Jeff Benton
Your Saturday freebie is for Yu Darvish and Justin Masterson to mow'em down at Progressive Field, as the Rangers and Indians stay Under the total.
Very rare Over the total for both teams last night.
Texas is still 9-2-2 Under the total their last 13 games, and the Under between the teams is now at 5-1 Under, 8-3 overall the last 11 on the low-side of things!
Hard to argue those numbers, and certainly hard to argue the fact Yu Darvish owns a season ERA under 3, and that the Under has gone 6-1-1 the last 8 times he has made the start. Justin Masterson counters, and the Under is 6-2 his last 8 starts at Progressive Field. The Under is also 6-2 overall the last 8 times Masterson has started home or away.
Cannot make a case against those trends, so play the Rangers-Indians to stay low one more time here on Saturday.
2♦ TEXAS-CLEVELAND UNDER
Brad Wilton
Your comp play for Saturday is going to be the Under in the Minnesota-Seattle contest.
The first 2 games of this weekend set have alternated from Over on Thursday to Under last night.
You may think the way to go in this game is to go Over the total, especially with Samuel Deduno and Aaron Harang trotting to the mound, but I beg to differ.
Deduno has actually pitched quite well his last few times on the mound, as the right-hander has allowed just 3 runs on 10 hits over his last 13 innings pitched, and each of his last pair of starts has ended up playing Under the total.
In fact 8 of Deduno's last 10 starts have seen the hurler allow 3 runs or less, and the Under has gone 4-2 the last 6 times he has made the start.
Aaron Harang has also been pretty steady over the last month-plus of action, as he has allowed 3 runs or less in 6 of his last 7 starts.
With this being a late-afternoon start followed by a night game last evening, going to look for the pitchers to hold the advantage in this one.
Twins-Mariners to hold Under the total on Saturday.
2♦ MINNESOTA-SEATTLE UNDER
Brett Atkins
My free winner for Saturday afternoon is on the Over in the Angels/A's game. All Total plays automatically list pitchers with the starters who are scheduled to go at the time of the wager, and I want you to be sure the following pitchers are the starters of record on your ticket when making your play: Garrett Richards and Tommy Milone. If one or both of these pitchers is not going, this is a no-play.
Let's start with Richards, who has spent some time in the Angels' rotation this season, but hasn't made a start since April 30. Today the right-hander steps in for Joe Blanton, who has struggled this season, and I'm not sure Richards is going to last too long against a tough A's team that hits the ball well at home.
That being said, I won't endorse the Athletics, not with Milone on the hill. I know he is in after rebounding nicely from his shortest outing of the season in his previous start, by limiting the Astros to two earned runs (three total) on just five hits with one walk and five strikeouts over six innings last Monday, but he also has a career 5.33 ERA against the Halos.
The Over has cashed 8 of the last 11 meetings, while the high number has been money over the last 29 meetings in Oakland, with a 20-7-2 run.
1♦ OVER Angels/Athletics
Chris Jordan
My free play is on the Texas Rangers getting it done on the road in Cleveland against the Indians, and I want you listing both Yu Darvish over Justin Masterson.
I love the way Darvish came off the disabled list last Monday and looked stellar over 6-2/3 innings, firing scoreless frames in a 3-0 victory over the New York Yankees. He's now 2-1 with a 2.37 ERA in his past three starts, and make note. He lost his only start to the Indians last season, so there's some revenge to consider.
As for Masterson, can't count on a pitcher who is 0-4 lifetime with a 6.49 ERA against a team like the Rangers, knowing how explosive Texas can be. And make note, the Rangers will be out for revenge from last night, when manager Ron Washington's club tallied eight runs and 14 hits in an 11-8 loss to the Tribe.
Take Texas and list both.
4♦ TEXAS
Scott Delaney
My free winner for today is on the New York Yankees against the Tampa Bay Rays, and I want you listing both Ivan Nova over Chris Archer in this pitching rematch from not too long back. Nova will be out for revenge, and I think he gets it in rather easy fashion.
Though Archer picked up his fifth win on Sunday, at Toronto, after allowing one run in seven innings and has now won his last three starts and has allowed just three earned runs over his last 28-1/3 innings in a span of four starts - today he is pitching under a lot of pressure.
At Yankee Stadium, against a pissed-off team that desperately needs to find an offensive spark and he faces Nova, who as I mentioned is in revenge.
Nova, in fact, has been solid since returning to the Yankees' rotation in late June. He comes in after taking a hard-luck loss on July 22 at Texas, where he allowed three runs in seven innings. Nevertheless, he still boasts a 2.72 ERA and .214 opponents average in five outings since June 23.
Take the pinstripes today, and list both.
5♦ NEW YORK