The Fourth of July holiday weekend is over, and there is still another week of baseball before the All-Star break. To give you an idea of how crazy this season has been already, Tampa Bay has the best record in baseball and the long-suffering Chicago Cubs have the best National League ledger.

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There are just nine games on Monday’s schedule, but a couple key contests we can focus on. There’s an important National League East matchup between New York and Philadelphia, while all four teams in the American League West play one another. Now, let’s take a closer look as some of these contests.

**Mets (Martinez) at Phillies (Eaton)**

-Caesars Palace installed Philadelphia as a $1.25 home ‘chalk’ over New York, with the total set at 10 ½ ‘under’ (minus $1.20). This National League East affair is slated to start at 7:05 p.m. ET.

-New York’s Pedro Martinez (2-2, 7.39 ERA) has struggled to an 0-2 record his last three starts after picking up a no-decision in Wednesday’s matchup with St. Louis. The veteran right-hander went five innings, allowing five runs on seven hits (two home runs) with a walk and four strikeouts.

-The Mets eventually dropped that affair as a $1.00 road selection, 8-7, while the combined 15 runs eclipsed the nine-run closing total. The ‘under’ had cashed his previous three outings.

-The Dominican Republic native received a no-decision against the Phillies last year in his lone start against them, going six innings while surrendering one run on seven hits with no walks and nine strikeouts. The Mets ended up losing that matchup as a $1.40 road underdog, 5-3, while the combined eight runs went ‘under’ the nine-run closing total.

-Philadelphia right-hander Adam Eaton (3-6, 4.79 ERA) gets the starting nod fresh off Wednesday’s victory over Atlanta as a $1.27 road underdog, 7-3. The 30-year-old was reached for two runs on five hits (one home run) with five walks and two strikeouts over five innings.

-The combined 10 runs slithered ‘over’ the 9 ½-run closing total, ending an incredible streak that saw the ‘under’ cash his previous nine outings.

-Eaton has two no decisions against the Mets this season, going a combined 11 innings while yielding seven runs on 11 hits with three walks and nine strikeouts. The Phillies prevailed as a home ‘pick,’ 5-4, while losing as a $1.50 road underdog, 4-3.

**Braves (Campillo) at Dodgers (Kuroda)**

-Caesars Palace opened Los Angeles as a $1.25 home favorite over Atlanta, with the total listed at 7 ½ ‘over’ (minus $1.15). First pitch is scheduled for 10:10 p.m. ET.

-Atlanta pitcher Jorge Campillo (3-3, 3.73 ERA) dropped to 1-3 his last four starts after falling to Philadelphia Wednesday as a $1.37 home ‘chalk,’ 7-3. The four-year veteran was tagged for five runs on eight hits (two home runs) with two walks and no strikeouts over five innings.

-The combined 10 runs slithered ‘over’ the 9 ½-run closing total, enabling the ‘over’ to go 2-1 his last three outings.

-Campillo, pitching for the Seattle Mariners the past few years, has not started against the Dodgers the previous couple seasons.

-Los Angeles righty Hiroki Kuroda (4-6, 3.73 ERA) is off Wednesday’s victory over Houston as a $1.10 road favorite, 4-1. The rookie tossed seven scoreless innings on five hits with a walk and a strikeout.

-The combined five runs failed to topple the nine-run closing total, helping the ‘under’ improve to 6-1 his last seven starts.

-The Japanese native fell to the Braves April 20 as a $1.00 road selection, 6-1, going six innings while allowing two runs on seven hits (one home run) with four walks and four strikeouts. The combined seven runs went ‘under’ the 9 ½-run closing total.

**Twins (Baker) at Red Sox (Matsuzaka)**

-Caesars Palace lists Boston as a $1.65 home ‘chalk’ over Minnesota, with the total set at nine. This American League contest is scheduled to begin at 7:05 p.m. ET.

-Minnesota’s Scott Baker (5-2, 3.65 ERA) has strung together three wins in a row after upending Detroit Tuesday as a $1.43 home favorite, 6-4. The Oklahoma State product went six innings while being reached for three runs on seven hits (one home run) with no walks and five strikeouts.

-The combined 10 runs eclipsed the nine-run closing total, helping the ‘over’ improve to 2-1 during his personal winning streak.

-Baker, a four-year veteran, has not started against the Red Sox the past few seasons.

-Boston hurler Daisuke Matsuzaka (9-1, 3.12 ERA) received a no-decision in Wednesday’s matchup with Tampa Bay despite tossing a solid five innings. The Japanese native surrendered one run on two hits with five walks and five strikeouts.

-The Red Sox eventually dropped that affair as a $1.30 road underdog, 7-6, while the combined 13 runs eclipsed the 7 ½-run closing total.

-Matsuzaka beat the Twins May 10 as a $1.60 road ‘chalk,’ 5-2, pitching seven innings while getting reached for both runs on six hits with three walks and seven strikeouts. The combined seven runs failed to topple the 8 ½-run closing total.

**Angels (Santana) at Rangers (Mendoza)**

-Caesars Palace opened Los Angeles as a $1.40 road favorite over Texas, with the total set at 10 ‘under’ (minus $1.20). This AL West contest is slated to start at 8:05 p.m. ET.

-Los Angeles pitcher Ervin Santana (9-3, 3.28 ERA) is off back-to-back no decisions after Tuesday’s effort against Oakland. The Dominican Republic native went seven innings, surrendering two runs on eight hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.

-The Angels eventually prevailed as a $1.03 home selection, 5-3, while the combined eight runs eclipsed the seven-run closing total. The ‘over’ is now 4-1 the last five games Santana has started.

-The 25-year-old right-hander beat the Rangers April 14 as a $1.10 road ‘chalk,’ 7-4, tossing seven innings while yielding three runs on seven hits (one home run) with a walk and six strikeouts. The combined 11 runs slithered ‘over’ the 10 ½-run closing total.

-Texas pitcher Luis Mendoza (0-2, 6.91 ERA) is still searching for his first victory of the season after Wednesday’s no-decision against the Yankees. The Mexico native was reached for six runs (one earned) on four hits (one home run) with two walks and no strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings.

-The Rangers eventually dropped that matchup as a $1.65 road underdog, 18-7, while the combined 25 runs soared ‘over’ the 10 ½-run closing total. The ‘over’ has cashed his last three starts.

-Mendoza received a no-decision against the Angels last season after going 4 2/3 innings and allowing two runs on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts. The Rangers eventually won that game as a home ‘pick,’ 16-2, while the combined 18 runs went ‘over’ the 10 ½-run closing total.

Brad Young can be reached at byoung@vegasinsider.com.