Larry Wallace
Cubs vs. Diamondbacks
Play: Cubs +110
Lackey in his last 3 starts is 3-0 with a 3.37 ERA. Lackey in his career against the Diamondbacks is 4-0 with a 2.76 ERA. Walker holds a 4.14 ERA while pitching at home. Also, Walker is 0-1 in his last 3 starts. The Cubs are 12-3 in their last 15 games on the road. The Diamondbacks are 1-4 in their last 5 games overall.
Stephen Nover
Rockies at Marlins
Play: Rockies
The Rockies are a better team than the Marlins, who are in rebuild mode. The price is low enough to get involved with Colorado especially with a pitching matchup of Jon Gray versus Jose Urena.
Gray is the Rockies' best pitcher - and now he is pitching like it with a 2.84 ERA and an 18-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio in his last three starts. Colorado is 7-3 in Gray's last 10 starts.
Giancarlo Stanton and Marcell Ozuna are the Marlins' best players and Ozuna is in a slump with just four hits during his past 27 at bats.
The Marlins are 5-14 during Urena's last 19 home starts. Urena also has been pitching well lately, but he's a bottom-of-the-rotation type starter. He's not in Gray's class.
The spot sets up well, too, for Colorado. The Rockies were idle Thursday while the Marlins were playing for the 20th time in 21 days. The Rockies are 17-6 the past 23 times they've played following an off day.
Jack Brayman
I'm playing the Philadelphia Phillies as my comp play tonight, as they're near pick'em against the New York Mets, and should win this game.
The National League East rivals are at the bottom of the division, the Phils a little more so than New York, but they'll be pissed off after losing last night 10-0, and seeing their three-game win streak come to an end.
The Mets, who are 25-29 on the road this year, have lost eight of 11.
Look for Philly to come out swinging in the second game of this series, with revenge on the brain after last night.
4* PHILLIES
Brad Wilton
Friday comp play winner on the Red Sox-Yankees Under the total.
I know the Yankees scored 11 runs on Wednesday, but that was the exception and not the norm for this team of late.
New York has plated 2 runs or less in 6 of their last 8 games, and they are 6-2-1 Under the total their last 9 games contested.
Boston is on a 4-1 Under clip their last 5 games, and series numbers between the A.L. East rivals show 3 straight and 8 of the past 11 series meetings having held Under the total.
It will be Eduardo Rodriguez and newly-acquired Jaime Garcia doing the mound work and keeping the runners of the base paths.
Red Sox-Yankees open with their 4th straight Under.
3* BOSTON-N.Y. YANKEES UNDER
Jeff Benton
Friday comp play winner is the Over in the Twins-Tigers showdown at Comerica Park.
The last time these division-rivals played near the end of July, 2 of the 3 meetings did land Over the total, as the Over now stands at 5-1-1 the last 7 meetings between the teams this year.
Kyle Gibson was on the mound for one of those Overs back in July, as the game ended with a combined 11 runs between the clubs. Gibson's season ERA is over 6, and he has allowed 17 earned runs over his last 22-plus innings pitched - including that July 22nd start against the Tigers.
Minny scored 7 runs last night, but their game in Milwaukee held Under by a hook. Expect that to change tonight, as Detroit landed Over the total again in their series finale against Pittsburgh to make it a 4-1 Over clip their last 5.
Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez owns an over 7 season ERA, and he has allowed 14 runs on 25 hits over his last 13-plus innings worked.
Safe to say the hitters may well be locked-in at the dish tonight.
Twins-Tigers land Over on Friday.
4* MINNESOTA-DETROIT OVER
Chris Jordan
My free play is on the Texas Rangers over the Houston Astros, as I continue to take advantage of this win streak on the MLB diamond. If you're looking for football this early in the preseason, look elsewhere - I will not have any football plays for at least another week, it not two.
The value is on the Rangers as a home underdog here, as they'll take advantage of the slumping Astros, who have lost three in a row.
Houston's problems begin on the mound, as injuries have ravaged the Astros' top arms. Houston's starters had a 3.82 ERA in the first half of the season, ranking sixth in baseball with that clip. But since the All-Star break, the group has a 5.35 ERA - 28th in the league.
True, the Rangers haven't been much better, but they're coming off a road win at the New York Mets, they had the night off and now they catch a team that has lost seven of 10 and continue a road trip after yesterday's 3-2, 11-inning defeat at the Chicago White Sox.
Take Texas here.
4* RANGERS
Rob Vinciletti
Cleveland at Tampa Bay
Play: Cleveland -129
The Indians will look to rebound tonight after last nights late loss. That loss sets up a 90% system that plays on road favorites off a road favored loss scoring 2 or less runs on 4 or less hits with 1 or no errors vs a team off a home dog win that scored 4 or less runs on 10 or more hits. Cleveland has won 7 of 9 here in Tampa. They should have newly aquired J. Bruce in the lineup. They have won 23 of 34 road starts with Carrasco on the mound and he hi 3-0 with a 1.58 Era here in Tampa. The Rays have lost 4 of 5 as a home dog off a home win. Look for Cleveland to bounce back.
Bruce Marshall
Chicago at Arizona
Pick: Chicago
Recent pitcher trendlines support the Cubs, who have won the last five starts made by John Lackey since the beginning of July. Meanwhile, the D-backs have lost the last five starts made by Taijuan Walker dating to just before the All-Star break. A possible hangover from the Dodger series is another concern for Arizona, while the Cubs now have to worry about a surging St. Louis in the NL Central.
Bob Balfe
Giants -4
The preseason is all about finding edges and just hoping you don’t get beat in a wacky 4th quarter with the future practice squad players in the game. Tonight the Steelers will start the game with true 3rd stringers at a lot of the skilled positions. This edge gives the Giants the edge to start the football game. If New York can take advantage of their mistakes they should be able to win this game from wire to wire. The Steelers will be on their 3rd string QB and 3rd string RB’s to start the football game. There is no need for Pittsburgh to get their starting offensive line hurt so those guys won’t play much or play at all. Pittsburgh has a lot of new faces on second and third spots of their offensive line and I just don’t see this team scoring much tonight. The GMen should take advantage at home.
Bob Balfe
Mets -110
The Mets put the smack down on the Phillies last night and tonight they get a chance to do it again against a pitcher who has struggled big time this year. Nick Pivetta has issued a lot of walks which is never good when your team on offense is not great scoring with men on base. Look for the Mets to chase Pivetta early and go wire to wire.
The Prez
Rockies at Marlins
Play: Under 9
The Rockies and the Marlins square off tonight with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET at Marlins Park. The Rockies send Jon Gray (4-2, 4.94 ERA) to the hill to oppose the Marlins Jose Urena (10-5, 3.70).
Gray (4-2, 4.94 ERA) was solid in his last start pitching seven innings while allowed one run on six hits with four strikeouts this past Saturday night, versus the Philadelphia Phillies. Gray, who missed time early in the season to injury is in fine form and has been dominant in his last trio of starts. The Roks' right-hander is finding the strike zone over 65% of the time with his first pitch and has increased his GB:FB percentage. While he has been over-the-top good in his last three turns he hasn't been fortunate. His .369 BABIP and 67.7 strand rate are due for positive regression and he is allowing less than 30 percent hard contact since returning from the DL in late June.
Urena is as consistent as they come when referencing the Marlins rotation. The Miami righty has registered a 3.70 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and is striking out 16% of the hitters he faces this season. While his. The his strikeout rate isn't elite like tonight's event takes place in pitcher-friendly Marlins park and he opposes a Rockies lineup that rank as the second worst team by wRC+ standards on the road behind only the Phillies.
Buster Sports
Toronto at Montreal
Play: Over 47
Toronto will be without starting QB Ricky Ray tonight and because of this, the total on this game is at 47 at the time of this writing. We believe even though QB Jeff Mathews will get the start for Toronto the total is set a little low for us. Mathews is in his third CFL season. In 2014, three different NFL clubs signed him to their practice squads and we believe he just needs a chance to show himself in this league. He has a chance tonight. Montreal has really turned their offense around of late scoring over 30 points in 2 of their last 3 games. The Argos defense has given up more than 33 points in 3 of their last 4 games. We will not be surprised if Montreal puts up 30 on this Argonaut defense tonight.
Scott Spreitzer
Chicago at Arizona
Play: Arizona -113
While John Lackey's numbers of late might look better at first glance, the problem is, he is not eating up innings. The Cubs continue to pull Lackey early, letting the bullpen do the work. We are betting this approach will catch up with them when they face an offensively capable Arizona lineup. Taijuan Walker doesn't have the wins by his name of late, but it's not due to anything he's done in a negative sense. Walker owns a 0.93 WHIP and .202 BAA in four post all-star starts. Tonight, he'll be backed by an offense averaging over 5 1/2 rpg in home night action against righthanders. We like Walker in this spot and we believe Arizona will get to Lackey.