Rating: 2 Units

The Red Sox average 5.23 runs per game (4th) and hit .264 (4th) with a .769 OPS (5th). Boston has hit 65 home runs (16th) and stolen 31 bases (24th) this season. The pitching staff has a 4.65 ERA (25th) and a 1.32 WHIP (16th). Tampa Bay scores 5.86 runs per game (2nd) and hits .267 (2nd) with a .829 OPS (1st). It's leading MLB in homers (103) and stolen bases (77). The Rays' pitching staff sports a 3.69 ERA (7th) and a 1.21 WHIP (5th). Consider that the over is 15-5 in Rays last 20 overall.

Rating: 2 Units

With a couple of convalescents on the mound, I can only rely on Atlanta’s offense to make a difference. Also, Oakland’s bullpen is arguably the worst in baseball and sits at 6.36 ERA and 5.50 FIP for the season. The Athletics’ relievers have accounted for a 5.05 ERA and 4.32 FIP in the last ten days and 35.2 innings of work, while the Braves’ bullpen has thrown 33.2 frames in that span, posting a 4.54 ERA and 3.85 FIP. The Braves have won 11 consecutive games against the Athletics dating back to 2008. Atlanta is undoubtedly a much better offensive team than Oakland.

Rating: 2 Units

Both teams are more than capable of putting up runs but the Rays have been the better team when it comes to holding the opposition in check. Bradley has pitched well in his first taste of the majors as he is up as a matter of necessity with Jeffrey Springs and Drew Rasmussen on the shelf. Stroman turned in his best start of the year against the Mets in his last start but has been spotty against Tampa Bay in his career going 5-8 with a 5.04 ERA in 16 career starts against them. He yielded eight runs (seven earned) on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings of an 8-2 home loss to Tampa Bay last season. This Rays team is loaded with talent and confidence, which is something that can’t be overlooked by any stretch of the imagination. Look for Tampa Bay to come into the Windy City and take the opening game of this series thanks to their ability to come up with clutch hits, something the Cubs have lacked in all season.

Rating: 2 Units

Even with Marcus Stroman eying a third straight strong start, the Cubs face a daunting task by trying to keep the visiting Rays from handing them a fifth straight defeat today in the opener of a three-game series. Tampa Bay is a major-league-best 39-16 and leads the majors in several offensive categories, including runs (335), batting average (.273), on-base-plus-slugging percentage (.848) and homers (101). The Rays totaled 38 runs in taking four of their last five following Sunday's wild 11-10 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Chicago is 11-24 since opening 11-6 and has been outscored 35-11 during their current four-game skid. Chicago has an 8.00 ERA in those last four games, with its starters having allowed 17 earned runs and 29 hits over 17 1/3 innings. Consider that the over is 21-8-1 in Rays last 30 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.

Rating: 2 Units

The Orioles had a rough weekend against a powerful Rangers lineup but things should quickly turn around for the Orioles facing the light-hitting Guardians. Orioles starter Wells has thrived at home this season with an ERA of just 2.64 and faces a Guardians team that is last in baseball in runs per game and just 28th in batting average. The Orioles, meanwhile, are hitting .260 vs. left-handed pitching this season and .264 during the day. The Orioles love to run, ranking third in baseball in stolen bases, and Cleveland is just 20th in the league in throwing out runners. Expect the Orioles to grind out at-bats and run early and often against the Guardians on Monday afternoon to generate runs.

Rating: 2 Units

The Phillies are hitting .238/.320/.391 with six home runs and 12 extra-base hits in the last seven days and 202 at-bats. Bryson Stott has gone 8-for-21 with a couple of dingers in that span, and Bryce Harper has accounted for seven hits and a home run across 20 at-bats.  Atlanta’s pitching staff has amassed an underwhelming 4.32 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, and .267 opposing batting average in the last couple of weeks. During that span, the Braves’ lineup has slashed .257/.313/.483 with 25 home runs and 24 doubles through 439 at-bats. Marcell Ozuna has gone 18-for-44 with five round-trippers, and Ronald Acuna has slugged four dingers and three doubles in his previous 53 at-bats while stealing seven bases. The Over is on a 7-2-1 run in this rivalry despite Saturday's 2-1 Phillies' win and 19-7 in Braves last 26 games with the total set at 7.0-8.5.

Rating; 2 Units

Oakland has been awful all season and one has to credit Mark Kotsay for keeping his team competitive with a franchise that is on par with the Cleveland Indians of the early part of the movie “Major League.” The A’s continue to flounder and it’s hard to have faith in a team that entered Saturday with nine straight losses, not to mention 43 defeats in their first 53 games where only 10 of those 43 losses came by one run. Houston bounced back nicely from two straight losses by taking the opening game of this series. The Astros should be able to take advantage of Medina, especially his wildness, while Javier shouldn’t have problems as he has in the past here. Take Houston to win on getaway day and clinch the series.

Rating: 2 Units

NY scores 4.35 runs per game (20th) and hits .243 (19th) with a .714 OPS (19th). It's hit 58 long balls (16th) and stolen 35 bases (15th) in 2023. The Mets' pitching staff sports a 4.57 ERA (23rd) and a 1.34 WHIP (22nd) with 12 quality starts. Colorado scores 4.40 runs per game (18th) and hits .256 (13th) with a .716 OPS (18th). It's hit 42 home runs (26th) and stolen 18 bases (30th) in 2023. The Rockies' pitching staff sports a 5.04 ERA (28th) and a 1.48 WHIP (29th) with 12 quality starts. Consider that the under is 11-5 in Rockies last 16 vs. National League East.

Rating: 2 Units

The Reds are scoring an average of 4.43 runs per game, ranking them 16th. The pitching staff has posted a 4.90 team ERA, pegging them 28th. The Cubs are averaging 4.60 runs on the year, landing them 10th. The pitching staff is carrying a 4.24 team ERA, positioning them 16th. Consider that the over is 20-7 in Reds last 27 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.

Rating: 2 Units

The Brewers' struggling offense doesn't get any favors today against Giants starter Alex Cobb, who is 4-1 with a 2.17 ERA, fourth best in all of baseball. Cobb has started 10 games, totaling 58 innings and striking out 52 while walking just 14. He started against Milwaukee on May 6 and dominated, pitching seven shutout innings while allowing five hits and striking out five to pick up the victory. He's 2-1 with an 0.64 ERA in four starts against the Brewers. Cobb will oppose against Brewers starter Colin Rea, who is 1-3 with a 4.71 ERA, but picked up his first win as a starter since 2016 in his last outing against Houston. The right-hander entered the rotation when Brandon Woodruff went down with injury in April and will make his eighth start and ninth appearance. His last start was arguably his best, pitching 5 1/3 shutout innings against the reigning World Series champions while striking out four. The Giants have had the Brewers' number this season, currently 5-1 against the NL Central leaders after winning two of three in the first week of May in San Francisco.

Rating: 2 Units

For the Nationals franchise, it's a fortuitous matchup as they have won 15 of 20 previous games against the Royals, including a 5-1 mark as the Montreal Expos from 2002 to 2004. Kansas City has never won a series against Nationals. The Nationals won 12-10 on Friday and 4-2 on Saturday, and they're looking for their first three-game series sweep since June 14-16, 2021, against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Washington left-hander MacKenzie Gore (3-3, 3.88 ERA) has never faced the Royals nor any of their current hitters. The Royals starter will be lefty Daniel Lynch in his first start of the season after a left shoulder strain sent him to the injured list in March. Over the last three games the Nationals have rallied from deficits to score 20 runs in the sixth inning or later. Royals relievers have allowed 31 runs over 50 1/3 innings pitched in 11 losses during the past 14 games, and have also allowed 12 runners inherited from starters to score. In their last five losses, the Kansas City bullpen has given up 22 runs in 18 1/3 innings.

Rating: 2 Units

Arizona is averaging 5.14 runs per game. Their .264 batting average is fifth in the league. Their .329 on base percentage is eighth, while their .436 slugging percentage is sixth. Arizona’s pitching hasn’t been good, with the team giving up 4.84 runs per game. Opponents have a .245 batting average against the Diamondbacks, which is 16th in the league. Their 4.49 ERA is 22nd, while their 1.33 WHIP is 19th. Boson’s pitching hasn’t been good, with the team giving up 5.10 runs per game. Opponents have a .255 batting average against the Red Sox, which is 24th in the league. Their 4.82 ERA is 25th, while their 1.34 WHIP is 21st. In his last start, Whitlock gave up eight hits and five runs in four innings. Consider that the over is 20-8-1 in Red Sox last 29 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.

Rating: 2 Units

The Philadelphia Phillies are stumbling, winning only four out of their last ten games. The squad was swept in their previous road series by the Giants and was dealt a series loss by the Diamondbacks this week. They have only won 10 of their 27 road games on the season. The Atlanta Braves have won two of their last three series. Phillies starter Zack Wheeler hasn’t been nearly as strong as last season. The veteran has posted a subpar 4.44 ERA in his four outings this month and the Phillies have lost in three of his last four starts. While Braves’ starter Charlie Morton struggled last time out, the right-hander has been solid, conceding two or fewer runs in two of his last three starts. 

Rating: 2 Units

Both teams figure to need all hands on deck for a pitchers' duel Saturday between right-handed staff aces Corbin Burnes (4-4, 3.97 ERA) of the Brewers and Logan Webb (3-5, 2.91) of the Giants. The All-Star hopefuls will be going head-to-head for the second time in their careers. Both pitched brilliantly in their first encounter when the Giants won 2-1 in 10 innings in Milwaukee in August 2021. Burnes limited the visitors to one run and four hits in seven innings, while Webb was nearly a mirror image, allowing one run and three hits in six innings. Burnes not only will be facing a hot club today, but will take the mound riding a two-game losing streak in which he was roughed up for eight runs and 15 hits over 11 innings by the St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros.The 28-year-old began May with a 6-4 loss at San Francisco in which he served up a first-inning home run to J.D. Davis among five runs allowed in six innings. Webb has been one of the best pitchers in the National League in May, going 2-0 with a 1.30 ERA over four starts. He has nothing to show for brilliant outings his last two times out, limiting the Arizona Diamondbacks and Miami Marlins to a total of one run in 13 innings in 2-1 and 1-0 defeats. Webb has never lost to the Brewers, going 1-0 with a 1.89 ERA in three starts.

Rating: 2 Units

The Rangers will look to Andrew Heaney (3-3, 4.13 ERA) to keep the momentum going. The left-hander is coming off one of his best starts of the season, when he allowed just one unearned run on six hits with five strikeouts and two walks in six innings of a 13-3 win over the visiting Colorado Rockies on Sunday. However, Heaney has struggled against the Orioles throughout his career. He's 1-3 with a 9.51 ERA with 15 strikeouts and four walks over 23 2/3 innings. He has surrendered a whopping 12 homers across six appearances, including five starts. Heaney was rocked by the Orioles when he faced them in his first start this season. He was lit up for seven runs on seven hits, including two homers, with two strikeouts and two walks in just 2 2/3 innings of a 7-2 setback on April 4. The Orioles, who must beat the Rangers on consecutive days if they're to win their third straight series, counter with Dean Kremer (5-1, 4.61). The right-hander was also impressive in his last start, when he gave up a run on nine hits with seven strikeouts and two walks over 5 1/3 innings of an 8-3 win in 11 innings over the host Toronto Blue Jays.

Rating: 2 Units

Boston left-hander Chris Sale (4-2, 5.01 ERA) will take the ball today for his 10th start of the season. Sale has struck out 62 in 50 1/3 innings but also has served up eight homers. The 34-year-old pitched superbly in his last two outings. He gave up one and three in eight innings in a no-decision against the St. Louis Cardinals on May 13 and then allowed two runs and three hits over seven innings in a victory over the Padres on Saturday. In his last four outings, Sale has 32 strikeouts against three walks in 27 1/3 innings. Longoria is just 6-for-38 with 15 strikeouts in his career against Sale. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is 3-for-18 with one homer. Right-hander Brandon Pfaadt (0-1, 7.65) will make his fifth career start for Arizona. He has served up seven homers in 20 innings. Pfaadt, 24, received a no-decision in his last outing when he gave up three runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings against the Pirates.

Rating: 2 Units

Colorado has a 12-9 run line record following a win, the fifth-highest win percentage in those games. It also sports a 10-8 run line record as home underdogs. New York has a 7-14 run line record as road favorites and the worst overall run line record in MLB this season, too. I'm betting on Colorado to cover at home in game one. NY is traveling from Chicago after a Thursday night game with the Cubbies after dropping the first two games of the series. It's lost some momentum from its five-game win streak and could be on upset alert Friday, even with its ace on the bump. The Rockies boast much better splits at home (.274 BA/.329 OBP/.439 SLG/.768 OPS) than they do in road games (.234/.299/.349/.648) and hit right-handed pitchers (.260/.321/.404/.725) better than lefties (.240/.294/.367/.662). I'll bet on them to cover against the inconsistent Scherzer

Rating: 2 Units

Gausman makes his 10th career start against the Twins in this contest. He comes in 0-4 with a 6.36 ERA, a 1.393 WHIP, nine walks and 53 strikeouts over 46.2 innings of work against them. Gausman is 0-1 with a 6.57 ERA, a 1.46 WHIP, four walks and 30 strikeouts over 24.2 innings in five career starts at Target Field. The Blue Jays hope Gausman can pitch late into the game after Thursday's starter, Alek Manoah, went just three innings. The Twins plan to counter with right-hander Louie Varland. Consider that the over is 10-1 in Blue Jays last 11 road games vs. a right-handed starter.

Rating: 2 Units

The Rays have won four of their last six games and nine of their last 12 home games. They have played well offensively at home, scoring 14 runs in their last three home games. Expect them to continue playing well offensively in this game because they have hit the ball well against right-handers and Syndergaard has struggled on the mound so far, especially on the road where he has given up 16 runs in his last four starts. He gave up six runs in two starts against the Rays, and with Los Angeles having the seventh-worst bullpen in the league, they will have a hard time slowing down the Rays in this game. The Dodgers have lost three of their last five games and four of their last seven road games. 

Rating: 2 Units

Lynn has a 6.28 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, and his home run to fly ball ratio of 19.47% is nearly double the league average. Lynn has also surrendered 65 hits through 57.1 innings pitched. Expect the Tigers to take advantage of that, which should result in runs on the board. Wentz’s numbers are even worse than Lynn’s. He has a 7.45 ERA, 1.63 WHIP, and 49 hits allowed through 38.2 innings pitched. His last 2 starts have resulted in him not making it through to the 3rd inning, allowing 16 hits and 9 earned runs in those games. With these pitchers allowing a combined 74 runs in 19 starts, expect the trend to continue. 

Rating: 2 Units

Reds’ starter Hunter Greene is having a disappointing season. He has served up a whopping seven home runs in his last four starts and has recorded a brutal 6.95 ERA this month. Chicago is scoring an average of 4.81 runs on the season, good for 11th. Seiya Suzuki continues to deliver, clubbing four homers with seven RBIs in his last seven games. The 28-year-old slugger now has 19 RBIs and a stellar .873 OPS on the season. He posted eight RBIs against the Reds last year and did not play in the first series against the Reds. Consider that the over is 16-6 in Reds last 22 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.

Rating: 2 Units

Looking at this pitching matchup, it’s hard to not like the over. Kyle Gibson holds an ERA of 4.27 while Clarke Schmidt’s is up to 6.00, so neither pitcher has been missing bats recently. For Schmidt, his role in the rotation is starting to seem less certain after each start, and if he can’t put together a quality start against this AL East opponent, questions are going to be raised about reorganizing the New York rotation. In 10 starts this year, Schmidt has allowed at least 3 runs in 7 of the 10 starts – and that includes against the Orioles. The right-hander faced Baltimore at Camden Yards at the beginning of April and didn’t make it through 4 innings. He was shelled for 4 runs, 5 hits and 3 walks in just 3.1 innings in a game that ended with 13 runs scored. Going from Camden Yards to Yankee Stadium only benefits the hitters more, and that leads me to believe we’re in for another high-scoring affair.

Rating: 2 Units

Faedo has done a solid enough job keeping baserunners at a minimum but the problem is, they end up coming around to score. He’s given up five homers in his 15 innings of work, which has to be cause for concern if you’re a Tigers fan. Chicago knocked him around in his lone career outing against them last year and the White Sox have seemingly started to turn a corner after a horrific start to the season. Giolito has been solid, throwing at least six innings in eight straight starts and he has allowed two runs or less in six of those outings. The Tigers have struggled at the plate this season, ranking last in the AL in runs scored.

Rating: 2 Units

San Diego scores 3.94 runs per game (25th) and hits .225 (30th) with a .702 OPS (22nd). It's hit 54 home runs (17th) and stolen 29 bases (21st) this season. The SD pitching staff has a 3.92 ERA (11th) and a 1.25 WHIP (10th) with 20 quality starts. While the Nationals score 4.10 runs per game (24th) and hit .263 (5th) with a .707 OPS (19th). They've hit 36 long balls (29th) and stolen 24 bases (27th) this year. The Washington pitching staff has compiled a 4.40 ERA (19th) and a 1.43 WHIP (25th) with 18 quality starts. Consider that the under is 20-6-1 in Padres last 27 games vs. a right-handed starter.

Rating: 2 Units

Kyle Freeland broke into the big leagues with Colorado in 2017 and knows how to pitch at Coors Field. He also tends to bounce back well from poor outings. He had been particularly sharp over his previous three outings. Freeland had two starts which he didn't allow a run and he was a hard-luck loser in the other, allowing two runs over seven innings of a 2-0 loss at Pittsburgh. Freeland has pitched well in five career outings, three starts, against Miami, going 2-0 with a 3.60 ERA. On the other side, Marlins starter Braxton Garrett is more of a wild card here, going 0-1 with a 3.12 ERA over 8 2/3 innings and making his Coors Field debut. Miami is also just 4-13 in their last 17 games played in Colorado.

Rating: 2 Units

Alek Manoah got shelled by Tampa's offense once at home, and there's little reason to think it won't happen again. Manoah has simply been ineffective this season, while the Rays are hitting nearly every pitcher in their path. Meanwhile, Tampa's Zach Eflin has consistently guided the Rays to home wins in 2023, with four of the five outings multi-run victories. Neither bullpen is reliable right now, so this comes down to starting pitching and offense. Both factors favor Tampa at home.

Rating: 2 Units

Wells has been solid this season for Baltimore, though he has been hurt by the long ball, surrendering 10 homers in his body of work. That could prove problematic against a Yankee team that has the combination of Aaron Judge and Anthony Rizzo near the top of the lineup, along with other power bats throughout the order. Cortes has been rough in his work, though he is coming off a solid outing in his last start. He has been a bit unlucky as his FIP ERA is 4.51, nearly three-quarters of a run lower than his actual number. Cortes has thrived against Baltimore in his career while Wells has scuffled against the Bronx Bombers going 0-4 with a 4.68 ERA

Rating: 2 Units

Chicago is scoring an average of 4.78 runs on the season, good for 10th. The pitching has been exploited recently and they now have a 4.17 team ERA, tabbing them 15th. While New York is averaging 4.31 runs on the season, ranking them 19th. The pitching staff has recorded a subpar 4.68 team ERA, placing them 24th. Consider that the over is 20-7-1 in Mets last 28 road games with the total set at 7.0-8.5.

Rating: 2 Units

The Dodgers have several key pitchers injured but fortunately, they have Tony Gonsolin on the mound in this one. Gonsolin has been lights out. He has not allowed an earned run in three consecutive starts spanning 16 innings and the Dodgers have won in three of his last four outings. Gonsolin has yet to allow an earned run on the road this season. The Dodgers' offense is hot. They have amassed five or more runs in eight of their last nine games including an 8-6 win in Monday's series opener and another eight runs on Tuesday. Braves' starter Elder is pitching well but is still a young pitcher and has yet to pitch against the Dodgers in his career. While his ERA is at 2.06, his Expected ERA is higher at 4.55.

Rating: 2 Units

While Perez has done an excellent job for the Rangers over the past season and a half, he's been less effective on the road. This season, in particular, Perez's ERA jumps up nearly a run and a half on the road. He now comes up against a Pirates team that has hit left-handed pitching very well this season. The Bucs are hitting .274 against lefties thus far, have a .455 slugging percentage, and an OBP of .792. Oviedo has been slightly better at home than on the road and, more importantly, has kept the ball in the yard at home. He has allowed just one home run at home this season which will be critical against a Rangers team that is 7th in baseball in home runs. I look for the Pirates to take the third and final game of this series with a slightly better starting pitcher and timely hitting against the soft-throwing Perez.

Rating: 2 Units

The San Diego Padres haven’t been at their best however they have Yu Darvish on the mound. Darvish has been the Padres’ most reliable starter this season and has allowed two or fewer runs in two of his last three outings including just one run in six innings against the Dodgers. The Nationals have only won two of their last six games. Nationals starter Mackenzie Gore is a promising young pitcher but has been inconsistent and has recorded a subpar 4.66 ERA in his four starts this month. He doesn’t pitch deep into games, logging 5.1 or fewer innings in three of his last four starts and the Nationals do not have a reliable bullpen, ranking 22nd with a weak 4.30 ERA on the season. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Orioles score 5.11 runs per game (7th) and hit .254 (13th) with a .757 OPS (9th). They've hit 58 long balls (11th) and stolen 43 bases (5th) this year. NY averages 4.61 runs (12th) and hits .236 (22nd) with a .728 OPS (14th). It's hit 73 homers (4th) and stolen 37 bases (11th) this season. Consider that the over is 7-3 in Yankees last 10 games with the total set at 7.0-8.5.

Rating: 2 Units

The St. Louis Cardinals are looking a lot better in recent games and have been reliable on the road, winning five of their last seven road games highlighted by a sweep of the Red Sox in that span. They just won three of four against the Dodgers on the weekend ignited by the offense. The Reds are scuffling, dropping six of their last eight games. Reds’ starter Graham Ashcraft has been clobbered in recent outings. He has surrendered a whopping 19 runs in his last four starts spanning only 18.1 innings, resulting in an abysmal 9.33 ERA in May. He struggled against the Cardinals last season, conceding eight runs in nine innings.

Rating: 2 Units

The Texas Rangers are in the top 3 in four major hitting statistics. Texas is first in team batting average .272 and in runs scored with 297, while second in on-base percentage at .342 and 3rd in slugging percentage with .456. Adolis Garcia is the leading home run hitter for Texas with 14 and also leads the Rangers in RBI with 49. Josh Jung is second in home runs with nine, while Marcus Semien is second in RBI with 38. Texas has hit 94 doubles, five triples and 63 home runs in 46 games. Consider that the over is 12-5-1 in Pirates last 18 home games with the total set at 7.0-8.5.

Rating: 2 Units

The White Sox are playing their best baseball of the season with six wins in ten games heading into Monday night's opener against Cleveland. They are hitting .252 against lefties this season and have an OBP of over .700 as a team vs. lefties. Allen has lived a bit dangerously lately while giving up 15 hits in his last 10 innings of work. Cease has a 12.0 K/9 rate on the road this season and faces a Cleveland lineup that is 29th in baseball in runs scored. The Guardians have won just three of their last ten games heading into the series opener, including losing two of three to the White Sox in Chicago last week.

Rating: 2 Units

The Rockies will turn to right-hander Chase Anderson on Monday night in the series opener with Miami. Anderson will be making his second start of the season and fourth appearance overall. He has no record and has yet to allow a run in ten innings while allowing just three hits. He has two walks and five strikeouts overall. In his lone starting appearance, his first with Colorado after being acquired from Tampa, the 35-year old allowed just one hit in five innings against the Reds while picking up a no-decision. The Marlins are hitting just .230 on the road. Consider that the under is 11-2 in Marlins last 13 vs. National League West.

Rating: 2 Units

San Francisco has lost four of its last five when playing against the team with a winning record. San Francisco has only the 20th best team batting average and is coming off a game on Saturday in which the Giants were held to three hits and no runs. Minnesota has baseball's third best team ERA and is allowing the second lowest batting average by opponents at .224. San Francisco starting pitcher Alex Cobb lasted only 3 ⅓ innings last time out allowing five hits and two runs but struggled with control, issuing five base on balls. Minnesota starting pitcher Bailer Ober has had five consecutive solid starts, allowing 20 hits and six earned runs in 24 ⅓ innings, with Minnesota winning four of the five.

Rating: 2 Units

Kansas City has been awful this season and their inability to generate consistent offense has been a major reason why. We have seen them total one run in their first two games against the White Sox over the weekend and that lack of run support makes things tougher for what has been a struggling pitching staff. Lorenzen turned in a solid outing in his last start, blanking the Pirates over six innings at home, and has been solid in his last several turns in the rotation. Detroit is still a sub-.500 team but they have played better baseball after a sluggish start to the year. You can’t say that about the Royals and that is enough to give the advantage to the Tigers in this contest.

Rating: 2 Units

The Rangers have won five of their last seven games and four of their last five road games. They have the highest-scoring offense in the league and they’re playing very well offensively at the moment, scoring 23 runs in their last three games. They’ve done a great job against right-handers this season and Pittsburgh starter, Ortiz has struggled on the mound, giving up nine runs in two starts. He gave up five runs in his only home start and will have a hard time slowing down the Rangers in this game. The Pirates have won three of their last five games, but they’ve lost seven of their last eight home games. They don’t hit the ball well against right-handers and Texas starter, Dunning has done a great job on the mound for the Rangers, giving up only five runs in his last four starts. He has given up five runs in six road starts this season and didn’t give up a run in his only start against the Pirates.

Rating: 2 Units

A pair of former Cy Young Award winners -- the Guardians' Shane Bieber (3-2, 3.20 ERA) and the Mets' Justin Verlander (1-2, 4.76 ERA) -- remain scheduled to start tonight's game. Bieber took the defeat in his lone start against New York on Aug. 20, 2019, when he allowed four runs (two earned) over six innings in a 9-2 loss. Verlander is 22-24 with a 4.53 ERA in 54 starts against the Guardians. Consider that the over is 19-8 in Mets last 27 interleague games vs. a team with a losing record.

Rating: 2 Units

The Angels are 5-0 in Ohtani's last five starts vs. a team with a winning record and 7-1 in his last eight starts on grass. They're also 13-4 in their last 17 home games vs. a right-handed starter and 19-7 in their last 26 home games with the total set at 7.0-8.5. The Twins are 2-6 in their last eight road games vs. a right-handed starter, 3-10 in their last 13 vs. American League West, and 8-23 in their last 31 road games vs. a team with a winning record. The Twins are not playing well in Southern California, and I don't predict their road trip will end on a high note today. Minny's road splits are poor (.208/.287/.364/.650), and it's facing one of the elite starters in baseball. Additionally, he's coming off a poor outing, which should motivate his competitive edge today. Ohtani has a 2.38 ERA in his career vs. the Twins.

Rating: 2 Units

One of baseball's most productive lineups in the first two weeks of May, the suddenly sluggish Kansas City offense has been shut out twice in the past five games, scoring just 10 runs over the five games. The Royals have been shut out eight times this season. Kansas City is 2-6 during its current road trip, which ends Sunday. Royals' batters have hit .185 (47-for-254) with 79 strikeouts, including a .184 mark (9-of-49) with runners in scoring position during the span. Kansas City was hitless with runners in scoring position in the first two games of the series and struck out three times to end innings with a runner at third. Meanwhile, while winning four of its past five games, Chicago starters have limited hitters to a .208 average (25-for-120) with a 1.89 ERA (seven earned runs, 33 1/3 innings). They have completed at least six innings in seven straight starts. Consider that the under is 11-5-3 in White Sox last 19 after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.

Rating: 2 Units

The Rays announced left-hander Jalen Beeks (1-2, 4.70 ERA) as today's starter. Beeks has faced the Brewers twice, making one start. While he hasn't been involved in a decision, he has a 3.00 ERA in three innings. The Brewers are countering with right-hander Freddy Peralta (4-3, 4.11) today. Peralta is 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA in one career start against the Rays. The 26-year-old has worked at least six innings in five of his eight starts but is coming off allowing a season-high six runs in a loss at the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday.  Consider that the over is 11-5-2 in Brewers last 18 vs. American League East.

Rating: 2 Units

The Nationals, who ended a four-game losing streak with a 5-2 win on Saturday after dropping the series opener 8-6 on Friday, will turn to their ace in today's series finale. Right-hander Josiah Gray (3-5, 2.73 ERA) held the Miami Marlins to two runs (one earned) on seven hits with five strikeouts and three walks in a 5-4 loss in his last start this past Tuesday. Gray has allowed two earned runs or fewer in seven of his past eight starts. After giving up three homers in his first start of the season on April 1, he's only given up two in his past eight starts combined. The Tigers will counter with left-hander Joey Wentz (1-3, 6.38), who yielded three runs on six hits with three strikeouts and a walk in just 2 2/3 innings. The Nationals are very good at putting the ball in play against LHP as they strikeout just 17 percent of the time.

Rating: 2 Units

Severino will return from a lat strain and hopes to watch Judge and Rizzo produce more big hits when the New York Yankees go for the three-game sweep of the host Cincinnati Reds today. Severino, who missed two months with the same injury last season, is pitching for the first time since an ALCS Game 2 loss at the Houston Astros, 3-2 on Oct. 20. His most recent regular-season outing was seven hitless innings at Texas on Oct. 3. That effort capped a season where he returned from Tommy John surgery by going 7-3 with a 3.18 ERA in 19 starts spanning 102 innings. Severino is 1-0 with a 4.00 ERA in two career starts against the Reds. The Reds hope a solid showing by Hunter Greene (0-3, 4.60 ERA) can help erase the disappointment of the previous two games. Greene allowed three earned runs or fewer in his first eight starts before getting tagged for six runs and nine hits in four innings of a no-decision Monday at Colorado. Greene allowed two homers and has allowed five in his past three starts.

Rating: 2 Units

Sale (3-2, 5.40 ERA) will make his ninth start of 2023 on Saturday night in San Diego against Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove (1-1, 6.63). Sale will face the perfect team to dominate. The Padres have lost three in a row and 10 of their last 12 games. And Friday afternoon, Manny Machado, the Padres' emotional leader, went on the 10-day disabled list with a hairline fracture in his left hand -- the result of getting hit on the hand by a fastball from the Royals' Aroldis Chapman. Musgrove will make his fifth start of the season Saturday. He didn't make his debut until April 22 after suffering a fracture to the big toe of his left foot during a spring training workout. And his second start came in the thin air of Mexico City, where he gave up seven runs in 3 1/3 innings on six hits, including three homers. His two most recent starts -- both against the Los Angeles Dodgers this month -- didn't represent a total return to form. He gave up five runs (four earned) on 10 hits and seven walks with 10 strikeouts in 10 2/3 innings.

Rating: 2 Units

Minnesota has lost 22 of its last 30 games played on the road when facing a team that has a winning record and the Twins have lost 14 of the last 19 played on the road when facing a left-handed starting pitcher. Minnesota's Louis Varland was hit hard last time out allowing four hits and three runs in 6 ⅓ innings including giving up two home runs. Los Angeles starting pitcher Patrick Sandoval had a strong outing this past Sunday allowing five hits and two earned runs in 7 ⅔ innings but did not take part in the decision against Cleveland. Los Angeles has three players that have already hit 10 home runs apiece, making it difficult for opposing teams to pitch around hitters. Los Angeles has won 12 of the last 16 played at home when facing a right-handed starting pitcher. The Angels have won four of the last five head-to-head against Minnesota.

Rating: 2 Units

Despite their poor play as of late, this game leans heavily toward the Pirates. Keller has been outstanding this season with seven quality starts among his nine starts overall. He has been even better at home with a perfect record and an ERA of 2.00 exactly. Brandon Pfaadt, meanwhile, has been mostly ineffective in his three starts thus far with an ERA over 8.00. He has allowed seven home runs in just three appearances this season and has a hard-hit percentage that is over 50%. The Pirates' offense, which has struggled during this current stretch of poor play, has scored six runs per game in their last two wins. Look for the Pirates to provide enough support for their ace on Saturday to pick up the win.

Rating: 2 Units

Sandy Alcantara will turn the corner sooner rather than later. He can only pitch better than he did last Saturday, so I’m backing the Marlins to stay on the winning path. The current Giants are 22-for-90 with three doubles and five home runs against Alcantara. On the other side, the current Marlins are 20-for-59 with a couple of doubles and homers versus Anthony DeSclafani, who’s yielded eight earned runs on 15 hits over his previous two starts and 12 innings of work. Over the last ten days, the Marlins have posted a 109 wRC+ against the right-handed pitchers, whereas the Giants have recorded a 90 wRC+ against the righties in that span. During that stretch, Miami’s bullpen has registered a 3.21 ERA and 3.20 FIP to go with a 3-1 record and three saves, while San Francisco’s bullpen has gone 3-2 with four saves, 4.42 ERA, and 4.86 FIP. Miami and San Francisco already met each other in April, and the Marlins won two out of three games in front of the home fans. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Los Angeles Dodgers continue to dominate, winning seven of their last eight games entering Friday including a sweep of the Padres in that span. The Cardinals are playing better recently but have been one of the worst home squads in the big leagues, winning only eight of their 22 games at Busch Stadium. Dodgers’ starter Tony Gonsolin has been lights out. Gonsolin has not allowed a run in his last two starts against the Brewers and Padres and has conceded just three runs in his 19 innings of action this season. Cards’ starter Steven Matz has not been reliable. He has surrendered 19 hits in his last 15 innings of work and has an ugly 5.61 ERA on the year. The Cards have lost in six of his eight starts this season.

Rating: 2 Units

The Diamondbacks are proving they are the real deal. They have won five of their last six games including a series win against the Giants and continue to dazzle at the plate. The Pittsburgh Pirates are plummeting. They have yet to win a series this month and have dropped seven of their last ten games and are just 1-5 in their last six home bouts. It’s been nearly an automatic win when Zac Gallen is on the hill. The right-hander has led Arizona to victory in seven of his last eight starts. He is an ace, ranking near the top in all pitching categories including ERA and WHIP. He has conceded either zero or one run in five of his last seven outings. Pirates’ starter Johan Oviedo is struggling, allowing 18 runs in his last 17.2 innings. I recommend the run line as each Diamondbacks' win with Gallen on the hill has been by at least two runs.

Rating: 2 Units

The Guardians have struggled out of the gate in this series, losing each of the first two games. I like them to bounce back in the series finale behind rookie pitcher Allen. Chicago is hitting just .246 against lefties this season and Allen has done an excellent job keeping the ball in the yard this season. Cease, meanwhile, has struggled with his command and has a hard-hit ratio of nearly 50%. He also is 0-2 in his last three starts with an ERA near 6.50.  Look for the speedy Guardians to get on base, run and advance runners against Cease as he struggles to find the zone.

Rating: 2 Units

The Nationals have Trevor Williams on the hill. The right-hander has not been as sharp recently, squandering 10 runs in his last four outings spanning only 17 innings. He has also been horrible on the road where he has posted a poor 5.66 ERA in four outings. Nationals starter Eury Perez is one of the top pitching prospects in baseball. He allowed two runs and struck out seven in 4.2 innings in his debut against the Reds last week. He should be even more comfortable in his second start. Perez is a right-hander and the Nats haven't been dangerous against righties, posting a .652 OPS against right-handed starters compared to a .759 OPS against lefties. The Fish have won three in a row and I expect another victory in this one.

Rating: 2 Units

Angels left-hander Tyler Anderson (1-0, 5.26 ERA) opposes right-hander Tyler Wells (3-1, 2.68) in the matinee. Anderson won his first start of the season, throwing six shutout innings against the A's on April 2, but has had six no-decisions since. In those six games, his ERA is 6.25 and he has 17 walks to go along with 21 strikeouts in 31 2/3 innings, though his ERA over his past three outings is 3.06. Last time out, he allowed three runs on six hits in six innings against the Guardians. Anderson has never faced the Orioles. Wells, meanwhile, lost his first start of the season back on April 9. Since then, he is 3-0 with a 2.50 ERA in six starts, with 31 strikeouts in 36 innings while walking nine. In his last start, he tossed seven shutout innings in a win against the Pirates. Wells allowed just one hit while walking two and fanning eight. The eight strikeouts were a career high for the 28-year-old.

Rating: 2 Units

The current Astros are 11-for-29 with three doubles and two home runs against Drew Smyly. Jose Abreu, who went 2-for-3 with a couple of RBI last Monday, is 6-for-11 with two doubles and a home run versus Smyly. Although the Astros own a 91 wRC+ against the lefties in May, I think they can get to Smyly in this one. The Cubs, on the other side, sport an 88 wRC+ against the righties in May. They’ve never met J.P. France before, and Cody Bellinger’s eventual absence would be a huge blow for the Cubs on both sides of the ball. The Cubs’ bullpen has thrown a staggering 40.2 innings over the last ten days, posting an underwhelming 4.65 ERA, 4.51 FIP, and 6.4 K/9. On the other side, the Astros’ bullpen has tossed 27.2 frames in that span, tallying a 4.23 ERA, 2.47 FIP, and 11.7 K/9. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Angels will look to bounce back on Wednesday behind Griffin Canning (2-1, 6.38 ERA). The right-hander was ineffective in his latest start, when he allowed five runs on five hits with three strikeouts and a walk in just 3 2/3 innings in a 5-4 loss to the Houston Astros on May 10. He has a 10.38 ERA in two starts this month. Canning has struggled in three career appearances (two starts) against the Orioles, going 0-2 with a 14.46 ERA, eight strikeouts and seven walks in 9 1/3 innings. He was rocked for six runs on six hits in 2 2/3 innings the last time he faced Baltimore on July 2, 2021. The Orioles will hand the ball to right-hander Kyle Bradish (1-1, 4.56 ERA), who will be facing the Angels for the first time. Bradish is coming off one of his best starts of the season. He held the Pittsburgh Pirates to an unearned run on three hits with six strikeouts and a walk in six innings during a no-decision on Friday.

Rating: 2 Units

The Tigers are 4-0 in their last four vs. a team with a winning record and 6-0 in their last six interleague home games. The Pirates are 11-29 in their last 40 interleague road games. Detroit is hitting much better against lefties (.249 BA/.309 OBP/.411 SLG/.719 OPS) than they are against righties (.226/.290/.339/.629), with better home splits than road splits. Detroit starter Rodriguez (4-2, 1.57 ERA) signed a five-year, $77 million contract with the Tigers as a free agent prior to last season. In his latest outing, Rodriguez limited the Cleveland Guardians to four hits and struck out eight in seven innings on May 10. Rodriguez will be opposed on Wednesday by 43-year-old left-hander Rich Hill (3-3, 4.35 ERA). After winning his last three starts in April, Hill is 0-1 with a no-decision in two May outings. He lasted just 3 2/3 innings at Colorado on May 10.

Rating: 2 Units

Bieber has been as reliable as it gets this year, surrendering three or fewer runs in all his starts. In his last outing, he didn't give up a run, and aside from a couple of long balls was on point in his previous start against the Yankees (two runs in eight innings). The 27-year-old was victorious in three of five outings vs. Chicago last season, holding the Southsiders to two or fewer runs in four of those appearances. He lasted six-plus innings in all five starts, including nine innings on July 12. The White Sox have worse splits against right-hand pitchers than lefties, including a .293 OBP, .378 SLG, and 24.2% K-rate.  They'll struggle to put enough runners on base to inflict any damage vs. Bieber,

Rating: 2 Units

Justin Steele is Chicago's win day, and he gets to face an offense that hasn't put things together at home this season. Steele should pitch six or seven strong innings before ceding to the bullpen. Christian Javier will probably have a solid start too, considering the Cubs are struggling offensively also, but should get outdueled by Steele. It's on the Cubs' bullpen to shut this down, and I think that they do. Roll with the away team, which has the starting pitcher and a batting order that's been better this season.

Rating: 2 Units

Baltimore starter, Dean Kremer has allowed just one run over 12 innings in his past two starts. Kremer has thrown five career scoreless innings vs. LA. It's Chase Silseth (3.24 ERA) for the Angels. He was solid in his first three relief appearances this year but was roughed up for six runs over 3.1 innings last time out. Silseth was 1-3 with a 6.59 ERA in seven starts as a rookie and allowed four earned over four at Camden Yards.

Rating: 2 Units

LA’s bullpen has gone 5-0 with five saves, 2.82 ERA, and 10.6 K/9 through the first 13 days in May (38.1 innings pitched). Over the last seven days, the Dodgers’ relievers have recorded a 3.48 ERA and 3.39 FIP, whereas the Twins’ bullpen has posted a 4.66 ERA and 5.67 FIP in that span. The current Dodgers are 23-for-70 with six doubles and a pair of home runs against Pablo Lopez. Freddie Freeman is 11-for-33 versus Lopez, and Will Smith is 2-for-5 with a home run. Los Angeles owns a .244/.337/.463 triple-slash and 121 OPS+ against the righties in 2023. The Dodgers aim for their 11th straight victory over the Twins. Last year, the Blue Crew went 4-0 against Minnesota.

Rating: 2 Units

There is no escaping the fact that the Athletics are going to take their lumps this season with a transitioning roster and suspect pitching. Oakland has actually been worse at home than on the road with just four wins heading into their series finale with Texas. Muller has been slightly more effective at home, taking advantage of ample foul territory that has proven to be somewhat of a saving grace for Oakland's pitchers. However, he still owns a hard-hit percentage of nearly 50% and has had trouble putting batters away this season with a marginal strikeout percentage of just 14%. Kelly, meanwhile, has been an outstanding road pitcher this season with an ERA just north of a run per game. He faces an Oakland lineup that is hitting just .214 at home this season. Meanwhile, as a team, the Diamondbacks are hitting .266 against lefties this season.

Rating: 2 Units

Neither offense is trustworthy enough to expect this game to reach double-digit runs, especially not in a pitcher's park. Kansas City has been hot lately, but even with a great start to May are 23rd in runs per game this season. San Diego has elite bats at the top of the order, but is 28th in runs per game this year. The Padres are averaging under three runs per game over their last eight played too. This isn't a game that will be advertised as a pitcher's duel, but they should fare better than the offenses in this one. Roll with the under between two underwhelming offenses.

Rating: 2 Units

Flaherty is 3-7 with a 4.92 ERA in 17 career games against the Brewers, including 16 starts. Christian Yelich has a career .905 OPS against Flaherty -- and overall he has a .348/.400/.630 slash line in his last 12 games and three homers in the last two. The Brewers started the month 2-7 before sweeping the Royals. Freddy Peralta (4-2, 3.32 ERA) will draw Monday's start for the Brewers. He brings a string of three straight quality starts into this game, including his 9-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in his last start. On April 9, Peralta earned a 6-1 victory over the Cardinals while holding them to one run on four hits in six innings.

Rating: 2 Units

San Francisco will try to even the series today with an experienced starter who has had success against the Diamondbacks. Giants right-hander Logan Webb (3-5, 3.46 ERA this season) is 3-2 with a 2.65 ERA in six career starts against them. He has 34 strikeouts, with nine walks, in 34 innings. Webb will oppose Arizona right-hander Brandon Pfaadt (0-1, 12.10) on Sunday. Pfaadt, a fifth-round draft choice in 2020, has allowed six home runs in the first two starts of his career. He gave up four home runs against the Texas Rangers on the road in his major-league debut May 3, but the Diamondbacks rallied to win 12-7. Jorge Soler of the Miami Marlins hit two home runs against him in Arizona's 6-2 loss Tuesday in Phoenix. Pfaadt, whose fastball has been clocked as fast as 95 mph, has allowed 13 earned runs in 9 2/3 innings. He has as many home runs allowed (six) as he does strikeouts. The Giants are 5-1 in their last six games with the total set at 7.0-8.5 and 5-2 in their last seven vs. a team with a winning record. The Diamondbacks are 3-9 in their last 12 home games with the total set at 7.0-8.5.

Rating: 2 Units

While the A’s managed to come through with the victory in the second game of the series on Friday night, projecting them to have that kind of power surge again is likely foolhardy. You can’t expect the A’s to put up nine runs or hit four homers in a contest with any regularity as they have struggled offensively all season, especially at home. Texas is one of the deepest lineups in the league and they are a dangerous team offensively. Heaney hasn’t been great on the mound but he is clearly better than Rucinski. Look for the Rangers’ bats to do their job and the A’s to wilt in clutch situations, giving Texas the upper hand on getaway day.

Rating: 2 Units

The Angels are 7-1 in their last eight vs. a team with a losing record. The Guardians are 0-4 in their last four home games vs. a left-handed starter and 1-11 in their last 12 overall vs. a lefty starter. Cleveland is also 1-5 in its last six games with the total set at 9.0-10.5.  The Guardians are hitting .220 with a .295 OBP against Southpaws, and Sandoval pitched well against them last season, surrendering two earned runs in two starts (12.1 IP), fanning 12 batters, and picking up a win. The Angels have solid splits in day games (.265 BA/.341 OBP/.435 SLG/.777 OPS) and on the road (.259/.330/.381/.711) this season and 5-0 in their last five games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.

Rating: 2 Units

Baltimore pitches better at home and gets to face an ice-cold Pirates offense. Tyler Wells is their top starter and has not lost since April 9. In five starts since then, he is 2-0 with a 3.10 ERA, 23 strikeouts and seven walks. Wells settled for a no-decision against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday after allowing one run on three hits over five innings. The Orioles' bullpen is one of the hardest to score on at any venue. Pittsburgh's starter, Roansy Contreras, has been rocky in May allowing nine earned runs in 10 1/3 innings over his past two starts overall. He surrendered five runs on nine hits in five innings of a 10-1 setback to the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday.

Rating: 2 Units

The Red Sox have won nine of their last 11 games and six of their last seven home games. They are playing well offensively at home, scoring 26 runs in their last three home games. They will continue playing well offensively in this game because they hit the ball well against left-handers and Matz hasn’t looked good on the mound this season, especially on the road where he has given up six runs in two starts. He gave up 10 runs in his last three starts against the Red Sox and will have a hard time slowing them down in this game. The Cardinals have lost seven of their last 10 road games. Sale has done a good job on the mound at home for Boston, giving up two runs in two home starts. He gave up one run in his lone start against the Cardinals and will keep their offense in check once again. Go with Boston to cover the money line.

Rating: 2 Units

The A’s are arguably the worst team in baseball. Their pitching has been abysmal, they can’t hit, their fielding is mediocre and their fans don’t even bother to show up. Oakland has turned its back on the franchise, much like the A’s have seemingly turned their backs on competent baseball. Oakland starter, Sears has decent peripherals when it comes to WHIP along with K:BB ratio but giving up 10 homers is a major problem. That’s an average of 2.4 long balls per nine innings and opposing hitters are posting a robust .300 with runners in scoring position against him. Those aren’t the numbers you want to have when you’re facing a Texas team that piles up runs by the truckload. Give the Rangers the upper hand in this contest as they earn the victory behind Gray.

Rating: 2 Units

The worst pitching staff meets the highest scoring offense in baseball, so I’m not going to overthink this game at all. Give me the Rangers. Texas left-hander Martin Perez (4-1, 3.86 ERA) will try to keep the good times rolling even though he is coming off his worst performance of the season -- seven runs in 3 2/3 innings against the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday. However, only his stats were negatively affected as the Rangers powered to a 16-8 win. Perez pitched much better -- one run in six innings -- but likewise got more than ample offensive support in a 15-2 win over the New York Yankees in his previous start. The 32-year-old veteran owns a 9-7 record with a 4.46 ERA in 22 games (21 starts) vs. Oakland. The  A’s are just 6-for-32 with a pair of doubles against Martin Perez. Texas holds a 118 OPS+ against the left-handed pitchers in 2023, and the current Rangers are 7-for-22 with five doubles and a home run against Ken Waldichuk. 

Rating: 2 Units

The White Sox have had their struggles when it comes to getting decent pitching this season. Lynn has been bad, Kopech has been obliterated by the long ball and Dylan Cease sports a 5.58 ERA after eight starts this season. Throw in that they’ve had major issues putting runs on the board as key contributors are having miserable starts to the year and it’s easy to see why the team is well below the .500 mark on the season.  J.P. France, a 28-year-old rookie right-hander, is set to make his second career start for Houston today. France (0-0, 0.00 ERA) took a no-decision in his major league debut at Seattle on Saturday, spacing three hits, one walk and five strikeouts in five scoreless innings. Right-hander Michael Kopech (1-3, 5.97 ERA) gets the call for Chicago. Kopech earned his first victory of the season on Sunday in Cincinnati, overcoming four solo home runs by the Reds in six innings during a 17-4 White Sox romp. Kopech is 0-2 with a 5.25 ERA in three career appearances against Houston, including two starts, with seven strikeouts in 12 innings. 

Rating: 2 Units

While the Pirates aren't hitting, they also are not pitching well, either. During a 1-5 homestand, Pittsburgh starters fashioned a 6.75 ERA in the five losses, and relievers compiled a 5.14 mark Pittsburgh will turn to right-hander Johan Oviedo (2-3, 5.59 ERA) in the opener of the series. Oviedo is 0-2 with a 12.08 ERA in his past three starts, allowing 17 earned runs in 12 2/3 innings. He has struck out eight and walked seven during that stretch. Last time out, Oviedo allowed seven runs -- six earned -- on 10 hits in five innings of a loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. He has never faced the Orioles, who will counter with right-hander Kyle Bradish (1-1, 5.95). 

Rating: 2 Units

The Yankees are playing their best baseball in nearly a month and have scored nearly 30 runs over the last three games. The return of Aaron Judge to the lineup has paid immediate dividends. German has pitched well at home, with an ERA a run lower at Yankee Stadium compared to the road. He kept the Rays in check last week at Tampa, allowing just four hits in 5+ innings of work. Rasmussen has pitched well also but I like the Yankees in this spot coming off a much easier series with the A's compared with the Rays tough three-game set with Baltimore.

Rating: 2 Units

Both pitchers have been hammered in their recent outings with Clevenger sporting an ERA north of six in his last three outings while Singer is just shy of a double-digit ERA in that stretch. It’s tough to get an accurate read on what to expect from Singer, who has seen his career ERA jump half a run at Kauffman Stadium in just his last three starts. This season, Singer is a miserable 1-3 with a 9.00 ERA, a 1.74 WHIP and has allowed five homers in 19 innings of work in his outings at Kauffman Stadium. Clevinger has been tremendous against the Royals in his career posting a 9-0 record and 1.98 ERA, and with Kansas City struggling to put runs on the board, you have to give the slight edge to the visitors here on getaway day.

Rating: 2 Units

The Minnesota Twins will try to earn a fifth series win in their six home set this season this afternoon when they face the San Diego Padres in the rubber game of a three-game series at Minneapolis. Right-hander Bailey Ober (2-0, 0.98 ERA) will make his fourth start of the season and first of his career against the Padres. The Padres have struggled against right-handers this season and Ober has been great on the mound so far, giving up two runs in three starts. Minnesota bounced back from a 6-1 loss to San Diego in the Tuesday series opener by winning 4-3 in 11 innings on Wednesday. San Diego right-hander Yu Darvish (2-2, 3.19 ERA), who is 1-2 with a 2.73 ERA in four career starts against the Twins, gets the start today.

Rating: 2 Units

Montgomery has pitched well, though his record doesn’t indicate it. The fact that the Redbirds have been blanked in three of his seven starts hasn’t helped matters for him. We’ve seen the Cardinals have a major inconsistency when it comes to generating offensive production. That will be a problem against Cubs starter Steele (5-0, 1.45 ERA) who made a name for himself with a 3.18 ERA in 2022 -- his first full season as a starter -- he's been one the majors' best in 2023. The left-hander leads the National League in ERA, and after allowing one run with six hits and no walks in seven innings of Friday's 4-1 home victory over Miami, he tied Jake Arrieta's Cubs' record of yielding two or fewer earned runs in 14 consecutive starts. Steele is 6-1 with a 1.24 ERA during those last 14 outings.

Rating: 2 Units

Right-hander Merrill Kelly (3-3, 2.75 ERA) will start for Arizona Today. After taking losses in each of his first three home starts this season. Twelve is the same number of strikeouts Kelly has thrown in his three career starts against Miami combined, with four in each game. Kelly has found his form. Last Friday, he struck out 10 Nationals while allowing one run over seven innings, dropping his ERA to2.75. Over his last 13 innings, Kelly has fanned 15 and walked two. The 10 strikeouts were his most since recording 12 in a May 2021 meeting with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Miami's starter today, Edward Cabrera (2-3, 4.78 ERA), is after his first road win of 2023. Each of Cabrera's three losses this season have been away from home, including his most recent start: a 4-1 loss to the Cubs on Friday in which he struck out eight and gave up three runs in five innings.

Rating: 2 Units

Colorado has won six of its last eight and the Rockies are 5-1 in the last 6 when playing against a team with a winning record. Pittsburgh has stumbled a bit of late losing seven of its last eight and the Pirates have struggled against right-handed starting pitching, losing each of the last five in that situation. Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Antonio Senzatela has had just one start after opening the season on the injury list. The right-hander gave up just three hits and one run in five innings last Friday in a 1-0 loss to the New York Mets. Senzatela had command of all of his pitches through five innings but did not receive any run support from teammates. Pittsburgh's Rich Hill is coming off a poor outing in which the veteran left-hander allowed eight hits and four runs in 5 ⅓ innings with Pittsburgh losing 4-0 to Toronto last Friday.

Rating: 2 Units

Lucas Giolito (1-2, 3.67 ERA) will attempt to get the White Sox's rotation back on track today when he goes up against Jordan Lyles (0-5, 6.69) in a battle of right-handers. Giolito is 9-5 with a 3.67 ERA in 20 career starts versus the Royals. Lyles is 1-3 with a 4.55 ERA in seven lifetime appearances (five starts) against Chicago. Today's pitchers are trending in opposite directions. Giolito is coming off a stellar seven-inning performance in which he allowed just one run on two hits against the Minnesota Twins on Thursday. Lyles has failed to hold a team under seven runs in each of his past two outings. In his most recent start -- a no-decision against the Baltimore Orioles last Thursday -- Lyles gave up eight runs (six earned) on six hits in five innings.  The Royals have lost five of their last six games and 10 of their last 11 home games.

Rating: 2 Units

The San Diego Padres have posted a 10-6 record in their last 16 games and have won six of their last nine road contests. The Minnesota Twins have been inconsistent recently and have only won two of their last six contests after a series loss in Cleveland. The Padres have Michael Wacha on the mound today. The veteran just tossed six shutout innings against the Reds. He silenced Minnesota last season, limiting them to only two runs in 11 innings. The Padres' pitching has been stellar, conceding three or fewer runs in five of their last six games. Twins’ rookie starter Louie Varland is a pitcher the Padres should hit. Varland struggled in his two outings this season, conceding seven runs including four home runs in only 10.2 innings. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Rays, who are seeking their 10th win in their past 12 games, will look to take the three-game series behind Zach Eflin (4-0, 2.25 ERA) today. The right-hander allowed just three hits to go along with 10 strikeouts and no walks over seven innings of a 3-2 win over the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates last Thursday. Orioles’ starter Grayson Rodriguez is a promising rookie but is still learning the art of pitching. He has squandered at least four runs in three of his five outings and just gave up six runs to the Royals last time out, plummeting his ERA to 5.46. The Rays have won eight of their last ten games including a 3-0 win on Monday.

Rating: 2 Units

Dylan Cease (2-1, 4.58 ERA) will take the mound for Chicago, opposing Zack Greinke (1-4, 5.25) in a battle of right-handers. Cease went five innings in his most recent outing, when he allowed four runs on five hits with six strikeouts and four walks in a no-decision against the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday. In 12 career starts against the Royals, Cease is 4-3 with a 2.58 ERA. Salvador Perez and Hunter Dozier have seen Cease the most, but the duo has struggled against the right-hander, combining to strike out 20 times in 45 at-bats. Greinke is coming off his first win of the season. He needed just 44 pitches to complete five scoreless innings against the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday. Greinke allowed three hits, struck out three and did not issue a walk. The 20-year veteran has a lengthy history against Chicago, going 10-10 with a 3.81 ERA over 31 career appearances (28 starts).

Rating: 2 Units

The Rays will open the series with left-hander Shane McClanahan (6-0, 2.03 ERA), who has been among the best pitchers in the majors. He gave up a run on five hits and two walks with nine strikeouts in six innings during an 8-1 win over the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday. Tampa Bay has won each of McClanahan's seven starts this season, as he has yielded two runs or fewer while pitching at least five innings in all seven outings. McClanahan has been dominant against the Orioles throughout his career: 5-0 with a 2.45 ERA with 45 strikeouts against just nine walks in seven starts spanning 40 1/3 innings dating back to 2021. The Orioles will counter right right-hander Kyle Gibson (4-1, 4.61 ERA). Gibson is coming off his worst start of the year, when he allowed six runs on 10 hits with no strikeouts and no walks over 6 2/3 innings in a 6-0 loss to the host Kansas City Royals on Wednesday.

Rating: 2 Units

Colorado struggles on the road, losing 65 of its last 94 away from Coors Field and when facing a team with a winning record, Colorado has lost 93 of its last 135 on the road. Pittsburgh has won six of its last eight played at home and the Pirates have won four of the last five at home when facing a left-handed starting pitcher. Colorado starting pitcher Kyle Freeman was roughed up on April 17 by the Pittsburgh Pirates, allowing eight hits and nine runs over just 2 ⅔ innings with Colorado losing to Pittsburgh 14-3. In contrast, Pittsburgh starting pitcher Mitch Keller has had three consecutive strong outings, allowing just 14 hits and five runs in 17 innings with 23 strikeouts and just three walks. Pittsburgh swept Colorado in a three-game series earlier this season when the two met for the first time.

Rating: 2 Units

The White Sox have hit the ball well over the last few games but will have a tough assignment against Graham Ashcraft. They’ve never met him before, and Ashcraft has been outstanding so far this season. On the other side, it’s hard to trust Michael Kopech to string a couple of strong outings. He ranks in the 1st percentile in barrel percentage and the 3rd percentile in expected slugging percentage, so I’m going with the Reds, who are 4-2 in Ashcraft’s six starts this season. 

Rating: 2 Units

Alcantara (1-3, 5.09 ERA) dazzled in 2022, throwing six complete games while going 14-9 in 32 starts with 207 strikeouts and a 2.28 ERA. However, that success has yet to carry over to 2023, where he's yielded at least three earned runs in four of his six starts, completed six or more innings just twice and fanned more than six only once. The right-hander hasn't faced the Cubs since he yielded an Ian Happ homer, two other hits and overcame three walks over 6 2/3 innings of Miami's 5-1 road victory in Game 1 of the 2020 NL Wild Card series. Including the postseason, Happ is 2-for-4 versus Alcantara, who's now saddled with trying to help the Marlins end their longest slide of 2023. Since sweeping a three-game home set from the Cubs last weekend, Miami has been outscored 34-12 in five games since. Hayden Wesneski (2-1, 4.45) eyes a third straight solid start when he takes the ball for Chicago on Sunday. The right-hander has allowed a lone run in each of his last two outings while giving up a total of nine hits and just one walk over 11 innings. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Yankees have Gerrit Cole on the mound. Cole has been one of the best starting pitchers in the big leagues this season, ranking 2nd in ERA. The ace has allowed either zero or one run in five of his seven outings. Cole completely dominated the Rays last season, limiting them to only three runs in four starts spanning 25.1 innings, which equates to a minuscule 1.07 ERA. The Rays will have Josh Fleming on the hill after opener Javy Guerra. Fleming doesn’t strike out many batters and that plays to the Yankees' advantage considering they don't strike out a lot.  The Yankees have been a sure thing with Cole on the mound this season, winning in all seven of his starts. 

Rating: 2 Units

Toronto is expected to start right-hander Jose Berrios (2-3, 5.29 ERA), with Pittsburgh going with right-hander Johan Oviedo (2-2, 4.78 ERA). Berrios, in his most recent outing, gave up five runs and 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings Monday against Boston without getting a decision. He had given up just three runs total over his previous three starts. Berrios is 1-0 with a 3.72 ERA in two career starts against the Pirates. Oviedo took the loss Sunday at Washington when he gave up seven runs and nine hits in 2 1/3 innings -- all season worsts. Pittsburgh has been a nice start to the year but one has to wonder how their pitching will hold up as things go forward. It’s hard enough relying on guys like Rich Hill and Velasquez: it can be more complicated when a guy like that hits the shelf, forcing you even further into your pitching depth.

Rating: 2 Units

The Yankees are having a hard time generating runs without their two big power threats Judge and Stanton. Overall, the Yankees are just 24th in runs scored in baseball while the Rays are first. German also sports an ERA north of six on the road and has given up seven home runs this season. That doesn't bode well when playing a Rays' team that is first in baseball in home runs in 2023. As a team, the Rays are hitting .263 at home and slugging .570. Tampa Bay will give the ball to right-hander Drew Rasmussen (3-2, 3.66 ERA) today. Rasmussen has made two career appearances (one start) against the Yankees and has gone 1-0 and without allowing a run in 8 1/3 innings. In head-to-head matchups, Rasmussen has fanned 13 and not walked a batter. Expect the Rays' offense to carry the day and Rasmussen to hold New York's struggling lineup at bay to pick up a win.

Rating: 2 Units

Drew Smyly (3-1, 2.83 ERA) is slated to take the mound for the Cubs on Saturday. The left-hander yielded just a second-inning homer and five other hits without a walk while lasting seven innings in Monday's 5-1 victory at Washington. It was Smyly's fifth straight start allowing two or fewer earned runs, and he is 4-1 with a 2.37 ERA in six appearances (including five starts) against the Marlins. Schumaker is scheduled to hand the ball to right-hander Bryan Hoeing (0-1, 6.23 ERA)and hasn't shown he can carry a team to victory. 

Rating: 2 Units

Since ousting the Dodgers in the 2022 NLDS, the Padres signed free agents Xander Bogaerts, Nelson Cruz, Matt Carpenter and Seth Lugo and regained the services of Fernando Tatis Jr. -- adding to roster that already included Manny Machado, Juan Soto, Josh Hader, Darvish and Musgrove. The Padres' payroll this season is $249 million -- more than $26 million higher than the Dodgers'. But the Dodgers are still the defending champs of the National League West and they were 14-5 against the Padres during the regular season. They have won the season series against the Padres for 12 straight seasons -- with a 144-73 edge during the run. And the 35-year-old Kershaw is pitching like the Kershaw of his prime. In addition to leading the National League in wins with an ERA under two, the three-time Cy Young Award winner has a 0.763 WHIP and a .175 opponents' batting average. Kershaw, who earlier this season reaching the 200-win plateau -- has given up 11 runs (eight earned) on 24 hits and five walks with 41 strikeouts in 38 innings. During his career, Kershaw is 23-9 with a 2.03 ERA in 45 starts against San Diego with 310 strikeouts in 292 innings. And he is 11-4 with a 1.87 ERA in 20 career starts at Petco Park. Darvish is 3-5 lifetime against the Dodgers with a 2.47 ERA, 82 strikeouts and 17 walks in 62 innings over 10 starts. 

Rating: 2 Units

In today's series opener, Minnesota will start right-hander Bailey Ober (1-0, 1.59 ERA) and Cleveland will go with 25-year-old rookie righty Peyton Battenfield (0-2, 4.67). Last Saturday, the 6-foot-9 Ober returned to the Twins' rotation for his second start of the year and held the Kansas City Royals to one run in 5 2/3 innings with six strikeouts. Cleveland ranks only 14th in the American League with 116 runs scored while the Twins are scoring more (147 runs, seventh in AL) than Cleveland. The Twins' defense has also been a little better.

Rating: 2 Units

Philadelphia ace Zack Wheeler (3-1, 3.86 ERA) will get the start. The right-hander dazzled in his previous outing last Friday in Houston, fanning seven batters through six scoreless innings in a 6-1 win. Boston's bats have been hot, though, as the Red Sox have won six straight, tallying at least six runs in each contest. They are coming off a dominating 11-5 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday to complete a four-game sweep. The Red Sox have great splits versus right-handers (.274 BA/.341 OBP/.474 SLG/.815 OPS), including 33 homers, 46 doubles, and 129 RBI. 4-1 in their last five road games vs. a team with a losing record and 7-3 in their last ten vs. a right-handed starter. The Red Sox will also have their ace on the mound as left-hander Chris Sale (2-2, 6.75) will be aiming to deliver another stellar start after his vintage outing against the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday. The 34-year-old allowed just one run on three hits over 6 1/3 innings against Cleveland in a 7-1 victory.

Rating: 2 Units

The Athletics have lost six of their last seven games and nine of their last 10 home games. They have struggled offensively and scored only eight runs in their last three games. Their offensive struggles will continue in this game because they have struggled against right-handed pitchers this season and Kirby has done a good job on the mound for the Mariners, especially on the road where he has given up only two runs in two starts. He gave up six runs in his last three starts against the Athletics and with Seattle having the fourth-best bullpen in the league, they won’t have trouble keeping Oakland’s offense in check. The Mariners also struggled in recent games, but they’ve won two of their last three road games. They are playing well offensively, scoring 12 runs in their last three road games. Expect them to play well offensively in this game because Rucinski didn’t look good in his first start of the season, giving up five runs in that game. With the Athletics also having the worst bullpen in the league, they will have a hard time slowing down the Mariners in this game. Go with Seattle to cover the run line.

Rating: 2 Units

Brewers’ lefty starter Wade Miley has been incredible, limiting his opponent to two or fewer runs in all but one start this season and is sporting a minuscule 1.86 ERA. The Rockies struggle against lefties, posting a subpar .652 OPS against lefties compared to a .713 against righties. Also, the Rockies are dealing with several injuries to the starting pitching staff and are starting Connor Seabold who has pitched out of the pen. The young right-hander has struggled, reporting an abysmal 8.49 ERA and a 1.97 WHIP in his 35 career innings in the Major Leagues. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Orioles aim to reignite their offense against Jordan Lyles (0-5, 6.11 ERA), who gets the start for the Royals in the series finale. The right-hander Lyles seeks his first win of 2023, returning to the mound from his worst start of the campaign. He lasted only four innings last Friday, walking four and giving up seven earned runs at Minnesota. Lyles' ERA jumped from 4.88 to 6.11 with the poor start. Thursday is Lyles' first appearance at home since he pitched a season-high eight innings in a 4-0 loss to Texas on April 17. Lyles last faced Baltimore as a member of the Rangers, going 6 2/3 innings with four strikeouts and three earned runs in September 2021. Grayson Rodriguez (1-0, 4.07) takes the mound for Baltimore, coming off scoring his first career win in a nine-strikeout, two-hit performance last Saturday at Detroit. Rodriguez has gone his last two starts, both against the Tigers, without giving up a run. The rookie right-hander has 34 strikeouts on the season, with at least six in each of his last four appearances.

Rating: 2 Units

The Brewers own a 70 OPS+ against the left-handed pitchers in 2023, and I’m expecting them to continue to struggle against Kyle Freeland. On the other side, Eric Lauer will have a tall task to keep the Rockies quiet, and given his awful displays at Coors Field in the past. Lauer is 1-5 with an 8.39 ERA in 11 career starts against the Rockies, and the numbers get worse in Denver. Six of his starts have come there, where he is 0-5 with a bloated 15.91 ERA. Freeland pitched relatively well in his last start against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday but was tagged with the loss despite having a quality start. He is 3-2 with a 2.32 ERA in five career starts against the Brewers.

Rating: 2 Units

Baltimore, which has won all 10 of its series openers this season, looks to capture its seventh consecutive series today when the Orioles send veteran right-hander Kyle Gibson (4-0, 3.93 ERA) to the mound. Gibson has a long history against the Royals, including making his major league debut versus Kansas City and building a 10-5 record and 3.79 ERA over 26 games, including 24 starts. He hasn't lost to the Royals since 2018, winning four straight with three different clubs. His most recent decision versus Kansas City came in 2021, when he had 10 strikeouts over seven shutout innings for the Texas Rangers. Right-hander Zack Greinke (0-4, 6.10) will start on Wednesday for Kansas City. Greinke's 2023 starts have been progressively worse. He surrendered seven runs over 3 2/3 innings-- his most since May 23 of last year -- in a 7-1 loss to the Minnesota Twins.

Rating: 2 Units

The Cleveland Guardians have Shane Bieber on the mound. The ace already pitched against the Yankees this season and was outstanding, limiting them to only two runs in seven innings in a 3-2 victory. Bieber has actually been more effective on the road this season where he is sporting a 2.88 ERA in four starts. Yankees’ starter Clarke Schmidt can’t be relied on. The young right-hander just allowed five runs against the Rangers on the weekend and Cleveland recently scored four runs in three innings against Schmidt last month. Schmidt took a loss in his most recent start, when he gave up five runs on 10 hits over five innings as the Yankees fell 5-2 to the Rangers on Friday. He is 0-0 with a 7.50 ERA in two career regular-season games (one start) against the Guardians. He also went 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in two relief appearances against Cleveland. The Yankees are struggling, dropping seven of their last ten games including a 3-2 loss in Monday's series opener.