starts vs. Los Angeles.  Bolsinger sports a 5.40 ERA and 1.650 WHIP in 4 lifetime starts vs. Colorado.  Take Colorado.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Boston Red Sox -121

The Key: The Boston Red Sox are showing great value as only -121 favorites over the Toronto Blue Jays today.  The Red Sox are extremely hungry for a victory after losing 3 straight coming in, and with their edge on the mound today, they should stop the losing streak here.  Steven Wright has been awesome this season, going 5-4 with a 2.45 ERA and 1.091 WHIP in 10 starts.  He has posted a 2.13 ERA and 1.184 WHIP in 2 lifetime starts vs. Toronto as well.  Marcus Stroman sports a 4.46 ERA in 11 starts  this year, including a 7.23 ERA in his last 3.  He has given up 12 earned runs in 10 2/3 innings in his last 2 starts against Boston, both of which have come this season.  He'll get rocked again today.  Take Boston.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Tampa Bay Rays -115

The Key: The Tampa Bay Rays are hungry for a victory tonight after losing 5 straight and 11 of their last 13 coming in.  I like their chances to stop the bleeding with the edge they have on the mound tonight.  Jake Odorizzi is having a fine season at 2-3 with a 3.36 ERA and 1.103 WHIP in 11 starts.  he has been at his best of late, going 2-1 with a 2.12 ERA and 0.765 WHIP in his last 3 starts.  Ricky Nolasco is 2-3 with a 5.28 ERA in 10 starts and 0-1 with a 7.54 ERA in 4 home starts.  Nolasco is 3-5 with a 7.33 ERA and 1.698 WHIP in 8 lifetime starts vs. Tampa Bay.  Minnesota is 7-26 (-17.6 Units) against the money line as an underdog of +100 to +150 this season.  The Twins are 1-14 (-13.9 Units) against the money line vs. teams whose hitters draw 3 walks or less/game this season.  Take Tampa Bay.

7* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Pittsburgh Pirates -105

The Key: The Pittsburgh Pirates have lost 3 of their last 4 games coming in and will be hungry for a victory tonight.  I like their chances with the edge they'll have on the mound here.  Jon Niese is the better starter at 5-2 with a 4.42 ERA in 10 starts this year.  But he's been at his best recently, going 2-0 with a 1.89 ERA and 1.053 WHIP in his last 3 starts.  Adam Conley is 3-3 with a 4.15 ERA and 1.481 WHIP in 10 starts, 1-3 with a 5.91 ERA and 1.641 WHIP in 4 home starts, and 1-1 with a 5.17 ERA and 2.043 WHIP in his last 3 starts.  Niese gave up 1 run and 5 base runners in 7 innings of a 5-1 win at Miami in his last start against the Marlins.  The Pirates are 6-1 in their last 7 road games vs. a left-handed starter.  Pittsburgh is 4-1 in Niese's last 5 road starts.  The Marlins are 1-5 in their last 6 games following a win.  The Pirates are 19-7 in the last 26 meetings.  Take Pittsburgh.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Tampa Bay Rays -114

The Key: The Tampa Bay Rays are certainly hungry for a victory here today against the Kansas City Royals.  They have lost two straight and six of eight overall.  But they do have the edge on the mound today to get back on track.  Drew Smyly sports a 3.92 ERA and 1.048 WHIP in 10 starts, and a 3.16 ERA and 1.181 WHIP in 5 road starts.  Dillon Gee is 1-2 with a 5.65 ERA and 1.745 WHIP in 3 starts for the Royals.  Smyly is 3-1 with a 2.20 ERA and 1.041 WHIP in 5 lifetime starts vs. Kansas City.  The Rays are 9-2 in their last 11 Tuesday games.  The Rays are 8-2 in Smyly's last 10 starts after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.  Take Tampa Bay.

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Chicago White Sox -141

The Key: The Chicago White Sox have been struggling of late, but the one thing that's certain is that they continue to win at an alarming rate with AL Cy Young contender Chris Sale on the mound.  The left-hander is 9-1 with a 2.26 ERA and 0.837 WHIP in 10 starts this season, including 5-0 with a 1.41 ERA and 0.809 WHIP in 5 road starts.  Sale has posted a 2.80 ERA in 15 lifetime starts vs. Kansas City as well.  Edinson Volquez has struggled for the most part this year, going 5-4 with a 3.81 ERA and 1.402 WHIP in 10 starts.  Sale is 18-3 (+13.9 Units) against the money line in May games lifetime.  The White Sox are 10-1 in Sale's last 11 starts.  Take Chicago.

7* American League GAME OF THE MONTH on Oakland A's -129

The Key: The Oakland A's won four straight before losing the first game of this series to the Yankees.  Look for them to get back in the win column tonight behind ace Sonny Gray.  The right-hander is undervalued right now due to a sub-par start to the season, but he's the real deal.  Gray is 1-1 with a 3.43 ERA and 1.095 WHIP in 3 lifetime starts vs. New York as well.  C.C. Sabathia is washed up.  He is 2-2 with a 3.81 ERA and 1.553 WHIP in 5 starts this year.  Sabathia is 9-11 with a 4.71 ERA and 1.385 WHIP in 29 lifetime starts vs. Oakland.  The left-hander has given up 13 earned runs in 17 1/3 innings for a 6.75 ERA in his last 3 starts against the A's.  The Yankees are 3-9 in their last 12 road games.  The A's are 7-1 in their last 8 Friday games.  The Yankees are 3-12 in their last 15 road meetings with the A's.  Take Oakland.

7* National League GAME OF THE MONTH on New York Mets -127

The Key: The New York Mets are coming off back-to-back losses and will be hungry for a win tonight in Colorado.  I like their chances of getting one with Logan Verrett on the mound.  Verrett has been dominant in his two starts this season, going 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA while tossing 12 shutout innings.  Verrett has faced Colorado once before, which came last season as he pitched 8 innings of 1-run ball with 8 strikeouts in a 5-1 road victory.  Eddie Butler is no more than a fill-in starter and wouldn't make most rotations in the big leagues.  Butler faced the Mets once last season, giving up 6 earned runs in 4 innings of a 3-12 loss at New York.  The Mets are 7-2 in their last 9 games following a loss.  New York is 35-16 in its last 51 road games.  The Rockies are 16-43 in their last 59 during game 2 of a series.  Colorado is 1-8 in Butler's last 9 starts vs. a team with a winning record.  Take New York.

7* MLB GAME OF THE MONTH on St. Louis Cardinals -113

The Key: The St. Louis Cardinals have been hitting the cover off the ball here of late.  They have scored 45 runs over their last 5 games while winning four of them.  Now they get to go up against Ruby De La Rosa, who sports a 5.79 ERA through 3 starts this year.  De La Rosa hasn't enjoyed facing the Cardinals, posting a 4.91 ERA in 2 starts against them.  Michael Wacha has given up just 3 earned runs in his last 3 starts for a 1.50 ERA.  The Cardinals are 26-11 in Wacha's last 37 starts.  Take St. Louis.

7* American League GAME OF THE WEEK on Los Angeles Angels -116

The Key: The Minnesota Twins have obviously been a great team to fade up to this point as they are 0-9 on the season.  I don't expect them to be getting their first win of the year today, either.  That's because they are up against the Los Angeles Angels and ace Garrett Richards.  The Angels come in having won four straight, and Richards wants to keep it rolling.  I like his chances considering what he's done against the Twins in the past.  Richards is 2-1 with a 2.63 ERA and 1.042 WHIP in 3 lifetime starts vs. Minnesota.  Tom Milone sports a 4.55 ERA and 1.483 WHIP in 11 lifetime starts vs. Los Angeles.  The Angels are 13-3 in their last 16 meetings with the Twins, including 7-1 in their last 8 meetings in Minnesota.  The Angels are 11-1 in Richards' last 12 Friday starts as well.  Take Los Angeles.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Texas Rangers -125

The Key: I like the value we are getting with the Rangers as small home favorites over the Orioles today, especially with ace Cole Hamels on the mound.  The Orioles are way overvalued right now due to their 7-1 start.  But they just suffered their first loss of the season yesterday, an I look for them to have a hangover today.  Hamels is 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in two starts this season for Texas to pick up right where he left off last year for the Rangers.  Hamels has allowed just 3 earned runs in 16 innings in his last 2 starts against Baltimore as well.  Baltimore is 4-16 (-11.8 Units) against the money line in road games after having won 4 of their last 5 games over the last 3 seasons.  Take Texas.

7* Mets/Cubs Game 4 *HEAVY HITTER* on Chicago -115

The Key: The Cubs know that if they can just get through this game, they'll have a fighting chance because they'll have Jon Lester and Jake Arrieta for the next two games.  They aren't going to lay down for the Mets in this one.  Jason Hammel has been an effective starter all season at 10-7 with a 3.78 ERA and 1.175 WHIP in 32 starts.  He also shut down the Mets in his only start against them, giving up just one earned run in 8 innings back in May at home.  Steven Matz gave up 3 runs and 8 base runners in 5 innings against the Dodgers last series.  The Cubs can get to him and will tonight.  The Cubs are 7-1 in their last eight home meetings with the Mets.  If a couple bounces go their way last night, they would have won that game, too.  Take Chicago.