Chris Jordan
While I think the Kansas City Royals are clearly the better team, and have a better shot at getting into the postseason than the Baltimore Orioles, I'm siding with the O's in this game tonight at Camden Yards.
Oriole Park will be lit tonight, as the Orioles have won three in a row, and are at home, where they're 31-21 on the season, including last night's 2-1 victory over these same Royals.
With the loss, the Royals have dipped a game below .500 on the road, at 25-26. They're still two games back of the Cleveland Indians in the American League Central, and again, I think they're going to challenge for a spot in the postseason, but right now - in this series - the O's have the upper hand.
Take Baltimore here.
3* ORIOLES
Brad Wilton
Tuesday free play winner is the Indians in the underdog role over the Red Sox.
If you are going to play an underdog, then why not back one that has actually won 9 of their last 11 games!?!?!
True, Cleveland will have to deal with Chris Sale and his 13-4 mark, but then again, the Indians are sending the 10-4 Carlos Carrasco to the hill to face a Boston team that hasn't been tearing the cover off of the ball.
Sale is just 5-7 for his career against Cleveland with an over 4 ERA, so he is no shoe-in to shut them down tonight.
Solid value with this dog tonight, so back 'em!
Cleveland the call.
2* CLEVELAND
Jeff Benton
Tuesday freebie is the Over in the Twins and Padres contest.
Minnesota has been racking up the Overs on their road swing, as they head to Petco Park with a 5-0-3 Over roll their last 8 games played, and starter Jose Berrios has seen his ERA balloon to 5.11 over his last 3 starts.
San Diego just played all 3 Under to close the weekend at home against the Pirates, but it should be noted that the Over is still 12-4-1 the last 17 games the Padres have played.
Jhoulys Chacin has seen the Over go 2-0-1 for his last 3 starts.
This is not that big of a total, and one big inning could very well be the difference tonight.
Twins-Padres play it High in San Diego tonight.
2* MINNESOTA-SAN DIEGO OVER
Bob Balfe
Rockies -125
Both pitchers have struggled this year so one would assume we will see a lot of runs in this game. Colorado is built for this park and these pitching duels. The Rockies excel at home and if it does indeed turn into a slug fest I will take Colorado in this park over the Mets all day.
The Prez
Cardinals at Brewers
Play: Under 8.5
Both St. Louis and Milwaukee remain in the National League Central title hunt and rest 7.5 and 5.5 games out of the second Wild Card spot in the NL. The two Central foes take to Miller Park field tonight with first pitch scheduled for 7:40 p.m. ET. The Cardinals send their ace Carlos Martinez (7-8, 3.52 ERA) to the hill to oppose Brewers Jimmy Nelson (8-5, 3.38).
Taking the mound for the first of the three-game series for the Cardinals is right-hander Carlos Martinez. The Cards No #1 starting option has scuffled in July posting a 5.90 ERA over five starts. Martinez has held opposing right-handers to a .185 batting average this season, which is the fifth-lowest in the NL, and he ranks fifth on the Senior Circuit in walks (49) allowed. His two 2017 turns versus the Brewers has seen the righty surrender six runs on eleven hits through nearly 13 innings of work.
While CMart hasn't offered up his best in July he has a 5-2 mark with a 1.75 ERA in 21 career appearances versus the Crew. Martinez is throwing his slider 10 percent more than he did a year ago and his 50-plus percent ground ball percentage in combination with his near 10.00 K/9 makes him a reliable option against a right-handed heavy Milwaukee lineup.
Nelson has developed into an excellent starting pitching option this season and is one of the primary reasons that the Brewers have been in the divisional hunt for the first four months of the 2017 campaign. Nelson brings a 50 percent groundball rate and a 27 percent strikeout ratio to the mound that includes a stellar 12% swinging strike rate. Nelson’s biggest gains this season can be attributed to his improved success against left-handed batters, with this season limiting lefties to a .302 wOBA versus a .299 mark by righties.