Sports Handicapper Dan Kaiser's Picks & Predictions

The Twins have an over/under record of 7-2 in their last 9 games.Minnesota has an ERA over 8 in their last nine games and I look for Houston to be able to put up runs in this game as well. The Twins will nudge enough across enough runs to put this one over the number.

Play on the OVER. This is a free play.

The Cards will send Miles Mikolas to the mound. He is 4-3 in 13 starts with a 4.48 ERA in 66.3 innings pitched. On the road, he has posted a 3.72 ERA in six starts. St. Louis is 11th in runs scored and 3rd in overall batting average. Milwaukee took the first two games of the series before losing yesterday. Quinn Priester takes the mound for the Brewers. He has eight starts in 12 appearances and has posted a 4-2 record with a 3.65 ERA in  61.7 innings and over that time . In five home starts, he has posted a 3.86 ERA. Milwaukee is 24th in runs scored and 21st in batting average. Quinn Priester has a 2.35 ERA in his last seven games, while the Cardinals starter Mikolas has a 4.67 ERA in his last five outings. The Brewers bullpen has a 3.61 ERA and .226 opponents batting average in home games, while the Cardinals bullpen has a 4.69 ERA and .265 batting average against in road games. Milwaukee has won three of the last four head-to-head meetings, and St. Louis has also dropped six of its last seven games overall. Take the home team in this one.

Play on Milwaukee. This is a 3% play.

The Cubs and Pirates have split the first two games of the series. Pittsburgh is 27th in batting average. The Pirates will go with Mitch Keller on the mound. He is 1-9 with a 4.15 ERA in 14 starts. In his career against Chicago, he's 5-5 with a 4.91 ERA. Pittsburgh ranks 12th in team ERA. Colin Rea gets the start for the Cubs. He is 4-2 with a 3.92 ERA in 10 starts. He is 3-3 with a 5.91 ERA in his career against Pittsburgh. Chicago ranks 9th in team ERA. The Cubs are 4th in batting average. Rea has struggled at times, but Chicago's offense can make up for it. Keller has also struggled on the mound this season. The Cubs are also 19-9 as a home favorite this season. With both pitchers struggling, it will come down to the offenses. The Cubs are second in runs scored, 4th in batting average and slugging percentage, and 7th in on-base percentage. Pittsburgh is 24th in on-base percentage, 26th in batting average, 29th in runs scored, and 30th in slugging percentage. Pittsburgh has lost four of the last six head-to-head against Chicago. I have more faith in Chicago scoring runs than I do Pittsburgh.

Play on Chicago. This is a 3% play.

The Twins have lost three in a row and four of their last five. Their pitching has been letting them down. In their last nine games, they have posted an ERA of 8.12. Minnesota is putting up 3.89 runs per game in their last nine. Simeon Woods Richardson takes the mound for the Twins. He is 2-3 with a 5.74 ERA in 9 appearances this season. Houston has won four in a row and will be going for the sweep. They rank sixth overall in ERA at 3.47.  In their last 12 games, they have posted a 2.27 ERA. Brandon Walter gets the start for the Astros. He has a 1.64 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 2 appearances this season. The Astros are 4-1 in their last 5 games versus the Twins. The Twins are 7-14 as underdogs on the road this season. The Astros have a huge advantage on the mound and they will pick up the sweep.

Play on Houston, This is a 3% play.