Sports Handicapper Frank Sawyer's Picks & Predictions

FRANK’S CUTTING ROOM FLOOR FOR MONDAY, 7/7:

My “Cutting Room Floor” plays are the situations I considered the closest to being worthy of investment but did not make the “final cut” for my official plays today for subscribers. The last play I cut for Monday is with the San Diego Padres with the money-line versus the Arizona Diamondbacks listing both starting pitchers Yu Darvish and Zac Gallen. San Diego (48-41) has won two of their last three games in a 4-1 win at home against Texas on Sunday. The Padres have won 16 of their last 25 home games after winning their last game. They have won 14 of their last 18 home games as a money-line favorite priced up to -150. Arizona (44-46) has lost four of their last five games after a 4-0 loss against Kansas City yesterday. The Diamondbacks have lost 5 of their last 7 games after losing their last game. They have also lost 14 of their last 19 games on the road when listed in the +/- 125 price range. Take San Diego with the money-line listing both starting pitchers. Best of luck — Frank.

Frank Sawyer is on a 4 of 5 (80%) All-Sports run with featured 25*/20*/10* plays despite losing the Mexico-USMNT under in soccer yesterday — he remains on a 53 of 87 (61%) All-Sports featured plays run! Now Frank spots a SUPER UNDER-VALUED FAVORITE — never priced higher than -150 for featured plays — in MLB for Monday night! DON’T MISS this EASY WINNER!

At 8:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the money-line on the Houston Astros (914) versus the Cleveland Guardians (913) listing both starting pitchers Colton Gordon and Tanner Bibee. THE SITUATION: Houston (55-35) has won 11 of their last 13 games after their 5-1 victory in Los Angeles against the Dodgers on Sunday. Cleveland (40-48) has lost ten games in a row after a 7-2 loss at home against Detroit yesterday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE ASTROS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Houston is on-fire riding a three-game winning streak while winning six of their last seven games during this 11-2 run they are on. The Astros have won 8 of their last 10 games after winning their last contest. They have also won 32 of their 46 games at home this year including 10 of those last 11 contests. Additionally, they have won 6 of their last 8 games at home against teams with a losing record. Gordon takes the mound looking to build on his 3-1 record along with a 4.37 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP in nine starts. The deeper sabermetrics are encouraging. Both his SIERA and xFIP project an ERA of 3.77 and 3.76 moving forward. Both his SIERA and xFIP project an ERA of 4.54 and 4.27 moving forward. His expected ERA (xERA) from Statcast, which incorporates exit velocity and hard-hit rate into the otherwise fielding independent data, sits at 3.74. He should pitch well against this Guardians lineup that ranks 27th in MLB in weighted On-Base Average and weighted Runs Created on the road against left-handed pitchers. Cleveland has lost 29 of their last 48 games after losing their last game. They have also lost 17 of their last 28 games after losing two games in a row including 9 of those 14 games played on the road. They have lost 9 of their last 13 games on the road — and they have lost 15 of their last 23 road games against teams with a winning record. Furthermore, they have lost 27 of their last 42 games as a money-line underdog priced up to +150. They counter with Bibee who has a 4-9 record along with a 4.20 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP in 17 starts. The right-hander has been effective at home where he sports a 2.57 ERA along with a 1.02 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of 217 in seven starts — but in his ten starts on the road, he has been saddled with a 5.40 ERA along with a 1.39 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .268. Houston ranks eighth and sixth in MLB since May 1st in weighted On-Base Average and weighted Runs Created at home against right-handed pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: The Astros have won 17 of their last 27 games at home as a money-line favorite up to a -150 price. 10* MLB Super Under-Valued Favorite with the money-line on the Houston Astros (914) versus the Cleveland Guardians (913) listing both starting pitchers Colton Gordon and Tanner Bibee. Best of luck for us — Frank.