Friday MLB Handicapper Report - 8/3

[Jeff Grant]

Washington Nationals
-Rank second in the NL, fourth in the majors in run differential (+76) - Cardinals (+96), Yankees (+86) and Rangers (+80)
-21 days (13-8 record) into a stretch that will see the team play 35 games in 34 days
-SP John Lannan has gone 0-4 with a 5.50 ERA in his last six starts versus the Marlins
-SP Gio Gonzalez was 3-2 with a 4.59 ERA in six July starts


Miami Marlins
-Gone 5-4 versus the Nationals this year, but 0-2 in DC
-The Marlins are 38-26 all-time in the nation’s capital, including a 26-11 mark at Nationals Park
-Miami has produced a 31-39 record in 35 previous doubleheaders as a franchise
-SS Jose Reyes owns a 20-game hit streak, longest in the majors (.342 average)
-SP Josh Johnson is 2-0 with a 4.80 ERA in five career starts at Nationals Park


Pittsburgh Pirates
-Since May 25, the Pirates (40-20) and Reds (39-22) have the two best records in baseball
-Gone 8-2 with a 3.34 ERA at the GABP in their last 10 games, while averaging 5.4 runs per game offensively
-Hit the most road HRs in the NL this season (75)
-SP Wandy Rodriguez is 4-4 with a 3.90 ERA in 11 starts at GABP

Check out the SBR Odds and Matchup pages before placing your wagers on Friday

[Jeff Grant]

Arizona Diamondbacks
-Coming off a stretch of 20 games in a row (12-8), longest stretch to date
-Bullpen has a 1.35 ERA over the last 11 games, while posting a major league-best 2.21 ERA since June 22
-Rank third in the NL with a 3.36 road ERA
-SP Ian Kennedy’s career 2.95 ERA after the All-Star break is the ninth-best mark among all pitchers since 2007 (min. 200 IP)
-Gone 10-2 in Kennedy’s 12 starts in August since 2010


Baltimore Orioles
-Gone 14-20 in series-opening games, including 8-9 on the road, winning just two of their last 10 overall
-SP Tommy Hunter has received just 35 runs of support over his last 14 starts when in the game, with 11 of those coming in one outing
-Offense is batting .323 over the last six games, collecting double-digit hits in five of those contests
-Hunter is 0-1 with a 7.88 ERA in two starts at Tropicana Field
-Only 13 of Hunter’s 34 career road starts have been quality ones
-Hunter has a 5.88 career ERA in August, his second-highest month (May, 6.82)


Boston Red Sox
-Posted an AL-best 22-12 (.647) record when facing left-handed starters (Giants and Cardinals .656 win percentages)
-Gone 23-11 against the Twins since 2007, the best mark against any AL team in that time
-Top AL offenses with 5.69 runs per game versus AL Central opponents
-SP Felix Doubront is 5-0 with a 2.97 ERA in five career starts versus AL Central teams
-Doubront is 5-1 with a 3.55 ERA in nine starts following a team loss (7-2 team record)


Chicago White Sox
-Won 10 of their last 11 home games, outscoring opponents by a 76-36 margin
-SP Philip Humber is 0-7 with a 5.92 ERA in his last 14 home starts
-Lead the majors with a .293 average with RISP
-Bullpen has a 1.04 ERA in the last 10 games
-Humber has gone 5-1 with a 2.09 ERA in 12 career appearances (seven starts) versus AL West opponents, including a 5-0 mark and 2.11 ERA in his last six

Learn more about the White Sox taking on Zack Greinke on Friday night


Cleveland Indians
-Swept in back-to-back three-game road series
-Gone 7-2 against the Tigers this year, with six of those wins by a one or two-run margin
-Relievers have a 2.64 ERA since the All-Star break, second-lowest in AL (Rays, 1.48)
-Bullpen is 3-0 with a 1.05 ERA in nine games against the Tigers
-SP Justin Masterson is 0-2 with a 5.11 ERA in two starts at Comerica Park
-Masterson is receiving an average of 3.30 runs of support, lowest in the AL


Minnesota Twins
-Hitting .272 against left-handed pitching, second-best mark in the AL
-The last left-handed starter to record a victory against the Twins was on July 19
-C Joe Mauer is hitting an AL-best .352 since May 20
-Hitting an AL-low .236 on the road this season, with just 41 HRs
-Brian Duensing is 1-4 with a 7.45 ERA as a starter this season (five starts)
-Duensing has limited left-handed batters to a .174 average this year (15 for 86)


New York Yankees
-SP CC Sabathia has won each of his last seven starts against the Mariners (0.88 ERA)
-Sabathia has allowed one earned run or less in nine of his last 10 starts in this series
-Posted a 23-11 record in series openers, going 13-4 at home
-Homered in each of their last 20 home games, matching their longest such streak inside the current Yankee Stadium

Sports bettors may elect to play the total in the Bronx due to the high tariff on Sabathia


Seattle Mariners
-Bullpen has a 2.37 ERA since June 1
-Fourth in the majors in road scoring and second in the AL in runs per game (4.87)
-Outscored opponents by a 112-79 margin since July 2
-Pitching staff is 7-0 with a 2.29 ERA over the team’s seven-game win streak
-SP Kevin Millwood is 2-1 with a 5.89 ERA at the current Yankee Stadium


Tampa Bay Rays
-In their last 11 games, the Rays and their opponents have combined to hit .199
-At 23-18, have the best interdivisional record among AL East teams (11-6 at home)
-SP Matt Moore is 1-1 with a 3.09 ERA in three career appearances (two starts) against the Orioles


Texas Rangers
-Gone 13-6 against Kansas City since 2010, including 4-2 at Kauffman Stadium
-Since 2005, the Rangers are 38-21 (.644) in the series, easily their best winning percentage against any opponent
-Possess the AL’s lowest ERA on the road (3.59)
-SP Matt Harrison is 14-7 with a 3.00 ERA in 26 road starts since 2011


Chicago Cubs
-Gone 2-1-1 in their last four road series after going 1-9-3 in their first 13
-Chicago is 8-8 against NL West opponents this year
-SP Jeff Samardzija is 4-3 with a 2.18 ERA in nine night outings, striking out 64 batters and walking 18

Read why you should play the run-line if you're backing the Rangers in Kansas City