Sports Handicapper Matt Fargo's Picks & Predictions

This is a play on the CINCINNATI REDS for our MLB Underdog Dominator. The Dodgers have lost two straight games including the series opener last night as massive favorites and many will expect a bounce back but this number is too big where they are at a disadvantage at starting pitcher. The Reds are off to a bad start at 19-25 which was from a 2-12 run to open May. The pitching has picked it up, allowing two runs in three straight games. James Paxton goes for the Dodgers and he is vastly overrated. He has a 2.58 ERA but a 5.89 xERA and a 5.60 xFIP and he is one of only two pitchers with a higher xERA minus ERA. His velocity is down big time from last season and he has issued more walks than he has strikeouts, 24 to 22. Frankie Montas was exceptional in Oakland and his short time with the Yankees after that did not work out and he has been effective thus far for the Reds. He has had one bad start at Seattle and take that away, his ERA drops from 4.20 to 2.89 in his other six starts. 10* (909) Cincinnati Reds

This is a play on the NEW YORK METS for our MLB Sweet Spot. The Mets are coming off a big extra inning win over the Phillies to snap a three-game losing streak and avoided the four-game home and home sweep. They are a game over .500 on the road and have a solid edge on the mound Friday. Miami is having a miserable season but it is coming off a pair of wins in Detroit. The Marlins return home where they are just 6-17 so they have no home field advantage. Christian Scott gets the ball for the Mets to make his third start. He posted quality outings in his first two starts and has a 2.84 ERA and 1.11 WHIP while putting up a 14:3 K:BB ratio. Across 17 starts at the Double-A and Triple-A levels, he posted a 30 percent strikeout minus walk rate and he misses a lot of bats. Jesus Luzardo counters for Miami and he has been average with a 5.97 ERA and 1.33 WHIP across six starts with Miami going 1-5 in those games. His 4.45 xERA is an entire run worse than two years ago and he is still working his way back from injury. 10* (905) New York Mets

This is a play on the INDIANA PACERS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. New York can set up a meeting with Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals with a win while Indiana is in must win mode to extend the series and the Pacers are in a great spot to do that. They are 5-0 at home in the postseason and they have won 10 straight games at home overall. The Knicks rolled in Game Five thanks to the defense that allowed only 91 points which was a season low for the Pacers which came in averaging 117.5 ppg through the first four games of the series. Indiana is a different team on offense at home where it is averaging 124.9 ppg on 51.3 percent shooting we will certainly see a better effort in Game Five. While star Jalen Brunson went off for 44 points in Game Four, the Pacers need their star to shine as Tyrese Haliburton is coming off a poor game, scoring only 13 points while taking just 10 shots. Basically, he needs to stop being passive. Additionally, Indiana will do a better job being more aggressive as it outrebounded 53-29, including 20-5 on the offensive glass while New York had a 62-36 edge in points in the paint. Knicks forward OG Anunoby will miss his fourth straight game due to a hamstring injury sustained in Game Two. Here, we play against underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points after a win by 10 points or more going up against an opponent after trailing in their previous game by 15 or more points at the half. This situation is 40-16 ATS (71.4 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (530) Indiana Pacers