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  • expert headshot
    Matt Severance
    #3
    +1624
    (63%)
    186-110-2 in Last 298 MLB Picks
    CHC
    -180
    Money Line
    Picked: Aug 28 @ 7:56am

    Analysis

    I almost always have an opinion on these Cubs standalone Friday matinees, and I see no reason why not to back them here -- although this is too high. Minus-1 I think would be your best wager to save 40-plus cents, but I'll roll with this. Seventh straight road game for Cincy, which is playing for nothing. Rhett Lowder has a 6.92 ERA away and is 0-4 with a 7.71 ERA during the day overall. Maybe he's a vampire (I'm Team Jacob). Cubs pitcher David Peterson is meh but better since coming from the Mets. Bit of urgency for Chicago on a two-game skid and its lead to host a Wild-Card Round series down to two. Gotta take advantage of a last-place team.
  • expert headshot
    Jeff Hochman
    +370
    (71%)
    5-2 in Last 7 BAL ATS Picks
    BAL -3
    -114
    Spread
    Picked: Aug 26 @ 4:51pm

    Analysis

    Washington lost its starting left tackle and had to bring in new linemen who have barely practiced together. This makeshift group will face Baltimore’s second- and third-string players, who have plenty of talent. With Jayden Daniels sitting out and Marcus Mariota injured, Washington must rely on inexperienced quarterbacks Athan Kaliakmanis and Sam Hartman for the entire game. Baltimore’s backup quarterbacks are reliable—Joe Fagnano has completed 77.1 percent of his passes—and the defense, led by Jesse Minter, is operating complex blitz packages and showing little concern about revealing their schemes on film. Baltimore appears eager to finish the preseason undefeated.
  • expert headshot
    Mike Tierney
    +1527
    (69%)
    31-14-1 in Last 46 BAL ATS Picks
    BAL -3
    -110
    Spread
    Picked: Aug 27 @ 4:37pm

    Analysis

    Jesse Minter to John Harbaugh: I see your brilliant preseason record and raise you. Harbaugh went 47-17 SU and ATS with the Ravens. His new replacement, Jesse Minter, is not only 2-0 in both categories, but his team has outscored opponents 37-10. The only scores allowed were a field goal at the end of the first half and a fourth-quarter touchdown. QBs Tyler Huntley and Joe Fagnano have connected on three-fourths of their passes combined while battling for the backup role to Lamar Jackson. Commodores coach Dan Quinn seems less concerned about exhibition wins. His career record is 8-21 SU and 8-20-1 ATS.
  • expert headshot
    Matt Severance
    Severance Pays
    FORD +10.5
    -113
    Spread
    Picked: Aug 28 @ 8:12am

    Analysis

    Mixed bag Thursday on our first night of FCS football. I was hoping this got to +10.5 and it just did for tonight. Wouldn't go lower. You'd think such a good school like Fordham would have really well-written game notes but the headline is: "Football starts tonight" and it tells you where to buy candy corn and park. That's pretty enthralling writing. May as well let AI do it. The two teams have split the last six meetings with Fordham winning the last at home in 2024.
  • expert headshot
    Adam Thompson
    The ATM
    player headshot
    T. Skubal
    Over 6.5
    -156
    Pitcher Strikeouts
    Picked: Aug 27 @ 11:32pm

    Analysis

    Dodgers LHP Tarik Skubal heads back to Detroit and will certainly play in front of an emotional and charged-up fanbase. Skubal should be fine facing a lineup that’s dead-last in OPS vs. left-handers over the last two weeks. The Tigers are also 27th in home OPS in that span. In four starts so far with L.A., Skubal has struck out at least six in all of them. In his last start, vs. Pittsburgh, he fanned 11. In fact, he’s K’d six-plus in 11 of 12 starts. This seems like a spot to be one step above the floor.

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