Sports Picks & Predictions

Friday MLB Free play. My selection is on Los Angeles over San Diego at 9:40 pm et on Friday.

The Michael King experiment hasn't gone particularly well in San Diego as the former Yankee reliever has logged a 5.71 FIP and 1.41 WHIP through his first eight appearances, including seven starts. King draws an extremely difficult matchup here as current Dodgers hitters have worn him out to the tune of 18 hits and nine extra-base knocks including a whopping seven home runs in 60 at-bats against him. Tyler Glasnow will get the start for Los Angeles. He has not surprisingly thrived since joining the Dodgers, posting a 2.46 FIP and 0.92 WHIP in eight starts. Current Padres hitters are a miserable 4-for-34 against the right-hander with just one extra-base hit (that came off the bat of Xander Bogaerts and he's 3-for-15 off of Glasnow). Los Angeles' bullpen has been lights out lately, posting a collective 0.44 ERA and 0.49 WHIP over the last seven games. On the road this season, the Dodgers 'pen has recorded a 2.23 ERA and 0.99 WHIP with five saves converted and only one blown. Meanwhile, the Padres bullpen has logged a collective 4.91 ERA and 1.28 WHIP against divisional opponents. Take Los Angeles.

My selection is on the 'under' between Cincinnati and San Francisco at 10:15 pm et on Friday.

Giants ace Logan Webb is coming off consecutive shaky outings in Boston and Philadelphia but a return home should help him right the ship on Friday. As will facing a Reds club that ranks 27th in the majors in OPS vs. right-handed pitching this season and 28th in road OPS. Cincinnati is also last (30th) in baseball in OPS over the last seven days. Webb checks in sporting a solid 3.01 FIP but a less than impressive 1.38 WHIP through eight starts this season. He has held current Reds hitters to 9-of-47 at the plate with only three extra-base hits. Left-hander Andrew Abbott gets the call for the Reds. Like Webb, he also draws a favorable matchup here as the Giants rank 21st in baseball in OPS vs. left-handers and 24th in home OPS. Abbott has been bitten by the long ball lately leading to his FIP rising to 4.66 but he still owns a solid 1.16 WHIP. Note that no team has hit fewer home runs at home than the Giants this season. Current San Francisco hitters have gone 3-for-15 with just one extra-base hit off of Abbott. Neither bullpen has been lights out by any means this season but they have combined to convert 12 saves while blowing only four. Take the under (8*).

Friday MLB Free play. My selection is on the 'under' between Oakland and Seattle at 9:40 pm et on Friday.

Bryan Woo will make his long-awaited season debut for the Mariners on Friday after an impressive rehab stint in the minors that saw him post a 0.00 ERA and 0.44 WHIP in 11 1/3 innings of work. Of course, Woo already turned in solid rookie campaign for the big club last year. Note that current A's hitters have gone 1-for-18 off of the right-hander. Oakland has been on a tear at the plate lately but still ranks 20th in baseball in road OPS this season. Paul Blackburn will counter for the A's. He's off to a terrific start this season with a 3.95 FIP and 1.02 WHIP through seven starts. The Mariners rank 22nd in the majors in OPS vs. right-handed pitching and a miserable 28th in home OPS. Current Mariners hitters are just 13-for-57 off of Blackburn. The A's had the day off yesterday so their bullpen is in excellent shape entering this series and it's a 'pen that has logged a collective 3.47 ERA and 1.24 WHIP this season. Meanwhile, the Mariners were involved in a lopsided defeat in Minnesota yesterday afternoon, keeping their key relief arms ready for the opener of this series. Seattle's 'pen has recorded a lights out 2.11 ERA and 0.84 WHIP at home this season. Take the under.

N.L. Central Total of the Year. My selection is on the 'under' between Chicago and Pittsburgh at 6:40 pm et on Friday.

In perhaps the most hyped-up rookie pitching debut since Stephen Strasburg, Paul Skenes will get the nod for the Pirates on Saturday. Before that, another impressive rookie will take the ball to open this series on Friday in Jared Jones. Jones checks in sporting a 3.28 FIP and 0.78 WHIP through his first seven starts this season. He'll have the advantage of facing the Cubs for the first time on Friday and it's worth noting that Chicago ranks 20th in the majors in OPS vs. right-handed pitching this season and worse still, 25th in road OPS. Of course, the Pirates check in 30th (out of 30 teams) in home OPS and you guessed it, 30th against right-handed pitching. They'll face a righty in Javier Assad on Friday. Assad sports a 3.24 FIP and 1.03 WHIP in seven starts this season. While regression is sure to come for the right-hander at some point, current Pirates hitters are a collective 7-for-29 against him. Both teams are coming off an off day on Thursday so it will be all hands on deck as far as the two bullpens go. Of note, the Pirates 'pen has logged a collective 2.75 ERA and 1.02 WHIP over the last seven games. The Cubs bullpen hasn't been nearly as effective but has also been extremely overworked, called to action for 145 1/3 innings. The day off yesterday should help its cause, as will facing a Buccos club that ranks 29th in OPS over the last seven days. Take the under (10*).

Eastern Conference Second Round Game of the Year. My selection is on Indiana minus the points over New York at 7 pm et on Friday.

The Pacers return home facing an 2-0 series deficit and while they'll be hard-pressed to win four of the next five games and take this series, I do expect them to at least make things interesting back at home as they check in as considerable favorites in Game 3 on Friday. Note that Indiana is 29-11 ATS when coming off an ATS loss this season and 8-3 ATS when following consecutive SU defeats. Meanwhile, the Knicks are 0-3 ATS after scoring 130 points or more in their previous game this season not to mention 22-25 ATS when coming off an ATS victory and 10-11 ATS when checking in off three straight wins. New York has quite simply shot the lights out in the first two games in this series. It's not as if they've been playing with a large margin for error having gotten off 82 and 86 field goal attempts compared to the Pacers' 88 and 93 through the first two games in this series. This is a matchup where the pointspread hasn't factored in much with the SU winner going 17-1 ATS in the last 18 meetings. With that in mind, we'll lay the points with the Pacers. Take Indiana (10*).

Pacific Division Game of the Month. My selection is on Edmonton over Vancouver at 10 pm et on Friday.

The Canucks rallied from a 4-1 deficit late in the second period to defeat the Oilers 5-4 in Game 1 of this series on Wednesday. That's been a common theme in these playoffs with no lead proving safe. I look for Edmonton to bounce back on Friday as it looks to even this series at one game apiece before the scene shifts to Alberta for Game 3. Note that the Oilers are 31-16 (+8.9 net games) when seeking revenge for a loss in which their opponent scored five goals or more over the last three seasons including a 13-7 (+2.9 net games) mark in that situation this season. Edmonton is also a long-term 25-23 (+5.9 net games) when trailing a playoff series including a 7-4 (+2.6 net games) record over the last three seasons. Meanwhile, the Canucks are just 8-12 (-5.2 net games) when coming off a one-goal victory over a divisional opponent over the last three seasons including a 2-4 (-4.0 net games) mark in that spot this season. Vancouver has been one of the league's best teams all season but is just 14-14 (-4.0 net games) when coming off consecutive victories. Take Edmonton (10*).