Rating: 2 Units

This game could get real ugly, real quick. Keuchel has been a disaster as the former Cy Young Award winner has struggled mightily, bouncing around to three different teams this season alone. He got pummeled in his last start and has an ERA over 8. Against a hard hitting Red Sox lineup, filled with right handed power, he won't last long.

Rating: 2 Units

The Mariners continue to be one of the hottest teams in the majors, winning six of their last seven games. They are coming off a series sweep over Detroit and just won three out of four against Cleveland last weekend. Castillo has been on fire since joining the Seattle rotation, and he has now posted a 2.85 ERA this year. Plesac continues to struggle for Cleveland

Rating: 2 Units

With the way these two teams are playing right now, I have to go with the Rays. Domingo German does not have a great track record against Tampa Bay, and the Yankees have also dropped 11 of their last 12 games against teams with a winning record. The Rays' offense has come alive recently, and their pitching and defense has been getting the job done as well. The Rays are a hard team to go against right now, and the Yankees are hard to trust. Go with Tampa Bay.

Rating: 2 Units

At home this season, the Red Sox are 31-34 while the Rangers are 30-33 on the road. While both pitchers are pitching well at the moment, Hill has struggled with an ERA over 5.00 at Fenway Park this season. Meanwhile, Otto has an ERA of 3.53 on the road this season. Boston has not been the dominant home team they have been in the past and have struggled against right-handers this season, going just 44-58. The Rangers are 22-19 vs. left-handed pitching this season which should give them another edge in this matchup. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Dodgers will have Clayton Kershaw make his return from the IL on Thursday. Kershaw last pitched on August 4th, allowing two runs (one earned) in four innings against the Giants, and finished with a no-decision. The southpaw has been on the IL a few times this season but is having another fine year, recording a 2.64 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP accompanied by a 7-3 record in 85.1 innings pitched. Kershaw has completely dominated the Mets in his career, amassing a 2.19 ERA and a 10-0 record. 

Rating 2 units

Eduardo Rodriguez gets the start for the Tigers on Thursday. Rodriguez, a left-hander, is 3-3 on the season with an ERA of 3.60 in 10 starts. He has 41 strikeouts and 23 walks in 50 innings pitched. He got a win in his last start, an 11-2 victory over the Rangers. Rodriguez allowed just 1 run on 6 hits in 6 innings with 2 strikeouts and 3 walks. In his last five starts versus the Mariners, Rodriguez is 3-1 with an ERA of 1.82, allowing 5 runs in 24.2 innings with 18 strikeouts and 15 walks. The Tigers have a team ERA of 4.03, which ranks 19th in the league. The bullpen has an ERA of 3.39, which is tied for 8th in baseball.

Rating: 2 Units

Tyler Alexander will take the mound for his 21st appearance for the Tigers and 11th start, having gone 3-8 with a 4.83 ERA over 63.1 total innings. The 28-year-old was shelled by the Texas Rangers last Friday, allowing seven runs on eight hits and three walks in just three innings, walking one.  Marco Gonzales will be on the mound for Seattle for the 26th time, looking to follow up a brilliant outing as he held the Cleveland Guardians to one run on four hits and one walk over six innings on Thursday, striking out four in a win. The 30-year-old has been solid this year, going 9-12 with a 3.97 ERA over 140.2 total innings.

Rating: 2 Units

Drew Rasmussen has been on fire as of late, as he will be able to keep the Marlins off the base paths and the scoreboard for the first four or five innings of this game. He is currently 9-4 with a 2.77 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. He has also won four straight games, as he is on fire right now. Miami is also only hitting .198 against RHP in their last 10 games played. 

Rating:  2 Units

Left-handed pitcher Alex Wood is going to start for San Francisco in this game. He allowed eight earned runs on six hits and no walks while striking out four across three innings against Minnesota last week. Wood has allowed six-plus runs in three of his five appearances this month, posting an 8.53 ERA in August. He is 8-11 with a 5.00 ERA overall this season.  San Diego has won eight of the last 11 meetings between these teams 

Rating: 2 Units

The Astros are dominating the Rangers this season, winning 10 of the 14 meetings. Texas continues to struggle. They just lost two of three against the Tigers and the pitching continues to be a total disaster, allowing a stunning 26 runs in their last three games. Astros’ starter Framber Valdez has been spectacular against Texas this season, limiting them to only two runs in 20.2 innings. He also features a stifling 1.98 ERA this month. Texas has only averaged 3.21 runs against the Astros this season and I definitely can’t see them breaking out at the plate considering Valdez’s dominance. 

Rating: 2 Units

Taijuan Walker takes the hill for the Mets as he logs his 23rd start of the season in this contest. He comes in 10-3 with a 3.38 ERA, a 1.202 WHIP, 35 walks and 88 strikeouts over 117.1 innings of work on the year. Walker didn’t factor in the decision in his last start, which came last Tuesday on the road against the Yankees. He threw five innings, allowing two runs on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts in a game the Mets eventually dropped 4-2. In his last three starts, Walker is 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA, a 1.31 WHIP, seven walks and eight strikeouts over 13 innings of work. Walker makes his 11th career start against the Dodgers in this contest. He is 3-3 with a 4.25 ERA, a 1.321 WHIP, 18 walks and 48 strikeouts over 53 innings of work against them. Walker has an 8-5 record, a 3.34 ERA, a 1.087 WHIP, 44 walks and 125 strikeouts over 145.1 innings in 26 career appearances, 25 starts, at Citi Field.

Rating: 2 Units

Cleveland has been installed as the rightful favorite to win this game. The Guardians have quietly been one of the most consistent teams in the majors since the All-Star break, avoiding a series loss until last week against Seattle. They also have a sizeable pitching advantage on Tuesday night. Quantrill has been on fire in the month of August, posting three scoreless outings in his last four appearances. Watkins has only gone six innings in four of his 17 starts, which is going to put Baltimore’s bullpen in a tough spot. Cleveland has won six of the last seven head-to-head meetings between these teams.

Rating: 2 Units

Cardinals starting pitcher Miles Mikolas (10-10, 3.35 ERA) will try to rebound from his 7-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs in his last outing. He allowed five runs (three earned) on six hits in 6 2/3 in innings. Mikolas is 1-1 with a 5.25 ERA against the Reds this season and 3-4 with a 5.37 ERA in 14 career outings against them, including 12 starts. Jonathan India (3-for-8, two homers, three RBIs) and Colin Moran (8-for-29, two doubles, homer, four RBIs) have hit well against Mikolas. Reds are expected to give veteran Chase Anderson his first major league start this season. Anderson was 7-3 with a 4.50 ERA in 27 games, including 16 starts, with the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens and Double-A Durham Bulls this season.

Rating: 2 Units

Dylan Bundy will toe the rubber for Minnesota to start this three-game set. He has been solid over his last five starts, going 1-2 but with an impressive 2.96 ERA. He has allowed just 16 hits in 24.1 innings pitched over that stretch. He is 1-0 with a 1.96 ERA against the Red Sox this season.

Rating: 2 Units

Dylan Cease will make his 26th start of the campaign, hoping to continue a historically good run as he's 12-6 with a 2.27 ERA and 182 strikeouts across 139 innings. Cease has been terrific all season and gives them some value in thus matchup. Just about the only strength for Arizona has been parts of the starting rotation, but Davies will have too much trouble matching zeros with Cease, and the White Sox still have more talent than their record might indicate.

Rating: 2 Units

Castillo has pitched very well since coming over from Cincinnati and has one of the game's best put-away pitches in the game with his changeup. Plesac has really struggled as of late and could be in for a long night against Seattle's power hitting lineup. The Mariners are 54-39 against right-handed pitching this season and have traditionally been one of the better home teams in baseball. Cleveland has played very well but have had a hard time winning with Plesac on the hill. In his last ten starts, losing four out of his last five starts and scoring a total of 11 runs in those five starts.

Rating: 2 Units

Astros will be starting Jose Urquidy on the mound. He is currently 12-4 with a 3.63 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. Reaching base consistently against him has been difficult for his opponents, as he has looked great this season. Urquidy has also been incredible at home, as he is 5-2 with a 2.87 ERA. In his last start, he pitched for 7.0 innings and only allowed two earned runs against the Atlanta Braves. The Houston bullpen has also been one of the best in the MLB. They are allowing 3.01 runs per game, as this is the lowest bullpen ERA in the league.

Rating: 2 Units

The middle game of the series will feature a good pitching matchup. Angels right-hander Shohei Ohtani (10-8, 2.83 ERA) will start against Blue Jays right-hander Alek Manoah (12-6, 2.66) today. In two career outings against Toronto, Ohtani is 1-1 with a 5.25 ERA. He took a loss against the Blue Jays on May 26 when he allowed five runs in six innings, though he struck out 10. Manoah owns a 1-0 record and a 2.84 ERA in two career starts against the Angels. He allowed three runs (two earned) and fanned nine over six innings during a no-decision against Los Angeles on May 27.

Rating: 2 Units

Cueto has been on a roll in August, getting better with each start. He allowed three runs in his first outing in August (August 4), then allowed two earned runs on August 10, before allowing one earned run on August 15. He shut out Cleveland for 8.2 innings in his last outing. The right-hander has a 1.76 ERA in August, allowing six runs in 30.2 innings.

Rating: 2 Units

San Francisco starts left-hander Alex Wood, who is 8-10 with a 4.54 ERA in 24 starts. Wood was wracked by Colorado in his last start, giving up seven runs in 4.2 innings. He had given up six runs in 5.1 innings in his first start of the month, and has now allowed 16 runs in 22.1 innings in August. Minnesota starter, Ryan is 9-6 with a 3.86 ERA in 20 starts. He has allowed two earned runs in each of his last two starts and has given up two or fewer earned runs in seven of his last nine starts.

Rating: 2 Units

The Rangers have not been stellar at home this season, as the team has performed slightly better on the road with a 30-33 mark compared with just 27-34 at home. However, they will be welcoming a Detroit team that is just 19-42 away from home in 2022. The Rangers have also played very well behind Otto as of late. After losing seven straight games started by Otto, the Rangers have now won each of his last three starts. Those numbers have been helped by Otto's stats in the three games as he has allowed just three earned runs total in the three wins. The Tigers, meanwhile, have lost seven out of Alexander's last eight appearances on the season. Finally, Texas is 21-17 against southpaws this season so I expect a strong outing from the hot-hitting Rangers lineup.

Rating: 2 Units

Both pitchers have thrown well against the opposition in their career but that’s where the similarities end. Archer is barely averaging four innings a start on the year and that puts a lot of pressure on the Minnesota bullpen. The Twins placed Byron Buxton on the IL Tuesday, taking a key cog out of their lineup and making things more challenging offensively. We saw how the Astros shut down the Twins in the opener behind Verlander’s gem. Houston is coasting in the AL West and they have climbed past the Yankees in the race for home field advantage in the postseason. Garcia is the better pitcher and that, coupled with the game being at Minute Maid Park, gives the Astros the advantage on getaway day.

Rating: 2 Units

On the mound  tonight for Toronto will be Kevin Gausman. Gausman leads the team in strikeouts and is second in wins, ERA, quality starts and WAR. In his last five starts, Gausman is 2-2 in his last five starts with an ERA of 2.97. He has allowed 28 hits in 30.1 innings pitched and is striking out 9.79 batters per nine innings in this span. Against Boston this season, Gausman has been dominant. He is 3-0 in four starts with an ERA of 1.38. Boston's Crawford has been thrust into a starter's role that he doesn't appear to be quite ready for this season. In his last five starts, Crawford is 1-2 with a 6.15 ERA. He has allowed 28 hits in 26.1 innings pitched in that span and has given up six home runs in the five games. Crawford is 0-1 in one start against Toronto this season, allowing five hits in six innings pitched with an ERA of 4.50.

Rating: 2 Units

Right-handed pitcher Drew Rasmussen is going to start for Tampa Bay today. He allowed two runs on two hits and one walk across 5.2 innings against the Royals last Saturday. Rasmussen has been excellent at home this year, posting a 1.99 ERA and 0.75 WHIP in 58.2 innings. He came within three outs of throwing a perfect game two starts ago, with his first allowed hit being a double in the ninth inning.

Rating: 2 Units

The Cardinals send Miles Mikolas to the hill. The right-hander has accrued a dazzling 2.22 career ERA against the foes and the Cards have won in all three of his starts against the Cubs this season. The Cardinals’ bats will dazzle against Cubs’ starter Luke Farrell who is making his season debut. The right-hander struggled in Triple-A this season, amassing a poor 5.03 ERA and the Cards' offense should feast on him as a result.  The bats are hot and they love playing at Wrigley Field where they have scored 46 runs in their last eight games.

Rating: 2 Units

Boston has seen things fall apart and their chances of making the postseason are slim. Putting Nathan Eovaldi on the IL thins the rotation further than it was as Chris Sale barely pitched this season due to injury issues. Toronto has had their fair share of struggles but they have had Boston’s number this season, winning 10 of the first 13 matchups entering Tuesday night. The Blue Jays are still battling in the wild card picture and every win is important at this stage. Boston has fallen into the basement of the AL East and they have work to do if they have any prayer of making a move. With their struggles, you can’t back them, even at home.

Rating: 2 Units

Giolito has struggled most of the season and the White Sox have continued to underachieve given their expectations coming into the year. He was clobbered in his previous contest against Houston and has had issues against the Orioles in his career. Baltimore had their issues of late but they did get back in the win column on Sunday to stay in the thick of the wild card race. Watkins has been up and down of late but he pitched well in the tough loss to the Cubs in his last start. The Orioles play solid ball at home and with the issues Giolito has had, give the upper hand to the hosts in this contest as the Orioles earn the win.

Rating: 2 Units

Tony Gonsolin is lighting up every batting lineup in sight in recent outings. He has won in his last four straight starts, which all feed into his ridiculous 15-1 record. The 28-year-old righty is throwing a 2.12 ERA with 113 strikeouts to his name. That latter stat should be one of the scariest for the Brewers considering their averaging the fifth-most strikeouts so far this season. It could be a long and disappointing night for them if Gonsolin gets on a roll.

Rating: 2 Units

Toronto is also 9-1 in their last 10 games following a game off. Ross Stripling has pitched well in his last three post-All-Star games starts, posting a 2.45 ERA and 0.82 WHIP., allowing a home run in those games. Josh Winckowski has a 6.46 ERA since the All-Star break, having allowed six home runs while only recording 10 strikeouts in23.2 innings during the recent five-game stretch.

Rating: 2 Units

Wainwright was outstanding in his previous start, tossing seven shutout innings against the Rockies, and collected the win to improve his record to 9-8. The veteran right-hander continues to contain his foes, sporting a 2.33 ERA this month and has reported a 3.11 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP in 150.1 innings pitched on the season. Wainwright has held the Cubs to only two runs in 14 innings this season and is 18-13 with a 3.88 ERA in his career against the rivals. The Cardinals are taking control of the NL Central. They have built a large four-game lead ahead of the Brewers. The squad has won seven games overall including a series win against Milwaukee in that span. They issued the three-game sweep in Arizona last weekend, scoring 27 runs.

Rating: 2 Units

Trade acquisition Jordan Montgomery will make his 25th start overall and fourth in a Cardinals uniform, hoping to continue a solid season as he's 6-3 with a 3.29 ERA across 131.1 innings. The 29-year-old has been great since joining the Cardinals, and beat the Colorado Rockies with 5.2 innings of one-run ball, allowing six hits and no walks while piling up eight strikeouts. Chicago's offense is in the bottom 10 at 4.21 runs per game despite posting an above average .713 OPS as a team. It hasn't gone as well for the pitching staff, which owns a 4.21 ERA including a mark of 3.98 out of the bullpen.

Rating: 2 Units

The Rays have won their last four home games against left-handed starters and 37 out of their 52 home games against losing teams overall. The Angels are just 3-12 in their last 15 road games against winning teams. The Angels also could be without Ohtani, which is a big blow to their lineup.

Rating: 2 Units

The Mets are on the road, but they still have the clear advantage in this one. The Mets will have Max Scherzer on the mound, as he is (9-2) on the season with a 2.15 ERA and a .93 WHIP. The Yankees have been horrible at the plate over the last few weeks, as I don't see them scoring enough runs to keep this game completive. Scherzer is also (5-1) with a 2.56 ERA on the road. He is stepping into his opponent's ballparks and completely shutting them down. I see him doing that again in this one, as well. Scherzer will pitch deep into this game and he will give his team the best chance of winning.

Rating: 2 Units

Rookie right-hander Joe Ryan (9-5, 3.92 ERA) will make his first career start against Texas today in the game in Minneapolis. The Rangers will counter with right-hander Kohei Arihara (0-1, 4.76), who will make just his second start of the season. Ryan, who leads the Twins in wins this season, helped push Minnesota to a 4-2 victory over Kansas City in his last start on Monday, allowing two runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings while striking out six. Arihara, who is 2-4 with a 6.64 ERA in 10 big league starts, has never faced the Twins. He made his first start of 2022 on Tuesday, taking the loss in a 5-1 setback to Oakland by allowing three runs on eight hits over 5 2/3 innings.

Rating: 2 Units

The Royals continue to stumble, losing seven out of their last nine games. The Rays are in a groove, recording the victory in six out of their last eight clashes including series wins against the Orioles and Yankees. The pitching has been remarkable. They have limited the Royals to three or fewer runs in all three games of this series. Royals’ starter Zack Greinke is a completely different pitcher on the road. The veteran is 0-6 with a horrible 6.48 ERA in his 10 road starts. Rays’ starter Ryan Yarbrough has been effective recently,  conceding only five runs in his last 16.1 innings of work.

Rating: 2 Units

Ohtani should dominate the Tigers' porous lineup on Sunday. He is 5th in baseball in strikeouts this season and now faces a Tigers team that ranks as the 8th worst team in baseball in strikeouts per game. As for the Angels, while they haven't been tearing the cover off the ball, they should have some success against Rodriguez given his long absence from a big-league mound. Rodriguez will likely be on a pitch count and will likely be rusty and throw a lot of pitches early on. The beleaguered Tigers bullpen will once again likely be tasked with getting more than nine outs in this game. In addition, the Tigers are just 3-7 in their last ten games while the Angels are a more respectable 5-5. Expect Mike Trout, two games now under his belt, to get some good swings against Rodriguez tomorrow afternoon.

Rating: 2 Units

Struggling left-hander Madison Bumgarner (6-12, 4.37 ERA) will start for the Diamondbacks today and right-hander Dakota Hudson (6-6, 4.17) will pitch for the Cardinals. Bumgarner is 0-3 with a 7.33 ERA over his past four starts. He has allowed 34 hits and walked eight in 23 1/3 innings during the stretch. The 33-year-old lost to the Giants on Monday when he gave up a season-worst six earned runs as well as eight hits over 5 2/3 innings. Bumgarner defeated the Cardinals on April 29 after allowing one run and three hits in five innings. He is 5-6 with a 5.26 ERA in 14 career starts against St. Louis. Goldschmidt is batting .342 with four homers, 15 RBIs and 12 walks in 73 career at-bats against Bumgarner. Arenado has three homers while hitting .262 in 65 at-bats. Hudson is winless in his past six starts and has a 5.10 ERA during the stretch. The 27-year-old last pitched Aug. 11 when he gave up two runs and four hits over five innings in a no-decision against the Colorado Rockies. Hudson beat Arizona on April 28 when he gave up one hit over six scoreless innings. He is 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in two career starts versus the Diamondbacks.

Rating: 2 Units

Kaprielian will be seeing the Mariners for the fourth time this season, having pitched the A's to a pair of wins in Seattle but to an 8-2 home defeat in June. He's 2-1 with a 5.40 ERA in eight games, including five starts, in his career against the Mariners.  The 28-year-old lost his past two starts to the Los Angeles Angels and Texas Rangers, games in which he got a total of two runs of support. Right-hander Logan Gilbert (10-5, 3.51) is the scheduled starter for the Mariners, who will take a four-game winning streak into Saturday's rematch. Gilbert will be facing the A's for the second time this year. He beat them 8-6 at home in June, allowing four runs in six innings. He's never lost in five career starts against the A's, going 1-0 with a 4.44 ERA.

Rating: 2 Units

The Red Sox are 4-5 against the Orioles this season but are also just 2.5 games behind the Orioles since the May 17th date I referenced earlier. Boston will be sending their most productive lineup on the field on Saturday with Hernandez available and Pham hitting at the top of the order. The Red Sox have even got an unexpected boost from newly acquired catcher Reese McGwire, who is hitting .379 in nine games with Boston since the trade deadline deal. Boston is an impressive 10-4 in games started by Wacha this season and he looked to be in top form in his last outing against the Yankees. Boston wisely space out his next start and Wacha will be pitching on five full days of rest on Saturday. The Orioles are 5-5 in their last ten games heading into the series opener on Friday and are just 11-24 against Boston at home over the past five seasons. Boston has handled Bradish well in both his appearances against them this season as well.

Rating: 2 Units

This is a much cheaper price than I was expecting to get on St. Louis, especially considering the team’s performance on Thursday afternoon. The Cardinals were dominant in their win over the Rockies, shutting out one of the league’s best offenses in a 13-0 blowout. They have been one of the hottest teams in the MLB since the All-Star break, and their starting pitcher has thrown quality starts in six of his last eight outings. Mikolas should have more success against an Arizona offense that ranks No. 26 in the majors in batting average. Henry is an unproven starter, which gives me even more confidence in taking the Cardinals to win this game.

Rating: 2 Units

Lynn has struggled mightily this season and hasn’t lived up to what the White Sox were hoping to get from him. He’s been absolutely brutal on the road, going 0-3 with a 7.46 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP over 25.1 innings in five starts. McKenzie has pitched well at home, going 4-2 with a 2.81 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP over 51.1 innings this season. The Guardians had Thursday off, giving their bullpen a break, while the White Sox saw Lucas Giolito get shelled early Thursday, putting their bullpen into the game early. Look for the Guardians to take advantage to earn the victory here

Rating: 2 Units

This season series has been close to even, with the Orioles holding a one-game edge. The Orioles do have the starting pitching and bullpen advantage in this game when considering how well Lyles has performed at home this season. The Orioles have won 20 of their last 27 games at Camden Yards, and they are also 10-2 in their last 12 games overall following a loss. The Red Sox are just 3-7 in their last 10 road games against winning clubs. I will back the Orioles here.

Rating: 2 Units

Greinke is third on the team in innings pitched and WHIP this season thus far. In his last five starts, Greinke is 1-2 with a 3.60 ERA. Greinke has thrown 25 innings and given up 32 hits over this span and struck out 18 batters while walking six. Greinke is 0-2 in two starts against the Twins this season while giving up 12 hits in nine innings with a 6.00 ERA. Twins will turn to Sonny Gray to slow down the Royals an pick up the win. In his last five starts, Gray is 2-1 with a 4.07 ERA. He has thrown 24.1 innings and allowed 24 hits in that span and struck out 25 batters while walking ten. Gray is 1-0 in one start against the Royals this season with an ERA of 1.50. He went six innings and allowed a run on just two hits in a 7-3 Twins win on May 29th.

Rating; 2 Units

Patrick Corbin will get the ball as he turns around what has been the worst season in his career. The lefty and former World Series hero, comes in with a 4-16 record, while the 7.02 ERA tells the rest of the story. He hasn't allowed fewer than four runs in a start since July 4th and with Chicago coming to town, those struggles could certainly continue. Justin Steele will get the ball as the rangy lefty aims to build off his impressive marks. The record hasn't been overly impressive, coming into this one 4-7, though his 3.63 ERA has turned some heads. He's only allowed more than two runs once across his last seven starts, including a gem of performance the last time out against Washington. Cubs are 4-0 in Steele's last four starts against NL East opponents, while the Nationals are 0-5 in their last five home games against a team with a losing record.

Rating: 2 Units

T.J. Zeuch will be getting the start on the mound. He has only started one game this season, as he is (0-1) with a 13.50 ERA. The Mets lit him up, as he only pitched for 4.0 innings and gave up six hits and six earned runs. He will be looking to bounce back from that start, as this will only be his second appearance of the season. The Reds will need him to pitch deeper into this game, though. Their bullpen has also had issues this season. They are allowing 4.98 runs per game, which is the most in the MLB. Phillies will start Kyle Gibson on the mound. He has been solid as of late, as he is (7-5) with a 4.29 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. Reaching base has been difficult for his opponents and his team has won three of his last five starts. The last time he was on the mound he pitched for 6.0 innings, but only gave up two earned runs to the Marlins.

Rating: 2 Units

Johnny Cueto is solid, but he isn’t pitching anywhere close to his best at home this season. He’s throwing a 3.71 ERA with a 1-3 record. The veteran starter is struggling the same as everyone else in Chicago. Jose Urquidy is rolling, and he’ll be entering this game as the starting pitcher for an Astros team with the No. 1-ranked bullpen. That isn’t even close to being the White Sox’s situation.

Rating: 2 Units

The Dodgers are definitely the hottest team and the best team in the big leagues. They have won 12 out of their last 13 games. The Brewers have been inconsistent recently and have fallen out of first place. They just lost two of three to the Cardinals and are having trouble scoring runs. They have only plated 16 runs in their last five games.  Dodgers’ starter Julio Urias has been incredible, conceding either zero or one run in four out of his last five outings. I can’t see the Brewers solving him, especially when considering Urias is sporting a stifling 2.29 career ERA against the foes. Freddy Peralta is solid but hasn’t been nearly as dominant as Urias.

Rating: 2 Units

On the mound for Cincinnati in the opener will be veteran lefty Mike Minor. Minor has struggled this season with just a 1-9 record and is winless in nine starts. Minor has allowed 69 hits in 62 innings of work over 12 starts this season and he has given up a whopping 18 home runs this year. On the mound for the Phillies in the series opener will be newly acquired right-hander Noah Syndergaard. This will be his third start for the Phillies since being acquired at the trade deadline. He is 1-0 with a 4.91 ERA in his two starts for Philadelphia and has given up 17 hits in just 11 innings of work. However, Syndergaard is an impressive 5-0 with a 2.11 ERA in six career starts against the Reds.

Rating: 2 Units

The Cardinals have the upper hand in this matchup. They are averaging 5.7 runs in their last 10 home games, and Miles Mikolas has a 2.48 ERA in 11 home starts this season. On the other side, the Brewers are averaging just 3.9 runs in their last 10 road games and have lost the last five starts made by Aaron Ashby, with each loss coming by at least two runs or more. I like the Cardinals as they have been playing better baseball recently and are 27-10 in their last 37 games against left-handed starters. The Cardinals have also won by at least two runs in five of their seven victories against the Brewers this season.

Rating: 2 Units

The Braves have been a streaky team and fortunately are in a groove now, winning four games in a row. This includes two wins against the Red Sox and victories in the first two games of this series.  Miami just isn’t scoring enough runs to win games, plating an average of only two runs in their last ten games which is not even nearly enough production.  The Braves should excel against Marlins’ starter Braxton Garrett. The rookie is scuffling, allowing 10 earned runs in his last three performances spanning only 15.1 innings. The Marlins have lost in each of the last three games started by the rookie and only have one win in their last five games.

Rating: 2 Units

Chicago has the advantage on the mound, as Keegan Thompson has been on fire as of late. He completely shut down the Nationals in his last start and I see him doing the same in this matchup with the Reds. Cincinnati is scoring the 19th least amount of runs per game and they have the 21st lowest overall team batting average. The Reds' bullpen is allowing the most runs per game, as they have continued to get shelled all season. The Cubs are scoring 4.16 runs per game and they have the 15th highest overall team batting average. 

Rating: 2 Units

Minnesota sends Dylan Bundy to the mound today. Bundy is 6-5 with a 5.01 ERA in 19 starts. Since July 10, he has really struggled, allowing 17 earned runs in 23.1 innings.  The Angels send Detmers to the mound who is 4-3 with a 3.44 ERA in 17 starts. He allowed one run in seven innings in his last outing against Seattle and has allowed four total runs over his last five outings, a span of 31.0 innings. He is definitely catching fire at a time this team desperately needs him to do so, especially if they are going to climb the wildcard standings.

Rating: 2 Units

In his career, Dunning has pitched well at Globe Life Field but he’s had issues putting games in the win column this season. The Rangers are just 6-15 in games that he has pitched in this season and had dropped 11 straight outings before rebounding to win the last two. Seattle is still in the thick of the AL wild-card picture and they are playing solid baseball over the last six or seven weeks, going 32-13 in their last 45 games entering Friday. The Mariners also got Julio Rodriguez back from the IL before Friday’s game, adding another bat to their lineup. Give Seattle the upper hand in this one as they get the victory on the road.

Rating: 2 Units

Trade acquisition Mitch White will make his second start in a Blue Jays uniform after taking a loss to the Minnesota Twins in his Toronto debut last Saturday, allowing three runs on six hits and one walk over 4.2 innings, striking out two. The 27-year-old, who came over from the Los Angeles Dodgers, has made 16 appearances and 11 starts, going 1-3 with a 3.86 ERA across 60.2 total innings. Triston McKenzie is set to make his 22nd appearance and 21st start of the season, hoping to follow up a brilliant outing against the mighty Houston Astros last Sunday when he tossed eight scoreless frames, allowing two hits and a walk while striking out eight. The 25-year-old is having an impressive season, going 8-8 with a 3.16 ERA over 128 innings of work.

Rating: 2 Units

All told, the Mariners have won eight in a row against Texas and 11 of 13 meetings this season. That dominance even extends back to last season, too, as Seattle has won 16 of the last 18 meetings with its division rival. Seattle rookie right-hander George Kirby (3-3, 3.40 ERA) will look to add to those totals when he takes the mound today.  Kirby, 24, allowed one run on six hits with eight strikeouts over six innings in a 2-1 victory versus the visiting Los Angeles Angels on Saturday. He has permitted just three runs on 11 hits in 15 innings over three starts since being optioned to Tacoma on July 9 as a means to limit his workload. Kirby owns a 1.64 ERA and has limited Texas to a .180 batting average while posting two no-decisions versus the club this season. The Rangers fell for the seventh time in 10 games following a 7-3 setback against the Houston Astros on Thursday afternoon.

Rating: 2 Units

The road struggles have been apparent throughout the season for the Guardians’ starter, and they’ll continue in a head-to-head clash with a Blue Jays offense capable of smacking the stuffing out of the ball. There’s a reason why Toronto is 34-21 at home this season. It’s because they’re bats come alive, and in Jose Berrios’ case, the pitching does as well. The Blue Jays starting pitcher is unbeaten at home so far this season. And it isn’t a situation of his teammates bailing him out, either. Berrios has legitimately dominated at Rogers Centre with a 6-0 record and 70 strikeouts to his name. It’ll be another day at the home office for the veteran pitcher as he punishes the Guardians on the mound and help lead the Blue Jays to victory.

Rating: 2 Units

The Marlins have struggled out of the gate after the all-star break, going 6-12 in that span. They are hitting just .228 as a team in that span and are scoring a paltry 2.5 runs per game. On the mound on Thursday will be the team's #2 starter, Pablo Lopez. Lopez is second on the team in every major pitching category behind Alcantara. He has 8 quality starts among his 22 so far this season but has yet to face Atlanta. After dominating for the first half of the schedule, Lopez has come back down to earth. In June, he had an ERA of 5.34 in five starts and followed that up with a 4.65 ERA in six starts in July. Lopez has made one start in August, going five innings against the Cubs and giving up nine hits and four runs in a 4-0 shutout loss.

Rating: 2 Units

Boston looked like they were going to turn things around at the beginning of this month when they took two out of three from the Astros in Houston, but the club traveled to Kansas City where they dropped three of four against the Royals and lost Tuesday night’s contest against the Atlanta Braves. That has them at 3-5 through the first eight games of August. Meanwhile, Baltimore is picking up right where they left off in July, going 7-1 through their first eight August games. The pitching staff has been spectacular, giving up 27 runs in those eight games, and eight of those came in their only loss of the month. The pitching matchup does not favor either team, but the bullpen for Boston has been abysmal (4.41 ERA) while the Orioles have one of the best in the game (3.10 ERA).

Rating: 2 Units

Pittsburgh has struggled all season long and their inability to put runs on the board on the road has been problematic. The Pirates now run into a hot pitcher in Kelly, who was allowed just two earned runs in his last three starts. Arizona entered Wednesday with four wins in their last five games and they have been decent at home this season despite being a sub-.500 team on the year. Meanwhile, Brubaker has sputtered all season long and was roughed up in his recent outings. It’s tough to back a lousy team that doesn’t score and who has a starting pitcher with two wins against double-digit losses. Back the Diamondbacks in this contest as they take the finale and the series.

Rating: 2 Units

The Cardinals are one of the hottest teams in the big leagues after winning eight out of their last nine games including a convincing sweep of the Yankees in that span and a 9-5 win on Wednesday. The Rockies are stumbling, losing seven out of their last ten games overall. Cards’ starter Dakota Hudson has limited the Rockies to only five runs in 14.1 career innings. Rockies’ starter Marquez can’t be trusted at home where he has logged a 2-5 record and a 6.11 ERA on the season. Colorado hasn’t been quite as strong at Coors Field either, winning only three out of their last seven home bouts.

Rating: 2 Units

Kyle Bradish is slated to take the mound and make his 13th start of the season for the Orioles in this contest. He comes in 1-4 with a 6.55 ERA, a 1.651 WHIP, 21 walks and 58 strikeouts over 56.1 innings of action this season. Bradish has no record with a 5.65 ERA, a 1.60 WHIP, four walks and 15 strikeouts over 14.1 innings of work. Bradish was roughed up in his lone career start against the Blue Jays, which came on the road back on June 13. He threw 4.1 innings, allowing five runs on nine hits with one walk and three strikeouts in an 11-1 Orioles defeat. Bradish is 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA, a 1.83 WHIP, 16 walks and 30 strikeouts over 33.1 innings in seven career starts at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Alek Manoah is on the mound for the Blue Jays as he makes his 22nd start of the season in this contest. He comes in 12-5 with a 2.45 ERA, a 0.992 WHIP, 30 walks and 119 strikeouts over 132 innings of action. Manoah makes his fifth career start against the Orioles in this contest. He is 2-0 with a 2.42 ERA, a 0.672 WHIP, five walks and 29 strikeouts over 22.1 innings of work against them.

Rating: 2 Units

After struggling for two months, Wood finally put things together in July. It is true that he had a tough outing his last time on the hill, but that came against the Dodgers. No shame in struggling against that club. However, now he has to do battle with the San Diego Padres, who became a whole lot better at the trade deadline. This team has the talent to be able to compete with any in baseball, and they have a starter who is red-hot of late. Snell is clearly going to be the difference in this game. Not only has he been shutting down opponents over his last five games, but he faces a Giants team that is only hitting .232 against left-handers this season. The Padres can hit home runs as well after acquiring Soto and Bell.

Rating: 2 Units

Irvin has been strong all season long and over the last month has built consistency that makes it hard to imagine him struggling in this one. Adding in the injuries that Los Angeles is facing, especially as they hit the road, it seems like it could be a challenge for them to find much success in this one. Additionally, the Athletics are 16-7 in the last 23 meetings between the two teams in Oakland and 15-7 in the last 22 meetings overall.

Rating: 2 Units

After showing flashes of great stuff while never quite putting it together in Seattle, the change of scenery hasn't done much for Kikuchi, who has just a 139 FIP- while walking a whopping 13% of opposing batters. Another issue is he can't go deep into games at this point, and the Blue Jays are only a middling bullpen by most stats. The Orioles can afford to pull Lyles early if needed, as this deep bullpen leads the Majors in reliever WAR while ranking third in ERA. Toronto is the better team overall, but Kikuchi can't be trusted and the Orioles just keep winning in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year.

Rating: 2 Units

The Dodgers are 14-3 since the All-Star break. They are 7-2 this season against their wannabe Southern California rivals and 19-9 against the Padres since the start of the 2021 season. The Dodgers have won 16 of their last 18 games against the Padres. Tonight, the Dodgers-Padres series gets national television attention. Right-hander Yu Darvish (10-4, 3.30 ERA) will start for the Padres against Dodgers left-hander Tyler Anderson (12-1, 2.89). Anderson will make his 21st appearance and 19th start of the year. He has a 1.03 WHIP and a .226 opponents' batting average. In 115 1/3 innings this season, Anderson has allowed 39 runs (37 earned) on 96 hits and 23 walks with 94 strikeouts. Anderson will make his third start against the Padres this season. He is 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA after giving up three runs on 10 hits and five walks with 10 strikeouts in 11 innings. Overall, Anderson owns a 5-3 record with a 2.53 ERA in 13 career appearances (12 starts) vs. San Diego. This also will be Darvish's third start against the Dodgers in 2022. He is 0-1 with a 3.75 ERA after surrendering five runs on nine hits -- including three homers -- and three walks with 17 strikeouts in 12 innings. Darvish is 2-4 with a 2.76 ERA in eight career starts vs. the Dodgers.

Rating: 2 Units

The Cardinals have absolutely caught the Yankees at the right time. They are hot themselves, are an outstanding home team, and the Yankees are hurting and adjusting to new pieces. Wainwright is a veteran pitcher who will stay out of hitter's counts, particularly against the parts of the Yankee lineup that can do him the most damage. He will mix his pitches and keep them guessing. Wainwright is 4-3 in ten home starts this season and given up 54 hits in 65 innings. As for his opponent, Montas will be making not only his first start as a Yankee but his first start since July 26th. He went just five innings in that start as he was held back slightly following shoulder stiffness earlier in the month. I expect him to give the Yankees similar innings in this game as well, once again forcing New York to rely on its middle relief in crucial innings. The Cardinals will take advantage.

Rating: 2 Units

Bryse Wilson is expected to make his 15th appearance and 12th start of the season for the Pirates in this contest. He comes in 1-6 with a 6.20 ERA, a 1.574 WHIP, 18 walks and 42 strikeouts over 61 innings of work this season. Wilson didn’t factor in the decision in his last start, which came against the Brewers Tuesday at home. He threw 5.1 innings, allowing three runs on six hits with one walk and two strikeouts in a game the Pirates won 5-3. In his last three starts, Wilson is 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA, a 1.23 WHIP, two walks and seven strikeouts over 14.2 innings of work. Spenser Watkins takes the ball for his 15th start of the season for the Orioles in this contest. He comes in 4-1 with a 3.80 ERA, a 1.359 WHIP, 20 walks and 40 strikeouts over 64 innings of work on the year. Watkins earned the win in his last start, which came Monday on the road against the Rangers. He threw six innings, allowing one run on five hits with no walks and five strikeouts in a 7-2 Orioles victory. In his last three starts, Watkins is 2-0 with a 2.76 ERA, a 1.29 WHIP, two walks and 14 strikeouts over 16.1 innings of action.

Rating: 2 Units

Arizona will start Merrill Kelly on the mound. He has been solid this season, as he is (10-5) with a 2.87 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. He has been one of the top pitchers on the Diamondbacks roster, as he has continued to sit batters down this season. He pitched for 7.0 innings against the Atlanta Braves and only allowed three hits and zero earned runs in his last start. Rockies will start Antonio Senzatela on the mound. He has been up and down this season, as he is currently (3-6) with a 4.87 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP. He is allowing his opponents to reach base too consistently and he hasn't been strong enough to keep them from scoring. He has also had issues on the road this season, as he is (0-4) with a 6.16 ERA.

Rating: 2 Units

Eovaldi should be able to keep the depleted Royals lineup at bay on Saturday night. The Royals have lost their main two table setters in Benintendi and Merrifield and the veteran right-hander should be able to utilize his five-pitch arsenal to get deep into this start. The Red Sox have been very good against left-handed pitching this season, going 17-9 on the season thus far. That number will improve in this one, particularly with the Red Sox's recent addition of Pham, who should get some good swings against Lynch. Look for Boston to put up a couple of big innings and roll to a win in this game.

Rating: 2 Units

Phillies will start Ranger Suarez on the mound. He has been solid this season, as he is (7-5) with a 3.60 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. In his last start, he pitched for 6.0 innings and didn't allow an earned run to the Pittsburgh Pirates. He kept them off the scoreboard and allowed his team to win the game late. Nationals will start Patrick Corbin on the mound. He has struggled this season, as he is (4-15) with a 6.57 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. He was lit up in his last start, as well. He only pitched for 4.1 innings but surrendered seven hits and four earned runs. The Mets hit him early and often, as he stood no chance in that matchup.

Rating: 2 Units

The Padres and Dodgers are built for postseason success. While the Padres are clicking, the Dodgers are also one of the hottest teams in the Major Leagues, winning eight out of their last nine games overall. They have defeated San Diego in five of the seven meetings this season. Padres’ starter Sean Manaea has trouble against L.A. They scored seven runs in 4.1 innings against him in the only meeting this season and the veteran has surrendered 15 runs in 18 career innings against the rivals. Dodgers’ starter Tony Gonsolin has shut down the Padres bats, posting a 3-0 record and a minuscule 1.75 ERA in 26 career innings.

Rating: 2 Units

Dylan Cease is on the mound for the White Sox as he makes his 22nd start of the season in this contest. He comes in 11-4 with a 2.01 ERA, a 1.174 WHIP, 50 walks and 161 strikeouts over 116.2 innings of work on the year. Cease picked up the win in his last start, which came in the Sunday at home against the A’s. He threw six innings, allowing one run on four hits with one walk and seven strikeouts in a 4-1 White Sox victory. In his last three starts, Cease is 3-0 with a 0.47 ERA, a 0.84 WHIP, four walks and 19 strikeouts over 19 innings of work. Cease makes his fourth career start against the Rangers in this contest. He is 2-0 with a 3.14 ERA, a 1.186 WHIP, six walks and 24 strikeouts over 14.1 innings of work against them.

Rating: 2 Units

Philadelphia is comfortably ranked as a top 10 scoring offense at 4.62 runs per game on a .723 team OPS. The pitching staff is also solidly above average at a 3.83 collective ERA including a mark of 4.04 out of the bullpen. Josiah Gray will make his 20th start of the season looking to bounce back from a loss to the St. Louis Cardinals last Sunday, when he allowed four runs on five hits  and two walks while striking out six across five frames. The promising 24-year-old is having an up-and-down campaign, going 7-7 with a 4.59 ERA and 118 strikeouts across 102 innings. Not much has gone right for the Nationals this season. They enter Friday's game at 36-71, the worst mark in the majors. They are 9-39 against the National League East.

Rating: 2 Units

Pivetta is without a win since June 25, and he posted a disastrous 9.38 ERA in five starts in July, three of which turned out to be losses. He has a chance to finally record one W here, as his batters are averaging .262 against southpaws and score 5.31 runs per nine innings. The Royals, on the other hand, are not great against righties, averaging 3.81 runs per game. The Red Sox know they must win such games, especially considering they will face the Braves and Yankees next week. I am backing the visitors to get a win.

Rating: 2 Units

Chicago is 7-3 in their last ten games and are 25-18 against sub .500 teams this season. The Rangers are struggling and are just 10-20 in their last 30 games. They turn to a rookie left-hander with a history of arm trouble on Thursday night. It is likely that the hard-throwing lefty will be given a pitch limit in his first start and turn this game over to the Rangers subpar bullpen. Cueto, meanwhile, is a quality start machine for the White Sox and should get his team into the 7th inning. The White Sox bats are starting to heat up in recent games and the recent power of Abreu is a positive sign for the ChiSox.

Rating: 2 Units

There are some players in sports who are virtually unfadeable when they are in good form, and Verlander is one of those athletes. He has been absolutely outstanding this season, which is why he leads the majors in wins. Cleveland is going to struggle to get much going at the plate today, making it tough to envision them winning this game. Plesac is also coming off another mediocre start and is facing one of the most powerful lineups in the MLB

Rating: 2 Units

The Reds do not win games when Mike Minor is on the hill. They have lost in nine out of his ten starts on the season. The veteran has not been able to find a groove this season, he posted a disastrous 7.71 ERA in June and a 4.91 ERA last month. The Marlins will have no issues scoring against Minor. Marlins’ starter Sandy Alcantara is a reliable pitcher. The ace continues to dominate in most games and has conceded two or fewer runs in four out of his last five outings. Plus he features a stellar 2.86 career ERA against the Reds.

Rating: 2 Units

Left-hander Martin Perez (9-2, 2.52 ERA) will be Texas' starting pitcher. He is aiming for his first double-digit victory total since winning 10 times for the Twins in 2019. Only six American League pitchers have reached double figures in wins this season. Perez has won nine consecutive decisions since taking losses in his first two outings of the season. In two road starts since the All-Star break, he worked a combined 14 innings and gave up two runs and seven hits with 12 strikeouts and five walks. The Orioles will go with right-hander Kyle Bradish (1-4, 7.01 ERA). The rookie returned from a stint with Triple-A Norfolk to hold the host Cincinnati Reds to two runs in five innings in his first game back on Friday. However, in his two most recent road games with Baltimore before that, he was shelled for a total of 11 runs and 15 hits across six innings in games against the Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays. As he is from Arizona, perhaps he could have benefited from the sultry Texas conditions, but the stadium roof is bound to be closed for this one with the midday start.

Rating: 2 Units

Tyler Anderson (11-1) is enjoying the best season of his career as he awaits his 18th start for the Dodgers this season. He will enter a clash with the Giants carrying a pristine 2.61 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and a 91/19 K/BB ratio across 110.1 innings of work. Anderson met the Giants once this season and dominated during a six-inning no-decision without allowing an earned run on four hits with a 6/2 K/BB ratio. Alex Wood (7-8) is taking the mound for the 21st start this season and is looking for the first win against the Dodgers in 2022. The 31-year-old left-hander owns an unimpressive 4.11 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and a 99/25 K/BB ratio in 100.2 innings. Wood started twice against the Dodgers this year and lost both games while registering a 4.82 ERA in 9.1 innings.

Rating: 2 Units

The Cardinals have been a superior team to the Cubs all season and come into this series with a lot to play for. The Cubs are just playing for pride right now, and I wouldn't be surprised if at least one of their top hitters is dealt before this game. Wainwright has been strong at home this season, and against the Cubs recently. I will take the Cardinals who are 21-11 as a home favorite this season to beat the Cubs who are 18-24 as a road underdog. Also, the Cubs are 1-6 in their last seven games following an off day.

Rating: 2 Units

Yankees will start Jameson Taillon on the mound in this one. He is (10-2) on the season with a 3.72 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. He has been lights out this season, as he is (6-1) at home with a 3.16 ERA. He also looked like an absolute beast in his last start, as he pitched for 6.0 innings and didn't allow an earned run to the Kansas City Royals. He will be looking to attack in this game again. The Yankees are too strong at the plate and I see them getting to Logan Gilbert in this one. He has had problems against solid teams this season, as he struggled against the Astros in his last two starts.

Rating: 2 Units

Andrew Heaney (1-0) will get his fifth start of the year as he takes on the Giants on Monday. The 31-year-old left-hander spend a lot of time on IL this season but returned a few days ago and was solid in four innings against the Nationals, allowing just one hit and no runs. Heaney has a 0.47 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and a 27/7 K/BB ratio across 19.1 innings. The Giants were swept by the Dodgers in L.A. in the previous series and will be looking for revenge, but they are out of form, unlike the Dodgers, who are on fire at the moment.

Rating: 2 Units

Even though they’re coming off of a few losses, Baltimore’s dominance over the Rangers was well exhibited last month and that confidence should carry through into Monday’s series opener. Gray is coming off a rough start and remains a question mark on the mound, while Watkins has only gotten stronger of late and dominated against Texas in his appearance against them earlier this season. Even though Baltimore’s offense is quite hot and cold, the injuries to Texas’ lineup will be far more detrimental to them.

Rating: 2 Units

The Mets continue to dazzle as they have now won six consecutive games to widen their lead atop the division. They scored 19 runs in the three-game sweep of the Marlins this weekend. The same can’t be said for the Nationals who are now a whopping 22 games below the .500 mark at home after losing two of three to the Cards this past weekend. Mets’ starter Max Scherzer was brilliant in his latest start where he logged seven shutout innings against the potent Yankees. The ace is sporting a minuscule 1.39 ERA this month. Nationals' starter Patrick Corbin is having a horrible season. He has surrendered 21 runs in his last four starts and has logged an 8 ERA this month.

Rating: 2 Units

Chicago right-hander Dylan Cease (10-4, 2.03 ERA) will start today against the visiting Oakland Athletics and is eager to cap a sterling July with another solid start.  Cease is 4-1 with an ERA of 0.61 in five starts this month after going 2-1 with a 0.33 ERA in five starts in June. That dominance wasn't enough to secure Cease a spot on the American League All-Star team, but he hardly sulked. Pitching against Cleveland on July 24 in his first start of the second half of the season, Cease scattered seven hits, walked one and struck out four in six shutout innings. Rookie Adam Oller will make his 12th appearance and seventh start, hoping to get a tough debut campaign turned around as he's 1-3 with an 8.07 ERA through 32.1 innings.

Rating: 2 Units

Taijuan Walker is set to make his 18th start of the season, looking to continue a fantastic campaign as he's 8-2 with a 2.67 ERA across 97.2 innings. The 29-year-old is coming off a win over the rival New York Yankees on Tuesday, when he allowed three runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out three across six innings.  Miami is missing a number of key position players, with first baseman Garrett Cooper (wrist contusion), second baseman Jazz Chisholm (stress fracture in back), utilityman Jon Berti (strained groin), third baseman Brian Anderson (sprained shoulder) and outfielder Jorge Soler (lower back spasms) all on the IL.

Rating: 2 Units

While starting Voth almost guarantees that this turns into a bullpen game for the Orioles, the Orioles bullpen has been one of the team's strengths this year. In addition, the Orioles have been outstanding against left-handed pitching this season with a record of 22-15 against southpaws. The Orioles' power bats of Trey Mancini and Ryan Mountcastle will look to exploit the Reds rookie left-hander and I fully expect a bounce-back game from the Baltimore lineup. Expect scoring from both teams in this game but the Orioles will have more than enough firepower to take this game.

Rating: 2 Units

The Cardinals are hungry for wins as they look to catch the Brewers atop the division. They should deliver when considering this favorable pitching matchup. Cards’ starter Dakota Hudson has shut down the Nationals, posting a strong 2.93 ERA with a 1-0 record in 15.1 career innings. The Nationals have the worst record in the Major Leagues and only have 15 home wins the entire season. They have now dropped nine out of their last ten home games. The Cards will thrive at the plate against Erick Fedde who is not a reliable option. The veteran has logged a disastrous 7.11 ERA in his four outings this month spanning only 19 innings.

Rating: 2 Units

Keller makes his third career start against the Phillies in this contest. He comes in 0-2 with a 12.00 ERA, a 2.222 WHIP, one walk and 10 strikeouts over nine innings of work. Keller is 2-13 with a 5.52 ERA, a 1.596 ERA, 56 walks and 129 strikeouts over 135.1 innings in 30 career appearances, 29 starts, at PNC Park. Suarez makes his fifth career appearance and second start against the Pirates in this contest. He has a 0-0 record, a 0.00 ERA, a 0.525 WHIP, no walks and 11 strikeouts over 13.1 innings of work. Suarez has a 1-0 record with a 0.00 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, no walks and three strikeouts over two innings in his lone career appearance at PNC Park.

Rating: 2 Units

I expect Chicago to take advantage of its soft schedule over the next week, starting with this game against Oakland. The White Sox can get right on the edge of the playoff picture if they can take care of business against the Athletics and Royals. I think there is some additional value on Chicago due to Blackburn’s recent form. He has put together a nice season, but he has a 9.40 ERA over his last six starts. Blackburn gave up 10 runs the last time he was on the mound, so I do not have much confidence in him on Saturday. Cueto has been trending in the opposite direction, producing five consecutive quality starts. That streak should continue against the worst lineup in the majors.

Rating: 2 Units

The Twins offer great value in this matchup. The Padres are wildly inconsistent and have not been dangerous at home, winning only four out of their last 11 home games. They also just dropped two of three games to the Tigers prior to this series. Twins’ starter Joe Ryan continues to shine, conceding two or fewer runs in four consecutive outings, and features a sharp 2.05 ERA on the month. Padres’ starter Blake Snell is having a poor season due primarily to his command issues. He has issued a whopping 25 walks in his last eight starts. He has struggled in his career against Minnesota as well, filing a horrible 7.15 ERA in five meetings.

Rating: 2 Units

Verlander (13-3, 1.86 ERA) is the scheduled starter for the Astros today. He has won five consecutive starts, producing a 0.79 ERA and .489 opponents' OPS while recording 36 strikeouts over 34 innings. Verlander has allowed one earned run or none in each of those five outings. Verlander is 20-10 with a 3.15 ERA over 36 career starts against the Mariners, including 4-1 with a 2.60 ERA in five starts this season. He limited the Mariners to one run on four hits and two walks with nine strikeouts over seven innings in a 3-1 road victory on Saturday. Left-hander Robbie Ray (8-7, 3.90 ERA) has the starting assignment for the Mariners today. He was 4-0 with a 1.75 ERA over eight starts prior to facing Houston at home last Sunday, producing 61 strikeouts in 51 1/3 innings while surrendering an opponents' OPS of .585. That followed a stretch of three losses in his three previous appearances. Ray is 3-2 with a 6.39 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 38 innings over eight career starts against the Astros. He took the loss against Houston on Sunday, allowing six runs on 10 hits over three innings. He is 1-1 with a 10.13 ERA in two starts against the Astros this season.

Rating: 2 Units

Milwaukee right-hander Brandon Woodruff will look to extend his run of success when the visiting Brewers open up a three-game series with the Boston Red Sox tonight. Since returning from the injured list in late June, Woodruff (8-3, 3.73 ERA) has gone 3-0 with a 2.20 ERA across five starts. He lasted six innings in three of those outings and allowed more than two runs just once. Woodruff will be presented with a golden opportunity to keep rolling, as he goes head-to-head with a rookie who has yet to find his footing in the major leagues, Boston right-hander Brayan Bello. Bello (0-2, 10.50 ERA) has pitched exactly four innings while allowing at least four runs in each of his three starts with the Red Sox after spending most of the season at Triple-A Worcester. In his most recent outing, the 23-year-old allowed five runs on nine hits and took a loss against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday.

Rating: 2 Units

Nationals will be starting Anibal Sanchez on the mound. He has had problems this season, as he is currently (0-2) with a 6.3o ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. He is allowing his opponents to reach base too easily, as he has put himself in jams all season. In his two starts this season, he has pitched for a combined 10 innings and he has allowed seven earned runs. Cardinals will be starting Miles Mikolas on the mound in this one. He has gone (7-8) this season and only has a 2.87 ERA. It has been very difficult to score on him, but it has been even tougher to reach base safely. He has a .99 WHIP, as he has kept his opponents off the base paths for the majority of the season. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Cubs send left-hander Justin Steele to the hill today. Steele is 4-6 with a 4.02 ERA in 18 starts. However, he was spectacular in his first start following the break, allowing one run in 5.0 innings to Philadelphia on July 22. He has now allowed one run in three of his last four starts and has allowed six total runs in his last 22.2 innings pitched.  Both the pitching and the offense have collapsed for San Francisco since the break. It is understandable that they may have struggled against the Dodgers, but being swept against their archrivals is an indicator this team is in trouble. Plus, they were hammered by Arizona, losing all three games. This slump is for real, and the Giants may not be able to get out of it against Chicago.

Rating: 2 Units

Right-hander Jose Urquidy (9-4, 3.93 ERA) has the starting assignment for the Astros today. He has produced seven consecutive quality starts, going 4-1 with a 2.58 ERA and an opponent OPS of .523 during that stretch. Urquidy has averaged more than six innings per start while recording a 0.79 WHIP since allowing four earned runs in 4 1/3 innings against Seattle on June 8. Urquidy is 2-3 with a 5.50 ERA over eight career appearances (seven starts) against the Mariners, including a 1-3 record and 7.58 ERA over four starts this season. He earned his first victory over the Mariners this season in his previous start on Friday, allowing one earned run on four hits and two walks with three strikeouts over six innings in a 5-2 road win. Right-hander Logan Gilbert (10-4, 2.77) has the starting assignment for Seattle in the series opener. The AL Pitcher of the Month for April, Logan ranks eighth in the AL in ERA. He is 0-1 with a 3.71 ERA over his last three starts after going 6-2 with a 2.90 ERA over his previous 10 starts -- allowing more than three runs just once in those outings. Gilbert is 2-2 with a 4.36 ERA over six career starts against the Astros. He is 2-1 with a 2.37 ERA in three starts against Houston this season, allowing just two runs on five hits and one walk with eight strikeouts over six innings in a 3-1 home setback to the Astros on Saturday.

Rating: 2 Units

Cleveland's Triston McKenzie (7-6, 3.11 ERA) will make his final start on Thursday before celebrating his 25th birthday next Tuesday. McKenzie heads into his first career outing against Boston with a 3-0 record and an 0.34 ERA in his past four starts since getting shelled for seven runs by the Minnesota Twins on June 27. McKenzie pitched 24 scoreless innings before allowing a run in the fourth inning Saturday, when he pitched 5 2/3 innings and did not get a decision in Cleveland's 7-4 win over the Chicago White Sox. Boston's starters are 0-12 with a 7.65 ERA this month, and the Red Sox hope rookie Kutter Crawford (2-3, 4.50) can end the skid. Crawford is 1-1 with a 2.82 ERA in his past four outings and owns a 3.81 ERA in five starts this season.

Rating: 2 Units

Both teams have been closing the gap between themselves and Minnesota atop the AL Central standings, making this a crucial series. I cannot bet against Cease on Sunday afternoon, though. He has arguably been the top starting pitcher in baseball over the past two months, not allowing more than one earned run in any of his last 10 starts. Chicago also has the better lineup, so the White Sox should be able to provide Cease with enough run support to win this game. The Guardians are just 2-7 in their last nine road games.

Rating: 2 Units

The Blue Jays are playing better after dismissing manager Charlie Montoyo. They are 7-1 in their last eight games while the Red Sox are 1-7 in their last eight games. I like the Blue Jays' chances with Ross Stripling on the mound. The veteran has been stellar, allowing two or fewer runs in seven out of his last eight outings. The Red Sox are starting rookie Brayan Bello. The rookie had trouble in his lone two starts this season, squandering nine runs in his two outings which occurred against the Rays. He only went four innings in each start and issued six walks.

Rating: 2 Units

The Braves have completely rebounded from their sluggish start this season and now are less than a game away from the top spot in the NL East Division. Atlanta is also the 4th highest scoring offense in baseball and sends Anderson to the mound, who is undefeated in the month of July. The wheels have completely fallen off the Angels' season and they are no match for this Atlanta team in this spot. The Angels are scoring less than two runs per game over the course of this five-game losing streak and are giving up 6.8 runs per game in that same time span.