Tom Macrina Handicapper Reviews & Picks

Diamondbacks vs. Braves — Under 9 (-107)

Arizona blanked Atlanta 2-0 on Friday night, but Braves shutouts are rare, and this club has a track record of bouncing back after a loss. Atlanta still has the deeper roster and the more dangerous offense on paper — this isn't a fade of the Braves. The appeal here is squarely on the pitching matchup.

LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (ARI): 11-4, 2.70 ERA, 143.1 IP, 101 K, 1.23 WHIP
Rodriguez has quietly been one of Arizona's most dependable arms all season. He's coming off a strong outing against the Dodgers (7 IP, 2 ER, 9 K) and has a solid career track record against Atlanta. His night-game splits have also been sharp this year, which matters for a game under the lights in Atlanta.

RHP Grant Holmes (ATL): 7-4, 3.47 ERA, 114.0 IP, 94 K, 1.32 WHIP
Holmes has been pitching better than his season ERA suggests, riding a scoreless streak over his last two starts (12 IP combined). He's also had success against Arizona's lineup in past meetings, holding them to a low OPS.

The play: Two starters currently trending well, a Diamondbacks lineup that Holmes has handled before, and a Braves offense that just got shut out — all pointing to a lower-scoring game.
Take the Under 9 (-107)

Let's cash some tickets!

Athletics +131 is an attractive price here.

Oakland took Friday's opener 8-3, yet Texas remains a surprisingly large favorite despite dropping four straight. That gap between price and recent form is hard to justify.

On the mound, Gore has been sharp of late but has struggled away from home — a real concern given the venue. Ginn, by contrast, has been a steady arm on an otherwise shaky pitching staff and has been especially effective at home.

Add in a Rangers offense that's gone cold, and the pitching matchup actually favors Oakland more than the odds suggest.

On paper this looks like a classic late-season mismatch — Texas still pushing for playoff position, Oakland playing out the string — but the Rangers offensive slide and the pitching edge make this a live spot.

Play: Athletics +131

Los Angeles Sparks vs. Washington Mystics — Under 171.5 (-110)

The total in this matchup has been drifting steadily lower, and the market's telling a clear story: both sides are trending Under right now. Washington just snapped a seven-game winning streak with back-to-back losses, and I'd expect them to reset defensively at home rather than get into another track meet. On the other side, LA has cashed the Under in three straight, reinforcing that this number still has room to fall.

I like this Under all the way down to 168.5, which gives real cushion at the current line of 171.5.

Play: Under 171.5 (-110)