Jeff Benton
Your Sunday winner is the Mariners and Yankees to hold Under the total with Albers and Tanaka on the hill.
Friday's meeting lasted 11-innings and featured just 3 runs total for the Under, while yesterday's game saw 9 combined runs and another Under.
These teams have now played 6 of their last 8 games dating back to last season Under the posted price, and the Under is on an overall 27-9-3 run the last 39 times these teams have met one another.
Andrew Albers is making start # 3 this season, and thus far owns a respectable 3.60 ERA, with his only prior Junior Circuit start holding Under in a 3-1 final against the Orioles.
Masahiro Tanaka used his stint on the DL to come back looking A-OK, as he worked 7 full frames with just 3 runs crossing.
Look for the series trends to hold one more time.
M's-Yanks Under the total on Sunday.
3* SEATTLE-N.Y. YANKEES UNDER
Jack Brayman
My free play is in baseball, as I like the Cleveland Indians over the Kansas City Royals.
Cleveland (72-56) has won three straight, it is 35-29 at home and it continues to close in on the Houston Astros (78-51) and Boston Red Sox (73-56) for the best record in the American League.
The Tribe is 6.5 games in front of the Minnesota Twins, and will want to keep its distance.
The Royals, on the other hand, are 64-64 on the season and sit 1.5 games off the wild-card pace. They've lost three straight and six of 10, while they're 29-34 on the road this season after losing 4-0 to the Indians yesterday.
Play the home team today as my free play.
5* CLEVELAND
Brad Wilton
Sunday's comp play is the Rays and Cardinals to hold Under the total.
Both meetings this weekend have stayed played Over the total, but my gut-feeling is that today's starters will handle the bats and keep the scoreboard operators quiet at Bush Stadium.
Rays starter Chris Archer has allowed 3 earned runs or less in 10 of his last 11 starts, while Cards hurler Lance Lynn had allowed no more than 3 runs in any of his last 10 starts until he was reached for 4 runs last trip to the bump by the San Diego Padres.
Forget those 2 Overs on Friday and Saturday, this game is all about Archer and Lynn doing their thing, and keeping the bats silent.
Sunday finale between the Rays and Redbirds stays Under.
4* TAMPA BAY-ST. LOUIS UNDER
JOHN MARTIN
Houston vs, Los Angeles
Play: Los Angeles +122
The Houston Astros have been good fade material since the All-Star Break. They have had the AL West wrapped up for months, so their motivation has been in question, and they have also been hit hard by injuries. I like the Angels as a home dogs here over the Astros. This is an Angels team that is fighting for a wild card spot. Los Angeles has gone 4-1 in Ricky Nolasco's last five starts. Nolasco is 7-2 with a 3.80 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in 10 previous starts against the Astros. He has held them to just 4 earned runs over 20 innings for a 1.80 ERA in his last three starts against them.
Bruce Marshall
Brewers at Dodgers
Pick: Under
The Dodgers are at risk of losing their first series in almost three months, as the resilient Brewers have proven tough in what has thus far been a pitcher's series, with a total of seven runs scored in two games. With LA's bats struggling the past few days, Milwaukee starter Jimmy Nelson and his 3.79 ERA might be able to keep the clamps on the Blue offense. Yu Darvish, however, has proven hard to hit in his three starts for LA since being acquired in trade, with a 2.50 ERA, and another low-scoring game would be no surprise.
DAVE PRICE
Cubs vs. Phillies
Play: Cubs -1½
The Chicago Cubs should hang a big number on the Phillies today and cover this run line with ease. Nick Pivetta hasn't had much success for Philly this season, going 4-9 with a 6.54 ERA and 1.53 WHIP in 19 starts. He has been awful of late at 0-2 with an 11.45 ERA and 2.27 WHIP in his last 3 starts. John Lackey has been very consistent since the All-Star Break. He has allowed 3 earned runs or fewer in 7 of his last 8 starts, and the Cubs are a perfect 8-0 in those 8 starts. Lackey is also 5-4 with a 2.77 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 10 lifetime starts vs. Philadelphia.
Eric Schroeder
My free winner is on the Miami Marlins over the San Diego Padres. I'm not seeing a line at 5 a.m. pacific, so be wary of anything too big, and to play it on the Run Line if it is higher than $1.50.
I don't care about the pitchers in this one, as it's more about the suddenly hot Marlins who have won three in a row.
Behind slugger Giancarlo Stanton, who leads the majors with 49 home runs, the Marlins will look to take advantage of a pitching staff that ranks in the bottom half of the league with a 4.62 ERA.
Stanton isn't the only hitting spectacle the Marlins boast, as Marcell Ozuna's bat has come to life. The left fielder has 31 home runs and 102 RBIs. Ozuna sent a shot to the bleachers yesterday during a 2-1 win, and could very well do so again as the Marlins are in the thick of the National League wild-card race.
Take Miami tonight.
3* MARLINS
Chris Jordan
My free play on Saturday is on the Over in the N.L. East battle between the New York Mets and Washington Nationals.
In the first game of a doubleheader, I expect a high-scoring game between the New York Mets and Washington Nationals.
Milone steps to the hill to make his second start since coming off the disabled list with a knee injury. The left-hander will be looking to rebound from his previous outing, which saw him allow six runs over a mere 4.2 innings. But against a lineup like this - one of the best in the league - is a tough chore. Washington will put some runs up.
As for Fedde, the Nationals' top pitching prospect, he is making his third career start and first since Aug. 6. The right-hander has allowed 11 runs in his first 9.1 innings in the bigs, and will get tagged for a handful today.
Play this one high.
3* Mets/Nationals Over
BUSTER SPORTS
Houston vs. Los Angeles
Play: Los Angeles +124
The LA Angels look to win the rubber game in their three-game series with the Houston Astros and we believe they will do just that. The starting pitchers for today’s game are for the Astros RH Charlie Morton (10-6, 3.81 ERA) and for the Angels RH Ricky Nolasco (6-12, 5.05 ERA) Morton has had one of his best years in his career this year in Houston. In saying this, we have seen slight signs of regression for the 33-year-old veteran. In his last 3 starts, he has an ERA of 4.00. When Morton goes on the road, he is 3-3 in six road starts and has an ERA of 4.19. As for Nolasco, he hasn’t had the 2017 season he had hoped for. When facing the Astros however he has been at his best. In two starts against Houston this year he has allowed only 4 runs in 13 innings pitched. At the time of this writing, we are getting +124 with the Angels and we will be more than happy to take it.
Bob Balfe
Astros -135
Houston is a better baseball team and they do have the better starting pitcher on the mound tonight. Baseball takes a back seat to the damage of property in the Houston area so you can bet this team is going to be extra motivated tonight to get a win for their fan base. The Astros have been excellent on the road this year and great against right handers.
OC Dooley
Giants / Diamondbacks Over 9.5
At the bottom of this analysis an UNDEFEATED totals angle involving Arizona's starting pitcher making this a very high percentage wager. One can argue the oddsmakers have made a loud statement casting a relatively high total even though offensively-challenged San Francisco enters having stayed "under" the number in SIX consecutive contests where the attack was held to 3-or-less on the scoreboard "five" different times. One of the keys to this wager has to do with both Friday and Saturday matchups where both staff aces (Zack Greinke and Madison Bumgarner) participated but that is NOT the case today. Another critical factor is that Arizona veteran Fernando Rodney (successfully saved all 5 of the Diamondbacks wins in the past six days) is NOT slated to be available which most likely will lead to "added" runs being scored in the late stages of this contest. As mentioned earlier the oddsmakers have set a high spot even though we have an excellent pitching matchup which includes Patrick Corbin (1.23 ERA in the past four appearances) but his earned run average versus the lowly Giants (4.50) is on the high side. In the past two years (second half of the campaign) Corbin is a staggering 11-0 OVER the total versus opposing offenses that average 2.75-or-less extra base hits per contest. To add fuel to the fire Arizona as a team (after being held to 4 or less runs in four consecutive games) is a staggering 13-3 OVER the number in HOME setups like today
Harry Bondi
WASHINGTON (-3) over Cincinnati
Today we jump back into the NFL preseason and take the Redskins in a great situation. Any time we can get a team that’s 0-2 in the preseason and playing at home in Week 3, we’ll jump in and bet them. The pressure is on to have a good showing in front of the home crowd, especially in this case where Skins coach Jay Gruden is on the hot seat. Gruden had a 9-3 SU record in the preseason heading into this year, and overall the team is 13-3 the last four years, so expect them to get back on track here today.