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Wednesday’s Diamond Notes

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
6 minute read
Hottest team: Rays (13-2 last 15)

Even though Tampa Bay will likely fall short of a Wild Card berth, the Rays have put together a terrific run since getting swept at home by the White Sox in early August. The Rays have won seven of their last nine series, including taking the first two games over the slumping Blue Jays. Tampa Bay has allowed one run to Toronto in this series, while beating the Jays in seven of the past eight matchups overall.

The Rays look for the sweep tonight at Rogers Center as Tyler Glasnow takes the mound for Tampa Bay. The former Pirates’ right-hander is winless in his last three road starts, including a 2-1 defeat at Toronto on August 12 in spite of allowing two hits and one run in five innings of work. From a totals perspective, the Rays are 4-0-1 to the UNDER in Glasnow’s last five starts, while allowing one run or less in four of six starts since joining Tampa Bay.

Coldest team: Twins (2-9 last 11)

Minnesota owns one of the worst road records in baseball at 24-46 after dropping a 5-2 decision at Houston last night. This current trip has been especially tough as the Twins have lost six of eight games, including an 18-4 defeat to Texas on Sunday. Minnesota is riding a 1-9 run in road series finales since the start of July, as the Twins try to avoid the sweep tonight against the streaking Astros.

Jake Odorizzi heads to the hill for the Twins, as Minnesota is winless in the right-hander’s last five starts away from Target Field. Odorizzi shut down the Astros earlier this season as a home underdog in a 4-1 victory as he gave up one earned run in six innings of work on April 10.

Hottest pitcher: Jhoulys Chacin, Brewers (14-5, 3.53 ERA)

One of the more underrated offseason pickups was Chacin, who posted a 13-10 record with a 3.89 ERA in San Diego last season. Chacin has tossed at least six innings in five straight starts, while the Brewers are 4-1 in this current stretch. The veteran has owned the Cubs by not allowing a run in 13 innings of work, while beating Chicago twice this season, including a 7-0 shutout at Wrigley Field on August 14. The Brewers seek the sweep of the Cubs tonight at Miller Park as Milwaukee sits three games behind Chicago for the top spot in the NL Central.

Coldest pitcher: Homer Bailey, Reds (1-13, 6.13 ERA)

Bailey just can’t escape this category as Cincinnati has lost each of his last 10 starts since mid-May. Cincinnati has compiled an amazing 1-18 record when Bailey takes the mound, which means the Reds are 58-62 in games that the right-hander isn’t involved in. The Pirates are 2-0 against Bailey this season, while scoring nine runs on him in 9.2 innings of work. Cincinnati has dropped five straight matchups with Pittsburgh, while going 1-6 in its past seven road series.

Biggest OVER run: Orioles (5-2 last seven)

While the Mariners were busy beating each other up prior to Tuesday’s game against the Orioles, Baltimore was ready to snap an eight-game road losing streak. Baltimore barely cashed the OVER in a 5-3 win at Safeco Field, while the offense busted out following consecutive one-run outputs. The O’s have been extremely inconsistent in this current OVER stretch by scoring double-digit runs twice, but also getting limited to two runs or less three times. Andrew Cashner put together a great UNDER run for Baltimore from May 9 through July 5 (10 straight UNDERS), but the Orioles are 6-3 to the OVER in his last nine outings.

Biggest UNDER run: Angels (6-1 last seven)

Unfortunately, this isn’t the longest UNDER run in baseball. That streak belongs to the Diamondbacks, who have hit the UNDER in 11 straight games. The reason Arizona isn’t being showcased is due to the D-backs being off tonight after beating San Diego on Tuesday. The Angels have been limited to three runs or less in eight of the past 10 games, including each of the last five contests. Los Angeles scored one run in the final eight innings of last night’s 4-2 setback at Texas as Jaime Barria has hit the UNDER in his last two road starts for the Angels. Barria scattered seven hits and allowed one run to the Rangers last month in a 4-2 loss, while the right-hander beat the Astros his last time out by tossing six scoreless innings.

Matchup to watch: Yankees vs. Athletics

The two teams that are on the verge of squaring off in the AL Wild Card game next month wrap up their series at the Coliseum tonight. The A’s held off the Yankees on Monday, 6-3, while the Yankees bounced back with five runs in the final three innings of a 5-1 victory last night. New York extended its lead over Oakland to 4 ½ games as the Yankees seek home-field advantage in the Wild Card game for the second straight season.

Mike Fiers has turned into a tremendous pickup for Oakland as the A’s are 5-0 in his five starts since getting acquired from Detroit in August. Four of those wins have come at the Coliseum, including two victories in the role of a home underdog against the Dodgers and Mariners. Fiers beat the Yankees as a member of the Tigers earlier this season at Comerica Park as he allowed two earned runs in 5.2 innings of a 4-2 victory.

Luis Severino counters for New York as the Yankees have won nine of their last 11 road games. Severino is unbeaten in his past three starts, as he has given up eight runs in this span although they faced the Blue Jays, Orioles, and Tigers in this stretch. The righty beat the Athletics in May at Yankee Stadium, 6-2 as he yielded five hits and one run in six innings of work.

Betcha didn’t know: The Rockies have captured eight of the past 11 matchups with the Giants, including a 7-1 record at Coors Field this season. Colorado seeks the sweep of San Francisco tonight as Antonio Senzatela tries to get on track after losing to the Cardinals and Padres his last two outings. In Senzatela’s only start against the Giants this season, the right-hander tossed seven scoreless innings in an 8-1 rout on July 3.

Biggest public favorite: Mariners (-235) vs. Orioles

Biggest public underdog: Athletics (+140) vs. Yankees

Biggest line move: White Sox (-150 to -175) vs. Tigers

You can reach Kevin Rogers via e-mail at rogers@vegasinsider.com

Kevin Rogers can be followed on Twitter at virogers.

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