10* BREWERS RUNLINE (ASSASSIN)

The Dodgers 12-game win streak came to an end last night in the Royals' 4-0 victory in Kansas City. I had a play on KC on the "runline" in that one. I think this is a good situational play, as another letdown here after their first loss in ages is imminent in my estimation. The Brewers on the other hand won't be lacking for motivation here after loing 2 of 3 at St. Louis over the weekend, including a 6-3 setback last night. Julio Urias toes the slab for the visitors. He's been great, going 12-6 with a 2.49 ERA so far. The home side counters with Freddy Peralta, who is 4-2 with a 4.37 ERA. Peralta is 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA in 2 career starts vs. the Dodgers. Urias is 4-1 with a 2.29 ERA in 6 career outings vs. the Brewers. I believe though that Peralta can match Urias inning for innings and in a scenario like that, I feel the value now swings to this undervalued hungry home underdog. While I do think the outright win is a possibility, my official call will be to grab Milwaukee on the runline option!

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9* ANGELS RUNLINE (BAIL-OUT BLOWOUT)

I think that Tucker Davidson can match his counterpart Chris Archer inning for inning tonight, and in a scenario like that, I believe the value swings to the undervalued home underdog. LA has quietly been playing better of late, winning 4 of its last 5, including yesterday's contest here vs. the Twins by a score of 5-3. Minnesota is just 27-29 on the road now. Davidson is 1-2 with a 6.46 ERA, while Archer is 2-5 with a 4.02 ERA. Archer is 0-2 with a 6.43 ERA over his last 5 starts. Davidson gave up 6 runs in his debut last Sunday to a hot Seattle team, but I expect him to settle down here at home: "If you look at my walk rate in Triple-A, it's the lowest of my career," Davidson said. "I just have to translate it up here. Maybe not be so fine and trust my stuff. More of a 'here it is, hit it,' and then good things will happen. I think the big thing is getting ahead with strike-one and putting the throttle down when I can." The official call in this one is the Angels on the runline option!

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10* PIRATES RUNLINE (ASSASSIN)

Pittsburgh has lost 3 straight. That's important to note here though, as the Pirates have gone 6-2 in their last 8 after 3 or more straight losses in a row. They've dropped the first 2 games of this series, including yesterday's contest by a score of 2-0 (note that the Bucs are also 7-3 in their last 10 in trying to avenge a shutout road loss against an opponent.) Alex Wood toes the slab for the home side. He's been hit or miss this season, as he's 8-9 with a 4.17 ERA. The visitors counter with Zach Thompson, who is 3-9 with a 5.08 ERA. Thompson hasn't won in 9 starts, so he won't be lacking for motivation here. I think Thompson can match Wood inning for inning today. For all the reasons listed above, I expect the momentum in this series to shift; the play is Pittsburgh on the runline option!

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8* ATHLETICS RUNLINE (SPECIAL)

I like the A's to dip deep, play with pride, and, at the very least, take this one right down to the wire. Oakland has lost seven straight now. It's off the 8-0 loss here yesterday, but note that it's 7-3 in its last 10 in trying to avenge a shutout road loss of 5 or more runs. Houston gets caught looking past its lowly opponent today, with a 4-game series at the White Sox starting tomorrow, followed by a 3-game set at Atlanta. Cole Irvin has been a bright spot for the A's this year, as he's 6-9 with a 2.92 ERA and 1.03 WHIP. I expect him to match Christian Javier, who is 6-8 with a 3.14 ERA and 1.05 WHIP. The outright upset is possible, but the value lies in the visiting side on the runline option!

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6* RANGERS RUNLINE (SPECIAL)

Texas has lost 8 of its last 10, including yesterday's series opener here with Seattle by a score of 6-2, but I believe the conditions are now right for a much more competitive battle on Saturday. Seattle comes in on the other end of the spectrum, having won 7 of its last 10. After 3 straight victories here though, I'm expecting a letdown. Marco Gonzalez toes the slab for the visitors and he's 7-11 with a 3.98 ERA. He's just 2-6 with a 5.01 ERA on the road though. The home side counters with Dane Dunning, who is 2-6 with a 4.04 ERA. He's 0-5 with a 5.12 ERA on the road, but 2-1 with a 2.99 ERA at home. Look for home field to play a big advantage for Dunning here. But in a contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras, the play here is to lay the price for the extra 1.5 runs of insurance with the Rangers on the runline option!

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10* RED SOX RUNLINE (ASSASSIN)

Yes, the Yankees are in desperate need of a victory here after losing 8 of their last 10 games, including the opener here yesterday by a score of 3-2 in exrta innings. New York though is still 71-52 and in the drivers seat in the AL East. Boston fans could care less about the Yanks' issues, as they enter at 56-58, and needing desperately to continue to string some wins together. These starting pitchers are evenly matched. Frankie Montas is 4-9 with a 3.18 ERA for the Yankees this year, while Karl Crawford is 3-4 with a 4.30 ERA for the Red Sox. Let's call these guys a "wash." The oddsmakers continue to give New York too much respect here though considering its form, and especially here on the road. I expect a similar type of game as what we saw on Friday, so let's lay the reasonable price for the Red Sox on the runline option!

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10* ORIOLES RUNLINE (ASSASSIN)

I played the Orioles on the "runline" last night in their 6-5 outright home victory over Toronto, and I expect them to carry that momentum over here. Boston has lost 4 straight and has many issues across the board. The Orioles 58-52 and I give them a BIG nod on the bump tonight. Dean Kremer is 4-3 with a 3.43 ERA for the Orioles, while Josh Winckowksi is just 5-5 with a 4.68 ERA for the Red Sox (he's just 3-3 with a ballooned 6.29 ERA in all home games as well.) The oddsmakers are slow in recognizing the very real momentum that Baltimore has created for itself right now and while I do think the outright win is possible, in the end let's lay the price for the extra 1.5 runs of insurance; the play is Baltimore on the runline option!

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8* MARLINS RUNLINE (ROUT)

After dropping the first 2 games of this series, I like the Marlins to, at the very least, take this one right down to the wire. Because of that, the call here will be to grab the visitors on the "runline" option. Yesterday the Fish fell 4-3, rallying for 3 runs in eighth inning to secure the victory. Edward Cabrera is 2-1 with a 2.61 ERA for the Marlins. He most recently tossed 5 scoreless innings against the Cubs last Friday, walking 3 and striking out 8. Kyle Gibson is 7-4 with a 4.36 ERA for the Phillies. He's coming off a strong outing as well, allowing 1 run over 8 innings in a win over the Nationals. With Philadelphia looking ahead to a tough series starting at the Mets tomorrow night, I think the home side gets caught flat-footed here. While the outright is possible, the official call will be to grab the visitors on the runline!

AAA Sports

10* PIRATES RUNLINE (ASSASSIN)

Arizona has taken the first 2 games of this series, but I'm expecting the Pirates to bounce back in the finale. Conversely, after 3 straight wins, I'm expecting a predictable "letdown" here from the Diamondbacks (note that Arizona is just 2-7 in its last 9 after 3 or more straight wins in a row.) More than anything though, I really do feel that this starting pitching matchup is more evenly matched than what Las Vegas is trying to make us think. The visitors hand the ball to Mitch Keller, who is 3-8 with a 4.21 ERA. He's coming off a gem, allowing 1 run over 6 innings in a 1-0 loss to the Orioles on Friday. Keller has now posted a minuscule 1.74 ERA over his past 5 trips to the hill spanning 31 frames of work. The home side sees Madison Bumgarner toe the slab, and he's 6-10 with a 3.96 ERA. He's coming off a "dud," getting shelled for 5 runs off 10 hits over 5 innings vs. the Rockies on Firday. Look for Keller to be the difference here and while I do think an outright victory is possible, the official call will be to grab the visitors on the runline option!

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8* RANGERS RUNLINE (SPECIAL)

What Justin Verlander is doing this season is incredible. Regression is imminent though at some point, and today is the day in my estimation! It's impossible to find any faults in Verlander's game this year, as he's 15-3 with a 1.73 ERA and 0.85 WHIP. The Rangers went 2-2 against Cleveland over the weekend, but won the opener here 7-5 yesterday. The Rangers and Glenn Otto are going to hang tough again here on Wednesday as well. Otto is 4-8 with a 5.31 ERA. He's slowly been regaining his form since returning from COVID, and he's 0-1 with a 3.48 ERA in 2 starts vs. the Astros this year. Some minor regression from Verlander, combined with some minor improvement from Otto sees this one being decided late, or even in extras; and because of that, the play is indeed Texas on the runline option!

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8* RED SOX RUNLINE (DESTRUCTION)

This is a mini 2-game interleague series. Off yesterday's 9-6 loss, I think that Boston will bounce back here and at the very least, earn the comfortable "cover" on the runline option. Kyle Wright is 13-5 with a 3.22 ERA for the Braves and while he went 4-0 in five starts in July with a 2.64 ERA, he got rocked in his first start in August for 6 runs off 7 hits over 6 innings in a 6-4 loss to the Mets on Thursday (matched a season high for runs, while allowing 4 home runs, the most he's ever conceded in a single start.) That doesn't bode well for Wright heading to Boston, as he's 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in 2 career starts vs. the Red Sox. Pivetta went 0-3 with a 9.38 ERA in 5 starts in July, but he looked a lot better in his first start in August, conceding 3 runs over 5 innings in a no-decision to the Royals on Thursday. I expect Wright and the Braves to bring the best out of Pivetta here at home, who will look to build off his last solid performance. The outright is possible, but great value here with the Red Sox on the runline!

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10* ORIOLES RUNLINE (GOW)

Once again I think the Blue Jays are getting too much respect on the road here. They went 2-2 in Minnesota over the weekend, but after yesterday's 3-2 victory, I think they'll struggle here vs. the surging Orioles. Baltimore had won five in a row before an 8-1 loss to Pittsburgh yesterday. The Orioles are 31-21 at home, while the Jays are 26-27 on the road. Jordan Lyles is 8-8 with a 4.40 ERA for the Orioles, while Yusei Kikuchi is 4-5 with a 4.86 ERA for the Jays. Each has struggled against his respective opponent today in the past, but note that Kikuchi is 0-3 with a 5.79 ERA on the road, compared to 4-2 with a 4.17 ERA at home. Lyles on the other hand is 5-6 with a 5.70 ERA on the road, and 3-2 witha 2.71 ERA at home. While I do think an outright win isn't out of the question, my official call will be to grab the hungry home side on the runline option! 

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8* TWINS RUNLINE (SITUATIONAL BLOWOUT)

I had a play on Minnesota on the runline option last night and the Twins wouldn't even need the extra 1.5 runs in their outright 7-3 victory. This is the finale of the 4 game series, and the Twins have won the last 2 games and once again I believe they're not getting enough respect from the oddsmakers in this matchup. The Jays are good, but their achilles heel is their play on the road where they're a pedestrian 25-27. The Twins on the other hand are now 31-24 at home. Kevin Gausman is 8-8 with a 3.06 ERA for the Jays, while Chris Archer is 2-5 with a 4.05 ERA for Minnesota. Guasman is coming off his best start of the year, going 8 scoreless and striking out 10 in a win over the Rays. Can anyone say "letdown" spot here?! Note that he's 0-4 with a 7.30 ERA in 8 career starts vs. the Twins as well. Archer won't be lacking for motivation here, as he hasn't won in 4 starts. He's coming off a hard-luck no-decision vs. Detroit, allowing 2 runs over 5 innings while striking out 8. The outright win is possible here, but the official call will be to grab the home side on the runline option!

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8* REDS RUNLINE (ANNIHILATION)

The Brewers really need a win and they have their "ace" on the mound, but they're playing super poorly right now and I think they're way overpriced today. And that really does swing value here onto the Reds on the runline option. The Reds have won 4 of their last 6 after yesterday's 7-5 win here, while Milwaukee has now dropped 5 of its last 6. Graham Ashcraft is 5-2 with a 4.12 ERA for the Reds and he enters with a ton of confidence after his best start of his career, going 8 1/3's inning in a 2-1 win over the Marilns on Tuesday, allowing 0 runs off 5 hits, striking out 3 and walking none in the unfortunate no-decision. Corbin Burnes is 8-4 with a 2.49 ERA for the Brewers, but he comes in off a pedestrian outing, allowing 4 runs and 5 walks over 5 innings in a loss to the lowly Pirates on Tuesday. In a contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm going with the visitors on the runline option!

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10* ROYALS RUNLINE (ASSASSIN)

Boston's getting too much respect here on the road. This is the finale of a 4-game set and so far KC is 2-1 after winning here by a score of 5-4. The loss drops Boston to 54-54 on the season. Ultimately though, I feel these starting pitchers are very evenly matched. Kutter Krawford is 3-3 with a 3.86 ERA for the Red Sox, while Brad Keller is 5-12 with a 4.61 ERA for the Royals. Rookie Nick Pratto hit a walk-off hone run with 2 outs in the 9th to give the Royals the win last night and all signs point to that momentum getting carried over here. Keller is coming off his worst outing of the year, allowing 8 runs over 6 innings to the White Sox on Tuesday, but he owns a much sharper 3.57 ERA at home, compared to just 5.75 on the road. Keller comes in off a decent outing, allowing 1 run over 6 innings, but he's alternated wins and losses all season. I like Keller to bounce back here at home; the play is Kansas City on the runline option!

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8* TIGERS RUNLINE (SPECIAL)

Detroit bounced back from 3 straight losses with a 9-1 win here yesterday. I think the Tigers build off that victory with another big effort here. Conversely, after 3 straight victories, the Rays finally had a letdown yesterday, and with a day off before a much tougher 2-game mini interleague series at Milwaukee, followed by series vs. the Orioles and Yankees, everything points to the visitors getting caught "looking ahead" here. Drew Rasmussen is 6-4 with a 3.06 ERA for Tampa Bay, while Matt Manning is 0-0 with a 3.46 ERA for the Tigers after 13 innings of work. "For the first time back since early in the season, it felt pretty good," Manning said after returning from injury. "There's nothing like playing some big league baseball." Manning comes in fresh here and I like him to match Rasmussen, who has been solid and is off a hard-luck loss. But in a contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm grabbing the hungry home side on the runline option!

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8* GUARDIANS RUNLINE (DESTRUCTION)

Cleveland enters off a 4-1 win over Houston on Saturday and I'm expecting it to carry that momentum over here in the finale of this 4 game series. The Astros took the first 2 games. Houston has a night off after this before returning home to face the Rangers and I believe it'll get caught looking ahead. Cleveland's played much better at home this year (27-22) and Astros' starter Christian Javier and Guardians' starter Triston McKenzie are evenly matched. Javier is 6-7 with a 3.24 ERA and 1.05 WHIP, while McKenzie is 7-8 with a 3.38 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. Both have struggled somewhat of late, but the slight nod here goes to McKenzie on his home field. In a contest that I see being decided late or in extras, I'm grabbing the home side on the runline option!

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5* BRAVES RUNLINE (BIG-CHALK)

I play totals. I play underdogs. I play half times and prop wagers. I also play favorites, especially in certain situations like this. In a contest that could be decided late, or even in extras, I'm going to lay the price for the extra 1.5 runs of insurance in the second game of this double-header. Max Fried is 10-3 with a 2.58 ERA for the Braves, while Max Scherzer is 7-2 with a 2.13 ERA for the Mets. For all intents and purposes, let's call these guys a "wash." The Mets opened with 6-4 win in the series opener, but Atlanta bounced back with a 9-6 victory last night. Two of the heavyweights in the National League facing off here in the Big Apple and I'm looking for the defending champs to deliver; the play is Atlanta on the runline option!

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8* TWINS RUNLINE (BAIL-OUT)

Toronto's Achilles Heel this season has been its play on the road this year, as after yesterday's 6-5 loss here, it's now 25-26 away from friendly confines. The Twins' strength this season has been their play at home, now 30-24 in Minnesota after yesterday's victory. Mitch White is 1-2 with a 3.70 ERA, but he's making his first start for Toronto since coming over from the Dodgers in a trade and I think he'll predictably struggle in this difficult road venue. Dylan Bundy is 6-5 with a 5.04 ERA for the Twins. He gave up 3 runs over 5 innings vs. the Padres in his last outing and he's 5-5 with a 3.76 ERA in 17 career appearances vs. the Jays. Minnesota has everything in place to win this contest outright, but the official call will be to grab the home side on the runline option!

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10* GUARDIANS RUNLINE (AL GOM)

Cleveland had won 4 of 5 heading into its series against Houston, but it's dropped the first 2 games of this series. In a contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm going to recommend grabbing the revenge-minded home side on the runline option here. Cleveland is 7-2 in its last 9 in trying to avenge 2 straight home losses against an opponent. Houston sees Luis Garcia toe the slab, and he's 8-7 with a 3.81 ERA. He's lost 2 straight, most recently allowing 4 runs over 5 innings in a 5-3 setback at Oakland, before conceding 3 runs to the Red Sox on Monday. Cal Quantrill counters for the home side. He's 7-5 with a 4.08 ERA. He's been hit or miss of late as well, but he has a 3.95 ERA in four lifetime appearances vs. the Astros, and I expect him to, at the very least, match Garcia inning for inning. While the outright win isn't out of the question, the official call will be to grab the home side on the runline option!

AAA Sports

10* ANGELS RUNLINE (ASSASSIN)

The Angels won't be in the playoffs, but I like their chances here on the road in Seattle in the opener of this series. Last night LA hit 7 solo home runs and lost 8-7 at home to Oakland. The Mariners return home from a 7 game road trip. After taking 2 of 3 from the Yanks, I'm expecting a bit of a letdown here. I'm calling these starters a "wash." Seattle goes with Robbie Ray, who is 8-8 with a 4.11 ERA, while LA counters with Patrick Sandoval, who is 3-7 with a 3.61 ERA. Each has enjoyed considerable success off his opponent tonight in the past. In a contest that I see being decided late, or even in extra time, I'm going to grab the visitors on the runline option!

AAA Sports

8* ROYALS RUNLINE (DESTRUCTION)

Boston's 3-game win streak came to an end in its 6-1 loss at Houston yesterday. The Red Sox are going to have their hands full on the road again in my opinion with a Royals team looking to rebound off a 1-2 series loss at the White Sox. Boston sees Nick Pivetta toe the slab, and he's 8-8 with a 4.47 ERA, while the Royals counter with Kris Bubic, who is 2-6 with a 5.45 ERA. Bubic though has looked better of late, allowing 5 runs over his last 20 innings of work, striking out 14 and walking just 5. Pivetta hasn't won since June 24th. I give the slight nod to Bubic at home in this matchup. Great value here with the extra 1.5 runs of insurance; the play is KC on the runline option!

AAA Sports

10* GUARDIANS RUNLINE (ASSASSIN)

Playing against Justin Verlander here. He's 14-3 with a 1.81 ERA. Over his last 6 starts he's gone 6-0 with a 0.86 ERA. And this is after Tommy John surgery! Unbelievable, considering many thought his career was coming to an end when he was still in Detroit. At some point regression is going to set in though. And now Verlander faces a Cleveland team that's been playing much better of late, winning three of its last four, including a 7-4 victory at home over Arizona yesterday. Verlander is a pedestrian 21-24 with a 4.61 ERA in 53 career starts vs. Cleveland. The surging Guardians now sit only one game behind the Twins for the AL Central lead. Zach Plesac has had difficulty with Houston in the past, but with Verlander on the mound, I expect him to elevate his game here and match his counterpart inning for inning. Plesac is 2-9 with a 4.33 ERA this season, but owns a more respectable 3.05 ERA at home, compared to 5.33 on the road. In a contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm grabbing the hungry home side on the runline option!

AAA Sports

8* GIANTS RUNLINE (SPECIAL)

The Giants have struggled since the All Star break, losing 10 of 13. They went into the break having won 5 of 6. They then came out of the break and lost 4 straight to these very Dodgers. Now they've lost the first 2 games of this series vs. LA as well. I think the Giants finally dig deep here though and, at the very least, keep this one competitive until the final moments. Alex Cobb is 3-5 with a 4.06 ERA for the Giants. Despite going winless over his last 10 starts and going 0-4 in that span, Cobb owns a highly-respectable 3.36 ERA over that time. He'll be opposed by Julio Urias, who is 10-6 with a 2.71 ERA. Urias has had the Giants' number throughout his career, but I'm expecting Cobb to match him inning for inning. I lok for the Giants 6-game losing streak in this series to finally end this evening; that said, the official call will be to grab the home side on the runline option!

AAA Sports

10* MARLINS RUNLINE (ASSASSIN)

Off B2B low-scoring losses, I expect the Marlins to take full advantage of today's matchup and not only win, but win by a significant margin. And because of that, I'm going to suggest to lay the 1.5 runs for the much better price. This is a major starting pitching matchup, one that's so lop-sided that I feel the runline for the Marlins is definitely justified. The visitors see Mike Minor toe the slab, and he's just 1-7 with a ballooned 6.31 ERA and 1.58 WHIP. Marlins' ace Sandy Alcantara is 9-4 with a 1.99 ERA and 0.94 WHIP. Miami goes up early and never looks back this evening; the play is the Marlins on the runline option!

AAA Sports

10* GIANTS RUNLINE (NL GOM)

The Giants went into the All Star break having won 5 of 6, but then they came out and lost 4 straight to the Dodgers, 3 straight to Arizona, it then went 3-1 against Chicago, before then losing yesterday's opener here to LA by a score of 8-2. It's really now or never for the Giants to try and start making up ground in the Wild card. In a contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm going to lay the small price for the extra 1.5 runs of insurance. Tyler Anderson is 11-1 with a 2.61 ERA, but his numbers are poised to take a "hit" tonight in my estimation. Regression does seem imminent! At the very least, I like the hungry Alex Wood, who is 7-8 with a 4.11 ERA to match his overachieving counterpart inning for inning (owns a 3.51 ERA at home.) While I truly believe an outright victory is in the cards, my official call will be to grab the home side on the runline option!

AAA Sports

8* CUBS RUNLINE (ASSASSIN)

In a contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm going to suggest laying the pick-em price for the extra 1.5 runs of insurance. The Cubs have had a day off after losing 3 of 4 at San Francisco over the weekend. St. Louis has also had a day off after taking 2 of 3 from the Nationals. But the bottom line for this picks is, I feel that these starters are more evenly matched than what Las Vegas is trying to lead us to believe. Keegan Thompson is 8-4 with a 3.16 ERA this year. He's coming off a dominant win: "That was as good as we've seen Keegan," Cubs manager David Ross said. "He continues to build." The home side counters with Adam Wainwright, who is 7-8 with a 3.28 ERA. Wainwright is also coming off a strong performance, so all signs point to a classic "duel" here on Tuesday. For all the reasons listed above, the play is Chicago on the runline option!

AAA Sports

8* MARINERS RUNLINE (SPECIAL)

I lost with Seattle on the runline option here yesterday, but where that pick came up short, today's has all the makings of a great bounce back opportunity for the hungry visiting side. These starters are evenly matched. Logan Gilbert is 10-4 with a 2.78 ERA and 1.15 WHIP for the Mariners, while Jameson Taillon is 10-2 with a 3.72 ERA and 1.16 WHIP for the Yanks. For all intents and purposes, these guys are a "wash." Seattle is 4-7 since ending the first half on a 14-game winning streak. I look for Gilbert to rekindle some of the previous fire here and at the very least I'll look for this contest to be decided late, or even in extra innings; the play is Seattle on the runline option!

AAA Sports

10* MARINERS RUNLINE (GOW)

The Mariners are coming off a tight 3-2 loss at Houston last night. Seattle will look to bounce back here in New York in what shapes up to be a favorable starting pitching matchup for it. The Yankees are off an 8-6 loss here at home to the Royals last night. I had Kansas City on the runline option in that one, and I'm expecting another big effort here from the Mariners as well. But as I said off the top, more than anything this is a matchup that favors the Mariners and starting pitcher Marco Gonzalez, who is 6-10 with a 3.66 ERA this year, and who has allowed 2 earned runs or fewer 15 times already this year (which includes in his most recent trip to toe the slab, conceding 2 runs over 7 innings in a win over Texas.) His counterpart Domingo German enters on terrible form, as he's 0-1 with an 8.22 ERA, allowing 7 runs over his last 7 2/3's frames of work. While I do think the outright win is a possibility, in the end the value here on the runline option is just too good to turn down; the play is Seattle!

AAA Sports

8* CUBS RUNLINE (BAIL-OUT BLOWOUT)

I had a play on the Cubs on the runline option last night and I believe they're worth the price of admission here as well in Sunday night MLB action. Carlos Rodon is 8-6 with a 3.18 ERA for the Giants this year, but he's a pedestrian 1-2 with a 4.74 ERA in 5 career appearances vs. the Cubbies. He's also winless in his last 3 starts, having been shelled for 10 runs over his last 11 innings of work. Adrian Sampson is 0-1 with a 3.23 ERA for the Cubs. In six starts this year Sampson has been great, allowing 3 runs or fewer in five of them. He's coming off a season-best performance as well on Monday vs. the Pirates, going 7 innings and allowing just 2 runs. In a contest that I see being decided late or even in extras, I'm grabbing the visitors on the runline option!

AAA Sports

8* DIAMONDBACKS RUNLINE (SPECIAL)

Arizona won 3 in a row before coming to Atlanta, but it's dropped the first 2 games of this series by scores of 5-2 and 6-2. I'm expecting a much more competitive affair here in the finale though, and I believe that the Braves get caught looking ahead to a day off, before a 2-game mini-series with Philadelphia. The bottom line here though is that I expect Arizona starter Merrill Kelly to match Braves' starter Max Fried inning for inning tonight. Kelly is 10-5 with a 3.04 ERA, while Fried is 10-3 with a 2.73 ERA. Kelly though has been exceptional of late, going 4-0 with a 1.57 ERA over his last 5 starts. In a contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm going to grab the visitors on the runline option!

AAA Sports

10* ROYALS RUNLINE (ASSASSIN)

Kansas City has lost 5 in a row, and the first 3 of this series. both of those are important to note for us here on this play, as KC is 7-2 in its last nine after 5 or more straight losses in a row. It's also 10-5 in its last 15 in trying to avenge 3 or more straight losses against an opponent. New York's been great, but with a more interesting series here starting tomorrow against the Mariners, the Yankees get caught looking ahead. Zach Greinke is 3-6 with a 4.35 ERA for the Royals, while Jordan Montgomery is 3-3 with a 3.50 ERA for the Yanks. For argument's sake, I'm calling these guys a "wash." Greinke has really been on point of late, producing scoreless outings in 2 of his last 3 trips to the hill. The conditions are definitely right for a competitive battle; the play is KC on the runline option!

AAA Sports

10* CUBS RUNLINE (ASSASSIN)

The Cubs have won 7 of their last 8 games, including yesterday's contest by a score of 4-2. Both teams are in need of a victory tonight and in a competitive contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm going to suggest laying the price for the extra 1.5 runs of insurance. Drew Smyly gets the nod for the visiting side and I think the veteran keeps the momentum rolling here, most recently he gave up 2 runs over 6 innings in a win over the Phillies. Jake Junis is 4-2 with a 2.98 ERA, but we can expect Smyly to, at the very least, match his younger counterpart inning for inning. And in a scenario like that, the value inevitably swings to the undervalued underdog; the play is Chicago on the runline option!

AAA Sports

8* DIAMONDBACKS RUNLINE (BAIL-OUT)

Off a 5-2 loss here yesterday, I like Arizona to, at the very least, keep this one competitive until the final moments. Previous to yesterday's loss the D-Backs had won 3 straight. Overall they've still won 6 of their last 10. The Braves have been trading wins and losses over their last 4 games and off last night's victory, I'm expecting the defending champs to have their hands full this evening. Ian Anderson is just 8-6 with a 5.31 ERA for Atlanta, while Corbin Martin is 0-0 with a 3.93 ERA for Arizona. Since the end of June though, Anderson has conceded 18 runs with a 7.83 ERA and he's reached the 6th innings just twice in his last 6 trips to the hill: "It's been tough all season," Anderson admitted. "I'm just not performing the way I would like to. It's probably the worst stretch of baseball I've had in my life." In a contest that I see being decided late, or even in exrtras, I'm grabbing the visitors on the runline option!

AAA Sports

8* MARINERS RUNLINE (SPECIAL)

Seattle went into the All Star break on a 14-game win streak. It then came out of the break and lost 3 straight at home to Houston. It then won 3 straight at home over Texas. It's now lost the first 2 games here in Houston, but I'm expecting the Mariners to finally keep things interesting on Saturday, especially after yesterday's humbling 11-1 defeat. Framber Valdez is 9-4 with a 2.74 ERA and while he's had plenty of success against the Mariners in the past, I feel he's just in the wrong place at the wrong time tonight. Chris Flexen is 7-8 with a 3.75 ERA for the Mariners and he's 5-0 with a 2.79 ERA over his past 7 starts. Look for Flexen to match Valdez inning for inning and for the hungry Mariners to, at the very least, keep this one close enough to earn the ATS runline cover!

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8* MARINERS RUNILNE (DESTRUCTION)

Seattle was tied 2-2 going into the bottom of the 8th with the Astros last night, but "runline" bettors would have been frustrated for sure after the Mariners would go on to lose by a score of 4-2. Justin Verlander is 13-3 with a 1.86 ERA for the Tigers. He's won 5 straight with a 0.79 ERA over that span. Can anyone say letdown spot? I say regression is finally in order here. Robbie Ray is just 8-7 with a 3.90 ERA for the Mariners, but he was 4-0 with a 1.75 ERA over 8 starts prior to facing Houston at home last Sunday, allowing 6 runs over 3 innings. Look for Ray to respond here though and get a little revenge on the road. I say Verlander finally takes a step back, while I look for Ray to bounce back; while the outright win isn't out of the question, the official play is to grab the Mariners on the runline option!

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10* A'S RUNLINE (ASSASSIN)

Oakland has been playing well of late and I expect it to catch Lance Lynn and the overpriced home side off guard here. The A's enter having won 6 of their last 7, including 3 in a row at home over Houston most recently. The White Sox had their 3 game win streak snapped in a 6-5 loss at Colorado in their most recent action. Lynn is 1-3 with a 6.43 ERA this season. He's coming off a decent outing, but he's just 1-1 with a 5.27 ERA at home. James Kaprielian is only 1-5 with a 4.74 ERA for the A's, but like his team, he's been doing much better lately, going 1-0 with a 2.05 ERA over his last 4 starts. Look for the A's to provide Kaprielian with at least enough support to earn the comfortable ATS cover; the play is Oakland on the runline!

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8* TIGERS RUNLINE (SPECIAL)

Detroit lost the series opener of this 3-game set by a score of 5-3 yesterday, thanks in part to two errors and allowed two unearned runs: "We've got to play clean," Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. "We're not going to win games if we don't play clean. I said that to the players before the game. Especially when you play playoff-caliber teams -- like we have with San Diego and Toronto and then Minnesota and Tampa." Alke Manoah is 11-4 with a 2.24 ERA for the Jays. He's been fantastic, but I still think this moneyline is ridiculous. Bryan Garcia gets the nod for the visitors, as he makes his season debut for Detroit (he's never faced the Jays over the last 3 years in the majors.) I say Toronto is vastly over-priced here and in a game that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm grabbing the 1.5 runs and the plus-money return on the Tigers!

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10* MARINERS RUNLINE (ASSASSIN)

Seattle has a lot working in its favor today from a situational stand-point. The Mariners went into the All Star game on a 14-game winning run, but they fell flat at home in their first series vs. the Astros, losing 0-3. However, the Mariners pulled themselves up and dusted themselves off with 3-0 sweep over the Texans at home in their next series after that. Houston on the other hand went on the road and just went 0-3 at Oakland. Seattle has the "revenge" factor working in its favor today, as well as clearly having a ton of momentum coming into this series as well. I'll give the slight nod to Logan Gilbert over Jose Urquidy as well as far as the starting pitchers are concerned. Gilbert is 10-4 with a 2.77 ERA and Urquidy is 9-4 with a 3.93 ERA. In a contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm laying this price with confidence and grabbing the extra 1.5 runs of insurance; the play is Seattle on the runline option!

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8* JAYS RUNLINE (SPECIAL)

I had a play on the Jays on the "runline" yesterday and I think they'll lay the hammer down again today. Toronto won 10-3 here yesterday and I expect it to take advantage of this opportunity here on Wednesday as well. Once again, the starting pitchers are evenly matched. The Cards' Adam Wainwright is 6-8 with a 3.40 ERA, while the Jays' Kevin Gausman is 7-7 with a 3.00 ERA. But for the same reason I thought that the Jays would destroy the Cardinals yesterday, is the same reason why I expect them to do the same thing this evening, and that's because the Cardinals were forced to leave behind their two best players in Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado because of Canada's strict COVID 19 laws, with both sluggers being unvaccinated. Look for Gausman to step up and take advantage; the play is Toronto on the runline option!

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10* ORIOLES RUNLINE (ASSASSIN)

Baltimore has won the first 2 games of this series by score of 5-1 and 5-3. I think the home side has a very legitimate shot at winning the finale outright as well, but ultimately in a contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm going to suggest laying what I deem to be a very reasonable mid-sized price for the extra 1.5 runs of insurance. Drew Rasmussen is 6-3 with a 3.13 ERA for the Rays, while Tyler Wells is 7-6 with a 3.69 ERA for the Orioles. Let's call these starters a "wash." I'm not buying anything into the "revenge factor" here. Look for Tampa's struggles to continue here and for the undervalued Orioles to, at the very least, keep this one close enough to earn the comfortable runline cover; the play is Baltimore on the runline!

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8* MARINERS RUNLINE (DESTRUCTION)

I think that Marco Gonzalez and the Seattle Mariners have much more than just a "punchers chance" this evening. That said, in a contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm going to lay the price for the extra 1.5 runs of insurance. Seattle goes for the sweep here at home over the Rangers, who have now suddenly lost 8 of their last 10. Seattle went into the All Star break on a 14-game win streak, but then it got swept at home by Houston over the weekend. But the Mariners now are back on track and getting little respect from the oddsmakers here at home. Gonzalez is 5-10 with a 3.74 ERA, while his counterpart Jon Gray is 7-4 with a 3.48 ERA. These guys are a 'wash," but look for Seattle's momentum to get carried over here; the play is the Mariners on the runline option!

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10* JAYS RUNLINE (IL GOM)

This starting pitching matchup, for argument's sake, is evenly matched. Andre Pallante is 3-4 with a 3.34 ERA for the Cardinals, while Joe Berrios is 7-4 with a 5.22 ERA for the Jays. Berrios has slowly been turning the corner of late and note that he's 2-0 with a 3.38 ERA in 3 career outings vs. the Cardinals. But the bottom line here is that the Cardinals will be without their two best players for this short 2-game mini-series North of the border, because of Canada's strict COVID laws (both Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado are not vaccinated.) This is a golden opportunity, not only for Berrios, but for the Jays as well; lay the 1.5 runs and expect a blowout of epic proportions!

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10* PHILLIES RUNLINE (GOW)

The Phillies swept a 3-game series over the Marlins on the road before the All-Star break, but they returned and promptly got swept by the Cubs over the weekend. I say Philadelphia digs deep here and rebounds at home vs. the Braves. The home side turns to Ranger Suarez, who is a great backend pitcher and who is 7-5 with a 4.07 ERA this season. He'll be opposed by Max Fried, who is 10-3 with a 2.64 ERA. Fried allowed 7 hits and 3 runs over 7 innings vs. the Nationls in his last outing, but he won't have slugger Adam Duvall in the line-up to back him up after injuring himself on Saturday. The Braves were unable to sweep the Angels over the weekend, as they dropped the final game by a score of 9-1 on Sunday. I expect Suarez to step up here and I believe the hungrier team offers great value in this matchup. That said, in the end I feel most comfortable laying the price for the extra 1.5 runs of insurance; the play is Philly on the runline option!

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8* PADRES RUNLINE (SPECIAL)

In a game which I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm going to lay the price for the extra 1.5 runs of insurance. These starters are evenly matched for the most part. Joe Musgroe is 8-2 with a 2.42 ERA for the Padres, while Carlos Carrasco is 10-4 with a 4.27 ERA for the Mets. New York hasn't been swept in a series all season, but I say that ends this afternoon. New York's lead over Atlanta is now down to a half-game. New York ranks among the botton six in MLB in several offensive categories since June 7th. SD on the other hand has won 4 of its last 5. For all the reasons listed above, the play is San Diego on the runline option!

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10* GIANTS RUNLINE (ASSASSIN)

San Francisco went into the break having won 5 of 6, but it's dropped the first 3 games of this series in LA to fall 15.5 games back of the Dodgers for the division lead. Note though that San Francisco is 7-2 in its last 9 in trying to avenge 3 or more straight losses against an opponent. It's difficult to find many "holes" in the Dodgers right now. They're crushing teams at the plate and on the mound, but I say Alex Cobb can match Clayton Kershaw inning for inning tonight. Kershaw is 7-2 with a 2.13 ERA, while Cobb is 3-4 with a 4.09 ERA. I say Kershaw has a bit of an All Star hangover here and I'll grab the much hungrier visiting side on the runline option!

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10* A'S RUNLINE (ASSASSIN)

I think the A's have a legitimate shot at winning this contest outright. The A's won the opener of this series by a score of 5-4 and I'm expecting another close contest here as well. Texas went into the break on a bit of a run, but the oddsmakers are still overreacting here. There's no way that Taylor Hearn should be favored here on the road. He's 4-6 with a 5.78 ERA and 1.67 WHIP. Yes he has a better win/loss record than James Kaprielian of the A's, but Kaprielian's 5.09 ER and 1.36 WHIP are better. Everything points to another game that's going to be decided late, or even in extras, so because of that I'm laying the price for the extra 1.5 runs in my back pocket; the play is Oakland on the runline option!

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8* ANGELS RUNLINE (SPECIAL)

The Angels lost their final game before the break by a score of 7-1 to the Dodgers, and then they opend up the second half by falling here 8-1 last night. That was with ace Shohei Ohtani on the hill as well. LA has had difficulty winning games without Ohtani starting, but I like Patrick Sandoval in this bounce-back spot. He's 3-5 with a 3.00 ERA and I believe he can match pace with Braves' starter Kyle Wright, who is 11-4 with a 2.95 ERA. I think the home side comes out flat here after last night's victory, and as I say, I look for Sandoval to, at the very least, match Wright inning for inning. In a contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm grabbing the hungry visiting side on the runline option!

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9* PADRES RUNLINE (TOP)

The Padres won the opener of this series by a score of 4-1 here yesterday and I believe that Blake Snell and the visiting side have much more than just a punchers chance here on Saturday. Snell is 1-5 with a 5.22 ERA, while Chris Bassitt is 7-6 with a 3.79 ERA for the Mets. Note that New York has now scored 4 runs or less 15 times in its last 21 games, a span in which it's gone just 11-10. San Diego fans can empathize, as the Padres are locked into the second wild card spot currently after a hot start to the season earlier. Bassitt is 0-1 with a 10.13 ERA in 2 career starts vs. the Friars, while Snell is 2-3 with a 3.21 ERA in 5 starts against New York. Look for Snell to settle down here in his first start back from the break. In a contest that I see being decided late or even in extras, I'm grabbing the hungrier visiting side on the runline option!

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9* ORIOLES RUNLINE (ELITE PLAY)

I had a play on the Orioles on the runline last night and I think that they have much more than just a "punchers chance" in tonight's contest as well. Gerrit Cole is 9-2 with a 3.02 ERA for the Yanks, while Jordan Lyles is 6-8 with a 4.76 ERA for Baltimore. Baltimore has actually done well in this spot for bettors, going 7-2 in its last 9 in trying to avenge a home loss against an opponent. The Orioles and Lyles aren't going down without a fight here. I say that Yanks' slugger Aaron Judge cools down on Saturday after blasting 2 more dingers in last night's win. In a contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm grabbing the hungry home side on the runline option!

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8* MARINERS RUNLINE (DESTRUCTION)

Houston won the opener here by a score of 5-2 yesterday, but I expect the home side to be much more competitive on Saturday afternoon. We have two really good starters going head-to-head here. Justin Verlander is 12-3 with a 1.89 ERA for the Astros, while Logan Gilbert is 10-3 with a 2.76 ERA for the Mariners. For arguments sakes, I'm calling these guys a "wash" on the mound today. Previous to yesterday's loss, the Mariners had won 15 games in a row. Look for Seattle to regain some of that magic on Saturday afternoon, becuase in a contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm laying the short price and grabbing the extra 1.5 runs of insurance; the play is Seattle on the runline option!

AAA Sports

8* GIANTS RUNLINE (SPECIAL)

I had a big play on San Francisco on the runline last night, and while that play did come up short in the end unfortunately, I love how Friday's contest sets up for Logan Webb and the hungry Giants on Friday. San Fran is now 13.5 games back of the Dodgers for the division lead. LA has won five in a row and 11 of its last 12 (note that San francisco is 7-3 in its last 10 in trying to revenge a loss against an opponent in which it conceded 9 or more runs in.) I'm calling these starters a wash. Webb is 9-3 with a 2.83 ERA, while Tyler Anderson is 10-1 with a 2.96 ERA for the Dodgers. I think Webb matches Anderson inning for inning and in a scenario like that, I always feel that the value swings to the undervalued underdog. In a contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm laying the price for the extra 1.5 runs of insurance; the play is San Francisco on the runline option!

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10* CUBS RUNLINE (ASSASSIN)

I'm going to lay the price for the extra 1.5 runs of insurance on Friday night with the Cubbies. Justin Steele gets the start for the Cubs and he's 3-6 with a 4.15 ERA, and he'll be opposed by Philadelphia's Kyle Gibson, who is 5-3 with a 4.35 ERA. The Phillies are still in contention despite having a number of key players still sidelined with injury (like Bryce Harper), but note that Gibson is 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA in 2 career starts vs. the Phillies. The Cubs defeated the Mets 3-2 in their final game before the break and I think they keep the momentum rolling here. I like Steel to match Gibson and in a contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm going to lay the price for the extra 1.5 runs of insurance; the play is Chicago on the runline option! 

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10* GIANTS RUNLINE (GOW)

I think Carlos Rodon on the San Francisco Giants have much more than just a "punchers chance" in this one. The second half gets underway and San Fran sits 12.5 games back of the Dodgers. LA was well represented at the All Star Game, but expect it to suffer a bit of a letdown here in the first game back from the break. Rodon is 8-5 with a 2.66 ERA and 1.11 WHIP. Mitch White is just 1-2 with a 4.20 ERA for the Dodgers. Rodon is battle tested, while White has been used in a limited capacity so far to this point. The advantage definitely lies in favor of Rodon as far as the starting pitching is concerned. In a contest that I see being decided late or even in extras, I'm laying this very reasonable mid-sized price for the extra 1.5 runs of insurance; the play is San Fran on the runline option!

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10* DIAMONDBACKS RUNLINE (IL RL GOM)

Arizona has lost the first 2 games of this series by identical 4-3 scores and in another contest that I see being decided late, or in extras, I'm going to lay what I feel to be a very reasonable mid-sized price for the extra 1.5 runs of insurance. The bottom line here is that I really like Arizona's Merrill Kelly and I expect him to finish up the first half strong. Kelly is 8-5 with a 3.36 ERA, while San Diego's Mike Clevinger is 2-2 with a 3.79 ERA. Clevinger has been an absolute "gas can" over his last two starts, allowing 4 runs over 5 innings in his last outing. Kelly conceded 2 runs over 7 innings in a 4-3 win over the Giants in his last outing. Look for the "recent form" of Kelly to be the difference-maker here, but the official call will be to grab the D-Backs on the runline option!

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8* ORIOLES RUNLINE (DESTRUCTION)

Baltimore has won 10 of its last 11. It lost the opener of this series by a score of 5-4, but then bounced back with a 6-4 victory yesterday. In another contest that I see being decided late or even in extras, I'm going to lay the reasonable mid-sized price for the extra 1.5 runs of insurance. Jordan Lyles is 6-7 with a 4.37 ERA for the Orioles, while Corey Kluber is 5-5 with a 3.58 ERA for the Rays. For all intents and purposes, these starters are a "wash" in my opinion. Both teams have been hot and in what should be an exciting "dog fight," let's lay the price for the Orioles on the runline option!

AAA Sports

10* ANGELS RUNLINE (ASSASSIN)

The Dodgers have won 9 of their last 10, but I think they'll have their hands full with their cross-town rivals tonight. The Angels come in on the other end of the spectrum, desperate for a win after losing 8 of their last 10. Clayton Kershaw is 6-2 with a 2.40 ERA for the Dodgers this season. Kershaw has had plenty of success against the Angels in the past, but the bottom line here is I believe Patrick Sandoval can match his veteran counterpart today. Sandoval is 3-4 with a 2.95 ERA and he enters on top form, having conceded 2 earned runs or less in 10 of his last 14 trips to the hill. In a game that I see being decided late, or even in extra time, I'm going to grab the hungry home side on the runline option!

AAA Sports

8* A'S RUNLINE (SPECIAL)

In a game that I see being decided late, or even in extra innings, I'm going to suggest laying the small price for the extra 1.5 runs of insurance. Oakland lost 2 of 3 in Texas most recently, while Houston took 2 of 3 at the Angels. Ultimately though, I think these starters are much more evenly matched than what Las Vegas is trying to lead us to believe. Cole Irvin has pitched much better than his 3-7 win/loss record would indicate, as he owns a highly respectable 3.32 ERA and 1.13 WHIP. Jake Odorizzi is 4-2 with a 3.38 ERA for the Astros. He faced the A's on July 10th and went 7 scoreless, but overall he's 2-4 with a 3.58 ERA in 11 career starts vs. the A's. Irvin is 0-1 with a 2.31 ERA in 2 starts vs. the Astros this year. This one is going to be tight, I'm grabbing Oakland on the runline option!

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10* WHITE SOX RUNLINE (ASSASSIN)

The White Sox are desperate for a series win here to close out the first half, as that'll move them to at least .500 for the season. The Twins come in complacent, as no matter what happens, they'll finish in first place in the AL Central for the first half of the season. These starters are evenly matched, and in a scenario like that, the value swings to the undervalued underdog. The White Sox' Johnny Cueto is 3-4 with a 2.91 ERA, and the Twins' Sonny Gray is 4-2 with a 3.03 ERA. Gray conceded 5 runs over 4 innings in a loss to the Rangers in his last outing, while Cueto took the win over the Tigers last Saturday, allowing 5 hits over 8 scoreless frames. In a contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm laying the very reasonable price for the extra 1.5 runs of insurance; the play is Chicago on the runline option!

AAA Sports

10* A'S RUNLINE (ASSASSIN)

The A's won here 14-7 in 12 innings last night and in another contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras again, I'm going to lay the very reasonable price for the extra 1.5 runs in my back pocket. Jon Gray is 5-4 with a 4.03 ERA for the Rangers, while Paul Blackburn is 6-4 with a 3.36 ERA for the A's. Blackburn got smashed in his last start vs. the Astros, but other than that, he's been the more consistent starter in tonight's battle. Gray is also coming off a terrible outing and he's had issues with Oakland in the past. For all the reasons listed above, lay the price and grab the A's on the runline option!

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8* RED SOX RUNLINE (SITUATIONAL)

Boston fell here 3-2 yesterday and in another game that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm going to lay this very reasonable price for the extra 1.5 runs in my back pocket. Boston has lost the first 2 games of this series, but note that it's 7-2 in its last 9 in trying to avenge 2 or more straight losses against an opponent. Shane McClanahan is 9-3 with a 1.73 ERA for the Rays, but regression seems imminent. Josh Winckowski is putting up a solid season for the Red Sox, he's 3-3 with a 4.35 ERA and I'm expecting him to step up here and, at the very least, match his counterpart inning for inning. For all the reasons listed above, the play is indeed Boston on the runline option!

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8* NATIONALS RUNILNE (SPECIAL Game 1)

In a contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm going to lay the price for the extra 1.5 runs in my back pocket. The old saying, "all good things must come to an end," could not be more apt in this case. After 9 straight victories, I look for the Mariners to finally stumble here in the Nation's capital in Game 1 of this double header after yesterday's contest was postponed. Washington has lost 9 of 10, including 4 in a row. Note though that the Nats are 7-2 in their last 9 after 3 or more straight losses in a row. These starters are evenly matched, but I give the nod to Josiah Gray at home. Gray is 7-5 with a 4.14 ERA this season, while the Mariners' Chris Flexen is 5-8 with a 4.00 ERA. The delay yesterday and double-header today also favors Washington here early; for all the reasons I've listed above, the play is the Nationals on the runline option!

AAA Sports

8* DIAMONDBACKS RUNLINE (SPECIAL)

I had a play on Arizona on the runline last night, and did not need the extra 1.5 runs in its 4-3 victory. In another game that I see being decided late or even in extras though, I'm going to once again grab the visiting side on the runline option. Logan Webb is 7-3 with a 2.98 ERA for the Giants. He got snubbed from the All Star game. He went 8 scoreless in his last outing against the Padres and received a no-decision. He'll face Dallas Keuchel, who is just 2-6 with a 7.63 ERA, but who I believe will settle down here facing his red hot counterpart. That said, note that Keuchel is coming off his best start since coming over from the White Sox, allowing 3 runs over 7 innings vs. the Rockies. As stated above, I expect another really tight game here, so the official call is Arizona on the runline option!

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10* ATHLETICS RUNLINE (ASSASSIN)

I had a free play on the A's on the runline option last night, and while the play came up short, I love how Tuesday's "rematch" sets up for the visiting side. Neither starter has been great. I'd call them a "wash." The Rangers go with Glen Otto, who is 4-5 with a 5.26 ERA, while the A's counter with James Kaprielian, who is 1-5 with a 5.06 ERA. Over his past 7 starts Otta has 24 K's, and 22 walks spanning 33 frames. Kaprielian has turned the corner (quietly,) as over 2 July starts he's allowed 2 runs over 12 innings for a 1.50 ERA. I think the undervalued underdog has much more than just a "punchers chance" in this one; the play though is Oakland on the runline option!

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9* METS RUNLINE (TOP)

In a game that I see being decided late, or even in extra time, I'm going to suggest laying the small price for the extra 1.5 runs in your back pocket. The Mets won the series opener 4-1 and I say David Peterson and the visiting side have much more than just a punchers chance in tonight's contest as well. Peterson is 5-1 with a 3.48 ERA, and he'll be opposed by Atlanta rookie Spencer Strider, who is 4-2 with a 2.60 ERA. Peterson has struggled against the Braves in the past, but he enters on top form and I expect him to carry that momentum over here in this "revenge" spot. Strider has been phenomenal, posting a tiny 0.50 ERA over his past 3 starts combined. I say the rookies numbers are just a little TOO sparkling though, are completely unrealistic and unsustainable moving forward. There is room for some major regression from one of these two young starters, and it's not Peterson. While the outright win is possible in my opinion, the official call will be to grab the Mets on the runline option!

AAA Sports

10* DIAMONDBACKS RUNLINE (GOW)

I think that Merrill Kelly and the Diamondbacks have much more than just a "punchers chance" in this one. Arizona won't be lacking for motivation here after going just 4-6 in its last 10. It dropped 3 of 4 to the Rockies at home over the weekend. I had a play on the Giants yesterday in their 12-0 win at San Diego, but I expect them to take a step back here after 2 straight victories. But most of all I really like Kelly in this spot. He's 7-5 with a 3.42 ERA and he'll be opposed by Alex Cobb, who is 3-3 with a 4.74 ERA. The D-Backs are in fourth in the division, chasing down the Giants. This is a starting pitching rematch from last Wednesday when the Giants won 7-5 in Arizona. Cobb gave up 4 runs and 7 hits over 6 innings and he left with the Giants losing 4-2. He's faced the D-Backs twice in his career and is 0- with a 9.00 ERA. Kelly left last week's game with a 4-2 lead in the seventh inning, conceding just 2 runs off 2 hits over that span. He's 3-3 with a 3.18 ERA in 11 career starts vs. San Fran. Look for Kelly and the Diamondbacks to, at the very least, take this one right down to the wire; the play is Arizona on the runline option!

AAA Sports

10* RED SOX RUNLINE (ASSASSIN)

The Red Sox have lost 6 of their last 10, but they snapped a 4-game slide with a much-needed 6-5 win here over the Yankees last night. I think the home side keeps the momentum rolling here as it looks to split this 4-game series with The Evil Empire. I'll call these starting pitchers a "wash," as Jameson Taillon is 9-2 with a 3.63 ERA for the Yankees, while Nick Pivetta is 8-6 with a 3.68 ERA for the Red Sox. Taillon is coming off consecutive shaky outings (allowing 5 runs in his last start), while Pivetta also comes in off a "dud," allowing 7 runs over 6 innings. Divisional contests are always the most important and they almost always "mean more" to the home side. Look for Boston to, at the very least, take this one right down to the wire; the play is the Red Sox on the runline option!

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5* RUNLINE GIANTS (DESTRUCTION)

In a game that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm going to lay the price for the extra 1.5 runs of insurance. The Giants have lost 8 of their last 10, but they snapped a 2-game slide with yesteday's 3-1 win. They'll now look to split this 4-game series in San Diego. Alex Wood is 5-7 with a 4.83 ERA for the Giants, while MacKenzie Gore is 4-3 with a 3.18 ERA for the Friars. I like the veteran Wood to, at the very least, match his younger counterpart inning for inning; the play is San Francisco on the runline option!

AAA Sports

9* NATIONALS RUNLINE (TOP)

I had a play on the Nationals on the runline yesterday and I think the visiting side will, at the very least, keep today's contest extemely competitive again as well. The Nationals send Paolo Espino (0-2, 3.33 ERA), while the home side counters with Ian Anderson (7-5, 5.09.) Admittedly, Espino has struggled of late: "It's just the way pitching goes sometimes," Espino said. "Two back-to-back outings where it hasn't been going my way, but I feel OK. I feel fine. I'm still executing some good pitches, but I'm also making some mistakes." Anderon comes in off a decent outing, allowing 1 run over 5 innings in a win over the struggling Cardinals last week, but previous to that he'd lost 3 straight and been shelled. He gave up 4 runs over 4 innings to the Nats in June. In a contest that I see being decided late or even in extras, I'm grabbing the Nationals on the runline option

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10* MARINERS RUNLINE (AL GOY)

The Mariners' Robbie Ray won a Cy Young Award with the Blue Jays last year and while he started out slowly for his new team this season, he's really turned things around over the last month. I expect that progression to contiinue here. Toronto is scuffling, as it's now lost 7 of its last 10 after dropping the first 2 games of this series here, falling 8-3 and 5-2 respectively. Seattle enters on the other end of the spectrum after winning 9 of its last 10. Alek Manoah is 9-3 with a 2.33 ERA for the Jays, while Ray is 7-6 with a 3.62 ERA for the Mariners. Manoah was rocked for 5 runs over 5 innings in a loss to the A's in his last outing, while Ray enters off a gem vs. Oakland, allowing 1 run over 7 innings and striking out 12. Not only are these 2 teams moving in opposite directions, these starting pitchers are as well. Great value here though with the extra 1.5 runs, I'm laying the price and grabbing Seattle on the runline option!

AAA Sports

9* MARLINS RUNLINE (DESTRUCTION)

Miami lost the opener by a score of 10-0, but then it bounced back with a 5-2 victory yesterday. I believe Saturday's contet will be very competitive as well. In a game that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm going to grab the undervalued visiting side on the runline option. The Marlins go with Braxton Garrett, who is 1-3 with a 4.25 ERA this season. He's pitched better than his win/loss record would indicate, as evidenced by his elite 26 to 7 strikeout to walk ratio. Carlos Carrasco is 9-4 with a 4.64 ERA for the Mets. He's been hit or miss over the last month though. As I said off the top, I see this one being decided late; the play is Miami on the runline!

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8* NATIONALS RUNLINE (SPECIAL)

In a contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm grabbing the visiting side on the runline option this afternoon. The Nationals have lost 7 of their last 10, including yesterday's series opener by a core of 12-2. The Braves come in on the other end of the spectrum, contented here after going 7-3 in their last 10. Kyle Wright is 9-4 with a 2.91 ERA for the Braves, but despite a 1-0 record in 4 career appearances vs. the Nationals, he owns a terrible 7.71 ERA vs. them. Patrick Corbin is 4-10 with a 5.68 ERA for Washington, but the veteran is coming off his best performance of the season, allowing 1 run over 7 innings in what turned out to be an unfortunate no-decision vs. the Marlins. I like Corbin to match Wright inning for inning; the play is Washington on the runline option!

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8* CARDS RUNLINE (SPECIAL)

In a game that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm going to lay the price for the extra 1.5 runs in my back pocket. The Phillies have won 3 of their last 4, while the Cardinals snapped a 4-game slide with a tight 3-2 win at Atlanta last night. These starters are essentially a "wash," although I'll give the slight nod to Adam Wainwright because of the home field advantage. Zach Wheeler is 7-4 with a 2.66 ERA for the Phillies, while Wainwright is 6-6 with a 3.26 ERA for the Cards. The play here is St. Louis on the runline option!

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10* MARLINS RUNLINE (ASSASSIN)

The Marlins have now lost two in a row after a 5-game win streak. That includes a 10-0 setback here yesterday. Note that the Fish are 7-2 in their last 9 in trying to avenge a shutout road loss against an opponent. New York has won 4 of its last 5, but I believe this is a pitching matchup that favors the visiting side. The Marlins hand the ball to Pablo Lopez, who is 5-4 with a 2.97 ERA, while the Mets counter with Chris Bassitt (6-5, 4.01.) Bassitt was recently placed on COVID protocols, although in the end he didn't show any symptoms. Lopez has struggled a bit of late, but I expect him to, at the very least, match Bassitt inning for inning. In a contest that I see being decided late or even in extras, I'm grabbing the hungry Marlins on the runline option!

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8* REDS RUNLINE (DESTRUCTION)

I feel this starting pitching matchup is much more even than what the oddsmakers are trying to lead us to believe. The Reds have lost 7 of their last 10, splitting a double-header here at home against the Pirates the yesterday. Clearly, they're not going to be lacking for motivation today. The Rays have won 5 of their last 6, but after taking 2 of 3 at Boston earlier in the week, minor regression appear imminent here in this interleague matchup. As I said off the top, I say these starters are essentially a "wash." The visitors go with Shane McClanahan, who is 9-3 with a 1.74 ERA, while the home side counters with Luis Castillo, who is 3-4 with a 3.09 ERA. Castillo has been improving with each outing and I look for that progression to continue here. While I do feel an outright upset could happen, let's instead grab the home side on the runline option!

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10* CUBS RUNLINE (ASSASSIN)

The Cubs have won 7 of their last 10, including 2 straight in Milwaukee before heading here to LA. Yesterday they held on for the 2-1 victory after winning 8-3 the day before. The Dodgers have won 7 of 10 as well, including 3 straight over the Rockies entering this one. Chicago goes with Mark Leiter Jr. to start and he's 2-2 with a 4.85 ERA. Going back to 2017, Leiter has a 1.29 ERA over 7 innings vs. the Dodgers. He most recently allowed 1 run over 6 innings in a spot start vs. the Red Sox. He'll be opposed by Tony Gonsolin, who is 10-0 with a 1.54 ERA. Everyone is now waiting for when Gonsolin will finally have some sort of a letdown, and I believe that day is today. In a contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm laying the price for the extra 1.5 runs in my back pocket; the play is Chicago on the runline option!

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8* ASTROS RUNLINE (DESTRUCTION)

The Royals broke a 2-game skid with a 7-4 win here yesterday, but I expect an immediate return to mediocrity this afternoon. This is a massive mismatch on the mound between these starting pitchers, so much so that I believe laying the 1.5 runs and the extra juice for Houston to smash the Royals into smithereens is the correct call. Justin Verlander is 10-3 with a 2.03 ERA this year for the Astros and he's dominated the Royals throughout his career going 23-10 with a 3.20 ERA over 45 appearances. He's also on top form currently, going 4-1 with a miniscule 1.65 ERA over his last 5 starts. His counterpart today is Kris Bubic, who is just 1-5 with a ballooned 7.06 ERA. Bubic has been better of late, but he's clearly overmatched here this afternoon. Lay the 1.5 runs and the juice and expect a rout; the play is Houston on the runline option!

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10* CARDS RUNLINE (GOM)

The Cards have lost 3 straight, including the first 2 in this series. Note that this sets up really well from a trend based stand point, as St. Louis is 7-2 in its last 9 after 3 or more straight losses, and 8-4 in its last 12 in trying to revenge 2 or more straight road losses against an opponent. The Braves have been playing great, but the value swings to the undervalued dog here. These starters are evenly matched in my opinion, as the Cards' Miles Mikolas comes in on top form, now 5-6 with a 2.61 ERA and tiny 0.99 WHIP. The home side counters with Alex Fried, who is 8-2 with a 2.66 ERA. In a contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm laying the price for the exrtra 1.5 runs in my back pocket; the play is St. Louis on the runline option!

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8* RUNLINE TIGERS (SPECIAL)

"Momentum" is a very real, tangible factor in sports. The oddsmakers are slow in recognizing how well the Tigers are playing right now, as they enter having won 5 of their last 7, including 3 in a row. That includes 3 straight here over Cleveland, including crushing the Guardians by a score of 11-4 yesterday. Yes, the Guardians play with triple revenge here, but I still think the value lies with the undervalued home dog here. And in this case, I'm not even calling for the outright win (although I do believe "sprinkling" a little is worth a second look), as we're getting great value on the runline option. These staters are a "wash" in my opinion, as Shane Bieber is 3-4 with a 3.16 ERA for the Guardians, while Michael Pineda has pitched better than what his 1-3 W/L record would lead you to believe, as he owns a respectable 3.62 ERA and 1.13 WHIP. In a contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm grabbing the 1.5 runs; the play is the Tigers on the runline option!

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8* ROCKIES RUNLINE (SPECIAL)

In a game that I see being decided late or even in extra time, I'm grabbing the extra 1.5 runs with the underdog visiting side. The Rockies fell 5-3 in yesterday's series opener, snapping a 2-game win streak. Colorado turns to German Marquez, who is 4-6 with a 5.89 ERA. He gave up 5 runs over 4 innings in an 8-4 loss at Coors on Wednesday. But that was in Colorado. Overall Marquez is 2-2 with a 3.36 ERA in 13 career starts vs. the Dodgers. He also owns a 7.17 ERA at home this year, compared to just 4.21 on the road. Now the veteran gets an opportunity exact a little "immediate revenge." He'll be opposed by Mitch White, who is 1-1 with a 3.93 ERA. He's yet to complete 6 innings this season. He's 1-1 with a 4.00 ERA in 3 career games vs. the Rockies. I give the slight nod to Marquez in this matchup. For all the reasons listed above, the play is Colorado on the runline option!

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10* JAYS RUNLINE (GOW)

After 4 straight humbling losses, I look for the Jays to finally wake up at the plate today and to take advantage of this matchup, and not only win this contest, but to do so by a significant margin once it's all said and done. Note that the Jays are 7-2 in their last 9 after 3 or more straight losses as well. The visitors hand the ball to Yusei Kikuchi, who is 3-4 with a 4.74 ERA, while the home side counters with Adrian Martinez, who is 1-1 with a 6.30 ERA. Martinez most recently was shelled for 7 runs over 4 innings in a loss to the Mariners, while Kikuchi comes in off his best outing of the year, allowing 1 run and striking out 8 over 6 innings in a a victory over the Rays (he was 1-0 with a 4.20 ERA in 3 starts vs. the A's last season.) Look for Kikuchi to continue his progression and for Martinez to take another step back vs. this highly focussed Jays' line-up; the play is Toronto on the runline option!

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9* PIRATES RUNLINE (TOP IL)

In a contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm going to recommend laying the price for the extra 1.5 runs in your back pocket. Jameson Taillon is 9-1 with a 3.32 ERA, but despite a 1-4 record, his counterpart today Jose Quintana had a nearly identical 3.43 ERA. I think Taillon is poised for some minor regression here facing his former team. That leaves the door open for Quintana and the hungry home side (Quintana is 2-2 with a 3.18 ERA in 6 career matchups vs. the Evil Empire as well.) All signs point to a much tighter contest here than what the oddsmakers are trying to lead us to believe; the play is the home side on the runline option! 

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10* A'S RUNLINE (GOW)

The Jays have been scuffling the last 2 weeks, coming to the West Coast having lost 6 of their last 10, including getting swept at home by the Rays over the weekend. The A's can empathize, as they've lost 7 of their last 10. That includes 2 straight in Seattle, losing 2-1 and 2-1 each time. The A's have been competitive, but haven't been able to close out many of those games. Alek Manoah is 9-2 with a 2.09 ERA for the Jays, while Cole Irvin is 2-6 with a 3.58 ERA for the A's. I think Irvin steps up here at home and matches Manoah inning for inning, and in a scenario like that, the value swings to the undervalued underdog. In a contest that I see being decided late or even in extra innings, I'm grabbing the home side on the runline option!

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8* MARINERS RUNLINE (SPECIAL)

I think Seattle has much more than just a "punchers chance" in this one, and at this price, I can't turn down the talented visitors on the runline option. Seattle has won 7 of its last 10, including taking 2 of 3 from the A's at home over the weekend. The Padres have lost 7 of their last 10 and lost 2 of 3 at the Dodgers over the weekend. Chris Flexen is 4-8 with a 4.32 ERA for the Mariners, while Sean Manaea is 3-3 with a 3.92 ERA for the Padres. I say these starters are a "wash." In a contest that I see being decided late or even in extra time, I'm laying the reasonable price for the extra 1.5 runs in my back pocket; the play is the Mariners on the runline option!

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9* PADRES RUNLINE (DESTRUCTION)

The Padres have dropped the first three games of ths series, falling 3-1, 5-1 and 7-2 respectively. It's interesting to note though that San Diego is 7-2 in its last 9 in trying to avenge 3 or more straight losses against an opponent. Clayton Kershaw is now 6-2 with a 2.94 ERA for the Dodgers after allowing 6 runs off 9 hits over 4 innings to the Rockies last week. Clearly there's nothing to panic about for Kershaw, but it does leave the door open for MacKenzie Gore (4-3, 3.34) to match pace with his veteran counterpart. Gore last made a start on June 24th and he held the Phillies scoreless over 5 innings. Gore comes in with 3 extra days rest here and I think that works in his favor. In a contest that I see being decided late or even in extras, I'm grabbing the desperate vistors on the runline option!

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10* A'S RUNLINE (ASSASSIN)

Oakland has lost 7 of its last 10, including 2 of the first 3 games of this 4 game series in Seattle. All 3 games have been tight though and that's why I'm expecting another battle here as well on Sunday afternoon. The Mariners won 8-3 in the first, before Oakland battled for a 3-1 victory in the second. Then Seattle won 2-1 here yesterday. Despite a 3-8 win/loss record, Frankie Montas has been a consistenty bright spot for Oakland this season, as he enters with a highly respectable 3.20 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. Robbie Ray counters for Seattle and he's 6-6 with a 3.78 ERA. Ray's looked much better after a poor start for his new team, but I still expect Montas to, at the very least, match him inning for inning. And in a scenario like that, the value swings to the undervalued underdog. The play is Oakland on the runline option!

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8* ANGELS RUNLINE (SPECIAL)

The Angels have been crushed in the first two games of this series, falling 8-1 and 9-1 respectively, but I believe they have a legitimate shot at winning today's contest outright. However, in a game which I believe will be extremely competitive, I'm going to suggest laying the price for the extra 1.5 runs in your back pocket. The Angels hand the ball to Angels hand the ball to Jose Suarez, who is 1-2 with a 4.36 ERA, while the Astros counter with Framber Valdez, who is 8-3 with a 2.65 ERA. Valdez is just 1-1 with a 4.91 ERA in two starts vs. the Angels this season. Suarez earned the win in his last outing, allowing one run on five hits with eight strikeouts over six innings. While I do think the outright win is possible, let's grab the Angels on the runline option as the official call!

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10* PADRES RUNLINE (DESTRUCTION)

Tony Gonsolin is 9-0 with a 1.58 ERA for the Dodgers. He's been unbelieavable and it's nearly impossible to find any faults in his game right now. I'm not going to bother here. That said, regression does seem imminent for the overachieving hurler in my opinion. Blake Snell comes in on the other end of the spectrum for the Padres, as he's 0-5 with a 5.60 ERA so far. A far cry from his former Cy Young form with the Rays. But facing the mighty Dodgers is going to bring the best out of Snell here finally in my opinion (and note that he's 1-0 with a 1.75 ERA in six regualr season starts vs. them.) Manny Machado was back in the line-up finally for SD after a 9 game absence yesterday and he went 1 for 4. Expect a bigger performance here on Friday. While I do think the outright is possible, my official is to grab the visitors on the runline option!

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9* ANGELS RUNLINE (SPECIAL)

In a contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm going to suggest laying the reasonable mid-sized price for the extra 1.5 runs in your back pocket. The Angels have won 3 of their last 4. They had yesterday off. The Astros come in complacent after 3 traight victories, including a 2-1 win here at home yesterday vs. the Yanks. I think these starters are very evenly matched. Michael Lorenzen is 6-5 with a 4.24 ERA for the Angels, while Christian Javier is 5-3 with a 2.73 ERA for the Astros. Lorenzen has had his issues with Houston in the past, but that was then and this is now. While the outright win is definitely a possibility, my official call is the Angels on the runline option!

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10* A'S RUNLINE (ASSASSIN)

The A's come in hungry to reverse their fortunes after losing 7 of their last 10, including 3 straight at New York over the weekend. They travel back to the West Coast today to take on a Mariners team on the other end of the spectrum, having won 7 of its last 10, including 2 of 3 here over the weekend vs. Baltimore. This is a revenge game and series for Oakland here, which was swept by the Mariners at home last week in 3 straight. Adrian Martinez takes the mound for the A's to start and he's 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA, making his second start of the season after allowing four hits over 6 scoreless in his debut vs. the Tigers. The Mariners counter with Logan Gilbert, who is 8-3 with a 2.44 ERA this season. I say there's room for improvement from Martinez, and room for regression for Gilbert. In a contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm grabbing the visitors on the runline option for sure!

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8* RUNLINE PIRATES (SPECIAL)

The Pirates are off an 8-7 win over Washington last night and I think it can keep the good times rolling here on Thursday in the opener of this 3 game set vs. the Brewers, who enter off a 5-3 win at Tampa. Adrian Houser is just 4-8 with a 4.54 ERA for Milwaukee, while, despite a 1-7 record, JT Brubaker of the Pirates enters with a very respectable 4.14 ERA (note that Houser is in fact just 1-4 with a 6.54 ERA and 1.67 WHIP over his last 6 starts.) In a contest that I see being decided late, or even in extras, I'm going to lay what I deem to be a very reasonable mid-sized price for the extra 1.5 runs in my back pocket; the play is Pittsburgh on the runline option!

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8* RED SOX RUNLINE (SPECIAL)

I think that Nick Pivetta and the Red Sox have much more than just a "punchers chance" here vs. Alek Manoah and the Jays. Boston comes in as the much "hungrier" dog in this fight after losing the first 2 games of this series here in Toronto, falling 7-2 in the first and 6-5 last night. Pivetta is 8-5 with a 3.25 ERA, while Jays' starter Alek Manoah is 9-2 with a 2.05 ERA. Manoah's been great, but so too has Pivetta. Pivetta has struggled in 2 previous starts against the Jays, but that just adds fuel to the fire here. Note as well that Boston is 7-2 in its last 9 in trying to avenge 2 or more straight losses against an opponent. In a contest that I see being decided late or even in extras, I'm laying what I deem to be a very reasonable price for the extra 1.5 runs in my back pocket; the play is Boston on the runline option!

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10* PHILLIES RUNLINE (GOW)

Atlanta took the first game of this series by a score of 5-3 last night, but I think the home side will bounce back here and, at the very least, take this one right down to the wire and earn a comfortable ATS cover on the runline option. The Braves see Kyle Wright take the hill, while the home side counters with Ranger Suarez. Wright is 8-4 with a 3.18 ERA, while Suarez is 6-4 with a 4.23 ERA. I say these starters are a "wash" this evening. Note though that Wright is 0-3 with a 5.00 ERA in 4 career games vs. the Phillies. In a contest that I see being decided late or even in extras, the savvy call is Philly on the runline!

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8* A'S RUNLINE (BANKROLL INCREASER)

The A's won 2 of 3 in Kansas City over the weekend, but they're 0-2 so far in New York. That includes yesterday's 2-1 defeat here. I'm expecting another tight battle in the finale, so that's why I'm grabbing the visitors on the runline option. The A's hand the ball to Cole Irvin, who is 2-5 with a 3.59 ERA. He'll be opposed by the overachieving Jameson Taillon, who is 8-1 with a 3.19 ERA. These teams are on complete opposite spectrums when it comes to their momentum right now, but that just makes the A's the hungrier dog in this fight; the play is indeed Oakland on the runline!

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10* TIGERS RUNLINE (DESTRUCTION)

The Tigers fell here 11-7 last night. I'm expecting another tight and competitive affair on Tuesday as well. It's interesting to note that the Tigers are 7-2 in their last 9 in trying to avenge a loss in which they conceded 10 or more runs in. These starters are evenly matched. The Tigers go with Tarik Skubal, who is 5-5 with a 3.63 ERA, while the Giants go with Carlos Rodon, who is 6-4 with a 2.70 ERA. Expect these two to battle into the latter frames, and because of that, I'm grabbing Detroit on the runline option!

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9* MARLINS RUNLINE (DESTRUCTION)

Miami fell here 9-0 yesterday, but I think it'll, at the very least, keep today's contest close enough to earn the comfortable cover on the runline option. The Fish are 5-1 in their last 6 in trying to avenge a shutout loss against an opponent as well. The two starters are evenly matched. Braxton Garrett is 1-2 with a 4.08 ERA for the Marlins, while Dakoka Hudson is 5-4 with a 3.72 ERA for the Cardinals. I expect these two young hurlers to battle deep and because of that, I believe this game gets decided late, or even in extras; the play is Miami on the runline!

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9* A'S RUNLINE (DESTRUCTION)

I like the A's to, at the very least, keep this one close enough to earn the comfortable cover on the runline option. Yesterday the A's fell here 9-5. The Yanks once again scored late, earning 6 runs in the bottom of the 7th. But I like the veteran Frankie Montas here to get the better of his counterpart JP Sears. Montas is 3-7 with a 3.21 ERA. He's tossed 8 shutout innings in 2 career starts vs. New York, while Sears is being recalled from Triple-A to make this spot start; the play is Oakland on the runline option!

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10* ROCKIES RUNLINE (BOB)

I had a play on the Braves on the runline option last night, and it unfortunately lost. It was a brutal bad beat. The Braves had a 2-0 lead in the top of the ninth inning, with none on and a 1-2 count, only to then lost 4-2 in 12 innings somehow. It was a disaster, and another improbable victory for LA. I say the Dodgers though come in "hung over" from that win and I look for the hungry home side to take advantage. The Rockies lost 2 of 3 at Minnesota over the weekend. Tyler Anderson is an unsustainable 8-0 with a 3.00 ERA for the Dodgers; look for that sparkling record to take a hit here at hitter friendly Coors Field. Chad Kuhl is a much more realistic and still impressive 4-5 with a 3.95 ERA for the Rockies, not easy to do when your home field is in the thin air of Colorado. In a contest that I see being decided late or even in extras, the value lies with the Rockies on the runline option!

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8* ROYALS RUNLINE (SPECIAL)

Texas has been playing better of late, but it lost 2 of 3 to the Nationals at home over the weekend, including yesterday's 6-4 defeat. I think the Rangers stumble again here on the road against the hungry home side. The Royals enter as the "hungrier" team here after losing 2 of 3 at home to the A's, including yesterday's 5-3 defeat. Martin Perez is 5-2 with a 1.96 ERA for the Rangers this season, but regression feels imminent for the overachieving veteran in my opinion. Kris Bubic is only 1-4 with an elevated 7.41 ERA for the Royals, but he's already starting to trend in the correct direction, most recently allowing 2 runs with 7 K's over 6 innings in a victory over the Angels. Look for this progression to continue here at home. In a contest that I see being decided late or even in extras, the play is the Royals on the runline option!

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8* A'S RUNLINE (DESTRUCTION)

The Yanks scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to push their game with Houston into extra innings, and then New York would go on to win 6-3 in the bottom of the 10th with a walk-off home run by Aaron Judge. Suffice it to say, I'm expecting a small mental letdown by the home side tonight. Oakland is off a 5-3 win at Kansas City, taking 2 of 3 from the Royals over the weekend, snapping a 4-game slide in the process. Look for Oakland to keep the momentum rolling in the Big Apple this evening. Paul Blackburn is Oakland's best starter this year, as he enters 6-3 with a 2.97 ERA. Jordan Montgomery has been great for the Yanks as well, he' 3-1 with a 2.97 ERA. But I expect Blackburn to match Montgomery inning for inning and in a scenario like that, the value swings to the undervalued underdog; great price here on the visitors on the runline option!

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