Xam’s Gem(s):
Blue Jays Money Line -188
The Blue Jays have lost the first 2 games of their series to the Yankees at home, and with every game being so vital for a playoff spot, they are in desperate need of a win tonight. Fortunately for them, Chris Bassitt has been awesome this year. He has a 3.74 ERA on the year and a 3.09 ERA in his last 7 starts. Overall, he’s been much better at home this year, with a 3.08 ERA. The Yankees are countering with Luke Weaver, who has a dreadful 6.47 ERA on the year. He’s bounced around to a few teams in his career, and this is a spot where he likely wouldn’t be pitching if the Yankees didn’t have injuries to their rotation. After losing 2 straight and only up 2 games on the Mariners for the last wildcard spot, (and only 1/2 a game up on the Astros for the 2nd wildcard), expect the Blue Jays to use all their premium relievers to lock this one down tonight.
Cubs +1.5 -170
The Cubs have had a couple of devastating losses in the last couple of days, but they’re still tied for a wildcard spot right now. Every single game is important, and the Braves just clinched the best record in the NL with their win last night. Marcus Stroman has been good for the Cubs this year, pitching to the tune of a 3.88 ERA. AJ Smith-Shawver, on the other hand, has struggled this year. He has a 4.57 ERA in just over 21 innings of work. Given all the heroics of the last couple nights, and the wildly successful season Atlanta has had, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them rest guys and take a game off tonight, more or less. The Cubs have the better pitcher on the mound and they simply need this game far more than Atlanta does.
Lions Money Line -132
The Lions are 2-1 on the year, and it looks like their defense may be better than what we expected. They only gave up 6 points last week, and it was to the same Falcons team that scored 25 against the packers in Week 2. The Packers should have Aaron Jones and Christian Watson back from hamstring injuries, but their offensive line is banged up. That is good news for Aidan Hutchinson and company. They racked up a ridiculous 7 sacks last week! Meanwhile, the Packers nearly lost at home last week and were down 17-0 in the 4th quarter. If Derek Carr hadn’t gotten hurt, it’s likely they would be 1-2 right now. The Lions seem to be a little healthier, with David Montgomery and Taylor Decker expected to play.
Xam’s Prop(s):
Chris Bassitt Over 5.5 Ks -158
The Yankees have a habit of striking out a lot. They struck out 13 times last night, average over 9 Ks per game in their last 3 innings, and have struck out almost 9.5 times per game on the road this year. In his last start, he struck out 8 batters on the road. He’s also averaging over 5.8 Ks per game at home this year. The Yankees love swinging the bat, and Bassitt has shown an ability to get swinging strikes and to go deep into games.
Jordan Love Over 17.5 Rushing Yards -110
In his last 2 games, Love has 11 rushing attempts for 62 yards. His legs are part of his game, and they may be very important tonight. With Green Bay missing starters on the offensive line, Detroit should generate plenty of pressure. The Packers will need all the offensive juice they can get in this game, and Love’s legs are certainly part of that equation.