Ragans can punch them out no problem and the Angels, well, swing and miss is not foreign to them. They are 7th in MLB in strikeouts in innings 1-6 - obviously when Ragans will be doing his best work. Ragans has Kd 8+ in his last 2 starts. I think he shoves today. Angels haven't seen him before other than an at bat or two, no Trout or Rendon in lineup. Royals need to beat up on lesser teams in oddly hotly contested AL Central.

Dodgers are obviously hot and starting to look like the best team in ball. They have given James Paxton a Big Maple fountain of youth, staking him to leads and faring well with him on the mound. They've won 5 of his 6 starts, all by 2 runs or more, with a +18 RD in the wins. The Padres starter carries an ERA around 6. He got away with walking 4 batters in 5 IP in his prior start vs the Dodgers; won't happen again.

Welp, the Celtics are following the script from the first round so far. Blowout win in the opener on long rest, basically decided by halftime. Then let up in Game 2 and get embarrassed at home. Then rip the soul out of the other team's body in front of their home fans in Game 3. Would that be a shocker here? Expect Boston to respond to the wake-up call again. They are far better and deeper than the Cavs. Cleveland due for a home loss; this ain't the upstart Magic coming to town this time. Tatum and Brown will both go off in the same game at some point in this series, and I think it's this weekend

This kid slings it from the left side and can punch you out with velo or vertical break and some horizontal stuff, too. He can get into a mode where he's hunting Ks and he tends to get them. Has looked stout vs some strong lineups. Getting away from his home bandbox is huge - Lodolo has 21 Ks in 2 road games (12 2/3 IP). Los Gigantes don't K a ton but this also is not a very high number for Lodolo in good form

The Reds are certainly scuffling, and injuries have taken their toll but Los Gigantes have issues scoring runs and winning games, too. I love the nasty lefty the Reds are running out there and SF is 21st in MLB in OPS vs lefties. The Giants young starter is getting whacked around. Reds have won 4 of Lodolo's 5 starts, all by at least 3 runs

White Sox getting a little heady stringing some wins together but I'm not buying Clevinger after a long layoff and he was garbage in his first outing. Guardians know him inside out and the Cleveland starter seems to be maturing with his approach and evolving as a pitcher. Prices vs the Sox are coming down with them winning some games, but they can't play from behind I suspect they are doing that here. Maybe by the first inning

Skubal is rounding into the best lefty in baseball and part of that requires length. It's awesome to strike out 12 guys, but if you are gone in the 6th inning and your team loses anyway, that ain't fun. The Stros have flaws but one thing they don't do is K - fewest in baseball. Skubal can get ground balls (truly elite at 51% last year) with the breaking stuff and I suspect he leans into that today. Keep pitch count low. Pitch 7. He's over this in 2 of last 3 starts

Tijuan Walker is very much a work in progress in his return from a lengthy absence. And while I generally just hammer the Marlins on the run line every once in a while the Fish get frisky. So for this value I will just take the mighty Phils, on pace for potentially baseball's best record, to find a way to win this ballgame with their superior, well, everything.

The MVP candidate from the left side at Camden Yards vs a spot starter righty without great stuff feels like a perfect recipe for The Gun Show to show up in a big way. Henderson hits 45.5% of his fly balls vs righties at home for a HR, among MLB leaders. He also has 56.8% hard-hit rate in that split, leading MLB. He can pull it to the short porch or smash it to center. I expect the big lefty bats in the O's lineup to get it done today

O'Hearn destroys RH pitching his home park is well constructed for him. This lineup was routinely producing three HRs/game (mostly from the left side) during it last homestand and I expect that to continue here. O'Hearn at home vs RHP has a .568 SLG and .976 OPS. With him in the three or four hole, you have to pitch to him even when you don't want to. I think he gets Ryne Nelson (who allowed 24 HRs last season!) early in this one