Rating: 2 Units

Washington starter, Gonzalez has struggled to a 4-8 record and 4.20 ERA in 14 starts against the Braves. While Atlanta starter, De La Cruz has pitched to a 2.79 ERA in four starts since transitioning back into the rotation, but the Braves have managed a total of just seven runs in those four games. The 27-year-old Dominican pitched well enough to win last time out, holding Minnesota to one run and four hits over 5 2/3 innings, but took the loss in a 4-2 defeat. De La Cruz has pitched much better at home, where he has a 2.00 ERA in five games (three starts).

Rating: 2 Units

NY starter, Matz was superb in his last outing as he pitched 7 1/3 scoreless innings while beating San Diego - with the lone hit he allowed delivered by the final batter he faced. He went winless in his previous three starts despite striking out 20 and walking just three in 18 frames. Matz was victorious in his lone career start against San Francisco, allowing seven hits and three walks in six scoreless innings on April 29. While San Francisco starter, Cueto is 0-2 with a 4.84 ERA in six outings since starting for the NL in the All-Star Game.

Rating: 2 Units

James Shields is close to matching his career-worst total for losses in a season and attempts to sidestep that dubious feat when the Chicago White Sox open a three-game series against the visiting Oakland Athletics today. Shields lost 15 games for Tampa Bay in 2010 and is just one defeat shy of matching that amount with one-fourth of the season still remaining. Shields compiled seven of his 14 defeats when he was with San Diego but is 3-7 with a horrendous 7.34 ERA in 13 starts for the White Sox.

Rating: 2 Units

Colon's 500th career game (491st start) will be his second in six days against the Diamondbacks, whom he held to a run in seven strong innings in a no-decision on Wednesday. That marked the third time in four starts that the 43-year-old has lasted beyond six innings while allowing exactly one run. Arizona starter, Ray owns a 5.40 ERA at home and gave up six runs (five earned) in six innings of a loss against Washington in his previous outing at Chase Field.

Rating: 2 Units

Cleveland starter, Tomlin is trying to bounce back from two straight terrible starts and was ripped for a total of 14 runs and 17 hits in 8 2/3 innings at New York and Washington. The 31-year-old Texan yielded a home run in each of those two losses and is tied for the major-league lead with 27 homers allowed. Tomlin has struggled in his career against Boston, going 2-2 with a 5.94 ERA in six career games – five starts.  While Boston starter, Pomeranz is coming off a solid outing. The Ole Miss product allowed one run and six hits in 5 1/3 innings against the New York Yankees on Wednesday but did not factor in the decision.

Rating: 2 Units

Detroit starter, Fulmer suffered his first loss since June 17 on Monday despite allowing just two runs in seven innings at Seattle. He has let up three earned runs or fewer in 15 of his 18 starts, including three in a row. The former first-round pick of the New York Mets in the 2011 draft is 7-3 with a 2.85 ERA in 13 road outings. Texas starter, Griffin was knocked around for five runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 frames at Colorado on Tuesday, which was the 28-year-old's 10th straight start in which he failed to complete six innings.

Rating: 2 Units

The San Francisco Giants are a miserable 8-16 since the All-Star break but still manage to hold possession of the National League West lead entering today's opener of a three-game series against the visiting Baltimore Orioles. The Giants hold a one-game edge over the Los Angeles Dodgers and are hoping to right themselves with a favorable schedule that has 15 of their next 18 games at home. San Francisco has tallied two or fewer runs in 12 of their games since the break. Baltimore starter, Bundy has won his past two outings, giving up just two runs and five hits across 13 innings. The 23-year-old, who was the fourth overall pick of the 2011 draft, has struck out 29 and walked three over his last four starts after being a reliever most of the season.

Rating: 2 Units

The Royals have won four of their last five contests to move within four games of .500 but are a distant 6 1/2 behind Boston for the American League's second wild card. Cheslor Cuthbert has enjoyed a solid emergence and ranks second among AL rookies with 24 multi-hit performances and a .303 average. The Twins allowed 35 hits on Thursday and were outscored 25-9 while losing a doubleheader to Houston. Brian Dozier recorded two doubles on Thursday and has six homers, five doubles and 14 RBIs over his last 12 games.

Rating: 2 Units

Sabathia has registered just one quality start in his last nine outings - going 1-5 in that stretch - and is 1-6 with a 4.82 ERA in nine home starts in 2016. The 36-year-old gave up three runs over 4 2/3 frames of a no-decision against Tampa Bay on April 22 and is 13-14 with a 3.77 ERA in 39 starts versus the Rays. Evan Longoria (26-for-67, six homers, 14 RBIs) and Logan Forsythe (8-for-18, two homers) give Sabathia trouble.

Rating: 2 Units

While the Atlanta Braves' playoff aspirations have long been deflated, Erick Aybar has provided a breath of fresh air for the cellar-dwelling club. Aybar carries a 14-game hitting streak into Wednesday's third contest of a four-game series with the host Milwaukee Brewers.  Aybar collected two singles in Tuesday's 2-1 victory for Atlanta, which has won four in a row and six of seven overall. Unfortunately for Milwaukee, the club's primary challenge is fending off Cincinnati in the race for the basement of the National League Central.

Rating: 2 Units

Colorado starter, De La Rosa had to settle for a no-decision despite limiting Miami to one run on four hits over six innings last time out. It was the eighth quality start in nine outings for the 35-year-old, who has not allowed a home run in his last five turns and has yielded four earned runs over his last three starts. De La Rosa is 2-0 in three starts versus Texas, holding Beltre, Elvis Andrus and Carlos Beltran to a collective 1-for-20. While Texas starter, Perez is coming off another rocky outing, surrendering five runs over seven innings to take the loss at Houston and fall to 0-4 with an unsightly 7.07 ERA in his last six starts.

Rating: 2 Units

Tampa Bay starter, Snell has yielded just five earned runs on 17 hits en route to a 2-0 mark in his last four outings (23 1/3 innings). Taken a step further, the 23-year-old has allowed two or fewer runs in five straight outings and in eight of his 10 career starts overall. Snell has yet to face Toronto in his young career, but has shown a great deal of comfort while pitching on the road - posting a 1.85 ERA and 1.07 WHIP while limiting the opposition to a .198 batting average.

Rating:  2 Units

Detroit has won each of the last seven games Fulmer has started, a streak that began when he allowed a run and three hits in 4 1/3 innings against Seattle on June 22. The 23-year-old has worked at least six frames in five of his six turns since then, including a solid 6 2/3 innings in a 2-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday. Fulmer is 7-2 with a 2.88 ERA in 12 starts away from home.

Rating: 2 Units

Tampa Bay starter, Odorizzi has been one of the league’s best pitchers since the All-Star break, going 3-0 with two runs allowed over 26 2/3 total innings with 23 strikeouts and three walks. The 26-year-old boasts 121 strikeouts overall with 37 bases on balls across 131 1/3 frames. Josh Donaldson is 3-for-14 – with all three hits leaving the park – against Odorizzi, who is 1-0 with a 2.04 ERA in three starts versus Toronto this season. Toronto starter, Dickey has struggled at home all season, going 2-8 with a 5.40 ERA in 12 games at Rogers Centre. Evan Longoria is 14-for-49 with two homers and eight RBIs versus Dickey, who is 1-1 with a 5.73 ERA in two games against Tampa Bay in 2016.

Rating: 2 Units

The Phillies have won three of their last five games while starter, Eickhoff is hoping to build on an encouraging outing last Sunday when he tossed five innings of scoreless, two-hit ball against Atlanta before leaving because of a rain delay. The 26-year-old shut out the Padres over seven innings and struck out nine with no walks in a 2-1 victory in Philadelphia on April 13.

Rating: 2 Units

The Texas Rangers made a series of moves at the trade deadline, in part to give themselves a better chance of holding off the Houston Astros in the American League West, and so far, those moves are paying off. The Rangers will try to ride the hot bats of Carlos Beltran and Jonathan Lucroy to a series win when they visit the Astros for the rubber match of their three-game set. The victory yesterday increased the Rangers’ lead over Houston in the AL West to 6 1/2 games and pushed them back to 30-30 on the road with three contests left on their trip. The Astros have lost nine of their last 12 games to turn a tight race atop the division into a comfortable lead for Texas.

Rating: 2 Units

Washington starter, Roark won his second straight outing with another quality start at Arizona on Tuesday, giving up three runs on seven hits over 6 1/3 innings. The 29-year-old Roark is 5-1 over his last seven turns and continues to pitch deep into ball games, going at least seven innings in six of his last eight starts. Roark owns a 5-4 record and 2.79 ERA in 11 home starts. The Giants win on Saturday was only their sixth win in 20 games while Washington holds a comfortable seven-game cushion in the NL East despite having its four-game winning streak snapped..

Rating: 2 Units

Baltimore has answered a five-game skid by winning four of its last five games while Chicago has dropped seven of nine to fall to 7-14 since the All-Star break.  Baltimore starter, Tillman settled for a no-decision on Sunday despite allowing two runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings at Toronto. The 28-year-old received the same fate in his last outing versus Chicago, against which he is 3-1 with a 3.29 ERA in five career outings. Baltimore owns a 19-4 mark in 23 starts this season by Tillman, who has permitted just two runs or fewer in five of his last six trips to the mound.

Rating: 2 Units

New York starter, Verrett has routinely put his team in position to win after injuries forced his transition from the bullpen to the rotation. He wound up with his fourth straight no-decision last time out, giving up three runs on four hits over five innings. Making his first appearance against the Tigers, Verrett has yielded three runs or fewer in each of the last four turns.

Rating: 2 Units

Boston starter, Rodriguez pitched well in a no-decision against Seattle in his last turn as he gave up one run and three hits in 6 1/3 innings. He has posted a 2.63 ERA in four starts since returning from the minors and gave up one run in two of the outings. LA starter, Stripling rejoined the team from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday and will be activated prior to today's game. He has just one victory in eight big-league starts but has served up just three homers in 54 1/3 innings. Stripling is 1-2 with a 5.20 ERA in six appearances (four starts) at Dodger Stadium.

Rating: 2 Units

Boston starter, Porcello has won each of his last six starts and eight consecutive decisions to pull one win shy of his career best for victories set in 2014 as a member of the Detroit Tigers. He tossed his first complete game of the season in his last outing when he held the Los Angeles Angels to two runs and five hits. Porcello is 6-3 with a 3.73 ERA in 10 career starts against the Mariners, including a victory June 18 when he allowed two runs and eight hits over six innings. While Seattle starter, Iwakuma is 1-1 with an atrocious 8.59 ERA in five career starts against the Red Sox and has struggled with Ortiz (5-for-10, three homers).

Rating: 2 Units

Washington starter,Roark defeated San Francisco in his last turn when he gave up one run and four hits over seven innings. He is 4-1 over his past six starts and has allowed two or fewer runs in four of the outings. Roark hasn't allowed an earned run in 18 1/3 career innings against Arizona in five appearances (two starts). While Arizona starter, Ray is 1-5 over his last seven starts, including back-to-back defeats. He combined for 21 strikeouts in just 10 2/3 innings in the two losses, fanning 10 against Cincinnati on July 23 and a career-high 11 versus Milwaukee on Thursday. Ray has a mediocre 5.17 ERA at home this season while going 3-4 in 10 outings.

Rating: 2 Units

St. Louis starter, Wainwright was fortunate to extend his unbeaten string to five starts after he was roughed up for four runs and a season high-tying 11 hits in a no-decision against the New York Mets last time out. He was battered for seven runs by the Reds on April 16 but pitched six innings of two-run ball at Cincinnati on June 9. Cincinnati starter Straily's lone appearance against St. Louis came in relief in April, when he gave up a solo homer to Matt Holliday.

Rating: 2 Units

Baltiomre starter, Bundy is racking up some solid strikeout numbers and owns 13 k’s in 10 2/3 innings over his last two starts. The former first-round pick took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before surrendering a pair of home runs to the Colorado Rockies last Wednesday. Bundy worked three perfect innings of relief at Texas on June 20, striking out three. While Texas starter, Darvish is struggling to find the win column suffering he loss in each of his two road starts .

Rating: 2 Units

Lucroy turned down a trade to the Indians on Sunday morning, but Texas reportedly also has shown very strong interest in acquiring the 30-year-old before this afternoon's non-waiver trade deadline. The veteran backstop received a standing ovation from the Milwaukee crowd prior to flying out in his only at-bat in Sunday's 4-2 victory over Pittsburgh, but the Brewers capped their 7-3 homestand behind the red-hot bat of Hernan Perez, who is hitting .370 since the All-Star break. The Padres made their plans for the future well ahead of the deadline, having dealt away eight players in the last two months - including outfielders Matt Kemp and Melvin Upton. San Diego opened its nine-game homestand by dropping two of three to Cincinnati and has lost nine of 13 since opening the second half with a sweep of National League West-leading San Francisco.

Rating: 2 Units

Boston starter, Rodriguez settled for a no-decision Wednesday as he allowed three runs on nine hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings against Detroit. The 23-year-old Venezuelan has given up a total of six runs in 17 2/3 frames over his last three outings. Rodriguez, who never has faced Seattle, is 2-1 in four road starts this season. Seattle starter, Paxton is coming off his second loss in three starts, a defeat at Pittsburgh on Wednesday in which he gave up three runs and six hits over five innings. The 27-year-old Canadian has struggled at home lately, surrendering a total of 15 runs over 15 2/3 frames in his last three turns.

Rating: 2 Units

Oakland starter, Gray would be a nice fit in any contender’s rotation. Gray has never lost in four career starts against Cleveland, owning a 2-0 record with two runs allowed in 28 total innings. While Cleveland starter, Kluber is winless in two starts since the All-Star break. The former Cy Young Award winner notched 16 strikeouts in those 14 frames and has 138 K’s in 136 innings on the season. Kluber has never beaten Oakland, owning a 0-4 record in five games in four starts.

Rating: 2 Units

St. Louis starter, Martinez gave up two runs and five hits over five innings against the Mets in New York to stretch his winning streak to three games. He's allowed a total of five runs in that span. The 24-year-old Dominican has pitched superbly away from home this season, posting a 6-1 record and 1.89 ERA in eight starts.

Rating: 2 Units

The Detroit Tigers and the Houston Astros both plan on being in the postseason this fall, and they are getting a look at how they stand against each other. The Tigers have the upper hand so far and will go for a sweep of the three-game series, along with their sixth straight victory overall, when they host the Astros today. Detroit is the hottest team in the American League at the moment with three one-run wins in the last five contests, including a 3-2, walk-off win on Saturday. The Astros were plenty hot themselves before cooling off with losses in four of the last five games and three of their last four series. Houston is just 23-27 on the road.

Rating: 2 Units

Texas starter Perez has been shaky of late, going 0-3 with a 7.53 ERA during a five-start winless stretch. He allowed 19 earned runs during three straight losses before receiving a no-decision against Oakland in his last turn, giving up five runs - three earned - and nine hits in six innings. Perez wasn't involved in the decision in his lone career start against the Royals in 2013.

Rating: 2 Units

St. Louis starter, Garcia will be making his first career start on three days' rest, having thrown only 77 pitches over five innings in a loss to the New York Mets on Tuesday. Aside from the low pitch count, Garcia's success against the Marlins could be a factor in the decision -- he is 2-0 with a 1.99 ERA in five starts versus Miami. While Miami starter, Rea projects as more of a depth move for Miami, given that he has permitted at least three runs in 10 of his last 12 starts

Rating: 2 Units

The San Francisco Giants have struggled since the All-Star break, having only two victories in the past 10 games. The Giants have seen their National League West lead decrease to 2 1/2 games over the Los Angeles Dodgers because of their recent swoon.  Despite yesterday's defeat, Cincinnati is 7-4 over its last 11 contests and has scored 52 runs in the past eight games. While Cincinnati starter Straily is 2-0 with a 2.92 ERA in two career starts against the Giants.

Rating: 2 Units

Fulmer had a string of 10 straight starts allowing two or fewer runs come to an end at the Chicago White Sox on Friday, when he was reached for five runs – four earned – in five innings without factoring in the decision. The 23-year-old went a season-high eight innings against Kansas City in his previous turn but was held out of the decision then as well. Fulmer is seeing Boston for the first time and is 7-2 with a 2.80 ERA in 11 road starts.

Rating: 2 Units

Stephen Strasburg stumbled out of the blocks and suffered his first defeat since September in his last trip to the mound. With six days to stew on the result, the 28-year-old looks to rid the sour taste from his mouth and extend his perfect road record this afternoon as the Washington Nationals vie for a split of their abbreviated two-game interleague series versus the Cleveland Indians. While Strasburg is 6-0 on the road, Washington isn't shabby either with a 27-22 mark away from the nation's capital and a stellar 9-4 mark in interleague play. Wilson Ramos continued his hot hand with a solo homer.

Rating: 2 Units

The San Francisco Giants continue to stagger out of the All-Star break while the visiting Cincinnati Reds are playing solid baseball. Cincinnati attempts to defeat the Giants for the second straight night after opening a six-game road trip with a 7-5 victory that represented San Francisco's eighth loss in nine games. San Francisco starter, Cain returned from a hamstring injury and was shelled for five runs and six hits in 2 1/3 innings in a loss to Boston. He served up three homers in the defeat and has allowed 11 in 59 2/3 innings this season. Cain is 4-5 with a 3.21 ERA in 11 career starts against the Reds and has struggled to retire the red-hot Bruce (8-for-16).

Rating: 2 Units

Washington starter, Gonzalez carries an impressive 5-0 career mark versus Cleveland into Tuesday's contest and has a bit of momentum on his side. The 30-year-old sandwiched back-to-back wins around a 10-day break, handcuffing the Mets through 5 2/3 innings on July 10 before allowing one run on three hits in six frames of an 8-1 triumph over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday. Gonzalez kept the ball in the park in his last meeting after surrendering five homers in his previous four starts.

Rating: 2 Units

The Miami Marlins' offense lacked any semblance of bite in the last two games, as the suddenly sputtering club has mustered all of seven singles en route to a pair of shutout losses. Tommy Joseph hasn't been shy about showing Miami how it's done this season, as his RBI double in the eighth inning plated Maikel Franco to lift Philadelphia to a 4-0 victory on Monday. The 25-year-old Joseph, who had two of the Phillies' six hits in the series opener, is 9-for-23 with three homers and four RBIs in six meetings with the Marlins this season. Philadelphia has won six of the 11 encounters with Miami

Rating: 2 Units

Despite the strain on his pitching staff, manager Robin Ventura said Sale is not an option to start Sunday for the White Sox, who have lost seven of eight since the All-Star break. White Sox starter, Quintana was 0-6 during a dry spell that lasted nearly two months. Victor Martinez (14-for-33), Miguel Cabrera (13-for-35) and Mike Aviles (10-for-26) have hurt Quintana, who gave up five runs in 4 2/3 innings at Detroit last month.

Rating: 2 Units

Houston starter, Fiers struggled in each of his last two outings, yielding a total of 10 runs on 10 hits and five walks in seven innings. The Florida native completed six innings only once in his last five outings. Fiers suffered through his worst start of the season at Los Angeles on May 27, when he was ripped for seven runs on eight hits and a pair of walks in 3 2/3 frames.

Rating: 2 Units

Moved to the bullpen following a four-start losing streak, New York starter, Eovaldi made three relief appearances before returning to the rotation and limiting Baltimore to one run on four hits over 5 1/3 innings on Tuesday. It was the first victory as a starter since May 29 for Eovaldi, who has ugly numbers against the Giants -- 1-4 with a 13.30 ERA in five career starts. Denard Span is 8-for-23 against the Eovaldi.

Rating: 2 Units

The St. Louis Cardinals aim for their sixth consecutive victory when they host the Los Angeles Dodgers today for the middle contest of their three-game set. St. Louis followed an impressive comeback win over San Diego on Thursday with another in the series opener.  St. Louis starter, Leake is coming off back-to-back impressive outings, winning both after losing each of his previous three starts. The 28-year-old Californian allowed one run and six hits over seven innings in a victory at Milwaukee on July 10 and giving up identical totals in six frames of a win over San Diego eight days later, registering a total of 21 strikeouts in the triumphs.

Rating: 2 Units

NY Starter, DeGrom recorded his first career complete game in scintillating fashion on Sunday as he allowed just one hit and struck out seven in a 5-0 win over Philadelphia. The 28-year-old has won each of his last three starts, including a strong outing versus Miami on July 6 as he limited the club to just two runs in seven innings of a 4-2 victory. DeGrom improved to 4-1 with a 2.77 ERA in eight career encounters versus the Marlins.

Rating: 2 Units

NY Yankee starter, Pineda permitted five earned runs in each of his last two outings and is 0-3 with a 4.46 ERA in his last six starts, but the 27-year-old Dominican will receive the call on Wednesday due to a lack of options, manager Joe Girardi said. Pineda was taken deep three times versus Boston on Friday and has allowed 18 homers in as many starts this season.

Rating: 2 Units

Miami starter, Chen has been struggled mightily to keep the ball in the park this season (19 homers in 18 starts), with two blasts in the fourth inning on Friday causing him to settle for a no-decision at St. Louis. The soon-to-be 31-year-old was taken deep on two occasions over two starts versus Philadelphia in May, with Chen going 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA. The veteran hurler allowed four runs on 11 hits in five innings of a no-decision on May 6 and yielded three runs in six frames of a 3-1 loss to the Phillies 11 nights later. While Philadelphia starter, Hellickson suffered his first loss in nearly one month on Friday as he allowed four runs on seven hits in six innings of a 5-3 setback to the New York Mets. The two homers he allowed accounted for the first time he's been taken deep since yielding seven homers during a five-start stretch (May 30-June 20). Hellickson has faced Miami on two occasions this season, settling for a no-decision after logging 5 1/3 innings on May 7 before picking up the win following six strong innings in a 4-2 victory 11 nights later.

Rating: 2 Units

Kansas City, starter, Kennedy received his second straight no-decision on Friday despite allowing just one run on four hits in 5 1/3 innings at Detroit. The lone run allowed was via the home run, which has been a persistent problem as the 31-year-old has been taken deep 14 times in his last eight outings and 22 times this season. Kennedy has turned it on during daytime starts this season, posting a 3-0 mark with a slim 1.45 ERA.

Rating: 2 Units

Snell has allowed two or fewer earned runs in four of his first six major-league starts, including last time out against the Los Angeles Angels on July 7. The 23-year-old Seattle native took the loss in that game despite giving up two runs in six innings with a season-best seven strikeouts. Snell, who faces his first National League team, has yielded one home.  While Colorado starter, Chatwood is 0-1 with a 7.36 ERA over two career outings – both in 2011 while with the Angels -- against Tampa Bay.

Rating: 2 Units

The Braves moved Jenkins – ranked as the organization’s seventh-best prospect by MLB.com – to the bullpen a month before promoting him to the majors, and the 23-year-old has impressed in four relief appearances and a spot start July 6 at Philadelphia (one run, four hits, 4 2/3 innings). Jenkins does not rack up strikeouts, but relies on a good three-pitch mix (fastball, curveball and changeup) and solid location to generate groundball outs. Other than a four-inning relief appearance June 27 when he allowed four runs to Cleveland, Jenkins has limited opponents to three runs on 10 hits in 10 innings.

Rating: 2 Units

NY Mets starter, Syndergaard, who has been battling bone chips in his elbow, received a few extra days coming out of the All-Star break. The 23-year-old held the Cubs to one run over seven innings July 3 in New York. Syndergaard is 1-1 with a 2.92 ERA in two starts against Chicago. Chicago Starter, rrieta has not recorded a quality start in his last four outings and has lasted six innings in just one of those starts. The 30-year-old’s last outing before the All-Star break was a rough one, as he allowed six runs over six innings in a loss at Pittsburgh.

Rating: 2 Units

Price is hoping to pick up right where he left off before the break, when he struck out 10 and scattered four hits over eight shutout innings against Tampa Bay. The former No. 1 overall pick reached double-digit strikeouts in each of his last three starts and has 140 k’s in 124 1/3 total innings. New York starter Tanaka ended his first half on a sour note, getting ripped for seven runs – three earned – and 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings at Cleveland on July 10. The Japan native is having some trouble finding consistency

Rating: 2 Units

McHugh is 5-2 his L7 starts, and has allowed fewer than three runs in four of the last five. The 29-year-old gave up four runs - three earned - and eight hits over six innings last time out against Oakland. McHugh,  beat the Mariners twice earlier in the season and is 7-3 lifetime in 10 starts against them.

Rating: 2 Units

Gray avoided giving up a home run for the first time in nine starts against Philadelphia on July 8 but settled for a no-decision despite allowing two runs and striking out eight over 6 1/3 innings. Despite struggling to keep the ball in the yard during that time, the 24-year-old rookie has lowered his ERA from 6.75 by logging a quality start seven times over that stretch. Gray is holding opposing hitters to a .225 average away from home

Rating: 2 Units

The Padres were rolling along on offense as well with an average of 7.6 runs in five previous games before managing three hits in in Saturday’s 4-3 setback. San Diego came to Los Angeles with two straight series wins and is looking for a split before heading back home to play host to the All-Star festivities. LA starter, Maeda is trying to find some consistency after alternating wins and losses in his last six decisions. The Japan native breezed through six innings while yielding one run in a win at Milwaukee on June 30 but was knocked around for four runs on seven hits and three walks over four frames against Baltimore on Tuesday. Maeda tossed six scoreless innings at San Diego on April 6 but was reached for four runs in five frames against the Padres on May 22.

Rating: 2 Units

Montgomery will hope to play the role of stopper, however, as Seattle (44-44) has dropped five of six following a four-game winning streak and is in danger of finishing the first half under the break-even mark after being a season-high 10 games over .500 in late May. Kansas City is riding the red-hot bat of All-Star catcher Salvador Perez, who is 5-for-10 with two solo homers, four RBIs and five runs scored over the first three games of this series.

Rating: 2 Units

Price finished eight innings for the fourth time in six starts on Tuesday against Texas but lost his second straight outing. The former American League Cy Young Award winner has especially struggled versus his former team this season, allowing 12 runs and 17 hits over 10 innings in two turns – including a loss on June 29. Curt Casali is 6-for-11 with three homers against Price, who owns a 5.74 ERA in day games.

Rating: 2 Units

Volquez was tagged for 12 runs (11 earned) in one-plus inning on June 24 against Houston, but he has bounced back with two solid outings. The 33-year-old tossed 6 2/3 scoreless frames in a no-decision at St. Louis on June 29 and allowed just one run through six innings before being charged with three more in the seventh in a 6-2 loss at Toronto on Monday. Volquez is 4-0 with a 2.37 ERA in seven career games (six starts) against the Mariners.

Rating: 2 Units

Graveman improved to 3-0 over his last eight starts on Monday, when he held the Twins to one run on three hits and four walks in 6 2/3 innings at Minnesota. The 25-year-old native of Alabama has allowed fewer than three runs in seven of his last nine outings and has served up only two homers over 49 2/3 frames in that span.

Rating: 2 Units

Ray is facing San Francisco for the second time in less than a week as he yielded four runs while striking out eight over six innings at home on Sunday. The 24-year-old, who has recorded at least five strikeouts in 16 consecutive outings, won his only start at AT&T Park on April 19 as he tossed six scoreless innings. Brandon Crawford is 1-for-7 with five strikeouts against Ray, who is 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA in three career turns against the Giants

Rating: 2 Units

Oakland starter, Hill is making his second start since missing the month of June due to a groin injury. He won five consecutive starts before the stint on the disabled list and received a no-decision against Pittsburgh on Saturday, when he allowed two runs and four hits in six innings. Hill is 2-1 with a 2.88 ERA in nine career appearances (five starts) against Houston. While Houston starter, Fister has dropped his last two outings, serving up four homers while allowing nine runs and 17 hits in 11 1/3 innings.

Rating: 2 Units

Colon improved to 4-1 with a 1.96 ERA in his last eight starts after permitting two runs on four hits in six innings of a 4-3 win over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday. The 43-year-old Dominican split a pair of decisions versus Washington in May, rebounding from issuing a season-high five walks in a 7-1 setback on May 18 to yield one run on five hits in seven innings of a 7-1 triumph five days later. Colon has kept Bryce Harper (3-for-16, five strikeouts) in check.

Rating: 2 Units

The Tigers began their first-half ending, 11-game road trip with four straight wins in Tampa Bay and are winners of 10 straight overall against opponents other than Cleveland. Verlander bounced back from a sub-par effort by holding Tampa Bay to two runs – one earned – on four hits while striking out eight in seven innings on Saturday. The former MVP was rocked for eight runs – four homers – in 4 2/3 innings by Cleveland on June 26 for his lone loss in six starts.

Rating: 2 Units

San Diego starter, Rea has won back-to-back starts after pitching well against the New York Yankees in his last turn. The return to form follows a seven-start winless stretch during which he lasted five or fewer innings four times. Rea is 2-1 in five road starts. While Arizona starter, Miller has been roughed up all season and has given up 12 runs and 19 hits in 12 innings while dropping his last two turns. Opposing hitters are batting .311 against him and he also possesses a high WHIP of 1.76.

Rating: 2 Units

The Los Angeles Angels took out all their frustration with the bats Tuesday and hope to build off another big offensive explosion when they visit the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday for the third contest of their four-game series. C.J. Cron led the way with a pair of homers in the 13-5 victory.  Tampa Bay starter, Smyly is winless in his last eight starts (0-5), permitting at least four runs six times during that stretch. The 27-year-old Arkansas product also has had trouble with the home runs, giving up 19 overall, and allowing six runs in 6 2/3 innings vs Detroit. Smyly is 0-2 with a 4.15 ERA in five career games against the Angels.

Rating: 2 Units

Oakland starter, Manaea defeated San Francisco in his last outing when he allowed six hits in 5 2/3 scoreless innings. The 24-year-old also pitched well against the Twins on June 1 when he gave up one run and five hits and struck out a career-best eight in a 5-1 victory. Manaea has allowed just two total runs in his three victories.  Minnesota starter, Milone has pitched seven total innings in two starts since being recalled from Triple-A Rochester and might need a solid outing to remain in the rotation. He has lasted more than five innings in just one of his six major-league starts this season and opponents are batting .328 against him. Milone gave up seven runs (five earned) in 2 2/3 innings to lose last season in his lone career outing against the Athletics.

Rating: 2 Units

The San Diego Padres look to continue their recent success on the road and climb out of the basement in the National League West at the expense of the Arizona Diamondbacks, who host the middle contest of their three-game set today. San Diego claimed an 8-4 decision in the series opener for its fifth victory in its last seven road games and third in four overall contests. Arizona continues to struggle at Chase Field, falling to 1-6 on its nine-game homestand and 14-31 overall in its own ballpark. San Diego starter,  Friedrich improved to 2-0 with a 1.17 ERA in 14 career games (two starts) against the Diamondbacks on May 27, when he scattered three hits over seven scoreless frames in Arizona.

Rating: 2 Units

The surging Nationals had won six of seven before managing only two hits in its first shutout loss since May 25 against the New York Mets. Washington. Milwaukee starter, Davies' string of unbeaten starts was halted at 10 when he was tagged for three homers and was charged with six runs over 4 1/3 innings in a loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is 1-1 with a 5.49 ERA in four road starts.

Rating: 2 Units

Colorado starter, Anderson's quest for his first major-league win will continue on Monday as Colorado has elected to skip Eddie Butler's spot in the rotation. The 26-year-old Anderson turned in his fourth strong performance in as many outings on Wednesday, allowing three runs in six innings of a 5-3 setback to Texas. He surrendered his first homer of the season but has yielded only seven earned runs in 23 2/3 frames.  In addition, Nolan Arenado, who belted a solo homer on Saturday, is 7-for-14 with five extra-base hits in his career versus today's starter Jake Peavy.

Rating: 2 Units

Oakland starter, Graveman matched the total from his three previous starts by allowing four runs in a no-decision against San Francisco on Tuesday. The 25-year-old sinkerballer looks to get back on track versus Minnesota, against which he permitted two runs and six hits in as many innings of a 3-2 triumph on May 30. Graveman, who has yielded two runs or fewer in six of his last eight starts. Minnesota starter, Nolasco suffered his second straight loss and fell to 1-3 in his last six outings after getting shredded for seven runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings of Wednesday's 9-6 road setback against the Chicago White Sox. The 33-year-old was taken deep three times in that loss after surrendering four homers over his previous eight outings.

Rating: 2 Units

The Braves won for the 10th time in 17 games in Saturday’s 9-1 rout at home. Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman blasted a two-run homer among his three hits Saturday and is one of the hottest hitters in baseball, batting .394 with five homers, 15 RBIs and 13 runs scored in his past 24 games.  Miami starter, Conley has battled inconsistency through his second season, and his last four starts illustrate his up-and-down 2016. He gave up five runs in 4 1/3 innings to lose Tuesday to the Detroit Tigers and was rocked for 11 hits in a June 12 defeat at Arizona

Rating: 2 Units

The Diamondbacks used a three-run blast in the eighth inning by Welington Castillo to cap a five-run rally in Saturday's 6-5 triumph and halted a stretch in which the road team had claimed 25 of the previous 30 meetings. The win not only ended Arizona's six-game losing streak overall but also was a much-needed shot in the arm for a club that owns the second-worst home record in the majors at 14-29. The loss was equally rare for San Francisco, which had won 23 of its previous 31 away from home and still owns the best road mark in the majors at 27-16. The Giants (51-32) also missed out on their chance to move ahead of the NL-best Chicago Cubs (51-29) in the win column and tie the Texas Rangers (52-30) for the most victories in the majors.

Rating: 2 Units

Chicago starter,  Quintana has made six career starts against the Astros, going 2-1 with a 2.78 ERA. Houston starter, McHugh is in a dry spell with one victory over his last nine starts, He fell to 0-2 versus Chicago despite seven innings of two-run ball on May 19.

Rating: 2 Units

Detroit rallied for eight runs in the ninth to win the opener, pounded out a 10-2 win on Friday and edged the Rays 3-2 on Saturday to push five games over .500 for the first time as it reached the midpoint of the season at 43-38. Sunday starter Chris Archer will try to avoid the sweep for Tampa Bay, but must rebound from a rough outing against the Tigers on May 22 when he surrendered six runs over three innings. The Rays continue to sink with 15 losses in their last 17 games, managing nine hits combined the past two days.

Rating: 2 Units

The San Francisco Giants have caught the Chicago Cubs for most victories in the National League. San Francisco starter,  Samardzija defeated the Diamondbacks on May 13, when he gave up one run and eight hits over eight innings.  Arizona is 0-5 at home against the Giants this season and scheduled starter Patrick Corbin has fared miserably at Chase Field with an 0-5 record and 7.02 ERA in seven home starts.

Rating: 2 Units

Seattle starter, Paxton gave up five runs over five innings in a no-decision against St. Louis his last time out, yielding eight hits while striking out seven. He has fanned 41 batters in 34 1/3 frames but also has a 1.67 WHIP and .320 batting average against. Paxton received a no-decision in his lone career start against Baltimore on Aug. 2, 2014, when he allowed two runs and four hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Rating: 2 Units

Buchholz has been awarded another start as he attempts to regain his footing in the rotation, but he has not put anything in stone after allowing eight runs in 11 1/3 innings since returning to a starting role. Buchholz has failed to complete six innings in each of his last three starts after giving up five runs (four earned) in 5 1/3 frames at Texas on Sunday. He walked a season-high five batters while striking out three and continues to sport a career-worst strikeout-to-walk ratio (1.44). Angels stars Albert Pujols and Mike Trout are a combined 12-for-31 with three homers against Buchholz, who owns a 4.83 ERA in 12 career starts against Los Angeles.

Rating: 2 Units

The Mets slugged five home runs Friday, chasing starter Jason Hammel early to beat the Cubs for the second straight night. The offensive outburst was a welcomed sight for New York, which had totaled only 13 runs in its previous six games and had four homers over its last eight contests. The Mets entered the series having lost nine straight regular-season games against the Cubs, though their four-game sweep in last year’s NL Championship Series changed the complexion of the matchup. The Cubs still own the best record in the majors and a 10-game lead atop the NL Central, but they’ve lost eight of their last 12.  After leaving his previous start in the first inning when he took a liner off the hand, Colon showed no ill effects Sunday at Atlanta. The 43-year-old limited the Braves to one run and six hits over seven innings. Colon has faced the Cubs six times, allowing two runs in 14 innings.

Rating: 2 Units

San Francisco starter, Cueto is 7-2 with a 2.69 ERA in 10 career starts against the Diamondbacks, including a victory on May 12 in which he gave up two runs and eight hits over seven innings. He has experienced difficulties with Michael Bourn (10-for-26) and Goldschmidt (5-for-16, one homer). Cueto has been superb on the road this season, posting a 7-0 record and 2.17 ERA in eight starts. While Arizona starter, Miller continued his horrific campaign by being rocked for seven runs and 11 hits over six innings in a loss to Colorado on Saturday. He has struggled at home, going 0-5 with a 6.97 ERA in six outings and serving up eight homers in just 31 frames.

Rating: 2 Units

Detroit starter Fulmer completed only 4 1/3 innings last time out on June 22 due to dehydration but returns with a streak of seven straight starts of allowing fewer than two runs. The 23-year-old has surrendered just one home run in his last six outings with 60 strikeouts in 63 2/3 innings overall. Evan Longoria launched a shot for the only run against Fulmer in Detroit’s 5-4 victory over the Rays on May 21. While Tampa Bay starter, Smyly is winless in his last seven starts, dropping to 0-4 in that span after permitting eight runs and 10 hits over five innings in a loss at Baltimore.

Rating: 2 Units

Kansas City starter, Kennedy will attempt to record back-to-back wins for the third time this season after allowing one run and three hits while striking out a season-high 11 over seven innings in Sunday's 6-1 victory over Houston. The lone run permitted came on a solo shot, marking the 31-year-old's 16th homer surrendered in his last nine turns. Kennedy has yielded just three runs and seven hits over his last two outings after allowing 16 and 22 in his previous three

Rating: 3 Unit MLB Play of the Day

Baltimore's power show has helped it win seven consecutive games, and major-league home run leader Mark Trumbo (23) is one of the players who is aware of what is at stake on the final day of the month.  Baltimore's starter, Chris Tillman is on a superb run against the Mariners, compiling a 7-0 record and 2.96 ERA in nine career starts. Seattle was pounded 8-1 by Pittsburgh on Wednesday.

Rating: 2 Units

Texas starter, Griffin missed six weeks with shoulder stiffness but returned on Saturday and allowed two runs and four hits while striking out six over 4 1/3 innings against Boston. The California native has yet to allow more than three earned runs in an outing this season and owns 34 strikeouts in 38 total innings. Griffin has never lost to New York, posting a 3-0 record with a 2.49 ERA in four starts.

Rating: 2 Units

Verrett receives the nod with Steven Matz pushed back a day as he deals with bone spurs in his elbow. The 26-year-old, who was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas last week, has scattered two hits in 3 2/3 scoreless innings of relief versus Washington this season. Washington starter, Scherzer has been plagued by the home-run ball of late, with former Met Kirk Nieuwenhuis belting a two-run shot and Keon Broxton also going deep in a 5-3 setback to Milwaukee on Friday. The 31-year-old has surrendered 20 homers this season - including a pair of solo blasts in 6 1/3 innings of a 2-0 loss to New York on May 17.

Rating: 2 Units

Keuchel  yielded four runs on 11 hits and two walks over 6 1/3 innings inn his last start. It marked the third time in four outings at least four runs were surrendered by the 28-year-old native of Oklahoma, who finally recorded his fourth win after hitting that mark on May 9 last year.  LA Starter, Weaver tossed a three-hit shutout at Oakland to stop a two-start skid. Weaver has made 10 career starts against Houston, going 5-4 with two complete games.

Rating: 2 Units

The Oakland Athletics have been difficult to face on the road of late and will be even tougher today as they are expected to activate Josh Reddick for the second contest of their home-and-home four-game interleague series against the host San Francisco Giants. Reddick, who has not played since May 19 because of a fractured left thumb, is hitting .322 with five home runs and 18 RBIs this season. Oakland starter, Graveman improved to 2-0 over his last six starts Thursday, limiting the Angels to two runs in 6 2/3 innings at Los Angeles. The 25-year-old native of Alabama was even better in his previous outing - also against the Angels - as he allowed one run and three hits over seven frames but did not factor in the decision.

Rating: 2 Units

Seattle starter, Iwakuma was roughed up in his last outing after winning five of his previous six decisions. He allowed five runs and 11 hits in 4 2/3 innings in the loss to Detroit and he served up three homers for the third time in the past five starts. Iwakuma has struggled at home this season with a 5.17 ERA and .297 batting average against.  Seattle has experienced a miserable June with an 8-17 mark that includes losses in seven of the past nine games and has slipped into third place in the American League West. The Mariners served up 13 extra-base hits - including six homers -- in Sunday's 11-6 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Rating: 2 Units

St. Louis starter, Wacha allowed two runs over 6 2/3 innings for his third straight quality start and his fourth in five outings. Wacha is 1-1 with a 1.80 ERA in three starts against the Royals and allowed just one unearned run to beat them last season. While Kansas City starter, Ventura makes his first start since June 17 following an eight-game suspension. Ventura is 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA in three starts against the Cardinals.

Rating: 2 Units

St. Louis starter, Wainwright registered his first victory in June on Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs, permitting three runs on six hits and three walks over 6 2/3 innings to improve to 4-2 with a 5.74 ERA on the road. The three-time All-Star has posted a 2.36 ERA in four outings this month, however, and has worked at least six frames in each of his last seven turns - giving up three runs or fewer six times. Wainwright has fared well in 10 appearances (seven starts) versus the Royals, going 4-1 with a 3.07 ERA.

Rating: 2 Units

The Texas Rangers are looking very much like the best team in the American League and they have the record to prove it. The Rangers just got done picking off one AL East team and will try for another when they open a 10-game road trip by visiting the New York Yankees on Monday for the first of four contests. Texas put 23 runs up while taking two of three from the Boston Red Sox over the weekend and is 27-8 since May 20 to open up a commanding lead in the AL West. The Rangers (49-27) should have nothing but confidence heading out on the road after going 8-2 on a 10-game trip from June 10-19 and are trying to reach 50 wins before the end of June for the second time in team history. New York starter, Nova is having a hard time since taking over CC Sabathia’s spot in the rotation and failed to make it through six innings in either of his last two outings. The Dominican Republic native was ripped for a total of 11 runs – 10 earned – and 18 hits in nine innings.

Rating: 2 Units

Kansas City starter, Kennedy got the better of Fister in the first encounter, highlighting his performance by retiring 14 straight batters en route to yielding just one run and two hits in seven innings to pick up the win. The 31-year-old owns an impressive 3-0 record with a rail-thin 0.92 ERA in three starts versus the Astros. While Houston starter, Fister began a three-game skid with a dismal outing versus Kansas City on April 14, surrendering six runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings to drop to 3-7 lifetime against the Royals.

Rating: 2 Units

Washington starter, Roark had his longest start since May 3 with 7 1/3 strong innings at the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday. He allowed three runs and six hits but still suffered his first loss in nearly a month. The 29-year-old is 1-0 with a 3.52 ERA in three games (two starts) in his career against the Brewers. While Milwaukee starter, Nelson is 0-3 with a 7.50 ERA in four June starts.

Rating: 2 Units

Tampa Bay startr, Smyly is 4-0 with a 1.82 ERA in eight career games against the Orioles.  While Baltimore starter, Wilson has allowed 72 hits in 73 innings and is 0-4 with a 4.93 ERA in eight home games (six starts) this season. Wilson gave up six runs on eight hits over 4 1/3 innings last year in his only turn against the Rays and suffered the loss.

Rating: 2 Units

St. Louis starter, Leake has won five of his past six decisions and has given up two or fewer runs in seven of his last eight turns. He hasn't walked a batter in any of his last three starts and has issued just two in 39 1/3 innings over his last six outings.  Seattle starter, Karns is winless in his last four starts and hasn't pitched longer than five innings in any of them. He has a 7.36 ERA during the stretch and has given up 21 hits and 15 walks in 18 1/3 innings.

Rating: 2 Units

Julio Teheran makes his second start in seven days against the New York Mets on Saturday in Atlanta, and the Braves’ ace can only top his last start by throwing a perfect game. Teheran dazzled the Mets in a one-hit shutout last Sunday, walking no one, and looks to power the Braves to an eighth victory in 10 games.   Teheran is second in the National League in WHIP (0.91) and eighth in WAR for pitchers (2.9), while posting career bests in hits allowed per nine innings (six) and strikeouts-to-walks ratio (3.83).

Rating: 2 Units

The Padres rolled to a 13-4 win over the Reds on Friday night. It was San Diego's fifth win in the last six games, during which it has averaged 7.5 runs. San Diego starter, Pomeranz's last four starts have come at home, including a win against Washington on Sunday when he allowed three runs on three solo shots in six innings. The three home runs were a season high but he also struck out seven batters and has fanned at least six in each of his last five outings. The 27-year-old owns a 2.61 ERA in two career starts versus the Reds.

Rating; 2 Units

Houston starter, Keuchel entered Saturday's tilt with Cincinnati with three straight losses and a 1-8 record in his previous 11 outings, but exited the contest with optimism after allowing just two runs in seven strong innings of a no-decision. While the performance thrilled the fans at Minute Maid Park, the 28-year-old hasn't been doing much on the road this season with a 2-6 mark and a gaudy 5.91 ERA. While Kansas City starter, Volquez owns a 6-0 record with a 2.70 ERA in nine career regular-season starts versus Houston.

Rating: 2 Units

Although he had to settle for a no-decision last time out at San Diego, Scherzer continued his string of dominant outings by striking out 10 batters while allowing one run on four hits. Scherzer is 3-0 in four starts in June, permitting a total of four runs while racking up 38 strikeouts versus three walks over 28 innings. Scherzer is 1-0 with a 1.64 ERA in four appearances versus Milwaukee and has held former NL MVP Ryan Braun hitless in 10 at-bats.

Rating: 2 Units

Zimmermann turned in his best effort in weeks, limiting Kansas City to one run on four hits over a season high-tying eight innings last time out, although he did not factor in the decision. It was a strong bounce-back effort for Zimmermann, who was shelled for 13 runs and 21 hits over his previous two turns. Zimmermann is 5-2 with a 4.43 ERA in seven starts at Comerica Park this season and won his only appearance versus Cleveland in 2013.  The Tigers are also coming off a four-game sweep of visiting Seattle.

Rating: 2 Units

Arizona starter Greinke has been remarkable on the road this season - he's 5-0 with a 1.47 ERA in six outings - and Arizona is a solid 21-15 when playing in enemy ballparks. In addition, Greinke is 7-4 with a 4.06 ERA in 19 career appearances (18 starts) against Colorado and is 2-0 with a 4.19 ERA in seven appearances (six starts) at Coors Field.

Rating: 2 Units

San Diego starter,  was superb in his previous turn at Colorado, registering a season-high nine strikeouts and yielding one unearned run over six innings. He has been sensational in his three road starts this season, posting a 1-1 record and minuscule 0.47 ERA.

Rating: 2 Units

The losses continue to pile up for the Seattle Mariners, who have fallen off precipitously after a strong first two months. The Mariners will try to stop their latest slide at four straight when they visit the Detroit Tigers for the third of a four-game series.  Detroit starter, Fulmer had his string of scoreless innings come to an end at 33 1/3 on Friday, when Kansas City’s Salvador Perez reached him for a solo home run. The 23-year-old has allowed a total of two runs in his last six starts. Fulmer is making his first start against Seattle and is 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA in two home starts.

Rating:  2 Units

The Arizona Diamondbacks are perfect at the midway point of their 10-game road trip and can complete a two-game interleague sweep of the host Toronto Blue Jays this afternoon. Making their first visit to Toronto since 2004, the Diamondbacks squeezed out a 4-2 victory Tuesday to extend their winning streak to five games. The Diamondbacks have received superb pitching on their trek, permitting a total of seven runs in the five games to improve to 21-14 on the road. In addition the Diamondbacks are 5-2 in their last 7 games vs. a left-handed starter while the Blue Jays are 1-4 in their last 5 home games vs. a left-handed starter.