07:05 PM MLB [902] PIT PIRATES -115 ( N TEPESCH -R / J TAILLON -R )
08:10 PM MLB [910] TOTAL u7.5 -110 (WAS NATIONALS vrs MIL BREWERS) ( M SCHERZER / Z DAVIES )
10:15 PM MLB [914] SFO GIANTS -1.5 -115 ( Z EFLIN -R / J PEAVY -R )
07:05 PM MLB [916] BAL ORIOLES -149 ( M MOORE -L / Y GALLARDO -R )
07:05 PM MLB [918] NY YANKEES -210 ( T MILONE -L / M TANAKA -R )
10:10 PM MLB [929] STL CARDINALS -116 ( C MARTINEZ -R / W LEBLANC -L )
1 unit bet pays 29 ....betdsi line
MLB parlays: 9-85, -12.86 units (risk 1 unit each pick)... winner #1 posted here......winner #2 posted here....winner #3 and nice winner #4... and small reduced winner #5, winner #6 paid 5.07 units...winner #7...and here is winner #8...and then winner #9
Goood luck everyone!! :firing: :toast:
:0074
ripped, cut and pasted, otherwise written by others, from across the internets:
Tepesch signed a Minor League contract with the Dodgers after a five-year run in the Rangers organization, holding a 4.56 ERA in 219 Major League innings. He had a 2.00 ERA in 18 innings with Triple-A Oklahoma City....The 27-year-old right-hander opened the season with Texas' Triple-A Round Rock affiliate and opted out on June 4 to join the Dodgers at Triple-A. His combined numbers in the Minor Leagues this year are 7-2 with a 3.66 ERA. He started for the Rangers at times in 2013 and '14, going 9-17 with a 4.56 ERA. He missed the entire 2015 season with elbow issues.
Milone was recalled from Triple-A Rochester to replace Pat Dean in the rotation after Dean was stung by the Yankees for seven runs in his last outing. In seven Minor League starts, Milone was 4-0 with a 1.66 ERA, 41 strikeouts and four walks, in 48 2/3 innings with Rochester....He has posted a 5.79 ERA in five major league starts (back in April), including going more than five innings in just one of them, with a 10.0 H/9 and 1.9 HR/9.
After nearly two months on the DL, Gallardo returned to the O?s Saturday and allowed two runs in five innings to earn his second win with the organization. While he did allow five hits and four walks, his increased fastball velocity was encouraging.
Matt Moore - 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks. I know it's tempting to roll with Moore, especially after coming his 10 strikeout performance last week, but that's a scary slope to slide down, even if you've got the coolest Toboggan west of the Mississippi. Don't forget, before those two starts, he held a 7.13 ERA across 7 starts. Jeez, that's worse than The Happening.
More than just a couple of good starts, there are real signs of improvement from Moore in the season as a whole, that could make this mini-breakout stick.
For one thing, we're seeing better control from Moore than ever before. Sporting a career walk rate of 10.0 percent, Moore has cut that down to 7.0 percent so far this season, the best mark of his career by a pretty healthy margin. He has managed to do this while sustaining his career strikeout rate of 21.9 percent, giving him the best K%-BB% of his career, at 14.9 percent. He isn't hitting the strike zone any more often (45.9 percent, per PITCHf/x), but Moore is garnering less contact on pitches in the zone, while upping his swinging strike rate to its highest rate since 2012. Moore's stuff is harder to hit this year, a good sign in his first full season back from surgery.
Martinez has made one start and two relief appearances at the Major League level this season, making the start on June 18th, allowing three runs in 4.1 innings to the Cardinals finishing with the no decision. The young right hander has conceded a total of four runs on ten hits in seven innings pitched this season. He made one start against the Red Sox last season and performed well, allowing just two runs in seven innings...Also Martinez is a very hittable pitcher that doesn?t get many strikeouts, and he posted a 4.50 ERA in Triple-A this season,
Contrarian chalk is an oxymoron so let's call Steven Matz a popular swerve for those looking to fade Scherzer. The New York Mets lefty takes the Turner Field hill to face an Atlanta Braves squad that's last in the league with respect to weighted on base average (wOBA) versus southpaws. The only concern is Matz incurred some elbow soreness during his last start, but he came through a Wednesday bullpen session unscathed. Still, a long outing is unlikely, which tempers Matz's potential
LeBlanc, acquired Wednesday from Toronto, is expected to start in place of Taijuan Walker, who is dealing with tendinitis in his arch. The 31-year-old pitched in Japan last year ... and was 7-2 with a 1.71 ERA in 14 starts, with a 1.171 WHIP over 89.2 innings, for Triple-A Buffalo of the International League. His control was solid as well as he had logged 85 strikeouts while walking 21
Blue Jays vs. White Sox
Play: Blue Jays -137
The Chicago White Sox are coming off an 8-7 loss to the Red Sox at Fenway on Thursday, but they still did Toronto a favor by taking three of four from the Jays division rival in that series. I don't think the Jays will show any gratitude tonight though, but come out swinging to put a beating on the White Sox.
Aaron Sanchez (7-1, 3.35 ERA) takes the ball for Toronto. He's yet to lose on the road this season as the 23 year old is 5-0 with a 2.43 ERA and .205 batting average against in eight starts. Sanchez held the Orioles to a pair of runs in a 13-3 win at Camden Yards his last time out.
The White Sox turn to Carlos Rodon (2-6, 4.16) who is 1-3 with a 4.55 ERA in six home starts this season. The White Sox have lost eight of his last nine starts overall and the 23 year old southpaw has a 1.49 WHIP on the season while allowing opponents a .289 batting average. We can note that the Blue Jays are 9-1 in their last 10 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30. Rodon held Cleveland to a pair of runs on eight hits in 6 1/3 innings his last start but the White Sox are 1-5 in his last six starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
The White Sox are 2-5 in their last seven home games following a road trip of seven or more days and they're averaging just 3.85 runs per game home at U.S. Cellular Field this season. Odds are they'll struggle to keep up with the Jays high-octane offense tonight.
Chicago vs. Miami
Play: Miami +142
Given their injuries, bullpen problems and Kyle Hendricks pitching on the road, the Cubs opened way too high for this matchup against the Marlins.
Chicago has lost a season-high four straight games. The Cubs are not that strong with Dexter Fowler and Jorge Soler on the DL and Anthony Rizzo and Miguel Montero questionable. Neither Rizzo (sore back) nor Montero (knee) played on Thursday during the Cubs' 4-2 loss to Miami.
The Cubs have scored nine runs in their last four games, failing to score more than three in any of the matchups. Can they break through against Tom Koehler? He's a bottom-of-the-rotation type, but pitches better at home with a 3.58 ERA compared to 4.17 on the road. Koehler is in decent form, too, allowing three runs or fewer during each of his last nine starts. The Marlins have a rested A.J. Ramos, who is perfect in save opportunities this season, to finish.
The Marlins are 5-2 in their last seven games. They have won six of their past eight games at Marlins Park.
Hendricks is 1-5 away from Wrigley Field with a 4.36 ERA. He has a huge home/road split since he's 4-1 at home with a 1.93 ERA. Chicago has dropped Hendricks' past five road starts. The Cubs' bullpen is going through a tough stretch with a 4.30 ERA this month and 5.40 ERA during their past eight games.
The Cubs' bullpen situation is dire enough that management is resurrecting 41-year-old Joe Nathan, who has begun a minor-league rehab assignment after being out nearly the entire 2015 season following Tommy John surgery.
Washington at Milwaukee
Pick: Milwaukee +1.5
Nice home dog spot for the Brewers considering Zach Davies is on the mound for Milwaukee and we can get the +1.5 runs at a pick'em price. Davies is enjoying an incredible stretch as he has allowed 2 earned runs or less in 8 of his last 9 starts! In his last 4 starts he's been particularly hot as the veteran right-hander has allowed only 3 earned runs on just 13 hits in the 28 innings spanning those 4 outings. These are phenomenal numbers and he now has the added edge of facing a Nationals team that has never faced him. While Washington does have Max Scherzer on the mound and the veteran righty is in great current form and has also enjoyed success against Milwaukee in his career, I just don't see the Nationals as being able to create any kind of separation in this game. The Nats come into this game having lost 5 straight and they've only scored 2.4 runs per game in those 5 games. Taking a look at their last 11 games Washington only has 3 victories by a multiple-run margin during this 11-game stretch. 10 of Milwaukee's last 21 defeats have come by just a single run and the Brewers come into this game having won 14 of their last 23 home games!
New York Mets at Atlanta Braves
Play: New York Mets -1.5 +100
The defending National League champions take to Turner Field for Game #2 of a four-game series when the New York Mets (38-33) tangle with the Atlanta Braves (25-47). The Braves, who have the worst record in the NL, have won seven of their last eight, six consecutive wins, before Wednesday's loss to the Miami Marlins. Atlanta returned to the winners column on Thursday night with a come-from-behind victory over struggling Matt Harvey and look to begin another positive streak tonight versus southpaw Steven Matz
The Braves are relying on a rejuvenated pitching staff and the bat of Freddie Freeman in combination with the power of Adonis Garcia to carry the offense. Freeman was batting .458 (11-of-24) with a homer and four RBI heading into Thursday night's tilt against the Mets. The first baseman was 3-of-15 in his career against Mets starter Matt Harvey with one RBI and was 1-for-4 in the team's 4-3 victory at Turner on Thursday.
As much as New York is struggling with injuries that has effected their offense the Braves have done almost nothing against left-handed pitching in the first two-plus months of the season and the situation of battling a southpaw tonight confronts them once again.
Mets
The Mets players and coaches spoke openly about tonight's starting pitcher, Steven Matz, and the concerns regarding the elbow tightness that left-hander dealt with during his start against the Braves last Saturday.
"He didn't seem too concerned about it," Mets skipper Terry Collins told the press. "He was warming up and it was a little tight. He loosened up and when I told him he was done, he told me his elbow was a little tight anyway."
Matz (7-3, 2.74 ERA) makes his 19th career start against the Braves tonight. The New York southpaw is 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA in four outings against Atlanta and he has two wins over the NL foe twice this season. Matz held the Braves to two runs and four hits with seven strikeouts in six innings of a no-decision on Saturday. The young lefty has had his share of hot and not-so-hot stretches this season. The 25-year-old won seven straight starts after losing his season debut and is currently riding an 0-2 starting run with a 4.24 ERA in June.
The New York left-hander was 7-0 mid-month with a 2.71 ERA (3.10 SIERA) with a 4.69 K/BB ratio. Matz has stellar command and an above average strikeout rate (25%).
Braves
Right-hander Aaron Blair has yet to record his first major-league victory. The oddsmakers opened the struggling Mets and Matz has dollar-and-a-half favorites at Turner Field tonight and the money-line has moved the last 12-plus hours making New York minus-170 chalk at some offshore outlets.
The rookie pitched well enough to earn a win in his last start, a no-decision against the Mets on Saturday, giving up three runs and five hits with just one walk in six innings of work. The youngster lefty came into last weekend's turn against New York having allowed six or more runs three times in his previous five outings, walking 11 over 13 1/3 frames in his first three outings in June.
Blair is a typical young left-hander, one that struggles with command and a ground-to-fly ball ratio. The Braves southpaw is making just the 11th start of his career tonight and he takes his turn having given up 26 walks and seven home runs in just 46 1/3 innings.
Outlook
Blair takes the mound tonight in a spot that isn't favorable. He faces a hungry Mets bunch and his offense has been completely quiet this season when facing left-handed pitchers.
Key Stats
The Braves are dead last in all of baseball when examining their stat-line against left-handed arms. As a team they are hitting .224 with an on-base-percentage of just .283. They have hit only 9 home runs against lefties this year in 854 at-bats and their OPS versus southpaws heading into tonight's tilt is a mere .586. No offensive club in either league has such porous numbers against left-handed pitching, not even close.
Arizona vs. Colorado
Play: Colorado -132
I have been extremely impressed by Colorado southpaw Tyler Anderson, who began the season on the Disabled List with a right oblique strain. The 20th overall selection in the 2011 draft, Anderson impressed in his Major League debut on June 12 against the Padres, allowing just one extra-base hit and recording 60 strikes among his 92 pitches (6.3 IP; 1 ER; 6/0 K/BB). The talented lefty followed up that performance with another solid against the Marlins, limited Miami to two runs over 5 2/3 innings of work. Overall, Anderson owns a 2.25 ERA and 0.91 WHIP this season, and boasts a 10/1 K/BB ratio in 12 innings pitched.
Anderson's surface statistics are fully supported by his underlying metrics: 1.70 FIP, 2.67 xFIP and 2.88 SIERA. The 26-year-old also owns a 58.8% GB%, which will certainly help him in Colorado's thin air. Indeed, the youngster has now allowed a home run in his first two career starts. Anderson now faces an injury-riddled Arizona lineup missing outfielders David Peralta (lower back sprain), Chris Owings (plantar fasciitis) and A.J. Pollack (elbow surgery). The Diamondbacks are ranked 17th in MLB in runs scored on the road and have struggled to plate runs in June.
Specifically, Arizona is currently ranked 21st this month in both runs scored and OPS (.715), while also ranking 26th in OBP (.302). Meanwhile, Arizona right-hander Archie Bradley toes the rubber with a 4.83 ERA and 1.31 WHIP this season, including posting a 7.87 ERA and 1.75 WHIP at night, a 6.56 ERA and 1.41 WHIP versus division foes and a 4.67 ERA and 1.21 WHIP over his last three starts. The 23-year-old also owns a 6.14 ERA and 1.63 WHIP in two career starts against the Rockies.
The blue-chip prospect has always struggled with his command, walking nearly five batters per nine innings in the minors (12% walk rate). This season, Bradley owns a 4.39 BB/9 rate and a corresponding 11.4% BB%. Bradley has also been susceptible to giving up the long ball (1.54 HR/9), which is a certain death sentence at Coors Field where the Rockies are 1st in MLB in OPS (.892), OBP (.365) and SLG (.527). Equally important, Bradley's lack of command will be put to the test tonight as the Rockies are 5th in MLB in drawing walks at home, while owning the 4th-fewest strikeouts.
With Colorado standing at 21-12 (+14.7 units) following a one-run loss over the past two seasons, take the Rockies and invest with confidence.
Los Angeles @ Minnesota
Pick: Minnesota -4
The rematch! Defending champion Minnesota showed everyone who is still boss by winning at Los Angeles in an unbeaten showdown the last game, 72-69 as a dog. One weakness Los Angeles has is rebounding, ranked #11 in the league, and Minnesota crushed them on the glass, 42-29, including 12-5 on the offensive boards. Sylvia Fowles had 11 rebounds and helped contain the Sparks' high-powered frontcourt of Candace Parker and Nneka Ogwumike. Parker and Ogwumike have combined to average 32.7 points this season, but the duo was held 18 points against the terrific Lynx' defense (LA shot 40%). Minnesota is second in the WNBA in points scored, points allowed and assists. The Lynx are 8-2 ATS against the Western Conference and the Sparks are 4-10 ATS in the last 14 meetings in Minnesota.
Miami Marlins + over Chicago Cubs
There has been some recent erosion in the numbers for Kyle Hendricks who still owns a great 2.94 ERA and a nearly 4:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The Cubs have lost four of his last seven starts and for the first time all season Chicago has lost four consecutive games. While the run differential for the Cubs is still remarkable, leading baseball by a mile at +162, the division lead is now just nine games over the Cardinals and the Rangers are actually just a game behind the Cubs for baseball's best record. Hendricks featured a lot of groundball outs in the first two months of the season and there has been a sharp decline in those percentages over his last three starts. His strikeout numbers have been good in that run but he has allowed seven runs in his last three starts, including giving up three home runs.
Incredibly the Cubs are only 6-7 behind Hendricks and 41-17 behind the other starters for the team and the home/road splits severely contrast for the right-hander with Hendricks 1-5 on the road with a 4.36 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. The recent slide has mostly been due to the offense however as Chicago is batting just .229 in the last 10 games while scoring 3.8 runs per game, big drops from the season production. Chicago has been held to four or fewer runs in eight of the last 10 games and they face a hot pitcher in Tom Koehler. With rather average career numbers Koehler may be on track for a career year as he has been outstanding since early May. After allowing eight runs on May 1 Koehler owns a 2.58 ERA in nine starts since, posting seven quality starts in that run and allowing only one home run in over 55 innings of work. His season numbers are much stronger in Miami and this is a Marlins team that has quietly charged right into the playoff race including a recent 7-3 run the past 10 games. Miami's bullpen owns a dominant 1.67 ERA in the past 10 games while the late innings have been a recent sore spot for the Cubs and Miami is batting .311 with 5.6 runs per game in that span vs. right-handed pitching. The host has won five of the last six in this series and despite his team playing in its worst stretch of the season Hendricks is a similarly priced road favorite today against a 39-34 Marlins team as he was at home vs. a 34-39 Pirates team in his last start.
Montreal +120 over WINNIPEG
Maybe it's the return to the royal blues of their heyday or the signing of a few high profile free agents but there is a buzz around the Blue Bombers heading into Week 1. While the additions of running back Andrew Harris and receivers Weston Dressler and Ryan Smith look nice when it's time to sell jerseys, we see these additions as purely cosmetic. The Bombers still have major problems on the offensive line and free agent signing center, Jeff Keeping is out at least eight weeks after suffering a knee injury. It's so bad that Bombers offensive line Coach, Bob Wylie is already on the offensive, defending a unit that gave up the second most sacks in the league last year with 59. Wylie went off last week, ?We let up 59 sacks! Are you sure it was us, we let up every sack? Are you positive with that shit? No, we let up every sack, is that right? We are a part of it, but of the 71 sacks the club allowed two years ago, the offensive line game up 27″. The Bombers did not address their weak offensive line in the off-season and so it is very suspect again.
Four of the five starters from last seasons? suspect offensive line are back. Richie Hall?s defense was ranked eighth in the league last season, and it allowed a whopping average of 6.8 yards on first down. Winnipeg?s cover teams were atrocious in 2015, costing special teams? coordinator Pat Tracey his job in September. The Bombers allowed four punt returns for touchdowns.
On offense, the Blue Bombers welcomed former HC Paul La Police back to the fold and he will serve as Mike O'Shea's offensive coordinator this season. That could be a little awkward for O'Shea, as LaPolice?s original ouster came with much controversy. It will be a tough task integrating a new receiving group that was unable to suit up together during the preseason, as Dressler sat out both exhibition games. In game one of the preseason, the Bombers handled the Als 36-13 at Investors Group Field but the only thing that does is give us a better number here.
Kevin Glenn is timeless. It's hard to believe he was sent packing by the Bombers in 2009 just over a year after leading the Bombers to the Grey Cup. One could argue he'd have been Winnipeg's best option at QB the last seven years. Regardless, he's bounced around the league but always seems to find himself in the starter?s role. Glenn will not have to wait for an injury before taking the reins, as the Als will let the vet lead the offense from day one. Glenn is surrounded by great talent that includes standout receiver Duran Carter who he hooked up with in Week 2 of the preseason for a 78-yard major. Carter returns following a season of sitting in the NFL. Fellow receiver Kenny Stafford returns as a free agent from Edmonton.Tyrell Sutton, the CFL?s leading rusher last season, returns to the backfield. Offensively more than capable and very dangerous, the Als strength is not even on the offensive side.
Veteran rush-end John Bowman led the league in sacks in 2015, with 19 and that was despite missing two games while being benched by former head coach Tom Higgins. Also back is middle-linebacker Bear Woods, who missed most of the season with a torn pectoral muscle. In 2014, when he was relatively healthy, Woods was the division?s nominee as most outstanding defensive player. The Als signed defensive-tackle Vaughn Martin, a 2011 draft choice who has been playing in the NFL, mostly with San Diego and Miami. Rush-end DeQuin Evans comes over as a free agent following two seasons at Calgary, while veteran cornerback Jovon Johnson was added from Ottawa.
After using seven different QB?s last year, Montreal comes into this season with some stability both at QB and in the coaching ranks. While Kevin Glenn is no Anthony Calvillo, the market would be wise not to sleep on the 15-year vet.
There's going to be a lot of excitement in the Manitoba capital tonight as the NHL Draft will be broadcast before this game. In case you didn't know, the Jets moved up in the lottery and will pick second so there figures to be a buzz in the stadium. We say big deal. The Bombers have a ton of pressure on them to win now. They have missed the playoffs in four straight years and they?re losing fans quickly because of it. Another bad year and theses seats will be empty once the cold weather rolls in. A bad start here and the fans will be booing these Bombers off the field tonight. Montreal is a well-established, soundly run CFL team that has missed the playoffs once since 1996. That was last year and we trust the Als franchise to get back on track quickly much more than we trust the Bombers and it all starts here. Als outright is the call.
08:10 PM MLB [910] TOTAL u7.5 -110 (WAS NATIONALS vrs MIL BREWERS) ( M SCHERZER / Z DAVIES )
10:15 PM MLB [914] SFO GIANTS -1.5 -115 ( Z EFLIN -R / J PEAVY -R )
07:05 PM MLB [916] BAL ORIOLES -149 ( M MOORE -L / Y GALLARDO -R )
07:05 PM MLB [918] NY YANKEES -210 ( T MILONE -L / M TANAKA -R )
10:10 PM MLB [929] STL CARDINALS -116 ( C MARTINEZ -R / W LEBLANC -L )
1 unit bet pays 29 ....betdsi line
MLB parlays: 9-85, -12.86 units (risk 1 unit each pick)... winner #1 posted here......winner #2 posted here....winner #3 and nice winner #4... and small reduced winner #5, winner #6 paid 5.07 units...winner #7...and here is winner #8...and then winner #9
Goood luck everyone!! :firing: :toast:
ripped, cut and pasted, otherwise written by others, from across the internets:
Tepesch signed a Minor League contract with the Dodgers after a five-year run in the Rangers organization, holding a 4.56 ERA in 219 Major League innings. He had a 2.00 ERA in 18 innings with Triple-A Oklahoma City....The 27-year-old right-hander opened the season with Texas' Triple-A Round Rock affiliate and opted out on June 4 to join the Dodgers at Triple-A. His combined numbers in the Minor Leagues this year are 7-2 with a 3.66 ERA. He started for the Rangers at times in 2013 and '14, going 9-17 with a 4.56 ERA. He missed the entire 2015 season with elbow issues.
Milone was recalled from Triple-A Rochester to replace Pat Dean in the rotation after Dean was stung by the Yankees for seven runs in his last outing. In seven Minor League starts, Milone was 4-0 with a 1.66 ERA, 41 strikeouts and four walks, in 48 2/3 innings with Rochester....He has posted a 5.79 ERA in five major league starts (back in April), including going more than five innings in just one of them, with a 10.0 H/9 and 1.9 HR/9.
After nearly two months on the DL, Gallardo returned to the O?s Saturday and allowed two runs in five innings to earn his second win with the organization. While he did allow five hits and four walks, his increased fastball velocity was encouraging.
Matt Moore - 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks. I know it's tempting to roll with Moore, especially after coming his 10 strikeout performance last week, but that's a scary slope to slide down, even if you've got the coolest Toboggan west of the Mississippi. Don't forget, before those two starts, he held a 7.13 ERA across 7 starts. Jeez, that's worse than The Happening.
More than just a couple of good starts, there are real signs of improvement from Moore in the season as a whole, that could make this mini-breakout stick.
For one thing, we're seeing better control from Moore than ever before. Sporting a career walk rate of 10.0 percent, Moore has cut that down to 7.0 percent so far this season, the best mark of his career by a pretty healthy margin. He has managed to do this while sustaining his career strikeout rate of 21.9 percent, giving him the best K%-BB% of his career, at 14.9 percent. He isn't hitting the strike zone any more often (45.9 percent, per PITCHf/x), but Moore is garnering less contact on pitches in the zone, while upping his swinging strike rate to its highest rate since 2012. Moore's stuff is harder to hit this year, a good sign in his first full season back from surgery.
Martinez has made one start and two relief appearances at the Major League level this season, making the start on June 18th, allowing three runs in 4.1 innings to the Cardinals finishing with the no decision. The young right hander has conceded a total of four runs on ten hits in seven innings pitched this season. He made one start against the Red Sox last season and performed well, allowing just two runs in seven innings...Also Martinez is a very hittable pitcher that doesn?t get many strikeouts, and he posted a 4.50 ERA in Triple-A this season,
Contrarian chalk is an oxymoron so let's call Steven Matz a popular swerve for those looking to fade Scherzer. The New York Mets lefty takes the Turner Field hill to face an Atlanta Braves squad that's last in the league with respect to weighted on base average (wOBA) versus southpaws. The only concern is Matz incurred some elbow soreness during his last start, but he came through a Wednesday bullpen session unscathed. Still, a long outing is unlikely, which tempers Matz's potential
LeBlanc, acquired Wednesday from Toronto, is expected to start in place of Taijuan Walker, who is dealing with tendinitis in his arch. The 31-year-old pitched in Japan last year ... and was 7-2 with a 1.71 ERA in 14 starts, with a 1.171 WHIP over 89.2 innings, for Triple-A Buffalo of the International League. His control was solid as well as he had logged 85 strikeouts while walking 21
Blue Jays vs. White Sox
Play: Blue Jays -137
The Chicago White Sox are coming off an 8-7 loss to the Red Sox at Fenway on Thursday, but they still did Toronto a favor by taking three of four from the Jays division rival in that series. I don't think the Jays will show any gratitude tonight though, but come out swinging to put a beating on the White Sox.
Aaron Sanchez (7-1, 3.35 ERA) takes the ball for Toronto. He's yet to lose on the road this season as the 23 year old is 5-0 with a 2.43 ERA and .205 batting average against in eight starts. Sanchez held the Orioles to a pair of runs in a 13-3 win at Camden Yards his last time out.
The White Sox turn to Carlos Rodon (2-6, 4.16) who is 1-3 with a 4.55 ERA in six home starts this season. The White Sox have lost eight of his last nine starts overall and the 23 year old southpaw has a 1.49 WHIP on the season while allowing opponents a .289 batting average. We can note that the Blue Jays are 9-1 in their last 10 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30. Rodon held Cleveland to a pair of runs on eight hits in 6 1/3 innings his last start but the White Sox are 1-5 in his last six starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
The White Sox are 2-5 in their last seven home games following a road trip of seven or more days and they're averaging just 3.85 runs per game home at U.S. Cellular Field this season. Odds are they'll struggle to keep up with the Jays high-octane offense tonight.
Chicago vs. Miami
Play: Miami +142
Given their injuries, bullpen problems and Kyle Hendricks pitching on the road, the Cubs opened way too high for this matchup against the Marlins.
Chicago has lost a season-high four straight games. The Cubs are not that strong with Dexter Fowler and Jorge Soler on the DL and Anthony Rizzo and Miguel Montero questionable. Neither Rizzo (sore back) nor Montero (knee) played on Thursday during the Cubs' 4-2 loss to Miami.
The Cubs have scored nine runs in their last four games, failing to score more than three in any of the matchups. Can they break through against Tom Koehler? He's a bottom-of-the-rotation type, but pitches better at home with a 3.58 ERA compared to 4.17 on the road. Koehler is in decent form, too, allowing three runs or fewer during each of his last nine starts. The Marlins have a rested A.J. Ramos, who is perfect in save opportunities this season, to finish.
The Marlins are 5-2 in their last seven games. They have won six of their past eight games at Marlins Park.
Hendricks is 1-5 away from Wrigley Field with a 4.36 ERA. He has a huge home/road split since he's 4-1 at home with a 1.93 ERA. Chicago has dropped Hendricks' past five road starts. The Cubs' bullpen is going through a tough stretch with a 4.30 ERA this month and 5.40 ERA during their past eight games.
The Cubs' bullpen situation is dire enough that management is resurrecting 41-year-old Joe Nathan, who has begun a minor-league rehab assignment after being out nearly the entire 2015 season following Tommy John surgery.
Washington at Milwaukee
Pick: Milwaukee +1.5
Nice home dog spot for the Brewers considering Zach Davies is on the mound for Milwaukee and we can get the +1.5 runs at a pick'em price. Davies is enjoying an incredible stretch as he has allowed 2 earned runs or less in 8 of his last 9 starts! In his last 4 starts he's been particularly hot as the veteran right-hander has allowed only 3 earned runs on just 13 hits in the 28 innings spanning those 4 outings. These are phenomenal numbers and he now has the added edge of facing a Nationals team that has never faced him. While Washington does have Max Scherzer on the mound and the veteran righty is in great current form and has also enjoyed success against Milwaukee in his career, I just don't see the Nationals as being able to create any kind of separation in this game. The Nats come into this game having lost 5 straight and they've only scored 2.4 runs per game in those 5 games. Taking a look at their last 11 games Washington only has 3 victories by a multiple-run margin during this 11-game stretch. 10 of Milwaukee's last 21 defeats have come by just a single run and the Brewers come into this game having won 14 of their last 23 home games!
New York Mets at Atlanta Braves
Play: New York Mets -1.5 +100
The defending National League champions take to Turner Field for Game #2 of a four-game series when the New York Mets (38-33) tangle with the Atlanta Braves (25-47). The Braves, who have the worst record in the NL, have won seven of their last eight, six consecutive wins, before Wednesday's loss to the Miami Marlins. Atlanta returned to the winners column on Thursday night with a come-from-behind victory over struggling Matt Harvey and look to begin another positive streak tonight versus southpaw Steven Matz
The Braves are relying on a rejuvenated pitching staff and the bat of Freddie Freeman in combination with the power of Adonis Garcia to carry the offense. Freeman was batting .458 (11-of-24) with a homer and four RBI heading into Thursday night's tilt against the Mets. The first baseman was 3-of-15 in his career against Mets starter Matt Harvey with one RBI and was 1-for-4 in the team's 4-3 victory at Turner on Thursday.
As much as New York is struggling with injuries that has effected their offense the Braves have done almost nothing against left-handed pitching in the first two-plus months of the season and the situation of battling a southpaw tonight confronts them once again.
Mets
The Mets players and coaches spoke openly about tonight's starting pitcher, Steven Matz, and the concerns regarding the elbow tightness that left-hander dealt with during his start against the Braves last Saturday.
"He didn't seem too concerned about it," Mets skipper Terry Collins told the press. "He was warming up and it was a little tight. He loosened up and when I told him he was done, he told me his elbow was a little tight anyway."
Matz (7-3, 2.74 ERA) makes his 19th career start against the Braves tonight. The New York southpaw is 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA in four outings against Atlanta and he has two wins over the NL foe twice this season. Matz held the Braves to two runs and four hits with seven strikeouts in six innings of a no-decision on Saturday. The young lefty has had his share of hot and not-so-hot stretches this season. The 25-year-old won seven straight starts after losing his season debut and is currently riding an 0-2 starting run with a 4.24 ERA in June.
The New York left-hander was 7-0 mid-month with a 2.71 ERA (3.10 SIERA) with a 4.69 K/BB ratio. Matz has stellar command and an above average strikeout rate (25%).
Braves
Right-hander Aaron Blair has yet to record his first major-league victory. The oddsmakers opened the struggling Mets and Matz has dollar-and-a-half favorites at Turner Field tonight and the money-line has moved the last 12-plus hours making New York minus-170 chalk at some offshore outlets.
The rookie pitched well enough to earn a win in his last start, a no-decision against the Mets on Saturday, giving up three runs and five hits with just one walk in six innings of work. The youngster lefty came into last weekend's turn against New York having allowed six or more runs three times in his previous five outings, walking 11 over 13 1/3 frames in his first three outings in June.
Blair is a typical young left-hander, one that struggles with command and a ground-to-fly ball ratio. The Braves southpaw is making just the 11th start of his career tonight and he takes his turn having given up 26 walks and seven home runs in just 46 1/3 innings.
Outlook
Blair takes the mound tonight in a spot that isn't favorable. He faces a hungry Mets bunch and his offense has been completely quiet this season when facing left-handed pitchers.
Key Stats
The Braves are dead last in all of baseball when examining their stat-line against left-handed arms. As a team they are hitting .224 with an on-base-percentage of just .283. They have hit only 9 home runs against lefties this year in 854 at-bats and their OPS versus southpaws heading into tonight's tilt is a mere .586. No offensive club in either league has such porous numbers against left-handed pitching, not even close.
Arizona vs. Colorado
Play: Colorado -132
I have been extremely impressed by Colorado southpaw Tyler Anderson, who began the season on the Disabled List with a right oblique strain. The 20th overall selection in the 2011 draft, Anderson impressed in his Major League debut on June 12 against the Padres, allowing just one extra-base hit and recording 60 strikes among his 92 pitches (6.3 IP; 1 ER; 6/0 K/BB). The talented lefty followed up that performance with another solid against the Marlins, limited Miami to two runs over 5 2/3 innings of work. Overall, Anderson owns a 2.25 ERA and 0.91 WHIP this season, and boasts a 10/1 K/BB ratio in 12 innings pitched.
Anderson's surface statistics are fully supported by his underlying metrics: 1.70 FIP, 2.67 xFIP and 2.88 SIERA. The 26-year-old also owns a 58.8% GB%, which will certainly help him in Colorado's thin air. Indeed, the youngster has now allowed a home run in his first two career starts. Anderson now faces an injury-riddled Arizona lineup missing outfielders David Peralta (lower back sprain), Chris Owings (plantar fasciitis) and A.J. Pollack (elbow surgery). The Diamondbacks are ranked 17th in MLB in runs scored on the road and have struggled to plate runs in June.
Specifically, Arizona is currently ranked 21st this month in both runs scored and OPS (.715), while also ranking 26th in OBP (.302). Meanwhile, Arizona right-hander Archie Bradley toes the rubber with a 4.83 ERA and 1.31 WHIP this season, including posting a 7.87 ERA and 1.75 WHIP at night, a 6.56 ERA and 1.41 WHIP versus division foes and a 4.67 ERA and 1.21 WHIP over his last three starts. The 23-year-old also owns a 6.14 ERA and 1.63 WHIP in two career starts against the Rockies.
The blue-chip prospect has always struggled with his command, walking nearly five batters per nine innings in the minors (12% walk rate). This season, Bradley owns a 4.39 BB/9 rate and a corresponding 11.4% BB%. Bradley has also been susceptible to giving up the long ball (1.54 HR/9), which is a certain death sentence at Coors Field where the Rockies are 1st in MLB in OPS (.892), OBP (.365) and SLG (.527). Equally important, Bradley's lack of command will be put to the test tonight as the Rockies are 5th in MLB in drawing walks at home, while owning the 4th-fewest strikeouts.
With Colorado standing at 21-12 (+14.7 units) following a one-run loss over the past two seasons, take the Rockies and invest with confidence.
Los Angeles @ Minnesota
Pick: Minnesota -4
The rematch! Defending champion Minnesota showed everyone who is still boss by winning at Los Angeles in an unbeaten showdown the last game, 72-69 as a dog. One weakness Los Angeles has is rebounding, ranked #11 in the league, and Minnesota crushed them on the glass, 42-29, including 12-5 on the offensive boards. Sylvia Fowles had 11 rebounds and helped contain the Sparks' high-powered frontcourt of Candace Parker and Nneka Ogwumike. Parker and Ogwumike have combined to average 32.7 points this season, but the duo was held 18 points against the terrific Lynx' defense (LA shot 40%). Minnesota is second in the WNBA in points scored, points allowed and assists. The Lynx are 8-2 ATS against the Western Conference and the Sparks are 4-10 ATS in the last 14 meetings in Minnesota.
Miami Marlins + over Chicago Cubs
There has been some recent erosion in the numbers for Kyle Hendricks who still owns a great 2.94 ERA and a nearly 4:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The Cubs have lost four of his last seven starts and for the first time all season Chicago has lost four consecutive games. While the run differential for the Cubs is still remarkable, leading baseball by a mile at +162, the division lead is now just nine games over the Cardinals and the Rangers are actually just a game behind the Cubs for baseball's best record. Hendricks featured a lot of groundball outs in the first two months of the season and there has been a sharp decline in those percentages over his last three starts. His strikeout numbers have been good in that run but he has allowed seven runs in his last three starts, including giving up three home runs.
Incredibly the Cubs are only 6-7 behind Hendricks and 41-17 behind the other starters for the team and the home/road splits severely contrast for the right-hander with Hendricks 1-5 on the road with a 4.36 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. The recent slide has mostly been due to the offense however as Chicago is batting just .229 in the last 10 games while scoring 3.8 runs per game, big drops from the season production. Chicago has been held to four or fewer runs in eight of the last 10 games and they face a hot pitcher in Tom Koehler. With rather average career numbers Koehler may be on track for a career year as he has been outstanding since early May. After allowing eight runs on May 1 Koehler owns a 2.58 ERA in nine starts since, posting seven quality starts in that run and allowing only one home run in over 55 innings of work. His season numbers are much stronger in Miami and this is a Marlins team that has quietly charged right into the playoff race including a recent 7-3 run the past 10 games. Miami's bullpen owns a dominant 1.67 ERA in the past 10 games while the late innings have been a recent sore spot for the Cubs and Miami is batting .311 with 5.6 runs per game in that span vs. right-handed pitching. The host has won five of the last six in this series and despite his team playing in its worst stretch of the season Hendricks is a similarly priced road favorite today against a 39-34 Marlins team as he was at home vs. a 34-39 Pirates team in his last start.
Montreal +120 over WINNIPEG
Maybe it's the return to the royal blues of their heyday or the signing of a few high profile free agents but there is a buzz around the Blue Bombers heading into Week 1. While the additions of running back Andrew Harris and receivers Weston Dressler and Ryan Smith look nice when it's time to sell jerseys, we see these additions as purely cosmetic. The Bombers still have major problems on the offensive line and free agent signing center, Jeff Keeping is out at least eight weeks after suffering a knee injury. It's so bad that Bombers offensive line Coach, Bob Wylie is already on the offensive, defending a unit that gave up the second most sacks in the league last year with 59. Wylie went off last week, ?We let up 59 sacks! Are you sure it was us, we let up every sack? Are you positive with that shit? No, we let up every sack, is that right? We are a part of it, but of the 71 sacks the club allowed two years ago, the offensive line game up 27″. The Bombers did not address their weak offensive line in the off-season and so it is very suspect again.
Four of the five starters from last seasons? suspect offensive line are back. Richie Hall?s defense was ranked eighth in the league last season, and it allowed a whopping average of 6.8 yards on first down. Winnipeg?s cover teams were atrocious in 2015, costing special teams? coordinator Pat Tracey his job in September. The Bombers allowed four punt returns for touchdowns.
On offense, the Blue Bombers welcomed former HC Paul La Police back to the fold and he will serve as Mike O'Shea's offensive coordinator this season. That could be a little awkward for O'Shea, as LaPolice?s original ouster came with much controversy. It will be a tough task integrating a new receiving group that was unable to suit up together during the preseason, as Dressler sat out both exhibition games. In game one of the preseason, the Bombers handled the Als 36-13 at Investors Group Field but the only thing that does is give us a better number here.
Kevin Glenn is timeless. It's hard to believe he was sent packing by the Bombers in 2009 just over a year after leading the Bombers to the Grey Cup. One could argue he'd have been Winnipeg's best option at QB the last seven years. Regardless, he's bounced around the league but always seems to find himself in the starter?s role. Glenn will not have to wait for an injury before taking the reins, as the Als will let the vet lead the offense from day one. Glenn is surrounded by great talent that includes standout receiver Duran Carter who he hooked up with in Week 2 of the preseason for a 78-yard major. Carter returns following a season of sitting in the NFL. Fellow receiver Kenny Stafford returns as a free agent from Edmonton.Tyrell Sutton, the CFL?s leading rusher last season, returns to the backfield. Offensively more than capable and very dangerous, the Als strength is not even on the offensive side.
Veteran rush-end John Bowman led the league in sacks in 2015, with 19 and that was despite missing two games while being benched by former head coach Tom Higgins. Also back is middle-linebacker Bear Woods, who missed most of the season with a torn pectoral muscle. In 2014, when he was relatively healthy, Woods was the division?s nominee as most outstanding defensive player. The Als signed defensive-tackle Vaughn Martin, a 2011 draft choice who has been playing in the NFL, mostly with San Diego and Miami. Rush-end DeQuin Evans comes over as a free agent following two seasons at Calgary, while veteran cornerback Jovon Johnson was added from Ottawa.
After using seven different QB?s last year, Montreal comes into this season with some stability both at QB and in the coaching ranks. While Kevin Glenn is no Anthony Calvillo, the market would be wise not to sleep on the 15-year vet.
There's going to be a lot of excitement in the Manitoba capital tonight as the NHL Draft will be broadcast before this game. In case you didn't know, the Jets moved up in the lottery and will pick second so there figures to be a buzz in the stadium. We say big deal. The Bombers have a ton of pressure on them to win now. They have missed the playoffs in four straight years and they?re losing fans quickly because of it. Another bad year and theses seats will be empty once the cold weather rolls in. A bad start here and the fans will be booing these Bombers off the field tonight. Montreal is a well-established, soundly run CFL team that has missed the playoffs once since 1996. That was last year and we trust the Als franchise to get back on track quickly much more than we trust the Bombers and it all starts here. Als outright is the call.
