Chris Jordan
My free play is on the Baltimore Orioles, who delivered a 1,000♦ win for me last night, when they returned home after sweeping the American League East-leading Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park and extended their win streak to five games. Now sitting one game above .500, the Orioles are 1 1/2 games back from the second wild-card spot and they're 39-26 at home.
The momentum is real, and in hosting a west coast team that lost two straight in the Bronx against the New York Yankees, and a third in a row in this series-opener, I think the Orioles will continue to take advantage of a tired Mariners team that is likely now beleaguered.
Seattle, which will be playing its 11th road game in 12 days after previous trips to Tampa Bay, Atlanta and the Bronx, lost a close one last night to the O's, 7-6.
I'll leave it up to you if you want to list Erasmo Ramirez and Dylan Bundy, or just one of them. I can tell you I'm confident with Baltimore's Bundy, as he aims to make it an undefeated August in his final start of the month, as he returns from the bereavement list and is 3-0 in four starts - all Orioles wins. Bundy has a 2.67 ERA and has struck out 33 in 27 innings this month.
Look for Baltimore to roll past Seattle in this one, while laying a cheap price doing so.
5* ORIOLES
Brad Wilton
Tuesday's comp play is the Rays over the Royals.
Simply put, no case can be made right now for backing the Kansas City Royals who are on the verge of history of the wrong kind. KC comes into this one having been shutout in 4 straight games, and can break the Major League record of 48 straight scoreless innings if they go out and hang some more goose eggs on their home scoreboard tonight.
The Rays are back in the Wild Card mix thanks to 6 wins over their last 8 games, and they will go with Alex Cobb to try and extend their winning ways. He has allowed 2 runs or fewer in 6 of his last 9 outings.
Jake Junis counters for the punchless Royals. Junis has been a bright spot of late, as he is 3-0 with a 3.18 ERA in his last 5 starts. The obvious problem is when you don't score runs, you cannot win games!
The drought continues.
Tampa Bay over Kansas City.
3* TAMPA BAY
Jack Brayman
My free play takes us to Tampa Bay, where the Houston Astros will be the home team against the Texas Rangers. With the tragic weather conditions in Houston, this game has been shifted to Tropicana Field.
The Texas organization ought to be ashamed of itself for the way it mishandled this situation, given the Rangers will be watching the playoffs. The Astros simply wanted to swap their home-and-home series and play in Arlington this week, while the Rangers would play in Houston in September if the disaster areas allow. But the Rangers GM Jon Daniels said it wouldn't be fair to switch and tell those who planned on going in September, suddenly go to games this week.
News flash: get your fans in the seats while you still have something to play for.
That all said, the Astros will be fired up to win for their distraught fans, while dismantling their western neighbors.
Take Houston in this one.
1* ASTROS
OC Dooley
Diamondbacks +110
This is a previously "unscheduled" move reacting to major news that Dodgers start shortstop Corey Seager is NOT in tonight's starting lineup due to undisclosed reasons. While Los Angeles has amazing depth at almost every position the bottom line is that they are WITHOUT a pair of impact hitters tonight including rookie sensation Cody Bellinger (disabled list) who began the team's amazing run of prosperity back in late April. The Dodgers also lost 2 of 3 home games during the weekend marking their first "series" loss since early June. The Dodgers lost 2 of those 3 games against an opponent (Milwaukee) who has scored the fewest runs in the majors since the All Star Break. Long term after 3 consecutive games allowing 3-or-less runs each time the Dodgers (5-14 record on the ROAD) have actually been a "bet against"