With the All-Star Game in the rearview mirror, it’s time to begin the second half of the MLB season. Several key matchups are on tap, featuring an NL East battle between the Nationals and the Phillies.
Washington Nationals versus Philadelphia Phillies
The Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies battle to keep pace with the Braves in the NL East. Washington it 21-22 on the road and the Phillies are 27-17 at home. Washington is “burning hot” on the Team Strength Oscillator and has a +19 to +17 advantage on the Power Ranking Indicator. The Phillies are “average down” after a 5-5 stretch over their last ten games. Best to avoid the “over/under” on this as teams are trending on opposite sides of the line according to the Totals Predictor. Both teams are relatively stable, performing consistently as their favorite/underdog status indicates. The Nationals have the advantage on Sunday with Max Scherzer on the mound with +1899 on the Pitcher Profit Oscillator. Give the edge to the Phillies overall playing at home and they should take two of three in this series.
Los Angeles Dodgers versus Boston Red Sox
The Dodgers enter with the best record in the NL and are 23-20 on the road. However, the team has lost their last three and are “average” on the Team Strength Oscillator. The Red Sox have won their last four and are “burning hot”. Los Angeles has a +25 to +24 edge on the Power Ranking Indicator and the Red Sox have struggled to a 20-22 mark at home. Consider better the “over” as the Red Sox have been involved in very high scoring games lately. Eduardo Rodriguez and David Price are solid bets on the mound this weekend for the Red Sox. The Dodgers are among the most stable teams in the league, at +28 on the Team Volatility Oscillator. The Dodgers have the edge and will come away with two victories this weekend.
Houston Astros versus Texas Rangers
In the AL West battle, the first place Astros take on the third place Rangers. Houston is 7-3 over their last ten and 24-19 on the road. They are +27 on the Power Ranking Indicator and “burning hot” status. The Rangers are just 4-6 over their last ten and “dead” on the Team Strength Oscillator. However, they are a solid 24-17 at home and +12 on the Power Ranking Indicator. Houston is among the most stable team in the league and should be favorites for much of the weekend. Of the scheduled starting pitchers, Gerrit Cole is the best bet at +928, while Justin Verlander continues to be in the red at -1310. Best to avoid the “over/under” in this series since the teams are trending on opposite sides of the line according to the Totals Predictor. Houston is too strong and will win the series and a sweep is not out of the question.
Arizona Diamondbacks versus St. Louis Cardinals
The Diamondbacks enter with a three-game winning streak and are 26-23 on the road. The Cardinals have lost their last two and are 24-18 at home. Arizona has a +18 to +15 edge on the Power Ranking Indicator and “burning hot” versus “average” status on the Team Strength Oscillator. The Cardinals are -5 on the Team Volatility Oscillator, meaning they are one of the most unstable teams in the league. Take caution when considering their favorite/underdog status. St. Louis is set to put Adam Wainwright, Dakota Hudson and Miles Mikolas on the mound, all of whom are in the green on the Pitcher Profit Oscillator. The Cardinals should have an edge at home, but their inconsistent play makes this a tough one to bet. Edge for a St. Louis win in the series but don’t be surprised if it goes the other way.
Toronto Blue Jays versus New York Yankees
The Blue Jays have a daunting task heading into New York. They are only 16-27 on the road, while the Yankees have a 31-14 mark at home. New York holds a +28 to +2 advantage on the Power Ranking Indicator and “average” versus “ice cold down” on the Team Strength Oscillator. Best to take the “over” in games in this series since both teams are trending that way on the Totals Predictor. The Yankees are among the most stable teams in the league at +28 on the Team Volatility Oscillator. There is little to suggest the Blue Jays can compete with the Yankees. Toronto could win a game, but a sweep by the Yankees is more likely.
