The Prez
Oakland at Boston
Play: Boston -170
The Oakland Athletics and the Boston Red Sox kick off a three-game set tonight at Fenway Park with first pitch slated for 7:10 p.m. ET. A pair of southpaws take the hill to start for both clubs as the Athletics send Sean Manaea (10-9, 4.33 ERA) to the mound to oppose Red Sox Eduardo Rodriguez (4-5, 4.33).
The Boston Red Sox are still contending for the American League East title currently owning a three-game lead on rival New York. The A's are offering opportunities to their young core of players with their only motivation for the remainder of the 2017 campaign is playing the spoiler role. Oakland comes off a four-game weekend sweep of the team with the second best record in the AL, the Houston Astros.
Manaea has been effective in September allowing three or fewer runs in each turn. His last start saw the lefty work six scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Angels. Despite his recent success and a 3.04 ERA over his last four starts it has been a disappointing season for both the A's and Manaea. The lefty has pitched to his 4.33 ERA this season and evidence of this is his 4.49 xFIP.
The left is pitching to contact and has benefited from batted ball luck. He has a mere 10 strikeouts in his last six starts. Boston thrives on pitchers with the aim of getting swings and misses out of the K-zone, something that the Red Sox don't so much of, as they have one of the best strikeout to walk ratios in the American League.
Rodriguez is in line to record his first win since late May tonight when he squares off against an Oakland lineup that ranks dead last in offensive efficiency versus left-handed pitching. The A’s have a slash line of just .237/.311/.389 against southpaws as a team and that includes two of their most effective bats in this situation, Trevor Plouffe and Adam Rosales, who are both now playing for other teams. With the A's now being a right-handed heavy order Rodriguez benefits from the clubs lack of success against lefties and that right-handed hitters only have a slash line of .227/.293/.421 against him.
Jimmy Boyd
Mariners at Rangers
Play: Rangers -112
I like the value here with Texas as a short home favorite against AL West rival Seattle. The Rangers took the series opener 5-3 last night and Seattle has now dropped 5 straight away from home. Texas is in a prime spot to build on that win, as they have the advantage on the mound in this one with Miguel Gonzalez facing off against Marco Gonzales. Gonzalez for Seattle has a 3.77 ERA and 1.223 WHIP in 9 home starts, while Gonzales has an atrocious 8.25 ERA and 1.959 WHIP in 6 starts. Gonzales is only averaging a mere 4 innings per start. Not only does he lack control (5 walks last two starts), but he doesn't strike out a ton of hitters. He's got just 15 K's in 24 innings of work. Look for a red-hot Texas offense that is averaging 6.9 runs and hitting .273 as a team to put up a big number here and coast to a victory.
Rob Vinciletti
Oakland at Boston
Play: Boston -170
Boston is a league best 18-2 on Tuesdays and 14-2 as a home favorite in this range. Oakland has lost 11 of 16 with a day off and 0-6 here in Boston. Manea for Oakland has a 11.13 era vs the Sox . E. Rod for the Sox is 7-2 at home and has a 1.69 era vs Oakland. Home favorites at -140 or higher that are off a home loss and scored 2 or less runs cash big through the years and win by over 3 runs on average vs an opponent off a +140 or higher home dog win. The A/s are in off a sweep over Houston. Look for them to fall flat in Boston.
Ben Burns
New York at Chicago
Play: Chicago
Catching the Cubs off three straight losses, the Mets are in the wrong place, at the wrong time. The last time that the Cubs lost three straight, Quintana took the mound to snap the slide. He delivered, tossing six shutout innings. The Cubs got back on track with a 1-0 victory. Quintana was on the other side of a 1-0 game, in his lone start against the Mets. That was in 2016, before he was with the Cubs and he was up against Harvey. Now with the support of the Cubs and up against Gsellman, Quintana figures to get considerably more support. Gsellman has made seven road starts. In those games, he's got a dismal 8.75 ERA and 1.895 WHIP, averaging less than five innings per start. With the Mets, who don't hit southpaws well, just 13-40 (-27) against winning teams, I'm laying the wood with Quintana and the Cubs.
Dave Price
Orioles vs. Blue Jays
Play: Orioles -133
Despite losing 5 straight coming in, the Orioles are still just 3.5 games back in the wild card chase. They still have time to make a run, but they need to do it now against a team like the Toronto Blue Jays which is out of contention at 67-77 on the year. And the Orioles have a massive advantage on the mound in this game. Dylan Bundy is having a great year at 13-9 with a 4.12 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 26 starts. He'll be opposed by Joe Biagini, who is 2-9 with a 5.77 ERA and 1.52 WHIP in 14 starts, and 1-6 with a 6.48 ERA and 1.77 WHIP in 7 home starts. Bundy is 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA and 0.77 WHIP in 2 starts against the Blue Jays in 2017. Biagini is 0-9 (-12.4 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season. The Orioles are 7-1 in Bundy's last 8 starts. The Blue Jays are 0-6 in Biagini's last 6 home starts.
Doug Upstone
Oakland at Boston
Play: Boston -168
Boston has not been swung the bats well, but are facing a pitcher they could have success against tonight. Consider, AL home favorites with a money line of -125 to -175 like the Red Sox, hitting .260 or less, taking on an AL starting pitcher whose ERA is 4.20 to 4.70, batting .240 or worse over their last 10 games, are 42-9 since 2013.
Joey Juice
The Phillies and Marlins get set to start a three-game series in Philly at Citizens Bank Park tonight. The Marlins are an awful 1-7 in their last eight, this after losing three of four in Atlanta over the weekend.
The Phillies, not much better, they have lost four of their last five.
A look inside the numbers reveals that Miami is 2-12 in their last 14 games overall, they are 1-6 in their last seven on the road, and they are 2-9 in their last 11 games vs right-handed pitchers.
In the other dugout, the Philadelphia Phillies are 5-0 in their last five games against lefties, and 4-0 in their last four at home against lefties.
While the Phillies have not been getting many W's lately, they seem to have Miami's number. but it has done just fine against Miami who has run out of steam as they were officially ousted from the NL East playoff picture when they went down to Atlanta in extra innings on Sunday.
Bottom line, the Marlins ship is sinking like the titanic. Need more numbers? They are 3-13 in their last 16 against vs the National League East, 1-5 in their last 6 when they are following a loss, and they are 1-7 in their last eight against starters with WHIPs over 1.30.
Miami has emotionally checked out of the season, making this the perfect opportunity for the Phillies to grab a home win.
1* PHILADELPHIA
Eric Schroeder
My free winner is on the San Francisco Giants over the struggling Los Angeles Dodgers. I don't care about the pitchers, so even though I'm going to make mention of both Clayton Kershaw and Johnny Cueto, I don't want you listing them.
Look, I know we're talking about the last-place Giants, and a Dodgers team that not too long ago was considered the best in baseball, this is also one of the best rivalries in baseball. And anything can happen.
I'm not sure if the Dodgers are going to shake this funk, or if we're headed toward an all-time collapse. But the fact remains this team came into this series after finishing an 0-7 homestand, and mired in a 10-game losing streak - its longest in 25 years - and it had lost 15 of 16.
One of those losses was Kershaw's last start - his second since coming off the disabled list - and he struggled against the Colorado Rockies. His team's plight is contagious, and he could struggle today.
Cueto is not a bad pitcher, and could be sparked by the challenge of opposing Los Angeles' ace.
The Dodgers opened a 10-game trip just nine games in front of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League West and four ahead of the Washington Nationals for the overall best record in the N.L.
The Giants would love nothing more than to add to Los Angeles' woes. I'll take the home dog.
5* SAN FRANCISCO
Chris Jordan
My free winner is on the Over in the Cleveland Indians-Detroit Tigers game.
I would love to tell you to play the Indians on the Run Line in this game, but that number is sky high, given the Tribe is laying more than $4 to Detroit. So, we're playing the total for the second night in a row. Last night it was my premium play, tonight it is my comp winner.
The streaking Indians are going to force the Tigers into a high-scoring game, one I see tallying more than 10 runs once again.
As Cleveland is looking for its 20th straight victory - including its last two meetings with the Tigers by a combined final of 22-1 - the balanced attack has been most impressive. During the Indians' 19-game spree, they've averaged 6.9 runs per game.
As I said, the line on this game is so big, that even the Run Line is untouchable. But it indicates the Indians could score plenty of runs, especially against a Tigers team that has gone over in seven of its last eight, and is riding a three-game skid after losing to the Blue Jays in Toronto on Sunday, 8-2, and then last night's series-opener, 11-0.
These two have gone over in 30 of the last 37 meetings in Cleveland, and in 40 of the last 57 battles. Play this one high.
1* Indians-Tigers Over
Jack Brayman
My free winner for Tuesday is on the Angels, as they welcome the Houston Astros to Anaheim. And with Justin Verlander toeing the slab for the 'Stros, the Halos are the home pup. But don't worry about the pitchers in this one, play it straight and take the plus-price.
Don't look now, but the Angels are in second place in the American League West, 13 back of these Astros. And while that may not be easy to overcome, make note the Halos are just one game back in the American League wild card race.
This is an important series for the Halos, who are 38-31 at home and should be rested after returning from Seattle following Sunday's 5-3 win and taking last night off.
Play the home pup here.
1* ANGELS
Tommy Brunson
For Tuesday, play the Twins on the Run Line to dispose of the visiting Padres.
The Padres saw their 3-game winning streak halted on Sunday, while the Twins enter tonight with losses in their last pair of games at Kansas City, as Minnesota was outscored 16-5 over the final 2 games.
Minny still has a slim hold of the second wild card spot, but if they wish to keep a hold of that spot, they will need to win tonight's game.
Chances of that happening appear good, as Kyle Gibson has found another gear for Paul Molitor's club, as he enters this start on a 3-0 roll his last 4 starts, allowing just 5 earned runs in 26-plus innings.
That solid pitching should bode well against the Padres and starter Travis Wood who was just torched by the St. Louis Cardinals in his last start, and sports an over 7 ERA for his last 3 starts.
The time is right for the Twins to find themselves back on the plus side of things, and I will back them tonight on the Run Line.
4* MINNESOTA -1.5
Bob Balfe
Rangers -120
Both pitchers have the same first initial and their last names sound the same and truth be told neither have been any good this year. Seattle starter Marco Gonzales has given up on average about 2 hits per inning this year. That won’t win too many games. The Rangers hit left handers well and should win this one at home.