3-Unit Play. Take #924 Oakland (-1.5 RL) over LA Angels (10:05 p.m. Wednesday, September 4)

Tanner Roark has led the A's to some impressive wins at home against three teams that look like they are headed to the playoffs. Roark hasn't allowed more than two earned runs against the Yankees, Astros, and Cardinals and I think he can have similar success against the Angels. Rookie Patrick Sandoval will be pitching for the Angels and he has had difficulties when pitching on the road as he has allowed 10 earned runs over 13 innings. Oakland had a nice comeback win last night against LA but I think they will get an early lead today and pick up the win.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-Unit Play. Take #974 Oakland (-1.5 RL) over LA Angels (10:05 p.m. Tuesday, September 3)

Oakland had an off day to travel and regroup after losing back to back games to the Yankees both in walk off fashion. I think they are going to take it out on the Angels today who don't have much left to play for this season. Mike Fiers will bring his twenty game unbeaten streak to the mound with him tonight and he has beaten the Angels the three different times he has faced them this season. Jaime Barria hasn't been very good recently and I think the A's will be ready to pounce on him. I like Oakland to pick up the win in front of their home crowd.

Best of Luck - DOC Sports

4-Unit Play. Take #918 NY Yankees (-1.5, -110) over Oakland (1:05 p.m. Saturday, August 31)

Domingo German has been one of the few bright spots for the Yankees starting pitching and I think he will come through again to be the leagues first 18 game winner. German has been rock solid at home going 8-1 with a 2.24 ERA and he hasn't lost in any day starts going 7-0 with a 3.83 ERA. Homer Bailey will be pitching for Oakland and he has had a nice bounce back year with the Royals and A's but I think he will have some difficulties in today's matchup. Oakland won last night but I think the Bronx Bombers are going to flex their muscle and get the win.

Best of Luck - DOC's Sports

10-Unit Play. Take #907 LA Dodgers (-1.5 RL) over Arizona (9:40 p.m. Thursday, August 29)

The Dodgers are 20 games up in the standings against the Diamondbacks and I think they will extend that lead with a win tonight. Hyun-Jin Ryu is a front runner for the National League Cy Young award and some of his best work this season has come against Arizona. Ryu has beaten the Diamondbacks all three times he has faced them this season allowing just one run over 20 innings while holding them to a .169 batting average, which uncludes one start at Chase Field where he threw 7 shutout innings and yielded just three hits. Merrill Kelly will take the ball for Arizona and even though he has had some nice moments this season he could be fatiguing towards the end of his first major league season. Kelly has had back to back months of an ERA over 6 and he has allowed 6 runs or more in four out of his last six starts. I think the Dodgers keep it rolling and pick up the win in this contest.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

10-Unit Play. Take #965 Minnesota (-1.5 RL) over Chicago (AL) (8:10 p.m. Wednesday, August 28) Minnesota has the best road record in all of baseball and they will need to pick up another win to maintain their slim margin over the Cleveland Indians. I like the Twins chances since they have beaten the White Sox nine out of the fourteen times they have played and because Jake Odorizzi will be on six days rest. When Odorizzi has been on six days rest this season he is 5-0 with a 1.00 ERA and he has been solid in two starts against the White Sox this season with a 2.61 ERA. Ross Detwiler will be on the bump for Chicago and he has made seven starts and five relief appearances this season for the White Sox and hasn't been very effective in either role. He has faced the Twins three different times this season totaling 10 innings and has allowed 3 home runs, 1 in each appearance, and I think Minnesota will bop a couple more home runs in this game. I like the Twins to get the win in this matchup.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

Unit Play. Take #966 Houston (-1.5, -135) over LA Angels (7:10 p.m. Saturday, August 24)

Wade Miley has been highly effective in his first season with the Astros and I expect that to continue with the way he has pitched at home and against the Angels this season. Miley is 6-1 with a 2.25 ERA at home while holding opponents to a .209 batting average and against the Angels this season he is 2-0 with a 2.38 ERA in two starts. Dillon Peters will be on the mound for Los Angeles and he has an ERA of 4.56 in four starts in August with the Angels going 1-3 over those contests. The Astros have the best home record in the American League at 47-16 and I think they will pick up another win in this matchup. 

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

10-Unit Play. Take #916 Cleveland (-1.5 RL) over Kansas City (7:10 p.m. Friday, August 23)

Cleveland has to have a bitter taste in their mouth as they return home for their final series with the Royals after being swept by the Mets in New York and I think they are going to take it out on them. The Indians have beaten the Royals 10 out of the 16 times they have met this year and Zach Plesac is 2-0 with a 2.30 ERA against Kansas City over three starts. Jakob Junis will be on the mound for the Royals and the Indians have had his number when facing him this year. Junis is 1-3 with a 6.52 ERA over 5 starts against Cleveland having allowed at least 4 earned runs in 4 of those starts. The Indians are still chasing the Twins for first place in the American League Central and I think they inch closer with a win against the Royals in this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

10-Unit Play. Take #959 Tampa Bay (-1.5 RL) over Baltimore (7:05 p.m. Thursday, August 22)

Tampa Bay has beaten the Orioles eight out of the twelve times they have faced each other this year and I expect the Rays to pick up another win in this matchup. Ryan Yarbrough has been lights out in his three appearances in August allowing just one earned run on 10 hits over 19.2 innings pitched with Tampa winning all three of those contests. Yarbrough has been really good on the road this season as well going 9-1 with a 2.22 ERA across 56.2 innings and I think he can shut down the Orioles offense that has been lackluster for most of the season. Asher Wojciechowski will be on the mound for Baltimore and he has been roughed up in four August starts going 0-3 with a 6.63 ERA. I think the Rays continue their push for the playoffs with a victory in this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

10-Unit Play. Take #901 Washington (-1.5 RL) over Pittsburgh (7:05 p.m. Tuesday, August 20)

Washington put it on Pittsburgh last night and I think they will keep it rolling in this one. The Nationals have bopped 12 home runs in their last two games, scored 62 runs in their last 5 games, and with the way Chris Archer has pitched this season I can see them producing like that tonight. Archer is 0-4 with a 5.26 ERA over his last twelve starts and is having a hard time getting guys out. Stephen Strasburg will be on the bump for Washington and he is looking to set a career high in victories going for his 16th win. Strasburg has fared well against the Pirates in his career going 6-2 with a 2.40 ERA over 9 starts and I like him to pick up another win in this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-Unit Play. Take #925 Minnesota (-1.5 RL) over Texas (8:05 p.m. Saturday, August 17)

Minnesota has taken the first two games of this series and now they send All-Star Jose Berrios to the mound. Berrios hasn't been at his best lately but he is due for a good outing and I think he can ride the momentum the Twins have right now. Minnesota has hit five home runs in the first two games of this series and I expect them to club some more off scheduled starter Ariel Jurado. Jurado's ERA at home this year is 5.58 and he has allowed 5 home runs in his last three starts which bodes well for the Twins who have hit the most in the majors this season. I like Minnesota to pick up the win in this one.

3-Unit Play. Take #923 St. Louis (-1.5, -135) over Kansas City (8:15 p.m. Tuesday, August 13)

Jack Flaherty doesn't have much to show for it but he has figured something out over his last 6 starts. Flaherty has allowed just 4 runs over his last six starts spanning 38.1 innings but is just 1-1 over that time. The Cardinals get a big boost as Yadier Molina is supposed to be returning to the lineup after missing an extended period of time because he injured his thumb. Glenn Sparkman has not been very good as of late as he has allowed 4 earned runs or more in seven of his last eight starts going 1-4 over those games. St. Louis is in the thick of the Wild Card race and I think they will take the first game of this series.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

10-Unit Play. Take #953 Atlanta (-1.5 RL) over Miami (6:10 p.m. Saturday, August 10)

The Braves knew they had a good pitcher in Mike Soroka but I don't think they expected him to be quite this good. Not only will Soroka be in the running for Rookie of the Year honors, but he will be in the discussion for the National League Cy Young as he has the third lowest ERA in the NL. Soroka has done his best work on the road as he is 6-0 with a 1.45 ERA over 12 starts, which includes going 2-0 at Marlins Park where he has allowed just one earned run while holding the Marlins to a .115 batting average across 15 innings. Sandy Alcantara will toe the rubber for Miami tonight and he hasn't been the same pitcher he was in the first half of the season. Over his last 7 starts, Alcantara is 0-4 with an ERA over 7 and he will have his hands full with the Braves lineup that doesn't have a weak spot. Ronald Acuna Jr. and Ozzie Albies have been on fire recently and I think they will continue their hot hitting and lead Atlanta to another win.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

10-Unit Play. Take #960 LA Dodgers (-1.5 RL) over St. Louis (10:10 p.m. Tuesday, August 6)

The Dodgers have the best record in all of baseball (75-40) in large part because they rarely lose at home (44-15) and I think they will pick up another dub in tonight's matchup. Clayton Kershaw has yet to lose a game at Dodgers Stadium this season as he is 7-0 with a 2.35 ERA over 11 starts. Kershaw has been dynamite over his last four starts going 6 innings in each while allowing a total of 5 runs and I think he will deliver against a Cardinals team he hasn't faced at all this season. Miles Mikolas hasn't been nearly as good this year as he was last year especially on the road where he is 2-6 with a 6.75 ERA over 11 starts, and I don't think it will get any better against the dangerous LA lineup. I think Kershaw and the Dodgers keep it rolling in this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-Unit Play. Take #966 Cleveland (-1.5, -110) over LA Angels (1:10 p.m. Sunday, August 4)

The Indians have had a lot of moving parts recently with making trades at the trade deadline and figuring out who is going to pitch for them will all the injuries they've had. That hasn't stopped them from winning games though and it seems to have brought them closer together. Shane Bieber has been dealing lately with an ERA under 3 over his last 6 starts and the Indians going 5-1 over those starts. I think Bieber can take advantage of a Los Angeles team that is reeling right now losing seven of their last nine games. Jaime Barria will have his hands full with an Indians lineup that is producing from every spot 1-9. Barria has been downright awful on the road this season with an ERA of 10.62 over 20.1 innings and I don't think he will improve much on that today. I think the Indians complete the sweep and get it done today.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

10-Unit Play. Take #976 Philadelphia (-1.5 RL) over Chicago (AL) (7:05 p.m. Friday, August 2)

Philadelphia is in the thick of the National League Wild Card race and needs to win games at home against lesser opponents if they want to be playing in the postseason. Enter the Chicago White Sox with their 46-60 overall record and with them being 13 games under .500 on the road. Jason Vargas will be making his first start for the Phillies after being acquired a couple of days ago from the division rival New York Mets. Vargas has been dealing lately and it will help that Yoan Mocada is on the injured list and won't be in the lineup for Chicago. Ivan Nova will have the ball for the White Sox and has been pitching better as well but I think the Phillies lineup will be able to do some damage. Take the Phillies in this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-Unit Play. Take #908 LA Dodgers (-1.5 RL) over San Diego (10:10 p.m. Thursday, August 1)

The Dodgers have a 15 game lead in the National League West in large part because of how dominant they have been at home this season as they are 40-14 so far this season. Clayton Kershaw has helped that home record as he has yet to lose there going 6-0 with a 2.30 ERA over 10 starts. Kershaw has been vintage Kershaw over his last 4 starts yielding just 4 earned runs over 25 innings and I think he will keep it going in this matchup against a divisional opponent. Joey Lucchesi will be on the mound for the Padres and he has been up and down this season. He has been mostly down when facing Los Angeles in his career as his ERA is 6.75 over 5 starts and I don't expect that to change in this contest.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-Unit Play. Take #954 Cincinnati (-1.5, -110) over Pittsburgh (12:35 p.m. Wednesday, July 31)

The Reds and Pirates will meet for the rubber match of this three game series just over 12 hours after there was a bench clearing brawl between the two clubs. Luis Castillo will be going for his first win against Pittsburgh this season in three tries and with all the emotions and how important a win would be I think he will come through. Dario Agrazal will be making his seventh start of the season for the Pirates but he hasn't been as effective on the road where his ERA is over a run and a half higher than it has been at home. The Reds will be without Yasiel Puig today as he was traded but I think they still find a way to get it done and pick up the win.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

10-Unit Play. Take #924 NY Yankees (-1.5 RL) over Arizona (7:05 p.m. Tuesday, July 30)

The Yankees were served a piece of humble pie this weekend when they lost three of four games to the Red Sox in Boston, but I think they are going to bounce back at home against an Arizona team that is reeling right now. The Yankees are 21 games over .500 at home and J.A Happ will be on the mound looking to add another win to his total. Happ has pitched very well against the Diamondbacks in his career going 3-1 with a 2.03 ERA over 6 appearances (5 starts) and I think he will come through tonight. Rookie Taylor Clarke will be making his 12 starts of the year but he hasn't faced a lineup quite like the Yankees and I think he will be overwhelmed. I like the Yanks in this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

10-Unit Play. Take #920 Cleveland (-1.5 RL) over Detroit (7:10 p.m. Thursday, July 18) There was talk of the Indians being sellers at the trade deadline when they were struggling, but they have turned things around and are just four games behind the Twins for the American Central lead. Cleveland has owned Detroit this season winning 11 of the 12 matchups and with Trevor Bauer taking the mound I think they will win this one and complete the sweep. Cleveland has won six of the last seven starts Bauer has made and he has 57 strikeouts over those games. Matthew Boyd has pitched well for the Tigers this year but he is catching the Indians at the wrong time as they are getting contributions all throughout their lineup and Jose Ramirez is starting to produce for the tribe. I like Cleveland to get it done in this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

10-Unit Play. Take #925 Washington (-1.5 RL) over Baltimore (7:05 p.m. Tuesday, July 16)

The Baltimore Orioles knew this season was going to be a rebuilding year and they have had their struggles. Enter the Washington Nationals that are their interstate rivals and are one of the hottest teams in all of baseball right now. The Nationals have won 30 of 42 games to climb into second place in the National League East and I think they will dispose of the Orioles in this one. Austin Voth will be making a spot start for Max Scherzer who was placed on the disabled list with a back strain. Asher Wojciechowski will be making his third start for the O's and I don't think he will be able to limit the Washington offense that has been clicking lately. Take the Nats here.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

10-Unit Play. Take #966 Cleveland (-1.5 RL) over Detroit (7:10 p.m. Monday, July 15)

Cleveland has dominated Detroit so far in the season series taking eight of the nine matchups they have had and I think there will be another Cleveland win tonight. The Indians are starting to make their move as they have been chasing the Twins for most of the season, winning seven of their last nine games. Adam Plutko will be on the mound for the Indians and he already beat the Tigers this year when he allowed 2 earned runs over 6 innings in a 13-4 win and I think he can match that performance in this one. Daniel Norris will have the ball for Detroit and he has lost his last three starts allowing 14 earned runs over 17 innings. I like the Indians here.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-Unit Play. Take #914 N.Y. Yankees (-1.5 RL) over Toronto (1:05 p.m. Wednesday, June 26) James Paxton has won back to back starts and seems to be fully recovered from the knee injury that landed him on the disabled list. Paxton has been really good when pitching in the Bronx this year holding opponents to a .185 average and a 2.10 ERA over 34.1 innings (7 starts). It certainly doesn't hurt that Paxton is backed by one of the best offenses in the majors that is hitting home runs at a record pace. The Yankees set a major league record by hitting a home run in 28 consecutive games and I don't see why they won't continue that streak tonight against Blue Jays starter Trent Thornton. Thornton faced the Yankees on June 5th and allowed 4 runs over 5 innings allowing one home run. The Yankees have won 8 of the last 10 games against the Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium and I think they will complete the sweep in this series.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-Unit Play. Take #953 Washington (-1.5 RL) over Miami (7:10 p.m. Tuesday, June 25)

To say Max Scherzer has had a pretty good June would be a huge understatement. Scherzer has won all 4 of his starts allowing just three earned runs across 29 innings while amassing 44 strikeouts. I think Scherzer can keep it going against a Marlins team that hasn't been very good at home this season where they are 13-25. Scherzer will have to find a way to get Garrett Cooper out as he will bring a 14 game hitting streak into tonight's contest. Trevor Richards will have the ball for the Marlins and he took the 5-0 loss against the Nationals on April 21st allowing 3 runs on 6 hits with two of those hits leaving the ball park. Washington has been playing some good baseball recently and I think they can get back on track with their ace on the hill.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-Unit Play. Take #910 NY Yankees (-1.5, -135) over Toronto (7:05 p.m. Monday, June 24)

The Yankees are looking to tie a major league record by hitting a home run in their 27th straight game tonight and with the lineup that they will roll out their I think they will be able to do that. Aaron Sanchez will certainly have his hands full and he hasn't won a game for the Blue Jays in a long time. Sanchez is 0-8 with a 7.55 ERA over his last 10 starts and facing the Yankees right now doesn't seem like a recipe for success. C.C. Sabathia will be on the mound for New York and he picked up his 250th career victory his last time out. Sabathia doesn't have to be special to get a win, he just needs to get through 5 innings and turn it over to the bullpen which I think he will be able to do. Take the Yankees in this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-Unit Play. Take #919 Minnesota (-1.5 RL) over Kansas City (8:15 p.m. Thursday, June 20)

Jake Odorizzi has always been a solid pitcher but he is having a career year this year and I think he will continue that tonight. Odorizzi (10-2, 2.24 ERA) leads the American League in ERA and the Twins have won the last 11 games he has started which includes a 5-4 win over the Royals his last time out. Glenn Sparkman will be on the bump for the Royals and he has not had much luck in his career when facing Minnesota. Sparkman is 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA in five appearances against the Twins and I think he will have his hands full with the lineup the Twins will put out there. Minnesota is 4-1 against the Royals so far this season and I think they will pick up another win tonight.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

7-Unit Play. Take #975 NY Yankees (-1.5 RL) over Chicago (AL) (7:10 p.m. Saturday, June 15)

The White Sox are going to win the season series against the Yankees for the first time since 2012 but I like the Yankees to win this contest. Reynaldo Lopez has been as up and down this season as a pitcher could be and he has allowed 9 home run over his last 6 starts. Additionally, he has allowed 20 earned runs over his last four starts spanning 19.1 innings and even though he has had success against the Yankees in the past I think the Bronx Bombers will do some damage in this one. New York is getting healthier as Didi Gregorius and Aaron Hicks have made their way back while Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge are both on rehab assignments. Chad Green will serve as the opener/starter for the Yankees and New York is 4-0 in games he has thrown the first pitch for them. I think the Yankees end their three game losing streak with a win in this one. 

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-Unit Play. Take #917 LA Dodgers (-1.5 RL) over LA Angels (10:10 p.m. Monday, June 10)

It's no shock that a Dodger pitcher is the leading candidate for the Cy Young Award, but it is a little surprising that its Hyun-Jin Ryu. Ryu comes into tonight's contest with a 9-1 record and a 1.35 ERA. He has allowed just 3 earned runs over his last 52.2 innings and he has had his way with the Angels in his career going 2-0 with a 0.83 ERA in three starts. Griffin Canning will be pitching for the Angels and he has pitched well but I think he is catching the Dodgers at the wrong time. The Dodgers have been playing well recently and I think they will keep it rolling in this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-Unit Play. Take #955 Atlanta (-1.5 RL) over Miami (7:10 p.m. Friday, June 7)

Even though the Marlins have the worst record in the National League, they have been playing better baseball as of late, but I don't think it will matter with the way Mike Soroka has been pitching for the Braves. Soroka has allowed just one home run all season and 9 earned runs over 57.1 innings pitched. Atlanta made a move to sign Dallas Keuchel which will only help their chances of winning the division again this year. Jose Urena will be pitching for Miami and has pitched well recently, but he owns an ERA over 6 in 15 appearances (12 starts) against the Braves in his career. I like the Braves to continue their success against the Marlins in this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

7-Unit Play. Take #953 LA Dodgers (-1.5 RL) over Arizona (3:40 p.m. Wednesday, June 5)

The Diamondbacks have been in a rut recently and I don't think they will snap out of it in tonight's contest. Kenta Maeda has won his last four starts yielding just 5 runs over 23 2/3 innings and I think he can take advantage of Arizona's struggles. Jon Duplantier pitched well in his first major league start picking up the win against the Mets but he is facing a different beast in the Dodgers lineup that is getting production all throughout their lineup. Los Angeles has won five out of the six matchups between these two teams this season and I think they will pick up another victory tonight.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-Unit Play. Take #966 Texas (-1.5 RL) over Kansas City (8:05 p.m. Thursday, May 30)

Mike Minor has provided the Rangers with some outstanding pitching this season and I think he will continue that in tonight's game. Minor is 3-1 with a 2.08 ERA in five starts at home this year and he led Texas to a 6-1 win over the Royals on May 15th when he allowed 1 eared run over 5 innings. The Rangers have played really well at home (17-8) whereas the Royals have not been very good on the road (7-20) and I think that is an important factor. Jakob Junis will toe the rubber for Kansas City and he has been roughed up in his 5 starts in May as he is 1-3 with a 5.59 ERA. The Rangers are rolling right now and I think they will pick up another victory tonight.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-Unit Play. Take #967 Houston (-1.5 RL) over Detroit (7:10 p.m. Tuesday, May 14)

Houston is tearing the cover off the ball right now and that is not good news for the Tigers. The Astros have won their last 6 games scoring 50 runs over that span including an 8-1 drubbing of the Tigers last night where they hit four home runs. Wade Miley will be pitching for Houston tonight and he has been solid in his first season with the Astros not allowing more than three earned runs in any of his eight starts. I think Wiley will be able to continue that streak against a Detroit team that has had problems scoring runs all season. Ryan Carpenter will be taking the ball for the Tigers but he has been roughed up in his time in the majors with an ERA over 8 in his seven appearances (6 starts) between this year and last. I like the Astros in this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

10-Unit Play. Take #916 Boston (-1.5 RL) over Seattle (1:05 p.m. Saturday, May 11)

Boston is over .500 for the first time this season and that is where I think they will spend the rest of their season. The Red Sox have won the last 4 times Rick Porcello has taken the mound and I think he will lead them to a victory in today's early start time. Porcello has been much better when pitching at home this season going 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA over three starts as compared to being 0-2 with a 7.11 ERA on the road. Boston hit three home runs last night and with the way Felix Hernandez has been pitching recently I think they will hit some today. Hernandez has allowed 4 runs or more in three of his last four starts allowing 6 home runs over that span and he is 0-2 with a 6.16 ERA on the road this season. Boston is 8-2 in their last 10 games and I think they will keep it rolling today.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

7-Unit Play. Take #969 Minnesota (-1.5, -105) over Detroit (8:10 p.m. Thursday, May 10)

The Twins return home for a 7 game home stand feeling good about themselves after dominating the Blue Jays over a three game sweep. The Twins have to really like their chances of getting a win tonight with the way Jake Odorizzi has been pitching lately. Odorizzi has won his last four starts and has allowed just 3 earned runs over those 24.1 innings. He has been dominant in his three starts at Target Field this season going 2-0 with a 0.96 ERA and I think he can shut down a Tigers offense that has been trying to find their way all season long. Tyson Ross will be on the mound for Detroit and he has had a rough go so far this season. Ross is 0-3 with a 5.63 ERA across three starts on the road this year and will have to deal with Jorge Polanco who leads the American League in average (.344) and Eddie Rosario who leads the AL in home runs (13) among others. I think the Twins keep it rolling in this one and pick up the win.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-Unit Play. Take #915 Minnesota over Baltimore (1:05 p.m. Sunday, April 21)

Minnesota clubbed 11 home runs in their double header yesterday in taking both games from the Orioles and I think they will bop some more today and complete the sweep. Dylan Bundy is 0-3 with a 5.01 ERA in four career starts against the Twins and he has already allowed 7 home runs in 17 2/3 innings this season. Kyle Gibson hasn't been very good so far this season but he has had success against the Orioles in the past and owns a winning record against them. Baltimore has been awful at home this year only winning one game and I don't think they will get their second win today. I like the Twins here.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-Unit Play. Take #954 Washington (-1.5 RL) over San Francisco (7:05 p.m. Tuesday, April 16)

San Francisco has been struggling at the plate whereas the Nationals have been struggling on the mound so something will have to give in this one. I have more faith in Steven Strasburg and the Nationals lineup than I do with San Fran's. Strasburg is 3-3 against the Giants in his career over 9 starts and I think he will find a way to limit their offense in this one. Dereck Rodriguez will have the ball for the Giants and he was blasted in his only start against the Nationals last season. The Nationals had an off day yesterday and I think they will be refreshed and get the job done tonight.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-Unit Play. Take #953 Philadelphia (-1.5 RL) over Miami (7:10 p.m. Friday, April 12) The revamped Phillies are off to the start most people thought they would be and JT Realmuto will get a chance to punish his former team that is struggling. Jake Arrieta will be pitching for Philadelphia tonight and he is catching the Marlins at the right time as they are in a funk at the plate. Arrieta went 2-1 against Miami in four starts last year and Miami has scored exactly one run in their last three games. Sandy Alcantara will be tasked with shutting down the Phillies lineup that dropped their last two to the Nationals. I don't think it is going to go well for Alcantara and the Marlins as I think Philly will take this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-Unit Play. Take #924 St. Louis (-1.5 RL) over San Diego (4:15 p.m. Friday, April 5)

St. Louis is set to make their home debut and it worked out that they will have their ace Jack Flaherty on the mound. Flaherty was solid in his first full year in the majors last season finishing 5th in rookie of the year voting. He has faced the Padres twice in his career holding them to a .154 average over 11 1/3 innings and I think he will deliver a good performance in front of the passionate St. Louis crowd. Rookie Nick Margevicius was impressive in his major league debut limiting the Giants to one run on three hits picking up the win, but I think he will have a tougher time against the Cardinals lineup that is much more dangerous than San Francisco's. I think St. Louis picks up the first win of many at home this season.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

7-Unit Play. Take #914 Los Angeles (NL) (-1.5 rl) over San Francisco (10:10 p.m. Wednesday, April 3) The Giants and Dodgers split the first two games of this series, but I think the Dodgers are going to take the rubber match. Ross Stripling will be on the mound for the Dodgers and he held his own against San Francisco last season holding them to a .195 batting average in 4 appearances with one of those being a start. Stripling was tough on all opponents when pitching at Dodger Stadium last season as he owned a 2.50 ERA while going 4-1 over 8 starts and 6 relief appearances. Derek Holland will have the ball for the Giants and he was 0-2 in three starts against the Dodgers last year in LA and I don't see him leaving the stadium with a different result. The Giants are struggling to score runs so far this season as they have crossed the plate just 14 times in their first 6 contests and I don't think they will do it much tonight as well.

4-Unit Play. Take #910 Los Angeles (NL) (-1.5 RL) over San Francisco (10:10 p.m. Monday, April 1) The opening series for both the Dodgers and the Giants seems like a snapshot of how the season will likely play out. The Dodgers went 3-1 against the Diamondbacks scoring 42 runs and bopping 17 home runs. Meanwhile the Giants struggled and scored just 5 runs going 1-3 against the Padres and I think they will struggle to score in tonight's contest. Julio Urias will be pitching for L.A. and he owns a 1.89 ERA against the Giants in the 5 appearances (3 starts) he has made against them in his career. Drew Pomeranz returns to the National League West after spending the last couple of season pitching for the Red Sox and I think he will have his hands full with the dangerous Dodgers lineup. I like Los Angeles in this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

7-Unit Play. Take #929 Chicago (NL) (-1.5, -130) over Chicago (AL) (7:10 p.m. Saturday, September 22)

Not that the Cubs need any extra motivation to beat their cross town rivals that have no chance of making the playoffs, but the Brewers are breathing down their neck for the National League Central title. Having Jon Lester toe the rubber usually leads to good results for the Cubs and I think that is what will happen tonight. Lester has gone 10-2 with a 2.82 ERA in 14 starts on the road this season, and in his last three starts away from Wrigley Field he has allowed just one run over 17.2 innings pitched. Lester beat the White Sox on May 12th 8-4 when he yielded one run on four hits through 5.2 innings. Lucas Giolito is part of the plans for the White Sox future but he hasn't been to effective this season. Giolito has struggled in 14 starts at home this year going 3-6 with a 7.91 ERA across 14 starts. The White Sox have lost the last four games Giolito has started with him allowing 12 earned runs over 20.2 innings and I think the Cubs offense will be able to produce in this contest. I think the Cubs bounce back from yesterday's defeat and inch closer to the playoffs. 

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7-Unit Play. Take #902 Philadelphia (-1.5 RL) over NY Mets (7:05 p.m. Tuesday, September 18) The Phillies have no time to waste and no games to lose if they want to stay in the wild card hunt as they sit 6 games out. Philadelphia hasn't had much luck against the Mets this season as they are 6-11 against them. Luckily for the Phillies, they have their Cy Young hopeful Aaron Nola on the mound who has had plenty of success against New York this season. Nola has faced the Mets 5 times this year and has gone 4-0 with a 1.97 ERA holding them to a .183 batting average. Steven Matz will be on the mound for New York and even though he has pitched better recently he hasn't been great against the Phillies. Matz is 0-1 with a 5.25 ERA in three starts against Philadelphia this year with the Phillies batting .271 off him. I think the Phillies will stack their lineup with righties and pick up the win.

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7-Unit Play. Take #976 Boston (-1.5, -130) over NY Mets (4:05 p.m. Saturday, September 15)

The Mets put it on the Red Sox last night behind 7 magical innings from Noah Syndergaard and bopping four home runs in an 8-0 thumping. I think there will be dramatically different results in today's game though. Rick Porcello has held opponents to a .236 batting average at Fenway this year and the Red Sox have won his last three starts. Porcello hasn't faced the Mets since 2013 and he is a very different pitcher since then. Corey Oswalt will be on the bump for New York and he has been dreadful when he pitches on the road as he is 1-1 with an 8.25 ERA over 7 appearances (4 starts). The Mets snapped the Red Sox four game winning streak last night and I like Boston to return the favor and snap the Mets four game winning streak in this one.

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4-Unit Play. Take #917 Boston (-1.5 RL) over Chicago (AL) (2:10 p.m. Sunday, September 2)

While other teams made some interesting moves and trades this past week, Boston chose not to and stood pat with what they had on their roster. It makes sense for the Red Sox to feel that way seeing how they are 51 games above .500 for the season. Brian Johnson will be on the mound for Boston tonight and he has won his last three decisions and I think he will make it a fourth today. James Shields has a record of 5-15 this season but has not faced Boston this year. He is 9-14 through 28 starts against the Red Sox in his career and I think he will have a tough time picking up a win in this matchup. The season series is tied at 3 games apiece between these ball clubs and I think the Sox will win this final contest.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

10-Unit Play. Take #906 Colorado (-1.5 RL) over San Diego (3:10 p.m. Thursday, August 23)

Colorado's playoff chances are alive and well in the National League West and for the Wild Card. Beating the weakest team in your division at home to win a series is a must though if you intend to make the playoffs. Luckily for the Rockies, Kyle Freeland will be on the mound. Freeland surprisingly has pitched better at Coors Field than he has on the road this season going 7-2 with a 2.22 ERA through 11 starts in Colorado, with one of those wins being an 8-0 win against the Padres on April 24th. Joey Lucchesi will be on the mound for the Padres and he has an ERA over 4.5 over his last 7 starts averaging less than 5 innings per start. Freeland meanwhile has been on his game over his last 5 starts going 3-1 with a 1.72 ERA allowing just 1 home run over 31 1/3 innings. I think the Rockies offense will produce off Lucchesi and take the series with a win today.

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4-Unit Play. Take #920 Boston (-1.5 RL) over Tampa Bay (7:10 p.m. Friday, August 17)

Boston is a ridiculous 50 games over .500 on the season and they have a chance to win the most games in the regular season ever. They have already gone 9-4 against the Rays on the season and I think they will get the job done and win tonight as well. Brian Johnson will start the game for the Red Sox and he has pitched well as a starter or in relief this season. Ryne Stanek will do something that few players have ever done as he will be the starter for tonight's game after pitching an inning of relief in yesterday's contest. Stanek will only pitch and inning or two, if he lasts that long, because Boston hitters have had his number as they have hit .429 off him. Boston is 11-2 in August and I think they keep it rolling with another win tonight.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

10-Unit Play. Take #966 NY Yankees (-1.5 RL) over Texas (7:05 p.m. Friday, August 10)

The Yankees had a bit of a wake up call after getting shellacked in Boston in a 4 game sweep and have responded by winning four straight contests. They returned to the friendly confines of Yankees Stadium last night where they are 39-16 on the season bopping 5 home runs in a 7-3 win. Masahiro Tanaka will be on the mound for New York tonight and he has an ERA under 2 over his last six starts. Tanaka wasn't at his best in his only start against the Rangers this year on May 21st when he allowed 4 runs over 5 innings, but he still picked up the win as the Yanks won 10-5. Mike Minor will be pitching for Texas tonight and he hasn't started opposite the Yankees since 2012. Minor hasn't been very good on the road this season as he is 3-4 with a 6.50 ERA and opponents batting .288 off him. I think the Yankees keep their streak going and pick up another win here.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

2-Unit Play. Take #904 Philadelphia (-1.5 rl) over Miami (1:30 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 5) The Phillies are going for a four-game sweep here on Sunday against Miami. They are doing it behind their young ace, Aaron Nola. Nola has been dominating this season, going 12-3 with just a 2.35 ERA. The Phillies are 14-4 in Nola's last 18 starts and 19-7 in his last 26 home starts. He has won six straight games against teams that are below .500 and the Phillies are an outstanding 41-19 in their last 60 home games. He hasn't had much luck against the Marlins. But I think he will turn that around with a dominating effort in this game. Miami is going with Dan Straily and he is still working his way back from injury. Miami is just 24-51 in their last 75 games up in Philadelphia and the Marlins are just 23-48 in their last 71 road games. Go with the home team in this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

10-Unit Play. Take #926 Oakland (-1.5 RL) over Detroit (10:05 p.m. Friday, August 3)

Oakland has been when of the hottest teams in all of baseball winning 30 of their last 40 games and are now a 1/2 game ahead of the Mariners for the second wild card spot. The A's just completed a 3 game sweep of Toronto which led to a 7-0 season sweep of them and after taking four games from Detroit in June they will look to do the same against the Tigers. Detroit has one of the worst road records in all of baseball at 18-35 and they will be facing left hander Brett Anderson. Anderson has made only one start at home for Oakland this season and I think he can limit a Tigers lineup that lacks a lot of fire power. Blaine Hardy will be on the bump for Detroit and he has been steady for the Tigers making 20 appearances for them this season, with 10 of them being starts. Hardy was roughed up by the Athletics on June 26th in a 9-7 loss when he allowed 6 runs on 6 hits (2 of which were home runs) over 4 innings. I think Oakland keeps it going and picks up the win in this matchup.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

10-Unit Play. Take #957 Atlanta over NY Mets (7:10 p.m. Thursday, August 2)

Mike Foltynewicz has hit a rough patch where he has lost three out of his last five starts but I think he will have better luck facing the Mets. Foltynewicz dominated the Mets in his only start against them this season on June 12th in an 8-2 win when he allowed zero runs over five innings yielding just two hits while striking out six. The Mets are a complete mess right now and are without Todd Frazier, Jay Bruce, Yoenis Cespedes who are injured and they traded Asdrubel Cabrera to the Phillies before the trade deadline. The Mets have some solid starting pitchers but Jason Vargas is not one of them. Vargas hasn't lasted more than 5 innings in any of his starts for the Mets this year and in two starts against the Braves this season his ERA is 5.59, with Atlanta batting .317 off him in 9.2 innings while swatting 3 home runs. These teams are headed in opposite directions and I like Atlanta to pick up the win tonight.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

10-Unit Play. Take #961 Arizona (-1.5 RL) over San Diego (10:10 p.m. Friday, July 27)

Arizona returns to the West Coast after dropping their last two games against the Cubs but I think the Padres are in trouble. Zack Greinke will be on the mound and he has dominated San Diego in his career going 10-2 across twenty starts. Greinke has been in a nice groove in 4 July starts going 3-0 with a 1.69 ERA, not allowing more than 2 earned runs in any start. Luis Pedermo will take the ball for the Padres and he has been a disaster this season. The Padres are 1-7 in the 8 starts Pedermo has made this year and he is 0-4 with a 11.29 ERA at home this season with opponents batting .395 against him. I think the Diamondbacks will bring the lumber and score plenty of runs while Greinke will limit the Padres offense and lead them to victory. Take Arizona in this one.

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10 Unit Play. #976 Take Seattle (-1.5 RL) over Chicago (Saturday, 10:10 pm MLB.tv) The Athletics are right on the tail of the Seattle Mariners and they cannot afford to take this series lightly even against inferior competition. King Felix is on the mound and he has pitched better of late allowing three runs or less in his last five starts. That will be more than enough to beat the White Sox on Saturday night at Safeco Field.

3-Unit Play. Take #915 Boston (-1.5, -115) over Detroit (7:10 p.m. Friday, July 20)

The Red Sox start the second half of the season with the best record in baseball and I think they will add to that with a win against Detroit. Former Tiger, David Price will take the mound against his former team and I think he will be able to continue the success he has had against Detroit in the past. Price who stumbled a bit before the All-Star break, has gone 5-1 with a 2.40 ERA in eight career appearances against the Tigers and I think he can limit them tonight. Matthew Boyd beat the Red Sox in Boston back on June 7th but he has been a disaster since. Boyd has allowed 27 runs over his last six starts with Detroit going 1-5 over those contests. The Red Sox lineup is as deep and dangerous as any team in baseball and I think they will show that in tonight's matchup. Take Boston in this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

5-unit Run Line Play Take #910 Washington Nationals -1.5 runs (-150) over Miami Marlins (7:15pm EST) We have played Washington over Miami the last two games and cashed a winning ticket both times. We'll go for number three tonight. Washington Nationals notched a big come-from-behind win the other night that could have turned around their fortunes. The Nats trailed 9-0 versus Miami and stormed back with 14 unanswered runs before winning 14-12. It was one of the best comebacks in franchise history. They needed it. Washington had lost 17 of 22 games and their season was spinning out of control. Last night they came from behind once again in a 3-2 win, scoring in the bottom of the ninth in walk-off fashion. This team has some momentum now and Max Scherzer gets the ball for this one. Scherzer has been the best pitcher in baseball over the last few years and he's dominating once again in 2018. I think the Nats win this one handily so we're playing them -1.5 runs in our MLB Game of the Week.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

10-unit Play Take #926 Milwaukee Brewers over Cleveland Indians (7:40pm EST) The Milwaukee Brewers won 86 games last season and they’re on pace to win even more than that in 2018. Still, they get no love in the betting markets. On Tuesday, Milwaukee is a huge underdog at home to the Indians. Sure, Corey Kluber is on the mound. But this is a Cleveland team that is right at the .500 mark this season and has shown some vulnerabilities offensively and in the bullpen. The Brewers trot out Wade Miley for this contest, which doesn’t exactly get bettors all excited. I get that, but the Brewers have done well working with pitchers and Miley looked good in his first outing in a Brewers uniform last time out. This line is about 20 cents too high, so we’re on Milwaukee here.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

3-unit Play Take #929 San Diego Padres (+1.5 RL) over Houston Astros (2:10pm EST) We cashed a big +255 ticket on the Padres vs. the Astros on Friday and will look to turn the trick again here on Sunday. The Astros are the best team in the sport, but the betting markets and everyone else already knows it and the lines are getting overly adjusted due to the all of the money coming in on them. They may win 100+ games again, but these lines are too high at this point in the season. The Padres aren't a terrible baseball team anymore. Their young guys are on the upswing and adding Eric Hosmer to the lineup was a huge boon for San Diego. He'll bring more energy to the team and I don't think that's fully reflected in the line. Tyson Ross gets the ball for the Pads in this one and he's been somewhat of a forgotten man after a couple of injury-plagued seasons. He's healthy now and I think he could see the numbers he posted in 2014 and 2015 when he put up ERA's of 2.81 and 3.26, respectively. Charlie Morton goes for Astros. He is coming off of a great season in which he played a huge role in World Series. You can't go anywhere but down after a season like from Morton. We're selling high. Take San Diego at the inflated price.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take #915 Baltimore Orioles (+1.5) over New York Yankees (1:05pm EST)  We cashed a big +220 ticket with the Orioles on Thursday vs. the Yankees and we’ll look to do it again Sunday with them as well. The O’s will be looking to win three of four in this series in New York. The Yankees have been decimated by injuries in the early going. Jacoby Ellsbury, Greg Bird, Clint Frazier, Aaron Hicks and Brandon Drury are all out. All-Star catcher Gary Sanchez is questionable but likely won’t play. The Yanks still have plenty of guys who can produce, but there are some big holes in the lineup right now. Baltimore is one of those teams that’s always underrated. Buck Showalter is a mastermind at getting his guys to produce and the O’s have recorded a .500 or better record in five of their last six seasons (no really, they have). Mike Wright takes the mound for Baltimore against Jordan Montgomery for the Yanks. New York has the advantage in that matchup, but it’s not a big one. The Orioles are the correct play in this one.

2-unit Play Take #917 San Diego Padres over Houston Astros (8:10pm EST) The defending world champs have opened the season on a tear going 6-1 while outscoring their opponents 41-20. They don't have any big weaknesses and most are already putting them down for 100+ wins. That may happen, but these lines in the early going are getting out of control. The Padres are an improved team. Adding Eric Hosmer has changed their entire attitude in the clubhouse. He's a guy that the youngsters can learn from and lean on. He brings a ton of energy and I think he'll make San Diego a much better team. This isn't the Padres of a couple of years ago. They're on the upswing. Luis Perdomo and Lance McCullers get the ball today and that's a clear advantage for Houston. However, the betting line is at least 25 cents too high. We're on the Padres as a value play today.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #971 Baltimore Orioles (+1.5 rl) over New York Yankees (6:35m EST)  The New York Yankees did well in the off-season. Adding Giancarlo Stanton to an already dangerous lineup have made the Yanks the favorites in the AL East. Their bullpen is also lights out and they seem to have everything going for them at the moment. However, betting lines this big early on in the season are usually a mistake. The Orioles are a respectable team that still has one of the more potent lineups in the American League and manager Buck Showalter always manages to surprise. Masahiro Tanaka and Andrew Cashner will match up on Thursday night, which looks like a huge mismatch on paper. But the O’s can hang with the Yanks lineup and they have a pretty good bullpen of their own. I think this will be a tight game and there’s no way we are passing up this price on Baltimore.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

4-unit Play Take #915 Chicago Cubs (-1.5 RL) over Chicago White Sox (8:10pm EST) The two Chicago teams are going in completely opposite directions right now. The Sox are 1-10 since the All-Star Break while the Cubs are 10-2. Big pitching edge on the mound for the Cubs with Jon Lester squaring off against Mike Pelfrey. This one should be a laugher for the Cubs.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take #926 Cleveland Indians (-1.5 RL) over San Diego Padres (7:10pm EST) Not much to say here except that we have a huge mismatch. It's tough laying these type of prices, but when there's value there's value. The Indians have been playing like they did last season over the last month or so and we know that the Padres have one of the worst rosters in the sport.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take #919 Boston Red Sox (-1.5 RL) over Philadelphia Phillies (7:05pm EST) Yes this is a huge line, especially on the road, but it should be higher. Chris Sale is having a Cy Young season, going 8-2 with a 2.97 ERA and 0.96 WHIP thru 13 starts. Bu the scary part is that he's been a little unfortunate and should have an ERA closer to 2.00. He's struggling with runners on base and is giving up a higher BABIP than usual - two measures that should regress towards the mean and lower his ERA in the process. The Phillies will be no match for Sale today and the Red Sox should get plenty of runs to support him against Philadelphia hurler Nick Pivetta. Take Boston.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

Yankees have been on fire of late and Baltimore lost big yesterday after blowing a 9-1 lead on Friday.

4-unit Run Line Play Take #968 New York Yankees over Chicago White Sox (7:05pm EST) Yankees lost a game they shouldn't have last night. Masahiro Tanaka will right the ship - this one shouldn't even be close.

3-Unit Run Line Play Take #919 LA Angels (-1.5, +140) Kansas City Royals (2:15pm EST) Angels let an easy one get away from them yesterday. They're the better team and should win this one, easily.

4-unit Run Line Play Take #958 St. Louis Cards (-1.5, +100) over Cincinnati Reds (2:15pm EST)
Cards should beat up on Feldman. This is not a good matchup for him.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Run Line Play Take #952 Pittsburgh Pirates (Run Line -1.5,+145) over Atlanta Braves (1:05pm EST) Pirates are due for a win and this is the place for it!

7-Unit Play. Take #956 St. Louis (-1.5 RL) over Cincinnati (8 p.m., Monday, Aug. 8)

The Cards gotta have it. They simply have to have this game. They are sinking like a stone in the N.L. but they are still in the Wild Card race. They just gave away a series to an awful Braves team and now the Cards have to regroup and beat back one of their most hated rivals. The Cards just lost a series to last-place Cincy last week. Now they have a chance to get some revenge here. And they are backing perhaps their best pitcher, Michael Wacha. Wacha has gone 10 straight starts allowing three runs or less. He isn't going deep into games. But we've seen this guy dominate during his four years in the Majors and he is finding his form. Cody Reed, on the other hand, is a train wreck. He is another pitcher that shouldn't be in the Majors. He has a 7.30 ERA in eight games and has allowed less than four runs exactly one time - against the putrid Braves. Reed has given up at least five runs in five of his last seven starts, while going more than five full innings just once. The Cards are one of the highest scoring teams in the Majors against lefties and they just saw him last week, touching him up for five runs in five innings. I think it is more of the same today.

10-Unit Play. Take #958 St. Louis (-1.5 RL) over San Diego (7 p.m., Thursday, July 21)

I am going right back to them for my National League Game of the Year here on Thursday! The Cardinals pulled the sweep yesterday, hitting the runline in the first game and then winning 3-2 in the second. That's now three straight win over the Padres and I think the Cardinals will win big again today. This St. Louis team knows it needs to play great baseball down the stretch to have a prayer at catching the Cubs or making the playoffs. This is one of the best organizations in baseball and I think they are going to be strong in the second half. The Cardinals have dominated this series for nearly a decade! St. Louis has gone 48-15 at home against the Padres and are 86-40 in their last 126 games against San Diego overall. Today the Cards are going with Adam Wainwright, the staff leader. They are 40-17 in his last 57 home starts and 40-19 when he starts on regular rest. Wainwright has three straight quality starts and a 0.39 ERA in those outings. He has thrown seven of eight quality starts and has been awesome at home this year. The Padres are going with Andrew Cashner. He has been a huge disappointment and has an ERA over 5.00 on the season. Cashner has been even worse on the road! He has lost four straight road starts and has a 7.83 ERA this season away from home. Everything in this game points to the Cardinals winning and winning big. Take St. Louis.

4-unit Play Take #916 Boston Red Sox over Chicago White Sox (7:10pm EST) It's now clear that what we saw from the Chicago White Sox earlier this season was just a mirage. After leading the way in the American League in April and into May, the White Sox have gone 10-26 since. And it's not just one part of their team that's been letting them down; it's literally every component of the club. Even the once strong starting rotation is starting to falter in a big way. Miguel Gonzalez has somehow been one of the steadier guys for the starting staff lately, but that's not going to last for very long. There's a reason he was jettisoned from Baltimore earlier this season, and the White Sox don't necessarily have a reputation for turning guys' careers around (see Mat Latos and James Shields). Gonzalez comes in with a 4.74 ERA on the season and he's waking nearly four batters per nine innings. Tonight he faces the best offense in baseball and doesn't stand much of a chance of going more than five innings. That means the Chicago bullpen will get plenty of work, and they've been a disaster over the last few weeks. Knuckleballer Steven Wright goes for Boston and his having a dream season. He doesn't need to be too fine tonight, as the Red Sox should give him plenty of run support. Take Boston.

3-unit Play Take #924 Houston Astros (+1.5 RL) over Los Angeles Angels (8:10pm EST) Once again we look to back the underrated Houston Astros at a nice underdog price. Today they send their top pitcher Collin McHugh to the hill against a dangerous Angel's lineup. McHugh has been nothing short of spectacular in 2014 with a 2.99 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in 21 starts. Yet he doesn't get talked about amongst the better pitchers in the AL because he pitches for a losing team. That will change sooner rather than later as the Astros are quickly improving. Since the beginning of May, Houston is 49-53 and has made great strides developing some of their youngsters. However, they are still being priced like one of the worst teams in baseball and today is a great example. Yes they are playing against the Angels tonight, but the Astros have the superior pitcher and are playing at home. The Angels go with a struggling Jered Weaver tonight and I have a feeling his results won't be much better than teammate's C.J. Wilson's effort on Tuesday. Wilson has also been struggling and he couldn't get past the fourth inning. Weaver is having one of the worst seasons of his career and he doesn't look as confident on the mound as he used to. Houston has now won nine of 15 and is one of the hotter teams around. Maybe they'll finally start getting some respect once they win this series against the Halos, but for now we'll continue firing away with Houston selections. Take the Astros here.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #972 Houston Astros over Los Angeles Angels (8:10pm EST) The Los Angeles Angels clearly made a statement this past weekend against the A's as they came through with a four-game sweep to build up a nice lead in the AL West. The Halos are the best teams in the majors and they've earned those honors by playing in the toughest division. However, I think this is a great spot to consider playing against them after most have elevated them to a level they won't be able to sustain. They'll play against a sneaky Houston Astros team that is much better than their record indicates. They are 48-53 since early May and their young players continue to improve by the day. The organization just let manager Bo Porter go and while I believe it may negatively affect some of the players, the Astros will be looking to impress new manager Tom Lawless for his first game at the helm. I also think the pitching matchup is closer than it appears with C.J. Wilson going against Brad Peacock. Wilson hasn't looked comfortable on the hill for over a month now and he may still be battling through injuries. His K/BB ratio over his last 10 starts is a horrid 33-27 and he owns a pitiful 6.61 ERA during that stretch. Peacock is having a rough season overall, but he's shown positive signs lately and he's certainly throwing it better than Wilson is at the moment. This is a big price for the Angels to be laying on the road, so we'll go with Houston here.

3-unit Play Take #919 Minnesota Twins over Oakland A's (4:05pm EST) The Oakland A's decided to go for it this season by making two of the biggest trades before the deadline. They added two big headliners to their starting rotation in Jeff Samardzija and Jon Lester to help them win a playoff series. They also added Jason Hammel as part of the Samardzija deal with the Cubs, and he'll get the ball today in Oakland. Hammel has been a disaster so far in an A's uniform. In five starts thus far, the right-hander is 1-4 with a 7.59 ERA and 2.20 WHIP. His control has been a huge problem as he tries to adjust to American League hitters. He's walked 14 batters in 21.1 innings of work, which is very uncharacteristic of Hammel. It could be that he's hiding an injury, as his numbers have seemingly fallen off a cliff. Whatever the case, Hammel is fade material and the Twins happen to be his opponent today. Phil Hughes goes for Minnesota in this one and he's been their best starter in 2014. He was mediocre to start the season, but over the last two months he's been one of the better pitchers in the AL. In his last start he struck out nine batters against the Padres while walking just one and allowing a single run. The A's aren't an easy lineup to navigate, but Hughes is the much better hurler on the hill today. The Twins are worth a shot at this price.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports