My 1* Free Play is on the Cleveland Indians (6:10 EST).

Off yesterday’s loss, I think that Trevor Bauer and the home side offer great value to bounce back on Tuesday night.

The visitors hand the ball to Chris Bassitt (2-1, 1.93 ERA), who has looked great in his limited time, but who has struggled against the Tribe in two career starts, giving up five runs over 13.1 innings of work. While the A’s average 4.73 runs per game overall, they’re still only 8-15 on the road this year.

Bauer (4-2, 3.76) faced Oakland earlier this month and gave up two runs over seven innings. While he’s just 1-3 in seven career starts vs. the A’s, he still owns a very respectable 3.38 ERA in those contests. While averaging only 3.98 RPG overall after their slow start, the Indians have consistently been at their best at home by going 14-8 thus far. 

I like Cleveland and Bauer to bounce back after yesterday’s 6-4 defeat. Consider the Indians on Tuesday night.

Good luck…Larry

My 9* Situational Stunner is on the Det Tigers at 7:10 ET.

The Miami Marlins own the worst record in MLB (13-31) but enter a three-game interleague series at the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday with some momentum. The Marlins are coming off their first series sweep of the year, taking three straight from the New York Mets over the weekend, including the last two in shutout fashion. Meanwhile, the Tigers will welcome the Marlins to Detroit having been outscored 52-12 during a six-game losing streak. Detroit was on its way to a seven-game losing streak but trailing 5-3 in the seventh inning Sunday against Oakland, the game was suspended because of rain. All six losses have taken place at home and the Tigers have now dropped EIGHT of their last nine at Comerica Park, giving them a 9-14 home record..

Tuesday's pitching matchup features two promising young starters, Caleb Smith (3-1, 2.25 ERA) of Miami and Spencer Turnbull (2-3, 2.40 ERA) of Detroit. Smith suffered just his first loss of the year last Tuesday against Tampa Bay, after allowing a modest two runs in 5.1 innings. It ended a string of six straight starts in which he had completed at least six innings. Smith owns a n 0.92 WHIP and opponents are batting just .180 against him, yet he Marlins are just 4-4 in his eight starts. He has one inning of relief in his career against the Tigers.

Turnbull gave up six runs in four innings in a loss to Oakland his last time out but just ONE of the runs was earned. He owns a 1.34 ERA over his last six starts, including two outings against National League teams in which he gave up one run and five hits in a combined 12 innings (0.75 ERA). Turnbull's numbers are not quite as good as Smith's but the Tigers are 5-4 in his starts. He has never faced the Marlins.

Yes, the Tigers are in a woeful slump but the Marlins could be "just what the doctor ordered." Sure, Miami comes in off a three-game sweep of the Mets (NOT a big deal, these days) but the Marlins rank 30th in scoring (2.68 RPG), OPS (.592) and HRs (27) plus 28th in team BA (.219). The Marlins are 4-14 on the road, averaging a puny 2.22 RPG, while allowing 5.11. THIS is a team that allows a club like Detroit to snap a losing streak. That's the bet!

Good luck...Larry

My MLB 8* Weekly Wipeout is on the Mil Brewers at 7:40 ET.

The Milwaukee Brewers took on playoff hopefuls Chicago, Philadelphia and Atlanta on a 10-game road trip and finished 5-5, Ben Gamel led off the 10th with a home run against the Braves on Sunday. "To finish off a long, tough road trip with a win and kind of hold serve on the road, so to speak - 5-5 against three teams above .500 and a couple teams that are leading their division - that's a good place to be," Brewers manager Craig Counsell told reporters. The 28-21  Brewers will now kick off a five-game homestand when they host the Cincinnati Reds in the opener of a two-game set on Tuesday. The Reds dropped two of three at home to the LA Dodgers over the weekend and sit in last place in the NL Central at 21-26. However, the Reds have "righted the ship" following starts of 1-8 and 5-12,having gone 16-14 over their last 30 games. They will now play their next nine against NL Central opponents, beginning with this two-game series against the Brewers.

Tuesday's pitching matchup features Sonny Gray (0-4, 4.30 ERA) and Gio Gonzalez (2-0, 1.69 ERA). Gray began his career with Oakland but pitched for the Yankees for part of the 2017 season and all of 2018. He was traded to Cincinnati on Jan 21 and is still looking for his first win of 2019. He's made nine starts (team is 3-6) and has failed to complete six innings in any of his last five. He was reached for three runs on five hits (including two HRs) in five innings without factoring in the decision against the Chicago Cubs last Wednesday (Reds won 6-5, after losing his three previous starts). Gray spent the first six seasons of his career in the American League and is making his first career start at Milwaukee.

Gonzalez is having similar problems to Gray in going deep into games but has allowed two or fewer runs in each of his four starts since signing with the team in April. He has yet to complete six innings but after Milwaukee lost his team debut on April 28, he's 2-0 (team is 3-0), while posting a 1.10 ERA (two ERs allowed over 16.1 innings). Gonzalez went 2-1 in three starts against Cincinnati last season, including six scoreless innings on Sep 19 after he was traded from Washington to Milwaukee. He's got a 2.75 ERA in 12 career starts vs the Reds.

The Brewers are 16-8 at home this season, where they average 5.25 RPG. The Reds opened 0-7 on the road and while they are 9-8 since that start to check in at 9-15 away from home on the year, they are averaging only 3.33 RPG in road contests. A closer look reveals that they are 2-5 vs lefties on the road in 2019 (averaging 3.6 RPG), after going 3-10 vs left-handers on the road in night games in 2018, averaging just 2.9 RPG. Getting back to Milwaukee, the Brewers are 11-5 vs righties at Miller Park, including 7-3 in night games, averaging 5.3 RPG. That's no surprise, as the Brewers were 27-8 at home last year vs righties in night games.

Good luck...Larry

The Pittsburgh Pirates split the first eight games of their 11-game road trip but then swept the final three in San Diego. The Pirates are happy to have finished the trek 7-4 and now return to Pittsburgh to open a six-game homestand with three against the slumping Colorado Rockies. I’m proud of the effort,'' Pirates manager Clint Hurdle told reporters. "I’m proud of the energy, and the offense is starting to do some things that are significant, as well. It was a fun trip for us. It was a good baseball trip.” Colorado is wrapping up  an eight-game road trip here in Pittsburgh. The Rockies won the opener of their trip but have since lost the next four, including a three-game sweep at Philadelphia over the weekend.

German Marquez (4-2, 3.80 ERA) will get the nod on Tuesday for Colorado, while Pittsburgh counters with Chris Archer (1-3, 5.58 ERA). Marquez had allowed just  five runs in 29 innings over four road starts before giving up five runs on 10 hits across 6.1 innings in Colorado's 6-5 loss to Boston on Wednesday (he received a no-decision). That outing is part of a recent disturbing trend that has seen Marquez post a 5.76 ERA in his last four starts, after posting a 2.54 ERA through his first six starts of 2019. Marquez is 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA in four career starts against the Pirates.

Injuries have ravaged Pittsburgh's pitchers and Archer permitted seven runs (six earned) on four hits and four walks over 3.2 innings of an 11-1 loss at Arizona on Wednesday, his first start since April 26 (he had missed 18 days because of right thumb inflammation). Last Wednesday's outing was the SECOND straight in which he had allowed six ERs. His 4.7 walks per nine innings would be the worst rate of his career. Yes, Archer is 2-0 with a 3.27 ERA in two career starts against Colorado (14 strikeouts in 11 innings) but who can remember that pitcher?

Really, Archer has just become a career underachiever. He struggled in three starts before the injury, going 0-2 with a 5.63 ERA (Pittsburgh lost all three games), then was awful again last Wednesday (see above for a reminder). The Rockies are getting a bit of a break with the Pirates' pitching challenges. Strong opposing pitching has been a theme on the trip. In 48 innings, the Rockies have struck out 66 times against the likes of Boston's Chris Sale and the Phillies' Aaron Nola and Jerad Eickhoff.  Expect Colorado to reach Archer (everyone else has) but also note Marquez's 5.76 ERA in his last four starts. It's Gioin' Over!

Good luck...Larry

The Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Diego Padres continue their three-game game series Tuesday night, as both are battling for position in the NL West. The 24-24 Padres snapped a three-game losing streak and pulled within a game of second-place of the 25-23 Diamondbacks with Monday’s 2-1 victory. Rookie Chris Paddack gave San Diego six strong innings, Franmil Reyes hit his 15th HR and Kirby Yates recorded his 18th save In 18 opportunities!). Arizona has now lost three in a row and has scored just a total of three runs with eight hits in its last two games. The middle of the Diamondbacks’ order - Eduardo Escobar, David Peralta, Christian Walker and Blake Swihart – finished a combined 0-for-15 with eight strikeouts in Monday’s loss.

Taking the mound for Arizona tonight will be Zack Greinke (6-1, 2.78 ERA), who will be opposed by Matt Strahm (1-3, 3.07 ERA). Greinke left last Wednesday’s start against Pittsburgh early after experiencing abdominal tightness but after throwing a successful bullpen session over the weekend, he's back on the mound tonight. That's GREAT news for the D'backs, as he is 6-0 with a 1.92 ERA in his last nine starts (team is 7-2), posting a 59-6 KW ratio over 61 innings. Strahm is a lefty who took the loss last Wednesday against the Dodgers, after allowing two runs on seven hits in five innings. The Padres are 4-4 in his eight starts in 2019 but note that Strahm owns a 4.24 ERA in three home starts compared to a 2.33 mark in five outings away from Petco Park.

Strahm was used mostly in relief during his previous three MLB seasons (just eight starts in 86 appearances) but he's a full-time starter in 2019. Is he really a match for five-time All Star (and former Cy Young winner) Greinke? As already noted, Greinke owns a 1.92 ERA in his last nine starts plus owns a stellar 13-2 record and 2.30 ERA in 24 career starts vs San Diego (team are 18-6), including a 2-0 mark in two outings this season. Want more? Greinke will face a SD team which is just 4-11 in home night games against righties, averaging only 3.03 RPG.

Good luck...Larry

My NHL 10* Game of the Week is on the SJ Sharks at 8:08 ET.

The St Louis Blues have outscored the Sharks 7-1 since the controversial hand-pass goal that ended Game 3 and put them in a 1-2 'hole' in their series with the San Jose Sharks. However, the back-to-back wins mean the Blues are now in a position to "punch their ticket" to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1970 with one more victory. Turnarounds are nothing new for the Blues this season, as they owned the NHL's worst record back on Jan 2! As for the San Jose Sharks, they aren't just facing elimination heading back to St. Louis for Game 6 of their Western Conference final, they are also facing questions about the availability of some key cogs in their lineup. San Jose captain Joe Pavelski (upper body), two-time Norris Trophy recipient Erik Karlsson (undisclosed) and Tomas Hertl (upper body) missed significant time in Sunday's 5-0 setback to St Louis while Joonas Donskoi (upper body) returned after being injured earlier in the contest.

San Jose head coach Peter DeBoer has shed little light on that topic ahead of the Sharks' potential elimination game Tuesday at Enterprise Center. "We're still alive," Sharks forward Logan Couture told reporters. "We've been in this spot before, going to Vegas down 3-2 in a very difficult building. St Louis is similar, it's a tough building against a good team. A structured team." St Louis comes into this contest off its most dominating performance of the playoffs. Jaden Schwartz recorded a hat trick and goalie Jordan Binnington made 21 saves for his first career playoff shutout."If you saw the game, you saw how good everyone on the team played," Binnington told Sportsnet after the game. "Everyone was outstanding, making the right decisions, playing hard and playing disciplined. That's a good team win." The rookie goaltender has turned aside 50 of 51 shots in his last two contests.

This scenario seems too good to be true. St Louis made the Cup final in each of its first three seasons but hasn't returned since. Awaiting the Blues if they win tonight are the Boston Bruins. The last time the Blues reached the championship round, they lost to the Bruins, a result forever framed by the famous image of Bobby Orr flying through the air after scoring the Cup-winning goal. Again, you can't make this stuff up. However, I will note that while the Blues are 7-2 on the road this postseason, they are a modest 4-5 at home! As for the Sharks, they overcame a 3-1 deficit in the first round against Vegas by winning Games 5, 6 and 7. San Jose then won a Game 7 vs Colorado, which makes them a PERFECT 4-0 in elimination games this postseason. Make that 5-0, as this series is headed for a Game 7.

Good luck...Larry