The Yankees have dropped three of their past four games with pitcher Clarke Schmidt on the mound. Yet he has been much more effective lately than his ERA suggests. He’s allowed just two runs or less over his last three starts. Take the Yankees with good momentum from their weekend wins against the Dodgers and Monday off

Monday, the Miami Marlins will host their third straight consecutive home series. They will face a Kansas City Royals team that has the second fewest wins in MLB with eighteen. This could be an overvalued spot as the Marlins still rank just 26th in runs. Take the Royals to pull off the win against the overpriced Marlins.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Tyler Wells has the best WHIP in MLB at .83. While he has surrendered just forty hits on the season, those hits have resulted in twenty three runs. In fact, he is tied for seventh amongst pitchers for home runs allowed. In what will likely be a low scoring game tail the Giants at home.

As dominant as Sonny Gray’s ERA is at a stout 1.94, there have been signs that runs are coming. For one he is walking two to three batters on average over his last several starts. His strikeout rate has also declined some. Expect the bats on both sides to trump the strong starting pitching. Take the over.

Both the Cleveland Guardians and Minnesota Twins head into Friday’s series off of huge night’s at the plate Thursday. The Guardians scored twelve runs in their win over the Orioles while the Twins scored eight runs. That’s a concern with Twins starting pitcher Pablo Lopez’s issues at home were his ERA is 5.46. Grab the Guardians as the small underdog

Monday, the Cleveland Guardians handed the Baltimore Orioles their third shutout home loss of the season. It marked the fifth straight game that the Orioles have scored three runs or less. With the Orioles in a mini-slump expect Cal Quantrill of the Guardians to bounce back from his worst start of the season. On the other side Kyle Gibson has been outstanding allowing just one run over his last two starts. Take the under. 

The Marlins have ascended back over .500 thanks to winning three of their past four games. During that span their bats have come to life as they have scored an average of over 7.4 runs. Designated hitter Jorge Soler has been red hot and homered in five consecutive games. Take the Marlins to sweep the Angels and conclude their three series road trip

In Friday’s victory over the Seattle Mariners the Pittsburgh Pirates erupted with eleven total runs. The Pirates lineup certainly won’t explode to that degree today against Mariner’s ace Luis Castillo. Yet, Castillo has had a home friendly schedule as today is just his fourth road start. In fact, over his last two road starts he has allowed a combined four home runs. Take the over today.

Earlier this month the San Francisco Giants won their home stand over the Milwaukee Brewers. They’ve kept that momentum over the Brewers going in Milwaukee with a lopsided twenty runs to the Brewers one. Additionally, Corbin Burnes struggled against San Francisco on May 5th. Take the Giants to continue to have the upper hand. 

After an off day Thursday, the Cleveland Guardians will play a new home series against the St. Louis Cardinals. Over their last nine games the Guardians have just two wins as they are struggling at the plate. Additionally, Shane Bieber’s home ERA looks great at 2.41 but he has had just three home starts compared to seven on the road. Take the Cardinals as their young bats continue to do well.

Tonight the Boston Red Sox bats should break out of a prolonged three game slump. Last night they totaled just two hits and have scored just one run total their last three games.  Fortunately, tonight they will see Angels pitcher Tyler Anderson who they lit up for a season-high six runs on April 15th. Take the over as both teams have success at the plate. 

The LA Dodgers showcased Monday that they can offset a rookie starting pitcher’s woes and still pull off the win. They quickly erased a 4-0 first inning deficit Monday with eight runs. Freddie Freeman, JD Martinez, and Mookie Betts are all excelling at the moment. Additionally, Spencer Strider allowed his first multi-home run game of his career in his last start against the Rangers. Take the Dodgers

Monday, the Kansas City Royals will host the Detroit Tigers for the first time this season. After a poor month in April, Royal’s pitcher Brady Singer has had consecutive solid starts. Additionally, Singer allowed just one run in two home starts last season against the Detroit Tigers. Take the Royals to cash for the third straight time with Singer on the mound.

The Oakland As may be the top over team in baseball, but in six of their last eight games they have scored two runs or less. In yesterday’s loss to the Astros they mustered just one run on eight hits. Anticipate stranded runners again today from Oakland and JP Sears doing enough to keep the Astros from exploding at the plate. Take the under

Today the White Sox are cheaper at home than they were on the road in three of their prior four matchups on the road against Kansas City. Take the bargain discount as Zack Greinke’s road ERA is 7.71. The Royals are also 0-4 this season after an off day. Back the White Sox.

Thursday, the LA Dodgers are heavy road favorites as they are 15-3 over their last eighteen games. They’ll face a St. Louis Cardinals team that is also red-hot with victories in eight of their last ten games. Look for St. Louis to back up veteran pitcher Adam Wainwright’s struggles and pull off a home underdog victory. 

Both the Miami Marlin’s and Washington National’s bullpens struggled in Tuesday’s series opener. Six combined runs were scored from the eighth inning on including Jorge Soler’s walk off home run. Wednesday, look for starting pitching to excel once again and the bullpens to not unhinge as they did Tuesday. Take the under as the Marlins rank the third worst in MLB in run production.

After Friday’s opening series loss to the Orioles the Pittsburgh Pirates have now dropped ten of their last eleven games. Run production has sunk to an average of just 1.63 over that span of eleven games. A positive of their loss yesterday is they did score three runs. Additionally, Pirates pitcher Roansy Contreras has struggled his last two outings. Grab the over in this spot.

Boston Red Sox overs are hitting at a 68 percent rate coming into Friday’s series against the St. Louis Cardinals.  After a five game road trip, they’ll be eager to hit at home where they averaged seven runs their prior two home series. Additionally, Adam Wainwright struggled beyond the third inning in his season debut Saturday against the Detroit Tigers. Take the over

Sunday should be a great bounce back spot for the LA Angels as they host AL West rivals in the Texas Rangers. Before last night’s loss the Angels had won five straight. Additionally, Jose Suarez is coming off his first solid outing of the season against the Milwaukee Brewers. Take the Angels to get the win in their series finale against the Rangers. 

Luis Castillo’s dominance on the mound has his ERA at 1.82. Yet, he has not made it past the fifth inning in each of his last two starts. That should leave the door open for the Houston Astros to find a way to generate a run or two of the Mariners bullpen. In a low scoring game, take the road underdog here.

Skewed value is on the Rays side today due to their home dominance and 26-6 overall record. The Yankees have the intel on the Rays and a golden opportunity as this big of an underdog. This may be a game where young ace Jhony Brito continues to get bounced around but look for the Yankees bats to back him up. Grab the Yankees

I’ll add a diamond release on the LA Angels. St. Louis struggles out the gate have them tied with the Colorado Rockies for the fewest wins in the NL. Even in an interleague matchup and ace Miles Mikolas on the mound, I’ll still side with the road team. The Angels are streaky at the plate and may just need one big inning to get the job done. Grab them -125.

Yesterday the Cubs took game one in their road series against the Washington Nationals. The win ended a three-game slide for the Cubs as the Nationals tallied just one run at the plate. Expect the Cubs to build off of that win today as the Nationals are just 3-12 at home. 

Seattle is coming off a very tough series against the Philadelphia Phillies. After winning game one they had a grand slam in game two by JP Crawford to build a comfortable lead. The bullpen could not hold and they also lost yesterday’s series finale 1 to 0. Continuing their road travels look for their ace Luis Castillo to right the ship and get the Mariners back on track.

Logan Gilbert is getting the benefit of extra rest in between starts. Last Tuesday was his last time out on the mound against the Brewers, so he has not pitched in over a week. He may have a rough inning or two, but the Mariners bats are more than capable of making up a mini deficit. Take the Mariners to get back to .500.

The Pittsburgh Pirates blew a golden opportunity to boost their record to 17-7 yesterday. They had a 7 to 2 lead over the Dodgers going into the fifth inning, but lost 8 to 7. That’s a type of loss that can deflate a team that assuredly has overachieved to begin the year. Pounce on the road favorite here in the Dodgers. 

Tuesday the Twins will host the Yankees in game two of their current series. New York has been slumping at the plate where they have totaled just six runs over their last four games. They may break out of their slump today but Twins pitcher Joe Ryan has received stout run support this season. In four starts the Twins are averaging nine runs in Ryan’s outings. Take the Twins.

After a couple of poor starts to begin the season, Zac Gallen responded in consecutive shutout wins over the Brewers and Marlins. The contrast in his struggles and wins early in the season has been divisional opponents. Versus the Dodgers and today’s opponent in the Padres are who Gallen struggled against. With the Padres now having Tatis Jr. back look for the lineup to pose problems once again for Gallen. Take the Padres. 

What we learned last season is that the Yankees are susceptible at the plate. Even with the big names on their team the feast or famine is real. And typically I don’t like to play against a team that has been shutout. But the Yankees are a different story with their daily team inflation. Back the Angels once again at Yankee stadium to take the second game.

The Dodgers last ten games have cast doubt as they are just 3-7. Yet, yesterday they finally showed some life at the plate. Freddie Freeman went deep twice and the Dodgers scored six runs. Expect the Dodgers to get some runs off of Mets pitcher Tylor Megill who has benefitted from a pitcher friendly schedule to begin the season. Additionally, Clayton Kershaw will have proper command against a Mets team that ranks 28th in batting average at .227.

The Dodgers figure to break out of their offensive rut at the plate tonight against the Mets. New York’s David Peterson has a WHIP of 1.84 and an ERA of 4.91. The Dodgers may have an effective inning or two at the plate but the Mets should counter. They are hitting the ball well as a team with close to a six run average over their last three series. Take the Mets to push the Dodgers below .500.

Monday, the Marlins will look to bounce back from a shutout loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, in which their top ace in Sandy Alcantara lost once again. Although the Marlins are the worst in MLB with only forty nine total runs, they have been able to manufacture runs when needed. They’ll get the upper hand over the Giants who are tied for the fewest wins in the NL.

Sunday, the Arizona Diamondbacks bats will need to get going in the series finale against the Miami Marlins. Through the first two games Friday and Saturday the Diamondbacks have generated a grand total of three runs. Look for the Diamondbacks to get runs early Sunday with Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara coming off a poor outing against the Phillies. Alcantara may settle in afterwards but Miami is only averaging two runs his first three starts. Take the Dbacks

The Dodgers have hit an early season wall with losses in five of their past seven games. Tonight they will look to avenge yesterday’s eight to two loss to the Chicago Cubs. Expect the Dodgers bats to come to life after being on the road their prior seven games. Additionally, the Dodgers had great success last season when they went 7-0 against the Cubs. They’ll get back in the win column tonight.

Seattle will aim to bounce back from a severe meltdown in yesterday’s loss to the Chicago Cubs. Up 7-1, eight runs in the third from the Cubs quickly changed a victory that was in hand. Now just 4-8 today should be an opportune bounce back spot. Expect the bats to cool off on both sides and for the Mariners to grind out a close win over the Cubs led by pitcher Logan Gilbert. Take the Mariners. 

A team that disappointed Monday were the Miami Marlins. As a rare road favorite they found themselves down 13-0, in a disastrous outing from Sandy Alcantara. Expect the Marlins to be able to shake off the poor outing and bounce back against a Phillies team that is just 4-6 on the year. Take the great underdog price on the Marlins as Phillies veteran pitcher Aaron Nola continues to struggle.

Early in an MLB season one can not over react. Chris Bassitt’s disastrous season debut allowing four home runs to the St. Louis Cardinals is a prime example. Expect the veteran pitcher to bounce back to some degree tonight against the Angels. Additionally, Toronto swept the Angels last season in LA, and also handed Patrick Sandoval his worst home start of the season. Take the Bluejays. 

In just the third MLB series of the season the Dodgers will face the Diamondbacks for the second time this season. In the first series of the season the teams split a four game series. This included a big underdog 2 to 1 victory with Merrill Kelly on the mound opposed Dustin May. Tonight, look for the Dodgers to get runs unlike last week’s meeting and give Kelly another short outing. Take the Dodgers.

Sunday night baseball finds an interesting game between the Rangers and Phillies. The Phillies have been a disaster with their pitching surrendering twenty seven total runs in the first two games. On the mound Sunday will be reliable veteran pitcher Martin Perez, who ranked 14th in ERA last season. Yet, this early in the season one can not over react off a small sample size. Look for the Phillies to play a more competitive game and get the win.

The Mariners had a disastrous pitching performance in yesterday’s 9 to 4 loss to the Guardians. As a whole their pitching staff threw 199 pitches as Robbie Ray was chased out after just 3 1/3 innings. Yet, Seattle has had a strong knack of bouncing back especially at home. Additionally, last season they defeated the Guardians in six of their seven matchups. Take the Mariners to bounce back.

I do see value tonight on the Oakland As against the LA Angels. With Ohtani coming off the World Series baseball classic title, you have to be careful with the Angels. Oakland swept the final series of last season over the Angels, which including the finale with Ohtani on the mound as a -235 favorite. Take the value with the big home underdog Oakland As.

The Milwaukee Brewers enter Tuesday as a sizable road favorite against the Colorado Rockies. After yesterday’s victory over the Rockies the Brewers have now won four of the past five matchups against Colorado. This included a July 24th victory over the Rockies with Chad Kuhl lasting just 2.1 innings. With Kuhl’s recent stretch of allowing nine home runs his last four starts, this contest should bode strongly to the Brewers. Take Milwaukee.

One of the strongest contrasts record-wise to matchup today is the Mets against the Pirates. On the road the Mets are heavy favorites against the lowly Pirates. Low run support for Mets ace Taijuan Walker has plagued him his last three starts, in which the Mets have lost. After poor consecutive losses against the Nationals look for the Mets to get back on track in a big way against the Pirates. Play the run line here. 

The Arizona Diamondbacks have been electric this week as they’ve won six of seven games. They’ve opened each of their last four series with a victory including yesterday over the Brewers. Long time Brewer Zach Davies will meet his former team for the third time since being traded in 2020. Last season’s two outings against his old team did not go well as he lasted just four innings in both. Look for the Brewers to continue their success against Davies. Take Milwaukee. 

Thursday, the Colorado Rockies were one of four teams shutout on an eight game slate. Friday, they’ll now travel to face a Cincinnati team that had yesterday off. Expect the Reds to capitalize against a Colorado Rockies team that ranks as the worst road team in MLB, as they provide Luis Cessa the necessary run support. Take Cincinnati 

One of the biggest comeback victories in the baseball season occurred in last night’s Diamondbacks and Phillies matchup. Arizona was able to erase a 7-0 deficit to comeback and win 13 to 7. The victory marked the fourth straight for the Diamondbacks but expect the Phillies to respond from Monday’s embarrassing letdown. They are the only team to force Zac Gallen to exit before the third inning this season, as he lasted just 1.2 innings in a disastrous outing on June 10th. Take the Phillies.

Friday the Mariners won a thriller in extra innings over the Guardians, 3-2. A lack of run production has plagued the Guardians against the Mariners. Thus far they’ve scored just three total runs, and have scored just four runs over their past twenty-four innings. Expect the Mariners to grab their third win in a row over Cleveland, and win on the run line. Take Seattle.

After poor stints this year with the White Sox and Diamondbacks, Dallas Keuchel will get a third shot with the Rangers. Strong run support could be in line for Keuchel as the Rangers are coming off consecutive games of sixteen runs and seven yesterday. Gone are the days of a reliable Keuchel but look for the Rangers to produce as this is Eduardo Rodriguez’s second start since May. Take the Rangers. 

Wednesday the White Sox flipped the script from Tuesday’s 5-3 loss to a 5-3 victory over the Orioles. It was the second straight night that the White Sox had double digit hits against the Orioles staff, as they had eleven on Tuesday and twelve yesterday. This could be a long evening for both pitching staffs but look for the White Sox hot bats to finally break out in terms of high run production. Take the White Sox.

A pitcher that has been automatic when on the mound has been Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen. Over his last three starts he has not allowed a run in over 21 innings of work. That will be put to the test today against a Kansas City Royals team that matched his roughest outing this season on May 24th. With Royals pitcher Brady Singer also currently on a roll we will back the home team in Kansas City.  

Yesterday was a stinger for a possible 2-0 day as the Rangers blew a three run lead twice. The big bombs are potent for the Colorado Rockies and they hit two three run homers with two outs. With a quick turn around this is an opportunity for the Rockies to utilize their home field edge even more so. As solid as Martin Perez has been there is a different element when it comes to Coors Field. Take the underdog Rockies.

Friday, a pivotal series will take place in the AL Central between the Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox. Currently the White Sox trail the Guardians by two games in the win column. The White Sox will lean on veteran pitcher Lance Lynn who has pitched much better over the last month, which included a three hit six inning shutout performance over the Guardians on July 23rd. Grab the White Sox who will bounce back from yesterday’s embarrassing loss to the Astros. 

After getting six games above .500 the Baltimore Orioles are now just 3-5 over their last eight games. Friday, they’ll be aiming to avoid their first three game losing streak since early July. Expect the Orioles success as a home underdog to come to a screeching halt. Kutter Crawford has looked more confident on the mound and should have a solid outing against an Orioles lineup currently slumping. Take the Red Sox.

Wednesday the Rays are in position for their fifth straight win against the slumping Yankees. New York has struggled with just one run in the past two games against the Rays. Veteran Rays pitcher Corey Kluber may be coming off a poor outing, but has had success in two starts this season against the Yankees. He’s totaled twelve innings and only allowed two total runs combined in both prior outings. Back the Rays to drop the Yankees once again.

In Luis Castillo’s first two starts as a Mariner he has delivered masterful pitching that helped defeat the Yankees. It’s a different dichotomy for Castillo tonight who will face the subpar Angels. With Seattle on a current two-game road losing streak look for a low scoring game. Play the Angels as the Mariners lose their third straight. 

Twins pitcher Dylan Bundy’s road ERA over six always poses caution when backing Minnesota.  The veteran pitcher should be in a favorable spot considering the Angels had just four hits in a shutout loss Friday. Expect Bundy to survive five innings working out of jams as the Twins to get another road win. 

Saturday expect the Milwaukee Brewers to challenge the St. Louis Cardinals stout home record of 36-20. Starting pitcher Corbin Barnes in two starts this year against St. Louis went seven innings in both allowing just two hits in each. Both outings Burnes had over ten strikeouts and the Brewers won in shutout fashion. Take Milwaukee.

Throughout the second half of the season the Cubs have been a true pendulum team. They are 5-2 over their last seven games including a big win over the Reds in Thursday’s Field of Dreams game. They’ve done so with starting and bullpen pitching hindering the opposition to under three runs or less in six of seven games. Today, look for the Reds to be aggressive and get the necessary run production to cash. Take the Reds.

The Arizona Diamondbacks have won four straight home series, including a two games to one edge over the Rockies last week. The issue at hand on why the Diamondbacks are nine games below .500 is because of their road woes at 19-31. Take the Rockies who should carry over yesterday’s big performance at the plate against Zach Davies.

Friday, the Baltimore Orioles begin another series against an AL East opponent in the Tampa Bay Rays. Both teams have 58 wins placing a huge emphasis on the series. Although the Orioles lost to the Red Sox yesterday they still showed the fight that makes them a trustworthy team to back. Additionally this season they have went 3-0 in all games that pitcher Austin Voth has started against the Rays. Take the underdog Orioles. 

In his last start against the Marlins Cubs pitcher Drew Smyly was able to turn back the clock with a vintage performance. He did not allow a run which is the third time in his past four starts that he has excelled. Yet, the Reds are one of the four teams this season that had a multi-home run game against him. In a hit friendly Field of Dreams game we’ll back the Reds. 

Thursday, a makeup game will be played between the Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles. For the Red Sox they are in a dire need for a win as the Orioles have ascended four games ahead of them. This should be a spot where the Red Sox can catch the Orioles a bit complacent, after their off day. They also may be looking ahead to big series against the Rays and Blue Jays. Take the Red Sox.  

Generating run production has been a struggle for the Marlins as each of their past eight games they have scored three runs or less. It’s not an easy task to handle the potent Phillies lineup, which has won five straight games. Yet, Marlins pitcher Braxton Garrett is coming off matching a season-high 11 strikeouts against the Reds. I’ll tail the big underdogs here with Garrett keeping the Marlins in contention to steal a win in the latter innings.

The Atlanta Braves were handily defeated in yesterday’s double header to the Mets. New York’s bats continue to ignite their team but Sean Strider has brought a different level of play for the Braves. He has allowed one run his past two starts. He’s showing an ability to extend into games that was not seen earlier in the season. Take the Braves as slight underdogs against Degrom and company.

The Mariners are in a bit of a let down spot similar to the Padres. After a couple of surprising big underdog cashers against the Yankees they have lost two of three in their current home stand to the Angels.  A divisional foe the Angels have the intel to keep a competitive game against the Mariners. We’ll take the Angels in another underdog spot.

Rangers pitcher Dane Dunning may have a respectable home ERA of 3.42, but he is consistently in jams. With runners on base due to walks or hits, today should be a golden opportunity for the White Sox to end their low runs output. Expect one big inning to chase Dunning out early, and for the White Sox to get another big win.

When one sees a heavy road favorite against an opponent above .500 it usually means a stout pitcher is on the mound. For the Astros it has more to do with their team excelling with a strong 70-38 record. Look for the Astros to be the latest team to hit Quantrill hard as they win their third straight over Cleveland. 

Friday, expect the Atlanta Braves to be motivated after losing game one in yesterday’s 6-4 loss to the Mets. On top of the division standings the Mets now have a 4.5 game lead, thanks to victories in nine of their last ten games. While the Braves may not get strong run support against Taijuan Walker, look for Ian Anderson to hold his own after a one-hit gem his last outing. Take the Braves as they get the upper hand in the final innings. 

Johnny Cueto of the White Sox continues to defy expected production. He’s been fantastic with a road ERA of 1.70 all without having a high strikeout rate. As embarrassing as the Rangers series was against the Orioles, they simply were facing a red-hot team. Look for the Rangers to take out their frustration of that series and deliver a solid performance at the plate. They’ll get the win in Cole Ragans first start.

Friday, the Minnesota Twins will face their toughest series post All Star break as they host the Toronto Blue Jays.  Naturally, the Blue Jays are favored as Alek Manoah ranks in the top ten of the AL with eleven wins. Considering the Blue Jays are traveling in from Tampa Bay this should be an advantageous spot for the home team. Take the Twins as Sonny Gray gets his first home win since May 29th. 

The Baltimore Orioles won resoundingly 7-2 Monday against the Texas Rangers. As +170 underdogs the desire may be there for bettors to pounce again Tuesday as small underdogs. Yet, this Orioles team continues to fluctuate slightly above .500 or at .500. Take the Rangers as the Orioles drop back to .500 in Jordan Lyles return to Texas.

The Marlins are in desperate need of a win as they have lost eleven of their past fifteen games. They’re in a nice bounce back spot as one of their few wins recently came against today’s Reds starter in Graham Ashcroft. Ashcroft gave up eight hits and likely will be surrender in that range or higher tonight. Take the home team Marlins to snap their losing streak.

The Dodgers are coming off another series of hitting well from the top to bottom of their lineup. It led to an average of six runs in their past series against the Colorado Rockies. Monday, they’ll face another divisional opponent in the San Francisco Giants. Thus far the home team has won all ten matchups this season. Expect that to end tonight as the Dodgers battle through Logan Webb and finish off the Giants bullpen. 

Sonny Gray of the Minnesota Twins needed the All-Star break desperately, as he had struggled three straight outings prior. His first game back from break he returned in great form with six strong innings of two-hit baseball against the Detroit Tigers. Throughout his career, Gray has always been a streaky pitcher. Ride his current momentum and the Twins to deliver enough run support as the underdogs.

The Baltimore Orioles riveting turn around has them at 51-49. Above .500 there is inevitably a wall of a down turn that comes with new expectations. On the road against a subpar Reds team is a scenario to quell the Orioles both at the plate and from a pitching stand point. Look for the Reds led by Tyler Mahle to put forth a much better outing than Friday and cash. 

The Cubs had their season-high win streak of six games snapped Thursday. If San Francisco is going to make any type of Wild Card push they have to win against bottom level teams. Take the Giants Friday as pitcher Alex Cobb has surrendered just three runs at home in the month of July.

Extended travel post All-Star break can be the toughest part of the season. For the Cleveland Guardians they exited a split series against the Red Sox, and played consecutive tight games. Now they’ll travel to Tampa Bay with Shane Bieber coming off his toughest start of the season. This will be another tight game but lean on the Rays to pull through. 

The Phillies bullpen nearly blew a six run ninth inning lead to the Pirates Thursday. The near scare does not take away how dominant the Phillies bats were at the plate. Each player had a hit and five had multi-hits as they totaled fifteen as a team. Friday, look for the Phillies to rattle Jose Quintana early and continue to do damage against the Pirates bullpen.

Friday, the New York Mets will travel on the road for the first time post All Star break. They will face a divisional opponent in the Miami Marlins that they have had immense success against year over year. As great as Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara has been, the pressure to keep teams under three runs or less is to steep here. Take the Mets.

In his last start on July 23rd, the Seattle Mariners five game stretch of winning Logan Gilbert starts ended against the Astros. Tonight they will get a chance to avenge the 3-1 loss in Houston. Jose Urquidy may be coming off a gem outing last week against the Mariners, but his prior three starts this season were rough outings. Take the Mariners in the underdog spot.

The Red Sox gave a valiant effort in Wednesday’s loss by digging themselves out of a hole on multiple occasions. It was not enough but sometimes a strong effort in a loss can be a catalyst the following day. 2-11 their last thirteen games, the Red Sox need to get out of the cellar of the AL East and back to .500. Take Boston today over the Guardians. 

The LA Angels continue to be a fade worthy team. They’ve lost fifteen of their last eighteen games and have scored two runs or less in four of their past five. Don’t fall for the low price offering in consecutive days against the Kansas City Royals, as the Angels falter again.

In late May, Brewers pitcher Ethan Small’s stat line in his first start was woeful. He lasted just 2.2 innings and threw sixty-nine pitches. His outing tonight against the Twins tough lineup may be short as well, yet expect the Brew crew to score runs on Dylan Bundy. Prior to last night’s shutout loss they had scored six runs or more in three straight. 

The Baltimore Orioles success has been stymied within the division as the Yankees won two of three, and in the prior series the Rays did as well. Back home the Orioles will aim to re-develop their winning ways and push back to .500. That will be tough against the veteran arm of Corey Kluber. Tampa may be under achieving on the road this season, but we will back them at a great price reduction. Take Tampa Bay. 

Post All Star break is when one can ride the trend of fading veteran pitchers. Pirates pitcher Jose Quintana already gave a sneak preview when he allowed six runs his last start before the break. Friday, the Marlins finally ended their scoreless innings streak with eight runs on thirteen hits. Take them to unleash again Saturday against Quintana. 

Returning from All-Star break the White Sox and Guardians will meet for their third series this season. Starting pitcher Lucas Giolito’s dominance over the Guardians since 2019 is unmatched, with just six total runs allowed in sixty five innings. This includes two dominant starts this season including his last start on July 13th. Back the White Sox. 

All Star break can not only assist the great teams in MLB, but can also help the downward trending teams. The Cubs lost nine of their last ten games prior to All Star break but those were series against the Dodgers, Orioles, and Mets. They’ll have the scoring opportunities they did not get in those series as Kyle Gibson has an ERA of 4.35. Take the Cubs on a favorable underdog price. 

Thursday, two teams going in the opposite directions will meet in the NL as the Cubs host the Mets. Chicago has now lost six straight games in tough series matchups against the Dodgers and red-hot Baltimore Orioles. Today though expect the Cubs to fare better with Keegan Thompson on the mound. He boasts a 2.14 home era, and should be able to extend a full six innings. Take the Cubs.  

The Tampa Bay Rays have dominated the Red winning five of six games in the last ten days. The lone loss occurred on the fourth of July with Kutter Crawford pitching five innings with eight strikeouts. Yet there’s a difference of starting the game versus coming in out of the bullpen. Add in the road element and I’ll back the Rays to sweep the Red Sox. 

Tuesday, the White Sox after being 0-4 on the season against the Guardians broke through with a 7-0 victory. On the mound will Wednesday will be pitcher Lucas Giolito who has had immense success against Cleveland since 2019. Through nine starts and fifty-nine innings of work Giolito has allowed just six total runs. Take the White Sox.

After losing nine of ten games the Blue Jays got a much needed victory yesterday over the Phillies. Wednesday, will be a much more difficult matchup against Phillies pitcher Zach Wheeler. Over his last two outings he has been flawless without allowing a run. This may decided in the latter innings in a bullpen game. Take the Blue Jays who saw the Phillies extend their bullpen Tuesday.

Surprisingly the Pittsburgh Pirates have won three consecutive road games, including yesterday’s 5-1 victory over the Marlins. Tuesday, expect the Marlins to look much better as they looked flat Monday after a stretch of eleven of thirteen road games. They’ll see a bevy of Pirates pitchers as Chris Stratton is likely only going to pitch an inning or two. Take the Marlins. 

Over his last five starts Robbie Ray has been lights out for the Seattle Mariners. In fact he has allowed just three total runs and never more than four hits in an outing. Yet, tonight he will be facing his old team from last season in the Toronto Blue Jays. Expect Toronto to score a couple of runs off of Ray and finish off the job against the Mariners bullpen. Take Toronto. 

Colorado Rockies pitcher Kyle Freeland’s only start this season that he did not allow a run came on May 7th against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Additionally, he matched a career-high ten strikeouts in last year’s lone matchup against the Dbacks. In a quick turn around spot from Friday, look for the Rockies road woes to be a factor. They have not won three straight road games this season. Take the Diamondbacks. 

It’s been a long two plus month stretch for backers of the Rangers when Martin Perez is on the mound. Since May 4th, the Rangers have won eleven of twelve games when Perez is on the mound. Unlike the month of May though Perez has seen a steep uptick in hits. Against a dangerous power hitting team like the Twins that could spell trouble for Perez. Take the underdog Twins. 

The Cleveland Guardians are in a tailspin that may need the All Star break to get out of. They’ve lost twelve of sixteen games. Their dominance over the Royals has featured five straight wins this season, and a recent three-game sweep from May 30th-June 1st. Yet, even with an off day advantage the Guardians are not worthy of tailing in this spot. Take the Royals who should be the latest to thrive at the plate against Cleveland.

The Baltimore Orioles have surged with a current five game win streak. Over their past two games pitching has been their strength as they have allowed one run in both. Tonight look for the Angels to get the upper hand as Ryan Detmers pitched against the Orioles on April 22nd, while Walls did not start in the three-game series. Take the Angels to end the Orioles win streak. 

In consecutive days the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Rangers by one run. Texas did not go down without a fight as they had multiple big innings to climb back out of deficits. Tonight expect the Rangers to finally get the upper hand as Orioles pitcher Spenser Watkins has struggled at home with a 5.51 ERA. Take the Rangers to finish their nine game road trip with a win.