This article is part of our MLB Picks series.
Previous Article: 2-2 -0.55
Overall: 85-72-1 +1.02
I have written about this and it is becoming even more of a trend and that is going against the "tanking" teams after the trade deadline. While I have not touted very many "straight game" outcomes, the more we see the winning teams vs. the tanking teams I can see wanting to lay runs instead of odds. You will see the theme in today's writeup. The data is just too strong to go against it.
Cincinnati Reds 
vs. Chicago Cubs 
7:10 pm et
The Cubs are 1-13 in August with a 32% strikeout rate and 7.69 ERA, 1.71 WHIP, and 2.4 HR/9. They have been outscored 105-52 (7.5-3.7). The Reds have been a top 5 offense in August and Miley has pitched reasonably well over his last 7 starts with a 2.84 ERA. Not a huge amount of technical analysis these days when two teams going in opposite directions are facing off.
BET – Reds -1.5 (-111) for 1 RW buck
Tampa Bay Rays 
vs. Baltimore Orioles 
7:10 pm et
I initially wanted to look at the over 8.5 here with how bad the Orioles and Rays pitching has been this month, but Matt Harvey has pitched reasonably well over the last month. I still like the Rays at home in this spot and have no issue laying 1.5 runs to get the odds down. The Orioles are 1-12 last 13 games with an 8.76 ERA 1.79 WHIP, 4.5 BB/9, 2 HR/9, but as I said Harvey has been the exception. The Rays have owned the Orioles in the season series 11-1 with 2 of those games being 1 run.
BET – Rays -1.5 (-128) for 1 RW buck
Colorado Rockies 
vs. San Diego Padres 
8:40 pm et
Antonio Senzatela vs. Ryan Weathers
The Rockies are 38-21 at home and just 14-45 on the road. The Rockies home/road splits are mind-blowing and even with just a short sample this month they are significant. In their last 6 home games, the Rockies have a .363 batting average and a 12% strikeout rate. They are the one team who should be tanking, but they have the magic pixie dust in Coors.
Senzatela has an almost 5.00 ERA, but 32 strikeouts to only 6 walks over his last 7 starts. Ryan Weathers has been a disaster all year and this could serve as batting practice tonight.
BET – Rockies (+110) for 1 RW buck
San Francisco Giants 
vs. New York Mets 
9:45 pm et
The Mets season is fading quickly as their upcoming schedule is brutal. They are 4-10 this month and hitting just .216; while the pitching staff is not much better with a 5.03 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. The Giants are the complete opposite going 11-3 this month with a .291 batting average in 7 home games along with a 3.00 ERA and 1.14 WHIP. Rich Hill has struggled since the enforcement of "sticky" stuff while Gausman is making a claim for the National League Cy Young award.
BET – Giants -1.5 (+100) for 1 RW buck
