Rating: 2 Units

The Dodgers are a whopping 16-4 in their last 20 games and 23-7 in their last 30 games. They own the second best run differential in baseball and are 21-11 against the NL West Division this season entering Friday night's game. The Giants are just a game over .500 on the road this season and, heading into Friday night, are 0-3 in LA this season. Alex Wood is 4-4 in ten road starts this season. The Dodgers are hitting .250 against left-handed pitching this season and are 19-11 against lefty starters. The Giants are also just 9-11 in their last 20 games.

Rating: 2 Units

Wheeler has been excellent this year and has been tremendous at home, posting a 5-2 mark with a 1.62 ERA, a 0.94 WHIP, 10 walks and 61 strikeouts over 55.2 innings of action this season. With their ace on the hill, the Phillies have the advantage on the mound, and when you factor in their offensive production, you have to give them the advantage here. Back Philadelphia at home as ex-Cubs Schwarber and Castellanos lead the way at the plate.

Rating: 2 Units

The Blue Jays will start right-hander Alek Manoah (10-4, 2.28 ERA) torday. In two starts against Boston this season, he is 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA. Over four career starts against the Red Sox, he is 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA. Boston will start right-hander Kutter Crawford (2-2, 4.50 ERA), who has never faced the Blue Jays. The Blue Jays are 5-1 under interim manager John Schneider, who replaced Charlie Montoyo. Boston has lost seven of its past eight.

Rating: 2 Units

Ace Justin Verlander will make his 18th start of the season, hoping to continue a Cy Young worthy campaign as he's gone an impressive 12-3 with a 1.89 ERA and 108:19 K:BB ratio over 109.1 innings. The 39-year-old future Hall of Famer went six shutout innings against the Oakland Athletics last Saturday, allowing six hits and no walks while piling up 10 strikeouts. Seattle starter Gilbert has shown some signs of fatigue over his last five starts, posting a 4.18 ERA while failing to go more than six innings in any outing. The Mariners are a great team right now, but betting against Verlander is impossible at the moment.

Rating: 2 Units

Astros’ starter Jose Urquidy has not been able to contain the Mariners' offense this season, allowing 15 runs in the three meetings spanning only 13 innings. Also, Mariners’ starter Marco Gonzales has seen plenty of the Astros this season and has kept them in check, conceding only six runs in 20.1 innings. Gonzales is especially sharp at home where he is sporting a 3.21 ERA.

Rating: 2 Units

Kansas City pitching ranks fourth-worst in the majors in ERA (4.80) and last in WHIP (1.48), mainly because it has awarded the most walks -- 354 (3.8 per contest).  The club announced that right-hander Brad Keller (5-9, 3.96 ERA) will be the starting pitcher for today's series opener. In five career appearances against the Rays, four of which were starts, Keller is 1-3 with a 6.86 ERA and 13 strikeouts. The Royals have only won five of the last 20 games between these teams, including three of the last 11 at home. Tampa Bay, winners of six of its last seven games also has the pitching advantage.

Rating: 2 Units

The Cubs struggled down the stretch before the All-Star break, failing to generate much in the way of offense, especially against the Mets in the final series leading into the break. We may see guys like Willson Contreras and Ian Happ dealt in the next two weeks, making things even more difficult for the team. Meanwhile, Philadelphia has been hot since Girardi was fired and has pushed themselves into the playoff hunt despite the fact that they are minus Bryce Harper at the moment. Gibson stifled the Marlins in his last start and he gets a shot at a Chicago offense that has failed to put runs on the board over the past few weeks.

Rating: 2 Units

Even though the Dodgers are the significantly better team overall, Rodon has been good enough to give the Giants a chance against anyone. This Giants offense is plenty capable of providing run support even against baseball's top pitching staff, giving San Francisco some value at this big plus number.Carlos Rodon is set to make his 19th start of the season, having gone 8-5 with a 2.66 ERA and 131 strikeouts across 105 innings in the first half, numbers that earned him an All-Star nod. The 29-year-old went five innings against the Brewers last Thursday, allowing one run on eight hits and three walks while striking out seven. This rivalry is always competitive no matter the team records, and Rodon gives the Giants a great shot here.

Rating: 2 Units

In a series dominated by starting pitching, Brewers manager Craig Counsell announced Saturday that he would substitute left-hander Aaron Ashby for San Francisco Bay Area native Jason Alexander to give his team the best chance to avoid taking a losing streak into the All-Star break. Ashby (2-6, 4.37 ERA), who will pitch on three days' rest, has gone 1-0 with a 2.89 ERA in his past two starts, limiting the Pittsburgh Pirates and Minnesota Twins to a total of three runs in 9 1/3 innings. The 24-year-old has never faced the Giants and will make just the second West Coast start of his two-year career. He faced the San Diego Padres in May, holding them to an unearned run and four hits in 5 2/3 innings. The Brewers won 2-1, but Ashby took a no-decision. Ashby will go against Giants ace Logan Webb (8-3, 2.82), who has pitched brilliantly in his past six starts, going 3-1 with a 1.13 ERA. He was especially good in his most recent outing on Tuesday when, shortly after learning he hadn't made the National League All-Star team, he blanked the Arizona Diamondbacks over six innings on five hits in a 13-0 home win. The 25-year-old has faced the Brewers just twice in his career and contained them both times, allowing two runs and seven hits in 13 innings. He didn't get a decision in either game despite a 1.38 ERA.

Rating: 2 Units

The Rangers plan to send right-hander Glenn Otto (4-5, 5.50 ERA) to the mound in hopes of salvaging a victory in the series. Otto is 0-3 in four starts since he had a three-start winning streak in late spring. That winning streak included his only career start against the Mariners, a 3-2 victory on June 4 in which he allowed two runs on two hits five walks in five innings. Flexen (6-8, 3.84) will be trying to win his fifth straight start, a career high. He allowed one run and six hits in six innings of a 6-4 win against the Washington Nationals in his most recent outing on Wednesday. Flexen hasn't faced the Rangers this season, but he's 4-0 in five starts against Texas in his career with a 2.53 ERA.

Rating: 2 Units

Peterson has now made 12 starts out of 15 appearances with five wins and three quality starts. Peterson was 3-1 in June with a 3.18 ERA and is 1-1 thus far in July with a 4.18 ERA. Peterson is 2-1 on the road thus far this season. Chicago is just 9-16 against left-handed pitching this season and is hitting .240 against southpaws. The Mets are 37-20 against right-handed pitching and will exploit the journeyman right-hander Sampson. The Mets are 6th in average and 4th in runs per game and will close out the first half with a 5+ run-scoring affair.

Rating: 2 Units

Seattle has now won 11 straight games and they don't look to be slowing down anytime soon. They are great in the field and they have one of their best pitchers on the mound in this one. Seattle is also scoring 4.15 runs per game and hitting the 13th most home runs, as they can score multiple different ways. The Mariners are also one of the best fielding teams in the MLB, as they have allowed the fourth least amount of runs per game and they have the highest overall team fielding percentage. They won't make mistakes or allow the Rangers to score any cheap runs in this one. Texas has also struggled to reach base consistently, as they only have the 19th highest overall team batting average. They will struggle against Logan Gilbert, as he has been on a roll this season. He is currently (10-3) with a 2.80 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. He has also been on a mission on the road this season, as he is (6-1) with a 2.47 ERA. The Rangers are scoring the ninth most runs per game, but I see Gilbert having the last laugh in this one. The Mariners are hitting the ball well and I trust their starting pitcher and fielding more than the Rangers.

Rating: 2 Units

The bats for the Rockies hit a completely different gear when they’re swinging away at Coors Field. They’re averaging 9.77 hits and 5.88 runs per game in home matchups this season. That’s a big problem for a Pirates team bleeding runs on defense regardless of location. They’re consistently getting pounded at the plate with a pitching rotation that has the sixth-worst ERA in the league. And I haven’t even touched on the struggling bullpen’s 4.65 ERA, which is only better than the Cincinnati Reds and Rockies.

Rating: 2 Units

Mets will be starting Taijuan Walker. He has been solid this season, as well. He is currently (7-2) with a 2.63 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. He has also been even better on the road this season. He is (5-2) with a 2.63 ERA, as he is shutting opposing offenses down when they are at the plate. He looked great in his last start against the Marlins too. He pitched for 7.0 innings and didn't allow an earned run.  Marcus Stroman will be starting on the mound for the Cubs. He has started this season (2-5) with a 4.91 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. He was also roughed up a little bit two starts ago against the Dodgers. He only pitched for 4.0 innings and still allowed nine earned runs. This was his worst performance of the year, but he did bounce back after that horrific start. He went on to pitch for 4.0 innings and not allowing any earned runs.

Rating: 2 Units

The Rockies will start right-hander German Marquez (5-7, 5.66 ERA) on the mound against Pittsburgh left-hander Jose Quintana (2-4, 3.59). Quintana has plenty of experience against the Rockies, going 2-2 with a 4.80 ERA in six career appearances (five starts). His one relief appearance against them came last season. Colorado has won three in a row and would finish 6-1 on its homestand ahead of the All-Star break with a sweep of the Pirates. Pittsburgh is finishing a 12-game, 11-day trip through four cities and is 5-4 on the trip after losing 3-2 in 11 innings at Miami on Thursday. The Pirates have gone 7-9 on the road since June 15, and 14 of the games have been decided by two or fewer runs. Pittsburgh has lost two straight after winning four in a row. In Thursday's loss, two hitters -- Daniel Vogelbach and designated hitter Yoshi Tsutsugo -- struck out with a chance to drive in a run.

Rating: 2 Units

Seattle Mariners left-hander Robbie Ray is starting to find the form that made him the American League's 2021 Cy Young Award winner. In his past seven starts, the veteran southpaw is 3-0 with a 1.41 ERA. That's good news for the Mariners, a team riding high with an 11-game winning streak. It also creates a tough matchup for the Texas Rangers on Friday in the second of four games between the American League West rivals in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers' rotation depth is being tested now that Dane Dunning is on the injured list with a right ankle impingement. today is when Dunning's spot comes up. Bush will begin the game on the mound, but he doesn't figure to be around long. He hasn't pitched more than one inning in any of his 33 outings this year. After Bush exits, it's possible the Rangers could turn to Taylor Hearn, who is expected to be recalled from Triple-A Round Rock. Hearn was 4-5 with a 5.86 ERA in 14 games, 13 starts, for Texas before he was optioned to the minors on June 26.

Rating: 2 Units

Baltimore carries a 10-game winning streak into the series and sits one game above .500 (45-44) following a 7-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday. Since falling a season-worst 11 games under .500 at 24-35 on June 10, the Orioles have gone 21-9. Tampa Bay is expected to activate Luis Patino (0-1, 13.50 ERA) from the injured list in time for the Friday start. The right-hander has been out since leaving in the first inning of his season debut on April 11 due to a left oblique strain. Patino, 22, made six minor league rehab starts and allowed seven runs over 17 1/3 innings (3.57 ERA). He likely will be limited to no more than three innings on Friday. Patino has faced the Orioles just once previously, when he allowed four runs in 3 1/3 innings during a no-decision on May 18, 2021. Right-hander Tyler Wells (7-4, 3.28 ERA) will take the mound for Baltimore in the series opener. He allowed three runs over four innings against the Los Angeles Angels on July 8 in his most recent start. Wells, 27, had gone 5-0 with a 1.93 ERA in his previous five starts.

Rating: 2 Units

The Angels have really struggled to win games for two months now apart from when Ohtani pitches with a middling pitching staff otherwise plus a thin offense. This is a mismatch in every facet against one of the World Series favorites, and Valdez will roll to a win here. Detmers has been inconsistent as expected of a very young pitcher, resulting in a shaky 108 ERA- and 122 FIP- for the season. While the scoring numbers don't always show it, Houston has an elite offense that is tied for second-best in all of baseball with a collective 117 wRC+. Valdez is an expert at avoiding major damage, inducing groundballs at a ridiculous 67% rate to help him keep the ball in the yard. Los Angeles' lineup has struggled against everyone let alone baseball's best pitching staff.

Rating: 2 Units

No team in baseball is hotter than the Mariners, who are shutting down opponents on the mound right now while getting healthier in the lineup. While Perez has been fantastic, Gonzales is capable enough to match him, and the Rangers figure to struggle against a Seattle bullpen that has been lights out of late.  Gonzales isn't overpowering but still keeps Seattle in games as has given up two or fewer earned runs in eight straight starts. Seattle's offense should start to see its scoring numbers increase as it ranks eighth with a 107 wRC+ and figures to have Rodriguez, France, Winker and Carlos Santana all in the same lineup for the first time this season.  The Rangers can't quite keep up with good teams, ranking in the middle of the pack with a 100 wRC+ without the firepower to consistently compete against elite pitching staffs like this. Seattle is bringing in huge profits of late, and it's worth it to keep betting on the Mariners until this streak ends.

Rating: 2 Units

The Dodgers will start left-hander Tyler Anderson (9-1, 3.15 ERA) in today's series finale. Anderson received a no-decision on Friday after allowing three runs on five hits in seven innings against the Chicago Cubs in his last start. Anderson cruised the first time through the Cubs' batting order, then struggled during his second turn. Anderson is 0-2 with a 7.90 ERA in three career starts against the Cardinals. Cardinals right-hander Dakota Hudson (6-5, 4.00) will get the start today. Hudson scattered two hits and walked two over six scoreless innings in a no-decision against the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday. Hudson is 1-0 with a 1.08 ERA in four career outings (one start) against the Dodgers.

Rating: 2 Units

Colorado will send Chad Kuhl (6-5, 4.02 ERA) against San Diego's Joe Musgrove (8-2, 2.09) in a matchup of right-handers. Kuhl will be looking to bounce back from his first start against the Padres this season. Kuhl was chased after giving up five runs on eight hits and walking four in 4 1/3 innings in San Diego on June 10. Overall, he is 1-1 with a 6.08 ERA in five career starts against the Padres. Musgrove will make his seventh career start against Colorado. He is 4-2 with a 1.21 ERA in his previous six and has been solid pitching in Denver, where he is 1-1 with a 2.77 ERA.

Rating: 2 Units

Starting pitcher Tony Gonsolin will try to remain unbeaten for the Los Angeles Dodgers today when they visit the St. Louis Cardinals. Gonsolin (11-0, 1.62 ERA) hasn't allowed more than two earned runs in any of his 16 outings this season. He will make his Gonsolin earned his All-Star nod after posting a 1.62 ERA -- the fourth-lowest through 16 starts in Dodgers history behind Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale and Zack Greinke. In his last start, Gonsolin earned a 5-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs. He allowed two runs on four hits in seven innings. Gonsolin is 1-0 with a 1.00 ERA in two career starts against the Cardinals.

Rating: 2 Units

Arizona right-hander Zac Gallen (4-2, 3.62) will be tasked with slowing the Giants one night after they bombed Dallas Keuchel and four relievers for 14 hits, including four homers, a triple and three doubles. Gallen hasn't factored in the decision in five straight starts, during which he compiled a 4.97 ERA. The Diamondbacks won just two of the five games. The 26-year-old did not pitch in last week's series against San Francisco in Arizona. In seven lifetime starts against the Giants, he is 1-4 with a 5.50 ERA, including 0-2 with a 6.41 ERA in four starts in San Francisco.

Rating: 2 Units

Skubal, who is 1-5 with a 4.38 ERA in eight career appearances (six starts) against Kansas City, will look to build on the victory for the Tigers. He won his latest start on Friday against the White Sox after taking five straight losses. The left-hander allowed two runs on six hits in six innings vs. Chicago. More important, he struck out seven and walked only one, the fewest freebies since his prior victory. Over his previous five starts, Skubal allowed 23 runs in 23 innings. Singer will hope to continue a recent surge by the Royals. A victory would clinch their second home series victory in a row after they hadn't won a home set since late April. It would also be Kansas City's second series win over Detroit this month. Singer has never lost to the Tigers, going 4-0 with a 2.98 ERA in eight career starts. In his start at Detroit on July 3, he tied his season-high with nine strikeouts. He gave up two runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings during a no-decision.

Rating: 2 Units

San Diego will start left-hander Sean Manaea (3-4, 4.18 ERA), who is making his third career start at Coors Field. He lost both of those outings as a member of the Oakland Athletics. He has a 5.06 ERA in 10 2/3 innings in Denver. Iglesias is 5-for-11 against Manaea. The 30-year-old Manaea has just one victory in his past 12 starts while the Padres are 4-10 in their last 14 games He lost to the Seattle Mariners on July 4 when he allowed four runs and eight hits in 3 1/3 innings. He also walked four. Right-hander Jose Urena (0-0, 2.51) will be making his second start since joining the Rockies. He pitched well versus the Los Angeles Dodgers last Wednesday when he gave up one run and five hits over 6 2/3 innings in a no-decision.

Rating: 2 Units

Fried, who on Sunday was named one of 12 NL pitchers for this month's All-Star Game, is trying to reach a double-digit win total for the third time in four seasons, while he was 7-0 during the shortened 2020 campaign. Fried hasn't suffered a loss since April and the Braves have won in his last nine starts. Before that stretch, he posted a victory against the Mets, giving up two runs in six innings. Fried is 5-3 with a 2.80 ERA all-time in 17 games, including 12 starts, against the Mets. Scherzer holds a 10-9 career record with 3.88 ERA in 27 games (25 starts) against the Braves. With this outing being his 28th outing against Atlanta, it will match his 28 games against Philadelphia for the opponent he has faced the most. The Braves have delivered more defeats on Scherzer than any other opponent.

Rating: 2 Units

In today's pairing of left-handers, Alex Wood (5-7, 4.83 ERA) will start for the Giants against Padres rookie MacKenzie Gore (4-3, 3.18). This is the second time Wood and Gore have been matched in a game this season. On May 22 in San Francisco, the Padres beat the Giants 10-1. Gore held the Giants to one run on three hits and two walks with six strikeouts over six innings to get the win. Wood gave up five runs on eight hits in three innings and took the loss. Wood will make his 16th start of the season Sunday and his third against the Padres. He is 0-1 with an 8.59 ERA against them this season, giving up seven runs on 13 hits and three walks with 10 strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings. Wood is 0-2 and the Giants are 0-3 over his last three starts, although he held Arizona to one run on four hits over five innings on Tuesday. In his last three starts, Wood has given up 10 runs on 15 hits over 11 2/3 innings. Gore will make his 13th start of the season and will face the Giants for the second time in his career. The 23-year-old has rebounded from two bad starts against the Colorado Rockies (14 runs on 14 hits in a total of 6 1/3 innings) to regain his sharpness over his last two games, holding the Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers to one run on eight hits and eight walks over 10 2/3 innings.

Rating: 2 Units

Chicago needs to start winning games for Kopech (2-6, 3.34 ERA) after losing his last five starts. The right-hander had a 1.92 ERA, while going 2-2, over his first 11 starts of the season. However, he owns a 6.86 ERA in losing his last four. Kopech allowed six runs, all on a career-high four homers, plus four other hits, while also walking four and striking out five in 4 2/3 innings of Chicago's 8-2 home loss versus Minnesota on Tuesday.

Rating: 2 Units

I have basically committed to not betting against Alcantara as long as he stays in his current form. Not only does he shut teams down, but he also goes eight innings in almost every start. His dominance has led to a 9-3 record this season, and the Marlins have started to find their form overall as well. New York has the better offense, but that will be irrelevant as long as Alcantara brings his top-level stuff. I am happy to take the Marlins as road underdogs with their ace on the mound.

Rating: 2 Units

The Mariners (43-42) have won a season-high six games in a row and 14 of their past 17 to move a game above .500 for the first time since they were 12-11 on May 2. Seattle also closed within two games of the suddenly struggling Blue Jays in the race for the American League's third and final wild card. Toronto right-hander Alek Manoah (9-3, 2.33 ERA) will try to bounce back from one of his worst outings of the season Saturday. He allowed a career-high-tying four earned runs in 5 2/3 innings of a loss at Oakland on Monday. Lefty Robbie Ray (7-6, 3.62), who won the AL's Cy Young Award last season with Toronto before leaving as a free agent in the offseason, is set to start for the Mariners. Ray is 4-1 with an 0.80 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 33 2/3 innings over his past five starts.

Rating: 2 Units

The Yankees are scoring the most runs per game and they are averaging the most home runs. They are scoring multiple different ways, as they can string together hits or clear the bases with a home run swing. New York has been solid in the field, as well. They are allowing the least amount of runs per game and they have the fourth-highest overall team fielding percentage. New York won't make many mistakes in the field and they won't allow the Red Sox to score enough to keep this game close. This also looks like a bullpen game for the Red Sox. They haven't announced a pitcher yet and their ace is due to start on Sunday. The Red Sox bullpen is allowing the 12th least amount of runs, but they have struggled as of late. The Yankees are too strong at the plate, as the Red Sox won't be able to contain them

Rating: 2 Units

The Rays will take out their frustrations on the Reds for Friday’s game-ending controversy. Losing on a balk likely left a bad taste in Tampa Bay’s mouth, and they’ll be looking to get even in Saturday’s run-in with the worst run-scoring defense in the league. No one is expecting a splash party from the Rays, but they can at least get their bats going enough to knock off Cincy with Hunter Greene as their starting pitcher. The 22-year-old right-handed pitcher gave up six runs in two of his last three games. So don’t expect things to be as quiet at the plate in this game as they were in the opener. The Reds are allowing an average of 8.73 hits per game and the league’s worst on-base slugging percentage (.788). Bad things seem to happen often for them defensively. That balk call is simply delaying the inevitable.

Rating: 2 Units

Woodruff has looked like the pitcher that came into this season as a possible Cy Young candidate along with his teammate, and last year's NL winner, Corbin Burnes. He has only allowed 8 hits in the two starts since returning and has upped his pitch count from 76 to 94. I expect Woodruff to be completely restriction-free in this game and to keep the Pirates' poor hitting lineup at bay. Thompson has a solid ERA in the last month but struggles to get into the middle innings. Pittsburgh is also over 10 games below .500 on the road.

Rating: 2 Units

The Oakland Athletics are the worst team in the Major Leagues and it’s hard to find any value on them as a result, even +1.5 is not worth it considering this starting pitching matchup. Astros’ starter Framber Valdez continues to silence his opposition, conceding a total of five runs in his last 20 innings of work. He also tossed a complete game in a 5-1 win in his only meeting against the A’s this season.  Furthermore, the A’s were supposed to have Frankie Montas start this one but he has landed on the IL. The Astros will take advantage of rookie Zach Logue who has filed a 5.47 ERA in his limited action. Houston has won 9 out of their last 10 games and eight of those occurred by two or more runs. They swept Oakland in the lone series this season and should have no issues again in this one.

Rating: 2 Units

These teams have been trending in opposite directions to open the month of July, and I am going to continue riding that wave in this game. Baltimore has been able to climb back into playoff contention before the All-Star break and is playing with a lot of confidence as a team right now. Kremer has been the best starter on the squad this season, so I expect him to bounce back from a rough outing on Saturday. He is facing a top-heavy Los Angeles lineup that is not producing after its top three hitters. However, the Angels continue to be overpriced due to the big names on the roster, providing value on the Orioles at home.

Rating: 2 Units

The Phillies will counter Hudson with Kyle Gibson (4-3, 4.91 ERA). Philadelphia manager Rob Thomson pushed Gibson's start back a day, flipping him and Zack Wheeler in his rotation order. Wheeler pitched seven scoreless innings for the win on Friday. Gibson struggled in his latest start, allowing four consecutive homers in the first inning of a game the Phillies eventually lost 7-6 to the Cardinals on July 2. Nolan Arenado, Nolan Gorman, Juan Yepez and Dylan Carlson combined for that power surge. Overall, Gibson yielded six runs on seven hits and two walks in four-plus innings. In his start prior to that one, Gibson lasted just 2 2/3 innings while allowing five runs on four hits and three walks in a no-decision against the San Diego Padres. Gibson is 0-1 with an 8.20 ERA in two career starts against the Cardinals.

Rating: 2 Units

These teams have been trending in completely different directions heading into this series. Toronto has lost five of its last six games, including four of its last five road games. Seattle has won eight of its last nine contests after Thursday’s series opener win. The Mariners have been able to make up some serious ground in the AL Wild Card race, and I like their chances of winning on Friday night. These starting pitchers are coming off wildly contrasting starts as well, with Kirby throwing seven strong frames and Stripling allowing five runs.

Rating: 2 Units

Friday's game marked the first of two original "TBA" slots in Boston's rotation. It will be filled with right-hander Connor Seabold (0-1, 8.31 ERA), as Michael Wacha could be headed to the injured list with what Cora called "dead arm" earlier this week. Left-hander Nestor Cortes (7-3, 2.44 ERA) is set to take the ball for New York, making his second career start against the Red Sox. Cortes started one time in his career against Boston, at the end of 2021. He went 4.1 innings and gave up just 4 hits and 2 runs.

Rating: 2 Units

The Marlins are an exciting young team but have trouble against the rival Mets. NY has won six of the eight meetings this season. Pablo Lopez is starting to regress after he was considered a possible Cy Young candidate earlier this season. He posted a poor 5.34 ERA last month and his worst start in that span occurred against this Mets team where he gave up seven runs (six earned) in a game the Mets won 10-4. Chriss Bassitt returns from a brief trip to the IL. The veteran is now very familiar with the Marlins, having pitched against them in back-to-back outings. He was stellar, limiting them to just three runs in those performances, spanning 13.1 innings.

Rating: 2 Units

Baltimore is in good shape with Tyler Wells on the mound, who struggled early in the season, but has been hot lately with a 4-0 record and 1.23 ERA in his last four starts. On the other side, the Angels are 5-17 in their last 22 road games and 1-12 in their last 13 games against the AL East. Los Angeles has also lost the last six games started by Reid Detmers. I am fading Los Angeles here, and riding the hot Baltimore Orioles.

Rating: 2 Units

Shane McClanahan (9-3, 1.74 ERA) will take the mound for the Rays, who won the final two games of their three-game series in Boston before enjoying a day off Thursday. McClanahan leads the American League in ERA, opponents' average (.179) and WHIP (0.81) and is tied for the AL league in strikeouts (133). He has made 10 straight starts of at least six innings, seven-plus strikeouts and fewer than three earned runs allowed -- that's the longest single-season streak in American League history and the third-longest in the majors since 1901. Only Arizona's Randy Johnson (14 in 1999) and Houston's Mike Scott (12 in 1986) have had longer such streaks. The 25-year-old left-hander has allowed 12 runs (eight earned) in his past 10 starts, covering 66 innings. McClanahan has never faced the Reds but is 5-0 with a 2.23 ERA in seven career interleague starts, 3-0 with a 0.67 ERA in four starts vs. National League teams this season.

Rating: 2 Units

The Braves have won the first two games of this series, as they have won the last 6 games against the Cardinals. They are scoring the fourth-most runs per game and they have the 10th highest overall team batting average. They can score multiple different ways, as they will string together hits throughout this game and also hit a home run or two. They are averaging 1.52 per game, which is the second-highest average in the league. The Cardinals are cold right now, as well. They lost their previous series to the Phillies and they looked shaky in the first two games of this one. I just don't think Matthew Liberatore has what it takes to slow down this impressive offense. He currently has a 5.66 ERA and a 1.79 WHIP rating.

Rating: 2 Units

On paper, this appears to be a mismatch with the veteran Cole going up against the rookie Winckowski. However, a deeper dive reveals that Cole has not traditionally dominated the Red Sox. With the Yankees, he is 3-2 against Boston but has only pitched into the 7th inning in one of those matchups. Additionally, he has given up 7 home runs in six starts. These stats do not include the playoff game in 2021 in which Cole lasted just 2 innings and gave up 4 hits and 2 home runs. As for Winckowski, since his return to the rotation in June, he has kept the ball in the yard. Winckowski has averaged 11 ground ball outs in his 4 starts and has only allowed double-digit fly balls in 1 of his 4 starts while not allowing a home run. He has also proven to be a strike-thrower, averaging just 1 walk per start. The Yankees offense is predicated on home runs with runners on base. Winckowski can nullify that. Winckowski has also won three straight decisions and the Sox are 3-1 in his last four starts overall.

Rating: 2 Units

Los Angeles is almost unbackable in any game that Ohtani is not starting on the mound right now. The Angels might be sitting in the middle of the league in team ERA, but that can be almost entirely attributed to Ohtani’s success. Meanwhile, Baltimore is starting to get hot, coming into this series on a four-game winning streak. The Orioles have won the latter three of those games by one run each, so they will be confident on Thursday night. Lyles has gone six innings in three straight starts, while Silseth has had a disappointing rookie campaign.

Rating: 2 Units

The Nationals will hand the ball to Joan Adon (1-11, 6.97 ERA). The 23-year-old right-hander made his most recent major league start against the Phillies, when he allowed four runs on seven hits in five innings during a 5-3 loss on June 17. It was the first time he had faced Philadelphia. Following that outing, Adon was optioned to Triple-A Rochester. He made just one start in the minors. The Phillies have also won five of their last six games against teams with a winning percentage below .400, while the Nationals have dropped eight of their last nine games against a left-handed starter.

Rating: 2 Units

Arizona right-hander Merrill Kelly (7-5, 3.46 ERA) draws the start and has won four of his past six outings. The 33-year-old defeated the Colorado Rockies in his most recent turn when he gave up two runs (one earned) and five hits over seven innings last Friday. Kelly is 3-3 with a 3.21 ERA in 10 career starts against the Giants. Crawford is 8-for-24 against Kelly. Right-hander Alex Cobb (3-3, 4.59) will start for San Francisco. He is 0-2 in five starts since last winning on May 17 against the Colorado Rockies. Cobb received a no-decision against the Chicago White Sox in his most recent turn on Friday when he allowed three hits over five scoreless innings. He has tossed fewer than six innings in nine of his 11 starts. The 34-year-old has made just one career start against Arizona, allowing five runs and seven hits over three innings last season as a member of the Los Angeles Angels. He received a no-decision.

Rating: 2 Units

Right-hander Cristian Javier (6-3, 2.58 ERA) is the scheduled starter for the Astros on Wednesday. He has been exceptional over his past two starts, recording 27 strikeouts against one hit and one walk while allowing one run over 14 innings in wins over the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels. Javier threw seven innings as part of a combined no-hitter against the Yankees on June 25 before recording a career-high 14 strikeouts against the Angels six days later. Javier has a 3.86 ERA and one save over two career relief appearances against the Royals. Right-hander Brad Keller (3-9, 4.24) has the starting assignment for the Royals on Wednesday. It will mark a club-high 16th start this season and the 99th of his career. Keller notched his team-leading eighth quality start against the Detroit Tigers on July 1, allowing five hits and two walks with five strikeouts over six scoreless innings in what was a 3-1 Royals win. Keller is 2-4 with a 4.24 ERA in seven road starts this season with wins in his past two outings away from Kansas City. Keller has faced Houston once previously, allowing three runs on nine hits and three walks, with one strikeout over six innings on June 17, 2018. He did not factor into the decision of a 7-4 loss.

Rating: 2 Units

Atlanta ace Max Fried will put an eight-game winning streak on the line today when the Braves host the St. Louis Cardinals in the third game of a four-game series. Fried (8-2, 2.66 ERA) will be matched against St. Louis right-hander Miles Mikolas (5-6, 2.61). The Braves have won the first two games of the series and six of their past eight overall. Fried worked seven strong innings in his most recent start, a win against Cincinnati on Friday. He gave up one run on five hits and struck out four. Fried has allowed a combined four runs across 20 2/3 innings over his past three starts for a 1.74 ERA. Fried is 3-0 with a 0.44 ERA in four career appearances (three starts) against St. Louis. He last beat the Cardinals 6-1 on Aug. 3, 2021, by throwing six scoreless innings. The Cardinals, who have lost three straight and five of their last six.

Rating: 2 Units

Baltimore will use right-hander Spenser Watkins (1-1, 4.61 ERA) as its starting pitcher Wednesday. Since rejoining the Orioles late last month, he has given up just two runs (one earned) in two starts covering a combined 11 innings. The Rangers will call on right-hander Glenn Otto (4-4, 5.63 ERA). He has struggled in his past two outings, taking a pair of losses while surrendering 10 runs on 10 hits in six innings. He has been hurt by issuing three walks while striking out just one in each of those two games following a three-game stretch when he was the winning pitcher in each game.

Rating: 2 Units

Right-hander Lance Lynn (1-1, 4.50 ERA) is set to start for the White Sox. Lynn, who spent part of the 2018 season with the Twins, is coming off his best start among his four this season. He took a no-decision on Friday after pitching three-hit ball over six shutout innings in San Francisco. Lynn is 2-0 with a 2.17 ERA in five career starts against Minnesota, with 24 strikeouts in 29 innings.

Rating: 2 Units

Future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer will return from the IL after recovering from a strained oblique, having most recently pitched on May 18 when he held the St. Louis Cardinals to two runs (one earned) on seven hits while striking out four over 5.2 innings. The 37-year-old was pitching well before the injury with a 5-1 record, 2.54 ERA and 59:11 K:BB ratio over 49.2 total innings.

Rating: 2 Units

As hot as the Braves have been since the beginning of June, I cannot get myself to back Anderson tonight. He has been struggling to build on his strong 2021 campaign, allowing seven earned runs in his most recent appearance. Anderson has given up at least four earned runs in six of his last eight outings, and St. Louis ranks sixth in the majors in batting average. Pallante has been a bright spot for the Cardinals during his rookie campaign, and he has an advantage facing a team that has not seen him before. St. Louis has value in this specific pitching matchup.

Rating: 2 Units

Pivetta (8-5, 3.23 ERA) is slated to pitch today. The righty is 8-1 with a 1.95 ERA in his last 11 starts and has pitched at least five innings in every outing during that stretch. The Red Sox have won nine of the last 10 games started by Nick Pivetta, and nine of their last 12 games against a team with a winning record. The Rays have dropped nine of their last 14 games against teams with a winning record.

Rating: 2 Units

The Yankees have been the best team in baseball all season and that'll continue into Tuesday as they come away with the easy win against the Pirates. With Taillon on the mound, they can rely on one of the most consistent arms in baseball of late to lead the way. Beyond that, their offense is far too explosive for Pittsburgh, and their ability to score early and score often will put pressure on their opponent. Additionally, the day off on Monday will help the Yankees more than it'll help the Pirates, as they get one more day of rest for their somewhat thinned-out bullpen to avoid becoming an issue.

Rating: 2 Units

Alcantara (8-3, 1.95) takes the mound tonight against the Los Angeles Angels in the first of two games in Miami. While the 26-year-old has never faced the Angels before, his counterpart in the Interleague Series opener has a long track record against the Marlins. Los Angeles right-hander Noah Syndergaard is 7-1 with a 2.16 ERA in 12 career starts against the Marlins. All of those came while he was with the New York Mets. These days, Syndergaard (5-6, 3.86) is not the same pitcher he was early in his career in New York. Per Statcast, his average four-seam fastball is 94.2 mph. Impressive, but down from when the pitch averaged 97.8 mph in 2019. In terms of pure velocity, Alcantara is at the top of his game, with a four-seam average of 97.7 mph. Alcantara elevated his performance to another level in June, posting a 3-1 record with a 1.89 ERA in six starts. Opponents hit just .199 off him in the month, and he rarely allowed baserunners, reflected by his 0.88 WHIP.

Rating: 2 Units

The Padres are 2-7 over the last nine games, 1-4 in their past five home games and are just 21-17 at home this season. Since the first of June, the Padres are 8-7 at home while hitting .227. They are hitting .271 on the road since June 1. Meanwhile, the Mariners are 6-1 over their past seven games and 11-3 over their past 14 games going into today's game against the Padres. And the momentum favors the visitors. The Mariners' Logan Gilbert (9-3, 2.66 ERA) will be matched against the Padres' Mike Clevinger (2-0, 2.79) in a pairing of right-handers in the finale of the brief series. The Mariners' staff ERA of 2.81 is the lowest in the major leagues over the past 37 games. One of the leaders of that surge is the 25-year-old Gilbert, who will be starting against the Padres for the first time in his career. Seattle's first-round pick (14th overall) in the 2018 draft will be making his 17th start of the season. He ranks seventh in the American League in ERA and 14th in the major leagues. Gilbert has a 1.120 WHIP and held opponents to a .227 batting average. He has a 5-1 record with a 2.55 ERA in nine road starts this season. Gilbert was 4-1 in June with a 3.28 ERA while averaging just under six innings over six starts.

Rating: 2 Units

Atlanta right-hander Kyle Wright will try to become the second pitcher in the National League to reach 10 wins today when the Braves open a 10-game homestand with four games against the St. Louis Cardinals. Wright (9-4, 3.03 ERA) will be opposed by St. Louis right-hander Dakota Hudson (6-4, 3.83) in the first meeting between the two clubs this season. The Braves are coming off a 4-2 road trip, losing a 4-3 decision to Cincinnati on Sunday. The Cardinals lost to Philadelphia 4-0 on Sunday night and have dropped six of their past 10 games. Wright went 5-1 in June and has won two straight starts. Opponents are batting only .224 against him. Wright was sharp in his most recent outing against Philadelphia on Wednesday when he pitched seven innings and gave up one run on three hits, three walks and four strikeouts. The Cardinals have lost four out of the last five road starts made by Dakota Hudson this season. Hudson has also struggled with his command with 44 strikeouts against 36 walks in 80 innings this season.

Rating: 2 Units

The Reds will turn to rookie Hunter Greene (3-9, 5.72 ERA) for the series opener. Greene lost his second straight start last Wednesday, when he allowed three runs over four innings against the Chicago Cubs. Greene, 22, will be eager to turn the calendar after going 1-3 with a 5.46 ERA in six starts covering 29 2/3 innings last month. New York will counter with right-hander Taijuan Walker (6-2, 2.72), who has recorded four straight quality starts. Walker, 29, received a no-decision after pitching 7 1/3 scoreless innings with four hits, two walks and three strikeouts against the Houston Astros last Wednesday.

Rating: 2 Units

Right-hander Chris Flexen (4-8, 4.32 ERA) will start for Seattle. He's coming off allowing three runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and two walks in six innings during a 9-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday. However, Flexen is 0-2 with a 21.21 ERA, having allowed 12 runs (11 earned) to go along with three strikeouts and five walks in 4 2/3 innings spanning two appearances in his career against the Padres. San Diego is countering with left-hander Sean Manaea (3-3, 3.92 ERA). He's 8-6 with a 3.46 ERA with 79 strikeouts and 27 walks in 15 appearances (all starts) spanning 93 2/3 innings all-time against the Mariners. The Padres are 3-2 in Manaea's last five starts, in which he has a 3.72 ERA and has given up three or fewer runs in four of those games.

Rating: 2 Units

Rookie right-hander Jonathan Heasley (1-4, 5.20) is the scheduled starter for the Royals today. He took the loss in his outing last Tuesday against the Texas Rangers as he allowed a career-high seven runs on nine hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings. Heasley is winless over his past three starts, going 0-1 as he has given up 13 runs in 12 2/3 innings with a 9.24 ERA. He is 0-1 with a 5.01 ERA in five road starts this season. He will make his second career start against the Astros. He was the pitcher of record in the Royals' 7-4 loss on June 5, allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks with five strikeouts over six innings.

Rating: 2 Units

Right-hander Dean Kremer (2-1, 1.29 ERA), who has thrown 18 2/3 scoreless innings over his past three starts, gets the ball today. With three straight scoreless starts of five or more innings, it matches the franchise record. His seven-inning stint last Tuesday in Seattle was his career-long outing. Kremer had a no-decision in his only career outing against the Rangers in April 2021. He gave up one run in 4 2/3 innings. The Rangers will turn to right-hander Dane Dunning (1-6, 4.09), who pitched six or more innings four times in June. Still, he issued as many or more walks than strikeouts in three of his outings last month. Dunning is without a victory since late April and the Rangers have lost his past eight starts.

Rating: 2 Units

The Marlins have completely dominated in these head-to-head meetings. They’ve won their last six games against the Nationals, and overall, they’re 11-1 in the regular-season series between the NL East rivals. Left-hander Patrick Corbin (4-10, 6.06 ERA), one of two pitchers in the majors with a double-digit loss total this season, will try to rescue the Nationals. Corbin is coming off a victory in a 12-strikeout performance against Pittsburgh last Tuesday and won three times in five starts in June. Corbin has earned a decision in each of his past nine starts (4-5). He was tagged with a loss to the Marlins in late April despite giving up just two earned runs in six innings. He's 5-6 all-time with a 4.22 ERA in 16 starts against Miami.

Rating: 2 Units

The Cardinals will start Adam Wainwright (6-5, 3.07 ERA) in the rubber game of the series. Wainwright threw seven shutout innings in his most recent start, a 9-0 victory over the Miami Marlins on Monday. Wainwright allowed seven hits while striking out nine batters and walking one. He worked for the first time with rookie Ivan Herrera, who has stepped in to share catching duties with Andrew Knizner with Yadier Molina shelved by a sore knee. Wainwright is 7-4 with a 3.00 ERA in 17 career outings against the Phillies. The Phillies will counter Wainwright with Zack Wheeler (6-4, 2.89). They will try to carry some offensive momentum from their comebacks Saturday that erased 5-0 and 6-5 deficits. Wheeler is 1-2 with a 4.24 ERA in four career starts against the Cardinals.

Rating: 2 Units

Back closer to sea level, Clayton Kershaw will look to put one of his worst starts in recent memory behind him in an effort to finish off a four-game sweep of the visiting San Diego Padres. Home has always been friendlier to Kershaw. He has a 2.22 ERA at Dodger Stadium in his career and a 2.80 mark on the road. He has made just three starts at home this season, though, compared to six on the road. Kershaw is 23-9 lifetime against the Padres with a 2.08 ERA over 44 starts.

Rating: 2 Units

Right-hander Tyler Wells (6-4, 3.23 ERA), a Round 15 pick in the 2016 MLB Draft by Minnesota, will face his old team for the fourth time since being picked up by Baltimore in the 2020 Rule 5 Draft. He is 1-0 with a 2.16 ERA in three career appearances and one start against the Twins. Wells had a 1.97 ERA in June and has won four consecutive starts and five of his last six. He comes in off a 9-2 victory at Seattle on Monday during which he allowed one run on one hit over five innings while striking out three.

Rating: 2 Units

In the series finale, Milwaukee right-hander Brandon Woodruff (6-3, 4.44 ERA) is scheduled to face Pittsburgh right-hander Zach Thompson (3-5, 4.47 ERA).  Woodruff is coming off a gem Tuesday at Tampa Bay, a win during which he gave up one run and two hits in five innings, with 10 strikeouts and no walks. It was his fifth career game with 10 or more strikeouts and no walks, and it came after the two-time All-Star made a tweak in his delivery. Woodruff is 5-2 with a 4.11 ERA in 12 career games (10 starts) against Pittsburgh. He has gone 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA in two starts against the Pirates this season.  

Rating: 2 Units

Looking to get back on track, the Red Sox turn to rookie Josh Winckowski (3-1, 3.60 ERA), who has allowed four runs, 17 hits and three walks over 17 innings to win three straight starts. That followed his May 28 major league debut, when the right-hander yielded four runs, six hits and three walks in three innings of a 4-2 loss to Baltimore. Chicago will counter with Alec Mills (0-1, 9.87 ERA), who will look for this start to go better than his first of 2022 -- on Sunday at St. Louis. The right-hander, who missed the first two months of the season with a lower-back issue, allowed five runs and six hits, including three solo homers, in just 2 2/3 innings, but was bailed out after the Cubs rallied for a 6-5, 10-inning victory.

Rating: 2 Units

Right-hander Jose Urquidy (6-3, 4.36 ERA) has the starting assignment for the Astros today. He is coming off his best outing of the season, having limited the Yankees to one run on one hit and three walks with three strikeouts over seven innings while not factoring into the decision of a 6-3 road loss on June 26. It marked the second consecutive start in which Urquidy allowed just one earned run. He had surrendered at least three runs in each of his previous four starts. Urquidy is 3-0 with a 4.03 ERA over seven career appearances (six starts) against the Angels. He allowed one run on four hits with two strikeouts over five innings in a 4-1 victory on April 10. Left-hander Patrick Sandoval (3-2, 2.63) is the scheduled starter for the Angels today. He did not factor into the decision of his most recent start on June 25, when he allowed one earned run on eight hits and two walks with six strikeouts over five innings in the Angels' 5-3 loss to the Seattle Mariners. After winning three consecutive starts in May, Sandoval is 0-1 with a 4.01 ERA over his past five starts. Sandoval is 0-3 with a 7.78 ERA in six career appearances (five starts) against the Astros. That includes his second start of this season, when he allowed one unearned run on four hits and two walks with five strikeouts over four innings in the Angels' 7-2 road victory on April 19.

Rating: 2 Units

The A's are scheduled to send right-hander James Kaprielian (0-5, 5.88 ERA) to the mound today against Mariners lefty Marco Gonzales (4-8, 3.31).  Kaprielian is 1-1 with a 6.26 ERA in seven career appearances against Seattle, including four starts; Gonzales is 9-3 with a 3.94 ERA against Oakland in 17 games with 16 starts. Gonzales is 2-0 versus the A's this season while Kaprielian is 0-1 in two starts against the Mariners.

Rating: 2 Units

Houston is playing at a high level and just went 7-2 over a nine-game stretch that included games against the Yankees and Mets.  The Astros have one of the best bullpens in baseball and will be starting Cristian Javier who is 2-0 with a 2.18 ERA all-time against the Angels. He also has a 1.95 ERA at home this season. The Angels will be starting Michael Lorenzen, who comes in with a 6.14 ERA at home. Lorenzen is also 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA against the Astros all time. Take the Astros to roll to another win today.

Rating: 2 Units

The Cardinals are a good play when Miles Mikolas is on the mound. The right-hander is in a groove, conceding a total of only five runs in his last four starts spanning 29 innings. His stats are even better on the road where he features a 2.53 ERA on the season. The Phillies were supposed to have Eflin start this one but he has landed on the IL. The Cards should take advantage of Phillies' starter Bailey Falter who has squandered 8 runs (five earned) in his last two outings spanning only eight innings.  The Phillies are also playing without key players in Bryce Harper and Jean Segura.

Rating: 2 Units

Boston struggled against Toronto but there are things going in their favor here that they didn’t have against the Blue Jays. Their closer, Tanner Houck, was unavailable for the series, as was Jarren Duran. Both guys are unvaccinated and are prohibited from entering Canada as a result. The Red Sox could have used Houck in the series, especially after blowing a ninth-inning lead Tuesday night. Boston has the edge of having had Thursday off, giving their bullpen an extra day of rest, while the Cubs were in action at home. Hill has plenty of experience at Wrigley Field, having started his career with the Cubs more than a decade ago. Sampson hasn’t faced Boston much but he’s been rocked by the Red Sox in his limited work, giving up six homers in 9.1 innings. Boston is at full strength and that’s enough to give them the upper hand in this contest to start the series on a positive note.

Rating: 2 Units

While Aaron Judge rightfully gets much of the early MVP recognition and even his own teammate Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani is once again rounding into the form that made him the AL MVP last season. He is once again amongst the leaders in home runs, slugging percentage and RBI as a position player but he is now taking on the dominant form on the mound again that drew comparisons to Babe Ruth last season for his two-way play. Ohtani has a sub-2 ERA in June and is 3-1 in four starts. He is coming off his best performance of the season in which he went 8 innings and struck out a career-high 13 batters. He will be put to the test by a White Sox lineup that strikes out the 7th fewest times in baseball but they also lack the pop to cause him much concern. Kopech also has electric stuff but he has struggled to get deep into games this season and will likely turn the game over to the bullpen quicker than Ohtani. On paper, that should be to the White Sox advantage but the team's bullpen has not lived up to expectations this season. The White Sox have the 10th worst bullpen ERA in baseball this season and have had to make due without several key bullpen pieces lately including closer Liam Hendriks.

Rating: 2 Units

Chicago is currently scoring 4.25 runs per game and they are hitting .245 as a team. This is the 13th highest overall team batting average, as they will give Hunter Greene problems all night. Greene has struggled this season and I just don't feel comfortable backing him. He has a (3-8) record, 5.66 ERA, and a 1.36 WHIP rating. Chicago will have success at the plate in this game and it won't stay close for long. Cincinnati is also one of the worst defensive teams in the MLB this season, as they are allowing the most runs per game and they have the 27th highest overall team WHIP rating. Chicago will continue to hit and they will take care of business at home in this game.

Rating: 2 Units

The Braves have been one of the best teams in the Majors over the last month. They are stellar on the road where they are 8-2 in their last ten games. The Phillies have cooled down a bit, winning only three out of their last eight games overall. Braves’ starter Kyle Wright actually has better numbers on the road this season where he has fielded a 3.10 ERA. Phillies’ starter Ranger Suarez can’t be trusted against this offense. He surrendered five runs in just 4.1 innings against the rivals in the only meeting this season and has squandered 10 runs in 18.1 career innings against the Braves.

Rating: 2 Units

Gallen has faced the Padres only once this season. Manaea will be facing the Diamondbacks for a third time. Back on April 8, Manaea no-hit the Diamondbacks over seven innings, issuing one walk and striking out seven. Gallen is 1-2 lifetime against the Padres with a 3.31 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and a .227 opponents' batting average in six starts. Manaea is 3-1 lifetime against the Diamondbacks in five starts with a 2.89 ERA, a 0.96 WHIP and a .185 opponents' batting average.

Rating: 2 Units

Kershaw has built a Hall of Fame career, but at age 34 he has slipped a little from his prime years. But the Los Angeles Dodgers' lefty has put up familiar numbers this season; he has a 5-1 record and 2.00 ERA in eight starts. The Rockies will send Kyle Freeland (3-5, 4.29) to the mound in the second game of the series. Colorado won the opener, 4-0, Monday night on Chad Kuhl's shutout. Freeland knows L.A. well but doesn't have the same amount of experience as Kershaw does with the Rockies. Freeland is 3-8 with a 4.42 ERA in 17 career starts against the Dodgers and is 2-5 with a 5.29 ERA in home starts against them. Freeland last faced them on Opening Day, lasting just 3 2/3 innings in the loss.

Rating; 2 Units

With a 2.64 ERA in five June starts, Jon Gray comes in as the slightly hotter starting pitcher against Heasley who has a 3.68 ERA in four June starts. The advantages for Texas continue as the Rangers have a bullpen that has the ninth-best ERA in MLB, and the Royals have the second-worst. The Rangers also have a substantial advantage in the power department and base paths. The Rangers' defense has also saved 11 more runs than the Royals. I'll take the Rangers.

Rating: 2 Units

The Cardinals will start Dakota Hudson (5-4, 3.72 ERA) in the middle game of the series. In his last two starts, Hudson allowed a combined seven runs on 11 hits and eight walks in 9 1/3 innings. Hudson has not faced the Marlins this season. In his career, he is 1-0 with a 0.93 ERA against them in three appearances, including one start. The Marlins will continue their parade of top pitching prospects in this series by starting left-hander Braxton Garrett (1-2, 4.08 ERA), who was the seventh overall pick in the 2016 draft. Garrett has worked just 17 2/3 innings in his four starts this season. In his latest outing, he struck out seven batters while yielding two runs (one earned) in 4 2/3 innings against the Colorado Rockies on Thursday. Garrett allowed nine hits and a walk in that game, which the Marlins won 3-2. In his only career appearance against the Cardinals, he allowed two runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings during a no-decision on June 14, 2021.

Rating: 2 Units

The Red Sox, even after Monday's loss, still remains one of the best teams in all of baseball and one of the most confident as well. It'll help that they'll have Wacha on the mound, who is one of the most reliable arms in the American League, and with the offense surging as well, the Red Sox will like their chances to bounce back in this one. Boston is one of the few teams to have the offense that can not only hang with the Blue Jays but can actually put the pressure on them to have to keep pace, even on the road. Additionally, according to covers.com, the Red Sox are 4-0 in their last four games against a team with a winning record and are 5-0 in Wacha's last five starts against a team with a winning record. Also, the Blue Jays are 0-5 the last five times they've played the second game of a series.

Rating: 2 Units

The Orioles had a four-game winning streak snapped Sunday with a 4-3 defeat to the host Chicago White Sox despite Jonathan Arauz's first homer of the season. White Sox starter Dylan Cease struck out a career-high 13. The Orioles are set to send right-hander Tyler Wells (5-4, 3.34 ERA) to the mound Monday as he looks to win his fourth straight start. Wells, who pitched five scoreless innings Wednesday against Washington, is 4-0 in his past five outings. He'll face Seattle for the first time.

Rating: 2 Units

Right-hander Lucas Giolitto (4-4, 5.40 ERA) will make his 13th start of the season for the White Sox, coming off his two worst starts of the year. He gave up eight runs and seven hits in five innings in a loss to the Astros on June 17, and seven runs and 11 hits in five innings in a loss to the Blue Jays on Wednesday. The Angels are coming off Sunday's fight-marred game against the Mariners in which interim manager Phil Nevin and three players -- pitchers Andrew Wantz, Raisel Iglesias and Ryan Tepera -- were ejected. Potential suspensions are pending, but until then they are available for today's game. Right-hander Noah Syndergaard (4-6, 3.86) will be on the mound for the Angels on Monday to make his 12th start of the season. He has made two appearances (one start) against the White Sox in his career, allowing one unearned run and five hits in 8 1/3 innings.

Rating: 2 Units

Texas will turn to left-hander Martin Perez (5-2, 1.96 ERA), who is coming off two stellar outings. He scattered six hits over six innings to go with six strikeouts and three walks in a 7-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday. He allowed a run on eight hits, walked none and struck out five in a 3-1 win over the Detroit Tigers on June 16. Perez is 4-1 with a 4.43 ERA in 11 appearances (all starts) in 61 innings against the Royals in his career but has allowed eight home runs. The Royals will counter on Monday with left-hander Kris Bubic (1-4, 7.41), who picked up his first win of the season in his most recent outing. He yielded just two runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and two walks in six innings in a 6-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels last Monday. Bubic has faced the Rangers twice in his career, both times as a reliever. He's allowed four runs on four hits with two strikeouts and two walks in 1 2/3 innings.

Rating: 2 Units

The Cardinals have traditionally been a good home team and this season is no exception. Wainwright, in particular, has been dominant at home in his career. He is 101-56 in his illustrious career at Busch Stadium. He is also 7-2 lifetime against the Marlins, including a win this season. While the Marlins have been a good to very good team at home, that success has not translated on the road this season. Lopez is 2-2 on the road this season but has been susceptible to the long ball away from Miami, allowing 5 in 7 starts.

Rating: 2 Units

Gonsolin (9-0, 1.58 ERA) will be opposed by Atlanta rookie Spencer Strider (3-2, 3.40) in the final regular-season meeting between the clubs. Gonsolin is coming off a win over Cincinnati on Tuesday in which he allowed two runs on three hits in five innings. The right-hander is 4-0 in four June starts with a 1.16 ERA in 23 1/3 innings.  Gonsolin is 1-0 with an 0.90 ERA in two career starts against Atlanta. He beat the Braves on April 20 by allowing one hit over six shutout innings. He will be opposed by the hard-throwing mustachioed Strider, who is coming off his worst start since joining the rotation. Strider gave up a season-high six runs on six hits in 3 2/3 innings in a no-decision against San Francisco.

Rating: 2 Units

Padres will hand the ball off to one of baseball's most reliable arms, as Yu Darvish looks to close out the weekend strong. The righty comes into this one with a 7-3 record and 3.17 ERA and has failed to allow more than a single run in any of his last three starts. Beyond that, he went seven scoreless innings against the Phillies earlier this season, as he brings quite a bit of confidence into this one.

Rating: 2 Units

Gonzalez (0-1, 7.36 ERA) will make his second start for Milwaukee since being claimed on waivers from Minnesota, while the Blue Jays will counter with fellow right-hander Jose Berrios (5-3, 5.11). Gonzalez gave up three runs in four innings in his first start with Milwaukee, a 6-2 loss to St. Louis on Tuesday. The right-hander, a first-round pick by the Texas Rangers in 2013, made two starts this season with Minnesota without a decision, allowing six runs in seven innings. His first start with the Twins this season was against Toronto, in which he gave up three in four innings. Milwaukee is 9-14 in June, including being shut out four times. Berrios is 2-1 with a 1.42 ERA in three career starts vs. Milwaukee. He faced the Brewers once last season while with the Twins and did not allow a hit or a walk over six scoreless innings, striking out 12 in a 2-0 victory.

Rating: 2 Units

Peterson, in two career starts against the Marlins, is 2-0 with a 1.74 ERA. This year, the Mets are 8-2 when Peterson starts. He's made a dramatic turnaround from last year, when he went 2-6 with a 5.54 ERA. The Mets were 6-9 when he started last year. Showalter said catcher James McCann will start again on Sunday in his second game back from wrist surgery. That's good news for Peterson, who has a 0.64 ERA in three games this season with McCann. Meanwhile, the Marlins are expected to start right-hander Daniel Castano, who is 0-1 with a 2.57 ERA in five games this season, including two starts. The 27-year-old fits the "journeyman" tag as he has pitched 100 times in his minor league career and on just 17 occasions in the majors. His MLB record is 1-5 with a 3.52 ERA, and his only win came on Sept. 27, 2020, when he pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings at the New York Yankees. Castano is 0-1 with a 3.75 ERA in three career games against the Mets, including two starts.

Rating: 2 Units

Braves have been lights out in the month of June with an 18-3 record heading into Friday night's matchup. Secondly, the raw emotion of Freeman's return will have subsided by Saturday night and the baseball should take center stage. With this in mind, I'm leaning more towards Fried in this battle of excellent left-handers. While Heaney's been excellent in a limited sample this season, he will certainly be on a pitch count which will mean the game gets turned over to the Dodgers' bullpen probably a bit earlier than they'd like. Fried will likely get deeper into the game and thus get to the Braves' strong backend of the pen. Look for the hot-hitting Braves to take advantage of Heaney's early exit and put up some runs against a Dodger bullpen that is slightly more vulnerable than in years past.

Rating: 2 Units

The Blue Jays are at a disadvantage when Kikuchi has been on the mound this month. The veteran has allowed three or more runs in four consecutive outings and did not reach the fifth inning in any of these performances. He has surrendered a whopping seven homers in that span. Furthermore, Brewers’ starter Corbin Burnes is fresh off seven shutout innings against the Cardinals. The ace has limited his opponent to two or fewer runs in five out of his last six starts. The Blue Jays' bullpen has been an issue as well and they have dropped five out of their last eight games.

Rating: 2 Units

The Cubs have been a disaster, especially this month. They have somehow only won seven games in the entire month and now feature one of the worst records in the Major Leagues. The Cardinals are a strong club that has won eight out of their last ten home games. The Cardinals should feast on Cubs' starter Adrian Sampson in this one. Sampson has amassed a 5.01 career ERA at the Major League level and has only made two appearances all season. Chicago has a few injuries to the starting pitching staff, plus the team is rebuilding and just don’t have the pitching depth. Cards’ starter Miles Mikolas continues to dazzle, registering a marvelous 2.57 ERA in his four starts this month.

Rating: 2 Units

While overshadowed by some of his teammates in the rotation this season, Cole is having another ace-level season with outstanding numbers across the board including a 25.4 K-BB%. The Yankees provide plenty of run support, leading baseball with a 120 wRC+ as offseason additions like Jose Trevino plus a bounce-back season by Gleyber Torres has helped add depth to the star-studded core. Javier can get a little wild with a walk rate that is just under 10% and is not typically very efficient with his pitching count, with the Yankees poised to jump on any mistake he makes. This is a tough team to bet against right now even facing a strong Astros side, and Cole will lead another win here.

Rating: 2 Units

An uphill battle lies ahead for Chicago in this opener. Kyle Hendricks will surely feel like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders considering the recent defensive struggles. He’s coming off an ugly pitching performance against the Atlanta Braves and taking on one of the best hitting teams in the league. The Cardinals are averaging the fifth-most hits (8.70) and runs (4.82). Meanwhile, Hendricks is throwing a 5.43 ERA with a 2-6 record.

Rating: 2 Units

The Orioles are an improved team but are nine games below .500 on the road. The White Sox are playing better recently. They have won six out of their last nine games after recording a series win against the Blue Jays this week. Furthermore, Michael Kopech is having a great season. He has limited his opponent to two or fewer runs in nine of his 12 performances. It’s especially challenging to solve him at Guaranteed Rate Field where he features a minuscule 1.57 ERA.

Rating: 2 Units

These teams are unfamiliar with each other and that means the pitchers have yet to face off against the opposition in their respective careers. With that said, the Nationals have struggled to put together any kind of consistent offensive performances at the plate or on the mound, which is a prime reason the team is buried in the basement of the NL East. Dunning has had his ups and downs this season but the Rangers have played some decent ball of late and are within striking distance of the .500 mark. Washington is a dismal 13-21 on the road and their bullpen has been ground down of late. Give the advantage to the Rangers as they keep rolling and Dunning keeps Washington in check.

Rating: 2 Units

The Red Sox have been an outstanding offensive team this year, ranked third in the majors in team batting average (.258). Third baseman Rafael Devers leads the way with 90 hits, including 16 home runs. Shortstop Xander Bogaerts has 85 hits, while designated hitter J.D. Martinez has 76 base knocks. They are facing a Cleveland pitching staff that is No. 7 with an ERA of 3.65. Right-handed pitcher Nick Pivetta is going to make the start for Boston on Friday night. He allowed one run on four hits and four walks across seven innings against St. Louis in his last outing. Pivetta struck out 10 batters, marking the second time in three starts that he struck out double-digit batters. He went 0-4 through his first five starts, but he is now 7-1 with a 1.77 ERA over his last nine outings.

Rating: 2 Units

Right-hander Joe Musgrove (8-0, 1.59 ERA) will rejoin the Padres on today, coming back from COVID-19 protocol to face the Phillies in the series opener. He will be matched against left-hander Ranger Suarez (5-4, 4.43). Musgrove is 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in four career appearances, three starts, against the Phillies. The Padres are 11-1 in Musgrove's starts, and all 12 of those outings qualified as quality starts -- a franchise record to open a season. In addition to having the second-lowest earned run average in the major leagues, Musgrove has a 0.924 WHIP and a .196 opponents' batting average.

Rating 2 Units

New York is an MLB-best 16-7 against left-handed pitchers this season, and they come into this series on a 14-game home winning streak. The Astros are one of the best baseball teams, but they will have a tough time in a hostile environment Thursday. The Stros have dropped five of their last seven games at Yankee Stadium, and Framber Valdez hasn't faced a lineup as tough as New York's yet this season (if there even is one). Valdez was also roughed up for five runs in 3 1/3 innings in his only career start at Yankee Stadium, which was back in 2019, so I expect some nerves here. The Yankees have won 11 of the last 12 starts made by Jameson Taillon, and I give them the edge to take the opener.

Rating: 2 Units

The series finale will pair Mariners left-hander Robbie Ray (6-6, 4.25 ERA) and A's righty Frankie Montas (3-7, 3.53). Ray has rebounded from a 4-6 start to go unbeaten in his past three outings. After shutting out the Boston Red Sox on three hits over seven innings in a no-decision two starts ago, Ray was rewarded with lots of run support in an 8-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels. He struck out 10 in the victory while giving up just one run on three hits and one walk in seven innings. Unlike Ray, Montas has shown no signs of turning things around. He has won just once in his past 11 starts. He has served up five runs on four occasions this season, including each of his past two starts, the latest of which was a 5-1 home loss to the Kansas City Royals on Friday.

Rating: 2 Units

Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal (5-4, 3.13 ERA) will start the series finale. He has lost his last two starts, allowing four runs in four innings to Toronto on June 12 before giving up five runs in five innings at home to Texas on Friday. He got into trouble quickly against the Rangers, putting his team at a three-run deficit before it even came to bat. The Red Sox will counter on Wednesday with right-hander Michael Wacha (5-1, 2.28), who is coming off a win against one of his former teams, St. Louis, on Friday. He gave up one run and six hits in 5 1/3 innings. Wacha has faced the Tigers twice in his career, getting no-decisions each time while giving up two runs in a combined 9 1/3 innings.