Chris Jordan
I'm coming back with the Texas Rangers on the Run Line for my free play, as they're in advantage with a hot streak going, while the Chicago White Sox head into the weekend mired in a five-game losing skid.
Not only have the Rangers won four straight after toppling the Chicago White Sox in a marathon last night, but they've won eight of 11 and are now just 1 1/2 games off the American League wild card race.
Texas is also 34-27 at home this season, and catches one of the worst scoring teams this month.
The White Sox, who reside in last place in the American League Central, are 20-42 on the road and will be out of sync after last night's heartbreaking 9-8 loss. The way the Los Angeles Dodgers walked off two nights back clearly Chicago beleaguered for this series, and then the way the Sox last night was the dagger.
Chicago - which has scored just 63 runs this month, 23rd in the league - also rank 22nd in the bigs with 258 runs scored on the road.
Play Texas on the Run Line.
5* RANGERS -1.5
Jeff Benton
Your Friday freebie is Oakland and Houston to score some runs tonight at Minute Maid Park, as we go Over the total with Sean Manaea and Dallas Keuchel on the mound.
Manaea appears to have run out of gas, as he has been a batting practice pitcher over his last pair of starts - 12 runs, 11 of them earned, 12 hits allowed in just under 4 innings pitched!
7 straight starts by Manaea have ended up Over the total, as have 8 of his last 9 starts.
As for Keuchel, he has not been the same pitcher he was before landing on the DL. True, he did give his team a quality start his last time out, but in his 4 starts back, he still shows 15 runs allowed on 29 hits in his 18-plus innings worked.
The A's enter with Overs played in 4 of their last 5 games, and the Over in the series stands at 4-2 the last 6 times these teams have tangled.
Look for another Over on Friday between the A's and 'Stros.
5* OAKLAND-HOUSTON OVER
Dave Essler
Minnesota vs. Seattle
Play: Seattle 1st Half
We just don't know who's playing in the 2H. We do know Pete Carroll says the starters are playing longer - and this is of course IN Seattle. It's the second game on the road for Minnesota, which always makes it tougher, and it's the first game IN Seattle - even though is exhibition the crowd will be into it - at least for the FIRST HALF. I do like Minnesota more than most this season, but just not here.
The Prez
Seattle at Tampa Bay
Play: Seattle +118
Seattle and Tampa Bay tangle in the first game of a three contest set with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Mariners throw Erasmo Ramirez (4-4, 4.73 ERA) to the Trop mound to oppose the Rays Austin Pruitt (6-3, 5.07).
Ramirez is set to take the bump tonight under the roof of the "Trop" and comes off his most impressive work since begin acquired by the Mariners. The Seattle right-hander contained Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels in his last performance surrendering an unearned run on three hits over six innings in a no-decision Saturday. The primetime performance versus the Halos by Ramirez trumps his 3-2 mark with a 6.05 ERA in eight starts as a member of the Rays before being sent to Washington for reliever Steve Cishek.
Pruitt has done what the Rays coaching staff have asked. The Tampa righty has executed a 1-2 mark with a 3.47 ERA across four starts including striking out 18 while walking five since joining the rotation in late July.
Ramirez has the advantage tonight under the roof in Tampa and will challenge a lineup that ranks near the bottom of the league in runs per game over the last month of play. Ramirez' 4.73 ERA isn't in line with his K:BB rate with some poor luck on long balls (1.6 HR/9) and his batted balls in play.
Pruitt supporters are spinning reports that claim the youngster has finally found his mojo by posting a 1.96 ERA over his past three outings in large because the trio of starts came against Cleveland, Boston and at Minute Maid Park versus Houston. In those three turns he registered a "W" in only one event while dropping the contest against the Astros and receiving a no-decision in his last turn versus the Tribe.
Cal Sports
Minnesota at Seattle
Play: Minnesota +4
Seattle had a 458-322 yard edge against the Chargers last week while Minnesota was outgained 309-242. The Seahawks’ Russell Wilson went 3-4 with 101 yards, while Trevone Boykin was 12 of 15, with 189 yards, and Austin Davis was 3 of 4 for 41 yards. Boykins mobility is a great benefit during the pre-season and many play are broken and he showed how valuable his legs are running for several first downs. The Vikings Teddy Bridgewater is still injured and LW we saw Sam Bradford go 5 of 7 for 35 yards, with Case Keenum going 11 of 16 for 121 yards and Taylor Heinicke adding 3 of 8 for 21 yards. Minnesota also has QB Wes Lunt on their roster.
While the current form certainly favors the Seahawks, getting over a FG in pre-season action is a powerful edge. Of the Seahawks five SU wins in 2015 and 2016, THREE were by 2 points or less meaning that if the Seahawks were a 4 point favorite in every game those two seasons they would have been 2-6 ATS. On the flipside, the Vikings under Zimmer have just one SU loss and that came during the 2015 season in game #5 as they played in the Hall of Fame game that year.
Lastly the schedule is a significant edge for the Minnesota. Despite the Vikings playing in the second of B2B games they are doing so eight days apart (Thursday-Friday) while Seattle played on the road late Sunday night and is now playing five days later.