Friday 8-25-17 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Mike Williams
Aug 25 '17, 7:05 PM
MLB | CHC vs PHI
Play on: UNDER 9 -130

1* on Cubs vs Phillies under 9 -130

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Dave Price
Aug 25 '17, 10:05 PM
MLB | Astros vs Angels
Play on: Angels +102 at 5Dimes

Dave's Friday Free Play:

1* on Los Angeles Angels +102

The Key: Parker Bridwell is a big reason why the Los Angeles Angels are in the running for the AL wild card right now. He has been one of the most profitable pitchers to back in baseball. The Angels have gone 11-1 in his 12 starts this season. He has gone 7-1 with a 3.07 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in those 12 outings. Collin McHugh is winless on the road this year, going 0-2 with a 5.81 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in 4 starts. The Astros have injury issues to two of their best players in Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve, who both may sit tonight. These injuries have made Houston a very bad team to back since the All-Star Break. Take Los Angeles.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Bobby Conn
Aug 25 '17, 7:05 PM
MLB | Twins vs Blue Jays
Play on: Blue Jays -187 at BMaker

1* Free Play on Blue Jays -187

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Jack Jones
Aug 25 '17, 7:35 PM
MLB | Rockies vs Braves
Play on: Rockies +108 at betonline

Jack's Free Pick Friday: Colorado Rockies +108

The Colorado Rockies have a lot more to play for right now than the Atlanta Braves. They need to get it together to hang on to a wild card spot after losing four of their last five games coming in. I look for them to get the job done at a nice underdog value here Friday.

Chad Bettis has been very good in his two starts this season, going 0-0 with a 1.93 ERA and 1.071 WHIP. He has allowed just 3 earned runs in 14 innings. One of those starts was against the Braves on August 14th as he pitched 7 shutout innings. Bettis is now 3-1 with a 3.22 ERA in six career starts against Atlanta.

Julio Teheran has been an awful bet at home over the past few seasons. He is 1-9 with a 6.98 ERA and 1.610 WHIP in 13 home starts this year. The Braves are just 7-24 in Teheran's last 31 home starts.

The Rockies are 11-1 in Bettis' last 12 starts vs. National League East opponents. Colorado is 17-5 in Bettis' last 22 starts overall. The Rockies are 5-0 in Bettis' last five starts against Atlanta. Colorado is 16-5 in the last 21 meetings. Bet the Rockies Friday.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Trends - New England at Detroit

ATS Trends
New England

Patriots are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games on fieldturf.
Patriots are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 road games.
Patriots are 34-16-2 ATS in their last 52 games overall.

Detroit

Lions are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 home games.
Lions are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
Lions are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games on fieldturf.

OU Trends
New England

Over is 4-0 in Patriots last 4 games overall.
Under is 8-3 in Patriots last 11 road games.
Over is 60-28 in Patriots last 88 games on fieldturf.

Detroit

Under is 9-2 in Lions last 11 games overall.
Under is 9-2 in Lions last 11 games on fieldturf.
Under is 4-1 in Lions last 5 home games.

Head to Head

Favorite is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Trends - Kansas City at Seattle
ATS Trends
Kansas City

Chiefs are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 road games.
Chiefs are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games overall.

Seattle

Seahawks are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 home games.
Seahawks are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games on fieldturf.

OU Trends
Kansas City

Under is 9-4 in Chiefs last 13 games overall.

Seattle

Over is 5-2 in Seahawks last 7 games overall.

Head to Head

Over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
Chiefs are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 meetings.
Favorite is 12-5 ATS in their last 17 meetings.

[New York Knight]

Mets 6-1 in deGrom's last 7 starts vs Nationals (2.47 ERA, 59 KOs)


NYM -136 / WAS +126

[New York Knight]

Blue Jays have allowed 19 runs in their last 8 home games. Under is 7-1 in those games.


O/U 9 today vs MIN

[New York Knight]

Over 5-0 in last 5 meetings between Cubs and Phillies with average of 10 total runs scored per game.


O/U 8.5 today

[New York Knight]

Despite a 5.68 ERA Yankees 6-2 in Sabathia's 8 starts at home this season


NYY -155 vs SEA +130 tonight

[New York Knight]

Under 8-0 in Ivan Nova's last 8 starts vs. NL Central opponents.


O/U 9.5 tonight for Pirates game at Reds

[New York Knight]

GAME: New York Mets (55-71) at Washington Nationals (76-49)
DATE/TIME: Friday, August 25 - 7:05 PM EST
WHERE: Nationals Park, Washington, District of Columbia
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A

Preview: Mets at Nationals
Gracenote
Aug 25, 2017

The Washington Nationals are cruising toward the National League East crown and aim to continue their winning pattern when they host the New Mets on Friday for the opener of their four-game series. Washington, which holds a 13 1/2-game lead over Miami, completed a 5-2 road trip with a 5-4, 11-inning victory over Houston on Thursday.

The Nationals have won 10 of their last 14 games and are thriving without MVP candidate Bryce Harper (knee), who has missed the last 11 contests. Even Ryan Zimmerman's 1-for-20 funk over his last five contests hasn't derailed Washington. New York, which has dropped nine of its last 11 games, likely lost 27-home run hitter Michael Conforto for the season on Thursday as he dislocated his left shoulder while swinging and missing at a pitch during a 3-2 loss to Arizona. "It turns your stomach," Mets manager Terry Collins told reporters afterward. "Young player who's having a tremendous year, really making a name for himself - to go down with an injury like that, it's tough to watch."

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), MASN2 (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Jacob deGrom (13-7, 3.49 ERA) vs. Nationals RH A.J. Cole (1-3, 5.32)

The 29-year-old deGrom has lost four of his last five outings and given up five runs in each of the last two - both losses. His next victory will match the career high he set in 2015 and he is just 14 strikeouts away from his career mark of 205, also accomplished two years ago. DeGrom is 4-3 with a 2.95 ERA in 10 career starts against Washington, including a 2-1 mark and 2.61 ERA in three turns this season.

Cole is being recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to make his fourth start of the month for the Nationals after losing each of the first three. The 25-year-old has posted a 6.75 ERA in August while issuing eight walks and serving up four homers in just 16 innings. Cole is 1-0 with a 3.27 ERA in two career starts against the Mets with 11 strikeouts in as many frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. Nationals 3B Anthony Rendon, who went 2-for-3 on Thursday, is hitless in 16 career at-bats against deGrom.

2. New York RHP Jeurys Familia (arm) is expected to be activated for the series opener.

3. Washington RHP Max Scherzer (neck) threw off flat ground Thursday and possibly could return to start a game in Sunday's doubleheader.

PREDICTION: Mets 3, Nationals 1

[New York Knight]

GAME: Seattle Mariners (65-63) at New York Yankees (68-58)
DATE/TIME: Friday, August 25 - 7:05 PM EST
WHERE: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A

Preview: Mariners at Yankees
Gracenote
Aug 24, 2017

The New York Yankees head home still in second place and staring at some likely suspensions. The Yankees finished off their road trip with a wild loss at Detroit that featured five hit batters and three benches-clearing incidents, and are hoping to get back to the business of erasing their 4 1/2-game deficit in the American League East when they host the Seattle Mariners on Friday.

New York manager Joe Girardi placed the blame for the benches-clearing fracas squarely on the umpires, though Yankees pitcher Dellin Betances hit a batter in the head with a fastball and both Girardi and bench coach Robby Thompson were ejected. New York missed out on a chance to sweep to the Tigers with the 10-6 loss and is now staring at a key homestand that starts with Seattle and includes visits from AL Central-leading Cleveland and AL East-leading Boston. The Mariners are winners of six of their last eight and enter the series four games behind the wild card-leading Yankees. Seattle will turn to left-hander Ariel Miranda in Friday's opener while New York counters with veteran lefty CC Sabathia.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, ROOT Northwest (Seattle), WPIX (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH Ariel Miranda (8-6, 4.78 ERA) vs. Yankees LH CC Sabathia (10-5, 3.99)

Miranda failed to finish six innings in any of his last four starts but is coming off a win at Tampa Bay on Saturday in which he allowed three runs and five hits over five frames. The Cuba native issued only one walk in that win after yielding six over 4 2/3 frames in a loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 13. Miranda lasted 5 1/3 innings against New York on July 22 and surrendered two runs without factoring in the decision.

Sabathia came off the disabled list at Boston on Saturday and scattered two runs and four hits over six innings to snap a three-start winless streak. The burly veteran topped out at six innings in his last eight turns and was lifted on Saturday despite throwing just 80 pitches. Sabathia needed 98 pitches to get through five innings at Seattle on July 21 but surrendered only one run on four hits and three walks to come away with the win.

WALK-OFFS

1. Mariners 2B Robinson Cano (hamstring) is scheduled for an MRI on Friday and joins OF Guillermo Heredia (forearm) as day-to-day.

2. Yankees C Gary Sanchez went 7-for-15 with four home runs, nine RBIs and five runs scored in the three-game series versus Detroit.

3. Seattle SS Jean Segura is 3-for-27 in his last six games.

PREDICTION: Yankees 6, Mariners 4

[New York Knight]

GAME: Chicago Cubs (68-58) at Philadelphia Phillies (46-80)
DATE/TIME: Friday, August 25 - 7:05 PM EST
WHERE: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A

Preview: Cubs at Phillies
Gracenote
Aug 25, 2017

After playing three straight series against last-place teams, the Chicago Cubs face an even weaker opponent this weekend when they begin a three-game road series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday. The Cubs hope to add to their three-game National League Central lead when they take on the Phillies, who own the worst record in the majors.


The Cubs had a five-game winning streak snapped with a 4-2 loss to Cincinnati on Thursday, but they’ve tripled their division lead over Milwaukee from one game to three while winning eight of their last 11. The Phillies dropped 34 games below .500 with a 9-8 loss to visiting Miami on Thursday. Philadelphia has lost 11 of its last 15. Chicago took three of four when the teams met at Wrigley Field from May 1-4.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), CSN Philadelphia


PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Jose Quintana (8-10, 4.27 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Jerad Eickhoff (3-7, 4.46)

Quintana is 4-2 with a 3.73 ERA in seven outings since the Cubs acquired him from the cross-town White Sox, and he has posted quality starts in five of those seven games. The 28-year-old Colombian earned his second straight win Saturday, holding Toronto to two runs and four hits over six innings with eight strikeouts. Quintana faced the Phillies in 2013 and allowed three runs over six innings in a no-decision.

Eickhoff has gone unbeaten in 10 starts since his last loss on June 7, posting a 3-0 record and a 3.67 ERA over that stretch. The 27-year-old has been inefficient in his past two outings, getting through only 4 2/3 innings Saturday at San Francisco while allowing four runs and eight hits in a no-decision. Eickhoff is 1-2 with a 3.51 ERA in four starts against the Cubs.


WALK-OFFS

1. Cubs sluggers 3B Kris Bryant (3-for-12, seven strikeouts) and 1B Anthony Rizzo (1-for-11, four strikeouts) are hitting a combined .174 against Eickhoff.

2. Phillies LF Rhys Hoskins has belted eight home runs in his first 15 major-league games.

3. The Cubs have drawn at least one walk in a season-high 29 consecutive games.


PREDICTION: Cubs 6, Phillies 4

[New York Knight]

GAME: Minnesota Twins (65-62) at Toronto Blue Jays (60-67)
DATE/TIME: Friday, August 25 - 7:07 PM EST
WHERE: Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A

Preview: Twins at Blue Jays
Gracenote
Aug 25, 2017

The Minnesota Twins blew a grand opportunity to create a bit of separation between themselves and the Los Angeles Angels in the wild-card race by losing a rare five-game series to the worst team in the American League. The Twins will attempt to right the ship against another AL cellar-dweller starting on Friday, when they begin a three-game set with the host Toronto Blue Jays.

Minnesota won the final four contests of a six-game homestand from Aug. 15-20 and claimed two of its first three in Chicago to begin the week before the White Sox countered with a pair of triumphs over their division rival. The Twins managed to hold on to their slim one-half game advantage for the second and final wild-card slot in the AL, however, as the Angels also lost for the second straight night against Texas. Toronto returns home after a frustrating 1-5 road trip during which four of the five defeats were by two runs or fewer, including three by one run. After belting six homers - the most the club has hit in a game since 2012 - in Wednesday's 7-6 win over Tampa Bay, the Blue Jays managed only six singles the following night and were shut out for the fifth time this season in the rubber match against the Rays.

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), Sportsnet, TVA (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Bartolo Colón (5-10, 6.66 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH J.A. Happ (6-9, 3.90)

Colon became the 18th pitcher to record a victory against all 30 teams on Sunday against Arizona, permitting four runs on seven hits - three homers - and a pair of walks in six innings. After going 0-3 with a 9.39 ERA over five combined turns in June and July, the four-time All-Star is 3-1 with a 3.67 ERA in four outings this month. Colon won in Toronto as a member of the Atlanta Braves on May 15 after yielding three runs - two earned - over five innings, improving to 11-6 with a 4.23 ERA in 27 starts against the Blue Jays.

Although he struck out eight batters and seven of the nine hits he allowed were singles, Happ still was reached for five runs over as many innings in a loss to the Chicago Cubs last Friday, ending his three-start winning streak. Despite the rough outing, the Northwestern product has fared well in four turns this month, posting a 3-1 record and 3.04 ERA over that time. Brian Dozier is 3-for-10 with two home runs versus Happ, who is 1-3 with a 5.66 ERA in five career games (four starts) against the Twins.

WALK-OFFS

1. Twins OF Byron Buxton, who homered for the team's only run Thursday, is batting .333 since July 4.

2. The Blue Jays have scored 276 of their 541 runs via the homer. The resulting rate of 51 percent of runs scored from blasts is the highest in the majors.

3. Minnesota placed C Jason Castro on the seven-day concussion list and recalled OF Zack Granite from Triple-A Rochester.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 5, Twins 4