Sunday's MLB National League Betting Cheat Sheet
By Covers.com
St. Louis Cardinals at Pittsburgh Pirates (+104, 8)
Hot pitching stat: Cardinals right-hander Joe Kelly has won six consecutive decisions and has allowed two runs or fewer eight times over that stretch.
Cold batting stat: Pirates OF Andrew McCutchen is 1-for-8 lifetime against Kelly, while OF Travis Snider is 1-for-6 with two strikeouts.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-80s with a 50 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms. Wind will blow from right to left field at 7 mph.
Key betting note: The under is 9-0 in Pittsburgh's last nine Sunday games.
Philadelphia Phillies at Chicago Cubs (+100, OFF)
Hot pitching stat: Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta is 1-0 with a 3.71 ERA and .158 opposition batting average in two starts at Wrigley Field.
Cold batting stat: Chicago 3B Ian Stewart is just 3-for-15 in his career against Philadelphia starter Kyle Kendrick.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-80s with a 60 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms. Wind will blow from left to right field at 4 mph.
Key betting note: The home team is 5-1 in umpire Bob Davidson's last six games behind home plate.
San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Dodgers (-225, 7)
Hot pitching stat: Dodgers right-hander Zack Greinke is 5-0 with a 1.44 ERA and just two home runs allowed over his last six starts.
Cold batting stat: Padres OF Will Venable is 1-for-9 with six strikeouts in his career against Greinke.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-80s under clear skies. Wind will blow out to center field at 6 mph.
Key betting note: The Dodgers have won 18 of Greinke's last 22 starts.
Cincinnati Reds at Colorado Rockies (+105, 10)
Cold pitching stat: Rockies right-hander Tyler Chatwood was torched in his final start before going on the disabled list July 31, allowing eight runs - seven earned - on 10 hits over 2 1/3 innings of a 9-0 loss to Atlanta.
Hot batting stat: Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki has three hits, including a homer, in six at-bats against Reds starter Mike Leake.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-80s under cloudy skies. Wind will blow from right to left field at 6 mph.
Key betting note: The over is 4-1 in Leake's last five starts.
San Francisco Giants at Arizona Diamondbacks (-160, 8)
Cold pitching stat: Diamondbacks left-hander Patrick Corbin had his worst outing of the season last time out, surrendering nine runs over 5 1/3 innings in a 9-5 defeat at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies.
Cold batting stat: Giants SS Brandon Crawford is just 2-for-9 with six strikeouts lifetime against Corbin.
Weather: Temperatures will exceed triple digits under partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow out to right field at 6 mph.
Key betting note: The under is 8-2 in San Francisco's last 10 road games against a left-handed starter.
Miami Marlins at Atlanta Braves (-220, 7.5)
Hot pitching stat: Marlins right-hander Nate Eovaldi mystified the Braves in their last encounter Aug. 10, holding the National League East leaders to one hit while whiffing eight over seven shutout innings.
Hot batting stat: Braves 2B Dan Uggla is 3-for-10 with a homer and three walks against Eovaldi.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-80s with a 50 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms. Wind will blow out to right field at 5 mph.
Key betting note: The under is 7-1 in Eovaldi's last eight starts.
New York Mets at Washington Nationals (-140, 7.5)
Hot pitching stat: Nationals righty Ross Ohlendorf limited the Mets to a run on six hits over seven innings en route to a 2-1 win in their previous meeting July 26.
Hot batting stat: Nationals 1B Adam LaRoche has a pair of homers and six RBIs in 15 career at-bats against Mets starter Jonathon Niese.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-70s with a 55 percent of showers or thunderstorms. Wind will blow out to left field at 5 mph.
Key betting note: The over is 7-1 in umpire Gerry Davis' last eight Sunday games behind home plate.
Interleague
Los Angeles Angels at Milwaukee Brewers (-120, 8)
Hot pitching stat: Angels left-hander C.J. Wilson went 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA and 26 strikeouts in five August starts.
Hot batting stat: Los Angeles C Chris Iannetta is 3-for-8 with four walks against Milwaukee starter Kyle Lohse.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-70s with a 50 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms. Wind will blow from right to left field at 6 mph.
Key betting note: The Angels are 7-1 in Wilson's last eight road starts.
Sunday's MLB American League Betting Cheat Sheet
By Covers.com
Baltimore Orioles at New York Yankees (-112, 9)
Hot pitching stat: Yankees left-hander Andy Pettitte has won three consecutive starts while surrendering just one earned run over 19 2/3 innings in that span.
Cold batting stat: New York OF Curtis Granderson is just 1-for-8 with four strikeouts lifetime against Orioles left-hander Wei-Yin Chen.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-80s with a 50 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms. Wind will blow from right to left field at 7 mph.
Key betting note: The Yankees are 10-1 in Pettitte's last 11 home starts against Baltimore.
Kansas City Royals at Toronto Blue Jays (+128, 8.5)
Hot pitching stat: Royals right-hander James Shields leads the American League with 22 quality starts, including one in each of his previous four starts.
Hot batting stat: Blue Jays DH Adam Lind has belted five home runs in 49 career at-bats against Shields, the most of any Toronto player.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-70s under partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow from right to left field at 8 mph.
Key betting note: The under is 6-0 in Toronto starter J.A. Happ's last six home starts against a team with a winning record.
Cleveland Indians at Detroit Tigers (-152, 8.5)
Cold pitching stat: Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander is 0-2 with a 5.00 ERA and five home runs allowed over his last four starts.
Cold batting stat: Cleveland OF Nick Swisher and SS Asdrubal Cabrera have combined to strike out 42 times in 114 at-bats against Verlander.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-80s with partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow in from left field at 6 mph.
Key betting note: The Indians have won eight of their last nine Sunday games.
Chicago White Sox at Boston Red Sox (-225, 9.5)
Hot pitching stat: Red Sox left-hander Felix Doubront has posted back-to-back quality starts, surrendering just three runs in 14 2/3 combined innings against San Francisco and Baltimore.
Hot batting stat: White Sox 2B Jeff Keppinger is 4-for-10 with a homer against Doubront.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-80s with a 70 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms. Wind will blow out to center field at 9 mph.
Key betting note: The road team is 8-1 in umpire Angel Hernandez's last nine games behind home plate.
Seattle Mariners at Houston Astros (+132, 8)
Hot pitching stat: Mariners right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma is 2-1 with a 1.89 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 19 innings against Houston this season.
Cold batting stat: Astros OF Chris Carter is 2-for-10 with five strikeouts against Iwakuma.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-90s with a 20 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms. Wind will blow out to right field at 6 mph.
Key betting note: The under is 6-1-1 in Iwakuma's last eight Sunday starts.
Minnesota Twins at Texas Rangers (-200, 9.5)
Cold pitching stat: Twins right-hander Kevin Correia is 1-3 with a 4.25 ERA over his last six starts, all coming against American League Central opponents.
Cold batting stat: Rangers OF Alex Rios has just one hit in eight career at-bats against Correia, while OF Jeff Baker is 2-for-9 with five strikeouts.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-90s under partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow in from right field at 6 mph.
Key betting note: Minnesota is 0-8 in Correia's last eight starts on four days' rest.
Tampa Bay Rays at Oakland A's (OFF, OFF)
Hot pitching stat: Rays right-hander Roberto Hernandez was solid in his previous outing against Oakland back on April 21, limiting the Athletics to a run on three hits over six innings of an 8-1 win.
Hot batting stat: Oakland OF Yoenis Cespedes has doubled in his only two at-bats against Hernandez.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-70s with partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow out to right field at 8 mph.
Key betting note: The under is 10-1 in Oakland starter A.J. Griffin's last 11 starts against a team with a winning record.
Sunday Night Baseball: Mets at Nationals
By Steve Merril
By Covers.com
Two teams that are outside of the playoff race meet on Sunday Night Baseball when the Nationals host the Mets.
NIESE HAS BEEN NICE FOR THE METS
Jon Niese is 6-6 with a 3.69 ERA for New York this season. Since coming off the disabled list, he is 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA in four starts. The southpaw has found his strikeout groove; he has fanned five or more batters in six straight starts, including a pair of nine strikeout games against the Braves and Padres. He has not lost a road start in his last four outings. Niese has not seen the Nationals since August 18 of last year when he beat them after giving up only five hits in 7 1/3 innings of work. His other start against Washington in 2012 also came on the road; that was a no-decision despite giving up just one run and three hits in seven innings.
UH OH OHLENDORF
Ross Ohlendorf is 3-0 with a 2.49 ERA and 1.08 WHIP for the Nationals. Ohlendorf has been on the disabled list already this season, and his fastball velocity dropped 10 mph in his last outing on Tuesday. The righty is making his fifth start of the season for Washington. As a starter, he has given up one earned run in three of those games. Ohlendorf faced the Mets back on July 26 and gave up one run and six hits in seven innings, striking out eight while walking only two. Ohlendorf also saw New York during a brief relief appearance on June 28 and he gave up 1 run and three hits in just two innings.
INJURY REPORT
The Nationals have a short injury list with only three players out. Taylor Jordan is dealing with a lower back strain, but he was expected to be shut down soon anyway due to an innings limit. Ross Detwiler has a lower back strain as well and he has no timetable for a return. Christian Garcia is out with a right forearm injury.
The Mets' injury list is longer featuring several important players. Matt Harvey is done for the season with a partially torn UCL, while David Wright is dealing with a hamstring strain. Johan Santana has been out for the whole season with a shoulder injury. Bobby Parnell, Jenrry Mejia, Jeremy Hefner, and Lucas Duda are also dealing with various ailments.
TRENDS
Mets are 2-6 in Niese’s last 8 Sunday starts
Mets are 5-0 Over in their last 5 Sunday games
Nationals are 4-0 in Ohlendorf’s last 4 starts
Nationals are 7-3 Over in their last 10 Sunday games
HITTERS TO WATCH
Ian Desmond 2-for-14 vs. Niese
Jayson Werth 4-for-17 vs. Niese
Daniel Murphy 4-for-7 vs. Ohlendorf
Juan Lagares 2-for-5 vs. Ohlendorf
MLB: Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com
Kansas City Royals at Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays will be gunning for a series sweep when they complete this three games set against Kansas City at the Rogers Center. Jays hope to get the job done handing the ball to J.A. Happ who brings a 3-4 record, 5.46 ERA to the mound. Happ is off back-2-back losses giving up 9 runs over 10 innings of work and is 1-2 over 5 starts since returning from DL (1-4 TSR). Royals counter with James Shields sporting a 9-8 record, 3.14 ERA. The right-hander off a sharp 7 1/3 innings of 1 run-ball has a 5-1 streak the past seven on the mound with Royals 5-2 over the span. Two hurlers going in opposite direction stick with Royals knowing they're 10-5 on the road with Shields including 4-1 after loss and that Jays are on an 1-4 slide in day games w/Happ, 0-5 skid with the southpaw after he's tossed a non quality start (4 runs).