Will Rogers Handicapping Review & Free Picks Page

The set-up: The Dodgers enter this series with the best record in baseball at 38-16. LA has already clinched a playoff spot and so too has San Diego, which sits right behind it at 34-20. The Dodgers still haven't clinched the division though. Oakland has also clinched a playoff spot but it still hasn't earned the AL West crown yet at 33-20. Houston is at 27-26, so it's just a matter of time now before the A's earn that spot. But turning to this interesting interleague matchup...we have Frankie Montas of the A's going up against Dustin May of the Dodgers. Montas is just 3-4 with a 5.86 ERA, who returns from a stint on  the paternity list. Montas has lost four straight and he draws a tough matchup here, but he has the track record and pedigree to bounce back. He was 9-2 with a 2.63 ERA last season and he has this game and one more to get back on track before the playoffs start. May is 1-1 with a 2.68 ERA and he most recently worked five innings of relief in a 7-5 win over the Padres on Wednesday. May has an even better 2.57 ERA at home and I don't think there's any reason not to believe that he can't carry over his recent form into this one as well.

The pick: Instead of a slug-fest in the opener of this series, I think the stage is set for a pitchers duel. Expect these division leaders to battle to a lower-scoring "under" once it's all said and done.

This is a 10* TOTAL PLAY-BOOK on the UNDER A's/Dodgers.

The set-up: The Yanks got spanked 11-5 yesterday by a desperate Jays team, but I think New York will bounce back in fine fashion here with its ace on the mound and with a chance to deal another fatal blow to its division rivals playoff hopes. Gerritt Cole (6-3, 3.00 ERA) dominated the Jays on Tuesday, holding them to one run and three hits while striking out eight over seven innings. Cole is now 2-0 with a 3.50 ERA in three career outings vs. the Blue Jays. 

The pick: Tanner Roark (2-2, 6.41) has conceded eight runs in eight frames of work vs. the Yanks this season, including allowing six home runs. Overall he's a poor 1-2 with a 5.75 ERA. This is going to have a "playoff-like atmosphere" and as such, I look for elite level Cole to easily dominate the "gas can" Roark. Lay the 1.5 runs and the price and expect an epic lop-sided victory for the visitors.

This is a 10* RUN-LINE DESTRUCTION on the New York Yankees.

The set-up: The Nuggets have the Lakers right where they want them! That's the "joke" right now after Denver has come back from consecutive 3-1 deficits to win their last two series in seven games. The Lakers look like the better team to this point, but they got a huge shot from Anthony Davis to win Game 2. If he misses that one, who knows how Game 2 ends. Regardless, after getting blown out in Game 1 the Nuggets clearly made adjustments to counter LA and it almost worked. I think Denver's ability to adapt and make adjustments on the fly is its greatest strength and I believe it could in fact help it come out on top outright here. 

The pick: Note as well that the Nuggets are 7-1 in their last eight games when trailing in a playoff series, while the Lakers are just 2-5 ATS in their last seven in this series as the favorite. I'm not counting out the Nuggets quite yet. That said, I'm grabbing the points.

This is a 10* GAME OF THE WEEK on the Denver Nuggets.