Kevin Rogers
Giants at Diamondbacks
Play: Giants +210
The Diamondbacks are on the verge of making the playoffs in the National League, while the Giants are just playing out the string. However, San Francisco has played better of late by winning 11 of their last 19 games, while taking two of three from Arizona in their previous series at AT&T Park earlier this month. Zack Greinke is in the discussion to win the NL Cy Young award at 14-6 to go along with 178 strikeouts. The D-backs are 3-0 in his three starts as a favorite of -200 or more this season, but this is his highest favorite price. Ty Blach has allowed 6 ER in each of his last two outings for the Giants, but has a pair of heavy underdog wins over the Cubs and Tigers on the road. Arizona has struggled at home recently by posting an 8-13 record the last 21 games at Chase Field, while returning home from a nine-game road trip. I'll back the Giants to knock off the D-backs.
Allen Eastman
Detroit (-165) over Chicago
Justin Verlander is taking the mound for the Tigers on Friday. He will dominate the White Sox even on the road here. Even though Detroit is out of the playoff hunt, Verlander is a veteran and a pro and he will continue to play well. He dominated the Dodgers his last time out, and the Tigers have won four of his last five starts. The White Sox have one of the worst lineups in baseball, and Verlander should have no problem. Chicago also had one of the worst pitching staffs in the Majors. And they are just 17-39 in their last 56 games overall. Chicago is 5-15 in its last 20 divisional games, and I think Detroit will roll here.
Strike Point Sports
Detroit (-165) over Chicago
The Tigers and White Sox were sellers at the trade deadline because the playoffs didn't seem like it was going to happen for either team this season. The pitching matchup in this contest, though, features two pitchers who have been on roll lately. Justin Verlander comes in winning four out of his last five contests, allowing just eight runs over his last 35 innings pitched. Verlander beat the White Sox in his first start of the season and took a no decision in his only other start against them, a game the Tigers ended up winning. Miguel Gonzalez has allowed just two earned runs over his last three starts, winning two of those contests. However, he has had his troubles with the Tigers this season as he is 1-2 with a 6.41 ERA allowing six earned runs in both of the losses. The Tigers are still playing plenty of their veterans, while the White Sox have started going to a youth movement, giving their younger players a chance to play, and I think Verlander will be able to limit them and lead Detroit to the win.
Larry Ness
Colorado vs. Atlanta
Pick: Colorado
The 69-58 Colorado Rockies will visit Atlanta for Friday’s opener of a three-game series this weekend against the struggling Braves. Colorado’s once-comfortable cushion in the NL wild-card race has dwindled to 3 1/2 games thanks to difficulties away from home, where the Rockies are only 7-23 in their past 30 road games. However, Thursday’s 3-2 victory at Kansas City not only ended a four-game skid but closer Greg Holland picked the save, after blowing three of his previous four opportunities. The Braves have no role here other than that of spoiler, as Atlanta enters the weekend 11-24 since July 16, falling to 56-69 on the season..
The pitching matchup will feature Chad Bettis (0-0, 1.93 ERA) vs Julio Teheran (7-11, 5.02 ERA). Bettis is one of 2017's best "feel-good stories," as he has made two starts since returning from testicular cancer surgery and treatment. He pitched seven innings in each outing while allowing only three runs with one walk and eight strikeouts combined. He squares off against the Braves for the second time this season, after spinning seven scoreless innings of six-hit ball with two strikeouts and no walks in his season debut Aug. 14 (Rockies won 3-0). That leaves him 3-1 with a 3.22 ERA in six career starts against Atlanta (team is 5-1).
Teheran has had a troublesome year, with almost all of his problems occurring when pitching at home. Turner Field was always a haven for this 26-year-old but the move to SunTrust Park has become a 'house of horrors!' Teheran is 1-9 with a 6.98 ERA in 13 starts (Braves are 3-10) with a 1.61 WHIP and a .290 opponents batting average. Teheran did not get a decision when he faced the Rockies on Aug. 14 in Denver (opposite Bettis) but pitched outstanding, striking out eight while allowing four hits in seven scoreless innings. He's 4-1 in his career against the Rockies, posting a 2.17 ERA in eight starts (Braves are 5-3).
The Rockies have to be careful they don't let their wild card position get any worse and while their road woes are real (remember, 7-23 in their last 30), the Braves, especially with Teheran on the mound at SunTrust Park, are "ripe for the taking." Take Colorado.
Will Rogers
San Diego Padres vs. Miami Marlins
Play: Miami Marlins -150
The set-up: The Miami Marlins fell seven games below .500 (53-60) after dropping three of four at Washington from Aug. 7-10. However, a surprising sweep of Colorado jump-started a 10-3 run over their last three contests. Miami followed up its three-game sweep of the Rockies by taking seven of 10 from a trio of the NL's worst teams, the Giants, Mets and Phillies. Thursday's wild 9-8 victory over the Phillies (Miami hit three of its four HRs after falling behind 8-3 in the fourth inning) kept them 5 1/2 games behind the Rockies for the NL's second wild card spot). The Marlins now face another sub-.500 team in the 57-70 Padres, who took the rubber match of their three-game series with St. Louis on Thursday, allowing Miami to move within one-half game of one of the two teams (the Cardinals) it has to leapfrog in order to make a run at Colorado.
The pitching matchup: Friday's game features two left-handers, San Diego's Travis Wood (3-4 & 5.81 ERA) and Miami's Adam Conley (6-5 & 4.93 ERA). Wood turned in his best start in five tries as a Padre in a win over Washington on Saturday, allowing only an unearned run on three hits and two walks in seven innings. The 2013 All-Star has taken a liking to Petco Park this season (3-0, 1.96 ERA in four outings - including three starts) but is 0-4 with a 7.19 ERA away from San Diego. Wood is 1-3 with a 7.92 ERA in 10 career appearances (four starts / teams are 1-3) versus the Marlins. Conley struck out a career-high 11 on Sunday, allowing only a solo HR among the three hits he allowed over seven innings in a win against the Mets. He has worked at least six innings in five of his seven trips to the mound since his mid-July promotion, lasting at least seven innings three times. Conley settled for a no-decision at San Diego on April 21 despite permitting one run in six innings in his lone career start against the Marlins.
The pick: Wood's road woes are real (in his two most recent road games, he allowed 10 runs, nine earned, over 10 innings) and facing Giancarlo Stanton can't be something he's looking forward to. San Diego's 24-40 road record (allowing 5.56 RPG) is also something that has to give the suddenly surging Marlins some extra confidence. Can we fully trust Conley at home (7.52 ERA and 1,58 WHIP)? Maybe not but Stanton and Co. should provide enough 'insurance' to make a small play on the Marlins.
Matt Fargo
Brewers vs. Dodgers
Play: Brewers +176
Not many will be stepping in front of the Dodgers right now but certain situations call for it and this is one of those. Los Angeles returns home following a 5-2 roadtrip where it is 51-14 including a 42-9 record over its last 51 games. The Dodgers are chasing history as they became the fourth fastest team to reach 90 wins and they are going to be a publicly bet team for the rest of the season no matter the price. Milwaukee is off to a 3-3 start to the roadtrip and it now sits three games behind the Cubs in the National League Central and three games behind Arizona for the second Wild Card spot in the National League. The Brewers were off yesterday and have won four of their last five games following an off day. They send Chase Anderson to the hill and he is a big reason for going against the Dodgers in this spot. He is having a quietly exceptional season as he has a 2.83 ERA and 1.10 WHIP which would put him at No. 4 and No. 5 respectively in the National League but he does not qualify due to not having tossed enough innings. This is his second start since coming back from the disabled list and he was solid on a limited pitch count and he will be good to go further tonight. The Dodgers counter with Kenta Maeda who is also having a very good season but his lone issue has been not being able to go deep in games as only four of his 20 starts have been quality outings. The Brewers have won six of their last eight games against right-handed starters.
Ben Burns
San Francisco at Arizona
Play: Arizona
The Dbax are heavy favorites for good reason. In fact, they could easily be favored by considerably more. Greinke is a dominant 11-1 at home. He's got a 2.34 ERA and 0.888 WHIP here. He tossed 6 2/3 shutout innings in his last start here, recording nine K's in a 2-0 win over the Astros. Blach, on the other hand, is 3-4 with a 5.33 ERA (1.46 WHIP) on the road. Over his last two starts, Blach's ERA is above nine, as he's allowed 12 earned runs in 11 1/3 innings. While SF averages 4.1 rpg on the road, Arizona averages 5.5 rpg at home.
Chris Jordan
My free play for Friday is the Boston Red Sox over the Baltimore Orioles. I want you to list the scheduled starters: Rick Porcello and Jeremy Hellickson.
Boston looks to bounce back after being shellacked by the Cleveland Indians on Thursday, and should be revived since it is playing at home.
Porcello has won his past four starts and is starting to look more like the pitcher who won the American League Cy Young Award last year, than the one who struggled the first three months this season. Against the O's this year, Porcello is 0-2 with a 3.75 ERA, so there is added motivation.
Hellickson is in after logging two shaky starts, allowing a combined 13 runs in his last 9.2 innings. Last time out, he gave up a season-high five home runs to the Angels. The Red Sox will get to him tonight.
2* RED SOX
Brad Wilton
Friday night comp play will be the Indians over the Royals from Progressive Field.
Hey, you split a 4-game set with the sizzling Boston Red Sox, including bombing the likely Cy Young Award winner - Chris Sale last night, and I think you should be able to handle a pitcher who has taken a turn for the worst as we head down to the end of the season.
KC starter Jason Vargas is on a 1-3 slide his last 4 starts, allowing 16 runs to score in his last 20-plus innings of work. Included is a start that lasted under 5 frames his last time out against Cleveland, as the Tribe plated 4 runs on 6 hits.
Cleveland took 2 of 3 off of Kansas City in that series, and they have now won 10 of their last 14 games overall, and 15 of 21 at home.
Ryan Merritt is up from Triple A - Columbus to make just his third start of the season. He enters with no record, but he did earn his only major league win last season against Kansas City when he pitched 5 innings of 1 run ball.
The Royals have lost 9 of their last 11 games played at Cleveland, and I see them losing tonight.
4* CLEVELAND
Jack Brayman
My free winner for Friday is on the Chicago White Sox over the Detroit Tigers, and I want you to list Justin Verlander and Miguel Gonzalez.
First of all, the Tigers are going to be shook after yesterday's free-for-brawl with the New York Yankees. After all that went down yesterday, and now having to travel, I just think the Tigers will be out of sync.
Second, Verlander is 3-6 with a 5.24 ERA away from Comerica Park this year, including a stint he gave up three home runs last week at Texas.
Gonzalez has been a different pitcher since the All-Star break, going 3-2 with a 3.07 ERA while posting six quality starts in seven outings.
3* WHITE SOX
Jeff Benton
Your Friday freebie is the Angels over the Astros.
It has been a bit of a struggle for the Astros here in the second half, as they come into Orange County having lost 3 of their last 4 games. While their division lead is pretty safe, I am sure their division-rivals the Angels wish to send a message this weekend to the front-runners.
L.A. is very much in the jammed up Wild Card race in the American League, but losses in 3 of 4 at home to Texas really have the Halos in dire need of a win tonight to open the weekend.
Look for them to get that win with Parker Bridwell on the hill. Bridwell is 7-1 on the year, losing only to Seattle way back at the end of June, and the Angels are 11-1 for the year when he starts. This will be Bridwell's first start against Houston.
Collin McHugh counters with only a 1-2 mark since his return, and his team stands at just 2-4 when he has started this season.
The Angels took 2 of 3 off the Astros in the most recent series meeting back in June, and I like them to take tonight's game.
1* L.A. ANGELS
BRANDON LEE
Royals vs. Indians
Play: Indians -126
This is simply too good of a price to pass up on the Indians at home. Cleveland will turn to spot starter Ryan Merritt, who has pitched well in this spot, posting a 3.52 ERA in 2 previous spot starts this season. I look for Merritt to keep KC in check, as the Royals come in averaging just 3.7 runs over their last 7 games. I also don't like Kansas City starter Jason Vargas, who has a 7.15 ERA in his last 8 starts but continues to get respect due to his solid overall numbers from his 2.22 ERA in his first 16 starts.
JACK JONES
Rockies vs. Braves
Play:Rockies +108
The Colorado Rockies have a lot more to play for right now than the Atlanta Braves. They need to get it together to hang on to a wild card spot after losing four of their last five games coming in. I look for them to get the job done at a nice underdog value here Friday.
Chad Bettis has been very good in his two starts this season, going 0-0 with a 1.93 ERA and 1.071 WHIP. He has allowed just 3 earned runs in 14 innings. One of those starts was against the Braves on August 14th as he pitched 7 shutout innings. Bettis is now 3-1 with a 3.22 ERA in six career starts against Atlanta.
Julio Teheran has been an awful bet at home over the past few seasons. He is 1-9 with a 6.98 ERA and 1.610 WHIP in 13 home starts this year. The Braves are just 7-24 in Teheran's last 31 home starts.
The Rockies are 11-1 in Bettis' last 12 starts vs. National League East opponents. Colorado is 17-5 in Bettis' last 22 starts overall. The Rockies are 5-0 in Bettis' last five starts against Atlanta. Colorado is 16-5 in the last 21 meetings.
JOHN MARTIN
Padres vs. Marlins
Play: Marlins -1½
Let's take a shot with the Miami Marlins on the Run Line today at a nice underdog price. The Marlins have quietly been money making machines with their 10-3 run over the last two weeks that has gotten them back to .500 at 63-63 on the season. Adam Conley has only allowed 4 earned runs in 13 1/3 innings over his last two starts. He faced San Diego earlier this season, yielding only 1 earned run in 6 innings. Travis Wood is 2-2 with a 5.49 ERA in eight starts this year for the Padres. He's 0-1 with an 8.10 ERA in two road starts. Wood is also 1-3 with a 9.00 ERA in four previous starts against the Marlins.
DAVE PRICE
Houston vs. Los Angeles
Play: Los Angeles +102
Parker Bridwell is a big reason why the Los Angeles Angels are in the running for the AL wild card right now. He has been one of the most profitable pitchers to back in baseball. The Angels have gone 11-1 in his 12 starts this season. He has gone 7-1 with a 3.07 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in those 12 outings. Collin McHugh is winless on the road this year, going 0-2 with a 5.81 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in 4 starts. The Astros have injury issues to two of their best players in Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve, who both may sit tonight. These injuries have made Houston a very bad team to back since the All-Star Break.