A couple of MLB divisional races got a little tighter Monday night as two teams doing the chasing knocked off the frontrunners in the openers of important series.
Trade Deadline Odds: Phillies, Cubs Could Be Sellers
In a big series out West the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Los Angeles Dodgers Monday night 7-2, creeping to within 3.5 games of first place in the NL West.
And in the AL West the Los Angeles Angels pounded Texas 15-8 Monday night, crawling to within four games of the first-place Rangers.
So heading into Tuesday's play five of the six divisions involve leads of 3.5 games or less.
Also Monday the San Diego Padres, as +135 underdogs, put an end to the 10-game winning streak of the Cincinnati Reds with an 11-5 victory; the New York Mets, as +190 dogs, rallied to beat the San Francisco Giants 8-7 in 10 innings; the Baltimore Orioles, getting +155, defeated the New York Yankees 5-4; and the Oakland A's, as +120 home dogs, beat David Price and the Rays 4-3.
As for Tuesday, Stephen Strasburg and the Nationals are -140 favorites over Cliff Lee and the Phillies; Ryan Dempster and the Cubs are -105 favorites over AJ Burnett and the Pirates; Chris Capuano and the Dodgers are -120 faves over Wade Miley and the D'Backs; Tim Lincecum and the Giants are -145 chalk over young gun Matt Harvey and the Mets; Ivan Nova and the Yanks are -175 favorites over Chris Tilllman and the O's; Justin Verlander and the Tigers are -125 road faves over Josh Becket and the Red Sox; Jered Weaver and the Angels are -105 road chalk over Derek Holland and the Rangers; and Tom Milone and the A's are -110 favorites over James Shields and the Rays.
Here's Tuesday's complete MLB betting board, with prices and totals courtesy of Oddsshark.com.
Baltimore +170 at NY Yankees -177, Total 9.5 - Chris Tillman (3-1) | Ivan Nova (10-4) | Matchup Report | SBNation MLB Odds
Trends: Baltimore is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of NY Yankees’s last 6 games when playing Baltimore
Philadelphia +135 at Washington -140, Total 6.5 - Cliff Lee (1-6) | Stephen Strasburg (11-4) | Matchup Report | SBNation MLB Odds
Trends: The total has gone OVER in 5 of Philadelphia’s last 6 games when playing on the road against Washington
Washington is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
Detroit -127 at Boston +122, Total 8 - Justin Verlander (11-6) | Josh Beckett (5-9) | Matchup Report | SBNation MLB Odds
Trends: The total has gone OVER in 5 of Detroit’s last 5 games when playing Boston
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Boston’s last 5 games when playing Detroit
Miami +155 at Atlanta -160, Total 8.5 - Ricky Nolasco (8-9) | Kris Medlen (0-0) | Matchup Report | SBNation MLB Odds
Trends: The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Miami’s last 6 games on the road
Atlanta is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
San Diego +173 at Cincinnati -180, Total 8.5 - Jason Marquis (6-9) | Homer Bailey (9-6) | Matchup Report | SBNation MLB Odds
Trends: The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Diego’s last 5 games
Cincinnati is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games
LA Angels -114 at Texas +109, Total 9.5 - Jered Weaver (13-1) | Derek Holland (7-5) | Matchup Report | SBNation MLB Odds
Trends: The total has gone OVER in 7 of LA Angels’s last 8 games when playing on the road against Texas
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Texas’s last 8 games when playing at home against LA Angels
Pittsburgh +105 at Chi Cubs -110 - AJ Burnett (12-3) | Ryan Dempster (5-5) | Matchup Report | SBNation MLB Odds
Trends: The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Pittsburgh’s last 15 games
Chi Cubs are 11-2 SU in their last 13 games at home
Cleveland +106 at Kansas City -111, Total 9.5 - Derek Lowe (8-9) | Luke Hochevar (6-9) | Matchup Report | SBNation MLB Odds
Trends: Cleveland is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Kansas City
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Kansas City’s last 8 games when playing at home against Cleveland
Chi White Sox -128 at Minnesota +123, Total 9 - Francisco Liriano (3-10) | Nick Blackburn (4-6) | Matchup Report | SBNation MLB Odds
Trends: The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chi White Sox’s last 5 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Minnesota’s last 5 games when playing Chi White Sox
Houston +225 at Milwaukee -235, Total 8.5 - Dallas Keuchel (1-3) | Yovani Gallardo (8-8) | Matchup Report | SBNation MLB Odds
Trends: The total has gone OVER in 5 of Houston’s last 5 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Milwaukee’s last 5 games when playing at home against Houston
St. Louis -137 at Colorado +132, Total 10 - Kyle Lohse (10-2) | Jeff Francis (3-2) | Matchup Report | SBNation MLB Odds
Trends: The total has gone UNDER in 7 of St. Louis’s last 8 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Colorado’s last 8 games when playing St. Louis
Tampa Bay +110 at Oakland -115, Total 7 - James Shields (8-7) | Tom Milone (9-7) | Matchup Report | SBNation MLB Odds
Trends: Tampa Bay is 1-3-1 SU in its last 5 games ,when playing on the road against Oakland
Oakland5-0-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
Toronto +109 at Seattle -114, Total 7 - Aaron Laffey (2-1) | Jason Vargas (11-7) | Matchup Report | SBNation MLB Odds
Trends: Toronto is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games when playing Seattle
Seattle is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Arizona +116 at LA Dodgers -121, Total 7 - Wade Miley (10-6) | Chris Capuano (10-6) | Matchup Report | SBNation MLB Odds
Trends: Arizona is 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing LA Dodgers
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Dodgers’s last 5 games
NY Mets +138 at San Francisco -143, Total 6.5 - Matt Harvey (1-0) | Tim Lincecum (4-11) | Matchup Report | SBNation MLB Odds
Trends: NY Mets are 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Francisco’s last 5 games
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