Rating: 2 Units

Late Friday evening, the Rangers named left-hander Andrew Heaney (10-6, 4.15 ERA) their Game 1 starter, while right-hander Kyle Bradish (12-7, 2.83 ERA) will go for Baltimore. Bradish, 27, has been on extended roll. He went 6-1 with a 2.09 ERA in 11 starts during August and September, striking out 73 batters while walking 17 in 64 2/3 innings while holding opposing hitters to a .178 batting average. Including a brief two-inning effort on Sunday, he has thrown 16 consecutive scoreless innings in his past three starts. Orioles pitchers finished fifth in the American League with a 3.89 ERA while the Rangers were 10th at 4.28. Baltimore will be without closer Felix Bautista but still should have the edge in the bullpen, where its relievers pitched to a 3.55 ERA while Texas finished at 4.77.

Rating: 2 Units

The Phillies' recent playoff experience showed out in game one as they scored four times in the game despite a lack of power against five different Marlins pitchers. Meanwhile, the Marlins continued their postseason playoff run drought. They have now scored just one run in the team's last three postseason games. The Phillies should also have the advantage in game two with the playoff-savvy Nola taking on Marlins' lefty Garrett. Garrett pitched well down the stretch but posted a 5.40 ERA against the Phillies this year and will be pitching in front of a rabid Philadelphia crowd on Wednesday night. While Nola has not been at his best against the Marlins this season, he is not uncomfortable pitching on a big stage after making five postseason starts last season for the Phillies. He started twice in front of the home crowd last postseason and has a 2.70 ERA. The Marlins poured through five pitchers in game one thanks to Luzardo's exit after four innings. If Garrett falters early, the Marlins' bullpen will have trouble duplicating Tuesday night's performance. 

Rating: 2 Units

Gray has been one of the game's best starters in 2023, holding 21 of his 32 opponents to two or fewer runs. He was 11th in the AL in innings pitched and 13th in strikeouts, too. With a couple of months of momentum on his side, I'm betting on Gray to turn in a quality start on Wednesday at home (2.67 ERA in 17 starts at Target Field). Berríos has been less effective, giving up eight runs in his last two starts and four-plus runs in five of his last ten outings. The Twins scored 4.8 runs per game at home in 2023, slashing .249 BA/.332 OBP/.448 SLG/.780 OPS in 81 games at Target Field. They have been on a tear since the All-Star break, too (.257 BA/.346 OBP/.462 SLG/.808 OPS in 71 games).

Rating: 2 Units

Eflin gets a chance to live up to the big money deal he signed in the offseason as one of the lone remaining starters standing in the Rays’ rotation. He pitched well in the postseason for the Phillies a season ago and has the edge of the Rangers’ hitters not being overly familiar with his stuff. Eovaldi was a stabilizing force for the Rangers this season but he came apart down the stretch. After missing six-plus weeks and returning on September 5, he went just 1-2 with a 9.30 ERA with 13 walks and 21 strikeouts while allowing seven homers in 20.1 innings in six outings. Opposing hitters lit him up to the tune of a .313/.418/.602 slash line in that stretch. Facing a Tampa Bay lineup that blasted 233 homers this season is going to be an uphill task. Give the advantage to Tampa Bay as they earn the victory here.

Rating: 2 Units

In a matchup of two very familiar foes, I'm going with the home team in game one. On the season, the Marlins won the season series 7-6 over the Phillies but the Phillies did win four of the last seven meetings. Opposing lefties have an ERA of nearly five and a half at Citizens Bank Park this season, which is the task facing Marlins' lefty Luzardo. He was 2-0 on the season against the Phillies but was far from dominant in his two wins. Luzardo has also been a much better pitcher at home than on the road this season. Phillies' starter Wheeler was stellar down the stretch with a 3-0 record in his last five starts. Wheeler is also the more experienced big-game pitcher in this game after being one of the key pitchers in the Phillies' march to the World Series last year. Wheeler had an ERA of 2.78 in the 2022 postseason. The Phillies' key to victory will be with the long ball and they are especially dangerous at home in that department.

Rating: 2 Units

The Diamondbacks are starting rookie Brandon Pfaadt as they had to use Kelly and Gallen on the weekend. This is not ideal considering Pfaadt did not have success. The rookie posted a 4.32 ERA in September and issued a poor 5.72 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP in 96 innings on the season. The Brewers have been outstanding at home, winning eight consecutive home series. Corbin Burnes is rested and has allowed just four runs in his last 22 innings pitched. He has registered a solid 3.77 career ERA against the Diamondbacks. Woodruff has dominated in his brief work in the postseason, allowing just two runs in 15 career innings. I don’t expect this game to go down to the late innings but if it does, the Brewers have the stronger pen.

Rating: 2 Units

The stars seem to be perfectly aligned for the Tigers today. They need the win to jump three spots in the standings from last season and finish in second place. They also send out Eduardo Rodriguez to the mound this season and the lefty has dominated the Guardians this season. He is perfect in three starts against them, all quality starts, and his ERA is under one in those three turns. Finally, and most importantly, the Tigers and their fans send off future Hall-of-Famer Miguel Cabrera in the final game of his illustrious career. Expect the game to be emotional and all about the veteran stars. The Guardians will step back and let the well-respected Cabrera have his moment and will fall to the Tigers to close out a disappointing season.

Rating: 2 Units

Late on Saturday night, the Rangers watched the Astros win 1-0 over the Diamondbacks to remain alive for the AL West crown. The Rangers now have a huge game to play today to try and avoid having to play in the wildcard round this week. Dunning will be facing a Mariners' lineup that certainly will not have the same fire as they would have if the playoffs were on the line and one that may very well likely rest several players. The Rangers will be playing all their starters on Sunday to clinch the division. Seattle starter Kirby has been a bit up and down during the stretch and may also be given a much shorter hook here with the season over for the Mariners. I expect the Rangers to be the more motivated team, even if the division title isn't up for grabs.

Rating: 2 Units

Javier, the fourth-year pro held four of his five September opponents to three or fewer earned runs and fanned 11 batters two starts ago vs. Baltimore. He's going to be an important arm in the Houston rotation this postseason. He should be able to tame a D-Backs lineup that slashed just .238 BA/.315 OBP/.374 SLG/.688 OPS in September.

Rating: 2 Units

Kansas City's offense putting up more than five runs per game this month already gives them an advantage at the plate on Saturday. Then factor in their better play at home all season (.259/.322/.419 slash line), and they should tee off. Clarke Schmidt already gave up three runs against them in Yankee Stadium. He brings a 5.27 road ERA and 5.33 ERA in his last five starts to Kansas City with him. Expect the Royals to jump ahead early. Pitching has been a concern for Kansas City, but this year's Yankees aren't threatening at the plate at all. New York is scoring fewer than four runs per game in September and has been among the league's lowest-scoring teams all season. Home runs are their great equalizer, but Kauffman Stadium's dimensions should neutralize that. This game will be a Royals win.

Rating: 2 Units

The Marlins are trying to hang on to the final Wildcard spot. They won three of their previous four games against the Pirates this season. They have scored 17 runs in their last four games. They hit the ball well against right-handers and Priester has struggled on the mound in recent starts, giving up 10 runs in his last three starts. He gave up 20 runs in his last four home starts and will have a hard time slowing down the Marlins in this game. The Pirates offensive struggles will continue in this game because they are one of the worst hitting teams in the league and Miami’s pitching has been very good in recent games, with the team holding four of their last five opponents under four runs. They gave up 10 runs in four games against the Pirates this season and will keep their offense in check. Go with Miami to cover the money line.

Rating: 2 Units

This should be an interesting matchup today between the Jays and Rays. With a likely playoff matchup looming, neither team will likely look to play their starters the full game. Both starting pitchers are also likely to be pitching out of the bullpen in the wildcard round with neither in the top-three of their team's rotations. I expect both pitchers to be gone by the end of the fourth inning at the latest as each team protects their pitching staff. The rest of the game should be played by recent call-ups that will not be a part of the playoff roster. I like the home team Jays to be slightly more motivated after going through a bit of a tough stretch in recent games.

Rating: 2 Units

Both teams are heading to an offseason full of questions as they are missing the postseason. That’s an uncommon thing for the Yankees in recent history but their moves to bolster things failed to deliver. Rodon is a prime example of what fell apart for the franchise as he missed the first three months of the season and never got up to speed after that. Of course, facing a Royals team that is minus arguably their top two starting pitchers in Brady Singer and Brad Keller makes things more difficult for the hosts. The Royals have struggled offensively and Rodon should be able to finish the season on a positive note with a strong outing here. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Padres, who average 4.66 runs per game, should drive in runs at will with Juan Soto, Manny Machado, and the rest of the lineup making contact and powering the ball to easily drive in runs. The Padres should also limit a White Sox lineup that averages only 4.01 runs per game with Nick Martinez tossing multiple scoreless innings to allow the bullpen to close out the game with the lead. The Padres should win the game with a strong performance on the road.

Rating: 2 Units

The Rangers have dominated right-handed pitchers in the last ten days, notching a .895 OPS and 139 wRC+ across 261 plate appearances. Last Saturday, they scored two runs off Logan Gilbert in that 2-0 home win against Seattle. On the other side, the Mariners have registered a .672 OPS and 93 wRC+ versus left-handed pitchers over the last ten days (133 plate appearances). They’ve owned the Mariners as of late. Jordan Montgomery has been outstanding over his previous three starts including seven scoreless innings against Seattle, and the Rangers ‘pen has been surprisingly good in the last ten days (3.67 ERA and 2.71 FIP). 

Rating: 2 Units

It’s hard to go with a Cardinals team playing with a depleted lineup. Several key players are out including Arenado, Contreras, and Gorman. They have dropped five of their last seven games. The Brewers are looking strong heading into the postseason, winning four of their last five series. Cards’ starter Dakota Hudson is struggling, producing a poor 5.93 ERA in his five outings in September. Brewers pitcher Corbin Burnes continues to shut down the opposition, allowing just four runs in his last three outings spanning 18 innings. Burnes has a stifling 2.97 ERA in 75 innings in his career against the rivals.

Rating: 2 Units

Minnesota's ace, Sonny Gray, will try to put a bow on a sensational 2023 season against MLB's worst offense. Gray will take his 2.66 home ERA against his former team that's averaging fewer than four runs per game. The Twins shouldn't feel threatened by Oakland's offense at all today. The Twins have been mashing the ball, which is why they're the only team averaging over six runs per game this month. Luis Medina is the A's starter, and he has a 6.60 ERA on the road. The Oakland bullpen is MLB's worst. Minnesota should clobber plenty of baseballs in this one. It shouldn't be close.

Rating: 2 Units

The Texas Rangers are close to a playoff spot and every game is huge the rest of the way. The Rangers are in a groove. The Angels have been abysmal and have a poor lineup due to the injuries to Trout and Ohtani. They have lost eight of their last ten games. Rangers’ starter Dane Dunning has only conceded four runs in his last 10 innings pitched. He has contained the Angels, limiting them to only three earned runs in 10 innings this season. Angels' pitcher Griffin Canning struggles against the Rangers, allowing 20 runs in 24 career innings against the rivals. 

Rating: 2 Units

Too much at stake here for Baltimore not to lean their way in this matchup. They have a chance to rest some key players over the weekend and to limit the rest of their starters to a pitch count to keep them fresh but not tax them as they miss nearly a week while getting a well-deserved bye in the first round of the playoffs. Baltimore's Rodriguez has looked like a potential future ace with his lively arm and command coming together down the stretch. He has an ERA under two over his last five starts while slightly upping his K/9 rate. The Nats Corbin has bounced back from an 18-loss season a year ago with a solid season but he still gives up way too many hits per start and that plays right into the Orioles small-ball style of play. The Orioles will move runners along, work the count, and wear down Corbin to get to the Nats' weak bullpen. I don't expect the Orioles to let up here with a chance to possibly clinch the division.

Rating: 2 Units

The Reds have likely run out of steam in terms of earning a wildcard spot but they are certainly in line to earn a winning season in 2023. This will be lefty Abbott's final start of the 2023 season and he will look to go out on a high note after coming out of the gates on fire before cooling off. The Guardians will counter with Bieber who returned from the IL and pitched five innings in his return last week. Bieber has had a difficult season as he transitions from a power pitcher to more of a finesse pitcher who needs to survive with more balls being put in play. Abbott is also 5-1 on the road this season for Cincinnati. The Reds come into this game as the more motivated team and should be able to pull out a win over the Guardians with what is an excellent money line.

Rating: 2 Units

The White Sox have been awful at the plate of late, posting a .671 OPS and 82 wRC+ against right-handed pitchers in the last ten days. On the other side, the Diamondbacks have registered a .744 OPS and 102 wRC+ versus the righties in that span. The Diamondbacks bullpen has done a tremendous job over the last ten days, posting a microscopic 0.65 ERA to go with a 3.80 FIP. The White Sox’s bullpen has recorded a hideous 9.61 ERA and 8.34 FIP during that span. 

Rating: 2 Units

As well as King has pitched since taking on a starter's role, he is still limited in the number of innings he can throw. The Blue Jays' Gausman, however, will have such issues in what might be his last start of the season if all things go right for the Jays. I expect Gausman to once again get deep into the game against a Yankees team that he is averaging just under seven innings per start in his previous three appearances. Gausman is 2-0 against the Yankees and has done an excellent job at keeping the ball out of play with 37 strikeouts in nearly 21 innings pitched. The Yankees' lineup has scored two runs or less in four of their last six games. I don't expect too many contested at-bats from a team already looking ahead to a long offseason. The Jays lineup will do their best to work the pitch count of King to get to the Yankees bullpen. The Jays have much more to play for on Tuesday night and should win this one relatively easily.

Rating: 2 Units

Both teams are holding on to fading playoff hopes as they try to make a late push to get back into the playoff picture. With that said, the Padres had won eight straight before losing Saturday night while the Giants have been floundering for the last six or seven weeks. Snell is the presumptive NL Cy Young winner despite his major league-leading walk total as he does a solid job keeping his team in games. Webb has been victimized by a lack of run support in his starts this season and the Giants have struggled to put runs on the board at home. It’s tough to have faith in the home team given their struggles of late. Take the Padres on the road in this contest as they find a way to prevail and keep their faint hopes alive for another day.

Rating: 2 Units

The Angels sport a 32-43 run line record at home and a 19-27 run line division record this season. Texas hits .273 BA/.349 OBP/.451 SLG/.801 OPS vs. left-handed pitchers this season. Sandoval was roughed up by the Rangers last month and is 1-3 in seven career appearances against them. They're in the thick of a competitive division title hunt and will roll to a road victory over the hapless Angels. Gray contained the LA offense in a seven-inning gem last month and should shine again today. The veteran righty has held four of his last five opponents to three runs and has a lower road ERA than at home this year. The Angels are without several key cogs and will be uncompetitive in this series.

Rating: 2 Units

Wacha has held nearly all of his opponents to three or fewer runs and has been especially impressive at Petco. He's facing a Cardinals club hitting .230 BA/.314 OBP/.372 SLG/.686 OPS in September and is missing a few of its best sluggers. I'm predicting a quality start from Wacha today. The Padres have been playing more freely recently, and I don't expect that to change in the series finale. They are facing a rookie hurler with very minimal game experience and have hit left-handers pretty well (.268/.342/.462/.805) in 2023.

Rating: 2 Units

The Mariners have won three of their last four road games. They are playing well offensively and scored 18 runs in their last three games. Expect them to play well offensively in this game because Eovaldi has been shaky on the mound in recent home starts, giving up seven runs in his last three home starts. He gave up seven runs in his last two home starts against the Mariners, and with Texas having the sixth-worst bullpen in the league, they will have a hard time slowing down the Mariners in this game. The Rangers have won three of their last four games. They are also playing well offensively and scored 29 runs in their last three games. But, they will struggle offensively in this game because Woo has been brilliant on the mound in recent starts and didn’t give up a run in three of his last four starts. He gave up six runs in his last three road starts, and with Seattle having the fourth-best bullpen in the league, they will keep Texas’ offense in check.

Rating: 2 Units

The Marlins are still very much in must-win mode while the Brewers NL Central Division title is inevitable. Needing just one win or one Cubs loss, the Brewers' urgency is not nearly as desperate as the Marlins. The Marlins will turn to Cabrera on Sunday at home. Home is the operative word here as Cabrera comes into this matchup with a perfect 6-0 record at home this season and an ERA of just 2.49. He faces a Brewers team that is just 16th in baseball in strikeouts per game while sporting a K/9 rate of over ten himself. I expect a high number of swings and misses from the Brewers in this game. Peralta also has a very impressive K/9 rate but takes on a Marlins team that is fifth in fewest strikeouts per game offensively.

Rating: 2 Units

San Diego has won eight straight for the first time since 2021. Nine consecutive wins would match the sixth-longest winning streak in franchise history. The Padres will start right-hander Nick Martinez (5-4, 3.73 ERA) against Cardinals' right-hander Jake Woodford (2-2, 5.31). Overall, Woodford has a 10-6 record with a 4.01 ERA in 78 career appearances (16 starts) with the Cardinals. With St. Louis this season, Woodford has appeared in 13 games (six starts), giving up 26 runs (25 earned) on 51 hits and 19 walks with 28 strikeouts in 42 1/3 innings. Woodford will be facing the Padres for the first time in 2023. In three career relief appearances against the Padres, Woodford is 0-0 with an 8.10 ERA, giving up three runs on six hits and two walks with a strikeout in 3 1/3 innings. Meanwhile, Martinez will be making his second straight start for the Padres, but it will be just his eighth start in what will be 62 games in 2023. Over two seasons with the Padres, the 33-year-old Martinez has made 17 starts in 108 appearances. He allowed one hit with five strikeouts over three innings against Oakland last Sunday in his first start since Aug. 8 and only his third since April 19, when Musgrove opened the season on the injured list.

Rating: 2 Units

The Rangers jumped over the Mariners and Astros in the standings last night after their 8-5 win over the Mariners, and I think they gain some more ground tonight. Texas has been extremely productive against right-handed pitching this season (.792 OPS) and will go up against right-hander Logan Gilbert. Through 30 starts, Gilbert owns a respectable 3.77 ERA, but has slightly regressed in September, pitching to a 4.50 ERA across 4 starts. The Rangers’ offense can get hot quick, and they’ve plated 29 runs in their past 3 games. Look for them to stay aggressive. Left-hander Jordan Montgomery counters for the Rangers and is pitching to a 3.38 ERA across 30 starts. Most importantly, Montgomery has been extremely efficient over his past 2 outings, allowing just 1 earned run across 14.0 innings. I give the edge to Montgomery and a potent Rangers’ lineup to grab the win and widen their lead in the standings.

Rating: 2 Units

Woodruff has been outstanding this season -- 5-1 with a 1.89 ERA. The only problem has been that a shoulder injury kept him for four months, limiting him to just 10 starts so far. Over his past five starts, Woodruff is 3-0 with a 1.06 ERA. In three career starts against the Marlins, he is 3-0 with a 1.71 ERA. The Brewers (88-66), who routed the Marlins 16-1 in the series opener on Friday, are closing in on their third NL Central title in the past six years. Their magic number for the division is one, and they clinched a playoff berth on Friday. he Marlins hope to change their fortunes today behind left-hander Jesus Luzardo (10-9, 3.68 ERA). Luzardo, a native of Peru who will turn 26 next week, has set career highs in wins, starts (30) and innings (166 1/3). Prior to this season, his career highs in those categories were six victories, 18 starts and 100 1/3 innings. The Marlins are 18-12 this season when Luzardo starts, although he took a pounding on Sept. 11 when facing Woodruff and the Brewers. In that game, Luzardo allowed 10 hits, four walks and six runs in five innings.

Rating: 2 Units

Having won six of its last eight games, Detroit now sends impressive prospect Sawyer Gipson-Long (1-0, 2.70 ERA) to the mound to face an A's team that has lost eight straight. The right-hander has pitched the Tigers to a pair of wins in his first two major league starts, striking out a total of 16 in 10 innings. He allowed just one run and two hits over five innings, striking out 11, in his most recent start over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday. The 25-year-old has never faced the A's. Waldichuk (3-8, 5.40) pitched Oakland to a 12-3 win at Detroit as a bulk-innings reliever in July, allowing two runs in 4 1/3 innings. It was his only career head-to-head with the Tigers. The left-hander has won just once in 13 appearances since, nine of which have been starts.

Rating: 2 Units

The St. Louis Cardinals have only won four of their last ten games. The Padres have won four of their last five home bouts. They are enjoying one of their best stretches of the season, winning eight of their last ten games including a series win against the Dodgers. Cardinals’ starter Dakota Hudson has not been reliable. The veteran has squandered 15 runs in his last 14.1 innings and has issued an abysmal 6.75 ERA this month. This is good news for the Padres who are dazzling at the plate, averaging a remarkable 5.9 runs in their last ten games. Padres starter Matt Waldron allowed just two runs last time out and has allowed just four runs in his last 10 home innings. 

Rating: 2 Units

I like the O's on the road, where they're 50-27 straight-up. Baltimore is finishing strong, slashing .275 BA/.337 OBP/.455 SLG/.792 OPS in September after a strong showing in August (5.9 runs per game). The O's had success against Bieber earlier this season, too. They'll make him work for all his 80 pitches, pushing the Cleveland starter in his first appearance since the All-Star break. The Guardians average 3.7 runs per game at home and will face a starter who has held four of his last five opponents to one or no runs. He held his own in his most recent start, too, limiting the high-scoring Rays to one run. I'm confident he will turn in a quality start for the visitors in another important game for Baltimore's title chase.

Rating: 2 Units

The Pittsburgh Pirates continue to struggle when playing the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs have completely dominated the rivals, winning 10 of the 11 meetings. The Pirates have dropped four of their last five road bouts. Pirates’ starter Johan Oviedo has not been sharp, posting a poor 5.11 ERA in his three outings this month. Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks has silenced the Pirates, holding them to three earned runs in 12 innings this season, and has recorded a 3.67 career ERA against the rivals. The Cubs have won all four home games against the Pirates this season. They have also secured the win in three of Hendricks' last four outings.

Rating: 2 Units

The Mets have struggled to find consistency this season and having to travel from Miami to Philadelphia for this one won't help matters. They lack the pitching to compete on a regular basis and while the lineup has dangerous names, they have struggled to produce and gel together. In the other clubhouse, the Phillies get to lean on a starting pitcher who has only improved over the last month and is pitching the best baseball of his season so far. Their lineup is heavy at the top but even when just one or two bench players contribute, it's more than enough for success and wins to be found. Suarez was successful in his earlier start this season against the Mets and if he can channel that in this one, the sky is the limit for the Phillies in the series opener.

Rating: 2 Units

The Brewers have won four of their last six games and three of their last five road games and have scored 18 runs in their last four games. St. Louis starter Mikolas has struggled on the mound in recent starts, giving up 13 runs in his last three starts. He gave up 15 runs in his last three home starts and with St. Louis having the eighth-worst bullpen in the league, they will have a hard time slowing down the Brewers in this game. The Cardinals have lost three of their last five games and have struggled offensively and scored only 11 runs in their last four games. Miley has done a good job on the mound for the Brewers, especially on the road where he gave up 11 runs in his last six starts. He gave up one run in his last two starts in St. Louis. 

Rating: 2 Units

The San Francisco Giants always have a great chance to win games when Logan Webb is on the mound. The Giants ace is capable of going seven to eight innings. He limited the Rockies to one run in eight innings last time out. Webb usually silences Arizona, holding the rivals to six runs in 21 innings this season. Merrill Kelly can be shaky. He just gave up seven runs to the Mets and has surrendered 16 runs in his last four outings spanning 22.2 innings. Arizona has only won in four of Kelly’s last ten outings. The Giants have beaten the Diamondbacks in three of their last four meetings. 

Rating: 2 Units

Kirby has stumbled a bit over his last five starts with an elevated ERA and 0-2 in that span. He has a perfect opportunity here against the light-hitting A's lineup to get back on track. Kirby has faced the A's once this season and was sharp going seven innings and allowing just three runs in a Mariners' win. The A's will have to cobble together a group of pitchers to with no available starter to give them a long stint. The Mariners lineup should have its way with the A's staff today as they try to stay with the Rangers and Blue Jays in the wildcard race. Looking for yet another easy win by Seattle.

Rating: 2 Units

The White Sox have lost five of their last seven games and two of their last three road games and have only scored 15 runs in their last four games. Their offensive struggles will continue in this game because they haven’t had a lot of success batting against right-handers and Gray has done a decent job on the mound in recent starts, giving up five runs in his last two starts. The Nationals have also struggled in recent games, losing six of their last eight games. But, they have hit the ball well against right-handers and Scholtens has struggled on the mound, giving up 14 runs in his last three starts. He gave up eight runs in his last two road starts, and with Chicago having the sixth-worst bullpen in the league, they will have a hard time slowing down the Nationals in this game. 

Rating: 2 Units

Castillo has had pretty good stuff recently, holding three of his last four opponents to eight total hits in 19 combined frames. He's held five of his last seven opponents to four combined runs, too. The M's could use another quality start from him today after dropping four of six games to the LA clubs. Blackburn has only lasted six total innings in his last two outings, giving up six runs and ten hits, including three home runs. The Mariners actually have better road splits (.248 BA/.326 OBP/.428 SLG/.754 OPS) than home splits (.239/.318/.402/.720) and had some success against the A's starter last season, scoring seven runs on ten hits on June 22. Seattle sports a 23-16 RL record (59.0%) against its division opponents this season. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Orioles still have not clinched anything in the AL East and need to pick up winnable games like this down the stretch. Astros' starter Brown has struggled over his last five starts with an ERA over seven. He has also been less than effective at home this season with a 4-7 record and an ERA close to six. Brown was also banged up in his one start against the Orioles this season allowing eight hits and five runs including two home runs. The Orioles' Gibson has an ERA close to five but he also has 16 quality starts and a team-leading 14 wins. I expect Gibson to hang in this game and get the Orioles to the back end of their bullpen to put this game away.

Rating: 2 Units

The Milwaukee Brewers are getting closer to securing the division title. They have won seven of their last eleven games and continue to excel on the mound. The Cardinals have only won four of their last eight games after a series loss to the Phillies. Brewers’ expected bulk pitcher Colin Rea has issued a solid 3.29 ERA this month. Cards’ pitcher Drew Rom is a struggling rookie. He has squandered 17 runs in 22 innings on the year and has only pitched more than five innings in two of his five outings. This is not ideal considering the Cardinals bullpen has a poor 4.53 ERA. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Athletics have lost four straight games and five of their last six home games. They aren’t playing well offensively and scored only six runs in their last three games haven’t hit the ball well against right-handers and Woo has done a good job on the mound in recent starts, giving up five runs in his last three starts. He didn’t give up a run in his only start against them and with Seattle having the fifth-best bullpen in the league, they will keep Oakland’s cold bats in check The Mariners have lost three of their last five games. They’ve also struggled offensively, but they’ve done a great job batting against left-handers and Sears has struggled on the mound in recent starts, giving up nine runs in his last four starts. He gave up 12 runs in his last four home starts, and with Oakland having the worst bullpen in the league, they will have a hard time slowing down the Mariners in this game. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Rangers will get back on track at home today after being swept by the Guardians in Cleveland. Montgomery has held Boston to three or fewer runs in 13 of his 14 career outings, including eight consecutive. He bounced back with a strong showing in his last start and will tame a Red Sox lineup that's hitting just .234 BA/.298 OBP/.390 SLG/.689 OPS this month. The Rangers will jump on Crawford early and pile on runs against the Boston bullpen (4.30 ERA and 1.40 WHIP), which has surrendered the fourth-most homers (75) in MLB this year. Texas hits .274 BA/.348 OBP/.492 SLG/.840 OPS at Globe Life Field, scoring 5.8 runs per game.

Rating: 2 Units

Both of these teams are playing hard despite being out of the playoff picture as the season winds to a close. The Guardians still have a chance to end with a winning season while the Royals are motivated by trying to avoid the team's worst season of all-time. I'm leaning toward the Guardians in this matchup. Quantrill has been far from dominant but he has been efficient since returning from IL. He's gone six innings in each of his three starts since returning and has given up a total of three runs in those starts. The Royals' Singer has seemingly hit the wall after looking sharp in the middle portion of the season. He is 0-3 in his last five starts with an ERA over seven. Look for the Guardians to pick up the road win on Monday afternoon against the struggling Singer.

Rating: 2 Units

Detroit has won four of its last six overall and seven of the last nine that the Tigers have played on the road. Los Angeles has lost nine of its last 12 played at home and 11 of the last 15 when facing an American League team. Due to injuries, LA is without a combined 57 home runs and 210 RBI. The Angels must also play without a host of starting pitchers and relievers, including relievers Jamie Barria (0-2, 6 saves), Sam Bachman (0-1, 1 save), Austin Warren (0-1) and Jose Quijada (0-1, 4 saves). The four relievers have made a combined 55 appearances. Los Angeles starting pitcher Reid Detmers has a 4.77 ERA, while serving up 19 home runs in 137 ⅔ innings and allowing 73 earned runs. Detmers has walked 54.

Rating: 2 Units

The Brewers' offense will likely be chomping at the bit to face Corbin at home on Sunday. Corbin has given up a ton of hits compared to innings pitched and has an ERA over five this season. The Brewers have to feel confident with Woodruff going today. Woodruff is undefeated in his last five starts and has an ERA under two for the season. At home, Woodruff is 3-1 with an ERA of nearly one while piling up strikeouts. Once the Brewers 1A ace along with Corbin Burnes, Woodruff once again has taken on the look of a co-ace.

Rating: 2 Units

The Atlanta Braves continue to dominate. They have won five consecutive road series and are a dominant 9-2 against the Marlins this season entering Saturday after the Marlins finally beat them on Friday. The Marlins have not been able to solve Braves' starter Charlie Morton this season. The veteran has limited the rivals to only one run in 12.2 innings this season. Morton is reliable, allowing two or fewer runs in five of his last six outings. Marlins’ pitcher Jesus Luzardo remains inconsistent. He just conceded six runs against the Brewers and has a mediocre 4.38 career ERA against the Braves.

Rating: 2 Units

The Brewers have everything to play for this weekend while the struggling Nats are just trying to close out their season. Washington has lost four of five heading into this series and the Brewers have won five of seven. The Brewers will be in a great spot on Saturday with their ace, Burnes, on the hill. Despite going 0-2 in his last five starts, Burnes has an ERA under three in that span. The Nats' Williams has an ERA over seven in his last five starts and over five on the road this season in 14 starts. Williams also has been bitten by the long ball this season and the Brewers are a far better home run-hitting team at home this season. Look for the Brewers to move one step closer to the National League Central Division title with a win

Rating: 2 Units

Baltimore just needs to win one game to salvage something from this series, and they're fortunate it's at home. Tampa Bay isn't a bad team on the road, but they're much worse than when they're in the Trop. Tyler Glasnow has given up at least three runs in both of his starts against the Orioles this year. In one of those, the final damage was six. Grayson Rodriguez has stopped the bleeding at two runs each time he faced the Rays. Rodriguez is also backed up by a bullpen that leads the league in WAR. If there's a team that can survive losing an All-Star closer, it's the 2023 Orioles. Baltimore's pitching gets the job done at home, securing a crucial victory.

Rating: 2 Units

Yankees’ expected starter in this one is Luke Weaver. The veteran has been released by the Reds and Mariners this season due to his struggles. He has squandered eight runs in his last three outings spanning just 10.1 innings. Pirates’ starter Luis Ortiz has been solid recently, allowing two or fewer runs in three consecutive performances spanning 16.1 innings. He just limited the Braves to one run in 5.1 innings last time out.

Rating: 2 Units

The Cubs are 19-15 SU as road favorites, and the Diamondbacks are 12-20 SU as home underdogs this season. Chicago has a serious advantage on the mound with Steele facing the rookie Pfaadt. The Cubbies are hitting .266 BA/.335 OBP/.453 SLG/.789 OPS in the second half of the season and have turned it up a notch in night games this year (.265/.343/.437/.779). They knocked around Pfaadt a few days ago at Wrigley and will feel confident against him on Friday with their ace Steele toeing the rubber. The Diamondbacks were outscored 18-2 in their last two games in Queens and will continue to struggle tomorrow against the NL Cy Young award contender.

Rating: 2 Units

The Twins have won five of their last nine games and four of their last six road games and have scored 29 runs in their last three road games. They’ve hit the ball well against right-handers and Scholtens has struggled on the mound for Chicago, giving up nine runs in his last three starts. He gave up eight runs in his last two home starts and with Chicago having the sixth-worst bullpen in the league, they will have a hard time slowing down the Twins in this game. The White Sox have lost four of their last five games and five of their last seven home games.

Rating: 2 Units

Texas struggled during most of August but the Rangers have found their mojo, waiting each of the five and have won five of the last six played on the road. Cleveland has lost seven of its last 10 and is close to being eliminated from postseason contention. Texas Rangers starter Jon Gray has been hit hard in each of the last three outings but the Rangers have won each of the three as their bats have stepped up to make up for the below par starts from Gray. In two starts since being acquired by Cleveland, right-hander Lucas Giolito has been roughed up allowing 13 earned runs in only 10 innings pitched and the Guardians have been defeated in both games by a combined score of 26-6. Texas has injuries to key players such as Josh Jung and Adolis Garcia but other talented stars such as Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and Johan Heim have stepped up in the absence of the others.

Rating: 2 Units

Bradish has arguably been the Orioles' most reliable starter this season and that has never been more evident than in his last five starts when the right-hander has gone 4-0 with an ERA under two and a half. In addition, the Orioles have won each of Bradish's last seven starts heading into Thursday night and he has an ERA under two and a half at home as well. Civale has pitched very well in his stint with the Rays and has been excellent on the road. This game will come down to execution and the Orioles have excelled at that all season. Expect the Orioles to work the pitch count and commit to a small-ball mentality tonight. They are fifth in baseball in sacrifice hits this year and have solid team speed. Baltimore has taken six of the nine games against Tampa Bay this season heading into the series opener.

Rating: 2 Units

Texas starting pitcher Nathaniel Eovaldi has had three excellent appearances out of the last four. Over that stretch the right-hander has allowed four earned runs across 10 ⅔ innings, but each of the four runs were in one game, a 14-1 loss to Houston, while the right-hander did not allow any runs in each of the other three outings. Toronto starting pitcher Kevin Gausman has allowed seven runs across the last 17 innings. Both teams have struggled with injuries this season but Texas is missing just one big contributor at the plate in Josh Jung, while Toronto is without Brandon Belt, Matt Chapman and Danny Jensen who have all been productive this season when healthy.

Rating: 2 Units

Kelly hasn't been the same pitcher on the road as at home this season. Opponents are hitting .262 against him in road starts, compared to .186 at home, with 21 more hits in six fewer innings pitched. He's also struck out 27 fewer batters away from the friendly confines of Chase Field. This has been even more apparent recently. Senga, meanwhile, has been dominant at Citi Field, holding opponents to a .186 batting average with 106 strikeouts in 82 innings. He sports a 2.52 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in 14 home starts, with 22 combined Ks in his last two outings in Queens. The D-Backs, who don't hit as well on the road (.245 BA and .318 OBP), will be his next victims.

Rating: 2 Units

There are plenty of reasons to pick the Blue Jays to win this game. It begins on the mound, where Toronto is significantly better, especially in the bullpen. The starters in this game are about equal, so relief pitching will be one of the greatest factors in this matchup. Offensively, Toronto evens up with Texas on paper because they get to face a lefty. The Blue Jays have a team batting average of .280 against southpaws in 2023. Jordan Montgomery is also a pitcher that they've faced 11 times in his career, including a game earlier this year when they knocked him out after five innings. This game will probably be close until the bullpens come in, and that's when the Blue Jays will pull away for the win.

Rating: 2 Units

Spencer Strider enjoys pitching against the Phillies. The ace has limited them to three runs in 12 innings this season and has a dominating 1.62 ERA and a 6-0 record in six career meetings against the rivals. Phillies pitcher Cris Sanchez recorded a weak 4.88 ERA in August. I recommend the run line considering eight of the Braves' last 10 wins have been by two or more runs.

Rating: 2 Units

Tampa Bay starting pitchers Taj Bradley has struggled in three of the last four starts. The 22-year old allowed one run in five innings versus Cleveland in his best start of the last four, but gave up a combined 12 runs in 16 ⅓ innings in the other three starts. Minnesota starter Dallas Keuchel has had three solid starts in the last four outings. The southpaw gave up five runs in 3 ⅓ innings to Texas in his worst start of the last four, but in the three others gave up a combined two earned runs in 16 ⅓ innings. Minnesota won each of those four games. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Cubs slash .263 BA/.342 OBP/.435 SLG/.777 OPS at night (79 GP) and have turned it up in the second half of the season (.263/.333/.453/.786). They're scoring 1.1 more runs per game post-All-Star weekend. Flexen has given up 12 home runs in 13 home appearances (47.1 IP) with a 35:20 K:BB ratio. Chicago's impressive lineup will jump on him early and often. Assad has been dominant on the road, giving up just 29 hits in 41.1 innings, and has also been impressive in night games (1.13 WHIP). He'll fare just fine against a Rockies team hitting .234/.297/.396/.693 in the second half of the season.

Rating: 2 Units

Oakland has lost four of its last six overall and when playing head to head versus Houston, has lost 10 of its last 11. Oakland also struggles on the road as the Athletics have lost 15 of the last 20 away from home. Oakland starter JP Sears has had two straight strong outings, but in two appearances this season versus Houston, has allowed seven runs in 11 ⅔ innings. Houston starting pitcher Justin Verlander has had three strong outings over the last four appearances, allowing a total of seven earned runs across 24 innings but six of the seven runs were in one game while allowing just one run across 18 innings in the other three starts. Houston's lineup top to bottom is much stronger than Oakland’s as the Astros have received excellent production from Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman Jose Abreu, Yordan Alvarez and others. Houston does not have any of its position players on the injury list.

Rating: 2 Units

The Braves have won three of their last four games and six of their last seven road games and have scored 17 runs in their last three games. Philadelphia starter Wheeler has been shaky on the mound in recent home starts, giving up eight runs in his last three home starts. With Philadelphia’s bullpen struggling in recent games, they will have a hard time slowing down the Braves in this game. The Phillies have lost three of their last five games and three of their last four home games. Atlanta starter, Fried has done a good job on the mound for the Braves, especially on the road where he has given up only six runs in his last six starts. He gave up three runs in his last two starts against the Phillies, and with Atlanta having the second-best bullpen in the league, they will keep Philadelphia’s offense in check. Go with Atlanta to cover the money line.

Rating: 2 Units

I like the Mets in the opener against the playoff-hungry Diamondbacks. Davies has not been sharp for the Diamondbacks this season and comes into this game with an ERA close to seven. Quintana, despite his record of just 2-5 overall, has pitched very well for New York. Quintana has almost consistently given the Mets a quality start and has an ERA under three in his last five starts. The Mets have also won three of their last four home games and scored over five runs per game in that span. Look for Quintana to keep the Diamondbacks off balance and the Mets lineup to power past Davies and the Diamondbacks in game one.

Rating: 2 Units

St. Louis (63-80) will send right-hander Dakota Hudson (6-1, 4.43 ERA) to the mound against Orioles right-hander Dean Kremer (12-5, 4.07) in the opener. Kremer has been on an extended roll. Over his past eight starts, he is 2-1 with a 2.35 ERA while striking out 38 batters and walking 15. The Orioles are 7-1 in those games. Hudson has been up and down over his past three starts. On Aug. 26, he gave up five runs in a loss to the Phillies. Then against the Pirates on Sept. 1, he allowed just one run over seven innings of a no-decision. Last time out, he earned a win against the Braves despite allowing five runs on seven hits over five-plus innings on Wednesday.

Rating: 2 Units

The Atlanta Braves are reliable on the road. They stand at 8-2 in their last ten road decisions. The Phillies have been mediocre recently. They have lost two of their last three series and are only 4-6 in their last ten bouts. The squad has dropped three of their last four home games. Braves’ starter Charlie Morton has been dominant. The veteran has allowed either zero or one run in four of his last five starts and the Braves have won in four of his last five outings. Phillies pitcher Taijuan Walker has not been sharp recently. He issued a 4.75 ERA last month and gave up four runs in his lone outing this month. 

Rating: 2 Units

Cubs starter Hendricks has held his last five opponents in August to three or fewer runs and should have similar success today against the D-Backs, who aren't scoring as much in the second half of the season. Arizona's .317 on-base percentage on the road won't help it keep pace with the home team, either. Arizona rookie starter Pfaadt is unreliable, to say the least. He's put eight-plus runners on base in consecutive starts and has given up 17 long balls in 15 starts (74.2 IP). The Cubs' bats will come alive this afternoon — they score 5.2 runs per game at Wrigley Field.

Rating: 2 Units

The Astros have won three of their last four games and have scored more than 10 runs in three of their last four games. They’ve done a great job against left-handers this season and Hill has struggled on the mound, giving up 11 runs in his last three starts. He gave up six runs in his last two starts against the Astros and will have a hard time slowing them down in this game. The Padres have lost five of their last seven road games. They are playing well offensively and scored 20 runs in their last three games. France has done a good job on the mound for the Astros, giving up five runs in his previous three starts, so expect him to keep San Diego’s offense in check. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Rays will be in good hands today with the veteran Eflin on the hill at the Trop. Eflin has 10 of his 13 wins this season at home and has been the team's most consistent pitcher this season. He should put up a high strikeout total on Sunday against a Mariners team that is in the top five in strikeouts per game. The Mariners have tentatively tapped Miller to start today but they may decide to push the rookie back another day as they manage the team's rotation with October approaching. I'm going to lean toward the Rays' with the best home record in the American League in the fourth and final game of this series.

Rating: 2 Units

It’s hard to trust Cristian Javier, who’s having a poor second half of the season, but I would take the Astros because their offense has been red-hot as of late. Seth Lugo has pitched very well over the last few weeks, but the Astros hold a 177 wRC+ and 1.021 OPS against right-handed pitchers in September and will properly test the Padres righty. Only three guys from this Houston team have seen Lugo before, combining for two hits in six at-bats. On the other side, the current Padres are 5-for-19 with a pair of home runs against Cristian Javier. San Diego owns a 112 wRC+ and .766 OPS against the righties in September. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Mariners have lost three of their last five games and four of their last seven road games. They haven’t hit the ball well against right-handers and Civale has done a good job on the mound, especially at home where he gave up nine runs in his last five starts. He gave up four runs in his last two starts against the Mariners and will keep their offense in check once again. Go with Tampa Bay to cover the money line.

Rating: 2 Units

This one should be very tight this afternoon at Wrigley. Steele has been great all season and particularly dominant at home in losing just two of his 14 decisions at Wrigley. He is also 3-0 in his last five starts and comes off a 2-0 win over the Giants in which he allowed just two hits while striking out 12 in eight shutout innings of work. Arizona's Kelly is not far behind Steele with his recent work. I expect a low-scoring battle today with a lower percentage of balls being put in play with these two pitchers hurling. I'm going with the Cubs in this one based on their ability to run the bases, play quality defense, and as the hotter of the two teams at the moment. Steele has been the more consistent of the two pitchers in recent outings and he can get the Cubs deep into this game.

Rating: 2 Units

Baltimore is a trendy run line bet after a win (51-36 record), on the road (51-20), and as betting favorites (40-36). It should continue to hit against Houck, who has struggled with his command since returning from a facial fracture, hitting three batters in his last outing and walking five combined batters in his other two starts. The Orioles have seen him twice this season (both outings back in April), producing seven runs and 12 hits in ten combined innings. I'm betting on another high-scoring game from Baltimore (5.4 runs/game last month). Bradish has been a reliable pitcher all season, and he hasn't worn down in the dog days of summer. The right-hander posted a 2.12 ERA in August (five starts), surrendering 20 hits with 35 strikeouts in 29.0 combined innings pitched. He's won three straight starts and has been a good bet on the road and in night games in 2023. Baltimore won't need to give Bradish a lot of run support. You're getting a lot of value for a matchup between a true World Series contender and a .500 ballclub!

Rating: 2 Units

Washington has been decent since the All-Star break but a six-game skid doesn’t necessarily bode well for their chances here. While the Dodgers have struggled with five losses in their last six games and are dealing with rotation issues after Julio Urias was placed on administrative leave earlier this week, the fact remains that they are the second-best team in the National League. Los Angeles also has a ridiculously deep lineup and bench that gives them the ability to pile up runs in support of whoever is on the mound. Sheehan has been up and down, which is to be expected for a rookie. With that said, Gore has sputtered at Nationals Park and could have problems with the Dodgers. Give the edge to the visitors as their offense carries them to the victory.

Rating: 2 Units

The Reds will send rookie lefty Andrew Abbott (8-4, 3.22 ERA) to the mound in the series opener. Last Saturday, Abbott kept the Reds in the game against the Cubs, allowing one run and four hits over 6 1/3 innings, striking out five and walking two. The Reds rallied in the ninth for a 2-1 win. Abbott has faced the Cardinals once in his career, allowing no runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings earlier this season. The Cardinals will throw rookie left-hander Andrew Rom (0-2, 7.24), looking for his first win in his fourth major league start. Rom will be making a homecoming of sorts, having attended high school at nearby Fort Thomas in Kentucky. Rom, who will face the Reds for the first time in his career, was charged with three runs on five hits over 4 2/3 innings in his last start against Pittsburgh last Saturday in a 7-6 loss.

Rating: 2 Units

Assad has taken very well to his role as a starter in the Cubs' rotation. In his past five starts, he has gone at least six innings in four of those starts with a high of eight innings against the Reds in his last stint. He has also allowed a total of six runs in his last five starts. Arizona will counter with Nelson, just recalled from the minor leagues. In his previous two starts before being sent down, Nelson allowed 15 hits and 12 runs combined while lasting just 3.1 innings in each start. The Cubs have been playing stellar baseball since the trade deadline, including an 18-9 record in August. The Diamondbacks, after a terrific first half, went just 12-15 in the month of August. I like the Cubs here to lean on Assad and pressure Nelson on the base paths and pick up a much-needed win in game one of this series.

Rating: 2 Units

The Braves will dominate the final game of this series against the struggling Wainwright. The Cardinals' long-time ace has had a difficult year in what may very well be his final season in the big leagues. His ERA is over eight for the season and, in his last five starts, it is approaching 11. This does not bode well in a matchup against the best-hitting team in the big leagues. Wainwright's nearly two WHIP on the season will result in runners on base at all times and a one-sided Braves win. Braves' starter Fried is 3-0 in his last five starts and has an ERA of just 2.52 on the season. Fried does not need a heavy dose of run support but should get more than his share in this start. The Braves have won all three of the meetings with the Cardinals heading into this series as well. While the Cardinals are anxiously awaiting this season to end, the Braves roll on to solidify their place in the standings.

Rating: 2 Units

The Marlins have won six of their last eight games and have scored 23 runs in their last three games. Los Angeles’ pitching hasn’t been very good in recent games, with the team giving up at least four runs in four of their last five games. With closer Julio Urías also out due to hit arrest over the weekend, the Dodgers will have a hard time slowing down Miami’s hot bats. The Dodgers have lost four of their last five games and have scored only eight runs in their last three games. They haven’t hit the ball as well against left-handers and Garrett has done a good job on the mound for the Marlins in recent starts, giving up seven runs in his last four starts. He gave up seven runs in his last three home starts and will keep Los Angeles’ offense in check.

Rating: 2 Units

It’s hard to trust the starting duo in this game, so I’m going with the Orioles because of their strong lineup and exceptional bullpen. Baltimore’s relief pitchers have recorded a 3.03 ERA and 3.67 FIP over the last ten days (29.2 IP), whereas the Angels bullpen has accounted for an ugly 8.69 ERA and 6.54 FIP across 29 innings of work in that span.  The Orioles have done a good job against the southpaws so far this season. Since August 15, they’ve notched a 119 wRC+ and .200 ISO versus left-handed pitchers. On the other side, the Angels have registered a 96 wRC+ and .187 ISO against right-handed pitchers over the past three weeks. 

Rating: 2 Units

Winning seemed easy for Ryu (3-1, 2.48 ERA) last month, particularly over his final three starts. In all, he is 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA in his last five starts (including his most recent on Sept. 1). In three of those outings he did not allow an earned run. The Blue Jays have won all five of those games. The 36-year-old has never lost to the A's in three career starts, going 2-0 with a 5.40 ERA. The Blue Jays backed him with 10 runs of support the only previous time he's started a game in Oakland, a 10-4 win in May of 2021. Toronto has put up a total of 13 runs in its first two games in this series. The A's will send lefty JP Sears (3-11, 4.60) to the mound in the series finale. It will be the first time Sears faces the Blue Jays since making his major league debut for the New York Yankees against Toronto last April.

Rating: 2 Units

Right-hander Joe Ryan will try for his 11th win of the season as the Minnesota Twins attempt to complete a three-game series sweep of the host Cleveland Guardians this afternoon. Ryan (10-8, 4.20 ERA) is 3-2 with a 1.83 ERA in seven career starts against the Guardians, including 2-1 with a sparkling 0.87 ERA in three starts at Progressive Field. Cleveland (66-73), which trails Minnesota (73-66) by seven games in the American League Central with just 23 games remaining, will start rookie right-hander Gavin Williams (1-5, 3.46) in an effort to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. Williams pitched one scoreless inning as an opener in a 4-2 victory over the Twins on Aug. 29, his only career appearance against Minnesota. He got out of a bases-loaded jam by getting Royce Lewis to pop out, no small accomplishment considering Lewis had hit grand slams in back-to-back games entering that contest and smashed another in a 20-6 victory in Monday's series opener. Minnesota followed Monday's blowout win with an 8-3 victory on Tuesday to clinch what many viewed as a make-or-break series for Cleveland's division-title hopes. Donovan Solano hit a three-run triple to highlight a five-run eighth inning for the Twins, who improved to 4-1 on their current six-game road trip.

Rating: 2 Units

Grayson Rodriguez was money last Monday, and I’m expecting to see another strong performance when he takes on the Angels’ depleted lineup. The Orioles’ bullpen has done a great job over the last ten days, notching a 2.73 ERA and 2.80 FIP through 26.1 innings. I don’t trust the Angels’ pitching staff to keep the O’s in check. Over the last ten days, the Orioles’ bats have registered a 127 wRC+ against the righties (239 plate appearances) and an 84 wRC+ versus the southpaws. The Angels have four lefties in their bullpen, but just one of those four guys holds an ERA south of 5.74. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Colorado Rockies have dropped four consecutive series and eight out of their last ten games. This is a team that no longer has Grichuk or Cron and is struggling to score runs, especially on the road. The Diamondbacks have dominated the Rockies this season, winning eight of the ten meetings. Peter Lambert issued a poor 5.23 ERA in August. D-Backs’ pitcher Merill Kelly has silenced the Rockies this season, limiting them to only three runs in 12 innings. He is sporting a 2.96 ERA at home this season. Arizona is 7-3 in their last ten home decisions and I expect another home win. 

Rating: 2 Units

Webb has been a bad bet on the road this season and has been putting too many runners on base lately. In his last five starts, he's allowed 35 hits and 14 runs (13 earned) in 31.2 innings. He lost his last two starts and gave up four runs and nine hits three starts ago. I don't trust him against the red-hot Cubs, who are scoring 5.7 runs per game since the All-Star break. Steele has been steady and consistent, especially under the sun. He's 8-2 with a 2.47 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP in 15 day games. He will earn his 12th victory of the year at home against a Giants club that's hitting .220 with a .295 OBP in the second half of the season, averaging a paltry 3.7 runs per game.

Rating: 2 Units

The Guardians struggle to score against everyone, so don't expect them to light up the scoreboard in this one. Meanwhile, Cleveland is trusting Xzavion Curry against the Rays again, at least to begin the game. Considering that he gave up five runs last time, that doesn't bode well. The last time he was on the mound was his worst outing of the year, ending with six runs surrendered over 2.0 innings. As for Tampa Bay, their offense has been on fire lately and will probably pounce on this version of Curry. Expect domination from the Rays to close the series.

Rating: 2 Units

With Zac Gallen getting the start in Chase Field, always expect Arizona to win. Only twice have the Diamondbacks lost his home starts, and in one of them, the bullpen gave up five runs late to lose it. Implosions like that are an anomaly, but Gallen stifling the opposing lineup is not. So, it'll be on Arizona to give him run support if they want to take this game. Considering that they scored four against Flaherty the first time they faced him and three the second time, the Diamondbacks should race out to a lead in this one. By avoiding Baltimore's best bullpen arms, they'll probably plate a few more too. Don't be surprised if the Snakes win by multiple runs.

Rating: 2 Units

The Milwaukee Brewers were cooled off by the Cubs in the final two games of that series but did have a nine-game winning streak to extend their lead in the NL Central prior to that. They now have Wade Miley taking the hill against the Phillies in the series finale on Sunday. Miley is 4-1 at home this season and also has a solid 3.46 ERA in his last five starts as well. The Phillies will send Suarez to the hill for the series finale and will likely have to watch his pitch count in his first start off of IL. Suarez is just 2-6 overall on the season and the Phillies have lost three of his last five starts this season overall. The Brewers have won each of Miley's last two starts and will close out this series with another win.

Rating: 2 Units

Cecconi has pitched decently in his limited action at the big league level and has surrendered only two extra-base hits in his three outings at Chase Field. Opposing hitters have a .163/.178/.256 slash line against him in those performances but it’s safe to say that the Orioles are a team that can do some damage. Bradish has pitched well and the Orioles have won his last five starts entering this game. The Orioles are a dangerous offensive team, especially on the road, and they should be able to get to the young Cecconi, who had his struggles in Triple-A before being called up. Back the Orioles and Bradish here as they earn the road victory in this contest.

Rating: 2 Units

The Mets have lost seven of their last 10 games and five of their last eight home games and have scored only 12 runs in their last four home games. Their offensive struggles will continue in this game because they don’t hit the ball well against right-handers and Castillo has done a good job on the mound in recent starts, giving up only six runs in his last four starts. He gave up five runs in his last two starts against the Mets, and with Seattle having the second-best bullpen in the league, they won’t have trouble keeping New York’s offense in check. The Mariners have won eight of their last 10 games and five of their last six road games and have scored 30 runs in their last five games. Mets starter, Carrasco has struggled on the mound in recent starts, giving up 18 runs in his last five starts. He gave up eight runs in his last two starts against the Mariners, and with New York’s bullpen struggling during their slump, they will have a hard time slowing down the Mariners in this game. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Cubs are looking good, winning five of their last six series after a series victory against one of the hottest squads in baseball, the Brewers, and a win in game one of Friday's DH. The Reds are stumbling in recent games, losing two straight series and six of their last ten games. Cubs’ starter Javier Assad has been outstanding recently. The right-hander has conceded two or fewer runs in five consecutive outings and reported a dazzling 2.48 ERA in August. Reds’ starter Andrew Abbott has regressed after a great start to his rookie year, allowing 20 runs in his last 27.1 innings. The Cubs are a reliable play with Assad on the mound. They have won in each of Assad’s last five outings. 

Rating: 2 Units

We’ll see a couple of top-notch lefties on the mound, and these two lineups have done a good job against the southpaws in the last couple of weeks (Braves 153 wRC+ and .943 OPS; Dodgers 110 wRC+ and .767 OPS). Furthermore, both teams have plenty of dangerous arms in their bullpens. The Braves’ relievers have amassed a 3.25 ERA and 3.08 FIP in the last ten days and 27.2 innings of work, while the Dodgers’ bullpen has thrown 40.2 frames in that span while tallying a 2.66 ERA and 3.86 FIP. 

Rating: 2 Units

Neither team is playing well, but the Angels have the only above-average group in this game with their offense. That group is 11th in runs per game, while Oakland is 30th. Los Angeles also hasn't struggled against Oakland at all this year, with a +27 run differential after seven games. Using their lineup, the Angels will cruise to another win against the A's today. They've already crushed JP Sears once (six runs in 4.1 innings), and that wasn't at the Oakland Coliseum where Sears has pitched worse. Meanwhile, Patrick Sandoval made light work of the A's lineup twice, giving up only four total runs in two starts. The Angels will probably race out to a healthy lead and never look back.

Rating: 2 Units

This weekend's series opens with a pair of right-handers facing each other for the second time in less than a week. Texas' Max Scherzer (12-5, 3.71 ERA) is set to square off against Minnesota's Joe Ryan (9-8, 4.33). Scherzer received a no-decision last Saturday against the Twins after allowing two runs with 10 strikeouts over seven innings. Scherzer is 3-1 with a 2.64 ERA in his first five starts covering 30 2/3 innings since being acquired from the New York Mets. He is 9-2 with a 4.32 ERA in 17 career starts versus Minnesota.

Rating: 2 Units

We saw these teams meet last weekend in South Beach with the Nationals taking two of three. That included a win Friday night with this pitching matchup as Adon spun six scoreless frames. Miami is going to be dealing with traveling after Hurricane Idalia had hit Florida early Wednesday so it will remain to be seen how that works out for them. Washington has been strong since the All-Star break, entering today 26-18 in the second half of the season. Miami saw Jorge Soler leave Tuesday’s game early with hip tightness, which could impede their top slugging option. The Nationals have played solid baseball and have made good teams struggle against them of late. Miami has been down in the second half of the season and has gone 28-36 on the road this year. Give the edge to the Nationals as they take the opening game of this series.

Rating: 2 Units

The San Diego Padres have experienced setback after setback to their pitching staff, with Yu Darvish's relegation to the 15-day injured list the latest blow. However, right-hander Seth Lugo (5-6, 3.70 ERA) remains one of the bright spots. He will face the host St. Louis Cardinals tonight in the middle game of a three-game series. The Padres won the opener 4-1 on Monday to snap a three-game losing streak. Lugo has thrown a combined 12 scoreless innings over his past two starts, against the Arizona Diamondbacks and Miami Marlins. He has allowed just eight hits and four walks while striking out 13, doing his best to keep San Diego's dwindling playoff hopes alive. Lugo is 2-0 with a 3.18 ERA in 10 career appearances against St. Louis, including two starts. The Cardinals have lost 10 of their past 12 games. They have dropped their past four games by the combined scored of 26-4.

Rating: 2 Units

The Los Angeles Angels are out of postseason contention and are a defeated team. They have now dropped five of their last seven series. The Phillies are looking good, winning seven of their last ten decisions after sweeping the Cardinals this past weekend and a 6-4 victory on Monday. Angels’ starter Tyler Anderson is going to struggle against this hot lineup. The veteran has squandered 13 runs in his last 13.1 innings pitched. Anderson has issued a weak 4.66 career ERA in 29 innings against the Phillies. I expect Michael Lorenzen to rebound in this one. The righty has hit a bump in his last two starts but has allowed two or fewer runs in five of his last eight outings.

Rating: 2 Units

Kyle Muller will meet Seattle for the second time this season, and the Mariners tortured him for six earned runs on eight hits and two walks across five innings on May 22. I don’t trust the A’s to keep the Mariners lineup in check, so give me Seattle -1.5. Seattle’s bullpen has gone 3-1 with four saves over the last ten days (30 IP), tallying a 3.90 ERA and 2.74 FIP, while the Mariners lineup has recorded a 221 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers (79 plate appearances) and 163 wRC+ versus right-handed pitchers (275 PA). The M’s will have to slow down eventually, but I don’t see that happening in this series. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Guardians are looking to make a push in the division but the Twins are having a great season and look to step up and control this game from the first inning. The Twins should constantly drive in runs with Edouard Julien, Max Kepler, and the rest of the lineup making contact and powering the ball to easily plate baserunners. The Twins should limit the Guardians' lineup, which averages only 4.00 runs per game, with Kenta Maeda pitching multiple strong innings to allow the bullpen to close out the game with the lead. The Twins should win the game with a strong performance at home.

Rating: 2 Units

Right-hander Lucas Giolito (7-10, 4.32 ERA) will be tasked with slowing down Turner and the rest of the Philadelphia offense today when he makes his 27th start of the season. Five of Giolito's 26 starts have come with the Angels after he was traded from the Chicago White Sox on July 26. So far, his time in Los Angeles has not been kind to him. Giolito is 1-4 with a 6.67 ERA with the Angels after giving up four runs (one earned) on five hits in six innings against the Cincinnati Reds last Tuesday. He walked two and struck out nine en route to his second consecutive loss. Fellow right-hander Taijuan Walker (13-5, 4.02) will oppose Giolito as he squares off against an Angels team that has seemingly had nothing go right over the past two weeks. In addition to seeing superstar center fielder Mike Trout land back on the injured list due to a left hamate fracture and having to shut down two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani on the mound for the rest of the season, Los Angeles has lost eight of its last 12 games.

Rating: 2 Units

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery has had four solid starts since joining the club at the trade deadline. The left-hander has allowed five earned runs across 26 innings. Minnesota starter Bailey Ober has allowed 16 earned runs across the last 24 Innings pitched and Minnesota has lost three of the five games during that span. Minnesota leads the AL Central but injuries are beginning to take their toll on the Twins lineup as Minnesota is playing without Alex Kirilloff, Willi Castro, Byron Buxton, Nick Gordon and Jose Miranda along with a host of starting and relief pitchers.