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This is a 5* play on EDM.

Edmonton won just four games all of last season, and one of those was a 30-20 home win over Ottawa last August. This Edmonton team appears to have improved, but the results have not. They come into Week 6 with a record of 0-4, but their last three losses all came in games decided by just three points. Now they come out of a bye week, facing an Ottawa team that is 0-2 on the road and both losses came by 2+ scores. Ottawa has wins over Winnipeg and Hamilton who have a combined record of 1-9. It's worth pointing out that Edmonton's losses have come against the top two teams in the West and the top two teams in the East that own a combined record of 15-3.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Arizona.

The D'Backs are on a roll heading into the break, winners of four straight and now just 7 games out of first in the NL West.

Zac Gallen will toe the slab for Arizona, and he's 4-3 with a 2.46 ERA in seven home starts. Toronto's lineup has hit just .179 against Gallen.

The Jays hand the ball to Yusei Kikuchi who is 0-3 with a 6.38 ERA in his last five starts.

The Jays have one of the worst bullpens in the major leagues, and they rank 24th in scoring.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on SF.

The Giants have split the first two games of this home series versus Minnesota, but they look good in the finale with their ace on the mound.

Blake Snell will toe the slab for San Francisco, and he struggled in the first half of the season. That is nothing new, so you can fully expect him to hit his stride in the second half. He tossed five scoreless innings allowing just one hit against the Blue Jays in his last start.

The Twins hand the ball to Chris Paddack, who is 1-2 with a 7.25 ERA in seven starts on the road.

Minnesota has lost seven of their last 10 at Oracle Park.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on BAL.

The Orioles are just a game up on the Yankees in the AL East, but New York has just eight wins over their last 25 games.

Luis Gil will toe the slab for the Yanks, and New York has lost his last four starts. He's 1-4 with a 7.59 ERA in his last five starts, and during that span the bullpen has been brutal as well.

The Orioles hand the ball to Grayson Rodriguez, who is 5-1 with a 2.27 ERA in seven home starts. He's also 4-1 with a 4.02 ERA in his last five starts.

The Orioles are 9-3 in their last 12 versus New York.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on CLE.

These two teams appear to be heading in opposite directions, with Cleveland losing three of four in Detroit and Tampa winning two of three in a home series versus the Yankees.

Taj Bradley will toe the rubber for the Rays in Game 1, and he's 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA in his last five starts.

Cleveland will hand the ball to Carlos Carrasco, who is 1-3 with a 5.68 ERA in nine starts on the road this season.

Carrasco is 4-6 with an ERA of 3.67 and 78 strikeouts in 13 career appearances versus Tampa. 

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on HOU.

The Astros look to complete the sweep here in this home series versus Miami, and they have a favorable matchup in Game 3.

Roddery Munoz will toe the slab for the Fish, and he's 0-1 with a 5.01 ERA in his last five appearances.

The Astros turn to rookie Jake Bloss who was 4-2 with a 1.64 ERA and a 0.79 WHIP in Triple A.

Houston is just two games out of first in the AL West.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Over.

After scoring a combined 21 runs in Game 1, the Red Sox and the A's fell short of the total in Game 2. We expect another slugfest in Game 2.

Luis Medina will toe the slab for Oakland, and he's 1-2 with a 5.93 ERA in his last three starts.

The Red Sox hand the ball to Tanner Houck, who is 1-1 with a 5.19 ERA in his last five starts.

Oakland has scored 55 runs in eight games in the month of July, only Arizona has scored more.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on NYM.

The Nats have lost four in a row, and they are in danger of being swept by the Mets in New York.

Mackenzie Gore will toe the slab for the Nats, and he's 1-2 with a 4.85 ERA in his last five starts.

The Mets hand the ball to David Peterson, who is 2-0 with a 3.81 ERA in his last five starts.

The Mets are 17-8 over their last 25 games.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Over.

The A's and the Red Sox scored a combined 21 runs in Game 1, and we are expecting another slugfest on Wednesday night.

Nick Pivetta will toe the slab for the Sox, and he's 1-3 with a 5.52 ERA in six home starts. He's also 1-1 with a 5.13 ERA in his last five starts overall.

The A's hand the ball to JP Sears, who is 1-2 with a 7.48 ERA in his last five starts. He's also 1-4 with a 4.82 ERA in 10 starts on the road this season.

Only two teams in the majors (Minnesota and Arizona) have scored more runs so far in July than Oakland, and Arizona played one more game.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 3* play on HOU.

The Astros are just two games out of first place in the AL West, and with the Mariners on the road and Houston playing a home series against Miami we could see them catch Seattle before the All Star break.

Ronelo Blanco will toe the slab for Houston in Game 1, and he's 3-1 with a 2.01 ERA in his last five starts.

The Fish hand the ball to Trevor Rogers, who is 1-9 with a 4.91 ERA so far this season.

Miami ranks 29th in the major leagues in scoring.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 3* play on WAS.

The Nats have lost two of three in this home series versus St. Louis, but I like their chances of earning a split with a win in Game 4.

Miles Mikolas will toe the slab for St. Louis, and he's been torched for 16 runs on 23 hits over 16 1/3 innings over his last three starts.

The Nats hand the ball to Mitch Parker, who is 3-0 with a 3.11 ERA in six home starts.

Rookie James Woods has made an immediate impact for the Nats, batting .329 with a home run and 6 RBI in his first seven games.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 3* play on SEA.

The Mariners lead in the AL West is now just two games with the Astros on their heels. They need a win here against the last place Blue Jays on getaway day.

George Kirby will toe the slab for Seattle, and he's been stellar at home. He's 5-2 with a 2.40 ERA in 8 home starts. He comes in 2-1 with a 1.67 ERA in his last five starts overall.

The Jays hand the ball to Jose Berrios, who tends to struggle on the road. He's 2-5 with a 4.38 ERA in nine road starts, and he's 3-2 with a 5.97 ERA in his last five starts overall.

The Jays bullpen ranks 29th in the majors with a team ERA of 4.86.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 3* play on LAD.

The Dodgers have won the first two games of this home series versus the Brewers, and I like their chances of completing the sweep here on Sunday.

Dallas Keuchel will toe the slab for the Brew Crew, and he's a long way removed from his 2016 Cy Young season. He's been unable to stay in a major league rotation over the past five years, spending time with six different clubs and several stints at Triple A.

The Dodgers hand the ball to Justin Wrobleski who has been dealing in the minors.

The over is 7-2 in Keuchel's last nine starts.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 3* play on SD.

The Padres are 7.5 games back of the Dodgers in the NL West, and three games up on Arizona. It looks like a favorable matchup on the mound for the home team on getaway day.

Ryne Nelson will toe the slab for Arizona, and he's 2-2 with a 5.40 ERA in his last five appearances. He's also 1-1 with a 9.72 ERA in two starts against the Padres this season.

The Padres hand the ball to Dylan Cease, who is 3-4 with a 3.66 ERA in 8 home starts. He tossed seven scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out nine in his last home start against Washington. He also allowed just one run on three hits, striking out eight over 6 2/3 innings at Arizona in May.

The D'Backs bullpen ranks 26th in the majors with a team ERA of 4.47.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Over.

Montreal is without a doubt the best team in the CFL right now. The defending champs have won their first four games and have averaged 32 points per game. Their most recent home game was a 47-21 win over Ottawa. They face a Calgary team tonight that is more of a threat offensively that the Red Blacks. Jake Maier has thrown four 830 yards, 5 TDs and 2 INTs on 74 percent passing in three games so far. He's likely going to have a rough night on the road at Montreal, but he's the type of QB that's capable of padding his stats in garbage time.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Colombia.

This Colombia squad is riding a 26 match unbeaten streak, and they are a heavy favorite in their quarterfinal match versus Panama. This is a mismatch, as Panama advanced by beating a Bolivia team that ranks 84th in the FIFA World Rankings. Panama faced Uruguay in their first match of this tournament, and they lost by a score of 3-1. The lone goal came in the 4th minute of added time in a game that they were trailing 3-0. We can expect Colombia to go ahead early, and the more Panama pushes for an equalizer the more likely Colombia will punish them on the counter attack.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 3* play on HOU.

The Astros are the hottest team in the majors, winning 13 of their last 15 overall.

Hunter Brown will toe the slab for Houston this afternoon, and he's the hottest pitcher in the majors. He's 5-0 with a 0.39 ERA in his last five starts.

The Twins hand the ball to Joe Ryan, who is just 3-3 with a 3.70 ERA in eight home starts.

This looks like a case of the wrong team favored.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on WPG.

The Bombers lost their season opener to defending Grey Cup champions Montreal, followed by three more losses by a combined nine points. After being on the wrong end of three straight close games, a revenge game at home against Ottawa is a great spot for a "get right" game. While they lost starting QB Zach Collaros, they turn to Chris Streveler, who won a Grey Cup in Winnipeg in 2019. He's a prolific runner at the quarterback position, but some say he's not the most accurate passer. I will point out, he's replacing a guy (Collaros) who has completed 62 percent of his passes with no TDs and four INTs so far this season. The Redblacks come in with a pair of wins over winless opponents (incl WPG), and a blowout loss to Montreal. The Bombers defense and running game should be enough to get the monkey off their back and pick up their first win of the season.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on CHC.

The Cubs sit dead last in the weakest division in the major leagues, and they have lost eight of their last 11 overall. Still they are a big favorite at home this afternoon versus the LA Angels. The Halos have dropped four straight, and just got swept by one of the worst teams in baseball (Oakland).

Justin Steele will toe the slab for the Cubs, and he's pitched well over his last five starts posting an ERA of 2.18.

The Halos hand the ball to Griffin Canning, who is 1-3 with a 4.75 ERA in his last five starts, and he's 0-6 with a 5.21 ERA in seven road starts.

As bad as the Cubs bullpen is, the Angels relievers have been worse. LA ranks 28th in the major leagues with a team ERA of 4.73 (by relief pitcher).

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 3* play on ARI.

The D'Backs have won seven of the last 10 head to head versus the Dodgers, and they are an underdog with their ace on the mound tonight.

Zac Gallen makes his second start since coming off the DL, and he tossed six scoreless innings allowing one hit and striking out seven at Oakland in his first game back.

The Dodgers hand the ball to Landon Knack who has pitched well, but the Dodgers have lost three of his last four starts.

Ohtani and Freeman are a combined 4-for-21 versus Gallen.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 3* play on SEA.

The Mariners lost Game 1 of this home series against the Orioles, but they have a favorable matchup in Game 2.

Logan Gilbert will toe the slab for Seattle, and he's been dealing. He's 2-1 with a 1.51 ERA in his last five starts.

The Orioles hand the ball to Dean Kremer, who comes off the DL. His rehab assignments did not go well, posting an 11.42 ERA in 8 2/3 innings over three starts.

The Mariners have the second best home record in the AL behind Baltimore.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on Over.

The Rockies host the Brewers in Game 2 at Coors Field Tuesday, and we are expecting another slugfest.

Dallas Keuchel will toe the slab for the Brew Crew, and he is a long way removed from his Cy Young form back in 2015. He has struggled to stay in a major league rotation over the past five seasons, and this will be just his second start for the Brewers. He got torched for five runs on eight hits in just four innings in a no decision at Texas in his Milwaukee debut. His last start of last season came at Coors Field, and he allowed four runs on six hits in just 2 1/3 innings.

The Rockies hand the ball to Ryan Feltner, who is 0-2 with a 7.43 ERA in seven starts at home this season.

I am going to make this an "action" play, after the Brewers used an opener in Game 1. Regardless of starting pitching, both these teams appear to be thin with injuries to the staff.

The Rockies rank dead last in the majors in ERA by reliever (5.71).

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on HOU.

The Astros are now only 3.5 games back in the AL West, and they have won nine of their last 10 overall.

Hunter Brown will toe the slab for Houston in Game 1 at Washington, and it would be a mistake to put too much weight in his overall numbers. He's 4-0 with a 1.16 ERA in his last five starts.

The Jays hand the ball to Yariel Rodriguez, who has logged just 16 2/3 innings over five starts. His WHIP of 1.92 gives plenty of reason for concern.

Toronto's bullpen ranks 28th in the majors with an ERA of 4.74.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on San Diego.

The Padres have won nine of their last 10 overall, and the Red Sox have lost three straight. The pitching matchup in Game 3 at Fenway appears to favor San Diego.

Matt Waldron will toe the slab for San Diego, and he's 2-1 with a 1.95 ERA in his last five starts.

The Red Sox hand the ball to Josh Winckowski, who comes out of the bullpen. He's appeared in seven games at Fenway this season, only twice as a starter. He's 0-1 with a 4.05 ERA in those games.

Fenway is second to only Coors Field in Park Factor ranking as far as favorable to hitters. Warm air and wind blowing out could allow for several home runs in Sunday's game.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Under.

England came into this tournament as the favorite, but they have not looked worthy of that designation so far. They have failed to reach the total in all three matches so far, and they came into the tournament off a 1-0 loss to Iceland. That being said, it's interesting to note that they made the Final in the last Euro, and they scored just twice in the Group Stages in 2021. They have now gone under in eight of their last 10 at the European Championships. The last time these two countries met at the European Championships they played to a 0-0 draw back in 2016. They have scored a combined four goals in the last three meetings.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 3* play on CAL.

The Bombers come into Cow Town as road favorites, despite the fact that they are 0-3 so far this season. Their top wide receiver has been ruled out for the season (Dalton Schoen), and QB Zach Collaros has yet to throw a TD pass, and has thrown three INTs. Calgary has a suspect defense, but QB Jake Maier has thrown for 591 yards, 4 TDs and 1 INT on 80 percent passing in two games. I am not ready to write off a Bombers team that has been the best team in the CFL over the last five seasons, but I can't lay points on the road with a winless team missing key players. I'll take the points with the home dog.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Over.

The Jays have scored 14 runs in the first two games of this series, and the Bronx bombers have scored 18 runs. We expect another slugfest in Game 3 on Saturday.

Nestor Cortes will will toe the slab for New York, and his split stats are like night and day. He has a 1.84 ERA at home, but he's 0-3 with a 5.57 ERA on the road.

The Jays hand the ball to Chris Bassitt, who has been solid overall. Backing him up is one of the worst bullpens in the major leagues.

The Blue Jays are batting a combined .290 against Cortes, and Bo Bichette has totally owned him. Bichette is 8-for-13 (.615) with a pair of home runs lifetime versus Nasty Nestor.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on STL.

The Cardinals have won six of their last eight, and they are now in second place in the Central.

Sonny Gray will toe the slab for St. Louis on Saturday, and he's 6-2 with a 1.51 ERA in eight home starts.

The Reds hand the ball to Carson Spiers, who has an ERA of 5.00 in two appearances on the road.

Cincinnati is 4-9 in their last 13 overall, and the Cardinals are 8-2 in their last 10 home games.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on CWS.

It might seem a little odd to see the White Sox as a favorite, but in Game 1 of this home series versus Colorado I think it's appropriate.

Dakota Hudson will toe rubber for the Rockies, and he's 2-10 with a 5.63 ERA. The Rockies are 3-12 in the 15 games he's started this season.

The White Sox hand the ball to Drew Thorpe, who's numbers are skewed by one bad start. While he got shelled for eight runs on six hits and five walks at Arizona a couple weeks ago, he tossed six scoreless innings in a 5-1 win at Detroit in his last start.

The Rockies rank dead last in the majors in ERA by reliever (5.78).

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on Over. 

This game features two QBs that rank #1 and #2 in the CFL in passing. Vernon Adams Jr. leads the CFL with over 1000 passing yards, six TDs and just one INT. McLeod Bethel Thompson ranks second in the league with 978 yards and six TDs. BC has the edge on defense, only allowing 25 points per game. Edmonton has allowed a West Division worst 91 points in three games. Edmonton has gone over the total in seven of their last 10 overall, and they lost by a score of 37-29 in the most recent meeting last September. The Lions have also gone over in seven of their last 10 overall, and they scored an average of 28 points per game during that span. I expect the Lions to score 30+ here at home, and Edmonton should be good for 24+. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on Belgium.

A bad run of luck has plagued Belgium so far in this tournament, with Romelu Lukaku having NOT 1, NOT 2, but 3 x disallowed goals by VAR. It's a game of inches, and it seems improbable that Lukaku will continue to be snake bitten. He was the top scorer in the Euro Qualifying matches, with 14 goals scored. Belgium finished top of their group with 22 goals in eight matches, and a +18 goal differential. Ukraine finished third in their group, scoring just 11 goals in eight matches. Ukraine sits last in Group E after losing 3-0 to Romania in their opening match. That means they absolutely need a win here, and that could force them to be more aggressive than they want to be. I expect Belgium to completely outclass the Ukrainians here.

GL,

Jesse Schuke

This is a 3* play on Over.

The Jays have lost seven straight, and four of those losses came against Boston. We saw Boston win 7-3 at Toronto last week, and the same starting pitchers are facing the same team in a hitter's park tonight.

Kevin Gausman will toe the slab for Toronto, and he gave up five runs on six hits over 5 2/3 innings against Boston last week. He's 7-10 with a 4.52 ERA in his career versus the Red Sox.

Boston will hand the ball to Brayan Bello, who is 2-2 with a 6.08 ERA in his last five starts.

The weather conditions at Fenway tonight may lead to several home runs.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 3* play on France. 

Poland has already been eliminated from the Round of 16, so don't be surprised if they don't bring their A game into the final group match versus France. First place in Group D is within reach for France, but they need to win and perhaps win convincingly here against Poland. Netherlands currently sits top of the group, and that means that if Netherlands wins in their final match versus Austria, France will need to win by a greater margin here against Poland. I expect France to get on the board early and continue to pour it on throughout the match. These teams last faced each other in the World Cup in 2022, and France won 3-1. Poland's only goal came in injury time, while France scored one of their three goals in the first half. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on Under.

I had the over in Game 6, and I was very lucky that Edmonton scored a pair of empty net goals seven seconds apart at the end of the game to push the total over. The series goes back to Florida for a 7th and deciding game, and we can expect both teams to be tighter than a nun's (see you next Tuesday). We can't ignore the history when it comes to Game 7s. All three Game 7s went under in these playoffs. Three of four went under last year, four of six went under in 2022 and two of three went under in 2021. That's 12 of the last 16 failing to go over a total of 5. Since 2005 more than 61 percent of Game 7s have gone under the total. That stat however includes nine games with a total set at 5 that were pushes. The number of games that have failed to hit 5.5 is closer to 70 percent. I fully expect this game to end with exactly five goals scored.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Over.

The Royals are batting a major league best .271 at home, and only the Phillies have scored more runs at home than the Royals. With a favorable matchup against the Marlins tonight, we should expect another slugfest.

Roddery Munoz will toe the slab for the Fish, and he's 0-1 with a 6.43 ERA in three starts over the last 30 days.

Neither of these teams have a reliable bullpen, and on a hot day in Kansas City with the wind blowing out we should see plenty of scoring.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 3* play on Albania +1.5.

After correctly predicting the 1-1 draw between Germany and Switzerland yesterday, we expect a similar result here between Spain and Albania. Spain can clinch first place in the Group with a draw, while Albania is perhaps more formidable than some would think. They did finish 1st in their group in qualifying, and they have scored first in both their matches so far in the Group Stages. Spain won the most recent meeting by a score of 2-1, and I expect another close match here on Monday.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 3* play on Over.

We saw the Ticats blow a big lead at home versus Saskatchewan last week, and we expect another shootout in Saskatchewan tonight. Both these teams have veteran QBs that are more than capable of slinging the ball around the yard, and neither teams has a defense that inspires much confidence. Last week's game saw a combined 63 points and both teams had 400+ yards of total offense. Trevor Harris and Bo Levi Mitchell both come in with 600+ passing yards, and a 71.1 percent completions percentage.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 3* play on Over.

The over is 6-3 in the Rockies current home stand, and with temperatures over 90 degrees forecast for Sunday, the trend of high scores could continue.

Kyle Freeland will toe the rubber for the Rockies, making his return after several months on the DL. He struggled earlier this season, and after only pitching 10 innings at Triple A, he should be on a pitch count here on Sunday. The worst bullpen in the majors will back him up.

The over is 8-2 in Washington's last 10 versus Colorado, and the Nats have scored six or more in eight of those 10 games.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 3* play on Over.

So I had the over in Scotland versus Switzerland, and I was quite please to see both teams score early in the first half. I was not expecting to see a scoreless game from then on out. I don't expect to see that here with the Scots playing Hungary. Neither of these teams have the luxury of playing for a draw. Even a win will likely only get them in by virtue of being one of the best third place teams. A draw almost certainly means elimination for both these teams as they are both sitting with a -4 goal differential. Scotland showed some scoring prowess, scoring 17 goals in eight matches in qualifying, and Hungary scored 16. Expect both teams to be aggressive here.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 3* play on Over.

The Edmonton Elks pass happy offense comes into Toronto off back to back losses in the first two weeks of the season. Veteran QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson has averaged 42 pass attempts per game, leading the league. He's thrown for 636 yards and two TDs on 72.6 percent passing in losses to Saskatchewan and Montreal. The Argos beat the Elks 43-31 in Edmonton last June, and another barn burner seems probable here. Cameron Dukes threw for three TDs in his CFL debut in a 35-27 win over BC in Week 1.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 3* play on BOS.

The Red Sox lost Game 1 at Cincinnati, but they have still won seven of their last nine. They face a struggling Reds starter today, and they should score some runs.

Frankie Montas will toe the rubber for the Reds, and he hasn't missed many bats lately. He's 1-2 with a 4.97 ERA in his last five starts. He allowed four runs on five hits and three walks in just 1 1/3 innings in a loss to the Cubs in his last home start.

The Red Sox hand the ball to Nick Pivetta, who is 3-2 with a 3.21 ERA in five road starts.

Warm air and a slight breeze blowing out could help hitters here in today's game.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 3* play on Over.

Both Belgium and Romania finished first in their group in the qualifying stages. Romania won 3-0 in their first match of the Group Stages against Ukraine, while Belgium is coming off a 1-0 loss to Slovakia. That match was a little misleading though, as Belgium had a pair of goals called off by VAR. Belgium is a huge favorite here in this match, but Romania isn't going to be an easy out. I expect both teams to score here, and we should see the total go over.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on Over.

The Oilers can force a Game 7 in Florida with a win tonight, and they have seized all the momentum in this series. I had the over in Game 5, and here is what I said prior to the game: "I expect the Oilers to be loose, as if they are playing with house money. They have finally solved Sergei Bobrovsky. chasing him from the net early in Game 4. I had mentioned that momentum might carry over after they scored three late goals in Game 3. The Panthers have to be concerned that the floodgates have opened. Bobrobsky fell apart in last year's Finals, conceding eight goals on 31 shots in Game 5 in Vegas. With this being an elimination game, there is also potential for the late empty net goals that could push us over the number." Another shootout is expected in Edmonton tonight.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 3* play on TEX.

The Rangers snapped a six game losing streak with a win over the Mets on Wednesday. They have a favorable matchup in Game 1 of this home series versus Kansas City.

Brady Singer will toe the rubber for the Royals, and he's 0-2 with a 3.94 ERA in six road starts.

The Rangers hand the ball to Nate Eovaldi, who is 2-0 with a 2.09 ERA in seven home starts.

Brady Singer is 0-3 with a 6.05 ERA in four career starts versus the Rangers.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 3* play on France.

France will not have Kylian Mbappe for the remainder of the Group Stages, but they have plenty of depth and will still be a formidable opponent. Netherlands didn't look impressive in a 2-1 win over Poland in their first match. Poland had a 7-4 edge in shots on target, but lost on a late goal in the final minutes. France has owned Netherlands in recent head to head matches, winning four of five.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Under.

Montreal is off to an impressive 2-0 start, winning back to back road games and allowing just 16 points per game. They host the Redblacks on Thursday night, and Ottawa won their home opener 23-19 versus Winnipeg. Montreal has won five straight in this series, and three of the last four meetings went under. The Als won 19-12 at home last June. History tells us another low score is likely in this one.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on KC.

The A's snapped a nine game losing skid with a win in Game 1 versus Kansas City. The Royals have a favorable matchup in Game 2 in Oakland.

Cole Ragans will toe the slab for the Royals, and he's 1-1 with a 2.10 ERA in his last five starts.

The A's hand the ball to Luis Medina, who has allowed 10 runs on 13 hits and six walks over 9 2/3 innings in his last two starts.

Oakland ranks 28th in the majors in scoring, and 29th in team batting average (.222).

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Over.

The Oilers fave elimination in Game 5 in Florida, coming off an 8-1 win at home in Game 4. I expect the Oilers to be loose, as if they are playing with house money. They have finally solved Sergei Bobrovsky. chasing him from the net early in Game 4. I had mentioned that momentum might carry over after they scored three late goals in Game 3. The Panthers have to be concerned that the floodgates have opened. Bobrobsky fell apart in last year's Finals, conceding eight goals on 31 shots in Game 5 in Vegas. With this being an elimination game, there is also potential for the late empty net goals that could push us over the number.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on BOS.

Both teams are well aware that no team in NBA history has ever come back from a 3-0 series deficit, so it was not surprising to see Boston come out flat in Game 4 in Dallas. The Mavericks avoided the sweep, and now they come into Boston for Game 5 with a sense of accomplishment under their belt. That didn't serve the Minnesota Timberwolves well when they forced a Game 5 against Dallas. We all know that a Celtics series win is inevitable, and Boston should come out like gangbusters here at home in this elimination game. We are calling for a wire to wire win for Boston.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Over.

The Phillies rank 4th in the majors in runs scored (355). They are at home today versus the Padres, and San Diego is turning to the back end of the rotation.

Randy Vasquez will toe the slab for San Diego, making his ninth start of the season. He's 1-1 with a 5.50 ERA in four starts on the road.

The Phillies hand the ball to Chris Sanchez, who has been solid at home. He got tagged for four runs on seven hits and two walks in just four innings in a loss at Fenway his last time out.

These teams have gone over in seven of the last 10 head to head meetings.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on FRA.

I can see money coming in on Austria the day before this match, and many pundits say that this Austrian squad is solid and sound on both sides of the ball. The face of the matter is, so is France, and they have gamebreakers like Mbappe, Giroud and Griezmann. France finished with a +26 goal differential in Euro Qualifiers, by far the best of any team. France is 3-1-1 in their last five matches versus Austria.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Under.

Both the Riders and the Ticats went over the total in Week 1, which is outside the norm for early season CFL games. The two face off in Hamilton tonight, and history tells us that these teams have failed to reach the total in eight of 10 meetings. Saskatchewan scored 21 points in the fourth quarter to come back an win at Edmonton last week. They scored just eight points in the first three quarters. Hamilton scored just seven points in the first three quarters at Calgary, and it took 27 combined points to push that total over the number. The total for this game appears to be a bit inflated.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Over.

We saw the Rockies win 16-4 in Game 2 versus Pittsburgh, and with temps above 90 degrees and a slight breeze blowing out at Coors today it might be another slugfest.

Dakota Hudson will toe the rubber for the Rockies, and he's 0-3 with a 7.57 ERA in six starts at Coors Field this season.

It might be a bullpen day for Pittsburgh, and their relievers rank 26th in MLB with a team ERA of 4.65.

The Rockies rank dead last in the majors with an ERA by reliever of 5.60.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on NED.

No Lewandowski for Poland, and they should be overmatched here in the opening match of the Euros versus the Dutch. Netherlands finished 2nd in Group B behind France, with a goal differential of +10. Poland finished 3rd in Group E behind Albania and Czech Republic. Poland scored just 10 goals in eight matches, and they conceded 10 as well. Netherlands is 4-0-1 in their last five versus Poland, winning the most recent meeting by a score of 2-0. We should see a similar result here in Germany.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on EDM.

The Oilers finally solved Sergei Bobrovsky in Game 3, scoring three goals on 35 shots, but the rally came up short. Now they face elimination on home ice in Game 4, and it will be interesting to see if any momentum carries over after Edmonton scored twice in the third period of Game 3. We haven't seen a sweep in the Finals since 1998, and the Oilers should be well positioned to force a Game 5. Don't be surprised if the league's best power play gets a few chances tonight.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Over.

The Nats won by a score of 8-1 on Friday, and they should look for a similar result in Game 2 on Saturday.

Trevor Rogers will toe the slab for The Fish, and he's 1-7 with a 5.37 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP. He is backed up by the Marlins 21st ranked bullpen with a team ERA of 4.23.

The Nats hand the ball to DJ Herz, who has not impressed in two previous starts. His 1.92 WHIP gives reason for concern.

Washington's ballpark ranks 6th according to Baseball Savant as far as favorable to hitters.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Over.

Spain finished first in Group A, scoring 25 goals in eight qualifying matches. They come into their opening match at the Euros on top form, scoring a whopping 13 goals in their last three international friendlies. They face a Croatia team that has won five straight matches, most recently defeating Portugal by a score of 2-1. History tells us to expect goals when these teams meet, as four of the last five meetings have gone over the number. That includes a 5-3 win for Spain in Euro 2021, and a 2-1 win for Croatia in Euro 2016.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 3* play on Under. 

The Als defense dominated on the road in Winnipeg in Week 1, holding the Bombers to just a dozen points. Edmonton was looking good through three quarters at home versus Saskatchewan in Week 1, but they gave up 21 points in the fourth quarter and lost 29-21 to the Riders. Montreal had the #1 defense in the East last year, and Edmonton had the worst offense in the CFL. The Als have won nine of their last 10 games, and they have failed to reach the total in seven of their last 10. That says a lot about their style of play. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 3* play on Under.

The Mystics 0-12 run came to an end, winning 87-68 at Atlanta in their last game. The Mystics still rank dead last in the WNBA in scoring averaging just 75.6 points per game. They host a Chicago Sky team that is also among the worst in the league offensively, averaging 78.5 points per game. Both these teams are better on defense than they are on offense, and seven of the last 10 head to head meetings have gone under the number.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 3* play on Germany.

We expect the host nation to get off to a good start here at Euro 2024. Germany comes into the opening match versus Scotland with a record of 3-1-1 in their last five matches. That includes impressive wins over Netherlands and France. Scotland on the other hand is 1-2-2 with a goal differential of -3 in those games. They lost 4-0 to Netherlands, and it will take a miracle to avoid a one sided loss here in Germany.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on SEA.

So based on the line, it looks like the bookmakers are projecting a pitcher's duel here in Seattle. While both these starters have great overall numbers, I think when you dig deeper there are some additional concerns.

Garrett Crochet will toe the slab for the Sox, and he's 2-2 with a 4.80 ERA in six starts on the road. Given the Sox position in the standings, young arms like Crochet are likely to be limited for the remainder of the season as far as innings.

The Mariners will hand the ball to Luis Castillo, who is 3-3 with a 2.95 ERA in seven home starts.

Seattle is 6-1 in the last seven head to head meetings, scoring over six runs per game in those contests.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on EDM.

The Oilers need to bounce back here in Game 3 on home ice, or this series will be over. Edmonton has been dominant at home in these playoffs, winning six of nine. They have scored 19 power play goals in the playoffs, more than any other team. My concern heading into this series was with the Oilers goaltending, but Stuart Skinner appears to have picked up where he left off in the Conference Finals. Sergei Bobrobsky has been standing on his head, but he might be due for a let down here on the road. He's 0-3 in his last three starts on the road in the Stanley Cup Finals, conceding a whopping 16 goals in those games.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Under.

The under was 6-2 in the first two weeks of last season, but three of four games went over in Week 1 of 2024. The one exception was the Bombers 27-12 home loss to Montreal. They should get back on track here on the road at Ottawa, with the advantage of having a game under their belt. The Redblacks were the worst team in the CFL last year, and they make their season debut. These teams have failed to reach the total in four of the last five head to head meetings, and all five of those games were played in June and July.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on DAL.

The Mavs have looked terrible so far in the NBA Finals, but there's nothing like home cooking. Since 2003 teams down 0-2 in a playoff series returning home off back to back losses where they scored fewer than 100 points in both games, are 34-10 SU in the first half of Game 3. According to Yahoo.com, ratings for the 2024 Finals are down 8 percent since the Celtics last Finals appearance in 2022. Many bettors suspect that with an incentive to extend a series, officials often put their thumb on the scale ever so slightly. While the Celtics swept the Pacers, they trailed 69-57 in the first half of Game 3 in Indiana. Dallas has won Game 3 at home in all three previous series in these playoffs. We are projecting the Mavs to shoot better, play harder, and get the benefit of the doubt from the officials. This should move the needle enough to allow them to get back into this series with a win in Game 3.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Under.

The Astros and the Giants have split the first two games of this series, and both games went under the total. With the aces on the mound Wednesday, another pitcher's duel is expected.

Logan Webb will toe the slab for San Fran, and he's 3-2 with a 1.71 ERA in six home starts.

The Astros hand the ball to Framber Valdez, who is 3-1 with a 2.67 ERA in four starts on the road.

The under is 10-1 in Houston's last 11 road games, and they have failed to reach the total in 10 of their last 12 at San Francisco.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 3* play on Over. 

The Reds are hot, winners of 12 of their last 16 overall. They host Cleveland on Wednesday and the Tribe have a 4.5 game lead in the AL Central. 

Triston McKenzie will toe the slab for Cleveland, and he's given up eight home runs in his last three starts. He's given up 22 hits and walked a dozen batters over 22 innings in his last four starts. 

The Reds hand the ball to Brent Suter, who comes out of the bullpen. The Reds are likely to use several pitchers here in this game. 

The over is 5-1 in Cleveland's last six road games. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Under.

The take away from Game 1 is that the Oilers dominated the play, outshooting Florida 32-17 but lost 3-0. I was skeptical that Stuart Skinner could continue his stellar play from the Conference Finals, but he was certainly good enough to give his team a chance to win. The defense in front of him was stellar, allowing just 17 shots. The Panthers are likely to come out and try to win ugly again here in Game 2, but the Oilers will eventually get to Bobrovsky. If I had to predict the final score I would say Edmonton wins 3-2 in overtime.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on EDM.

The take away from Game 1 is that the Oilers dominated the play, outshooting Florida 32-17 but lost 3-0. I was skeptical that Stuart Skinner could continue his stellar play from the Conference Finals, but he was certainly good enough to give his team a chance to win. The defense in front of him was stellar, allowing just 17 shots. The Panthers are likely to come out and try to win ugly again here in Game 2, but the Oilers will eventually get to Bobrovsky. If I had to predict the final score I would say Edmonton wins 3-2 in overtime. The Oilers are 5-1 when coming off a loss in this post-season.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Under.

I must be a glutton for punishment, after betting the under in yesterday's game in Kansas City and losing in extras after the Royals scored twice in the bottom of the ninth to force the farce that is MLB extra innings. I am coming back with the under here in Game 1 versus the Yankees, as it has the look of a pitcher's duel.

Seth Lugo will toe the rubber for the Royals, and he's 9-1 with a 2.13 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. The Yankees counter with Carlos Rodon who is 5-0 with a 2.40 ERA in his last five starts.

The Yanks are without their biggest bat in Juan Soto, and the weather in Kansas City could keep the ball in the park.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Under.

The WNBA is doing everything it can to hype up Caitlyn Clark, and the latest quote "They woke up the Monster". Clark looked like a monster scoring 30 points and hitting 7-of-8 from beyond the arc in a win over Washington on Friday. I don't wanna get anyone's panties in a knot, but I gotta point out that the Mystics are 0-12, by far the worst team in the WNBA. The Connecticut Sun are at the top of the league standings, and they rank 1st in opponent scoring average allowing just 70 points per game. The Sun are below average offensively, scoring less than 80 points per game. They are the double digit home favorite here, so expect them to control the pace and shut down an inferior opponent.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on DAL.

The narrative after Game 1 is that the Mavs can't match up against the Celtics, it's gonna be a sweep, might as well plan the parade next week. Well this is an overreaction, and I caution bettors to avoid falling victim to recency bias. The Mavs looked terrible in Game 1 versus the Clippers, and Game 1 versus Oklahoma City. They came back and won both those series in six games. The Mavs are 5-0 SU and against the spread when coming off a loss in these playoffs. The media seems to have forgotten that Boston lost Game 2 at home versus Miami, versus Cleveland, and nearly lost Game 1 versus Indiana. This looks like a good bounce back spot for the Mavs. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 3* play on Under

So we saw the season opener fall way short of the total, and then the Ticats and the Stamps went over on Friday. Normally scoring is down in the first month of the regular season, and last year six of the first eight games went under. There is plenty of turnover on a year to year basis with players and coaches coming and going in a league that runs on a shoestring budget. Starters don't get a lot of reps in the pre-season, and it is not uncommon for the offenses to take a few games to get up to speed. The Lions defense allowed just 15 points combined in their first two games last season.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Under.

We are expecting a pitcher's duel here in Kansas City on Sunday.

Cole Ragans will toe the rubber for the Royals, and he's 2-2 with a 2.27 ERA in his last five starts.

The Mariners hand the ball to George Kirby, who one journalist recently compared (not so accurately) to Greg Maddux.

The Mariners rank 28th in the majors in team batting average (.221) and they lead the majors in strikeouts.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Under.

The Brewers have won the first two games of this series in Detroit, but it's going to be tough to complete the sweep as they get set to face the Tigers ace on Sunday.

Tarik Skubal will toe the slab for the Tigers, and he's 7-1 with a 1.97 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP. He's 4-0 with a 2.13 ERA in six home starts.

The Brewers hand the ball to Bryse Wilson, who is 1-1 with a 4.56 in his last five appearances.

The Tigers are 5-1 in Skubal's six home starts.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Over.

While rust might be a factor with both these teams sidelined for an extended period following the Conference Finals, I worry about the goaltending. Stuart Skinner was average at best during the regular season, ranking near the bottom of the league with a save percentage of .905. Neither one of these goaltenders rank in the Top 10 in the playoffs in save percentage, with Skinner posting an .897 and Bobrovsky .908. If you go back to last year's Finals, Bobrovsky allowed four goals on 33 shots in a 5-2 loss in Game 1, and he was 1-4 with a 5.19 GAA in the series. Both goaltenders played well in the previous serious, but given the layoff it is uncertain if that carries over into Game 1. Edmonton ranks 1st on the power play this post-season, while Florida's 14 power play goals rank second.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Over.

The Orioles scored six runs in Game 1, and we expect another high score here in Game 2.

Kyle Bradish will toe the slab for Baltimore, and he's facing Tampa for the second time in a week. He allowed five runs on seven hits over just 2 2/3 innings in a no decision on June 1st.

The Rays hand the ball to Taj Bradley, who has not missed many bats this season. He was torched for nine runs on nine hits over 3 1/3 innings at Baltimore on June 1st.

Bradley is 1-3 with a 5.81 ERA in his last five starts.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on CIN.

The Reds are hot, and the Cubs are not. Cincinnati has won six straight while Chicago is 4-11 in their last 15 overall.

Andrew Abbott will toe the rubber for the Reds, and he's 3-1 with a 3.48 ERA in his last five starts.

The Cubs hand the ball to Ben Brown, who has solid numbers overall but hasn't been sharp in recent appearances. His last start came against the Reds, and he allowed five runs on six hits over five innings in a loss.

The Cubs bats have been silent, with a team batting average of .227 (27th).

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Under.

So we saw the season opener fall way short of the total, and then the Ticats and the Stamps went over on Friday. Normally scoring is down in the first month of the regular season, and last year six of the first eight games went under. There is plenty of turnover on a year to year basis with players and coaches coming and going in a league that runs on a shoestring budget. Starters don't get a lot of reps in the pre-season, and it is not uncommon for the offenses to take a few games to get up to speed. When these teams played last June, the Riders won 17-13. They played again in July and the Riders won by a score of 12-11.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on PHI.

The Phillies play the Mets in Game 1 of the London Series on Saturday, and the pitching matchup certainly favors Philly.

Ranger Saurez will toe the slab for Philly, and he's 9-1 with a 1.70 ERA and a 0.80 WHIP. That ranks 1st in W/L, 1st in ERA and 1st in WHIP.

The Mets hand the ball to Sean Manaea, who has allowed eight runs on 11 hits and three walks over 10 2/3 innings in his last two starts.

The Phillies have hit a combined .380 over 50 at bats in previous meetings versus Manaea.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on TOR.

The Blue Jays have underachieved, but after winning seven of their last 10 they may have turned a corner. The A's are a long way from turning the corner, losing six of their last eight.

Chris Bassitt will toe the slab for Toronto against his former team, and he has a record of 6-6 with a 4.13 ERA. He's 4-1 with a 2.48 ERA in his last five starts.

The A's hand the ball to Hogan Harris, who owns a 3.14 ERA in three appearances, all losses for Oakland. He was 3-6 with a 7.14 ERA in 14 appearances last season.

Oakland ranks 27th in the majors in runs scored, and 28th in team batting average (.221).

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on DAL.

The Celtics swept the Pacers despite failing to cover in three of four games. They trailed for the better part of the series, coming from behind in Games 1,3 & 4. Their path to the Finals was an easy one, especially in comparison to Dallas. The Mavs come in battle tested, beating the 1st place team in the West (Oklahoma City) and a Minnesota team that upset the defending champs. While the Celtics had the best record in the NBA in the regular season, it's important to consider that the Eastern Conference is inferior to the West. These two teams have an identical record over their final 20 games of the regular season, and Dallas has been more impressive in the post-season. The Celtics came out flat in Game 1 against the Pacers, and they might be a bit rusty given 10 days off since Game 4 at Indiana. I'll take the points.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Over.

Both the first two games of this series went under, but we expect a slugfest on Wednesday.

Jose Urena will toe the rubber for the Rangers, and he's still got decent overall numbers. He's 1-5 with a 3.74 ERA, but he's allowed seven runs on 13 hits and three walks over seven innings in his last two appearances. Even the Tigers should rake against this guy.

Detroit will hand the ball to Kenta Maeda, who is 2-2 with a 6.25 ERA. He's 0-1 with a 10.80 ERA in four starts on the road.

Texas is batting a combined .323 over 65 at bats in previous meetings with Maeda.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on PHI.

The Phillies have won four of five, and they have a favorable matchup in Game 2 of this home series versus Milwaukee.

Colin Rea will toe the slab for Milwaykee, and he's 1-2 with a 5.09 ERA in his last five appearances. During that span he's allowed 29 hits and walked 10 in 26 innings. Putting runners on base like that will get him in trouble in Philly.

The Phillies hand the ball to Christopher Sanchez, who is 2-1 with a 2.03 ERA in five home starts.

Colin Rea is 0-2 with a 3.80 ERA in four career appearances versus the Phillies.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 2* play on Over.

The Rockies have won eight of their last 10 at home, and they have been scoring their share of runs during that span. The weather is expected to be favorable to hitters at Coors Field tonight, and warm air at this altitude could lead to a slugfest. Andrew Abbott will toe the rubber for the Reds, and he got torched for six runs on seven hits over six innings in a home loss to St. Louis his last time out. Feltner will go for Colorado, and he's 0-2 with a 5.88 ERA in his last five starts.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 3* play on Over.

The total has gone over in both the previous two meetings in Edmonton, and the under is 3-0 in the games in Dallas. The Oilers have gone over in seven of their last nine home games, and the over is 6-1 in their last seven home games against Dallas. Being that this is an elimination game, we could see the goalie get pulled a lot earlier than we would normally. I think the bookmakers should have put the total at 6 rather than 5.5.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Over.

Only the Las Vegas Aces have scored more points per game in the WNBA this season than Minnesota, and by only fractions of a point. Minnesota comes in averaging over 86 points per game, and they host a Dallas Wings team that averages almost 84 points per game. The problem for the Wings is they give up almost as much as they score. These teams have gone over in seven of the last 10 meetings, and the total here is lower than it was in any of the previous five meetings.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Over.

The Giants host the Yankees in a matinee on Sunday, and we might expect fireworks by The Bay.

Blake Snell will toe the slab for the Giants, and he's 0-3 with a 10.42 ERA. He looked great in a couple of rehab starts in Triple A, but has since been rocked in back to back games in the majors. He gave up eight runs on nine hits and six walks in 7 1/3 innings in losses to Pittsburgh and Philly.

The Yankees hand the ball to Nestor Cortes, who has been great at home, but not so much on the road. He's 0-3 with a 6.16 ERA in six road starts.

The weather conditions are expected to be favorable to hitters in San Francisco today.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Under.

I had the under in Game 4, and here is what I said before the puck dropped: "Both the first two games of this series have gone under, and the way these two goaltenders are playing there is every reason to expect that trend to continue. Florida has gone under in five straight games, and Sergei Bobrovsky has allowed just two goals in his last seven periods. Florida has won nine of their last 11 at home, and Bobrovsky has a 2.00 GAA at home in the playoffs" Four of five games in this series have gone under, and the Panthers have failed to reach the total in seven of their last eight overall.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on SEA.

The Mariners are sitting in first place in the AL West, and they have won five of their last six overall.

Bryce Miller will toe the slab for Seattle in Game 1 versus LA, and he's 3-2 with a 2.48 ERA in six home starts.

The Halos hand the ball to Reid Detmers, who is 0-3 with a 9.49 ERA in his last five starts.

The Angels bullpen ranks 28th in the majors with a 4.81 ERA among relief pitchers.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on NYM.

The Arizona Diamondbacks come into Game 3 of this series in New York as losers of six of seven, and they got some bad news Friday with their ace hitting the DL.

Slade Cecconi will get the call up from Triple A, after being sent down on May 22nd. His 0-3 record with an 8.41 ERA in his last four appearances doesn't inspire confidence.

The Mets hand the ball to Sean Manaea, who has allowed just four runs total in his last three home starts.

He's 2-0 with a 3.27 ERA in his last four starts overall.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on DAL.

The Oilers jumped out to an early lead in Game 4, and Dallas couldn't get back into the game. This sets up a nice revenge spot for Dallas on home ice in Game 5, and a let down spot for the Oilers. As talented as Edmonton is, they still have suspect goaltending and their defense could be shorthanded with veteran Chris Tanev seen in a walking boot.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on HOU.

The Astros snapped a three game losing skid with a win in Seattle in the series finale. They return home to face the Twins in Game 1 Friday.

Ronel Blanco will toe the slab for Houston, and he's 1-0 with a 1.88 ERA in four home starts.

The Twins hand the ball to Pablo Lopez, who has an ERA over 6.00 on the road. He's 2-3 with a 5.72 ERA in his last five starts.

The Astros have a major league best team batting average of .259.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on CHC.

Granted the Cubs have struggled of late, losing seven of their last eight. They were on the road for five of those losses however, and they host a Cincinnati Reds team this afternoon that is just 2-7 in their last nine road games.

Javier Assad will toe the slab for Chicago, and he's 2-0 with a 3.33 ERA in five home starts.

The Reds hand the ball to Graham Ashcraft, who is 1-2 with a 4.97 ERA in his last five starts.

Cincinnati's team batting average of .216 ranks 29th in the majors.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Under.

The last time the Minnesota Timberwolves faced elimination at home, they beat Denver 115-70 in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semi Final. They shot 52.7 percent from the field and 45.8 percent from beyond the arc in Game 4, and only scored 105 total points. As much as I might like Minnesota's chances in this game, I think it's going to have to be their defense and not their offense that keeps them alive. The Timberwolves are only averaging 107.8 points per game in these playoffs, and Dallas is averaging just 106.9 points per game. Minnesota has held opponents to just 101.9 points per game. Expect both teams to bring it on defense in this elimination game.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 2* play on DET.

The Tigers are coming off three straight wins over Toronto, and they send their ace to the mound in Game 1 versus the Pirates.

Tarik Skubal (6-1, 2.25 ERA) allowed four runs on six hits, striking out six in five innings in a loss at Kansas City his last time out. He owns the 3rd best WHIP in the majors are 0.85.

The Pirates hand the ball to Jared Jones, who also owns a WHIP under 1.00. Jones allowed three runs on six hits and three walks over six innings in a home loss to the Giants his last time out.

Neither team has a dependable bullpen, but the Pirates pen is worse (27th in ERA) and they face a superior Tigers offense.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on DAL.

The Celtics put a little pressure on Dallas, as they don't want to see this series get extended while Boston gets extra rest. The last thing we need is more mileage on Luka's nagging knee injuries. This should be a flat spot for Minnesota, as they know that elimination is inevitable. Karl Anthony Towns 0-for-8 from beyond the arc, and Anthony Edwards missed both his three-point attempts. Something appears to be wrong with Ant, and that doesn't bode well for Minnesota.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 4* play on Under.

I had the under in Game 3, and here is what I said before the puck dropped: "Both the first two games of this series have gone under, and the way these two goaltenders are playing there is every reason to expect that trend to continue. Florida has gone under in five straight games, and Sergei Bobrovsky has allowed just two goals in his last seven periods. Florida has won nine of their last 11 at home, and Bobrovsky has a 2.00 GAA at home in the playoffs"

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 2* play on SEA +1.5.

The Mariners are still in first place in the AL West, and they will be a home underdog versus Houston tonight.

Bryce Miller will toe the slab for Seattle, and despite recent struggles his WHIP of 0.97 should inspire confidence.

The Astros hand the ball to Framber Valdez, who is 3-2 with a 5.22 ERA in his last five starts. One of those was a 5-0 loss to Seattle, where he gave up five runs on nine hits in 5 1/3 innings.

The Mariners are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 versus Houston.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 2* play on BOS.

It's over! After dominating two of the first three games of this series, the Pacers could easily be up 2-1 heading into Game 4. Instead, they blew leads in the final seconds not once but twice, and they face elimination. Haliburton is questionable, but you can forget about him or any other Indiana players playing hurt here in tonight's game. This is a motivational mismatch. A huge let down spot for the Pacers, and the Celtics know Dallas is up 3-0 in the Western Conference Final, which makes it imperative that they don't allow this series to be extended.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on Over.

The Giants will host the Phillies in a matinee at The Bay on Monday, and reigning Cy Young winner Blake Snell will make his return from paternity leave.

Snell (0-3, 11.40 ERA) allowed four runs on four hit and four walks over 3 1/3 innings in a no decision at Pittsburgh his last time out. After missing over a month, he looked sharp in a couple rehab starts at Triple A, but that didn't translate in his return to the majors. Now he has the added distraction of his personal life, so less than 100 percent focus would be completely understandable.

The Phillies hand the ball to Taijuan Walker, who is 3-0 with a 5.06 ERA. He's 4-3 with a 4.39 ERA in 10 career appearances versus the Giants.

Walker has started five games for the Phillies, all five went over. The Giants have gone over in all four of Snell's starts.

GL,

Jesse Schule