In a battle of lefty starters, I want emerging star Framber Valdez going for me at home against the Angels' Patrick Sandoval. Sandoval was bad last season. He's bad again this season with a 5.40 ERA. Sandoval has yielded at least one homer during each of his four starts this season.  The Astros have several big hitters out, but got back Michael Brantley on Sunday. The Astros are 23-5 in their last 28 home games versus a lefty starter. Valdez has been one of the bright spots for Houston allowing three earned runs in 20 2/3 innings during his last three starts.  It's rarely wrong to fade the Angels on the road where they are 16-36 in their past 52 away matchups. 

The Diamondbacks are much better against righties than southpaws going 13-8 versus righties as opposed to 0-7 against lefties. Righty Trevor Cahill will be making his third start replacing injured Jeff Samardzija. He's failed to go more than four innings in either of his starts. The Giants need their starters to go deep into games because their bullpen is so vulnerable.  Cahill is 0-2 with a 5.09 ERA in seven career appearances against the Diamondbacks.  Luke Weaver was emerging into a star before he was injured. The buy sign is back on Weaver as he rounds into shape. He's coming off his best start giving up one run on three hits in five innings in a 10-1 victory against the A's this past Tuesday. Weaver is 3-1 with a 1.99 ERA in four career starts against the Giants.

How can the Rangers, losers of 7 in a row, be a road favorite pitching Mike Minor? How indeed? The Rangers have surrendered at least 6 runs in each of their losses during their losing streak.  So I'll be on the home 'dog Mariners. Seattle will be starting Justin Dunn. I'm not betting the Mariners because of Dunn, although he beat the Rangers on Aug. 10 at Texas giving up just two runs in six innings. No, this handicap is a fade on the weak-hitting Rangers and the poor form of Minor.  Minor hasn't been good since the first half of last season. He is 0-4 with a 6.94 ERA in five starts this season. The Rangers' bullpen carries a high fatigue rating following 7-4 and 10-1 losses to the Mariners. Minor has a 5.05 ERA against the Mariners during the last three years. 

In a matchup of bad starting pitchers, I'll take the plus price. That puts me on the home Orioles with a pitching matchup of Zack Godley versus Wade LeBlanc.  I'm not a fan of journeyman LeBlanc. So this is a fade on the Red Sox. Godley has a 6.87 ERA. He's given up five homers in 18 innings. That's a red flag when pitching at hitter-friendly Camden Yards. The Red Sox's bullpen is bad and depleted. It cost them the game yesterday.  The Orioles average more runs per game than Boston and have hit more homers. Baltimore has scored 5 or more runs in 15 of its last 19 games. 
 

I'm not buying into the Red Sox being road chalk against the Orioles in a pitching matchup of lefty Martin Perez versus Alex Cobb. Cobb has been the better pitcher this season with a 3.76 ERA. Perez has a 4.07 ERA and walks too many batters. The Red Sox bullpen is bad plus depleted.  The Orioles have scored 5 or more runs in 14 of their last 18 games. They have a winning record this year against southpaws.  Baltimore averages 4.9 runs per game, which ranks 11th. Boston ranks 18th averaging 4.6 runs. The Orioles also have hit more homers than Boston. 

The Angels are a terrible road club and they can't win in Oakland having lost seven of the past eight times there.  The Angels are 16-36 in their past 52 road games. Consequently, the A's have won 39 of their last 52 home games. The pitching matchup is Griffin Canning versus Chris Bassitt. Canning has potential, but he's not in good form giving up seven runs during his last 8 2/3 innings. He has a 4.70 ERA on the season and a lifetime 4.73 ERA against the A's in 26 2/3 innings.  Bassitt is 2-0 this season with a 2.93 ERA and 1.01 WHIP. He doesn't go deep into games, but he's solid and limits homers and walks. That should be enough for the superior A's to defeat the cold Angles, who have dropped eight of their last nine.

All the A's do is win when Mike Fiers is on the mound. They are 22-6 in his last 28 starts. The righthander is off his best start of the year, giving up two runs in six innings against the Giants. The A's have been extremely tough, too, at home the past few seasons. This year is following that pattern. Oakland is 11-3 at RingCentral Coliseum.  Andrew Heaney is in bad form allowing nine runs in his last two starts spanning 9 1/3 innings. He doesn't go deep into games either averaging fewer than five innings per start. The Angels are 1-4 in his past five starts.  Like most clubs, the Angels have problems in Oakland dropping six of their last seven there. The Angels also are 6-20 in their last 26 road matchups versus righty starters.

Nothing against righthanded Brandon Woodruff, a pitcher I like. But I'll lay a short home price with the much more powerful Twins and All-Star pitcher Jose Berrios. Berrios hasn't pitched like an All-Star this season. Note, though, this is just the righthander's third home start. The Twins won both of his previous starts at Target Field.  Berrios has always pitched much better in Minnesota. Here's a comparison of his home/road ERA: At home - 2.41 ERA in 2017, 3.03 ERA in 2018 and 3.51 ERA in 2019. On the road - 5.17 ERA in 2017, 4.85 ERA in 2018 and 3.84 ERA in 2019.  Berrios takes on a Milwaukee offense that so far has been way down. The Brewers rank 27th in batting average, 24th in runs and 24th in homers.  The Twins led the majors in homers last year setting a record. They are seventh in homers this season.  The Twins have won their last seven home games when facing a righty starter. Milwaukee is 6-13 the last 19 times going against a righty starter. 

The starting pitching choice is Austin Voth, or Josh Tomlin followed for sure by a bevy of Atlanta relief pitchers. In other words, this is an Atlanta bullpen game. I'll take Voth, a promising pitcher with a good history against the Braves. Voth holds a 2.70 lifetime ERA versus Atlanta in 16 2/3 innings.  Tomlin has a 4.61 career ERA against the Nationals in eight appearances. This will be his first start since last season. Tomlin probably isn't going to pitch more than three or four innings putting the Braves' middle relievers into action.  The Nationals' offense has picked up with a healthy Juan Soto. The blossoming superstar is batting .433 with six homers in his last eight games. Washington is averaging 7.5 runs in its last four games. 

I don't see the Rangers sweeping the Rockies at Coors Field. That could happen, though, if Colorado starter Jon Gray doesn't pitch better.  If there's one area Gray does well, though, is beat American League teams at home. He is 4-0 with a 1.85 ERA in six career interleague starts at Coors. American League batters are hitting only .159 against him at Coors.  Youngster Kolby Allard goes for the Rangers. He's never pitched at Coors Field. 
 The Rockies have been held in check for two games now scoring six runs against the Rangers. Their bats have yet to be held in check for three straight games all season. Colorado ranks first in batting average and has scored the third most runs in the majors.  

The Mets are a below average team both offensively and pitching-wise. The Nationals have begun the season slow, but now their offense is healthy. I expect them to make a move. Having Juan Soto back in the lineup makes a difference. Washington is averaging 8 runs during its last three games. I like Nationals starter Austin Voth. I think he's below-the-radar. He had a 3.30 ERA and 1.05 WHIP last season. He has a 1.80 ERA this season while entering his prime.  David Peterson hopes to show he can be a reliable starter for the Mets. Peterson is getting a chance because Marcus Stroman, Michael Wacha and Noah Syndergaard are all out.  My preference is Voth. It's a bonus to get him at a plus price in this matchup.

I don't see the Angels sweeping the A's after winning the first two games of this series. Oakland is the far superior team so I'm attracted to the A's at this short price.  A's starter Chris Bassitt is underrated. The righthander has pitched very well with a 1.08 ERA and 0.90 WHIP. Oakland is 6-0 in Bassitt's last six starts. The Angels are 4-8 versus righties. They also have a losing record in day games.  This isn't a fade on Angels starter Griffin Canning. He's coming off a tough start in a loss to the Rangers this past Friday. But he's a promising pitcher. I just like Bassitt, the situation where the A's are trying not to get swept and Oakland being the better team. 

I can't help but be attracted to the better team getting a solid plus price. That's the case here.   The A's are much superior to the Angels. They have been solid on the road, too, winning 12 of their last 16 away games.  The Angels are favored being at home and because of how well Dylan Bundy has pitched this season. Bundy always flashed, but he never was this consistent when he was with the Orioles. The Angels are a much better fit for Bundy. I've always liked his potential. Perhaps, however, there is some regression coming.  The basis of my handicap is a play on the A's and Mike Fiers at this 'dog price. All the A's do when the righthander pitches is win. They are 21-5 during Fiers' last 26 starts for 81 percent! This includes a 3-0 mark this season.  The Angels have lost 39 of the last 52 times when they faced a righty starter. 

This is one of those risk vs. reward matchups. If healthy, Max Scherzer versus Rick Porcello is a monster mismatch, far higher than what the lay price is now. But is Scherzer healthy? He only pitched one inning during his last start six days ago because he tweaked his hamstring.  Indications are he is fine. He had a bullpen session on Sunday and everything went well. I don't think the Nationals would risk Scherzer if they weren't totally convinced he was 100 percent.  The other hesitation I had was about Washington's hitting. But the Nationals broke out of their hitting slump in a big way on Monday scoring 16 runs against the Mets. Their lineup is healthy again. Juan Soto makes a huge difference.  Porcello is nothing but a glorified innings-eater. His ERA on the season is 6.92. 

Look at the National League standings and you'll find a surprise leader: the Colorado Rockies. They have the best mark in the NL at 11-4. 

 The Rockies may be playing above their heads, but I like them to win here at home against the 6-10 Diamondbacks.  Colorado is pitching its ace, Jon Gray. Arizona is going with lefty Robbie Ray. The Rockies are 7-0 the past seven times facing a southpaw starter. Ray is a great strikeout artist, but a mediocre pitcher. He's never been able to harnas his control and it's evident again this season. He has a 9.45 ERA and 1.95 WHIP. He doesn't go deep into games either because he throws so many pitches.  Ray has a 5.20 career ERA in 17 starts against the Rockies. Current Rockies are batting a combined .328 against him in 214 plate appearances.  Gray's .694 home winning percentage is second-best in franchise history.  Arizona has lost 10 of the last 12 times it has been a road 'dog. Colorado has defeated the Diamondbacks six of the past eight times at Coors Field. 
 

There's a class difference between these two teams. Given that and the starting pitching matchup, I'm going to back Tampa Bay at this short lay price. The Rays' Ryan Yarbrough is a dependable starter. The Red Sox are likely to use this matchup as a bullpen game. That's fine if you have a good bullpen. The Red Sox don't. Tampa Bay is 8-2 the past 10 times facing Boston. The Rays have won during each of their last four games in Boston. 

This is not the season to be backing the pitching-less Red Sox. Boston has lost 11 of the last 16 times it has been a home favorite. At this price, I'm going to make a value play and take the Blue Jays, who have a better record than the Red Sox.  Boston has a terrible bullpen and its starting pitching rotation has been decimated by injuries, trades and defections. Nathan Eovaldi, who gets the start here, could be the Red Sox's best starter. Eovaldi throws hard, but always has been inconsistent. He had a 7.71 ERA in two starts against Toronto last season.  I believe Toronto's Matt Shoemaker can pitch well now that he has gotten the rust off. This will be his third start. He is 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA in four lifetime appearances versus the Red Sox, which includes three starts. 

Had a big underdog winner with the Mariners on Wednesday. And am coming back on them today as a big underdog again in a pitching matchup of Dylan Bundy versus Taijuan Walker. I just don't see the Angels being that much better than Seattle especially on the road. The Angels are 9-25 in their last 34 away games.  So this is another value play.  I think Bundy is better with the Angels than he was with the Orioles. The Mariners, though, just saw him last Sunday. Bundy gave up three runs on four hits in six innings in that game, which the Mariners won, 8-5.  Walker always has shown promise, but his career has been derailed by injuries. Walker is healthy now and coming off an impressive 5-3 victory against the A's six days ago where he threw seven scoreless innings giving up only one hit with eight strikeouts and two walks.  The Angels are at less than full strength with underrated shortstop Andrelton Simmons out with an ankle injury. 
    

I don't get the oddsmaker's love of the Angels when meeting the Mariners.  I get that Seattle is bad and playing for the future. But the Angels aren't good either especially on the road where they have lost 24 of their past 33.  In this matchup, the Mariners are not only home but have the superior starting pitcher. Marco Gonzales is their No. 1 starter. He's 6-1 in 13 career starts versus the Angels. He faced them six days ago in Anaheim limiting them to three hits and two unearned runs in 6 1/3 innings. Seattle won that game, 8-5. Julio Teheran is set to make his Angels debut. He's been out after testing positive for COVID-19. He is making the conversion to being an American League pitcher having spent his nine-year big league career with the Braves. He's likely to be on a pitch count. 
  

This is a case of slow-starting Mike Clevinger pitching at home against Tejay Antone, who is making his big league debut.  Clevinger is better than he has shown. I'll back him against the unknown Antone and a Reds squad that has been disappointing so far this season.  Antone isn't a premier prospect. He's ranked as the Reds' 24th best prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.  The Indians have been a reliable home favorite winning 10 of the last 12 times in that role. 

The Rays are another reliable home favorite. They are 20-6 (77 percent) the past 26 times as home chalk. Tropicana Field is a very tough road venue for opponents because of its Field Turf and odd configurations. The Red Sox have lost in five of their last six visits. Boston also is 1-7 the past eight times meeting the Rays.  Boston is down this season due to horrible pitching. The Red Sox are going with Martin Perez, who has an 8.39 ERA at Tropicana Field in five appearances, including four starts. He doesn't figure to be aided by one of the worst bullpens in the league.  The Rays are going with Ryan Yarbrough, who is pitching extremely well with a 1.54 ERA and 0.86 WHIP. Tampa Bay owns the far superior bullpen, too. 
 

Houston is 62-30 in its last 92 games. The Angels are 19-43 during their past 62 games.  The Astros are much superior. More so since the Angels will be without underrated injured shortstop Andrelton Simmons and possibly superstar Mike Trout for another game. Trout didn't play on Saturday after his wife gave birth. He might not play today either since the Angels are idle on Monday.  Houston has beaten LA 20 of the last 28 times on the road.  So why such a low line? Is it because the Angels hold a starting pitching edge? No, I can't say that in a pitching matchup of Josh James versus Shohei Ohtani. James can get wild, but he is a big strikeout pitcher with a 2.57 career ERA versus the Angels in 10 appearances. He has a high upside.  The Angels lose Ohtani's bat at the DH spot because he'll be on the mound. Ohtani is on the comeback trail. He looked terrible in his first start, which came last Sunday against the A's. Ohtani faced six batters. He gave up three hits and three walks. His career ERA in two starts against the powerful Astros is 7.04. 

Yes, I think the Padres are improved and a legitimate darkhorse. But I will fade them as road chalk at Coors Field.  San Diego is 4-14 in its last 18 road games.  The pitching matchup is Zach Davies versus Antonio Senzatela. I prefer Senzatela, who is 6-1 with a 3.30 ERA in 12 lifetime appearances versus the Padres, including six starts. He is 4-0 taking on the Padres at Coors Field.  The Padres' late inning relief has been disappointing. The Rockies' relief staff has been surprisingly solid except for Wade Davis, who has no business being a closer anymore. 
 

If they keep Wade Davis out of the game, I like the Rockies' chances of evening this series. The Rockies were on a four-game win streak until the Padres beat up Davis and rallied to defeat Colorado on Friday.  Even with that win, San Diego is only 5-13 in its last 18 road games. The Padres also are 13-40 versus a lefty starter when on the road. Colorado is pitching southpaw Kyle Freeland, who has plenty of experience with Coors Field and pitching in Denver's thin air. Freeland was solid in his first start this season giving up two runs on four hits in six innings during a 5-2 win against the Rangers this past Sunday.  Eric Hosmer has missed the past three games for the Padres due to sickness. San Diego is starting Joey Lucchesi, a lower-tier pitcher with a 4.71 lifetime ERA in four career starts at Coors. 

Colorado has been an early surprise opening 4-1 with all five of those games on the road. Now the Rockies are set for their home opener and they are in a great spot to win it. The price certainly is right to back them.  The Rockies are throwing their ace, righty Jon Gray. The Rockies' bullpen has held up so far. Colorado has a 1.84 team ERA having faced the Rangers and A's.  The Padres appear to be one of the most improved teams in baseball. But this is a bad spot for them. San Diego had to play late into the night on Thursday to defeat the Giants on the road in extra innings. Now they had to fly into Colorado.  Colorado concluded last season winning seven of its last nine home games. They are tough to deal with at Coors Field especially if you lack experience at that ballpark. San Diego starter Garrett Richards has never pitched at Coors. He's likely in for a shock.  San Diego has lost 12 of its last 15 road games when facing a righthanded starter and that includes its win Thursday against the weak Giants. The Padres are 1-4 in their last five games at Coors. They could be without steady first baseman Eric Hosmer, who has missed two straight games due to a stomach illness. 
 

Anytime I see the Tigers favored, I have to seriously consider the underdog. Detroit has lost 76 percent of its last 100 games! The Tigers are 1-4 the past five times they've been home chalk.  The Royals aren't starting one of their not-ready-for-prime-time young pitchers. They are going with veteran lefty Danny Duffy. He held the Indians to two runs on three hits in 4 1/3 innings during his first start this season.  Kansas City has the four best position players in this matchup.  The Tigers are going with Matt Boyd, who looked terrible in his first start this year when he got hammered by the Reds. Boyd does not have a good history against the Royals either with a 5-9 mark and 6.46 ERA in 19 career outings versus them.  Whit Merrifield, the best player on either team, has a lifetime batting average of nearly .500 against Boyd going 20-for-39. 

Tropicana Field is one of the tougher places to play especially for National League opponents. The Braves experienced the horrors of Tropicana Field losing by nine runs to the Rays on Monday. Atlanta fielders had difficulty dealing with the domed stadium's roof and background striking out 19 times.  The price is low enough to back the Rays again today against the Braves, who are without their two top catchers.  The Braves are going with Kyle Wright. He's a highly-rated prospect who is Atlanta's No. 5 pitcher now because Cole Hamels is out. Wright has failed to show anything in the majors yet posting a 7.71 ERA in 11 big league appearances. Lack of control has been a big issue with him.  Yonny Chirinos gets the start for Tampa Bay. He has no problems at Tropicana Field holding opposing hitters to a .207 batting average there. Chirinos has much better control than Wright finishing with a 1.05 WHIP last year.  The Rays usually come through as a home favorite winning 75 percent in that role the past 32 times. Tampa Bay also is 15-6 the past 21 games versus NL foes and 21-5 the last 26 times playing on astroturf. 

After facing Chris Paddack, Dinelson Lamet and Garrett Richards, the Diamondbacks drop down in class today drawing Joey Lucchesi. He has a career record of 18-19 with a 4.14 ERA and has yet to prove he can be an above average starter.  Right-handed Luke Weaver was a star holding 10 of 11 opponents to three runs or fewer last season before being sidelined until the final week of the season due to an elbow injury.  The Padres have lost 20 of the past 26 times they've gone against a righty starter. 

The Braves are at a big early-season disadvantage with both of their veteran catchers, Travis d'Arnaud and Tyler Flowers, out. The combination of that and preferring veteran Rick Porcello against lefty Sean Newcomb puts me on the Mets at this low price. Porcello had spent his first 11 years in the American League. Porcello is 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA in four career interleague starters versus the Braves, but National League teams are mostly unfamiliar with him.  Newcomb has moved around from bullpen to starter while proving more reliable as a relief pitcher. The Mets' lineup is more dangerous against southpaws with the return to health of right-handed DH Yoenis Cespedes. 
 

We know this about the Twins: They are coming off a 101-win season and a major league record 307 homers.  We know this about the White Sox: They have some intriguing young talent and are projected to challenge for the AL Central Division title. But they are untested.  The Twins are the proven commodity. The White Sox are unknown. I like Twins starter Jose Berrios more than White Sox starter Lucas Giolito in this matchup. The price is right to back Minnesota.  The Twins dominated the White Sox last season winning 13 of 19 times. Minnesota scored 231 more runs than Chicago last year.  Berrios has a strong history versus the White Sox with an 11-2 record and 2.40 ERA in 14 career starts. This includes a 4-1 mark and 2.88 ERA against the White Sox last season.  By contrast, Giolito is 4-5 with a 4.58 ERA in 10 career starts versus the Twins. 

The Rockies are usually a good fade on the road. That should be the case here.  Colorado has lost 39 of its last 54 away games. They are starting German Marquez and have one of the worst bullpens on paper. The Rockies' best reliever, Scott Oberg, is on the DL with a back strain. I like Texas starter Lance Lynn more than Marquez. The veteran Lynn won't lack motivation making his first Opening Day start. He hasn't pitched against the Rockies in three years, but has a 2.76 ERA and 1.16 WHIP versus them in seven career starts. 

I can't - and won't - pass up a plus price offering on the red-hot Nationals. Not only is Washington the home team, where there will be no DH, but the Nationals are a blazing 18-2 in their last 20 games. They have won eight games in a row. The Nationals are 13-1 in their past 14 home games. Yet, despite these impressive streaks, Washington is the underdog.  I don't get it. Houston is 2-3 on the road in the postseason. The Nationals beat Gerrit Cole and Justin Verlander. They can defeat Zach Greinke, too. I like Greinke and this isn't a fade on him as it is a play on the hot Nationals, who have scored 17 runs in the first two games of this series. Greinke, though, is 36. He's not an "A" pitcher anymore in my book. I rate him as a solid "B" being more craft and guile than blowout stuff like he used to be.  Greinke has a far bigger name than Washington starter Anibal Sanchez. It's a mistake to believe Sanchez takes a backseat to Greinke in the postseason, though. Sanchez has proven to be a big-play pitcher. He has a 2.57 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 56 postseason innings with 60 strikeouts. Sanchez nearly threw a no-hitter against the Cardinals in Game 1 of the NLCS during his previous start. He has a 0.71 ERA in the playoffs this season.  The Astros have a deeper bullpen than the Nationals, who are vulnerable in middle relief. But the Nationals' two best relievers, Sean Doolittle and Daniel Hudson, are rested.  No DH is a plus for the Nationals, who are used to playing by those rules. The Astros now have to decide if they are going to sit out Yordan Alvarez, or start him in the outfield taking a risk with his questionable fielding compared to Josh Reddick.  The Astros haven't won since the news about assistant general manager Brandon Taubman's behavior toward a group of female reporters in the Houston clubhouse following the Astros' game-clinching series victory against the Yankees. This incident has caused MLB to investigate and is a distraction for the Astros. Bottom line is there just too much value not to ride the Nationals again.    

I have the utmost respect for Stephen Strasburg. But I like Jack Flaherty better. I believe there is value getting Flaherty and the Cardinals - in a desperate spot down 0-2 - at an underdog price. Yes, St. Louis is on the road now. But the Cardinals have beaten the Nationals five of the past six times as a visitor.  Yes, the Cardinals aren't hitting. But the Nationals aren't exactly tearing the cover off the ball having scored five runs in the first two games of the series.  Yes, Strasburg is a stud pitcher. But Flaherty was the best pitcher in the National League during August and September with a 0.91 ERA following All-Star break. Flaherty has stayed hot in the postseason with a 2.77 ERA in 13 innings. St. Louis is 11-5 in his last 16 starts.
 

The Nationals have three outstanding starting pitchers. Anibal Sanchez isn't one of them.  It's Sanchez who draws the start in Game 1 of the NL Championship Series today. He's backed up by one of the worst bullpens in the majors. And the Nationals won't be resorting to using Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin in relief when they have to dip into their bullpen. Not with those three studs drawing heavy action in the Nationals' playoff series win against the Dodgers.  The underdog Nationals took out the Dodgers winning the pivotal Game 5 in extra innings this past Wednesday in LA. Washington still may be hung over with such a short turnaround opening this series in St. Louis. Washington has lost seven of its last nine games to St. Louis. I prefer Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas to Sanchez. Mikolas is a solid No. 3 type starter, while Sanchez is more bottom of the rotation. Mikolas has a 2.98 ERA at home this season. St. Louis is 16-7 in Mikolas' last 23 home starts.  Sanchez is 2-4 with 3.44 career ERA in eight career starts versus St. Louis.

The Cardinals have been red-hot during the past two months winning 34 of their last 50 games, including seven of their last nine road contests. Jack Flaherty has been a major cog during the Cardinals' stretch drive. There hasn't been a better pitcher during August and September than Flaherty. He is 7-2 with a 0.91 ERA during his past 15 starts. He has a 0.41 ERA in his past three starts and a 1.48 day time ERA on the season. All this bodes well for the Cardinals, who knocked off the Braves by scoring a combined six runs in the eighth and ninth inning to win, 7-6, in Game 1 of the series on Thursday. It was the Cardinals' 10th win in their last 13 road games versus Atlanta.  The Braves have outstanding young talent. But some of that talent needs more maturity and is in a rough bounce back spot after such a tough home loss in the series opener.  Atlanta starter Mike Foltynewicz has not fared well historically against the Cardinals with a 3-4 mark and 7.64 ERA in seven career starts. 
 

I want the Dodgers going for me in this opening National League playoff series.  LA is rested, has the better offense and bullpen. I also like the starting pitching matchup from a Dodgers perspective, too. Walker Buehler has been dominant when pitching at Dodger Stadium going 6-1 with a 2.86 ERA there. The Dodgers think so much of Buehler they started him ahead of Clayton Kershaw. The Dodgers are 15-3 when Buehler has pitching the opener of a series.  Corbin has been much better at home than on the road where his away record is 6-5 with a 4.18 ERA compared to 8-2 with a 2.40 ERA at Nationals Park. Corbin is squaring off against an LA squad that set an NL record with 279 home runs and led the NL in runs. 

No team is hotter than Milwaukee. The Brewers are a major league-best 18-4 this month. They are 16-2 in their last 18 games.  The price and pitching matchup is worth it to ride the Brewers again today.  Jordan Lyles has been outstanding since coming to the Brewers on July 29. Milwaukee is 9-1 in Lyles' 10 starts. Lyles has a 2.35 ERA with the Brewers and is in excellent form with a 1.80 ERA during his past three starts.  The Reds are averaging only 2.3 runs in their last eight games. The Reds are dealing with a virus that has affected several Cincinnati players, including infielder Freddy Galvis.  The Brewers are highly motivated and have tremendous momentum. If they win this game, they clinch a wild-card berth.  The Reds just want the season to end. They are giving Tyler Mahle an extended look. The results haven't been good. Mahle, who is slated to start here, hasn't won since May. He's 2-11 on the season with a 4.93 ERA. Mahle's ERA in his past three starts is 6.59.

The Cardinals were in a party mood after clinching their first playoff berth in four years after sweeping the Cubs with a 3-2 road win on Sunday. So the Cardinals might not have their full focus traveling West to take on the host Diamondbacks tonight. 

 The pitching matchup is Adam Wainwright versus lefty Alex Young, who the Cardinals have never faced before. Wainwright is a brilliant 9-3 with a 2.03 ERA when pitching at home. However, his numbers are far worse on the road where he's 4-6 with a 6.03 ERA in 14 away starts. St. Louis is 1-7 the last eight times Wainwright has gone against a winning team on the road. The Cardinals are 21 games above .500 when facing a righthanded starter, but just 16-15 versus southpaw starters.  Young is a rookie, but he has been a rock for Arizona holding 12 of his 15 opponents to three earned runs or fewer. He has a 2.30 ERA in his past six starts. 

The Marlins are such big underdogs in this spot largely due to reputation and the Nationals pushing for a playoff spot. 

 But there are a lot of circumstances here that point to an outstanding value play backing the home underdog.  Washington has won the first two games of this series. This is the Nationals' final regular season road game. They return home to host the Phillies on Monday, closing out the season with eight home games. So the Nationals might not have their full concentration while also taking the Marlins too lightly in this Sunday get away day spot.  The Nationals are pitching their No. 5 rotation guy, Austin Voth. He has a 3.77 ERA on the road this season. Washington is 1-5 in Voth's last six starts.  Pablo Lopez starts for Miami. He's been a much better pitcher at home where his ERA is 3.22. Lopez also has a 2.76 ERA in day games. He's coming off a Monday performance where he held the Diamondbacks to three runs on five hits in six innings.  The Marlins do not have a good bullpen. However, the Nationals have the highest bullpen ERA in the majors at 5.79. 
 

Mitch Keller is the Pirates' top pitching prospect. He has yet to show it, though. Pressed into service due to the Pirates' multiple pitching injuries, Keller is struggling to solve big league hitters with an 8.29 ERA and 1.87 WHIP. He has a 10.97 ERA in his past three outings.  Keller has given up at least one homer in four of his last five starts. The Mariners rank ninth in homers and expect to activate power-hitting outfielder Domingo Santana from the injured list in time for this game. Santana is second on the Mariners in RBI's.  I'm not buying Keller as a favorite in this matchup of two bad teams. The Mariners are throwing their No. 1 pitcher, lefty Marco Gonzalez. If you discount his recent starts against the powerful Astros, Gonzaez has surrendered three or fewer runs in seven of his last eight starts. He was solid in his past start, a 5-3 home victory against the Reds this past Wednesday. Gonzalez held Cincinnati to two runs on five hits in seven innings.  Pittsburgh is 14-25 versus lefty starters this season.  Seattle is 4-2 in its last six games. The Pirates are home for the first time in nine days. They just were swept three games by the Cubs getting outscored by 32 runs in that series. Pittsburgh has dropped 19 of its last 27 home games.

If it weren't for Washington's Dave Martinez, I would select Philadephia's Gabe Kapler as the worst manager in the National League if not all of baseball.  The Phillies haven't made the playoffs since 2011. Kabler hasn't changed that in the two years he has been manager despite management getting him a lot of talent. Kapler's bizarre in-game decisions, poor bullpen management and lack of communication have hindered the Phillies.  So if I can find a reason to fade the Phillies, I usually will. In this matchup there are several major factors working against Philadelphia, beginning with the starting pitching matchup of Julio Teheran versus lefty Drew Smyly.  Teheran is very reliable. The Braves are 16-7 in his last 23 starts. During these past 23 starts, Teheran has a 2.67 ERA. He's allowed only three runs during his past four starts spanning 25 innings. Opposing batters are hitting just .167 against him during this time frame. It took a while, but the Braves' high quality relievers they picked up at the trade deadline have settled down and are pitching well.  Atlanta is one of the hottest teams in the majors having won 19 of its last 23 games.  The Braves have won 67 percent of their games, too, when drawing a lefty starter this season going 22-11.  Smyly was terrible with Texas this year going 1-5 with an 8.42 ERA and 1.91 WHIP. He pitched better initially since coming to the Phillies on July 21. But aside from his last start against the Mets this past Saturday, Smyly has reverted back to his terrible American League form giving up 21 earned runs in his previous six games. Smyly failed to go six innings in any of those six outings before his last start.  The chance to back the hot Braves with the stronger pitcher at a reasonable price has me taking Atlanta.      

There is a class and pitching difference here that makes this a worthy investment to back the Braves.  Dallas Keuchel is a "B" level pitcher, who has been throwing like his past Cy Young days. The lefty is 4-0 with a 0.87 ERA during his last five starts spanning 31 innings.  The Phillies are 16-22 against lefty starters and going with Zach Eflin, who is a bottom of the rotation type starter at best. Eflin has really struggled against Atlanta this year surrendering 12 earned runs in 5 2/3 innings.  Philadelphia can't beat a good team when Elfin starts. The Phillies are 2-12 the past 14 times Elfin has faced an above .500 opponent.  Atlanta has been one of the hottest teams in baseball winning 18 of its last 22 games and seven of its past nine. 

The Cubs and their starting pitcher, Kyle Hendricks, play much worse on the road. Chicago is 13 games below .500 away from Wrigly Field. Hendricks has a 1.77 ERA and 0.77 WHIP at home, but is 4-7 on the road with a 5.20 ERA and 1.44 WHIP. The Cubs have lost six of the Hendrick's last eight away starts.  San Diego starter Cal Quantrill isn't in good form. However, he shut out the Cubs on two hits in 5 2/3 innings when he last faced them on July 21. Quantrill struck out six and did not walk a batter. Hendricks started that game for the Cubs. San Diego won, 5-1.  The Cubs could be down four key players. Star shortstop Javier Baez and closer Craig Kimbrel are both out. Infielder Addison Russell isn't likely to play either after getting hit in the head with a pitch yesterday. Kris Bryant missed Sunday's game with a sore knee. So he's questionable. 
 

There is too much value to pass up on this game.  Toronto starter Jacob Waguespack has had some good moments. Just three starts ago he held the powerful Dodgers to no runs in seven innings allowing just one hit and one walk with five strikeouts. He has a respectable 3.97 ERA.  Tyler Glasnow will be making his first appearance for the Rays since May 10. He's been out this long due to a strained forearm. Glasnow has a very high ceiling, but he figures to be rusty and only pitch around two innings turning this into a bullpen game for the Rays.  That puts a lot of randomness into the equation and makes the Blue Jays an enticing underdog at this huge plus price. 

Arizona is playing well, but the Diamondbacks are overachievers. They are not some powerhouse and they are at a pitching disadvantage here. Diamondbacks starter Mike Leake is 0-5 with a 4.75 ERA in eight starts against his former team the Reds. The best thing you can say about Leake is that he is an innings-eater. I prefer Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani, who pitches better at home and has a 2.16 ERA during his past four starts.  
 

Face it Red Sox nation. This isn't your season. The price is right to back the superior road Yankees, who despite multiple injuries own the best record in baseball. The Yankees have dominated the Red Sox this season winning 11 of 15 games. New York is hot, too, winners of eight of its last 10. New York has a rested bullpen, which Boston doesn't, and has a much better starter going in a pitching matchup of Domingo German versus journeyman Jhoulys Chacin.  German is 17-3. He's given up three earned runs or less in nine of his last 11 starts. Chacin was released by the Brewers after posting a 3-10 mark and 5.79 ERA in 19 starts this season. Chacin last started back on July 24. 
 

Less than 24 hours after suffering their most brutal loss of the season - and one that realistically dents any playoff hopes - the Mets must play the Nationals on the road again with this day time start.  The Nationals took out Jacob deGrom and the Mets by rallying for seven runs in the ninth inning to pull out a highly improbable 11-10 victory against the Mets on Tuesday night. Before this game, teams with a six-run lead in the ninth were unbeaten this season at 274-0.  That loss was the Mets' eighth in their last 11 games and puts them five games behind the Cubs for the last wild card spot in the NL. The defeat also might have sealed the fate of Mets manager Mickey Callaway. The shell shocked Mets are in no shape mentally to face the Nationals in such a short turnaround. Washington is red-hot going 20-6 inits last 26 games.  The pitching matchup is Zach Wheeler versus Anibal Sanchez. Wheeler is 0-2 with a 7.94 ERA in four starts against Washington this season. The Nationals have scored seven or more runs in 13 of their last 16 games.  Sanchez has a 3.80 ERA compared to Wheeler's 4.41 ERA. Sanchez is 8-0 with a 3.21 ERA in his last 16 starts. 
  

The Tigers are home. That's great news for the Twins since Detroit is 17-47 at home. The Twins are one of the better teams in baseball. They could break the single-season record for home runs during this series. That's how powerful they are. At this low road price, the Twins are a bargain versus this opponent. The pitching matchup is Martin Perez versus Matt Boyd. These two just faced each other six days ago in Minnesota. The Twins got to Boyd for seven earned runs in six innings, while Perez held the Tigers to two earned runs in six innings.  Boyd still is getting some respect from the oddsmaker. He's perceived as Detroit's top pitcher. This isn't saying much. Boyd also hasn't been respectable like he was earlier in the season. He's allowed 19 earned runs in his last four starts spanning 21 innings. Boyd's ERA during his last 13 starts is a fat 6.05. He's also given up an average of 2.6 homers per nine innings in those last 13 outings. The Twins' power hitters should feast on him.  Perez, by contrast, has allowed just four earned in his last three starts spanning 17 innings. The Twins' bullpen has been very good this month.  Detroit has lost six in a row, averaging 2.8 runs per game during this losing streak.  The Twins have won six straight. They are averaging 8.6 runs a game during their win streak.  So, yeah, at this bargain price the Twins are worth laying road chalk. 
 

There aren't many things the Phillies can count out. The one person they can rely on is Aaron Nola, who takes the mound here against the Mets. Nola is 6-3 with a 2.27 ERA in his last 13 starts. He has allowed two or fewer runs in nine of those 13 starts. Philadelphia is a dominant 30-11 (73%) in Nola's last 41 home starts. The Phillies have defeated the Mets seven of the past eight times when Nola has gone against them.  The Mets are going with Zach Wheeler, who is back in bad form with a 6.75 ERA in his past three starts.  New York has lost six straight games. The Mets have scored two or fewer runs in five of their last seven games. 
 

If you can't beat righthanders you're not going to have a very good record. Detroit has the lowest winning percentage in baseball. One reason for this is the Tigers losing 45 of the past 55 times against a righty starter. Cleveland is going with righty Adam Plutko. He's settled into being a solid No. 4 type pitcher for Cleveland with a 3.53 ERA in his past six starts. The Indians are 11-4 in Plutko's last 15 starts.  The Tigers are going with Spencer Turnbull, who hit the wall a long time ago. Detroit is 1-10 in Turnbull's last 11 home starts.  The Indians were idle Monday giving them an extra day to stew about a tough 9-8 Sunday loss to the Royals.  Cleveland should take out its frustrations on its favorite patsy as Detroit is 1-12 versus the Indians this season. 

I don't normally go against the Dodgers. But they are 34-28 on the road. That's certainly respectable, but nothing like their mind-boggling 52-18 home record. The Dodgers have trouble when facing Eric Lauer. San Diego is 5-1 in Lauer's six career starts versus the Dodgers. Laurer has a 1.72 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in these appearances. The Dodgers are batting only .175 against Lauer this season.  Lauer has a 3.10 home ERA on the season. The Padres are 5-2 in his past seven starts at Petco Park.  The Dodgers have been in a scoring slump scoring three or fewer runs in seven of their last eight games. Dodgers rookie Dustin May has a high ceiling. But he's up-and-down right now. May last pitched eight days ago in relief. He gave up four runs on three hits and a walk in two innings versus the Braves. The Padres went up against May on Aug. 2 getting to him for four runs - three of which were earned - and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings.  The Padres have already set a franchise-record for home runs in a season with 190.
 

The Braves are the superior team. Steven Matz is a strong home pitcher for the Mets. But I like Dallas Keuchel and the hot Braves in an underdog role. Atlanta has won seven in a row. They have won 12 more games than the Mets. 
 The Braves rank sixth in scoring. The Mets, by contrast, rate 16th in runs. 

If the Cubs played all of their games at Wrigley Field they would rank with the Astros, Yankees and Dodgers as a super power. Chicago is 44-19 at home. The price is low enough to back the Cubs at home in a pitching matchup of Anibal Sanchez versus Jon Lester. The Cubs have won 74 percent of Lester's last 61 games at Wrigley Field. Lester looked back to normal during his last start going six shutout innings against the Pirates on the road last Saturday. The southpaw has a 3.13 day time ERA. The Nationals are just one game above .500 when facing a lefty starter. Sanchez may be hitting the wall. He's given up eight runs during his last two starts spanning nine innings. Sanchez has allowed 15 hits and five walks during these past nine innings.  Chicago has rested Craig Kimbrel to close, while the Natoinals lack a closer with Sean Doolittle, their best reliever, on the DL. 
 

Sorry, but I'm not sold on the Mets as a serious playoff contender. Not when they aren't pitching Jacob deGrom or Noah Syndergaard, which is the case here. New York is 19-5 in its last 24 games. But 16 of those victories have come against the Padres, Pirates, White Sox, Marlins and Royals. Those five teams are a combined 111 games under .500!  The Indians have gone on a second-half surge to go 22 games above .500. They are 16-6 in their last 22 road games.  Marcus Stroman goes for the Mets. New York is 3-0 in Stroman's three starts. However, Stroman has a 5.17 ERA in those outings. The Indians are averaging 6.2 runs in their last nine games.  Adam Plutko is a bottom of the rotation starter for Cleveland. But he's decent. He just beat the Yankees - a far superior offensive team to the Mets - last Wednesday limiting the Yankees to three runs in six innings. Cleveland is 8-2 the past 10 times Plutko has started. 
 

I don't know if this is a case of giving Patrick Sandoval too much respect, or All-Star Mike Minor getting too little respect. It's likely a case of both. Nonetheless, the bottom line here is the Rangers are underpriced. Minor is worthy of being a much stronger favorite pitching at home against the Angels, who aside from superstar Mike Trout just aren't very good.  Minor is 3-1 with a 2.67 ERA and 1.19 WHIP during his last four starts. The lefty is 5-3 with a 3.25 ERA in a dozen home starts. He owns a 2.08 ERA and 3-0 mark the past two years in five starts against the Angels.  LA is 17-25 versus southpaw starters on the season. The Angels also have dropped nine of their last 12 road matchups.  Sandoval is one of those young Angels starters being force fed to major league hitters due to injuries and the untimely death of Tyler Skaggs. The lefty has a 5.79 ERA. He isn't ready, in my view, to be in a big league starting rotation. The Rangers are 6-2 the past eight times they've gone against a lefty starter.
 

The Orioles and Tigers are the two worst teams in baseball. Since the All-Star break, the Pirates can join those two teams in the discussion of who is the worst.  Pittsburgh is 7-27 post All-Star break. Washington is 9-3 in its last 12 games. The Nationals have the third-best record in the National League.  Yet we have a very low opening line lay price for the Nationals. Why is that since the Nationals clearly are at least two levels higher than Pittsburgh? Trevor Williams gets the start for the Pirates. But that doesn't answer the question since Williams hasn't been very good with a 6.92 ERA in his last seven starts spanning 39 innings.  The Nationals are swinging extremely hot bats averaging 9.4 runs during their past seven games.  The answer then may lie in who Washington is starting on the mound: Joe Ross. His season numbers show a 5.91 ERA. That is misleading, however. Ross has been the Nationals' top pitcher if you go by the past three starts. Ross has fixed his mechanics and made key adjustments. These changes have helped him go 3-0 with a 0.50 ERA in his past three starts spanning 18 innings.  The Pirates have the better closer, Felipe Vazquez. The Nationals have upgraded their middle and setup relief, though. It's doubtful if the Pirates will even get to use Vazquez. Pittsburgh is averaging only two runs per game during its last four games.  It's also a bad situational spot for the Pirates as they had to play in the Sunday night game, which was played in Williamsport, Pa., against the Cubs in the MLB Little League Classic. 
 

Injuries and the untimely death of Tyler Skaggs have left the Angels force-feeding young unprove pitching prospects. Southpaw Patrick Sandoval falls into that category.  Sandoval draws the start here against All-Star Lucas Giolito. Sandoval has a 5.59 ERA in 9 2/3 innings. This will be his second big league start. He isn't ready to be pitching in the majors.  The Angels are 4-10 in their last 14 games. They have a burned out bullpen and are extremely weak in the middle infield with underrated shortstop Andrelton Simmons out.  Giolito hit a bump in a couple of July starts, but is back on track with a 2.84 ERA in his last three starts in which he has fanned 30 batters in 19 innings. Chicago is 8-3 in Giolito's last 11 road starts.  The White Sox are 12 games under .500 on the year. Hence, the Angels opening a favorite despite the huge starting pitching disparity.  However, the White Sox are much better against lefthanded starters. Chicago's record versus lefties this season: 23-18. The White Sox are 6-1 the past seven times they've faced a southpaw starter. 
 

This matchup pits a battle of lefty starters, Steven Matz versus Dallas Keuchel. I want Keuchel and the Braves going for me. Atlanta is 17-10 versus southpaw starters, including winning 11 of the last 16 times when drawing a lefthanded starter. The Mets have a losing record when going up against a lefty starter.  Keuchel won't lack motivation coming off his worst as a Brave. He was racked for eight runs on 10 hits in only 3 2/3 innings this past Thursday against the Marlins in Miami. The prideful Keuchel is much better than that. He has made four home starts for the Braves and has a 2.96 ERA and 0.84 WHIP in those games. The Mets have never faced him. New York also is likely to be without second baseman Jeff McNeil, the second-leading hitter in the NL. McNeil suffered a leg injury on Tuesday night.  Matz has a 6.23 ERA in three starts against the Braves this year The Mets have lost five of Matz's last six away starts.

The Braves are better than the Mets. The Braves are home and I don't see Zach Wheeler having any edge on lefty Max Fried.  So at this price, the Braves are a bargain.  Wheeler has been pitching well. I like him. But he's not in the Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard talent level. Wheeler has a 4.50 ERA in two starts versus Atlanta this season. Fried has posted a solid 3.32 ERA in his past four starts with 25 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings during this span. The Mets hold a losing record versus southpaw starters. Atlanta does have bullpen concerns. But so do the Mets. Edwin Diaz has an 11.12 ERA in his last six appearances.  The Braves are 6-2 in their last eight games against the Mets.
 

Anytime the Tigers are laying this kind of price, I'm at the window fading them.  Detroit has lost 41 of its last 51 games. They are an MLB-worst 16-41 at Comerica Park. Ty Cobb would be rolling around in his grave if he could witness how bad these Tigers are.  The Tigers are big chalk because supposedly they have their best pitcher, Matthew Boyd, going while Seattle is pitching Yusei Kikuchi, who hasn't won during his past seven starts. Kikuchi pitched well, though, in his last outing holding the Padres to one run on four hits in five innings with eight strikeouts this past Wednesday. Boyd was terrible during his last start getting rocked for five runs in just 2 2/3 innings against the Royals this past Thursday. Boyd yielded six hits, including three homers in that loss. Detroit has dropped 13 of Boyd's last 16 starts.  Seattle, like the rest of the American League, knows how to beat the Tigers. Seattle is 17-4 in its past 21 games versus Detroit. 
 

The Twins are 25-10 the past 35 times Jose Berriors pitches at home. One of those losses, though, occurred the last time Berrios pitched at Target Field. That came this past Tuesday against Atlanta. The Braves blasted Berriors scoring nine runs on him in fewer than six innings. It was one of Berrios' worst days of his career.  Prior to that, however, Berrios had gone 12 straight starts without surrendering more than three earned runs. He is an elite pitcher and extremely reliable. His home ERA is 3.15. His day time ERA is 3.20  I trust Berrios to come back strong following that rare humiliation.  He's facing rookie Aaron Civale, who will be making back-to-back big league starts for the first time. This will be the toughest test Civale has faced. Minnesota ranks first in the majors in homers and is second in runs. The Indians, by contrast, rate 20th in homers and 19th in runs. 
 

Reynaldo Lopez is flying below the radar screen. Tanner Roark should never be a favorite in this high range. But the two together and you have a strong underdog value play on the White Sox. Lopez has been one of the hotter post All-Star break pitchers going 2-1 with a 2.56 ERA in his last five starts. Lopez has 34 strikeouts in 31 2/3 innings during this span. Lopez has tamed the A's during his career, too, with a 1.50 lifetime ERA against them in two starts.  Roark is a true mediocrity with a 7-7 mark and 4.14 ERA.  Oakland has a losing record in his last seven road contests. 
  

The 1899 Cleveland Spiders. The 1962 New York Mets. The 2019 Detroit Tigers. Yes the Tigers are getting to be historically that bad having lost 30 of their last 35 home games.  Detroit is 9-48 in its last 57 games against a righty starter and draw a hot Ivan Nova here. Nova is pitching his best ball of the season and maybe of his career with a 0.90 ERA during his last three starts. He's held the Marlins, Twins and Phillies to two earned runs in 20 innings during this span giving up 11 hits and three walks.  The Tigers are second-to-last in runs, have only one decent starter and a terrible bullpen. The result is the worst record in baseball at 33-77.  Lefty Tyler Alexander gets the call for Detroit. He has a 4.50 ERA. The White Sox are at their best versus southpaws compiling a 21-17 mark against them. Chicago is 5-1 in its last six road games when facing a lefty starter.

On paper this may look like a close matchup. In reality it's not. The Twins are much the superior team and have a huge starting pitching edge. These factors are enough to justify laying this price.  Atlanta is just 8-11 in its last 19 games. I don't see the Braves defeating Jose Berrios in Minnesota. Berrios has cemented his status as an elite pitcher. He's in tremendous form, too, with a 1.82 ERA in four starts following the All-Star break. Berrios has the third-lowest ERA in the American League at 2.80 and sixth-best WHIP in the AL at 1.10. The Twins have won 25 of Berrios' last 34 home starts, a winning percentage of 74 percent. While Berrios has lived up to his vast potential, Braves starter Mike Foltynewicz has gone far downhill after making the All-Star team last year. Bothered by a sore elbow, Foltynewicz has been terrible with a 2-5 record and 6.37 ERA. Atlanta is 4-9 in his last 13 starts. Foltynewicz has been so bad he was sent to the minors. Now he's back up. I remain highly skeptical.  Foltynewicz has been prone to the long ball surrendering 16 bombs in 59 1/3 innings. The Twins lead the majors in homers and are on pace to easily surpass their franchise best for homers in a season.  The Braves picked up several prominent relief pitchers at the trade deadling, including Shane Greene. But so far they have looked terrible.    

We have a pair of lefty starters going here - Brett Anderson versus Jon Lester. Anderson has been solid on the road while Lester usually is tough at Wrigley Field.  Oakland, though, is 19-8 this season versus southpaw starters, including winning five of its past six away games against them.  Anderson's road numbers are a very respectable 5-2 record with a 3.49 ERA. He has limited 11 of his last 13 opponents to three earned runs or fewer. The A's have won Anderson's last six away outings.  The Cubs hold a losing mark going against lefthanders. They also have a cluster injury situation in their bullpen and are without a closer. Chicago is minus injured catcher Wilson Contreras, too. 
 

I see the Phillies bouncing back against the Diamondbacks after losing at home to the White Sox on Sunday. Philadelphia is 7-1 the past eight times following a defeat.  The Phillies have a pitching edge here both at starter in the bullpen where Arizona is vulnerable in middle relief and doesn't have a closer. Archie Bradley got the save for Arizona on Sunday but he had to log two innings and 28 pitches to do it.  Arizona starter Merrill Kelly has been bad for more than a month. The Diamondbacks are 0-6 in his last six starts. Kelly has been racked for 14 earned runs in his last two starts spanning just 8 1/3 innings. He's been tagged for five homers during this short time frame.  Phillies starter Vince Velasquez is pitching well giving up two earned runs in his last two starts spanning 10 2/3 innings. The righty has struck out 15 during this span. The Diamondbacks have a losing record against righthanded starters. 
 

It doesn't take much for me to want to fade the Tigers. A good price and a return to form of Lucas Giolito are enough to get me involved here with the White Sox. Chicago just took two of three from the Phillies in Philadelphia. The White Sox have their bats going again. Giolito displayed his All-Star form giving up just one run on three hits in seven innings during his last start against the Mets. Previous to that performance, Giolito was 0-3 with a 5.65 ERA in four starts. The start against the Mets was huge for Giolito because he said he was back in rhythm and had made key adjustments.  The Tigers have the worst offense in the majors. They are 14-55 in their last 69 games and have lost 29 of their past 33 games at Comerica Park.  Spencer Turnbull will be starting for Detroit and he'll be on a pitch count since he's coming off IL. The Tigers' lone reliable reliever, Shane Greene, was traded to the Braves. 
 

This has been a super competitive series with each of the first two games decided by one run.  White Sox starter Reynaldo Lopez has been pitching his best ball posting a 2.05 ERA ERA since the All-Star break. Opponents are hitting just .194 against him during this span.  The Phillies are hoping they caught lightning in a bottle with lefty Drew Smyly. He's given up one run in 13 innings during his two starts with Philadelphia since coming from the Rangers. I don't believe Smyly suddenly has turned good. He was 1-5 with an 8.42 ERA with the Rangers.  The White Sox are at their best against lefty pitchers compiling a 19-17 mark versus southpaw starters. 
 

Mike Fiers may be the most underrated pitcher in the American League especially when he pitches at home where he is 6-2 with a 2.61 ERA. Fiers hasn't given up more than three earned runs in a game during his last 17 starts. Only Gerrit Cole has had a lower ERA in the American League since April 26 than Fiers.  The Cardinals are playing well. However, the Oakland Coliseum is a tough place for visitors especially those who don't play there very often. Better teams than the Cardinals have gotten tripped up playing in the spacious and weird configurations of Oakland Coliseum. It's not a fluke the A's have won 11 of their last 15 home interleague games.  St. Louis also is without three of its key players as Yadier Molina, Marcell Ozuna and Matt Carpenter are all injured.  The Cardinals need a strong starting pitcher here and I don't see Dakota Hudson fitting that profile. He is bottom-of-the-rotation quality with a 4.63 ERA in his last seven starts. 

The Blue Jays gutted their team at the trade deadline. So I'm not making much of their five-game win streak. It has come against the Royals and Orioles. 

 I like the home 'dog Orioles here because of the starting matchup. It's converted reliever Thomas Pannone against Dylan Bundy. Bundy has a strong history versus the Bule Jays with a 3.23 lifetime ERA in 12 appearances. He's 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA against Toronto this season. Pannone has a 5.98 ERA. This is fifth start of the year. He has been at his worst on the road where he is 0-3 with a 7.89 ERA. 

Step to the head of the line if you knew the Giants finished with the best record in July. San Francisco went 19-6 last month. Regression is coming, though, because the Giants aren't nearly that tough. The Giants are in trouble in this matchup having to go with Shaun Anderson, their one starter who wasn't good in July. The league has caught up to the rookie Anderson, who went 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA in five starts last month. Anderson couldn't reach the sixth inning in any of those starts. The Giants' setup relief is down after a series of trades.  Anderson hasn't been good either away from spacious Oracle Park with a 5.65 ERA in eight road starts. Opposing batters are hitting .306 against him on the road. Now Anderson is pitching at Coors Field, the premier hitter's park in the majors.  Anderson pitched at Colorado last month and gave up five runs in 4 1/3 innings. The Rockies are going to be extra motivated for this series after being swept four games at home by the Giants last month.  Even with that sweep, San Francisco still has lost 19 of the past 26 times at Coors.  Rockies starter Peter Lambert has shown positive signs of breaking out of his slump. He has a respectable 3.86 ERA in his last three starts with a 15-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio during this span. 

The Brewers have their strengths. But playing on the West Coast in a big ballpark that negates their power is not one of them.  That's the situation the Brewers find themselves in against Oakland. The pitching matchup clearly favors the A's, too, and the price is low enough to back the home chalk. Milwaukee is hoping Jordan Lyles can step up. That's asking a lot given Lyles' current form, which shows 20 earned runs in his last four starts spanning just 11 innings. Lyles has surrendered nine homers during this brief time frame.  The A's are 9-2 (82%)  in their last 11 home games. They are going with Brett Anderson, a crafy southpaw who can frustrate the Brewers. Anderson has allowed three earned or fewer in 10 of his past 12 starts.  Milwaukee is 2-9 in its last 11 away contests versus a lefty starter. 

What we're getting here is a great price with the superior starting pitcher, home club and an underrated team.  The Marlins have actually been better than the Diamondbacks during the last 60-some games. Miami is 30-32 in its last 62 games, while the Diamondbacks are 28-33 in their last 61 games.  Arizona starter Merrill Kelly was battered for seven runs in 2 1/3 innings against the Orioles this past Tuesday. He has a 4.68 road ERA. His July ERA is 5.31.  Miami starter Caleb Smith is 3-0 with a 3.00 ERA in four July starts. Smith is a strong strikeout pitcher who is at his best pitching at Marlins Park where he is 4-1 with a 2.23 ERA. Opposing batters are hitting less than .200 against him.  Discount a nine-run scoring game on Saturday and the Diamondbacks are averaging 2.5 runs during their last four games. They were 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position on Sunday in a 5-1 loss to the Marlins. Now they draw Miami's best pitcher.  

The Rangers nailed the A's, 11-3, Thursday night catching the A's flat after Oakland had just returned from a seven-game road trip.  The A's should be on firmer ground in this second game of the series.  Lance Lynn is having a strong season for Texas. But he is not in good form right now surrendering nine earned runs, 15 hits and three walks with three homers during his last two starts spanning 13 innings.  Oakland starter Daniel Mengdon is 5-0 in nine appearances, including five starts, since losing his season debut on May 12. He won't have to deal with the Rangers' top power hitter, injured Joey Gallo.  The A's have a huge bullpen edge. Oakland has defeated Texas in 15 of the past 20 meetings. 

The Pirates are in a slump. But the Mets have no business laying a price this high when Jacob deGrom isn't pitching.  The pitching matchup is Dario Agrazal versus Zach Wheeler, who is coming off a stint on the injured list due to shoulder fatigue.  Agrazal isn't a prize rookie. But he has been decent and is floating below the radar screen having allowed one run during three of his last four starts while reaching the sixth inning each time. The Pirates have the better bullpen especially with Edwin Diaz questionable after taking a liner off his foot Thursday.  Wheeler last pitched on July 7 when he gave up six runs in five innings to the Phillies. Wheeler has a 4.69 ERA on the season. Agrazal, by comparison, has a 2.25 ERA.

The Rangers are a clear fade right now. They have lost nine of their last 10 and the reality of them not being a legitimate playoff team has become evident.  I don't see Texas turning things around in this matchup of Ariel Jurado versus Brett Anderson.  Jurado is having a brutal July with an 0-3 record and 8.31 ERA. He has allowed 16 runs and 24 hits during his last four appearances spanning 17 1/3 innings. Jurado has a 12.79 ERA in two appearances against the A's last year. The A's are one game up on Tampa Bay for the last wild card spot in the AL. So the A's should be very focused returning from a seven-game road trip. They are 6-3 against the Rangers this season, including 3-0 at home.  Anderson is pitching well with a 2-0 mark and 2.36 ERA during his last four starts. He likely won't have to deal with Joey Gallo, the Rangers' home run leader, who has a wrist injury. 
 

The price is short enough to ride the Indians, who are making a move winning nine of their last 11 games and are 30-12 in their last 42 games.  Adam Plutko is coming off a strong start for the Indians. Cleveland is 5-1 in Plutko's last six starts.  The Royals are in a rare flat spot having just swept a two-game road series against the Braves. The Indians should encounter little difficulty facing Mike Montgomery. They just went against Montgomery six days ago and racked him for five runs and six hits in just two-plus innings. 

I'd rather not lay a price when it's bad on bad like this matchup is. But I really like Caleb Smith and hate Dylan Covey. Smith is one of the more promising and below-the-radar pitchers in baseball. Covey is one of the worst with a 5.83 ERA. Covey is 0-3 with a 6.49 in interleague play.  The Marlins are 8-1 when Smith has pitched against a foe with a losing record. 
 

Zach Davies has been one of the hottest pitchers and he has a now rested Josh Hader in the bullpen. Davies has allowed two earned runs in his last four starts spanning 23 1/3 innings. His ERA during this span is 0.77.  Tanner Roark is not in Davies' class. This is the fourth time this season the Brewers get to face Roark, who has a 4.24 ERA versus Milwaukee. He has surrendered four homers to the Brewers in 17 innings.  While Hader has the capability of pitching two quality innings in relief, the Reds are unsettled at closer as Raisel Iglesias has given up five runs in his last three appearances spanning 2 2/3 innings, including surrendering three homers. 

The price is low enough to back the Phillies and Aaron Nola against the horrific Tigers, who have the fewest wins in the majors. Nola has allowed one or fewer earned runs in five of his last six starts. Philadelphia has won six of Nola's last seven road starts.  Matt Boyd is Detroit's best starting pitcher, hence the semi-competitive price. But Boyd hasn't been very good lately yielding four or more runs during each of his last six starts.  The Tigers are 1-8 during their last nine interleague games.

This is a crucial series for the Rangers. Their season is on the line. Texas was a big early-season surprise. The Rangers now, though, are in trouble having lost seven in a row. Seattle has been worse, however. The Mariners have lost 15 of their last 18 games, including going 1-8 in their last nine games.  The Rangers had a 30-minute team meeting following their 5-3 loss to the Astros on Sunday. That defeat pushed the Rangers 6 1/2 games back in the wild-card chase. If the Rangers don't fare well in this series, they could start dealing veterans and look to rebuild for next season.  Texas starter Adrian Sampson has a chance to rejoin the Rangers' starting rotation again with a good start. He is 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA in four lifetime appearances versus Seattle.  The Mariners are going with Marco Gonzalez, who has a 4.48 ERA.  The Rangers have won seven of the past eight times against the Mariners. 

If the Tigers are ever going to win again this is their spot. This isn't so much a play on Detroit as a fade on the road Blue Jays and taking a plus price. Toronto is pitching rookie Trent Thornton, who usually is bad three out of every four starts. He has a 5.25 ERA on the season. Toronto has lost eight of its last 11 away games. The Blue Jays are 1-5 in Thornton's last six road outings.  Southpaw Daniel Norris is slated to start for Detroit. Norris hasn't been good this year, but he won't lack motivation against his former team. The only time the Blue Jays have faced Norris was seeing him in relief. Norris held Toronto scoreless in 3 1/3 career innings.  The Blue Jays have lost 35 of the past 52 times when opposing a lefty starter.  

In Jake We Trust. Jake Odorizzi is having a monster season for the Twins and is back healthy. Odorizzi is at his best at Target Field where his home numbers are 6-0, 2.27 ERA and 0.92 WHIP. He has struckout 55 batters in 47 2/3 innings at home.  Minnesota is 14-2 in Odorizzi's last 16 starts at Target Field for a home winning percentage of 88 percent during this span!  While Odorizzi is the nuts at home, Oakland starter Chris Bassitt is at his worst pitching on the road in night games. Bassitt has a 4.43 road ERA and a 5.79 ERA when pitching at night.  The Twins have the far superior offense, too, ranking in the top-two in homers, runs and batting average. The A's rank ninth in runs and 18th in batting average.  Minnesota should be loose feeling less pressure after halting its three-game losing streak, longest of the season for the Twins, on Thursday beating Oakland, 6-3. 
 

If the Twins lose here, it will be their third loss in a row. That hasn't happened all season. I don't see in occurring here especially at home to the Mets. Minnesota is 28-16 at home. The Twins are 27-9 following a loss.  The Mets have lost 27 of their last 38 road games.  The Twins draw 36-year-old Jason Vargas, who has given up six homers in his last five starts. Minnesota leads the majors in homers and ranks No. 2 in runs.  The Mets go against lefty Martin Perez, who is far from outstanding but is reliable enough to keep the Mets in check. Perez is 4-2 with a 3.71 ERA at home this season. The Mets are 9-12 versus lefthanded starters. 

Lucas Giolito has become an elite pitcher this season. He has dominated the Royals going 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA in four starts this season. Giolito is 6-0 versus the Royals for his career with a 2.13 ERA. The White Sox have won 10 of Giolito's last 13 starts.  Royals starter Jakob Junis last won on May 30. He has a 5.33 ERA this year and a 5.34 career ERA against the White Sox in five starts.  Chicago is the better hitting team, too. The White Sox have defeated the Royals in five of the last six meetings.

There are three teams in the American League I would grade an F: Orioles, Tigers and Royals.  So, from a value standpoint, I'm compelled to take this price in a meeting of two "F" teams especially when the favored Royals are pitching Homer Bailey. Bailey actually has been pitching well recently. But he's still Homer Bailey and he carries a 5.44 day time ERA.  The Royals are going for a three-game sweep of the Tigers. They are 6-21 following a victory.  Tigers starter Jordan Zimmermann is overdue for a victory. He was hammered by the Red Sox in his last start. However, he held the Nationals to one run on four hits in six innings during his prior start before Boston. 
 

This is a huge start for Matthew Boyd, who is coming off a 13-strikeout, no-walk performance against the White Sox. The lefthanded Boyd is a prime trade candidate. The Tigers usually are alert and up for games when he pitches knowing he gives them a rare opportunity to win. 

 The Royals are 17-28 at home. They are 8-17 when facing a lefty starter. The Royals have the lowest slugging percentage against southpaws in the American League.  Kansas City is slated to start Brad Keller, who has a 4.47 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. Keller walked five batters in 5 2/3 innings during his last start eight days ago against the Nationals. Keller said hot, humid conditions contributed to his giving up so many walks. Keller said, "Every time I went to the set, my hand and arm were dripping wet. At the end, I just went to my sinker - that's the only pitch I could sort of command." Temperatures for this game are forecast to hit 90 degrees. So Keller figures to have control problems again. The Tigers should be expecting plenty of sinkers, too. 

Better starter, better closer and stronger offense. The Mets hold those edges against the Marlins. 

 Noah Syndergaard is coming around for the Mets, who finally figured out to start catcher Tomas Nido when Syndergaard pitches. Syndergaard is having a down year, but has shown signs of coming around. Talent isn't the issue with him. That's where the steadying influence of Nido helps.  It is better for the Mets they go with Nido's defense rather than Wilson Ramos' offense when Syndergaard is on the mound. New York has won the past four times Syndergaard has pitched. Syndergaard has been dominating versus the Marlins going 6-1 with a 1.74 ERA in nine starts against them spanning 62 innings. Edwin Diaz gives New York an edge at closer. The Mets average one run more per game than the Marlins, who are starting rookie Zac Gallen.  This will be Gallen's fourth big league start. He allowed three runs in five innings in a loss to the Nationals during his previous start on June 26. Gallen has potential and the Marlins are willing to live with his mistakes as he gains major league experience. Marlins manager Don Mattingly admitted this saying about Gallen, "There's going to be a learning curve from game to game."  The Marlins have lost 12 of their last 17 home games. 
   

Dinelson Lamet gets some love because he can strike out a lot of hitters. I admit to being intriguied by his potential. But he's a young pitcher, who doesn't win and is on the comeback trail.  The Braves are the superior team and have the better starter going with crafty veteran lefty Dallas Keuchel. Atlanta is 18-8 in its last 26 road games. San Diego has a losing home record. So I find this a nice value price to back Atlanta.  Lamet is making just his second big league start in two years after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Before his injury, Lambet was 7-8 with a 4.57 ERA. He struck out 33 in 24 innings during six minor league rehab starts. He also yielded 16 runs in those 24 innings. San Diego has lost in each of Lamet's past eight starts.  Keuchel has been solid in four starts with the Braves not allowing more than three earned runs during any start. He's given up up four runs on 10 hits during his last two outings spanning 14 1/3 innings.  The Padres rank 13th out of 15 National League teams in batting average against lefthanders. They have a losing record versus southpaw starters.  The Braves have established themselves as the second-best team in the National League winning 24 of their last 34 games.  

I don't like the Reds on the road and I'm not buying that Sonny Gray has transformed back into being an All-Star caliber pitcher.  I do buy into the Rockies being a tough home team and Jon Gray knowing how to pitch effectively at Coors Field. Statistics back this up.  The Reds are 17-25 on the road. Colorado traditonally has been very strong at Coors. The Rockies are 24-19 at home this season.  Righthanded Jon Gray is 4-1 with a 3.35 ERA in eight games at Coors, including seven starts.  Cincinnati is 17-35 in its last 52 away games versus a righty starter.  Sonny Gray is facing a Rockies club that is batting .312 at home. That's 33 points higher than the second-best team's home batting average. The Rockies also are No. 1 in the majors in home slugging percentage, OPS and OBP.   

The Dodgers have lost two in a row to the Padres. The last time LA lost more than two consecutive games was April. The Dodgers have won 76 percent of their last 59 home games.  So I don't mind laying a higher than normal price to back the Dodgers in this spot in a pitching matchup of lefty Joey Lucchesi versus Ross Stripling.  Lucchesi is a Petco Park pitcher with a bad history against the Dodgers. He has a 2.76 ERA at Petco. That ERA rises to 6.10 when Lucchesi pitches on the road. He has a 7.64 ERA in four career starts against the Dodgers. The Padres have lost all four of those starts. The Dodgers are 6-1 the past seven times going against a southpaw starter.  Padres closer Kirby Yates carries a high fatigue rating having thrown 39 pitches during the past two days in picking up saves Friday and Saturday. 
 Stripling is underrated being part of such a strong Dodgers pitching staff. He would be a No. 3 type starter on many teams, but has had to wait until Rich Hill suffered a long-term injury to get back into LA's rotation. Stripling has a 2.61 career ERA in 13 appearances versus San Diego, including five starts.  The Padres could be without their star rookie Fernando Tatis Jr. He was hit on the elbow by a pitch during Saturday's game.  

Colorado had held Arizona's number winning eight in a row against the Diamondbacks - until Friday night. The Rockies couldn't do anything against Zach Greinke in an 8-0 loss. Look for the Rockies, though, to start a new win streak against the Diamondbacks in a pitching matchup of Jon Gray versus Robbie Ray.  Gray has always had a high ceiling and he's been pitching much better with a 2.90 ERA in his last nine appearances spanning 49 2/3 innings. Gray has 52 strikeouts during this span. Colorado is 7-1 in his past eight starts. Gray is 1-0 with a 2.38 ERA in two starts versus Arizona this season, including holding the Diamondbacks to one earned run in six innings at Chase Field on June 19.  Gary won't have to worry about injured David Peralta, the Diamondbacks' third-best hitter.  Ray hasn't pitched well for more than a month giving up three earned runs or more in six of his last seven starts. His ERA has gone from 3.26 to 4.10 during this time frame.The lefty has a 5.49 ERA in 15 career starts versus the Rockies. Nolan Arenado, Charlie Blackmon and Trevor Story have a combined .388 batting average against Ray with 10 homers in 103 at bats.  The Rockies rank in the top four in the National League against lefthanded pitching in a number of categories, including batting average, slugging percentage and OPS. 
     

The Indians are heading into All-Star break making a move, going 19-8 in their last 27 games. Jose Ramirez is showing definite signs of breaking out of his season-long slumber batting .333 in his last 10 games. The Indians are much more dangerous when Ramirez is playing well.  Cincinnati has won three in a row, all against the Brewers with two of the victories being by one run.  I just see the Indians as being at least a level higher than the Reds and I like the pitching matchup of Shane Biebier against Anthony DeSclafani enough to lay this price.  DeSclafani has a 5.64 ERA in day games. Bieber has proven himself on the road with a 5-2 away mark and 3.33 ERA. Cleveland is 11-3 in his last 14 road starts. Bieber is coming off a 2-0 victory against the Orioles where he allowed three hits in eight innings with 11 strikeouts.  The Reds are just 6-15 in their last 21 interleague games. 

Oakland is a tough venue for Minnesota. But a pitching matchup of Jose Berrios versus rookie Tanner Anderson and a fair lay price gets me involved with the Twins. Berrios is a top-five American League starter. He has a 2.89 ERA and is going for his eighth straight quality start. In day action this season, Berrios is 5-1 with a 2.72 ERA. Minnesota has won six of his last seven road starts and 13 of his past 18 overall starts.  Anderson had a 6.26 ERA in Triple A. His ERA in the majors is 7.13 in 17 2/3 innings. The A's are 0-4 in Anderson's four starts.  The Twins lead the majors in homers and are No. 2 in runs. Anderson is a flyball pitcher and the weather forecast is for wind blowing out at nine mph. 
  

Anyone flying back to the U.S. from London knows it takes a few days to get back into a normal routine. It's called jet lag. The Yankees are sure to experience it and also are in a letdown spot after scoring 29 runs in sweeping two wins from the Red Sox in London during the weekend. They are leading the AL East by 6 1/2 games.  Now, just two days later, the Yankees are back in action. That's too soon.  The Mets are a dysfunctional bunch, but they do get excited about this series. They faced lefty James Paxton three weeks ago and rocked him for six runs in 2 2/3 innings. The Mets are 7-2 in their last nine games versus a southpaw starter.  Mets starter Zach Wheeler has given up just two earned runs in his last two starts spanning 13 innings with 12 strikeouts. Those starts came against two good hitting teams, the Phillies and Cubs. 

Miami has had Philadelphia's number winning the past five times against the Phillies.  This doesn't change the fact that the Phillies are much the superior team and have a starting pitched edge here. Jake Arrieta is past his prime. But the Phillies are 4-0 against the Marlins during Arrieta's last four starts against them. He rates an edge against Trevor Richards and has the better offense to back him up. The Marlins rank 29th in runs and 30th in homers.  Richards is 2-6 with a 4.37 ERA in 10 home starts. He is 1-3 with a 6.64 ER in five lifetime starts versus the Phillies. The Marlins have lost in eight of Richards' past 10 home starts. 
 

This road price is worthy laying in a pitching matchup of Zack Greinke versus lefty Drew Pomeranz.  Greinke is 2-0 with a 0.47 ERA in his last three road starts. Greinke loves to pitch at Oracle Park where he is 5-0 lifetime with a 1.37 ERA in seven starts.  Arizona has won 72 percent of Greinke's last 47 starts against sub .500 teams.  The Giants are seven games below .500 at home. They rank in the bottom five in batting average, runs and homers. Pomeranz is 2-8 with a 6.79 ERA. He probably shouldn't be in a big league starting rotation. Pomeranz is 0-4 with an 8.53 ERA in 10 career appearances versus Arizona, including seven starts. The Diamondbacks have the highest batting average and slugging percentage in the National League against lefthanders. 

Perhaps tired from losing an 18-inning home game to the Rays on Thursday, the Twins fell to the White Sox, 6-4, at Chicago on Friday. Minnesota has not dropped three games in a row all season.  Look for the Twins to bounce back here. Minnesota is 17-8 in its last 25 away games.  Michael Pineda gets the start. He has given up three earned runs or fewer in eight of his last nine starts. He has allowed just one homer in his last five starts. 
 The White Sox have a bottom-seven offense and are without their best hitter, injured Tim Anderson.  White Sox starter Ivan Nova is 0-2 with a 4.66 ERA this month. He has yet to win at home this season going 0-3 with an 8.79 ERA in six starts at Guaranteed Rate Field.   The Twins have a powerful record against weak opponents. Minnesota is 41-16 versus below .500 foes.

Oakland is 7-3 in its last 10 games. The Angels defeated the A's, 8-3, on Thursday. The A's have come back and won the past six times following a loss. I like their chances in this matchup.  Mike Fiers is 5-0 with a 2.51 ERA in his last nine starts. Fiers, a flyball pitcher, is tough when pitching at spacious West Coast ballparks like Angel Stadium. Fiers is 2-0 in two starts against the Angels this season.  The Angels are using this as a bullpen game. Noe Ramirez is expected to pitch the first inning and then be followed by Felix Pena, who is 0-2 with an 11.81 ERA in five career appearances against the A's, including three starts.  Oakland is averaging 5.3 runs per game during its last 10 games.  The Angels do not have a strong bullpen, ranking 10th in relief pitching ERA, and their relievers have been pitching a lot of innings. I prefer Oakland's bullpen even without injured closer Blake Treinen.