Cappers Sports Picks

50* Powerhouse Play on Giants +128

Philadelphia will be the location of another showdown between the Phillies (56-50) and Giants (54-53). As one of the hottest teams in the National League, the Giants come into tonight’s game with a 19-6 record over their last 25.

In an effort to continue that run, San Francisco will go with right-hander Jeff Samardzija (7-8, 3.95 ERA). Keeping batters to a .167 average against his four-seamer, Samardzija is having a great July. In five starts this month, he’s 3-1 with a 2.48 ERA.

Despite his team-leading 72 RBIs, Bryce Harper has struggled against Samardzija. The Phillies slugger has just one hit in 11 at-bats.

For Philadelphia, Vince Velasquez (3-5, 4.46 ERA) gets the nod. The right-hander will be looking to get his team closer to the division-leading Braves, who currently have a six-game advantage on the Phillies.

An interesting divergence for these two clubs is their respective performance at different game times. In night games, the Giants are 35-29 while the Phillies are a mediocre 32-37.

The Phillies will likely need to get to Samardzija early, as the Giants bullpen has been great throughout July. The bullpen continued that form yesterday by throwing three scoreless innings.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Dodgers -128

The first team to reach 70 wins will be in Colorado this afternoon as the Dodgers (70-39) visit the Rockies (50-58). Los Angeles has dominated this matchup, winning nine of the 12 contests thus far.

Cy Young candidate Hyun-Jin Ryu (11-2, 1.74 ERA) will get the start for the Dodgers. In his last four starts, the left-hander has allowed just four runs and holds a 1.35 ERA. Ryu’s 1.74 season ERA leads the majors.

Right-hander German Marquez (10-5, 4.88 ERA) will be opposite Ryu. Marquez may still be trying to forget his mid-July start against the Giants in which he gave up 11 earned runs in fewer than three innings.

With a 6-18 record in the month of July, the Rockies will need Marquez to be the best version of himself if they’ll have a decent chance against the National League’s best team. Marquez will likely need to go deep into the game, too, considering Colorado’s team ERA of 5.45 compared to LA’s 3.42 ERA.

While the Rockies have just one win in their last eight against left-handed pitching, the Dodgers are perfect in Ryu’s last four games coming off four days of rest.

50* Powerhouse Play on Blue Jays +113

As winners of four of five games against the Royals (40-68) this season, the Blue Jays (41-67) will pay a visit to Kansas City tonight in a battle of trade deadline sellers.

Before being dealt to the Mets, Marcus Stroman was slotted to get the start this evening. Now, the Blue Jays will turn to right-hander Sean Reid-Foley (0-1, 3.55 ERA) as Toronto focuses on the future.

On display for the Blue Jays will be plenty of young talent. Toronto just called up their top prospect in Bo Bichette, who will join rookies Cavan Biggio and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Facing off against those youngsters will be Mike Montgomery (1-3, 6.09 ERA). The left-hander will be making his third start for Kansas City since being acquired from the Cubs. Montgomery’s last two starts concluded with the pitcher racking up a 7.71 ERA while earning no wins and one loss.

Although Kansas City owns the better team batting average with a .248 to Toronto’s .233, the Blue Jays have the advantage when it comes to runs scored (473-468) and home runs (154-102).

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Marlins +145

The Twins (64-41) are clear favorites against the Marlins (41-63) tonight in Miami, but that doesn’t tell the whole story.

Although the Marlins have struggled this year, they’ve found some momentum coming into this one. As winners of five of their last six, Miami isn’t the walkover they’ve been in previous periods throughout the season.

Furthering that Marlins momentum will be rookie starter Zac Gallen (1-2, 2.76 ERA). The right-hander is coming off an impressive performance in a win against the White Sox. Gallen went a career-long seven innings in which he notched career bests in hits allowed (two) and strikeouts (nine).

Despite a formidable record, Minnesota right-hander Jake Odorizzi (11-5, 3.84 ERA) comes into tonight’s contest on the back of a horrid month. Throughout July, Odorizzi is 1-2 with a 9.35 ERA. The worst of it all came in his last outing against the Yankees when Odorizzi gave up a season-high nine runs on 10 hits.

Miami shortstop Miguel Rojas leads the club with a .289 average, and he’s coming into this evening’s game on a hot streak. Over the last seven days, Rojas is batting .400 with three homers.

50* Powerhouse Play on Red Sox -130

An AL East duel will take place this evening in Boston when the Red Sox (59-48) host the Rays (60-48). Tampa Bay currently holds a 0.5-game advantage over Boston, and is 8.5 games back of the division-leading Yankees.

Despite losing their last game versus the Yankees, the Red Sox can feel good about themselves after taking three of four against New York and closing that gap.

In an effort to overtake the Rays, Boston will use lefty David Price (7-4, 3.66 ERA). Price has enjoyed playing in Fenway Park throughout his career, boasting a record of 29-8 with a 3.06 ERA.

For Tampa Bay, Charlie Morton (12-3, 2.60 ERA) gets the nod. The Rays right-hander is the owner of a 5.74 ERA in his last three starts against Boston.

Much of this contest should come down to how well and long Morton will perform against a dangerous Red Sox lineup. In that four-game series against New York, Boston’s bats outscored the Yankees 44 to 22. The Red Sox lead the league in runs scored (626), on-base percentage (.350), and batting average (.276).

Expect the Sox to bounce back tonight; the club has won five straight games following a loss.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Dodgers -129

The Dodgers (69-38) are coasting in the NL West, and they’ll be looking to be the first team in baseball to reach 70 wins tonight against their division rival in Colorado when they face the Rockies (49-57).

The last time Los Angeles came to town, the Rockies were second in the division. Now, Colorado is sitting in last place and 19.5 games back of the Dodgers, due in large part to 9-22 skid.

The Dodgers will turn to Kenta Maeda (7-7, 3.81 ERA) to extend or hang on to their 6.5-game lead in the National League. Against the Rockies, the Los Angeles right-hander is 1-0 with a 2.76 ERA in three games this season, and 6-3 with a 2.41 ERA in 18 career appearances.

Colorado will start right-hander Josh Gray (9-7, 4.05 ERA). Gray has struggled against several Los Angeles hitters, with at least six batting a .320 or higher in a minimum of eight at-bats.

MVP candidate Cody Bellinger is one such player, hitting a monstrous .643 in 14 at-bats against Gray. If he keeps those numbers up tonight, he’ll add to his season totals of 34 homers, 79 RBIs, and a .327 average.

50* Powerhouse Play on Red Sox -177

As the baseball world turns its attention to Fenway Park tonight, it will see if the Red Sox (59-47) can cut into the Yankees’ (66-38) eight-game lead in the AL East. A loss would be particularly hard to swallow for New York, as it would mean a four-game sweep for the Red Sox in this classic MLB rivalry.

Boston will try to keep its foot on the pedal offensively. In his last six games, J.D. Martinez is batting .444 over 27 at-bats. Rafael Devers, who leads the team with 82 RBIs and an average of .329, is 15-for-37 over his last eight, including a three-hit performance Saturday.

That kind of production will be welcomed by left-hander Chris Sale (5-9, 4.00 ERA), who gets the start for the Red Sox. Sale has looked good lately, winning two straight while throwing 22 strikeouts in 12 total innings.

The Yankees will send out Domingo German (12-2, 4.03 ERA). The right-hander will have an interesting match-up with Xander Bogaerts, who’s a perfect 2-for-2 with a home run against German.

In his start against Boston in early June, German only lasted 3 2/3 innings after giving up six hits and three runs.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Royals +166

Kansas City will be the site of another AL Central clash between the visiting Indians (62-42) and Royals (39-67) this afternoon.

Making his 17thstart of the season for Kansas City will be Danny Duffy (4-5, 4.32 ERA), who’s coming off one of his best performances of the year. In a no-decision against the Braves Tuesday, the Royals left-hander gave up one run over six innings and notched 11 strikeouts.

While the Royals won’t expect a perfect game from Duffy, he’s slowed some of Cleveland’s core hitters. Against Duffy, Jose Ramirez is batting .250 in 24 at-bats, and Jason Kipnis is holds a .241 in 29 at-bats.

The Indians will counter with right-hander Trevor Bauer (9-7, 3.49 ERA). Kansas City’s Whit Merrifield has gotten the better of Bauer, going 9-for-27 against the veteran pitcher. Merrifield is leading the team with a .302 average on the season, while Jorge Soler, who’s hitting .429 with a homer in seven at-bats against Bauer, leads the club with 27 home runs and 72 RBIs.

The home-dog Royals will also be looking for production from rookie centerfielder Bubba Starling, who’s been able to add offense to his consistently great defense. After getting a hit in 11 of his first 12 games, Starling is batting .319.

50* Powerhouse Play on Brewers -102

Coming in as winners of three straight, the Brewers (56-50) will play host to the Cubs (55-49) with both clubs just a single game off St. Louis’ NL Central lead.

After coming out victorious in the first two games of this series against the Cubs, Milwaukee now looks for the sweep to slingshot above Chicago. To do so, they’ll send out right-hander Zach Davies (8-3, 3.17), who’s only allowed one run in 12 innings against the Cubs this season.

The Cubs will go with left-hander Jose Quintana (8-7, 4.42 ERA). Despite getting the win against San Diego his last time out, Quintana gave up five runs in five innings.

These two clubs are neck and neck in the scoring department; the Cubs have managed 519 runs while the Brewers have scored 518. So, Milwaukee’s advantage on the mound could easily be the difference.

Versus Davies, Kyle Schwarber and Jason Heyward have struggled mightily, with a .130 average in 23 at-bats and a .115 average in 26 at-bats, respectively.

On the flip side, Lorenzo Cain is batting .309 in 68 at-bats against Quintana, who will have his hands full already with Christian Yelich’s 36 homers, 79 RBIs, and .338 average on the season.

50* Powerhouse Play on A's -150

The Athletics (58-47) will be looking to bridge the eight-game gap between themselves and the AL West-leading Astros when they host the Rangers (53-51) tonight in Oakland.

The visitors will turn to right-hander Adrian Sampson (6-7, 5.19 ERA) to start. In his last nine outings, which included six starts, Sampson holds an 8.05 ERA and a 1-4 record. In his last 6 2/3 innings, Sampson has allowed 11 runs.

The A’s are hoping to return to their good form that put them back in the race for the division, and they’ll hand the ball to Homer Bailey (8-7, 5.42 ERA) to help them do so. The veteran right-hander will be making his third start for the club after a couple of mixed results.

On paper, this looks likely to be a relatively high-scoring contest. If that’s the case, the A’s will need production from the likes of centerfielder Ramon Laureano, who’s had a great month. Upping his game from a .282 average with 20 homers and 57 RBIs on the season, Laureano is batting .386 with seven home runs and 17 RBIs in July alone.

50* Powerhouse Play on White Sox +167

Chicago will be the location of another AL Central contest tonight when the White Sox (45-56) host the division-leading Twins (63-40).

Right-hander Ivan Nova (5-9, 5.49 ERA) will take the mound for the home team coming off a good performance. In his last start, Nova tossed a four-hit complete game on 112 pitches. Another game like that from Nova would give the home-dog White Sox a great chance in this contest.

Yet, Chicago can feel confident if their starter doesn’t last all nine with reliever Aaron Bummer in the bullpen. The left-hander has a 1.69 ERA in 32 appearances, and has allowed just one earned run in his past seven games.

The visitors will send out Martin Perez (8-3, 4.37 ERA) to start. In his most recent outing, the Twins left-hander lasted just four innings while giving up four walks and three home runs.

Leading the charge against Perez will be the White Sox duo of Jose Abreu and Yoan Moncada. Abreu leads the club with 22 home runs and 72 RBIs, while Moncada is batting .297 and has drawn 31 walks.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Braves -116

The Braves (61-43) will be looking to extend their 6.5-game NL East lead over the Phillies (54-49) tonight in Philadelphia. The Phillies are third in the division, trailing Washington by a game.

Atlanta will have the benefit of a fresh arm, as left-hander Max Fried (10-4, 4.08 ERA) hasn’t pitched since developing a blister on July 15. In his last outing, Fried threw five scoreless innings with just three hits.

If the Phillies will be able to tighten the gap between themselves and Atlanta, they’ll need an above average performance from Zach Eflin (7-10, 4.25). That doesn’t look particularly likely considering Eflin’s 1-3 record and 9.38 ERA over his last five starts.

Led by Freddie Freeman’s 25 homers, 81 RBIs, and .304 average, the Braves have the better lineup. As a team, they have a better average (.261 to .243), more home runs (157 to 129), and more runs scored (547 to 487).

Atlanta leftfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. has been adding to those totals lately. He’s currently riding a majors-best streak of reaching base in 30 straight games. Over his last seven games, Acuna Jr. has a homer, six RBIs, six stolen bases, and a .393 average.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Giants +140

The month of July has been a pivotal one for the Giants (52-51) and Padres (48-54), but for very different reasons. These two clubs faced off against each other on July 1, when the Giants were 11 games below .500 and the Padres were a game over .500.

Since then, the Giants have gone on an MLB-best 16-4 run while the stalling Padres have only managed six wins in 19 games, including seven straight losses at home.

Tonight, San Francisco will visit San Diego in a battle of teams trending in two starkly different directions.

With a 4-0 record over his last four away starts, the Giants will be happy to put right-hander Jeff Samardzija (7-8, 4.08 ERA) on the mound. Personally, Samardzija owns a 2.59 ERA and 2-0 record in his last five games against the Padres at Petco Park.

Opposite Samardzija will be Joey Lucchesi (7-5, 4.27 ERA). The Padres left-hander is perhaps unlucky to get the start in the first game of this series considering San Diego has lost six straight series openers. On the flip side, the Giants are 6-2 over the last eight series openers when Samardzija starts.

50* Powerhouse Play on Cubs -104

The tightest division in baseball should get a bit more interesting tonight when the NL Central-leading Cubs (55-47) pay the Brewers (54-50) a visit in Milwaukee. Chicago is currently tied with St. Louis, and both clubs have a two-game advantage over the Brewers.

The Cubs will send out right-hander Kyle Hendricks (7-8, 3.41 ERA), who gave up just four hits in seven innings his last time out. Hendricks has started against Milwaukee 20 times in his career, going 8-6 with a 3.22 ERA.

In just his second start since being sidelined by a case of dead arm, left-hander Gio Gonzalez (2-1, 3.60 ERA) gets the call for the Brewers. After spending seven weeks on the injured list, Gonzalez allowed three runs in four innings against the D-Backs in his return.

Both teams enter this contest following a day off, which could be a vital aspect of this game. Following an off day, the Cubs have won nine of their last 11 while the Brewers have lost five straight such games. Chicago has also dominated NL Central play recently, going 6-1 in their last seven in the division.

50* Powerhouse Play on Dodgers -155

The Washington Nationals (55-47) will play host to the top team in the National League tonight when the Dodgers (67-37) bring their 27-23 away record to town.

If their record alone isn’t scary enough, Los Angeles also has the benefit of sending out left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu (11-2, 1.76 ERA), who’s been nothing short of great this season. Ryu is coming off two extra days of rest, and threw an eight-inning shutout with just one hit in his lone start against the Nationals this season.

To counter Ryu, Washington will start Anibal Sanchez (6-6, 3.80 ERA). The Nationals right-hander gave up two homers and three runs against the Dodgers earlier this season, and will likely need to do better this time around against a lineup that’s fourth best in the majors with 5.41 runs per game.

A significant amount of that offensive production for the Dodgers has come from right-fielder Cody Bellinger. As one of the best players in baseball this year, Bellinger is hitting .331 with 34 home runs and 77 RBIs.

The Nationals haven’t been able to match those numbers, ranking 13thin the majors with 4.94 runs per game.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on White Sox -111

Tonight’s third game will decide a currently split series in Chicago between the Marlins (37-62) and White Sox (45-53).

With only Baltimore and Detroit projected to finish worse than Miami, the Marlins are expected to finish at the bottom of the barrel in National League, due in large part to unreliable pitching. We’ll see what right-hander Zac Gallen (0-2, 3.63 ERA) can provide for Miami when he makes his sixth career start.

Taking the mound for Chicago will be Reynaldo Lopez (5-8, 5.76 ERA), who’s pitched well in his two starts since the break. His last outing ended in a win after allowing two runs and striking out eight through seven innings.

The White Sox have five wins out of their last seven home games, and the team has reacted well when Lopez is pitching on four days of rest, winning four straight. Trending in the other direction are the Marlins, who are winless in Gallen’s last four starts.

Lopez and his defensive unit will be aiming to add to their streak of allowing four or fewer runs in each of the last four games.

50* Powerhouse Play on Yankees -102

In a toss-up game between the visiting Yankees (65-35) and Twins (61-39), two teams expecting to be a part of playoff baseball will put successful pitchers up against strong lineups.

For New York, left-hander J.A. Happ (8-5, 4.86 ERA) will go up against a Minnesota squad that’s notched 34 runs in the last five games.

The Twins will send out right-hander Jake Odorizzi (11-4, 3.18 ERA) to face a Yankees lineup that’s done even more damage over their last five, putting up 43 runs in that span. Although Odorizzi has only given up 12 home runs on the season, six of them have come in his last four starts.

If he stays hot, Didi Gregorius could very well lead the charge against Odorizzi. The Yankees shortstop had one of the best games of his career and made history as the first AL shortstop to record five hits in a seven RBI game last night. In six plate appearances, Gregorius earned a walk and five hits, including a couple of two-run doubles on top of a three-run homer.

The Twins may come into this contest a bit demoralized after hitting four home runs (two by Miguel Sano) and failing to get the win in 10 innings yesterday evening.

50* Powerhouse Play on Rangers -139

Two eight-win pitchers will take the mound in Seattle this afternoon when the Mariners (41-63) play host to the Rangers (51-50). In addition to win total, both pitchers also share a likelihood for changing teams before the trade deadline.

For Texas, left-hander Mike Minor (8-5, 2.86 ERA) will face Seattle for the third time this season. Minor won both starts after striking out a season-high 13 batters in the first game and then another 11 in the second matchup.

The Mariners will be starting veteran Mike Leake (8-8, 4.27 ERA), who’s struggled to find consistent performances lately. The right-hander has allowed at least four runs in three of his last five outings.

Leake has had a difficult time against the Rangers this year, losing both starts. Through 10 innings of work in two games, Leake finished with a 10.80 ERA after giving up 12 earned runs and 16 total. Coming into today’s game, current Texas batters are hitting a whopping .337 in over 200 plate appearances against Leake.

On just five at-bats against the Mariners starter, Asdrubal Cabrera is hitting a .600 average with two home runs and two RBIs.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on A's +143

Tuesday night’s matchup between the Athletics (57-44) and Astros (65-37) will feature a pair of solid pitchers.

Houston’s Wade Miley (8-4, 3.25 ERA) will take the mound for the hosts. The left-hander hasn’t given his club much reason to complain this season, although he only lasted 5 1/3 innings his last time out. Miley has given up 17 homers and 36 walks over 113 innings so far this year.

Right-hander Mike Fiers (9-3, 3.64), who will start for the A’s, has picked up the pace on an already-strong season. Since April 26, Fiers holds an ERA of just 2.44, which is good enough for second in the American League among starters in that span.

If Fiers continues that form, you’d expect him to be handing the ball off to the bullpen with a lead intact, even against a lineup like Houston’s. Oakland’s right-hander has seven wins and no losses over his last 13 starts, and should give the road-dog A’s a great chance in this contest.

Matt Chapman is the likeliest player to do damage to the Astros, carrying a run of three doubles, one homer, five RBIs, and a .375 average over the last seven days.

50* Powerhouse Play on Indians -165

Having won all five games against the Blue Jays (38-64) this season, the visiting Indians (58-41) are looking to close the three-game gap between themselves and the AL Central-leading Twins.

On paper, this contest looks like a lopsided pitching matchup as Cleveland’s Trevor Bauer (9-7, 3.67 ERA) faces off against Toronto’s Aaron Sanchez (3-14, 6.26 ERA).

Sanchez is winless since April 26, going 0-13 with a 7.99 ERA in 15 starts over that span. More recently, the Blue Jays right-hander has allowed four runs in each of his last two starts.

In Bauer’s last go, the right-hander tossed 10 strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings in a win against Detroit.

With 23 wins over their last 31 games, the surging Indians have found success in large part due to a lineup finding its collective swing after a slow start to the season. Most notably, Jose Ramirez is coming on strong, earning a hit in 25 of his last 30 games. The Cleveland slugger is batting .337 with nine doubles, one triple, five homers, and 19 RBIs over his last 23 games.

While the Blue Jays are 0-7 in Sanchez’s last seven home starts, the Indians are undefeated in their last six away games.

50* Powerhouse Play on Pirates -120

After a heartbreaking loss in the 10thinning just a game ago, the Pirates (46-53) will be out for revenge against the visiting Cardinals (52-47) in an NL-Central matchup this evening.

These two teams will feature starters who’ve accomplished very different things this season, as Pittsburgh’s Chris Archer (3-6, 5.36 ERA) will go head to head with St. Louis’ Dakota Hudson (9-4, 3.57 ERA).

The Pirates right-hander has been running up the strikeout column, totaling 106 so far through 90 2/3 innings pitched. For the Cardinals’ righty, it’s been more about limiting runs, as Hudson has managed a much lower 76 Ks while allowing 109 hits in 103 1/3 innings.

Archer and the Pirates appear to have recent history on their side. In their last 12 games at home against a right-handed starter, the club is an impressive 10-2. Moreover, the Cardinals have struggled playing on the second day of the week lately, with four straight losses in their last four Tuesday games.

That Tuesday streak will continue if the better batting team wins. While St. Louis is hitting .243 as a team, Pittsburgh carries a .269 average into this contest.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Yankees -105

In a battle of two division-leading teams, the Yankees (64-34) will visit Target Field to take on the Minnesota Twins (60-38).

For New York, 19-year veteran CC Sabathia (5-4, 4.06 ERA) will get the start. Sabathia has likely been a fixture of nightmares for Twins fans, with a career record of 20-9 and an ERA of 3.09 against Minnesota. Scarier still is Sabathia’s record of 12-1 in his last 16 starts versus the club currently topping the AL Central.

Facing off against Sabathia will be left-hander Martin Perez (8-3, 4.10 ERA), who gave up two runs (one earned) on five hits in six innings in his most recent start.

Perez will have to shut down what can be a scary Yankees lineup. New York has nearly 10 players with double-digit home runs on the season, including Gary Sanchez’ 24. And five players with at least 100 at-bats are hitting above .290, from Gleyber Torres’ .294 average all the way up to DJ LeMahieu’s .333.

Perhaps the Yankees’ greatest threat at the moment is DH Edwin Encarnacion, who’s notched four homers and 11 RBIs over the last seven days.

50* Powerhouse Play on Brewers -116

Hosting tonight’s contest on the back of 5-1 record over their last six games, the Brewers (53-48) will welcome the Reds (44-53) to town. While Milwaukee sits just two games back of the NL Central-leading Cubs, Cincinnati is nine back and carries a lackluster 19-29 away record into the game.

The Reds will call on right-hander Sonny Gray (5-6, 3.40 ERA). You could expect Milwaukee’s Lorenzo Cain to be excited for the matchup, considering his .500 average in 16 at-bats against Gray.

Opposite Gray will be righty Chase Anderson (5-2, 3.96 ERA), who has a good chance to pick up another win as the Reds are just 3-7 since the break. Anderson allowed just one hit in 5 2/3 innings in his last outing.

Providing support for Anderson will be arguably the best player in baseball right now, Christian Yelich. The Brewers right-fielder is batting .337 with a whopping 35 homers so far on the season. Over the last seven games, Yelich has picked up the pace with a .444 average, four home runs, and nine RBIs.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on A's +134

No matter how you look at it, Oakland is on fire. The Athletics (57-42) have won 21 out of their last 27 games, and are a blistering 8-1 over their last nine.

Now, the A’s will turn to right-hander Daniel Mengden (5-1, 4.21 ERA) in an attempt to hand the Twins (59-38) their second three-game losing streak of the season; something they didn’t experience even once before the All-Star break. In parallel with his club, Mengden is on his own hot streak of four wins in his last four starts. In his last outing, Mengden allowed just a single run in seven innings.

Over the last several weeks, Minnesota has seen their sizeable lead in the AL Central dwindle to just three. They’ll hope right-hander Michael Pineda (6-5, 4.38 ERA) can help them stop the bleeding this afternoon at home.

If the A’s are able to get to Pineda, there’s a good chance Matt Chapman will play an important part. Chapman has batted in seven runs on nine hits over his last six games, and he leads the Athletics with 22 home runs.

50* Powerhouse Play on Astros -135

Coming into this afternoon’s game in Houston on a six-game losing streak, the Rangers (50-48) will face a tough task against a strong Astros (63-37) squad that holds a 35-14 record at home.

Texas will offer up right-hander Lance Lynn (12-5, 3.87 ERA) to face off with Houston’s Rogelio Armenteros (0-0, 2.00 ERA).

Despite being tied for the Major League lead in wins, Lynn has suffered four of his five losses on the road this season, and is coming off a rough performance his last time out. Against Arizona, Lynn gave up five earned runs on eight hits in six innings.

Armenteros gets the ball for the Astros with the club shuffling the rotation around. Although this will be his first start of the season, Armenteros has made several appearances out of the bullpen, including four quality innings in his last go that yielded just one unearned run.

Hoping to provide Armenteros with run support will be Houston slugger George Springer, who’s terrorized the Rangers this season. In 56 at-bats against Texas, Springer has managed six hits and 12 RBIs on his way to a .393 average. And with four homers and seven RBI’s over his last five games, the Astros look exceedingly dangerous.

50* Powerhouse Play on Dodgers -303

It’s no surprise that the Dodgers (65-35) come into this evening’s matchup with the Marlins (36-59) as heavy favorites. While Miami sits 20 games back of the Braves in the NL East, the Dodgers lead the majors in wins and are currently 14 games clear of the Diamondbacks in the NL West.

More than the 38-12 home record of the hosts, the Marlins also have to fear the man on the mound for LA, All-Star Clayton Kershaw (8-2, 3.00 ERA).

Looking healthy and as dominant as ever recently, Kershaw has given up just two total earned runs in his past two starts. In his career against the Marlins, Kershaw has thrown 82 strikeouts in 71 2/3 innings with a 2.76 ERA.

Facing Kershaw will be Sandy Alcantara (4-9, 3.94 ERA), who’s been poor of late. The right-hander has suffered three losses with a 6.11 ERA in his last three starts, including nine hits and four earned runs in his last outing.

While the Marlins have just one win in their last seven games versus a team with a winning record, the Dodgers can boast a 45-14 record in their last 59 games at home against a right-hander.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Twins -134

As winners of 13 of their last 16, the Athletics (56-42) will visit Minneapolis tonight to take on the Twins (59-37). The A’s are a scary team right now, having outscored their opponents by a margin of 55 to 22 over their last eight games, but their six-game win streak came to a screeching halt in the series opener at the hands of the Twins.

Minnesota will turn to All-Star Jose Berrios (8-5, 3.10 ERA) to keep or extend their three-game lead in the AL Central. In his last 12 home starts against teams with a winning record, Berrios is a solid 9-3.

The right-hander should have plenty of support from a very strong lineup to defend the club’s 29-18 home record. The Twins come into this evening’s contest leading the league in homers with 178, second in the league in scoring with 5.6 runs per game, and third in hitting with a .270 average.

Oakland will start left-hander Brett Anderson (9-5, 3.79 ERA). Anderson will have to carry a heavier load than Berrios, as the A’s rank just 18th in hitting with a .251 team average.

50* Powerhouse Play on Giants -129

If the Giants (49-49) are able to continue their current seven-game win streak today when they host the Mets (44-53), they’ll finally creep over .500.

Attempting to hold of the hosts will be minor league call-up Walker Lockett (0-1, 11.74 ERA), who takes the place of the injured Zack Wheeler. Lockett allowed 10 total runs in his two previous starts this season.

Opposite Lockett will be right-hander Jeff Samardzija (7-7, 3.93 ERA), who’s looked good over his last three outings. In that period, Samardzija has carried a 1.66 ERA and 3-0 record.

Look for Samardzija to get some run support from a hot Brandon Crawford, who’s managed 14 RBIs and four homers in his last 10 games.

Beyond pitching, recent history also favors the Giants. 14-3 in their last 17 games overall, San Francisco has won their last six straight against right-handed starters. In contrast, New York has just 8 wins in their last 27 games on the road when they face a righty on the mound.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Cubs -156

With a 1-5 record since the All-Star break and only four wins over their last 14, the Padres (46-50) are in a slump that’s pulling them out of reach of the NL Wildcard chase.

In sharp contrast, the Cubs (52-44) are 5-1 since the break and are hoping to extend their NL Central lead.

These two clubs will bump heads this afternoon in Chicago when San Diego tries to put a dent in the Cubs’ impressive 34-17 record at Wrigley.

To do so, the Padres will turn to left-hander Eric Lauer (5-7, 4.04 ERA). Lauer will have to work his way back into the regular rotation after not pitching since July 5, after which he was put on bereavement leave.

Taking the mound for the Cubs will be veteran lefty Jon Lester (9-6, 3.74 ERA), who’s 5-1 with 30 strikeouts in just over 30 innings over his last five starts. Lester will be defending the Cubs’ 6-1 record over their last seven home games.

And the odds are against the Padres today when it comes to turning around their record of 0-4 in their last four series openers considering they’ve had to fly to Chicago after their game in Miami yesterday.

50* Powerhouse Play on A's +135

As one of the hottest teams in baseball, the Athletics (55-41) come into tonight’s contest with the Twins (58-36) with six straight wins and victorious in 12 of their last 14.

The A’s can contribute much of their success to the home-run ball. Now fifth in the majors in homers hit, Oakland has launched 37 total dingers along a 17-game home-run streak.

Hoping to shut down that streak in Minnesota will be right-hander Kyle Gibson (8-4, 4.03 ERA), who didn’t make it out of the fourth inning in his last start despite only giving up one earned run.

Gibson will be head to head against righty Mike Fiers (9-3, 3.61 ERA). Fiers enjoys playing against the Twins, notching a 2.66 ERA and 6-1 record in 12 career games against the club. And Fiers is coming into this one as one of the hottest pitchers in baseball, with the second-lowest ERA among AL starters since April 26.

If Fiers enjoys run support tonight, some of it could come from Ramon Laureano, who is 4-of-5 with a homer and three RBIs against Gibson.

The collection of hot pitching and power hitting make the road-dog A’s a scary team.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Indians -192

The Indians (54-40) are favored at home tonight against the struggling Tigers (29-62), and for good reason.

Not only is Cleveland riding a four-game win streak, but they’ve also dominated Detroit this season. The Tribe have won 11 of the 12 contests between the two teams, including the first three games of the current series, and 10 in a row.

Defending the Indians’ 29-20 home record will be right-hander Trevor Bauer (8-7, 3.65 ERA), who’s only suffered one loss since June 6.

After giving up three home runs and five total runs in his last start against Cleveland in June, Matthew Boyd (6-7, 3.95) will take the mound for the Tigers.

Boyd faces a tough task against a surging Cleveland lineup, with the likes of Jose Ramirez coming on with a double in four straight games and a multi-hit game in eight of his last 18.

We can also expect rookie Oscar Mercado to be chomping at the bit to face Boyd, with three homers, 12 RBIs, and a .394 average in nine games against the club from Detroit. And don’t overlook Roberto Perez, who’s 4-of-5 against Boyd.

50* Powerhouse Play on White Sox +120

When the White Sox (42-49) visit Kansas City tonight, they’ll be hoping to take advantage of left-hander Danny Duffy (3-5, 4.64 ERA), who was rattled in his first start since the All-Star break. In that contest against the Tigers, Duffy was struck in the hand with a liner before allowing the next three batters to reach on a walk, RBI single, and RBI double.

Duffy lasted fewer than three innings for the Royals (34-62) before leaving the game with numbness, having given up six hits and four runs.

The White Sox have plenty of experience against Duffy, with the likes of Jose Abreu and Yolmer Sanchez recording 53 and 34 at-bats against the lefty, respectively. In those appearances, Abreu holds a .321 average with two homers while Sanchez is .324 with three RBIs.

For Chicago, right-hander Ivan Nova (4-8, 5.60 ERA) will take the mound. After giving up no runs through 5 2/3 innings against the Cubs on July 7, the White Sox are hoping to see the second-half Nova from last year. With the Pirates, Nova went 5-6 with a 4.38 ERA in the first half of the season before settling in and managing a 4-3 record with an improved 3.86 ERA after the All-Star break.

50* Powerhouse Play on Giants +163

Identical records will be tested this afternoon when the road-dog Giants (46-49) visit Colorado to take on the Rockies (46-49). San Francisco needed an extra inning to get the win last night, which set them up for a potential sweep of the four-game series today.

If the Giants do so, they’ll get it done without Evan Longoria, who was placed on the injured list with strained plantar fascia after finally heating up over the past few weeks. Longoria will likely be replaced by Pablo Sandoval, who’s hit 11 home runs on the season.

Sandoval is also 2-of-8 against the Rockies’ starter today, Jon Gray (9-6, 3.83 ERA). Gray went seven innings in his last start, allowing four hits and two runs while throwing 71 strikes out of 98 pitches.

Gray will be up against right-handed rookie Shaun Anderson (3-2, 4.48 ERA), who struck out a career-high eight batters over five innings in his last outing.

Some good news for Anderson and the Giants is the current form of Colorado right-fielder Charlie Blackmon. Despite a season average of .319 with 20 homers, Blackmon is batting just .143 with no home runs in his last seven games.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Pirates +117

The Pirates (45-49) have a chance to claw their way even closer to the Cardinals (47-46) this afternoon after stealing a big win from St. Louis last night.

To do so, Pittsburgh will give the ball to Chris Archer (3-6, 5.42 ERA). Although the seventh inning proved to be too deep for him, Archer had his slider and four-seamer going to strike out ten batters in his most recent start, a season high. Archer gave up three runs on three hits in the game after carrying a one-hit shutout into the seventh.

Archer will be hoping to outduel right-hander Daniel Ponce de Leon (1-0, 1.99 ERA), who’s jumped around between the bullpen and starting rotation.

This will be Ponce de Leon’s fifth start of the season, but he’s lost to the Pirates before. In his only start against the club last September, Pittsburgh managed two runs over five innings against Ponce de Leon.

On the flip side, Archer holds a 2.20 ERA without any decisions in three starts against St. Louis.

Expect continued success for Pirates first-baseman Josh Bell, who likes batting against righties. He’s hit 20 of his 27 homeruns against right-handed pitching.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Royals +120

Despite a weak away record of 17-28, the White Sox (42-48) will be the favorites tonight when they visit the Royals (33-62), and they’ll be counting on the inexperienced Dylan Cease (1-0, 5.40 ERA) to shut down Kansas City and get their first win since the break.

This will be Cease’s second career start in the majors after giving up five hits and three runs in five innings in his major league debut.

Although the Royals have struggled this season, their lineup must be salivating to face the right-handed rookie. Over the last seven days, Kansas City has five players batting .300 or higher, including a .417 average from Jorge Soler, who leads the team with 25 home runs and 64 RBIs.

Hoping to build on the back end of his previous six-inning start for the Royals, righty Glenn Sparkman (2-5, 5.18 ERA) will make his second start against Chicago this year. In his last outing, Sparkman settled in after giving up four runs in the first two innings, closing out his appearance with four straight scoreless innings.

Sparkman and the Royals will be counting on Nicky Lopez, who’s registered six hits in 15 at-bats since the All-Star break, and Whit Merrifield, who’s riding a 13-game hitting streak, to keep up their form.

50* Powerhouse Play on Braves +148

When the Brewers (48-47) host Atlanta tonight, they’ll have to overcome a very hot Braves (58-37) squad that’s won five straight and eight of its last nine games.

Add their impressive streak to a fantastic 30-18 record on the road, and Milwaukie All-Star Brandon Woodruff (10-3, 3.67 ERA) will have a lot on his plate when he takes the mound.

Keep a close eye on the matchup between Woodruff and Freddie Freeman. Homering on both of his hits since the break, Freeman has a home run and two hits on just three at-bats against the Brewers’ right-hander. Freeman has been good this year with 74 RBIs, 25 homers, and a .302 average, and will look for continued success against Woodruff.

For Atlanta, rookie Bryce Wilson (1-0, 6.14 ERA) will make his fifth start in the majors after a series of call ups of returns to Triple-A ball to keep him on schedule. On July 3, Wilson looked solid when he threw six innings and gave up two runs with five strikeouts against the Phillies.

In sharp contrast to the Braves’ good form, the Brewers have just one win in their previous six games, and are 0-7 in their last seven games against right-handed starters.

50* Powerhouse Play on Marlins +113

If the Marlins (34-57) can shut down one-man wrecking crew Manny Machado, they’ll give themselves a great chance to win this evening’s contest against the visiting Padres (45-48).

Machado hit three homers in three games against Atlanta coming off the All-Star break, but will be up against rookie Jordan Yamamoto (3-0, 1.24), who’s undefeated in his five games in the majors. In his last outing, Yamamoto gave up just two hits in six scoreless innings against the Braves.

Opposite Yamamoto will be rookie left-hander Logan Allen (2-1, 4.50 ERA). Allen didn’t even last five full innings when he gave up six runs on seven hits against the Giants in his last start.

Allen will look to jumpstart a sleepwalking club that’s gone winless in its three games since the break, but he’s struggled to match his strikeout performances for the majority of his minor league career, in which he averaged more than a strikeout per inning. In the majors, Allen is registering just 6.5 strikeouts per nine innings thus far.

Although the Marlins are dead last in the majors in homers hit this season, Miami’s Garrett Cooper has notched two dingers in his last 11 at-bats alongside a .364 average. He’ll look to pair with Starlin Castro, who holds a .385 average in his last three games, to give Yamamoto run support tonight.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Pirates +131

Although the Cardinals (46-45) enter tonight’s contest with the Pirates (44-48) as straightforward favorites, the hot arm of Joe Musgrove (6-7, 4.15 ERA) is poised to give Pittsburgh a great chance to steal this one in St. Louis.

The Pirates have won each of Musgrove’s last four starts, in which the right-hander has allowed just four earned runs with a 1.64 ERA over 22 innings.

Adding Musgrove’s recent form to the bats of Starling Marte and Josh Bell will combine for a lot of firepower on the field for Pittsburgh. Josh Bell leads the Pirates in batting with 27 homers, 84 RBIs, and a .298 average. And over his last 15 games, Marte is hitting .295 with four home runs of his own.

Marte and Bell will be facing right-hander Miles Mikolas (5-9, 4.53 ERA), who didn’t end the first half of the season on the same sort of hot streak as his counterpart tonight. Instead, Mikolas gave up four earned runs (five total) in just four innings against the Giants his last time out.

Also concerning for the Cardinals is how five Pittsburgh hitters are batting anywhere from .294 to .381 in their respective careers against Mikolas.

50* Powerhouse Play on Dodgers -160

Clayton Kershaw (7-2, 3.09 ERA) may not have the same velocity that helped him become one of the best pitchers in the game, but the All-Star is still pumping out wins for the MLB-leading Dodgers (62-33). Kershaw will be looking to add to LA’s 25-21 away record when they face off against the Phillies (48-45) this evening.

Taking down the Dodgers looks a very tall task for Philadelphia considering their lack of production out of their starters beyond Jake Arrieta, sporting a rotational ERA of 4.53 (fifth worst in the NL). So, the Phillies are hoping for more innings and a stronger performance from right-hander Zach Eflin (7-8, 3.78 ERA).

That doesn’t look particularly likely considering Eflin’s 9.64 ERA over his last three starts before the All-Star break. Eflin gave up 15 earned runs in 14 innings in those outings.

It’s expected that Eflin will need a lot of help from the likes of Bryce Harper and Co., who’s hitting just .143 with a single home run against Kershaw in his career.

While the Phillies are 0-6 in Eflin’s last six starts against teams with a winning record, the Dodgers can boast a 7-3 record over Kershaw’s last 10 starts against the same sort of competition.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Cubs -159

The Cubs (49-43) can complete the sweep of Pittsburgh this afternoon when the visiting Pirates (44-47) try to worsen Chicago’s impressive 31-16 record at home.

Including two straight losses to the Cubs, Pittsburgh has lost four of the last six dating back to before the All-Star break.

Hoping to avoid another losing streak, the Pirates will send out right-hander Trevor Williams (3-2, 4.54 ERA), who’s struggled since coming off the injured list in May. Since that point, Williams has allowed 26 hits and 16 earned runs in 17 1/3 innings.

Opposite Williams will be Jose Quintana (6-7, 4.19 ERA), who tends to pitch well against the Pirates. In seven career starts against Pittsburgh, Quintana is 3-1 with a 2.57 ERA.

Although Pirates outfielder Starling Marte was able to hit two homers on Saturday, he’s had a difficult time against Quintana, batting just .167 over 18 at-bats.

In contrast, Kyle Schwarber can give a boost to the Cubs if he keeps up his own average of .353 with two home runs in 17 at-bats against Williams.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Reds +113

When Kyle Freeland (2-6, 7.13 ERA) takes the mound for the Rockies (45-45) tonight, he’ll continue searching for the form that made him one of the best pitchers in the NL last year.

But after finishing fourth in Cy Young voting on the back of a 17-7 record with a 2.85 ERA last season, Freeland was sent down to Triple-A this May when he went 0-2 with a 10.17 ERA in six starts.

If Freeland continues to struggle, this might be a lopsided competition in favor of the road-dog Reds (41-47), who will turn to right-hander Tanner Roark (5-6, 3.51 ERA) to end their three-game losing streak.

Before his last start, Roark was ranked third in the majors in homers given up with just 0.735 per nine innings.

Luckily for the Reds, Roark is a July and August pitcher. He holds a record of 27-14 over those two months, contrasting sharply against his 42-46 record in other months.

50* Powerhouse Play on Astros -118

When the Astros (57-35) visit the Rangers (50-42) tonight, they’ll be starting their All-Star lefty Wade Miley (7-4, 3.28 ERA).

Miley will be trying to outduel fellow All-Star Mike Minor (8-4, 2.54 ERA), who’s 3-3 against the Astros in his career.

To worsen Minor’s 1-1 record against Houston this year, the Astros will lean heavily on Michael Brantley. Although Brantley isn’t a home run machine, he can boast a .321 average on the year.

Other than Brantley, the Houston bats have plenty of appearances against Minor, with the likes of George Springer and Yuli Gurriel hitting a .450 and .389 average against the left-hander on 20 and 18 at-bats, respectively.

The Astros will take their 24-21 away record into Texas, and the return of reliever Joe Smith should add some necessary reinforcement to the ball club after sitting on the 60-day injured list. Houston will be happy for any help in relief after they allowed five runs in three innings against the Texans in their second straight loss of the series.

50* Powerhouse Play on Tigers -103

The trade market is heating up going into the middle of July, and the Tigers (28-58) can improve his value even more if their left-handed ace, Matthew Boyd (6-6, 3.87 ERA), has a good start against the Royals (31-61) tonight.

With a 7:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio, Boyd is the top player on the trade block for Detroit. Although he gave up four runs, Boyd left the mound with 13 strikeouts through 5 1/3 innings his last time out.

He’ll be facing right-hander Brad Keller (4-9, 4.47 ERA), who hasn’t recorded more than six K’s in a game this season outside of one start against Cleveland.

A weakness the Tigers might be able to exploit is the amount of walks Keller gives up. Keller only struck out two and gave up five walks and six hits in his last start.

Although their at-bats against Keller are limited to just five, both Miguel Cabrera and Christin Stewart are hitting .600 against the righty.

50* Powerhouse Play on Rockies -115

After taking a beating from the Indians to finish out the first half of the season, the Reds (41-46) will visit Colorado to face the Rockies (44-45) and their solid 24-19 record at home.

Colorado has an obvious target to shoot for, as they’re just 2.5 games behind the second wild card spot in the NL.

The Rockies will turn to right-hander Jon Gray (9-6, 3.92 ERA), who’s been good at home. At Coors Field, Gray is 4-1 in eight games this season with a 44:17 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

For Cincinnati, right-hander Sonny Gray (5-5, 3.59 ERA) will take the mound. His toughest competition will likely be Charlie Blackmon, who’s batting .330 with 20 homers and 57 RBIs this season.

In his last 30 games, Blackmon hit 30 home runs as part of his .383 average for the Rockies in that stretch.

With just 17 wins out of 42 away games, the Reds are 0-4 in their last four road games while the Rockies are 4-0 in Jon Gray’s last four home starts.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Indians -136

After closing out the first half of the season with 21 wins out of 29 games, the Indians (50-38) will be hoping to do direct damage to the 5.5-game lead that the Twins (56-33) hold in the American League Central.

Facing the hot bats of Cleveland will be right-hander Kyle Gibson (8-4, 4.09 ERA), who’s struggled against the core of the Indians lineup.

With at least 30 plate appearances against Gibson, Jason Kipnis can boast 11 walks with a .419 average, Francisco Lindor is hitting a .382 average, and Jose Ramirez has a .333 average.

On the flip side, Cleveland will be excited for another start from Mike Clevinger (2-2, 4.44 ERA), who registered nine strikeouts and no walks in a four-hit game against the Royals his last time out.

With a much lesser history of success against Clevinger, the Minnesota bats are likely to struggle to keep up in this contest.