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Houston had their winning streak snapped in game two on Saturday night, but they continue to hold a healthy lead in the AL West standings. The Astros are 31-14 at home this year, while the Cubs are 24-19 on the road. Chicago is also leading their division and they are starting Taillon, who has allowed 13 earned runs and 16 hits over his last 8.0 innings. Houston is going with Valdez, who has allowed two earned runs or fewer in five straight starts. Valdez has been elite over the last month.

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The underdogs have won each of the last four games between the Nationals and Angels while the road team has covered the run line in 14 of the Nationals’ last 15 games. In addition, the Angels have lost five of their last six games as home favorites against NL East opponents.

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The Houston Astros (49-33, 31-13 Home) are without a loss in the last ten series and are coming from a series sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies. Houston is now on a five-game winning streak after beating the Cubs 7-4 in Game 1 of this series.  Cubs starter, Colin Rea, has allowed 13 runs in his previous three starts, while he surrendered multiple runs in five of his last six starts.

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 Houston has won four games in a row and they are currently first in the AL West standings. The Houston pitching staff has a 3.40 ERA with a 1.14 WHIP and a .218 opponent batting average, while their offense has scored 338 runs with a .255 batting average and a .321 on base percentage this season. Isaac Paredes has led Houston with 16 home runs and 46 RBIs, while Jeremy Pena has added 11 home runs and 40 RBIs this year. 

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The Guardians won two out of three against the Athletics and two out of three against the Giants. Cleveland has won three of their last five games and they are currently second in the AL Central standings. The Cleveland pitching staff has a 3.90 ERA with a 1.37 WHIP.  The Cardinals have lost each of their last four games as favorites following a home loss while the Guardians have won three of their last four games as underdogs against NL Central opponents following a home loss. 

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The New York Mets will send out David Peterson for the start here and Peterson is 5-3 with a 2.98 ERA and 78 strikeouts this season. In his career, Peterson is 0-0 with a 3.21 ERA and 17 strikeouts against the Pirates. The Pittsburgh Pirates will send out Mitch Keller for the start here and Keller is 1-10 with a 4.02 ERA and 73 strikeouts this season. Additionally, the Mets have won each of their last 14 games as favorites against National League opponents while the Pirates have lost four of their last five games against National League opponents.

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The Saint Louis Cardinals have a 44-37 record this season and are sitting on the third place of the NL Central. The Cardinals have a 26-16 home record and are 43-35 in over/under They are coming off a 0-8 home defeat by the Cubs, but are 8-2 in their last 10 games. Andre Pallante (R) is the projected starting pitcher for the Cardinals, and he has a 5-3 record, 4.48 ERA and 1.31 WHIP.

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The Rays continue to win and continue to be valuable because they’re not a public team, so you can often get them at good prices. The Royals have lost four straight games and have scored two or fewer runs in all of those games. Baz has been at his best on the road, where he has a 3.57 ERA and .234 allowed batting average. Lorenzen has been hittable all season, and he’s allowed 17 hits and 14 runs in his last 20 innings. A hot Rays team should have a field day in this matchup. Give me the road team on Thursday afternoon.

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Houston’s Hunter Brown has a 1.19 home ERA while Philadelphia’s Cristopher Sanchez owns a 2.54 road ERA. Just like the previous two games in the series, expect the Astros to get the win in a low scoring matchup. The big difference in this game is Houston’s batting average at home where they hold a .273 average at the plate. Philadelphia is hitting just .237 on the road and that won’t be good enough against a pitcher as dominate as Hunter Brown. One crack of the bat should be enough for the Astros to sweep Philadelphia in Texas.

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The Houston Astros are batting .257 on the season, have a .322 OBP, and a .401 slugging percentage. The Houston Astros pitching staff has a 3.48 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. Jeremy Pena leads the Houston Astros with 100 hits and 40 RBI while Jose Altuve and Jake Meyers have combined for 155 hits and 54 RBI. Colton Gordon gets the ball for the Houston Astros, and he is 2-1 with a 4.54 ERA and 34 strikeouts this season. 

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Kansas City comes into this matchup looking to snap their three game losing streak, but they are the lowest scoring team in the MLB so far this season. The Royals are 19-20 at home this year, while the Rays are 17-12 on the road. Tampa Bay has scored at least five runs in three of their last four games and they are going against Wacha, who has been very inconsistent this year. The Rays will start Rasmussen, who has allowed two earned runs or fewer in four of his last five starts. Take Tampa Bay to get the win here. 

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I’m on Arizona here. I just think that while Zac Gallen has really struggled in his recent outings, the White Sox haven’t been a team that seem like they can give Gallen problems. This could be a great spot for Gallen to hit the reset button. Sean Burke hasn’t been a top-tier starter by any stretch, and I think this could be a great spot for the Diamondbacks to keep the momentum going against a clearly inferior opponent. Give me the Diamondbacks here.

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I’m backing the Astros because of their bullpen. We will see a couple of top-notch lefties on the mound, and both lineups have done a terrific job against the southpaws in the last 10 days (Phillies 210 wRC+, Astros 160 wRC+). The Astros ‘pen could easily make a difference down the stretch. Also, Framber Valdez has dominated the Phillies throughout his career, and he’s pitched at a high level over the last couple of months. Ranger Suarez is having a great season, too, so this game will be a joy to watch. 

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Tampa Bay will start right-hander Taj Bradley on Tuesday against the Royals. In his previous appearance, the 24-year-old surrendered seven runs (six earned) on six hits in 1.1 frames against Baltimore. He is 4-5 with a 4.95 ERA and 1.35 WHIP this year (15 starts), including 1-2 with a 4.02 ERA and 1.37 WHIP on the road (six starts). While KC's bats are off to a slow start (29th in scoring).

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Once again, the Thunder are the safer bet given they’re 65-36-4 ATS on the season and have been fantastic in these playoffs at home. The Thunder have also lost two straight games, just once since November. It would surprise nobody if the Thunder takes care of business like they have all year. However, I’ve been on the Pacers throughout this series, and it’s too late to turn back now. The Pacers have the more experienced coach, the more explosive offense and have an underrated defense. If the Pacers don’t collapse in game 4, this series is already over. I get the vibes that the Pacers aren’t afraid of the Thunder, and they’ve played stunning ball in these playoffs on the road. I question the inexperience of the Thunder and if those kids are ready for a game 7 of this magnitude. The Pacers are live in this spot like they have been all series. I’ll grab the points for insurance.

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The Astros are playing great baseball, and I see them taking over this one from the first inning. The Astros should constantly plate baserunners with Jeremy Pena, Isaac Paredes, and the rest of the batting order making contact and putting together strong plate appearances. The Astros should limit the Angels batting order, which averages only 4.07 runs per game, with Ryan Gusto pitching multiple strong innings to allow the bullpen to close out the game with a lead. The Astros should win the game with a strong performance on the road.

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The Athletics have won five of their last six games as underdogs against AL Central opponents have led after 3 innings in each of their last four home day games and have won the first inning in each of their last four day games at Sutter Health Park. While the Guardians have lost three of their last four games as road favorites and have trailed after 5 innings in seven of their last eight road day games.

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Ortiz has sputtered for Cleveland, going just 1-6 with a 4.31 ERA, a 1.509 WHIP, 30 walks and 51 strikeouts over 54.1 innings in his last 10 starts. That was after he was 2-2 in his first four starts of the year. Spence was recently shifted back into the rotation with J.T. Ginn plus Gunnar Hoglund on the IL and has responded with three solid outings. The Athletics are a young team but they do have some pop in their lineup. Some of that is helped by the friendly dimensions of Sutter Health Park but Ortiz is sketchy at best, in addition to being prone to handing out free passes. Give the advantage to the hosts here as the Guardians haven’t set the world on fire offensively, while the Athletics can generate some offense.

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The A’s have by far the worst bullpen in the league, but they have a better offense than the Guardians. Springs has a good history against the Guardians bats, and the A’s are playing their second straight series at home, while this will be the third straight road series for the Guardians. I like the Athletics as home dogs in this spot, so take the Athletics at plus money in this one.

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The Pirates have won three of their last four games as home underdogs. While the Rangers have lost five of their last seven games as road favorites against NL Central opponents and have trailed after 3 innings in each of their last three games.

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The Thunder are the safe pick because they’re 65-35-4 ATS on the season. However, I’m once again grabbing the points with the Pacers. The Thunder haven’t been good on the road in these playoffs, and they’re 1-8 ATS on the road. The Pacers should’ve won game 4, and they had their chances in game 5 despite Haliburton being a decoy. It was a two point game late in the fourth quarter. The Pacers have shown to have enough offense without Haliburton, and potentially more minutes for T.J. McConnell wouldn’t be a bad thing. The Pacers are 9-5 SU in their last 14 games as an underdog. The Pacers have won 12 of their last 17 games when an underdog of five or more points. Don’t write the Pacers off just yet. Give me the points. 

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Pirates are just 10-26 on the road. Pittsburgh has scored three runs or fewer in five straight games and they are one of the lowest scoring teams in the MLB so far this year. In game two, I am tempted to take the Pirates with Skenes, but I think we are getting a decent price with the much better team at home. 

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The teams have traded wins in the past couple of years, each recording five in the previous ten H2H encounters. This season, the Astros won three out of four meetings, and I am backing them to get another W on Wednesday. Framber Valdez allowed more than two runs just once in his previous seven starts, and he posted a remarkable 2.36 ERA in May. Valdez allowed a .213 BA in 47 at-bats against the Athletics in his career. Luis Severino, on the other hand, surrendered 14 runs in his last three starts, and I am backing the Astros to score 3+ off him early on.

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The Panthers have had games throughout the playoffs where they don’t bring much energy, and a lot of those games have been at home. So with their season on the line, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Oilers take advantage. However, the Panthers have now won six of the last eight games against the Oilers, and many of the games in this series weren’t close. In fact, you can argue the Panthers should have already wrapped this series up. The Panthers have won 20 of their last 27 games as a home favorite. When the Panthers are locked in and being aggressive offensively, there’s a gap between these teams, mainly due to the depth.

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I want nothing with Pfaadt, who has a 5.50 ERA and 1.42 WHIP on the season, and he has a 6.94 ERA and .280 allowed batting average in 35 road innings. No, thank you. The Blue Jays have played their best ball over the last month, and Bassitt has been strong this season with a 3.70 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. In 40 home innings, Bassitt has a 2.48 ERA and 45 strikeouts. The Blue Jays are playing the better ball right now and have the advantage on the mound. 

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Oklahoma City finally covered a road playoff game after going 0-8 ATS in their first eight postseason games in Game 4. The Thunder now has momentum in their back pocket plus home court advantage after rallying for their Game 4 victory. Indiana struggled in crunch time in Game 4 and that may come back to haunt them as they could have headed into this game with a 3-1 series advantage. The Pacers still have quality depth and they have the talent to hang with the Thunder. We saw them win Game 1 here before getting drubbed in Game 2. With Oklahoma City holding momentum, you have to think they can pull out the win but banking on a double-digit victory is dicey seeing that only one of the first four games has been decided by that margin. The Thunder gets the nod straight up but play the line, take the points and the Pacers.

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In this Athletics vs Kansas City Royals Prediction, the Royals are coming as -150 home favorites. The Royals are rightfully favored, as they have a better overall record, but they have been dominated by the A’s in this series and have been in terrible form lately. The Royals are above average at home, while the A’s have been playing better on the road

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The Angels have lost each of their last eight games at Oriole Park at Camden Yards against teams that held a losing record and have trailed after 3 innings in four of their last five day games against American League opponents. While the Orioles have won each of their last five home games against teams that held a losing record and have led after 5 innings in seven of their last nine games at Oriole Park at Camden Yards against AL West opponents that held a losing record.

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The prediction for the upcoming game between the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks suggests that the Diamondbacks may have the upper hand due to their recent form and strong offense. The Diamondbacks have a .500 record and are currently fourth in the NL West, while the Padres have a 38-29 record and are in third place. The Diamondbacks have won four straight at home, and their recent performance includes a sweep over the Seattle Mariners. The Diamondbacks' offense is ranked third in MLB, and they have a strong lineup with Eugenio Suarez leading the team in home runs. The Padres, on the other hand, have struggled recently, losing a series to the Dodgers and having a tough loss to the LA Dodgers. The Diamondbacks' pitching staff has a 4.77 ERA, and they are favored to win the game.

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The Thunder don’t string losses together, and they’re 63-35-4 ATS on the season. I can understand why you’d consider laying the points with OKC. However, I’ve been on the Pacers' majority of the playoffs and gave them a chance to win this series from the start. Two wins away from a title, I have a hard time leaving points on the table. The Pacers are 10-4 SU in their last 14 home games as an underdog. The Thunder are 6-11 ATS in their last 17 games, and they have yet to cover a number on the road in these playoffs. The Pacers are live to win this game outright, so to see six free points feels like a no-brainer.

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I’m on the Astros here. I just haven’t loved what I’ve seen from the Twins over the last week, as the Twins can run hot and cold, and we’re really seeing evidence of that over that span. Colton Gordon is still getting his feet wet at the major league level, but the early returns have been solid, and the Astros as a whole have been playing really well at home as of late. Give me the Astros here.

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The Blue Jays have been one of the hottest teams in baseball over the last month, and they’re not a team I’m excited to bet against. Gausman has been hit or miss at times, but he has a 3.88 ERA and 1.03 WHIP on the year. The Phillies have yet to win two straight games this month, and while Suarez has been sharp this season, the Phillies have scored a combined three runs in his last two starts. The Phillies' slumping offense is concerning. I’ve been on the Blue Jays a lot during this winning stretch and will continue until they cool off. give me the plus money. 

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Florida absolutely dominated Edmonton in game three of this series and their physical play really bothered the Oilers throughout the whole game. Edmonton is a team that needs to stay disciplined and not engage in the after the whistle games that Florida likes to play, but they failed to do that in game three. I still think Edmonton can battle in this series and I think they will bounce back here. The Oilers did create plenty of chances early in their last game and I think if they play that way again, they will get the win. 

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The Rockies are going with Kyle Freeland on the rubber. Freeland came through with a great performance last week, conceding two runs (zero earned) in 6.2 innings against the Marlins and earned his first win of the season. Freeland conceded three runs in six innings against San Francisco last month and has issued a decent 4.20 ERA and an 8-7 record in 25 career meetings.

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The Pacers could have Jarace Walker returning from injury, but it does seem as though Tyrese Haliburton might have to play through a bit of a niggle after he was seen hobbling after Game 2. Still, the Pacers can turn to players like Andrew Nembhard and TJ McConnell, who should play better at home. There is no reason for the Thunder to mess with a winning formula, as Chet Holmgren looked much more dangerous in the starting role. Looking at betting trends, the Pacers are 8-4 ATS in their last 12 games as an underdog in the playoffs, while the Thunder are 0-7 ATS in their seven games as a road favorite. The Pacers would be down 0-2 in the series if not for some Haliburton heroics at the end of Game 1, but the Pacers were good enough to steal home-court advantage, which is crucial in this series. The Pacers will be disappointed that they didn't give themselves much of a chance after such a poor first half on Sunday, but the Pacers' got the split on the road. They are returning to a packed home crowd. The momentum is with the Thunder after their big win in Game 2, but the Pacers love being the underdog at home. I think they can pull off the minor upset with the role players stepping up on their home court.

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When it comes to pitching, the Angels’ staff has a 4.77 ERA (24th) and 1.49 WHIP (28th). The projected starting pitcher for the Angels is Kyle Hendricks, who is 3-6 in 12 starts this season, with a 5.40 ERA and 1.32 WHIP in 65.0 innings.

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This one will be interesting as the two starting pitchers in this contest have trended in opposite directions of late. Brown threw six scoreless frames, allowing one hit and fanning nine in a game the Cubs won over the Reds where he came in after an opener. He followed that up with his quality start against the Tigers, even though he took the loss, as he squared off with reigning AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. Meanwhile, Luzardo has been scorched in his last couple of starts, giving up 20 runs on 21 hits over his last 5.2 innings of work. His ERA more than doubled from 2.15 to 4.46 in that stretch. The Phillies are a good team but they’re in a bit of a slump. Until Luzardo rebounds, you have to fade him slightly.

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In this Athletics vs Los Angeles Angels Prediction, the Angels are coming as -155 home favorites. The Angels have a better overall record, but have been below average at home, while the Athletics have been playing much better on the road. The Angels are a big home favorite, but I don’t trust Soriano against anyone at this point, especially at home. 

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Chicago continues to play well over their last seven games, and they come into this series with plenty of momentum. The White Sox are 6-26 on the road this year, while the Astros are 22-12 at home. Houston has won three of their last four games, and they are starting McCullers, who has allowed two earned runs or fewer in three of his last four starts. The White Sox are going with Smith, who has allowed one earned run or fewer in three of his last five starts. I know Chicago has shown improvement, but they only have six road wins this year.

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The Toronto Blue Jays (36-30, 14-17 Away) are playing their best baseball of the season after winning ten of the previous 12 games. The Blue Jays swept the Athletics, beat the Phillies and Twins, and opened the current series in St. Louis with a 5-4 victory in extra innings. Alejandro Kirk led the offense with two RBI, while Jose Berrios pitched for 6.2 innings in a no-decision, allowing no runs on four hits with one strikeout and two walks. Yariel Rodriguez was credited with the win. 

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This season, the Twins average 4.25 runs per game (17th in the MLB) on a .242/.314/.387 triple-slash. When it comes to pitching, the Twins’ staff has a 3.51 ERA (7th) and 1.17 WHIP (5th). Byron Buxton leads the Twins with a .258 batting average, ten home runs, and 38 RBI this season.

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The underdogs have won eight of the last nine games between the Athletics and Angels. While the Angels have lost six of their last seven games as favorites against AL West opponents.

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The Oilers and the plus money is appealing when you consider how explosive they’ve been in these playoffs. The Oilers also have 29 road wins. I get it. However, I’ve said throughout most of the season and these playoffs especially that the Panthers are the team to beat and not a team I’m excited to bet against as long as the number is reasonable. The Panthers check all of the boxes for a championship team, and you can argue they should be up 2-0 in this series after having a two goal lead in game 1. The Panthers have now won four of the last five games against the Oilers. The Panthers have won 14 of their last 19 games as a home favorite. The price is reasonable. I’m rolling with the Panthers.

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The Thunder haven’t lost two straight games in two months and they’ve only done it that one time since November 20. The Thunder are also 62-34-4 ATS on the season. There’s plenty of reason to not panic with OKC. With that said, this line is wild. The Pacers didn’t even play great in game 1 and managed to win. The Pacers had 19 turnovers in the first half and got subpar shooting games from Haliburton, Nembhard and Nesmith. For whatever reason oddsmakers haven’t believed in the Pacers from the start and here they are three wins away from a title. The odds also keep increasing for some reason? The Pacers have been a double-digit underdog three times since December 29, and while they’ve covered all three of those games, they’ve also outright won those games. The Thunder should win a must-win game, but would it really shock you if the Pacers continue to do what they’ve done all playoffs? Give me the points.

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I’m not sure what we’re going to get from Walter who will make his second career start and has pitched just five innings in the last two seasons. Bibee is easily the more trustworthy pitcher given the larger sample size and he’s been good at home with a 2.43 ERA and .234 allowed batting average in 29.2 innings. However, the Astros are rolling right now with wins in 10 of their last 13 games, and that’s the type of success I want to grab in the plus money role. Until the tickets stop cashing and the Astros cool off, I’m going to throw the pitching matchups out the window and grab the favorable prices when I can.

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The Yankees have won 10 of their last 11 games against American League opponents, have won the first inning in three of their last four night games against AL East opponents that held a losing record, and have led after 3 innings in four of their last five games against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. While the Red Sox have lost eight of their last nine night games against American League opponents and have trailed after 5 innings in each of their last five games against American League opponents.

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I’m on the Nationals here. I get that deGrom is the ace of this Rangers rotation, but the Rangers just don’t score enough to warrant laying this kind of price with even deGrom on the bump, and the Nationals have been a team that’s been steadily providing value over the last couple of weeks. I think this is another spot where the Rangers struggle, and the Nationals cash in some value for us here. Give me Washington in this one.

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The Reds have been reeling in the wrong direction of late and their pitching has sputtered after a strong start to the year. Cincinnati has struggled to generate much in the way of offense, totaling just 18 runs in their previous seven games entering Friday night. Nelson has been sharp of late and he’ll need to step up with Burnes done for the year along with other injury concerns in the rotation. The Diamondbacks have a good lineup capable of putting up crooked numbers in a hurry. One need look no further than the ninth inning Thursday against Atlanta for evidence of that. Take the Diamondbacks here as a result.

The Orioles have lost five of their last six games as favorites following a road win. While the Athletics have won nine of their last 10 Friday games against teams that held a losing record. 

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Championship teams rise to the occasion at opportune moments, which is precisely what the Oilers did in Game 1. Courtesy of Connor McDavid, they got a goal from Mattias Ekholm in his second game back from injury. They also received a crucial goal from Viktor Arvidsson, a secondary scoring source, something that has occurred this postseason more than wild, R-rated spring breaks in Florida. And then there's the overtime goal, scored by Leon Draisaitl, one megastar who received the biscuit from another hockey demigod, McDavid. You might have noticed the latter also set up Ekholm for Edmonton's second. That's too much to cope with, even for the defending Cup champs, especially in a raucous atmosphere in which the Oilers are 7-1. 

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I’m on the Diamondbacks in this one. I am not a fan at all of this Diamondbacks bullpen, as they’ve had a tendency to make life a lot harder for the team than things have needed to be in recent games. However, I’d be remiss if I just ignored how good the Diamondbacks looked offensively in that series against the Braves, and Arizona’s just rolling at the plate right now, which is not something we can say for the Cincinnati Reds. I think Arizona finds a way to deliver here and get the job done, so give me Arizona here.

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Texas comes into this matchup after a complete collapse on Thursday night against the Rays, and they have lost three games in a row. The Rangers are just 9-21 on the road this year, while the Nationals are 14-16 at home. Washington has dropped three of their last four, and they have scored a total of seven runs in those four games. The Nats are starting Soroka, who has allowed at least three earned runs in three straight starts. The Rangers are starting Corbin, who has allowed three earned runs in three of his last four outings. I don’t love the pitching matchup here, but I am going to fade Texas on the road, as they have really struggled away from home. 

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You may think the gigantic line of 9.5 is a crazy number for Game 1 of the NBA Finals. In reality, it's not. The Thunder -- who owned the league's best regular season record at 68-14 -- were an astounding 29-2 versus the Eastern Conference this season and a 23-6-2 against the spread (ATS), covering in 79% of those games, which would be the best ever performance over a full season since 2000. Additionally, underdogs in Game 1 of the NBA Finals have historically had issues covering the spread in recent memory, going 3-17 ATS in the last 20 years and are a woeful 8-21 ATS dating all the way back to 1996. Could the Pacers steal one of the games in OKC this series? Potentially. But I don't see any way that's happening tonight in Game 1, especially when the Thunder have covered this number in four straight home games and in 7 of 9 contests at Paycom Center this postseason.

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The Rangers continue to pile up the losses, making them a tough team to back. Leiter has shown flashes of turning things around, but he still has a 5.90 ERA and 1.42 WHIP through 82.1 career innings. The Rays aren’t exactly flashy, but they’ve caught fire over the last few weeks, and Pepiot has allowed 26 hits and nine runs in his last 36 innings. Pepiot hasn’t allowed a run in his last 13.2 innings. You could argue the Rays should be even bigger favorites than they are in this spot. Give me the Rays.

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The Twins have lost each of their last four day games after playing the previous day. While the Twins have failed to cover the run line in each of their last five day games against American League opponents following a win.

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The Phillies are having a rough week, and while Luzardo has been great strikeout-wise, he’s coming off a May where he allowed 43 hits and 21 runs in 34 innings. The Blue Jays are putting together their best week of the season, and while Bassitt has allowed 10 runs in his last nine innings, he has a 2.73 ERA in 33 home innings. The Phillies are still the better team overall, but the Blue Jays are playing the better ball right now. I’ll grab the cheap price with the home team.

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The Cardinals have won eight of their last nine day games at Busch Stadium following a home loss. While the Royals have lost seven of their last eight games following a win.

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The Arizona Diamondbacks (30-31, 15-14 Away) lost four straight series to the Dodgers, Cardinals, Pirates, and Nationals, but will win this one against the Braves after defeating them in the opening two games. The Diamondbacks are now on a three-game winning streak following last night's 2-1 victory. Merrill Kelly got the win after allowing no runs on one hit with eight strikeouts and one walk across 7.0 innings of work.

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I expect a tight battle in the opening game of this series. Both teams have struggled to hit the righties over the last 10 days (Kansas City 87 wRC+, St. Louis 72 wRC+), and I’m going with the Cardinals only because Michael Lorenzen has struggled lately. Lorenzen is coming off his worst start of the season. Eight days ago, Lorenzen gave up six earned runs on 11 hits and three walks in a 7-4 defeat to his former team, the Cincinnati Reds. Andre Pallante doesn’t breed confidence either, but he pitched well against the Royals on May 16. The Cardinals bullpen is another reason to take the hosts. It has gone 4-0 with five saves in the last 10 days despite posting a 5.47 ERA. The Royals ‘pen has gone 2-3 with three saves and a 4.06 ERA during that stretch. 

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The Rays have won three of their last five games, while the Rangers have lost five of their last six road games. Tampa Bay has the edge here because they've had a lot of success batting against right-handers, and Mahle has been shaky on the mound, especially on the road, where he gave up seven runs in his last three starts. With Texas' bullpen struggling, expect them to have a hard time slowing down the Rays. Texas won't be as successful offensively because they're not hitting the ball as well against right-handers, and Rsmussen has been dominant on the mound in recent starts, and hasn't given up a run in three straight starts. With Tampa Bay having the fourth-best bullpen in the league, they will keep Texas' offense in check.

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The Blue Jays have won each of their last seven games at Rogers Centre. While the Phillies have lost four of their last five games as favorites.

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In this Minnesota Twins vs Athletics Prediction, the Twins are coming as -155 road favorites. The Twins are rightfully favored, as they have a better overall record this season, and the A’s have been terrible at home, having less home wins than the Twins have on the road. the Twins also have the pitching advantage, as Joe Ryan has been excellent this season, and the bullpen difference is huge, as the Twins have the 5th-best bullpen ERA, while the A’s are last in the league. I expect the guests to get the job done in this one, so take the Minnesota Twins on the moneyline.

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The Cubs are one of the best teams in baseball and look to control this game from the first inning. The Cubs, who average 5.82 runs per game, should drive in runs at will with Carson Kelly, Kyle Tucker, and the rest of the lineup making contact and putting together strong plate appearances. The Cubs should limit the Reds lineup with Jameson Taillon pitching multiple strong innings with minimal contact and a surplus of strikeouts. The Cubs should win the game with a strong performance at home.

Rating: 2 Units

The Giants have lost four of their last five games as road favorites after playing the previous day. While the underdogs have won three of the last four games between the Giants and Marlins.

Rating: 2 Units

The Diamondbacks should be favored as they’re the more talented team at home. However, the Diamondbacks have won one game since May 20, and Pfaadt hasn’t been great lately, allowing 27 hits and 16 earned runs in his last 26.2 innings. Pfaadt has given up four homers in his last 11.2 innings. Soroka has had struggles as well, allowing 21 hits and 12 runs in his last 20.2 innings. Still, the Nationals have won nine of their last 12 games. With both pitchers riding the struggle bus, give me the hotter team and a chance to make nearly two times my money.

Rating: 2 Units

Rating: 2 Units

Rating: 2 Units

Rating: 2 Units

Rating: 2 Units

The Twins have lost six of their last seven games after going to extra innings. While the Mariners have won six of their last seven day games at T-Mobile Park following a loss, have won the first inning in four of their last five games as favorites against American League opponents, have led after 5 innings in six of their last seven home games against American League opponents that held a winning record, and have led after 3 innings in each of their last four day games against AL Central opponents.

Rating: 2 Units

Rating: 2 Units

The Astros have won each of their last seven day games against AL East opponents following a win. While the Rays have lost five of their last six road games against AL West opponents that held a winning record.

Rating: 2 Units

The Cubs are the better team, and they are going to have no issue getting the job done in this game. Lodolo sits with a higher ERA of 4.39, and he gave up three runs in his last start against the Cubs. The Cubs' offense is averaging 5.89 runs, and they are going to have no issue running up the score against Lodolo. The Reds' offense won’t even get to their season average, and it’s going to be the Cubs are going to have no issue getting the job done. Back the Cubs on the money line. 

Rating: 2 Units

Tampa Bay was able to erupt late in the game on Thursday night to cruise to the win, and they have been red hot over the last two weeks. The Rays are 11-8 on the road this year, while the Astros are 20-11 at home. Houston is also playing very well right now, and their pitching staff has been a bright spot, with the exception of Thursday. The Astros are starting Valdez, who has allowed one earned run in three of his last four starts. The Rays are going with Pepiot, who has allowed two earned runs or fewer in three of his last five. Both of these pitchers have been solid over their last five starts, but Valdez has been elite. Take the Astros here. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Cardinals continue to rack up the wins and are throwing out a solid pitcher in Liberatore, who has allowed seven runs in his last 28.1 innings. Through 59.1 innings, Liberatore has a 2.73 ERA, .229 allowed batting average, and 1.10 WHIP. Liberatore looks like an all-star pitcher this season. The Rangers are in awful form over the last two weeks, and Leiter isn’t a pitcher I’m excited to back. Leiter has been a mess in his limited career, and that includes giving up 22 hits and 16 runs in his last 27.2 innings. Leiter has 21 walks to go with 30 strikeouts, and he has a 4.43 ERA in 22.1 home innings. Give me the Cardinals.

Rating: 2 Units

The Oilers have won five of their last six games, while the Stars have lost four of their last six games. Edmonton has the edge here because they're playing well offensively and scored 13 goals in their last three games. They've also played well on special teams, converting over 23 percent of their power play opportunities. The Stars are fourth in the league in penalty kills, but they're not playing well defensively and gave up 16 goals in their last four games, so expect them to have a hard time slowing down the Oilers. Dallas won't be as successful offensively because they're not playing well and scored only two goals in their last three games. They've done a better job on special teams, converting 22 percent of their power play opportunities. The Oilers are 16th in the league in penalty kills, and they're playing well defensively, giving up six goals in their last three road games, so expect them to keep Dallas' offense in check. Take Edmonton on the money line.

Rating: 2 Units

Tampa Bay will start right-hander Shane Baz on Thursday against the Astros. In his previous outing, the 25-year-old held Toronto to one run on four hits and three walks in a 5.2-frame victory. He is 1-3 with a 7.82 ERA and 1.86 WHIP this month (five starts) and 4-3 with a 4.94 ERA and 1.39 WHIP this year (ten starts).

Rating: 2 Units

Philadelphia was able to win a low-scoring game on Tuesday night to start this series, and they continue to hold a slim lead over the Mets in the NL East. The Phillies are 18-8 at home this year, while the Braves are 9-19 on the road. Atlanta has really struggled over the last week, and their offense has been very inconsistent. In game one, both starting pitchers have been very solid this year, so I think we are going to see a lower-scoring game. In game two, the starting pitchers have been even better, but I give the edge to Philadelphia, as Wheeler has been elite all season long. 

Rating: 2 Units

Philadelphia was able to win a low-scoring game on Tuesday night to start this series, and they continue to hold a slim lead over the Mets in the NL East. The Phillies are 18-8 at home this year, while the Braves are 9-19 on the road. Atlanta has really struggled over the last week, and their offense has been very inconsistent. In game one, both starting pitchers have been very solid this year, so I think we are going to see a lower-scoring game. In game two, the starting pitchers have been even better, but I give the edge to Philadelphia, as Wheeler has been elite all season long. 

Rating: 2 Units

Rating: 2 Units

The Timberwolves had a chance to really flip the series on its head, but they missed a real chance to level up the series on Monday. The series now shifts back to the Paycom Center, where the Thunder have won seven of eight games so far during these playoffs. The line has opened with the Thunder as heavy favorites, and that's not surprising given that they covered Games 1 and 2 with ease at home. The Timberwolves are playing for their season right now, and they might get off to a better start, but if the Thunder gets hot early, this one could get ugly in a hurry. I think the Timberwolves have already thrown their two best punches, and it's time for the Thunder to finish the job at home and book their tickets to the NBA Finals. 

Rating: 2 Units

Rating: 2 Units

Rating: 2 Units

I’m on the Yankees here. I just think that the hot run for the Angels is over and while Tyler Anderson has been a solid option for the Angels this season and has actually been the starter for a lot of their team wins so far, I think the Yankees have a clear edge here and Rodon has been a lot better than I’d have expected him to be this season. I think the Yankees get it done here once again, so give me New York in this one.

Rating: 2 Units

The Stars have been a great team all year, and you can make a case for them in the big underdog role. The problem is the Oilers have been on a heater all playoffs, and that includes wins in 10 of their last 12 games. The last two games between the Oilers and Stars were ridiculously one-sided. The Oilers have played their best hockey at home, where they’re 30-14-3 on the season. It feels like the Oilers are on a mission to get back to the finals, and they’re not a team I’m eager to step in front of. There’s also a chance the Stars could be without Hintz, who has five goals, six assists and 36 shots in these playoffs. I’m going to lay the price with the Oilers.