Dave Price
Pittsburgh Pirates +120
Despite losing 7 straight coming in, the Pittsburgh Pirates are still only 4.5 games back in the wild card. They team they are chasing is the St. Louis Cardinals, so they'll be hungry for a win at home tonight against their NL Central rivals tonight. It's basically make-or-break time for the Pirates in this series. The Pirates should not be dogs because they have the advantage on the mound tonight. Ryan Vogelsong is 2-3 with a 3.07 ERA and 1.171 WHIP in 8 starts, including 0-2 with a 0.95 ERA and 0.789 WHIP in 4 home starts. Luke Weaver is 1-2 with a 3.86 ERA and 1.333 WHIP in 4 starts for the Cards, including 0-2 with a 4.80 ERA and 1.467 WHIP in 3 road starts.
Bruce Marshall
Phillies +135
This price on the Phils looks way too tempting tonight in Miami. Especially since the Marlins are sinking fast and now almost out of the NL wild card discussion. Miami's only win the past week was with Jose Urena on the mound vs. the Mets last week, but the value in this price is with Philly, especially as starter Adam Morgan has been serviceable in two of his last three starts.
Scott Delaney
My free play for Tuesday night is going to be the Washington Nationals in a blowout of the Atlanta Braves. The Nationals on the run line are a gift, especially with the pitchers toeing the slab.
PITCHING NOTE: Every Run Line/Total play will list pitchers with the starting pitchers scheduled to go at the time of the wager. And tonight I am emphatic about who is starting for both teams. Thus, be sure that Gio Gonzalez and Martin Perez are the pitchers of record when making your play. If either one or these pitchers is not going, disregard this play.
Amazingly as this sounds, Gonzalez is still in search of his first win against the Atlanta Braves this season. Not even a decision, while sporting a stingy 2.31 ERA in two starts.
He'll be much better than Perez, who was activated from the 60-day disabled list once rosters expanded Sept. 1. This is his first start since June 6, and he'll struggle.
Washington big!
1* NATIONALS -1.5
Brad Wilton
Tuesday comp play is the Rockies over the Giants.
It's really hard to believe, but San Francisco's 16-31 record since the All-Star Break happens to be the very worst in all of MLB. Yesterday, the Giants were blanked 6-0 to open this set with the Rockies, and I will continue to play against the fading Giants tonight in the thin air.
Jeff Samardzija gets the nod for Bruce Bochy's club, and the Giants are just 2-7 the last 9 times Shark has started.
Tyler Anderson counters for Colorado, and the Rockies are 7-3 in Anderson's last 10 starts. The Rockies have also put together wins in 6 of their last 9 games overall.
Keep on going against the Giants, y'all.
1* COLORADO
Anthony Redd
Let's take a look at the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Arizona Diamondbacks for today's free pick. With the line so high, I'm laying the Run Line in this game.
The Dodgers have won three straight games, they're in control and in the driver's seat in the National League West, and their offense has been very tough on pitchers.
Ross Stripling is up for L.A., and he finally looked good, after a tough summer. Remember, this is the kid who was on a pitch count earlier this year, and was pulled in his MLB-debut while firing a no-hitter. After a solid showing in Denver, he'll be good today.
The Dodgers offense has outscored teams 34-19 since the second game of a doubleheader against the Rockies, last week. Tonight they continue their onslaught against the Snakes.
4* DODGERS -1.5
Jeff Benton
Your Tuesday freebie is the Under in the Orioles-Rays contest.
Yesterday I gave you the Over in the Baltimore-Tampa Bay game, a winner you secured for just $7.77, but tonight with Jake Odorizzi leading the way, I will go the other way and play the Under in the O's-Rays showdown.
Odorizzi is 6-0 in his 9 starts since the All-Star Break, including a July 17th win (and Under) against Baltimore. His ERA stands at 1.89 in that span, and the Under has cashed in his last pair of starts.
Baltimore will send Yovani Gallardo to the hill, and even though his ERA is a tad bloated at 5.62 for the season, the Under does stand at 12-7 in his 19 starts on the year.
The Under is also 9-3-1 the last 13 times these A.L. East rivals have faced one another.
Look for the Under to be the way to go one more time tonight at Tropicana Field.
2* BALTIMORE-TAMPA BAY UNDER
Chris Jordan
My free play for tonight is on the Tampa Bay Rays, over the Baltimore Orioles in an American League East clash in central Florida.
While the Orioles are scrapping to survive a recent freefall that dropped them into third place, and the Rays have been the division doormat all summer, tonight the right side is favored and it's because of the pitching.
This is actually a cheap price on Odorizzi, who has been one of baseball's best pitchers since the All-Star break, with a sub-2.00 ERA. Returning home after a decent showing in Boston, he'll outduel Gallardo, whose ERA is 5.62 through 19 starts.
Take Tampa Bay tonight.
4* RAYS
Bob Balfe
Cardinals -130
This is not a good time in the year to start slumping. It seems like this is what Pittsburgh always does around this time of year. I just can’t back a team that fades at this point. Playoff ready teams are playing their best ball at this point in time. The Pirates are playing their worst. Not good for Pittsburgh fans.