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Tuesday’s Diamond Notes

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
6 minute read
Editor's Note: Kevin Rogers is the MLB money leader at +3,500 units and is coming off an underdog win with Arizona last night. He is locked and loaded with a pair of Tuesday night games. Click to win!

Hottest team: Indians (9-2 last 11)

Cleveland has owned the AL Central the last three seasons by the Indians are currently looking up at the surprising Twins. However, the Indians have responded well in late June by winning four of six series, including home series victories over New York and Minnesota. The Tribe cruised past the Tigers this past weekend for their second sweep of Detroit this month, while edging the Royals in 10 innings last night on Jason Kipnis’ walk-off homer following a lengthy rain delay.

Shane Bieber allowed two early runs in his last start at Texas in a 4-2 defeat in spite of striking out eight batters in six innings. The Indians have won six of Bieber’s eight starts at Progressive Field this season, but the right-hander was knocked around by the Yankees in his most recent home outing by giving up five runs in less than two innings of work. Bieber has not faced Kansas City this season, as he seeks his 13th UNDER in 16 starts.

Coldest team: White Sox (2-6 last eight)

Since beating the Yankees twice at home in mid-June, Chicago has gone backwards by allowing six runs or more in each of its past six losses. The White Sox dropped the final two games at Texas this past weekend before squandering a 5-3 lead in Monday’s 6-5 walk-off defeat at Boston. Chicago had its three-game winning streak in series openers snapped, while the Sox have lost two straight starts made by Lucas Giolito since winning his previous nine outings.

It will be another tough test for the White Sox tonight at Fenway Park as Chicago tries to improve on a 1-4 record against Boston this season. A pair of former Vanderbilt standouts take the mound tonight as David Price squares off with Carson Fulmer. The Chicago right-hander makes his first start of the season trying to improve on a 6.35 ERA in 10 relief appearances.

Hottest pitcher: Max Scherzer, Nationals (6-5, 2.62 ERA)

The last time Scherzer faced the Marlins at home on Memorial Day, the Nationals lost, 3-2 as a nearly -300 favorite. The three-time Cy Young winner has put together a perfect June by going 4-0 in four starts, while racking up 44 strikeouts in this span. Scherzer overcame a broken nose from a freak batting practice accident in his last start to toss seven scoreless innings in a 2-0 home victory over Philadelphia. The Nationals have won three of Scherzer’s last four road starts, as he looks to beat Miami for the first time in three outings this season.

Coldest pitcher: Zach Davies, Brewers (7-1, 3.06 ERA)

This category wouldn’t normally be reserved for a pitcher with this record, but Davies has cooled off since a 7-0 start. Davies suffered his first loss of the season in a 5-3 setback at San Francisco on June 14, while allowing five runs in less than three innings in an 8-7 defeat at San Diego, although he picked up a no-decision last Thursday. Six of Davies’ last eight starts have come away from Miller Park, as the Brewers own a 5-1 record in his six home outings this season. The Brewers welcome in the woeful Mariners for an interleague set, as Seattle makes its first visit to Milwaukee since 2010.

Biggest OVER run: Orioles (8-2-1 last 11)

Baltimore returns home from a dreadful 1-6 west coast swing at Oakland and Seattle, while allowing double-digit runs three times. The O’s scored more than three runs only twice in the seven-game trip, while putting up over three runs three times in the past 11 contests overall. Baltimore owns a 4-1 mark to the UNDER in the last five series openers as the O’s welcome in the suddenly slumping Padres, who were swept by the Pirates this past weekend.

Biggest UNDER run: Twins (5-2 last seven)

Minnesota’s offense has been inconsistent of late by scoring four runs or fewer in five of the past seven contests. The Twins posted 13 runs in their two wins at Kansas City this past weekend, but was held to one run in each of the two losses. Minnesota hasn’t started the last three series well by scoring a total of three runs, while losing to Boston and Kansas City in the past two series openers. The Twins welcome in the Rays for a three-game series as Kyle Gibson has been up and down of late. Gibson allowed five and six runs in two of his past three outings, with a scoreless effort against Kansas City sandwiched in between. The last time Gibson faced the Rays at Tropicana Field on June 1, the right-hander yielded one run in five innings of a 6-2 win that pushed the total of 8.

Matchup to watch: Athletics vs. Cardinals

Both these third-place squads from their respective divisions start up a quick two-game interleague set at Busch Stadium, as St. Louis will visit Oakland in early August. The A’s split a four-game series with the Rays to conclude their 10-game homestand at 6-4, while the Cardinals couldn’t pull off the sweep of the Angels following Sunday’s 6-4 home defeat. In spite of the loss, St. Louis has not dropped a series at Busch since late May against Atlanta.

Jack Flaherty seeks his fifth win of the season for the Cardinals tonight as the right-hander lost as a hefty -260 home favorite against the Marlins his previous outing. Flaherty delivered a quality start by tossing seven innings and allowing three runs, but the Cardinals were blanked by Miami, 6-0, marking the third time St. Louis has lost in his past four outings at Busch Stadium. The Redbirds enter tonight’s action by cashing the UNDER in five consecutive home series openers, while yielding one run or fewer three times in the last four home Game 1’s.

Chris Bassitt counters for Oakland, as the righty has pitched into the sixth inning in all four June starts. The A’s lost his first three outings this month before finally breaking through against Baltimore last Wednesday in an 8-3 triumph as a -285 favorite. Bassitt is listed as a road underdog for only the second time this season as he picked up a no-decision in a 5-3 win at Cleveland in late May.

Betcha didn’t know: Reds’ right-hander Tyler Mahle has been a solid pitcher to back at home this season as Cincinnati is 4-1 in his five outings at Great American Ballpark. However, the Reds have failed to win with Mahle starting on the highway this season in nine tries as he takes the mound tonight against the Angels in Anaheim. Mahle does return home tonight as he grew up in Westminster, California, which is in northern Orange County.

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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