4.5* MLB PLAY OF THE DAY W/2* BONUS PLAY

[Pick Bot]

Tigers -122 (4.5* MLB POD)
Josh Beckett likely won’t be traded today and has an ERA over 6 over his last three vs. the Tigers. He has not been much better at home, during night starts, or in July. Posting 4.55, 5.27, and 6.38 ERA’s under those situations. 4 players have OPS over 1.000 against him and we are not even talking about Miguel Cabrera who has a .819 OPS and Delmon Young who has a .881 which still are great OPS numbers. Prince Fielder alone is 4-8 with 3 HR. Beckett has just a 66.2 LOB% which is not likely to change against the Tigers who are #1 in average with runners on, #2 with RISP, and 3rd with RISP & 2 outs.

Boston on the other hand claim the same success vs. Justin Verlander who has been much better at home, but in 235 AB the Sox have just a .580 OPS. The numbers get drastically better when you take David Ortiz out of the line up. Ortiz has a 1.157 OPS against Verlander and as we know is still on the DL. This is a large hole that will allow Verlander to continue his success of quality starts after a non quality start. In his last outing he gave up 5 ER to Cleveland. He’s had 4 non quality starts this year and had 5 a year ago and in those 9 starts combined he posts a 1.28 ERA following a non quality start. He goes up against a Red Sox offense that has not been the same this month posting a .713 OPS good for 19th in the month while the Tigers are 5th with a .782 OPS. The Red Sox are 3-7 in their last 10 home GS vs. RH starter and 4-10 in their last 14 as a dog. While the Tigers are 44-17 in Verlanders last 61 starts following a team loss in previous game.

White Sox -130 2* free play
The White Sox have gotten to Nick Blackburn. That would be putting it mildly as he posts an 11.05 ERA over his last 3. That includes a 4.1 IP and 8 ER performance in his last start. Francisco Liriano makes his debut with the White Sox against his old team. That should make things more comfortable for him. Liriano has a 9.81 K/9 ratio this season despite an ERA over 5 his xFIP is 3.96. He’s pitched much better of late with the exception of 7 ER in his last start. His previous 10 starts before that he posted a 2.65 ERA over 68 innings. I think he has a major advantage and not pitching since 7/23 will make him fresh and motivated. Blackburn is 9-26 in his last 35 on 5 days rest and he’s backed by a bullpen that has a 5.91 ERA over the last 10 games.