Zack Cimini
Yankees vs. Twins
Play: Twins +121
In all likelihood Bartolo Colon is making the last stop of his MLB career. The 44 year old struggled mightily as a starter in Atlanta before latching on recently with the Twins. Fortunately, the Twins are catching a tired Yankees team from a Sunday double-header and second road series. Grab the value here for a Twins Tuesday win.
Andrew Lange
Milwaukee at Pittsburgh
Play: Over 9
In terms of matchups, this isn't an ideal one for Pittsburgh's Ivan Nova. Milwaukee of course is a free swinging bunch that rarely walks and likes to hit the long ball. Nova, one of the league's most frequent strike throwers (15 BBs in 120.2 IP), has allowed 15 home runs on the season with nearly half (7) coming over his last five outings. In his lone start against the Brew Crew, Nova allowed 13 baserunners and was perhaps fortunate to surrender a modest four runs over seven innings. Milwaukee's Junior Guerra showed promise last season when he flashed a 2.81 ERA over 121 IP. But for a guy north of 30 years old and limited MLB experience, it was going to be tricky to sustain. Sure enough, Guerra has come crashing down to earth thanks to a rapid rise in walks and fly ball rate. Guerra has issues 31 free passes over just 49 IP while coughing up 13 dingers. Like Nova, he was fortunate that last time these two teams hooked up as he allowed 12 baserunners and nine line drives but escaped with only three earned runs over six inning. We were successful in playing yesterday's game under the total. Today's matchup dictates a strong look in the opposite direction.
Rob Vinciletti
Chicago at Seattle
Play: Over 164.5
Expect a high scoring game here tonight as these two have gone over in 7 of the last 8 meetings. Chicago has posted over in 30 of 42 vs the West Conference and 6 of 8 vs losing teams as well as 3 of the last 4 overall. Seattle has gone over 5 straight off 3+ home games and 5 of 6 as a home favorite from -6 tp -9. They are 9 of 12 over vs Non conference teams. Look fo these two to go over the posted total tonight.
John Martin
Blue Jays vs. Red Sox
Play: Blue Jays +100
The Toronto Blue Jays will be a dangerous team moving forward now that their starting rotation is healthy with the recent returns of J.A. Happ and Aaron Sanchez. Happ has gone 3-6 with a 3.54 ERA in 11 starts this year, including 2-2 with a 2.90 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in five road starts. Brian Johnson gets the ball for the Red Sox. He doesn't have very good stuff at all and has already allowed 5 homers in 21 innings. Johnson gave up 4 runs, 2 homers and 10 base runners in 5 innings in his only start against the Blue Jays this season. The Blue Jays are 4-0 in Happ's last 4 starts against the Red Sox as he has allowed just 6 earned runs in 26 1/3 innings for a 2.05 ERA.
Dave Price
Rays vs. Athletics
Play: Rays -109
The Tampa Bay Rays are coming on strong as they are 5-1 in their last 6 games to improve to 50-44 on the season. They have allowed 4 runs or fewer in 6 straight games as their pitching staff remains one of the more underrated units in baseball. Blake Snell pitched 5 shutout innings in his last start against the Cubs. Snell sports a 2.70 ERA in one lifetime start vs. Oakland. The A's are 3-14 off a loss by 2 runs or less this season. The Rays are 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
Pro Computer Gambler
Cubs vs. Braves
Play: Cubs -106
Today we have 4 major sports betting systems active on this play sports at least a 10% roi in a sample of 200 or more games per system. In addition, we have the PCG 2017 MLB Raw Numbers (now at 562-474 +97.51 units) in agreement on these three plays and several others....
*The Cubs are 5-0 ON since Jul 02, 2017 on the road
*The Cubs are 62-31 (+23.6 Units) against the money line on the road with a money line of -100 to -155 over the last 3 seasons.
Handicappers Hub
Dodgers vs. White Sox
Play: White Sox +1½
I can't help but to bite on this +1.5 huge moneyline tonight in Chicago as the White Sox tend to hit left handed starters very well, averaging 5.0 runs per game while hitting .275. I really like the Sox to get a couple off Kershaw and I wouldn't be surprised to see a 3-2 LA win.
Chris Jordan
My free play for tonight is on the St. Louis Cardinals over the New York Mets, and I want you listing both scheduled starters: Michael Wacha and Rafael Montero.
I like St. Louis' right-hander tonight, as he Posted two solid starts before the break, allowing a mere two runs on 10 hits over 11.2 innings. Four of his six wins this season have come in his past six starts, while he's 3-0 with a 1.53 ERA in his last three trips to the hill.
Meanwhile, Montero is struggling with controlling the baseball, as his 5.5 walks per nine innings would probably rank among the worst in baseball if he had the innings to qualify. That will struggle against a team capable of manufacturing runs.
Take the road team and list both.
1* CARDINALS
Eric Schroeder
My comp play is on the Cincinnati Reds over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
True, the Arizona Diamondbacks are off to one of their best starts in franchise history. But they're mired in a five-game slide, and I can't see how they bounce back tonight, as the Cincinnati Reds are hosting and should be able to take advantage with a decent lineup.
The Snakes, who have lost 11 of 14, face a Reds team that will be looking to bounce back after tying a franchise record by allowing 13 home runs in the four games against the Nationals.
Cincinnati won two of three games from Arizona at Chase Field in Phoenix, before the All-Star break, so I trust the Reds are going to have confidence as the home pup in this one.
Take the Reds here.
4* REDS
Jeff Benton
My Tuesday freebie is the Cubbies over the Braves.
Why not?
It appears the light has finally gone on in the defending champions house, as Chicago has come out of the break and reeled off a 3 game sweep in Baltimore, and then followed with a series opening win in Atlanta last night.
True, John Lackey has not picked up a win in a long while, and is just 5-9 with a 5.20 ERA this season, but rookie Sean Newcomb has hit a bump in the road too, as he is now 1-4 for his young tenure, and his ERA has ballooned to 4.26, that thanks to an over 7 ERA for his last 3 starts.
The Cubs are 10-3 their last 13 games played against the Braves, and right now I am not willing to play against them.
Chicago the call for Tuesday.
5* CUBS
Jack Brayman
My free play for Tuesday night is on the Houston Astros Run Line, over the Seattle Mariners.
Gaviglio, a 27-year-old rookie who has been recalled from Triple-A Tacoma, will be making his 11th start of the season. He is 3-4 with a 4.31 ERA, and this is not the best trip for young pitchers. It's too humid in Houston, as the ball becomes moist, and the grip can be difficult. Houston's hitters will exploit his mistakes.
I'd rather have Peacock, who is 5-1 in nine starts since being promoted out of the bullpen, has recorded a 3.18 ERA and an opponent batting average of .214 in that span. He'll dominate tonight.
Take the 'Stros big.
5* ASTROS -1.5
Brad Wilton
Tuesday comp play is the Rays over the A's.
Tampa Bay is smoking right now, and they are firmly entrenched in the playoff chase as we roll down the summer into the fall.
The Rays edged the Athletics last night, 3-2, holding Oakland to just a pair of hits, as Tampa is now 5-1 their last 6 games, and 9-4 their last 13 games overall.
Oakland's loss last night was just their third in their last 10 games, and while the A's have been playing some hot baseball, I have to side with Tampa to continue their torrid tear.
Blake Snell has not won this season at 0-5, with the Rays just 2-8 when he starts, but now is as good a time as any to notch that first win of the season.
Oakland gives Chris Smith just his second start this season, and I don't see it ending favorably for the righty.
Play the Rays.
4* TAMPA BAY
Bob Balfe
Cardinals -105
Michael Wacha has been starting to dial it in as of late and you know how great this guy can be when his is on top of his game. The Mets have been struggling a bit and their starting pitcher Rafael Montero has been really bad at home this year. The Cardinals are better on the road than they are at home. I expect Wacha to put in another solid outing this evening.
Buster Sports
Blue Jays vs. Red Sox
Play: Blue Jays +104
We have a nice small dog here at the time of this writing when the Toronto Blue Jays play the division leading Boston Red Sox. The starting pitchers are for the Blue Jays LH J.A. Happ (3-6, 3.54 ERA) and he will face the Red Sox LH Brian Johnson (2-0, 4.29 ERA) Happ has pitched very well of late sporting a solid 2.76 ERA in his last 3 starts. In 3 starts against the Red Sox last year he allowed only 5 runs in 19 2/3 innings. Really like Happ to control a Boston club who have come out of the All-Star break a little shaky with a 2-3 record. As for Johnson he has not been on top of his game in his last couple of starts sporting a nasty 7.71 ERA in those starts. He faced Toronto for his first start this year and allowed 4 runs in 5 innings. The Blue Jays are 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Boston and we believe they make that 5-1 tonight.
The Prez
Arizona at Cincinnati
Play: Under 9.5
Arizona continues their road trip on Tuesday with a evening event in Cincinnati. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET at Great American Ball Park with the Diamondbacks sending upstart Robbie Ray (8-4, 2.97 ERA) to the hill to oppose the Reds youngster Sal Romano (1-1, 4.50).
The Arizona Diamondbacks are in need of a victory after losing their fifth straight on Sunday afternoon in Atlanta. In the teams five game slide they have been outscored 28-10. Despite their current scuffling, losing 11 of their last 14 games and suffering a post-All-Star break sweep at the hands of the Braves they have a semi-comfortable Wild Card spot resting 5.5 games ahead of their closest threat in the Chicago Cubs.
Ray takes the mound with substantial rest last pitching in a D'Backs July 6th loss to Los Angeles at Dodgers Stadium. Ray recorded 13 strikeouts and allowing one run, five hits and four walks in six innings of work. Ray has opposed the majority of the current Reds' lineup losing both games (0-2 with a 4.91 ERA) with the last being a 6-1 setback a year ago, last July.
Romano yielded two runs, six hits and one walk while striking out six in five frame versus Colorado on July 6 which resulted in a 6-3 Cincinnati victory. While Romano hasn't been one Major League Baseball's top pitching prospects the last year-plus that attention rarely comes early in the career of a 23rd round draft pick.
Romano's first start this season saw him permitted three runs (two earned) on three hits while walking four in three innings of a 4-2 loss to Milwaukee in mid-April.
Ray's 13 strikeout performance against the Dodgers, over six innings, was impressive but the outing once again came with familiar warts. While Ray continues to receive positive attention this season his execution in 2017 isn't much different from that of 2016 when he was 8-15 with a 4.85 ERA in 174 innings pitched. His ERA (2.97) is a career low, his strikeout rate is a career high (11.97 K/9), but so is his walk rate (4.43 BB/9). His 2017 numbers, by FIP and xFIP standards, are not much different from his 8-15 campaign last year. The concern when backing Ray is the amount of hard contact he allows, a ridiculous 42.3 percent so far this season, which ranks second-highest in all of baseball in 2017 second only to reigning AL Cy Young winner Rick Porcello.
Romano, who is being recalled from Triple-A Louisville today, has made two big league starts this year with his last on July 6 being the most impressive, when he allowed two runs over five innings against the Rockies in Denver at Coors Field.
Arizona's splits are significant this season. The Diamondbacks are slashing .270/.341/.459/.800 versus right-handed pitching compared to their .223/.287/.373/.660 line against lefties. At home, Chase Field, the 'Backs have scored more runs (278) than any other team in baseball while ranking 28th out of 30 teams in runs (177) on the road.
The Reds rank 13th in runs scored versus right-handed pitching and 16th against lefties with an poor on-base-percentage of just .313.
Arizona's success against right-handed pitching is trumped tonight by not having a history against the young Reds starter, Romano. And while Ray is allowing far too much hard contact to be completely trusted, especially in hitter friendly Great American everything points to a pitcher dominated contest in Cincinnati this evening.