Sports Handicapper Sean Murphy's Picks & Predictions

Interleague Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'under' between Pittsburgh and Oakland at 3:35 pm et on Wednesday.

I'm not expecting much in the way of offensive fireworks as the Pirates and A's wrap up their Interleague series in Oakland on Wednesday afternoon. The Pirates check in last in the majors in OPS over the last seven days. Meanwhile, Oakland, while enjoying a bit of an offensive surge of late, ranks 28th in baseball in OPS vs. right-handed pitching this season. Quinn Priester will get the start for Pittsburgh. His ground-ball numbers have been off the charts this season. Oddly enough home runs have been an issue but that should be negated by pitching at cavernous Oakland Coliseum (with no current A's hitter having seen him before). Ross Stripling checks in with a respectable 3.54 FIP on the season. Noting that the Pirates rank 29th in baseball in OPS vs. righties there's a path for continued success from Stripling here. Current Pirates hitters are 12-for-39 against him but only Andrew McCutchen has enjoyed considerable success (6-for-11). Keep in mind McCutchen is hitting .190 this season. The A's bullpen has quietly been among the best in baseball this season with a collective 2.51 ERA and 1.05 WHIP. Pittsburgh's staff hasn't been quite as reliable in the later innings but again the matchup helps in this case. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on Miami plus the points over Boston at 7:30 pm et on Wednesday.

The Celtics are coming off consecutive wins (and covers) in Miami to take over this series and push the Heat to the brink of elimination on Wednesday. It is worth noting that Boston is playing with a rather small margin for error from a pointspread perspective at least as it has gotten off 86 or fewer field goal attempts in all four games in this series and has yet to make good on 40 or more field goals. Miami has of course been awful offensively save for Game 2. Note that the Heat are 14-10 ATS when seeking revenge for a double-digit home loss against an opponent over the last three seasons and 4-2 ATS in that situation this season. They're also 31-16 ATS in their last 47 contests when playing with double-revenge including a 7-4 ATS mark this season. Meanwhile, the Celtics are a long-term 101-107 ATS after holding the opposition to 90 points or less in consecutive games, as is the case here, including an 0-3 ATS record in that situation over the last three seasons. Here, Boston will be looking to secure a third straight ATS victory over Miami but hasn't accomplished that feat over the last 16 meetings in the series. Take Miami (8*).

My selection is on the 'under' between Atlanta and Seattle at 3:40 pm et on Wednesday.

Both of these teams are riding identical eight-game 'under' streaks and I'm expecting more of the same in Wednesday's series finale. The Braves and Mariners rank 27th and 29th respectively in OPS over the last seven days. Left-hander Chris Sale will get the start for Atlanta on Wednesday and the Mariners rank 27th in the majors in OPS vs. southpaws this season. Current Seattle hitters are a combined 4-for-25 off of Sale with just one extra-base hit. Keep in mind, Sale is enjoying a resurgence this season having posted a 3.48 FIP and 0.92 WHIP through five starts. Emerson Hancock may be thought of as one of the weaker links in a stellar Mariners starting rotation. He's fared just fine in all but one of his five starts this season, however. Note that Hancock has kept the line moving for the M's lately, working exactly six innings while allowing two earned runs or less in three straight starts. The two bullpens have been among the best in baseball this season. The Mariners 'pen entered last night's action sporting a collective 2.42 ERA and 1.02 WHIP with seven saves converted and only one blown. Take the under (8*).

Wednesday MLB Free play. My selection is on Washington over Texas at 8:05 pm et on Wednesday.

The Nationals had their four-game winning streak snapped in resounding fashion last night as the Rangers rolled to a 7-1 victory in the series-opener. I look for Washington to bounce back on Wednesday as it sends Trevor Williams to the hill against Andrew Heaney in a battle of journeyman starters. Say what you will about Williams and how he has fared in recent years but he's been incredibly effective this season logging a 2.64 FIP and 1.05 WHIP in five starts. Current Rangers hitters are a combined 13-for-53 with only one home run off of Williams. Heaney continues to struggle for the Rangers with a FIP well north of five and a WHIP approaching 1.30. In limited action, current Nationals hitters have given Heaney plenty of trouble going a combined 8-for-19 with seven of those hits going for extra bases. While it's true the Rangers bullpen has performed better lately, there's no real advantage on the mound in the later innings. Take Washington.