Saturday 8/29/20 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

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SAT, AUG 29TH - 10:45PM ET:
UFC FIGHT NIGHT 175: NEIL MAGNY VS. ROBBIE LAWLER PREDICTIONS

Magny Win Money Line
-260

Money Line Pick
The Co-Main Event at UFC Fight Night 175 will see Robbie Lawler take on Neil Magny. This will be a fight in the UFC Welterweight division. Magny comes into this fight 23-7 with a UFC record of 16-6. He is currently riding a two-fight win streak and has also won four of his last five fights. He last fought at UFC 250, beat Anthony Rocco Martin by unanimous decision. Magny is pretty balanced fighter, averaging 3.95 significant strikes per minute and 2.55 takedowns per every 15 minutes. He does only have one win by submission in the UFC, so a stand-up fight is likely what Magny will want. Another impressive factor to take into consideration is Magny’s ability to limit the damage he takes. Absorbing just 2.17 strikes per minute, he does not get knocked out often.

His opponent, Robbie Lawler, is 28-14 in the MMA and 13-8 in the UFC. The biggest issue with Lawler is he seems to being coming to the end of his career and looks to be slowing down. He has lost three fights in a row and four of his last five. His most recent fight came against Colby Covington back in August of 2019. He was out-struck 179 to 78 in this fight and lost by unanimous decision. Lawler is averaging 3.57 significant strikes per minute, but is absorbing 4.16 strikes.

You really have to consider Lawler’s age and how he looked in that last fight. Overall, I think Magny will just be too much for the veteran and Magny will continue his quest for a chance at the title. Magny’s money line price is a little steep, but this looks to be a good parlay piece if you do not want to bet it straight up.

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SAT, AUG 29TH - 11:30PM ET:
UFC FIGHT NIGHT 175: ANTHONY SMITH VS. ALEKSANDAR RAKIC PREDICTIONS

Fight to go the Distance - Yes Fight Prop
+170

The Main Event at UFC Fight Night 175 will see Anthony Smith take on Aleksandar Rakic. This will be a fight in the UFC Light Heavyweight division. Rakic comes in ranked as the #8 contender in the division and has an MMA record of 12-2. He is 4-1 in the UFC after suffering his first loss to Volkan Oezdemir by split decision back in December of 2019. Rakic relies heavily on his striking, averaging 5.17 significant strikes per minute. He absorbs just 2.47 strikes per minute and thus has never been knocked out. His grappling game is not the greatest, but he still does average 1.20 takedowns per every 15 minutes. The main issue here is his takedown accuracy is 28%. The good news is that his takedown defense is 88%, so it is highly unlikely he will be brought down.

His opponent, Anthony Smith is looking to rebound from a beating he took earlier this year in May to Glover Teixeira. Smith was absolutely dominated in this fight and was out-struck 138 to 86 before he finally was finished. That brings into question Smith’s cardio because he looked completely out of it during the entire fight. He is averaging 3.19 significant strikes per minute, but is absorbing 4.57 strikes.

A huge note to keep in mind is this is a rare three-round Main Event due to the original Main Event fighters withdrawing from this event some time ago. Smith may have been dominated by Teixeira, but it took him until the 5th round to be finished. This is definitely a scary play because Rakic has a ton of power, however Smith is known as ‘Lion Heart’ for a reason and I think he can tough it out for just three-rounds to see this one go to the scorecards.

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SAT, AUG 29TH - 7:30PM ET:
COKE ZERO SUGAR 400 JOEY LOGANO (NASCAR)

Joey Logano Top 5
+220

The World Center of Racing has seen a lot of excitement out of the #22 car of Joey Logano. It hasn’t always been positive though, as he has led laps in each of the last three races at Daytona, but the last two he has been involved in a crash. That just adds to the unpredictability of Daytona International Speedway. Logano has three top 10’s in the last seven races at the track. He does have three fourth-place finishes in the last eight races at Daytona. Add in his 2015 Daytona 500 win, but he doesn’t quite have the flashy numbers some of his fellow competitors have. However, Joey Logano is a good bet for a top-five on Saturday night.

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SAT, AUG 29TH - 7:30PM ET:
COKE ZERO SUGAR 400 DENNY HAMLIN (NASCAR)

Denny Hamlin Win
+600

The final race of the regular season is set for a Saturday night at the Daytona International Speedway, and NASCAR’s best look to tackle the Coke Zero Sugar 400. Denny Hamlin has dominated the track in the last five seasons. He has never captured the flag in this race but is a three-time Daytona 500 Champion. It hasn’t been the same luck in the Coke Zero 400, as Hamlin has finished 24th or worse in the last three seasons. However, he is one of the hottest drivers right now, after winning last Saturday’s race at Dover. He is going to be tough to stop as his season-long battle with Kevin Harvick will play out on the 2.5-mile superspeedway. Hamlin is a must bet on Saturday night.

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SAT 29 AUG, 2020, 9:40 PM (EDT)
Mariners at Angels 8/29/20 - MLB

The Seattle Mariners play the second game of a three-game series on the road Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels. Seattle improvd to 13-20 following a 8-3 victory over the San Diego Padres on Thursday. The Mariners have won five of their last six and have moved into third place in the American League West 9 ½ games behind the first place Oakland Athletics.

Kyle Lewis is batting .350 to lead Seattle. The Mariners right fielder has team highs in home runs with 7, hits with 41 and on-base percentage at .442. Third baseman Kyle Seager is leading in RBIs with 26. On Saturday, Seattle will send Justus Sheffield to the mound. The left-hander is 2-2 with an ERA of 3.51, 23 Ks and 8 BBs.

The Los Angeles Angels Are 10-22 and in last place in the AL West 12 games behind the first-place Oakland Athletics. Los Angeles had its most recent game postponed against the Houston Astros after the players protested in the name of racial Justice. Los Angeles defeated Houston 12-5 on Wednesday to snap a three-game losing streak. However, the Angels have lost seven of their last nine.

David Fletcher is batting .321 to lead Los Angeles and the Angels third baseman has a team-high 43 hits. Center fielder Mike Trout is leading in home runs with 10 and in RBIs with 25. On Saturday, Los Angeles will send Griffin Canning to the mound. The right-hander is 0-3 with an ERA of 4.88, 23 Ks and 12 BBs.

Recent Betting Trends

Seattle is 5-1 in its last 6
The OVER has cashed in 5 of the Mariners last 6
Los Angeles is 3-11 in its last 14
The OVER has cashed in 4 of the Angels last 5

Free MLB Pick: Over 9.5

Seattle is playing much better baseball at the moment than Los Angeles as the Mariners have won five of their last six. However, the play here is the OVER. The OVER has cashed in five of Seattle's last six and in four of the Angels last five. In addition when the two teams play head to head, the OVER has cashed in 10 of the last 14. Final Score Prediction, Seattle Mariners win but our best play is OVER 8-5.

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SAT 29 AUG, 2020, 8:10 PM (EDT)
Padres at Rockies 8/29/20 - MLB

The San Diego Padres play the second game of their weekend series on the road Saturday against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. San Diego dropped to 19-14 following its 8-3 loss on Thursday to the Seattle Mariners. San Diego has lost two of its last three after winning seven straight and are five games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West.

Fernando Tatis Jr. is batting .300 to lead San Diego. The Padres shortstop is leading in home runs with 13, RBIs with 30 and hits with 39. Third baseman Manny Machado is leading in on-base percentage at .382. On Saturday, San Diego will send Adrian Morejon to the mound. The left-hander is 0-0 with an ERA of 5.79, 7 Ks and 2 BBs.

Colorado had its game on Thursday postponed against the Arizona Diamondbacks as the players protested in the name of racial Justice. The Rockies are 16-15 and in third place in the NL West seven games behind the first-place Dodgers. Colorado has won three straight after losing eight consecutive games and 11 of 12.

Charlie Blackmon is batting .390 to lead Colorado. The right fielder is leading the Rockies in RBIs with 28 and hits with 46. Shortstop Trevor Story is leading in home runs with 9. On Saturday, Colorado will send Antonio Senzatela to the mound. The right-hander is 3-1 with an ERA of 3.96, 25 Ks and 6 BBs.

Recent Betting Trends

San Diego is 8-2 in its last 10
The OVER has cashed in 8 of the Padres last 10
Colorado is 4-10 in its last 14
The UNDER has cashed in 4 of the Rockies last 6

Free MLB Pick: Colorado Rockies -120

Colorado has turned its game around as the Rockies defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks in three straight after losing seven consecutive games. San Diego on the other hand has lost each of its last two after winning eight straight. The Padres have also lost five of their last seven on the road and five of their last six head to head against the Rockies. Final Score Prediction, Colorado Rockies win 7-5.

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SAT 29 AUG, 2020, 7:40 PM (EDT)
Cubs at Reds 8/29/20 - Game 2 - MLB

The Chicago Cubs are playing game two of their doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds at the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Chicago Cubs are throwing right hander, Alec Mills in this one. Mills is 3-2 on the year, to go along with a 4.55 ERA. The Reds are throwing right hander, Trevor Bauer. Bauer is 3-1 on the year, to go along with a 1.65 ERA.

The Chicago Cubs are off to a great start, going 18-12 on the year. The Cubs have looked bad as of late and will need to be better if they want a chance against the Reds. The Cubs are led offensively by left fielder, Kyle Schwarber. Schwarber is batting .220, to go along with 6 HR and 13 RBIs.

The Cincinnati Reds are off to a shaky start this year, going 13-17 to start. The Reds have looked a lot better as of late and will be ready to tee off on a pitcher who has struggled in the past. The Red’s bats are led by former Cub, Nicholas Castellanos. Castellanos is batting .266 this year, to go along with 10 HR and 23 RBIs.

Recent Betting Trends

The Chicago Cubs are 14-16 ATS this year.
The total has gone over in 17 of the Cub’s last 13 games.
The Cincinnati Reds are 12-18 ATS this year.
The total has gone under in 17 of the Red’s last 30 games.

Free MLB Pick: Cincinnati Reds -140

In this matchup I like the Cincinnati Reds to win on the under. The Reds are pitching their best player in Trevor Bauer. Bauer is 3-1 this year and will be able to slow down the Cubs offense. The Cubs have not looked good as of late and will struggle in this one. Final score prediction, Cincinnati Reds will win on the under 2-1.

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SAT 29 AUG, 2020, 7:30 PM (EDT)
Nationals at Red Sox 8/29/20 - MLB

The Washington Nationals play the second game of a three-game interleague series on the road Saturday against the Boston Red Sox. Washington’s game on Thursday was postponed and the Nationals are 11-17 after losing to the Philadelphia Phillies 3-2 on Wednesday. The loss was Washington's third straight and fifth in their last seven games.

Trea Turner is batting .309 to lead Washington and shortstop has team highs in hits with 34 and on-base percentage at .379. Left fielder Juan Soto is leading in home runs with eight and RBIs with 18. On Friday, Washington will send Anibal Sanchez to the mound. The right-hander is 1-3 with an ERA of 6.48, 19 Ks and 8 BBs.

Boston’s game on Thursday against Toronto was also postponed. The Red Sox are 10-21 following a 9-1 loss on Wednesday to the Toronto Blue Jays. Boston is in last place in the American League East 10 ½ games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays. At home, the Red Sox have lost six of the last eight. Boston also owns the worst team ERA in baseball at 6.05.

Alex Verdugo is batting .291 to lead the Red Sox and the center fielder has a team-high 30 hits. First baseman Mitch Moreland is leading Boston in home runs with eight and RBIs with 21. On Friday, the Red Sox will send Martin Perez to the mound. The left-hander is 2-3 with an ERA of 3.45, 23 Ks and 15 BBs.

Recent Betting Trends

Washington is 1-4 in its last 5
The OVER has cashed in 11 of the Nationals last 14
Boston is 4-12 in its last 16
The UNDER has cashed in 5 of the Red Sox last 7

Free MLB Pick: Washington Nationals -110

The Nationals and Red Sox are having disappointing seasons. The Red Sox have lost 12 of the last 16 overall. Washington has not fared much better losing each of its last three and seven of its last 11. However. on the road, the Nationals play much better having won five of their last eight away from Nationals Park. Final Score Prediction, Washington Nationals win 6-4.

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SAT 29 AUG, 2020, 7:10 PM (EDT)
Pirates at Brewers 8/29/20 - MLB

On Saturday, the Pittsburgh Pirates play the second game of a four-game weekend series on the road against National League Central rival the Milwaukee Brewers. Pittsburgh improved to 9-19 following its 2-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday giving the Pirates two consecutive victories over the Cardinals. Nevertheless, Pittsburgh is in last place in the NL Central eight games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs.

Kevin Newman is batting .266 to lead Pittsburgh and the shortstop has a team-high 22 hits. Third baseman Colin Moran leads in home runs with six and second baseman Eric Gonzalez has a team-high 13 RBIs. On Saturday, Pittsburgh will send JT Brubaker to the mound. The right-hander is 0-0 with an ERA of 4.80, 16 Ks and 7 BBs.

Milwaukee dropped to 13-17 following a 6-0 loss on Thursday to the Cincinnati Reds in the second game of a doubleheader in which the Brewers also lost the first game 6-1. Milwaukee split its four-game series after winning the first two before dropping the next two. The Brewers are in fourth place in the NL Central five games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs.

Keston Hiura is batting .237 to lead Milwaukee and the second baseman has team highs in RBIs with 16 and hits with 28. Right fielder Christian Yelich is leading in home runs with 7. On Saturday, Milwaukee will send Brett Anderson to the mound. The left-hander is 2-2 with an ERA of 3.52, 17 Ks and 5 BBs.

Recent Betting Trends

Pittsburgh is 5-2 in its last 7
The OVER has cashed in 5 of the Pirates last 7 versus NL opponents
Milwaukee is 2-6 in its last 8
The OVER has cashed in 11 of the Brewers last 15 versus Pittsburgh

Free MLB Pick: Pittsburgh Pirates +150

Although Pittsburgh has suffered through a disappointing season thus far losing 19 of 28 games played, the Pirates have won five of their last seven and four of the last five versus the Brewers. Milwaukee has lost six of its last eight. In addition, the Brewers have played poorly at home in Miller Park losing eight of the last 12. Final Score Prediction, Pittsburgh Pirates win 5-3.

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SAT 29 AUG, 2020, 7:10 PM (EDT)
Athletics at Astros 8/29/20 - MLB

The Oakland Athletics play the second game of a weekend series on the road against American League West rival the Houston Astros on Saturday. The Athletics postponed their game on Thursday against the Texas Rangers in support of racial justice. Oakland leads the AL West with a record of 22-10 and has a 4 ½ game lead over the second-place Astros. Oakland has won two straight and four of its last six.

Mark Canha is batting .278 to lead Oakland. First baseman Matt Olson is leading Oakland in home runs with 10, while right fielder Stephen Piscotty is the leader in RBIs with 26 and shortstop Marcos Seimen as a team-high 32 hits. On Saturday, Oakland will send Frankie Montas to the mound. The right-hander is 2-2 with an ERA of 5.22, 28 Ks and 16 BBs.

Houston is 17-14 and had its Thursday game against the Los Angeles Angels postponed as well. The Astros lost their most recent game played to the Angels 12-5 on Wednesday. Houston has lost four of its last six after enjoying a season-high winning streak of eight games. The Astros have a comfortable five-game lead over third place Seattle in the division.

Yuli Gurriel is batting .296 to lead Houston and the first baseman has a team-high in hits with 34. Right-fielder Kyle Tucker is leading in home runs with five and RBIs with 23. On Saturday, the Astros will send Zack Greinke to the mound. The right-hander is 1-0 with an ERA of 2.29, 29 Ks and 6 BBs.

Recent Betting Trends

Oakland is 6-2 in its last 8
The UNDER has cashed in 6 of the A’s last 8
Houston is 10-4 in its last 14
The OVER has cashed in 4 of the Astros last 5

Free MLB Pick: Houston Astros -120

Houston right-hander Zack Greinke is just 1-0 on the season with several no decisions, but the right-hander has a very good ERA at 2.29. Houston has stumbled of late, but the Astros enjoyed an eight-game winning streak earlier this month and will be back at home at Minute Maid Park where they have won eight of their last nine. Final Score Prediction, Houston Astros win 5-2.

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SAT 29 AUG, 2020, 7:05 PM (EDT)
LA Dodgers at Texas Rangers 8/29/20 - MLB

The Los Angeles Dodgers play the second game of a three-game interleague series on the road Saturday against the Texas Rangers. Los Angeles improved to 24-9 following its doubleheader sweep of the San Francisco Giants on Thursday. The Dodgers won the first game 7-0 and shut out the Giants in the second games as well 2-0. Los Angeles leads the National League West by five games over the San Diego Padres.

Corey Seager is batting .302 to lead Los Angeles. Right fielder Mookie Betts is leading the Dodgers in home runs with 11, RBIs with 24 and hits with 35. Justin Turner is the leader in on-base percentage at.388. On Saturday, Los Angeles will send Ross Stripling to the mound. The right-hander is 3-1 with an ERA of 5.46, 24 Ks and 8 BBs.

The Texas Rangers had their game on Thursday postponed as the players showed support in the call for racial Justice. The Rangers are 11-19 and in fourth place in the American League West 10 games behind the first-place Oakland Athletics. Texas has lost each of its last two and eight of its last 11. The Rangers at one time were battling for second place but are now well off the pace.

Nick Solak is batting .269 to lead Texas and the Rangers second baseman has a team 28 hits. Center fielder Joey Gallo is leading Texas in home runs with 7 and RBIs with 16. On Saturday, the Texas Rangers will send Lance Lynn to the mound. The right-hander is 4-0 with an ERA of 1.59, 50 Ks and 14 BBs.

Recent Betting Trends

Los Angeles is 13-2 in its last 15
The UNDER has cashed in 6 of the Dodgers last 7 at Texas
Texas is 1-10 in its last 11
The OVER has cashed in 8 of the Rangers last 11

Free MLB Pick:Los Angeles Dodgers -155

Los Angeles swept a doubleheader from the San Francisco Giants in their most recent outing and have won 13 of the last 15 to open a five-game lead atop the National League West. In contrast, the Rangers have lost 10 of their last 11 and four of their last five at their home park in Arlington. Final Score Prediction, Los Angeles Dodgers win 6-2.

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SAT 29 AUG, 2020, 6:37 PM (EDT)
Orioles at Blue Jays 8/29/20 - MLB

The Baltimore Orioles play the second game of a three-game series on the road Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Orioles are 14-16 and in fourth place in the American League East six games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays. Baltimore's game on Thursday against the Rays was postponed. Baltimore lost its last outing 4-3 Tampa Bay and has lost two straight.

Pedro Severino is batting .333 to lead Baltimore. Second baseman Hanser Alberto has a team-high 38 hits, while right fielder Anthony Santander is leading in home runs with 10 and RBIs with 28. On Saturday, Baltimore will send Alex Cobb to the mound. The right-hander is 1-2 with an ERA of 3.73, 22 Ks and 10 BBs.

Toronto is in third place in the American League East 4 ½ games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays and the Blue Jays game on Thursday against the Boston Red Sox was also postponed as players protested in the name of racial justice. Toronto defeated Boston 9-1 in its most recent game on Wednesday and has won two of its last three and eight of its last 11.

Randal Grichuk is batting .307 to lead Toronto and the center fielder leads the team in RBIs with 21. Left fielder Teoscar Hernandez is leading in home runs with 11 and hits with 32. On Saturday, Toronto will send Tanner Roark to the mound. The right-hander is 2-1 with an ERA of 4.91, 17 Ks and 13 BBs.

Recent Betting Trends

Baltimore is 2-8 in its last 10
The UNDER has cashed in 6 of the Orioles last 7
Toronto is 8-3 in its last 11
The OVER has cashed in 6 of the Blue Jays last 9 versus the Orioles

Free MLB Pick: Toronto Blue Jays -160

Toronto is playing much better baseball at this point than Baltimore, the Blue Jays have won eight of the last 11 and six of the last nine versus an opponent from the American League. In contrast, Baltimore has lost 8 of its last 10 and 7 of its last nine versus an opponent from the American League. Final Score Prediction, Toronto Blue Jays win 6-2.

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SAT 29 AUG, 2020, 6:10 PM (EDT)
Tampa Bay Rays at Miami Marlins 8/29/20 - MLB

Tampa Bay is coming into the game here as the leader in the AL East. Now, the Rays are going to face the second place team in the NL East. The Rays have a 21-11 record overall and an 9-6 record on the road this year. With the Marlins the team has ended up with a 14-12 record overall, but playing at home the Marlins have been horrible with 1-5 record.

Tampa Bay is coming to the game here hitting at a clip of .244 with 256 hits on the year. The Rays have managed tog et a total of 165 runs with 41 homers. The Marlins who are on a short year have ended up with an average of .244 and 204 hits. The Marlins have managed to get a total of 116 run while cranking out 22 homers.

Blake Snell is slated to start the game for the Rays. He has done good with a 2-0 record and a 3.04 ERA. Snell has thrown a total of 23.2 innings with 32 strikeouts. When it comes to the runners on the base Snell has allowed 19 hits and 7 walks.

Pablo Lopez is the pitcher who is coming to the game here to start for Miami. Lopez has ended up with a 3-1 record and a 1.98 ERA so far. Lopez has thrown a total of 27.1 innings while striking out 27 batters. Lopez has given up 27 hits while walking only 7 batters.

Recent Betting Trends

Tampa Bay are 15-3 SU in their last 18 games.
Tampa Bay are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games against Miami.
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Miami's last 11 games.
Miami are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games.

Free MLB Pick: Miam Marlins +130

Coming to the game here the battle will actually be on the mound. The good news is Lopez is the better starter and should be able to keep the Rays hitters in check. His ability to keep the Rays hitters in check will actually lead to the Marlins getting the win as their offense does just enough to secure the win. Final Score Prediction, Miami Marlins win 3-1.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

SAT 29 AUG, 2020, 6:10 PM (EDT)
Twins at Tigers 8/29/20 - Game 2 - MLB

The Twins are one of the best teams in the AL Central this year. However, that comes from the fact that the Twins have a 20-12 record. The downside is the Twins have not played good on the road so far with an 8-9 record. With the Detroit team they are coming into the game here with a 13-16 record overall. When it comes to playing at home the Tigers have ended up getting a 6-10 record.

On the year the Twins have ended up hitting at a clip of .245 with 257 hits. The Twins have scored a total of 148 runs and cranked out 45 homers. With Detroit the team has ended up hitting at a clip of .244 with 236 hits. The Tigers have ended up with a total of 137 runs and 39 homers on the year so far.

Kenta Maeda is the starting pitcher heading to the mound for Minnesota. He has posted a 4-0 record and a 2.21 ERA. He has thrown a total of 36.2 innings with 40 strikeouts. Maeda has allowed a total of 19 hits and walked 7 batters.

Casey Mize is coming to the game to be the starter for the Tigers. Mize has ended up with an 0-1 record and a dismal 7.04 ERA. Mize has thrown only 7.2 innings on the year and struck out 9 batters, but has allowed 12 hits and walked 2 batters.

Recent Betting Trends

The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games.
Minnesota are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games against Detroit.
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Detroit's last 7 games.
Detroit are 4-11 SU in their last 15 games.

Free MLB Pick: Minnesota Twins -150

While the Twins are not the best team on the road, the Twins are facing a Tigers team that has struggled on the year. The Twins are also facing Mize who has not been doing great at all on the mound. Look for the struggles of Mize to be compounded with the great offense from Minnesota. Not to mention the Twins are going to have a good pitcher on the mound in the game here and that will help to shut down the Tigers offense in the game. Final Score Prediction, Minnesota Twins win 8-2.

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SAT 29 AUG, 2020, 4:10 PM (EDT)
Cubs at Reds 8/29/20 - Game 1 - MLB

The Chicago Cubs travel to Great American Ball Park to take on the Cincinnati Reds in game one of a double header. The Cubs dropped their last two games to the Detroit Tigers, capping off the series with a 7-6 loss and fell to 18-12 on the season. The Reds snapped a four-game losing streak with back to back dominating wins over the Brewers, improving to 13-17 on the year.

This pitching matchup will be a good one with the Cubs sending out Yu Darvish who has been excellent this season posting a 5-1 record and a 1.70 ERA. In his 6th starts, Darvish has pitched in 37 innings posting 44 strikeouts to just 6 walks. The Cubs bullpen has struggled this season and Chicago’s 4.55 team ERA ranks 15th in the MLB this season.

The Reds team ERA 3.83 ranks 7th in the MLB and the Cubs will have their hands full with Trevor Bauer taking the mound. Bauer is 3-1 on the year and posts and impressive 1.65 ERA. Through his five starts, Bauer has worked through 32 innings striking out 49 and walking just 9.

The Cubs offense has struggled this season coming in batting .228 ranking 24th in the MLB and are averaging 4.6 runs per game tor rank 19th in scoring offense. The Cubs stars have under-performed this season but Chicago has gotten huge contributions from the up and coming centerfielder Ian Happ who leads the team with a .287 batting average and has hit 6 homeruns driving in 15 runs on the season.

The Reds offense has been dismal at the plate this season coming in batting .213 on the year and averaging 4.07 runs per game to rank 25th in the MLB in scoring offense. The Reds are led by Nick Castellanos, who the Reds acquired in free agency after Castellanos put up video game-like numbers for the Cubs in the second half of last season.

Recent Betting Trends

Chicago totals' have gone over in four of their last six.
Cincinatti totals' have gone under in six of their last seven games.
Cincinatti has lost four of their last six but have won two in a row.
Chicago has lost two straight games.

Free MLB Pick: Over 7 Runs

The Cubs bullpen has had their issues this season but often times the Cubs starters have worked deep into the game and took a load off of the bullpen. With Yu Darvish taking the hill, the Cubs bounce back after back to back bad losses to the Tigers. In a doubleheader scenario, the Cubs bullpen will be less of a necessity and with a solid start from Yu Darvish, the Cubs get the win. Bauer has been solid this season but the Cubs stars start to wake up and continue to receive key contributions from younger players. Final score prediction, Chicago Cubs win 7-5.