Favorite Pick of the Day:
Astros (-189) over Reds
Chicago Pick of the Day:
White Sox (+133) over Cubs
Are You Sure? Pick of the Day:
Phillies (+162) over Nationals (Game 1)
Pick’em of the Day:
Rays (-110) over Yankees
The Skinny:
So, the Reds really are Justin Verlander’s cryptonight. That’s fine. There’s no way Houston loses today. Gerritt Cole is a steady hand against lesser opponents. The Astros are 16-3 in Cole’s last 19 starts vs. a team with a losing record. On the other hand, the Reds are 1-8 in Tyler Mahle’s last nine starts vs. a team with a winning record. . . . I pick against my beloved White Sox one time and it comes back to bite me. Well, I’m never making that mistake again. Plus, the White Sox are 10-1 in Lucas Giolito’s last 11 starts and 4-0 in his last four road starts vs. a team with a winning record. Will I ever get this right? . . . This is a gut play. Since baseball is basically impossible to predict anyways, let’s give it a shot. It feels like all the noise surrounding this series has subsided and the Phillies can pick up a mid-day win without anyone noticing. The Nationals haven’t exactly been good with Patrick Corbin on the mound lately, losing four of their last five when he starts. . . . I’m not totally sure this should be a pick ’em. Sure, the Rays have been sliding after their great start, but they have the reigning AL Cy Young winner on the bump against an aging, but effective, CC Sabathia. The Yankees are 1-4 in their last five games vs. a left-handed starter, and the Rays are 5-1 in Blake Snell’s last six road starts vs. a team with a winning record.