Xam’s Daily Gems:
Braves Money Line -130 Fanatics 5 Units
The Braves have lost 4 straight games and are squarely at risk of missing the playoffs. They NEED to win a game today. Veteran Charlie Morton takes the ball as the Braves look to avoid getting swept at home. Morton has had an up and down season, but it’s been a little more up recently. In 2 of his last 3 starts, he’s given up exactly 0 earned runs, and BOTH of those starts came at home! Overall, he’s pitched MUCH better at Truist Park than he has away from home. His ERA is a solid 3.00 pitching at home and that’s the type of effort the Braves need with their lineup struggling to score consistently. Frankie Montas takes the ball for the Brewers, and he’s had a ROUGH time of it this year. He has a 5.73 ERA on the year, has given up a whopping 19 hits in his last 2 starts, and has surrendered 14 earned runs in his last 3 starts, all of them coming on the road! He hasn’t pitched well on the road all year, and despite Atlanta’s struggles, this is still a tough venue to perform in. Manager Brian Snitker KNOWS how important this game is. Expect him to fully utilize his entire roster to try and eek out the win today. The Braves need this game more AND have the better starting pitcher on the mound. If the Braves can score some runs, they SHOULD be able to avoid their 5th straight loss.
Reds Money Line -175 Fanatics 5 Units
Hunter Greene has been nothing short of EXCELLENT for the Reds this year, and he will likely earn himself some Cy Young Award consideration in the National League this year. Now, he faces one of the WORST lineups in baseball. The Reds find themselves 5.5 games back of the last Wild Card spot, so they need ALL the wins they can get, and especially so against inferior teams. The Marlins have been anemic offensively lately, scoring just 3.8 runs per game over their last 10 games. That’s bad news for Marlins starter Kyle Tyler, who has an ugly 5.27 ERA on the year. The Marlins have actually scored the FEWEST runs in the National League and have ONLY scored more runs than the historically inept White Sox! The Reds are coming off a disappointing loss yesterday, so they NEED Hunter Greene and their bullpen to be LOCKED IN. Scoring runs probably won’t be an issue for them tonight. If Greene can be his usual self, the Reds SHOULD get themselves back on track!
Yankees Money Line -240 FanDuel 5 Units
The Yankees are ABSOLUTELY BACK and taking names. Despite losing the second game of their doubleheader last night to the Angels, the Yankees got their swagger back and find themselves battling the Orioles for the AL East title. Southpaw Nasty Nestor Cortes goes for the Yankees as they try and win this series. He’s had an up and down season to say the least, but he’s been SUPERB pitching at Yankee Stadium this year, coming into tonight’s start with a 2.48 home ERA and impressive 0.88 WHIP. For what it’s worth, he’s ALSO been better pitching at night than he has during the day. The Angels have been PUTRID when trying to score runs this season without Mike Trout in the lineup. On the road, they’re averaging just 3.81 runs per game! That’s not going to work tonight. The Yankees have scored the MOST runs in the American League this year and are averaging a WHOPPING 5.85 runs per game over their last 20 games! Southpaw Tyler Anderson has been good for the Angels this year, but he’s struggled recently. He has a 4.35 ERA over his last 7 starts, and the Stadium will be ROCKING tonight! Manager Aaron Boone knows every game is important so don’t be surprised to see him pull out ALL THE STOPS to get the series win tonight.
Mariners Money Line -198 DraftKings 5 Units
The Mariners come into play just half a game back of the Astros for the lead in the AL West. Bryan Woo will be tasked with getting the Mariners back into a tie for the division lead. He’s been EXCELLENT since returning from a right elbow injury at the start of the season. He has a sparkling 2.08 ERA and a DAZZLING 0.95 ERA at T-Mobile Park! He pitched 11 scoreless innings over his last two starts, the last of which came against a very good Phillies lineup. The Tigers don’t even have an announced starter at this point, signaling they may be having a bullpen game tonight! They have REALLY struggled to score, averaging just 3.2 runs per game over their last 10 games. They’re averaging just 4.22 runs per game on the road for the entire season! Of course, the Mariners have struggled to score all year as well, which is why they tried hard to improve the lineup at the Trade Deadline. They have lost 3 straight games and NEED a win tonight! Expect manager Scott Servais to have a real sense of URGENCY for this game, as this game determines if the Mariners are tied for the division or a full game back of the Astros. If the Mariners can put some runs on the board, they SHOULD be able to end their 3-game losing streak and send the Mariners faithful home happy!