We are just past the halfway point of the season, but Tampa Bay is slipping further behind the Yankees in the AL East and their wild card slot is becoming more precarious with Oakland charging. The betting action is on the total, lowered from 9 to 8.5 in the clash. Masahiro Tanaka (5-5, 3.74) will take on rookie Brendon McKay (1-0, 0.00) who is making his second start with six innings of one-hit pitching. McKay is listed as a "can't miss" prospect and Tanaka is 10-4 with a 3.06 ERA in 17 career starts against the Rays. Not backing the line movement, with the Yankees 11-3 OVER on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 and Tampa Bay 22-7 OVER after conceding eight or more runs.

As the standings show, the margin of difference between Milwaukee and Pittsburgh is not much, separated by only three games despite the fact the Brewers are tied for first place and the Pirates are in 4th. Pittsburgh is on a 7-1 move at PNC Park and is 6-1 in their waterfront park against squads with a losing road record. Milwaukee's offense has been contained in scoring 2.8 RPG in their last 10 outings. Away from home, the Brewer Crew has dropped 10 of 11 against LH starters and is on a negative streak of 1-6 in series openers. Pitt is the play.

Minnesota's Jose Berrios (8-4, 2.89 ERA) has not always been at his best against Oakland, but he might not need to be today. Oakland will start Tanner Anderson (0-3, 7.13), who as you can see by his numbers is having a tough go. Both bullpens have been busy in this series, however, if Anderson cannot keep his team in the game for five innings, they could spell trouble for the A's. The Twins are 18-4 vs. a starting pitcher whose gives up one or more HR's a start and 13-3 on the road with a money line of -100 to -150 this season. Twinkies take the series.

Cleveland goes for the sweep today over Kansas City and is nicely positioned to do so. The Indians latest good stretch stands at 8-3 and they will start Zach Plesac who has cooled since a fantastic start but who is still 3-3, with a 3.61 ERA, but is still allowing only a .220 BA. The Royals Homer Bailey is pitching beyond anyone's expectations at 7-6, yet, he still has 4.87 ERA and the last two years he's 3-17 vs. winning teams. (Team's record) K.C.'s latest poor spell has them at 3-9 and if the game for some reason would be tied late, the Tribe has the 2nd-best bullpen in the AL and the Royals are 12th.

Awful what happen to the Angels and everyone associated with Tyler Skaggs family and friends. But, unfortunately, the games continue and what I said yesterday still applies. Texas concluded a 4-2 road trip with a couple of losses against a very good Tampa Bay pitching staff. The Rangers will not run into the same thing against the Angels who are off a dismal home series loss to Oakland, dropping the last three and outscored 23-5. The Halos are 11-19 vs. left-handed starters and they will face Mike Minor who's one of the best in the AL at 8-4, with a 2.40 ERA. Texas is also back home where they are 28-15 and average 5.7 RPG. Let's also include the Rangers are 15-5 when the money line is -100 to -150 this season and a perfect 6-0 at home after scoring two runs or less. Rangers roll!

San Diego is on a bit of a roll, winners of four straight and in the process has hit a whopping 16 home runs. Today the Padres will face the Cardinals Miles Mikolas (5-8, 4.33 ERA), who has not come close to last year's numbers and he has 7.86 ERA on the road. The St. Louis offense is as stale a pizza left on the counter for two days, with 10 totals runs in their five-game losing streak. The Cards are  6-17 as a road underdog of +100 or higher and 8-16 when playing with double revenge. Bring your broom for a Friars sweep!

If you subtract the Phillies sweeping the motley Mets this week, Philly has lost their nine other most recent games. In that mix is a five straight losses to Miami. Though I thought Philadelphia was overrated coming into the season, they should not be swept in consecutive weekends by the Marlins. The Phils offense should get to starter Trevor Richards, who has a 6.64 ERA against them. Jake Arrieta might not be the hurler he was with the Cubs, but he's still 27-8 as a road favorite of -125 to -175. (Team's Record) With Philadelphia 33-15 after a game with a combined score of 15 runs or more, they avoid the sweep.

The Cubs Jon Lester has not been great of late, more up and down. But look for him to provide a solid effort against Cincinnati since he's 7-1 against them (Cubs 14-2 overall). Lester also brings other fine qualities to this encounter, like an 11-1 mark as an away favorite of -110 or higher (Cubs record) and his Chicago teammates are 17-2 on the road when the total is 10 to 10.5. The Cubs finally take series vs. the Reds this season.

This is all about the pitching matchup -  Zack Greinke (8-3, 3.08 ERA) vs. Drew Pomeranz (2-8, 6.79). Greinke is 12-3 lifetime against San Francisco and the teams he's played for are 15-4 in his 19 starts against them. Pomeranz is 0-4 with gigantic 9.09 ERA vs. Arizona. Greinke is 31-6 vs. NL teams scoring four or less runs a game in the second half of the season (Team's Record) and 18-6 if his team is off a loss. (D-Backs Record) 

The Dodgers and Rockies have scored a ton of run thus far in this series, thanks in part to the altitude and because the temperatures are high. But Clayton Kershaw (7-1, 3.07 ERA) has always had an answer Colorado and is 22-7 against them, which includes 10-4 at Coors Field. Kershaw is 112-38 vs. teams who strand 6.9 or less runners on base per game in his career (Dodgers Record) and L.A. picks up another victory.

After last night's win Cincinnati has win five of seven against the Cubs and are in a very favorable position to pick up a win again. Luis Castillo (7-2, 2.56 ERA) will toe the rubber for the Reds late Saturday afternoon and he's having a fine 2019 campaign. The same cannot be said for Chicago's r Jose Quintana (4-7, 4.50), who's in a horrific stretch in which he has posted an 0-6 mark with a 5.40 ERA over his past nine starts. With the Cubs 4-15 as a road underdog of +100 or higher and Quintana 2-9 vs. teams averaging 1.25 or more homers a game this season (Cubs Record) this looks like a Cincy win.

Chicago has not played great baseball recently and is 7-11 in their last 18 games. Who has not let them down is Cole Hamels (6-2, 2.92 ERA) and he brings plenty of positives into this encounter. In his last five starts, the lefty has an ERA of 1.00 and against Cincinnati and has a sterling 11-1 record with a 1.91 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in 17 career starts. The Reds have taken four of six versus the Cubs, yet, they are 15-33 after scoring one run or less. Here is a nugget about Hamels and Sonny Gray, the Cincy starter, relating to Friday's, normally a series opener. Gray is 10-17 on Friday's (Team's record) while Hamels is 11-1 (Team's record). It would seem Joe Maddon of the Cubs likes his chances tonight and so do I.

Texas is hot and Tampa Bay is just plain tired. The Rangers have rattled off five straight wins and look to make it six tonight. The Rays won in 18 innings yesterday at Minnesota and return home where they are only 20-18 and went thru eight pitchers yesterday. Even with the victory, Tampa Bay has dropped 11 of 16 and they will need a outstanding performance from Yonny Chirinos (7-3, 3.00) to help them and save a weary bullpen. Texas has played very well this month with a 17-9 record and the Rays are 6-17 after a game where the bullpen threw seven or more innings this season. Nice underdog spot in west Florida.

Washington fits several of my in-season systems today against Detroit. The Tigers has lost 11 of 12 and are on a 2-20 nosedive at home. Detroit is also 1-11 as a home underdog of +125 to +175 this season. The Nationals are back to .500 and have won eight of 10. Additionally, they fit this system that goes back 22 years: Play Against home underdogs with a money line of +125 to +175 having lost 12 or more of their last 15 games, against opponent after having won 8 or more of their last 10 games. (77-25 record)

Philadelphia found the perfect solution for a seven-game losing streak, the New York Mets. The Phillies have rattled off three straight wins since and have their ace going today in Aaron Nola  (6-2, 4.55 ERA). Nola has not been great with month, but his team is in a great spot with a 16-3 record at home after nine consecutive games versus division rivals the last three seasons. We know what kind of mess the Mets are and they are 2-14 as a road underdog of +120 to +175 this season. Make this a nice afternoon winner. 

Going to keep this real simple. All Wednesday favorites with a money line of -200 or more after two or more wins the last five seasons are 74-12, 86 percent. The key for us is they win by 3.1 RPG.

Had a winner in Texas yesterday and coming right back with them today. The Rangers Mike Minor (7-4, 2.52 ERA) is having a brilliant season and as good as he's pitched, he's been even better of late with a 1.93 ERA in his past four starts. Going against a Detroit team averaging 3.5 RPG, Minor should move to 18-8 in road games after giving up one or less earned runs in last outing. (Team's Record) The Tigers Matt Boyd (5-5, 3.61) give his team a chance, but he's 1-5 with a 6.54 ERA in six career starts against Texas while surrendering 11 home runs. Ride the Rangers.

Colorado lost to San Francisco last night 4-2 and they have not hit much of late. However, with the Rockies that provides opportunity as they are 10-2 in road games after batting .200 or worse over a 5-game span. Count me as a fan of German Marquez (7-3, 4.32 ERA) who battles and the Rockies have won 12 of his 17 starts. If I was as poor a handicapper as Jeff Samardzija (4-6, 4.23) is a pitcher, I would have been out of this business a long time ago. For his career, Samardzija is 91-130 (-46.6 Units) in all games. (Team's Record) More recently he is 10-25 playing against a team with a winning record.(Giants Record) Rockies Roll!

The Reds Tyler Mahle (2-7, 4.17 ERA) is coming off the longest outing of his three-year major league career, holding the Astros to two runs and four hits in seven innings last week. I'm betting he doesn't come anywhere close to that in Anaheim. This season, Cincy and Mahle are 0-9 on the road, losing by 2.1 RPG, which has been a combination of mediocre pitching and horrible offense. The Halos Andrew Heaney is no prize and still coming back from injury but with the Reds only scoring 4.1 RPG on the road, the Angels should be a heavenly choice. 

Detroit's Jordan Zimmermann  (0-4, 6.03 ERA) is just living out his contract, as his usefulness as a starting pitcher is about the same as Matt Cain's when he was at the same point of career. Zimmermann plays for a far worse Tigers team that has lost eight of nine and is going nowhere. Texas will start versatile veteran Jesse Chavez who has 0.58 ERA in his last 21 appearances and has given the Rangers whatever they have needed all year. Texas is averaging 5.8 RPG against right-hand starters and gets back Joey Gallo from injury. Let's grab the Rangers with Detroit 3-18 playing against a marginal winning team (Win Pct. 51% to 54%) since last season. 

Max Scherzer's (6-5, 2.62 ERA) record might not indicate it, but he's getting back on track with typical performances, having lowered his ERA a full run in the last five weeks. Mad Max starts for Washington tonight and he will face Marlins right-hander Trevor Richards (3-7, 3.54), whose also pitched better than his record. With Miami last in scoring in the majors at 3.5 RPG, the total has dipped from 7.5 to 7. On the surface hard to argue with a tumbling total, however, Scherzer is 11-2 OVER on the road when the total is 7 or less and the Fish are 17-6 OVER vs. an NL starting pitcher whose ERA is 2.70 or better.

The Jays Aaron Sanchez is only 26 and should in his prime years, even on a bad club. But the right-hander is 3-9 with a super-sized 5.49 ERA, coupled with a WHIP of 1.67. In Sanchez's past three starts, he allowed 20 runs in 12 2/3 innings, permitting 21 hits, five which left the yard and walking nine. That adds up to an ERA of 13.5 and he's only fanned seven batters in that span.

CC Sabathia (4-4, 4.14 ERA) is doing his best at 38 with a limited skill set, but he's kept his team in games and has a sharp 2.18 ERA at Yankee Stadium in a half dozen starts and his teammates have won five of those tilts.

With manager Aaron Boone's club is 16-8 against the run line vs. teams averaging 1.25 or more homers game and 10-4 versus the RL at home vs. a club with a good bullpen that converts on 75 percent or more of their save opportunities this season take New York on the RL.

This game starts with the fact Tampa Bay has lost nine of 12, including five of six on the road after starting 23-10 away from home. Oakland's gotten hot again in winning eight of 11 and is 24-16 at home. The A's will send out Brett Anderson (7-4, 3.68 ERA) as their starter and he's having a fine season and has pitched into the seven inning of three straight starts, all Oakland wins, posting a 2.75 ERA. Expect the Athletics to take the series and jump to 11-5 in Anderson's starts this season.

Brandon Woodruff (8-2, 4.02) and the Brewers have combined to win a number of games this season but his ERA continues to climb and he's proving he's not quite as good as he was most of the year lately. Cincinnati will start Anthony DeSclafani (4-3, 4.22) and he has a 1.69 ERA in his last start trio of outings and he and the Reds are 6-3 on the road this year. The Reds right-hander will face a slumping Brewers club whose scored only 3.9 RPG in their last seven, while Cincy's at 6.0 RPG in the same timeframe. DeSclafani and the Reds are 9-3 as a road underdog of +150 to +200, while the Brew Crew is 7-16 vs. a team with a bullpen whose WHIP is 1.25 or better this season. Too much value to pass up.

Once again the Washington bullpen gave away another game. With about where Atlanta and Washington would be in the standings with the Braves having a 20-10 bullpen record and the Nationals at 11-15. Chances are we don't get that far with Mike Soroka (8-1, 2.12 ERA) starting for the Bravos against call-up Austin Voth who was 3-5 with a 4.40 ERA at Triple A. This season Atlanta is 10-2 on Sunday's (important because they are closing out series properly) and Soraka and his teammates are 10-0 vs. losing teams.

The Cubs open a four-games series against the Mets and even with Tyler Chatwood pitching they should have real edges. The Mets are 15-25 on the road this year, which includes a recent 5-16 mark vs. RH starters. Don't be surprised if the Cubs offense does't shine since they are 14-3 at home when favored by -150 or less and New York is 1-11 as road underdogs of +125 to +175.

Strong win by the Twins last night over Boston. They go for another tonight against the Red Sox with Kyle Gibson (7-3) who has been in top form of late with a 2.45 ERA at home. Minnesota is averaging 6.9 RPG vs. LH pitchers and is 15-4 when the ML is -100 to -150. Boston had their six-game winning streak snapped yesterday, but half those came against the Orioles and after last night they are 12-20 vs. teams outscoring the opposition by 0.5 or more runs a game. The Twinkies get it done!

Arizona starter Merrill Kelly (7-6, 3.73 ERA) might be up to the task to chill the Rockies' bats. The 30-year-old rookie right-hander has allowed two runs in his past three starts, spanning 22 1/3 innings. Despite, Colorado scoring 5.7 RPG, as per usual, the numbers nose dive on the road to. 4.4 RPG in the traveling gray's and they are a pathetic 6-25 in away games off a home division loss as a favorite.Besides this, I also have one of my Super Systems which reads this way: Underdogs with a money line of +100 or higher, batting .333 or better over their last five games, against opponent with a hot starting pitcher whose WHIP is  0.80 or lower over his last three starts, are 10-40 the last 22 years. The Snakes slither to a win.

Atlanta is playing great baseball, winners of nine of 10 ans 12 of 15. Mike Sorka goes for the Braves and he is is 2-0 with a tiny 0.73 against New York. Though the Mets Zack Wheeler has enjoyed success against Atlanta (6-3 lifetime), he's one shy of his home run total of a year ago already in less them half the innings. With the Mets losers of 18 of 23 on the road and the Bravos 13-3 after scoring eight or more runs, take Atlanta \to start another work week. 

Since April 17, Minnesota's Jake Odorizzi is 9-0 with a 1.07 ERA over 59 innings with 63 strikeouts and 13 walks. Though Odorizzi does not have a great history against Kansas City, that was against far better Royals' teams and he's pitching for an offensive juggernaut. I don't have to tell you how good the Twins are or how bad K.C. but this is something that you didn't know that applies for this game. AL road underdogs like the Royals going against a 1.5 run line (with ML of +100 or higher), hitting team .260 or lower, against an AL starting pitcher whose ERA is 4.20 or lower, with a starting pitcher whose lasts less than five innings per start, are 10-45 vs. the RL the last 22 years.

FYI: SC members. No picks on Sunday, I'm traveling. 

Impressed with how Texas showed up in Cincinnati last night and laid to the Reds 7-1. Today, Mike Minor (5-4, 2.52 ERA) goes for the Rangers and he's been remarkably consistent all year. Texas is 20-10 in their last 30 games and is averaging 6.2 RPG in their last eight. After a fast start, Tanner Roark (4-5, 3.74 ERA) is back to being the same pitcher he's always been, losing four of five and he's 2-11 in home games when playing against a team with a winning record the last three seasons. (Team's Record) Texas does the two-step and handles the Reds.

After trailing 4-0, the Tampa Bay offense came alive and scored nine straight. I think that confidence carries over in an early start against a young Angels hurler in Jose Suarez. The Rays Charlie Morton has been brilliant all year and faces an Anaheim team that is 11-32 vs. an AL starting pitcher whose ERA is 3.40 or better. The Halos are losing by 2.4 RPG against this kind of pitching. The Rays by at least two.

Brewers' starter Zach Davies (7-0, 2.41 ERA) has been nothing short of sensational this season and on the road he's pitched even better with a 1.88 ERA. Milwaukee arrives in San Francisco in a very favorable position at 18-4 vs. NL teams allowing five or more runs a game and 17-5 vs. foes outscored by 0.5 or more RPG on the season. The Giants Drew Pomeranz (1-6, 7.16) is having a terrible year. He's coming off his second-best effort of the year (5 innings, 0 runs allowed), but prior to that, the left-hander has made five starts, lasting a total of 14 innings and surrendering 25 runs. With the Brew Crew averaging 6.0 RPG in their last seven contests, look for Pomeranz to be hit hard and Milwaukee posts a 'W'. 

Colorado saw their 10-game winning streak snapped at Coors Field yesterday, but they have still won 16 of 19 there and should add to that number. Rockies starter Jon Gray (5-5, 4.27 ERA) has gotten into a nice groove with a 1.88 ERA in his last four starts. The right-hander has also thrived against San Diego with a  9-3 record and 2.70 ERA in 17 starts. The Padres road trip got off to a depressing start, losing twice at last-place San Francisco and they have lost eight of last 11. With the Rocks  57-27 as a home favorite of -110 or higher the last couple years, let's look their direction.

Zack Greinke (7-2, 2.87 ERA) is a pleasure to watch, super competitive and smart as the day is long, he's pitching as well as he ever has with maybe 75 percent of the arsenal he used to have. Now he tops out at 91 MPH on the fastball, but his slow stuff is so slow and he generates downward movement. Washington seldom had any success no matter what version of Grienke they faced as he's 5-1 with a 1.46 ERA in eight career starts against the Nationals. The D-Backs come in 33-14 in road games having won two of their last three games, while Washington starter Erick Fedde is 1-8 at home vs. teams whose hitters strike out seven or more times a game. (Nats record)

Seattle left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (3-4, 4.99 ERA) has an ERA over 14 in his last three starts and he's facing a Minnesota lineup that No.1 in baseball in scoring runs against lefty's at 6.9 RPG. The Twins Michael Pineda (4-3, 5.34) is not fooling many batters either as the numbers show. No question 10 is a big number at Target Field, but Mariners are 12-3 OVER vs. teams outscoring foes by one or more runs a game and 10-2 OVER when the total is 10 or higher this season. Toss in Kikuchi is 11-1 OVER this year and Pineda is 21-9 OVER vs. teams averaging 1.25 or more homers a game, expect a minimum of 11 runs to be scored.

Rookie Mike Soroka (7-1, 1.38 ERA) has been splendid for Atlanta all season and he will face one of Pittsburgh's top pitching prospects in Mitch Keller, who is making his second career start. Keller allowed six runs in four innings on May 27th to Cincinnati and he'll face a blistering Braves offense that is scoring 6.9 RPG in their last 10 and eight of those contests were Atlanta victories. Even if Keller pitches well for say five innings, the Pirates bullpen is 14th in ERA in the National League. The Bravos will by at least two runs tonight.

Cleveland continues to dominate their in-state rival having won 16 of 21 over Cincinnati.  That continues today as the Indians send out sensation Zack Plesac (1.86 ERA), who has shown incredible poise and talent for the Indians. Cleveland might not catch Minnesota, but they are playing solid baseball and have won six of nine and the offense is coming around and they should score on Anthony DeSclafani (2-3, 4.70). The Reds offense is just plain ugly averaging 2.0 RPG in the last eight tries. With Cincy 3-16 in road contests after a game with a combined score of three runs or fewer, they are going down! 

These former division rivals open up a quick two-game set in H-Town. The Astros have come back to earth, opening at -145 and now under -120 versus Milwaukee. A bit perplexed about this when considering the starting pitchers, Freddy Peralta (3-2, 5.11) for the Crew and Brad Peacock (5-3, 3.20) for the 'Stros. Despite Houston's rock solid 24-9 home record, their bullpen has been brutal the last week and the Brewers are 26-9 vs. a starting pitcher who gives up 0.5 or less homers a start. Still, the Peacock/Astros combo is 15-3 when the money line is -100 to -150.

St. Louis found the perfect anecdote to get back on track after being swept by the Cubs in Chicago, play Miami. The Cardinals beat the Marlins last night 4-1 and a similar outcome is expected tonight. Dakota Hudson (4-3, 3.70 ERA) relies heavily on a hard sinker and lately it's been working very well with 1.93 ERA in his past three starts. He will oppose the Marlins Elieser Hernandez, who's been called up from Triple-A and he's 0-5 with a 5.04 ERA in six previous big league starts. With the Marlins 14-38 off a loss and the Redbirds 42-18 vs. a foe with a win percentage under .400, the Cardinals fly to a victory. 

Asking bad teams to do good things is not always the best way to make money betting, but I like this lefty for Baltimore named John Means (5-4, 2.67 ERA). Less impressed with Toronto's right-hander Trent Thornton (1-4, 4.73) and the Blue Jays are playing worse of late than the Orioles, that's not a good sign. Digging into my systems analysis, AL road teams like Toronto scoring 3.7 or fewer runs a game, against a starting pitcher whose ERA is 3.50 or lower, with an on-base percentage of .285 or worse over their last five games, are 15-53 since 2015. Back the Birds. 

Not a fan of taking over -150 on favorites before the All-Star break unless I really like the situation. The Dodgers are the best team in the NL and one of the best three teams in baseball at this time. Hyun-Jin Ryu (9-1, 1.35 ERA) is having a Cy Young season to this point and he's starting the opener in the Freeway Series. In three previous starts against the Angels, Ryu has a 0.83 ERA and he's pitching for a team that has won 13 of 16. The Halos lost five of seven last week, including home series to Oakland and Seattle and, are 9-16 vs. left-hand starters. They will start rookie right-hander Griffin Canning (2-2, 3.52) and he'll face a cross-town rival that is 32-12 against RH starters, averaging 5.9 RPG. Dodgers roll.

Tampa Bay took three of four at Boston in an impressive display of baseball and returns home to face Oakland. Because of Saturday's doubleheader loss and a bullpen that nearly blew an 8-2 lead yesterday at Texas, the A's are calling up Tanner Anderson from Triple-A where he is 4-4 with a big  6.26 ERA. Charlie Morton (7-0, 2.30 ERA) will take the ball for the Rays, who are 35-16 against teams who scored five or more runs in last game. Tampa Bay also knows how to start a series with a 21-5 record on Monday's and should jump to an early lead and coast with Morton and the AL's No. 2 bullpen. 

San Diego native Stephen Strasburg always likes facing the Padres and is 7-2 against them with a 3.00 ERA. Strasburg has been a beast on the road and he and his mates are 24-8 on the road since last year. Let go against the Friars who are 20-41 as a home underdog of +100 or higher the last two seasons. 

Let's just follow the numbers. Minnesota is 13-3 vs. a starting pitcher whose gives up one or more HR's/start this season. (Margin of victory 1.9 RPG) Twins starter Jake Odorizzi is 8-0 (Twins record) when the total is 8.5 to 10 this season. (MOV 3.6 RPG) And, Minny is 16-5 off a loss. (MOV 2.3 RPG) We'll wrap this up with Detroit 4-17 after scoring nine runs or more, losing by 2.3 RPG.

While the Reds Sonny Gray has started to pitch similar to how he did in Oakland, he's not winning games. On the road, he has a 2.89 ERA, but he and Cincinnati are 1-4. Of course, when you throw that well, something else is going on and in this case, it's run support and in the Reds losing five of their last six contests, they have plated 11 times. Aaron Nola continues to give sometimes puzzling starts but he's facing the kind of club he can beat and he the Phillies are 17-3 against teams who strand 6.9 or fewer runners on base per game. With Cincy 1-9 after scoring and allowing five runs or less in their last four games and essentially unable to close a series on Sunday's this season (1-9), grab the Phils. 

When a team has been swept on the road and plays the same team within a month and the clubs have comparable records, it's never a bad bet to back the home team in at least the first two contests of the next series. The Cubs were swept at St. Louis last weekend and took Game 1 yesterday. Here are elements to consider tonight. The Cardinals are 1-8 after a game where they had four or fewer hits and 2-14 in road games vs. teams whose hitters draw four walks or more a game since 2017. Redbirds starter Jack Flaherty has a 6.30 ERA on the road while Jon Lester of the Cubs is at 1.74 at Wrigley. Chicago is 22-11 at home this season and 14-4 vs. a starting pitcher with good control (less than 1.75 BB's/start). Payback is a BI_ _ H, Cubs win.

Though always impressed with the Rockies Jon Gray's talent, he's never quite figured out how to harness it. He's in a good stretch at the moment with a 2.37 ERA and his team is rolling at 10-2. The Mets Steven Matz and teammates might be 4-0 at Citi Field this season, but that combo is also 0-5 against Colorado and Matz has a supersized 6.84 ERA against them. The Rockies are at their best while the Metropolitans June swoon continues with a 7-25 record since last year.

The AL Pitcher of the Month for May was Lucas Giolito (8-1, 2.54 ERA) of the White Sox and he and pretty good Chicago bullpen will limit Kansas City today. Giolito has figured it out and he and White Sox are 9-2 this season and 5-0 on the road. The Royals Brad Keller probably deserves a better fate than a 3-7 record but, K.C. is 15-36 as an underdog of +100 or higher this season. The Pale Hose even the series.

Even as the Dodgers have risen to the top of the National League and San Francisco has bottomed out after owning the first part of this decade, the Giants have given L.A. problems and are 11-11 at home against them. However, tonight is a complete mismatch starting with Clayton Kershaw (5-0, 3.20 ERA) vs. Drew Pomeranz (1-6, 8.08). The Dodgers are tied for first in the NL in scoring and San Fran is last and the Giants crummy 3.9 RPG falls 3.3 RPG vs. left-handed starters. For the Run Line, let's look at these facts, Dodger Blue is 20-4 vs. teams whose hitters draw three walks or less a game (winning by 2.6 RPG) and they are 9-0 after scoring and allowing three runs or less in last game this season. (Winning by 3.9 RPG)

The total is going down with Ivan Nova (3-5, 6.24) facing Homer Bailey (4-6, 6.05) in this AL Central showdown! WTF! Yes, it's true, bettors have lowered the total from 10 to 9.5 and unless there is snowstorm going thru Kansas City on Friday night, I'm taking the Over. Of course, I know the Royals are scoring 2.4 RPG in their last seven and I'm fully aware when these two hurlers met in Chi-Town on May 27th the White Sox won 2-1. Screw it, don't care! Nova's 10-1 OVER in road games when playing against a team with a losing record and K.C is 11-1 OVER revenging a one-run loss.

No doubt the Yankees are the better team in this spot over Cleveland, but the Indians have factors in their favor. Domingo German (9-1, 3.66 ERA) of New York has quality numbers but has struggled of late, not making it past the fifth inning in three starts and posting a 7.90 ERA. Cleveland will send Zach Plesac to the hill and the rookie is as as cool as the other side of the pillow (Stuart Scott reference) with a 1.46 ERA and only two walks in 12 1/3 innings. The Indians just took a home series against white-hot Twins crew and the line shows the oddsmakers respect the Tribe in this spot, who are 77-47 after a one-run loss. 

Color me befuddled why Philadelphia would drop from -155 to -120 or lower against Cincinnati. Sure, Zack Eflin is only 5-5 and missed his last start with back tightness, but he has a 3.02 ERA that gets even better at home (2.25). The Reds Tyler Mahle (2-5, 4.26 ERA) has his moments, but his team has lost eight of his 11 outings. The Phillies are 20-11 at home and take this one.

Minnesota has lost the first two games in their series at Cleveland and yesterday's was especially shocking since they held a 5-1 before falling 9-7. Today the Twins send out their ace Jose Berrios  (7-2, 3.27) trying to avoid the sweep. Cleveland counters with Trevor Bauer (4-5, 3.76) who is 0-4 in his last half dozen starts (Indians 1-5) and who is making mistakes in particular counts. Bauer has conceded just a .201 batting average, but when the counts are 0-0, 0-1, 1-0 or 1-1, the right-hander numbers jump to .327 BA and a slugging percentage of .540 (.366 is season average). With the Twins pitching their ace, their home run power and having an 11-4 on the road when the money line is +125 to -125 this season, Minny avoids the sweep.

How bad is the Kansas City bullpen? In the Royals first 61 games, they have held a lead 42 times, but they have an AL-worst 23 losses after building a lead. In dropping their past five games, all K.C. pitchers have surrendered 33 runs and while today's starter Danny Duffy (3-2, 4.05) might provide a glimmer of hope, lifetime he's 0-5, with a 6.75 ERA against Boston in seven starts. The Royals have lost six of eight at The K to the Red Sox, make them 2-7 after this matinee.

Houston is around -150 to -160 on the ML which means the sportsbooks are trying to cover their behind on the RL, being off at least 30 cents. (Astros should be at least at +130) Though we are lacking in value, Houston is a decidedly better team than Seattle and is 19-5 in Coffee Town recently. The Astros have the better starting pitcher, far superior bullpen and is 11-1 against the RL after five or more consecutive wins this season. 

With their long sojourn over, the players in the Angels uniforms got to sleep in their own beds and did not have to fly anywhere. Refreshed, the team from Anaheim takes the field tonight ready to go after two lethargic outings. Felix Pena (3-1, 3.42 ERA) will pitch starting in the second inning after the "opener" has done his work and he's given his team good consistent efforts all year and no reason for that to change against a rival like Oakland. The Halos enter this contest 20-7 against losing teams and they are 18-8 at the Big A vs. the Athletics. Though not a big fan of umpire stats, hard not pay attention to Will Little behind the dish with these two clubs. With Little calling balls and strikes, the Angels are 8-2 and Oakland 3-9.

The Mets bullpen imploded last night, giving up six runs in the 10th inning of a 3-3 game. sending them to defeat. That should be less of a problem today with New York scoring on the Giants Tyler Beede (7.82 ERA) and the Mets Jason Vargas (1-3. 4.46) limiting San Francisco. Vargas is pitching like he's 10 years younger with a 2.81 ERA in his past three starts and he has 1.80 ERA this season at Citi Field. San Fran's offense is mediocre at best and is 28th in runs scored versus left-handed starters at 3.5 RPG. The Giants are 3-14 in road games vs. NL teams allowing five or more runs a game and falter again. 

Oakland has lost five straight and included in the group is two losses to the Angels. But the Angels come in as weary bunch. They have flown from Seattle to Chicago to Anaheim in two days and this is their third game in three days in three different cities. The Halos were flat yesterday and lost 8-1 to a slumping Cubs team. That is the third-longest flight schedule in that time period in 20 years of baseball.  They are facing the A's Frankie Montas (6-2, 2.81 ERA) who has allowed three earned runs or less in 10 of his 11 starts. With the Angels  6-18 at home vs. an AL starting pitcher whose ERA is 2.90 or better, snag the Athletics. 

The Dodgers are the best team in the NL and prove it again tonight with Hyun-Jin Ryu (8-1, 1.48 ERA). Arizona was held to one run last by Walker Buehler and doesn't figure to have a lot of success against Ryu. Dodger hitters should have their way with Taylor Clarke who has 6.28 ERA when starting this season for the D-Backs. As good as the Dodgers offense is, it is even better against RH starters at 5.9 RPG with a 30-11 record and winning by 2.3 RPG. With L.A. 28-5 as a favorite of -150 or more this season, winning by 2.7 RPG, they cover the RL.

Milwaukee has climbed back atop the NL Central by winning five of seven and take on Miami, who has the same record in that time frame. The Marlins have hit better which has helped them, but chances are they are going to have to hit a lot because Miami starter Pablo Lopez has an 8.26 ERA on the road and his team is 1-5 in those starts. Place Lopez and the Fish as road underdogs on a run line of -160 to -105 and they are 1-7. Also, the Brewers are 20-1 after two straight wins by two runs or less and for our purposes, they are winning by 3.4 RPG in those 21 contests.

I like what I saw from Zach Plesac in his first start for Cleveland, but this is still a scuffling team. Yet, I'm even more impressed with the White Sox Lucan Giolito's body of work this entire season. The 24-year old has come into his own at 7-1 with a 2.85 ERA and opposing teams are batting just .186 against him and his WHIP is a gruesome 0.98. Giolito and the Pale Hose are 13-3 after they permitted five or more runs in their previous game and he's a series closer with a 7-2 mark on Sunday's. (Chicago's record) 

With the Twins you have to beat them and it you give them an extra out, they are cashing in for more runs. Tampa Bay might have scored 14 runs on Thursday night in this series, but coming into today, they are batting under .050 average with runners in scoring position with less than two outs in their last 21 opportunities. With Minny 20-9 on the road and 13-2 of late and having won Jake Odorizzi's last 8-0 starts, the Twinkies get the call.

Atlanta rookie right-hander Mike Soroka (5-1, 1.07 ERA) has been lights out and should contain a Detroit team that is scoring 3.5 RPG. Have a Super System that puts this one over the top. Play On favorites with a money line of -200 or more after a game without an extra base hit. Since 2015, teams like the Braves are 50-5 SU and most importantly for our needs, winning by 2.5 RPG.

We know the Rangers can hit, especially at home and against RH starters they are averaging 6.0 RPG. Enter Homer Bailey (4-5, 5.79 ERA) who has an ERA of 9.58 in his last three starts. When Texas has faced an AL team with a batting average of .255 or worse at home they are 10-4 vs. the RL, winning by 2.2 RPG.

Minnesota rallied last night to knock off Tampa Bay but that does not happen today. The Twins Kyle Gibson (5-2, 4.08 ERA) can be an effective starter, but that has never been the case against the Rays with him sporting a 2-5 mark with a 5.80 ERA in eight career starts against them, which includes really struggling at The Trop (1-3, 7.52). Here is also a system of mine: When AL teams have a .265 to .279 BA, facing an AL pitcher whose ERA 4.20 or lower, with an on-base percentage of .360 or better over their last 15 games, they are 41-12. Pick up an early winner on the Rays. 

Washington is still in the throes a poor season, but, they have five of six and are as healthy as they have been all year. Pat Corbin (5-2, 2.85 ERA) and when with Arizona, he and they were 5-3 against Cincinnati. The Reds offense has perked up, yet they are only 13-12 at home and 6-8 against left-handed starters. There is little reason to think the Nationals cannot get to Cincy's Tyler Mahle (1-5, 4.15) and they should be confident, having won eight straight in Cincinnati.

The Rangers left-hander Mike Minor (5-3, 2.55 ERA) is having a very good year and is playing on a team that is 17-8 at home and is 11-3 in their park vs. an AL team with an on-base percentage .320 or worse. Kansas City is starting Jakob Junis (3-5, 5.58) and I've gone against him four times this season and picked up four victories. The Royals are 7-20 on the road and 6-22 after a two-game span where the bullpen threw nine or more total innings. The Rangers roll!  

Milwaukee's Chase Anderson (2-0, 2.25 ERA) is like an 'opener' 2.0, since he can start a game and go further than an inning or two, usually up to four or five and doing a pretty good job. He's had mixed results against Pittsburgh, yet, he's 7-4 with a solid 3.61 ERA. The Pirates have lost seven of 10 and in those defeats, they have been crushed, outscored 61-21. Joe Musgrove (3-5, 4.27 ERA) continues to prove he's just another pitcher and in two starts versus the Brew Crew, he has a 6.94 ERA. This handicapper cannot ignore the Bucs No. 13 bullpen and the fact that Milwaukee is 12-3 vs. NL teams allowing five or more runs a game and that Pittsburgh is 1-11 in home games vs. NL teams scoring 4.5 or more RPG.

Aaron Nola (5-0,4.53 ERA) got off to a poor start this season and has gradually improved and has a 2.76 ERA over his last six starts. Tonight he faces a slumping St. Louis team that is 7-17 this month and Nola has a sharp 2.59 ERA in five career starts against the Cardinals. Bumping this up to a run line play as Philadelphia will face 22-year-old Genesis Cabrera, who is making his beg league debut, but who had a 6.35 ERA at Triple-A Memphis. It is also of note the Cards are is 18-34 against the RL after two straight games where they committed no errors and Nola and the Phils are 11-3 against the RL as a home favorite when the run line price is +135 to -190.

After playing well for an extended period, the Cubs have lost five of six and they have gotten no pitching. Chicago has allowed 45 runs in their last half dozen games and they again face a Houston club that is 22-7 at home and 18-2 after a game with a combined score of 15 runs or more. The Astros Wade Miley started throwing a cutter a couple years ago because his career was on the line and its why he's still pitching. The teams he pitched for are 7-2 against the Cubs and this season he and his teammates are 5-0 in his Juice Box Park starts with a sharp 2.15 ERA. Expect the 'Stros to sweep.

Not going to over think this one. Tampa Bay is on 6-1 move on the run line while Toronto is 2-7 on the RL in their last nine. Here is a real simple reason to back the Rays tonight. AL road teams like the Blue Jays, scoring 3.6 or fewer runs a game, against an AL starting pitcher whose ERA is 3.50 or lower, with an on-base percentage of .285 or worse over their last five games, are 4-25 since 2017, losing by 2.2 RPG.

Seattle ended their six-game losing streak in dumping Texas 6-2 last night. Those betting baseball are counting on the Mariners to make it two straight as they were juiced from -135 to around-150. There appears to be ample confidence that the M's Marco Gonzales (5-4, 3.41) can contain the Rangers bats. And the shift in starters from Adrian Sampson to Jesse Chavez has not had any impact on the money line. Though Seattle has scuffled mightily, Texas is 8-18 on the road and Chavez is 2-16 as a road underdog of +100 to +150 for his career. (Team's Record) 

The starting pitching matchup of Stephen Strasburg (4-3, 3.25 ERA) vs. Max Fried (7-2, 2.88) gives the appearance of this being an even game and the money line suggests this as well. However, unless Strasburg can last nine innings, Washington is in peril. The Nationals bullpen in the worst in baseball with an ERA over 7.00 and with the season one-third in, that is a troubling figure. With Washington 0-6 having won three of four and 4-12 in road games after a five-game span where the bullpen ERA was 7.00 or worse this season, Atlanta is the play.

Pittsburgh and Cincinnati played two games yesterday and split them. Because that made it impossible for the Reds to have a bullpen game today and they called up Lucas Sims from Triple-A, where he was 3-0 with a 4.06 ERA in nine starts for Louisville this season, racking up 63 strikeouts and 16 walks in 44 1/3 innings. Fanning that many batters is impressive but his ERA is not that good and this is where Pittsburgh can take advantage of him. The Pirates Jordan Lyles (5-1, 2.81 ERA) has been sharp all season and the Bucs are a solid 16-12 on the road. The clincher is NL home teams like the Reds with a team on-base percentage .310 or worse, with an on-base percentage of .375 or better over their last five games, are 16-41 in their next encounter. 

Texas road woes continued, blowing a 5-1 lead Sunday and losing series at Anaheim, having multiple chances to win even after giving up the lead, leaving them 8-17 on the road. But Seattle's a disaster. The Mariners have lost nine of 10 and on the season are allowing 6.0 RPG which means they have to score 7 to win. The Rangers will have shot because they are still averaging 5.3 RPG on the road and tonight's starter Lance Lynn (6-3, 4.67 ERA) has been in good form with 2.57 ERA in his last trio of starts, all which have gone seven innings. Lynn is 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA in three career starts against the Mariners. Seattle counters with journeyman Tom Milone (0-1, 3.60) and he's pitching for a team that is 4-14 with a team slugging percentage of .440 or better and who's also an abhorrent 1-15 vs. a starting pitcher whose strikes out five or more batters per start this season. 

Pittsburgh's bullpen has been overused and abused the last week as the Pirates pitching staff has allowed 46 runs, five in defeat. Cincinnati was impressive in taking series at Wrigley Field and there has been an offensive sighting with 31 runs in their last four games, each contest having at least 11 hits. The Reds should be able to keep the line moving against the Bucs Nick Kingham (1-1, 8-76 ERA) and what follows afterward. Cincy's Luis Castillo (5-1, 2.38) will be motivated after a poor outing for him and the Reds are 14-2 against the RL at home after scoring eight or more runs, while Pitt is s 3-12 against the RL vs. an NL starting pitcher whose ERA is 2.40 or better, losing by 2.8 RPG. 

Arizona has pounded San Francisco pitching for 28 runs and 34 hits so far this weekend in posting a pair of victories. The D-Backs go for the sweep with Luke Weaver (3-3, 3.14 ERA) as their starter. Weaver has 2.14 ERA in three starts against the Giants and the right-hander should be able to contain their feeble offense which is averaging 3.1 RPG at home. The price is also right on the Snakes who are 10-3 on the road when the money line is +125 to -125 this season and 7-0 after scoring 10 or more runs.

Minnesota is an offensive juggernaut and is 12-2 against the run line as a home favorite when the run line price is -100 or more and 27-8 against the run line after three straight wins by four runs or more. If this looks just like yesterday, it is, except with more wins for Minnesota. Plus, the White Sox starter has more walks than strikeouts (14 vs. 7) and the Twinkies win by 2.3 RPG if they scored eight or more runs in their last 20 contests.

Boston has lost three of four to Houston this season and last night's 4-3 defeat was tough to get a handle on, literally, as the Red Sox committed three errors. Boston will utilize David Price (2-2, 3.29 ERA) and he has a 2.17 ERA while limiting opponents to a .210 batting average over his last five starts. Lifetime, Price is 7-2 with a 2.94 ERA over 13 career appearances (11 starts, includes postseason) against Houston. The Astros will send out Brad Peacock (5-2, 3.59), who has been brilliant over his last three starts with a 0.53 ERA, but he has an 8.36 ERA vs. Boston. With the BoSox losing yesterday and likely against Justin Verlander tomorrow, my feeling coming into the series was the Red Sox would win one game and this will it.

Oakland came off the road and stays hot, winning their seventh straight last night, a 6-2 win over slumping Seattle. The A's offense is clicking, scoring 7.4 RPG in this stretch and they will face left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (3-1, 3.43 ERA). Oakland has lost both of Kikuchi's starts against them, but in both cases, the Mariners were a better team at that point compared now and the A's are the polar opposite. The M's are 4-20 against teams with winning record and 2-12 after scoring two runs or less this season. Oakland will start Mike Fiers (3-3, 5.05) and he's a well-known home park pitcher, as the teams he's played for the last two years are 18-4 when he toes the rubbers first. Plus, the A's are 7-0 at home this season against lefties. 

Minnesota is an offensive juggernaut and is 11-2 against the run line as a home favorite when the run line price is -100 or more and 26-8 against the run line after three straight wins by four runs or more.

Robbie Ray (3-1, 3.25 ERA) has pitched well all season and Arizona has won his last eight starts. Tonight Ray will face the Giants and he's 4-1 with a 2.98 ERA in dozen starts against them and even better at San Francisco with a 3-1 mark and 2.15 ERA in five starts there. The Diamondbacks have lost five in a row but their offense should come to life in the series opener against San Fran's Drew Pomeranz (1-4, 5.66) and a team that is allowing 4.9 RPG. Ray and the Snakes are 16-3 in road games vs. an NL team with an on-base percentage .325 or worse since 2017 and end their losing streak.

Analytics knuckleheads will talk about Jon Lester's decreased fastball, his assortment of curves lacking the same bite of a younger hurler and he's giving up more than a hit an inning. But I like you am a bettor and I see a pitcher with a 2.09 ERA which is even lower at Wrigley Field (0.46) coming off his worst start of the season. Lester and the Cubs are 24-7 as a favorite of -110 or higher the past two seasons and Joe Maddon's crew is 18-6 when the money line is -100 to -150. Add in the Phillies are 11-27 in road games vs. NL teams scoring 4.5 or more runs a game and like Harry Carry used to say, "Cubs win, Cubs win!"

After being the worst road team in the majors, Oakland has found their way and ripped off five consecutive away victories and goes after a second series sweep away from Oak-Town. For manager Bob Melvin's club, it's been better than the combo platter at Denny's with the offense averaging 7.8 RPG and pitchers permitting 2.6 RPG. The Athletics will start right-hander Frankie Montas (5-2, 2.67 ERA), who is 11-2 if his club is off a win. (A's record) Cleveland is only averaging 3.9 RPG on the season and is 3-15 vs. an AL starting pitcher whose ERA is 2.90 or better.

While enjoying watching the Padres Chris Paddock and tonight's starter Matt Strahm (1-3, 3.07 ERA), going back to my Midwest days, always made a point to watch the maestro, Zack Greinke (6-1, 2.78) toss the horsehide. Greinke is the closest thing to Greg Maddux pitching, able to execute without the big fastball anymore. Besides having another fine season, Greinke lifetime is 13-2 with a 2.30 ERA against San Diego and will face a lineup this averaging 2.6 RPG in their last seven tries. Greinke and the D-Backs are 16-2 vs. NL teams averaging less than 4.0 RPG of late and the Friars are 3-17 at home facing an NL starting pitcher whose WHIP is 1.150 or better.

Not a fan of Michael Pineda (3-3, 5.55 ERA) for Minnesota, but he catches a break today. The Angels likely will be without their No. 3 and No. 4 hitters in the lineup as DH Shohei Ohtani and shortstop Andrelton Simmons were injured two pitches apart last night. That means pitching around Mr. Trout and take your chances with everyone else in red and white. Twins hitters should have no problems with Trevor Cahill (2-4, 6.95), with a 27-11 record vs. RH starting pitchers. Minny is 10-1 against losing teams and the Halos are 2-15 vs. teams averaging 3.5 or more extra base hits per game.

The Reds are playing better than I expected of late, but they still have problems scoring on the road at 3.4 RPG. That's going to be an issue in Milwaukee where they are 5-13 the last two years. Gio Gonzalez (2-0, 1.69 ERA) makes his fifth start for Milwaukee and against Cincinnati he's 6-3 with a quality 2.75 ERA in a dozen starts. Sonny Gray has yet to win a game with Cincy (0-4, 4.30) and since last year the right-hander is 1-14 as a road underdog of +100 or higher. (Team's record) Take the Brew Crew.

Boston bombed Toronto on Victoria Day in Canada yesterday and there are those making MLB picks that think at the very least the Red Sox will win again. Boston will send Eduardo Rodriguez (4-2, 4.89) to the bump and he's 4-0 with a 3.46 ERA in his past four starts. As you can see by Marcus Stroman's ERA (1-6, 2.95), he's deserved a better fate than his team having a 2-8 mark in his 10 starts. The Blue Jays have averaged 2.2 RPG in Stroman's starts. Toronto has a chance because of their starter, but they are 4-15 hosting the BoSox. 

Backing Atlanta who is 17-9 on the road in May the last couple years. The Braves have the better starting pitcher by far in Mike Soroka (4-1, 0.98 ERA). San Francisco will start Andrew Suarez who went 7-13 with a 4.49 ERA in 2018, but did not make the club in spring training and was assigned to Triple-A Sacramento. In six starts there, he was a mediocre 2-3 with a 6.33 ERA. For this one, NL home underdogs with a money line of +125 to +175 like the Giants, hitting .255 or lower, against a starting pitcher whose ERA 3.70 or lower, batting .225 or worse over their last five games, are 13-54 since 2015. 

The Yanks are 27-7 away vs. teams whose hitters draw three walks or fewer walks a game and 20-4 this season if they strand 6.9 or less runners on base. (Winning both by over 2 RPG) Baltimore is 12-43 as a home underdog of +125 or more and when we search deeper, the Birds are even worse at 3-21 as a home dog of +150 to +200  the last two seasons. (Losing both by over 2 RPG) The Yankees are at -130 in the RL, but normally, given the ML of -200, the RL should be +100 to -115, not this much higher. This is the sportsbooks way of trying to chase bettors off the number, yet, hard to ignore the O's lose by well over four runs a game when defeated.

Milwaukee is in danger of being swept by Atlanta but should escape on Sunday. The reason is Brandon Woodruff (6-1, 3.72 ERA), who since April 27 is 4-0 and has not allowed more than one run in any game. His ERA over that stretch is 1.23. His mound opponent is Mike Foltynewicz (0-3, 8.02), who because of injury is still in spring training essentially and has less than a 2 to 1 K/W ratio and been tagged for eight homers in just over 21 innings. When Foltynewicz has faced winning teams at home, he and his teammates are just 3-13. 

The Dodgers Walker Buehler (4-0, 4.15) is beginning to get the command back along with the velocity and that is bad news for Cincinnati. The right-hander has a 2.79 ERA in his past three starts and radar gun show 99 MPH in his last start. Off last night's 6-0 shellacking, Los Angeles is 12-1 after allowing two runs or less this season. To borrow from yesteryear and old Yogi Berra-ism, the Reds Tyler Mahle has "pitched good enough to lose." His 3.97 ERA his not awful, but he's 0-5 and Cincy is 1-7 in his eight starts. Toss in the Reds are 3-14 vs. teams averaging 1.5 or more homers a game and 5-16 as an underdog of +100 to +150 this season, it's L.A. all the way.

The Rays Blake Snell (3-4, 3.56 ERA) has gotten off to a bit of rocky start this season thanks to injuries which has slowed down his progress. Snell has also not had much success at Yankee Stadium with a 1-4 record and 5.63 ERA in eight starts there. Now let's consider the fact New York is an underdog and that  Masahiro Tanaka is 9-4 with a 3.54 ERA in 15 career starts against Tampa Bay, which includes 4-1 with a 2.98 ERA in seven career home starts against the Rays. With the Pinstripes 15-5 at home vs. the Rays and  24-4 after a 5-game span with an OBP of .285 or worse, the Yanks are a nice early afternoon underdog.

Ivan Nova (2-3, 6.29 ERA) has the highest ERA in baseball with those who have pitched enough to have an official ERA. However, he's improved with a 3.37 mark in his last trio of starts. Toronto's Aaron Sanchez (3-4, 3.75) has gone the other way, up to 6.75 in his last three outings. Chicago does have the stronger offensive club and the Blue Jays are 10-21 vs. RH starters and 5-18 after batting .225 or worse over a 5-game, the Pale Hose cover the short number.

Cleveland was a -345 favorite yesterday and trailed against Baltimore 5-1. Then the Orioles bullpen went to work after the Indians closed the gap to 5-4 and did what they do best, give up runs. The Tribe scored 10 runs versus the Birds pen and won 14-7. With  Dylan Bundy (1-5, 5.31 ERA) pitching for the O's, baseball's worst bullpen will see more work. Cleveland's Jefry Rodriguez (1-2, 2.92) has three quality starts since arriving from the minors and he faces a team that is 25-70 vs. AL teams allowing 4.4 or less RPG and Bundy who is  2-15 vs, teams who strand 6.9 or less runners on base per game. (O's Record)