Mackenzie Blackwood plays in his first Game 7 for Colorado. ...

This play didn't work on Friday thanks to the A's scoring three times in the top of the fifth, but I don't think we are gonna lose on 5 here -- might push. Sacramento's (that seems weird to say in MLB) Osvaldo Bido has a 2.30 ERA on the road this year. Miami's Max Meyer has a 2.04 ERA at home. A couple of Marlins regulars are out, not that you would know who they are. I would not play 4.5, which most of our books have.

Played +1.5 yesterday on the Sox because we weren't sure why they were even home dogs, and it's the same thing today. Starting pitcher Hunter Dobbins is a rookie but has been good and the Twins haven't seen him unless it was in a Fort Myers spring game -- both clubs train in the area. You have no idea how often I hear "how 'bout them apples" or "bubbler" or "suppah" in a grocery store or the like in the winter when all the Sawwkss fans are down in FLA. Not that us Michiganders exactly have cornered the market on correct grammar but do think Midwesterners talk the most "normal" if also the most "bland." Twins pitcher Bailey Ober has a 5.50 road ERA.

Have to say I'm a little surprised that Fernando Tatis Jr. is in the Padres lineup -- I was not playing the Dads if not. Looked like he might be fairly injured after taking an HBP last night. Pirates starter Bailey Falter has an ERA near 6.00 overall and at 8.79 in two day starts. A lot of Padres have good if limited splits off him. I don't believe the Bucs should be favored with Tatis in there ...

Cleveland's best hitter in All-Star Jose Ramirez, who recently became the first primary third baseman in MLB history with 250 homers and 250 steals career, is out of the lineup today with a minor injury. Ramirez is so vital to the Guardians that we pretty much fade them anytime he sits. Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA at home.

This is mostly on the White Sox scoring at all in terms of whether we win ... and I tend to think they don't get more than a run off Astros ace Hunter Brown, who has been dominant in allowing just five earned runs in 37 innings this season. The White Sox's Davis Martin has been decent with a 3.24 ERA and Houston All-Star slugger Yordan Alvarez has been scratched. Winds are blowing out on the South Side but it's also cold. The overall game total is just 7.5 so getting 4.5 seems like a minor gift. Most of the books have this at 4.

Just going to be honest that I prefer -1 but then I usually do over -150. Tampa's Zach Littell (1-5, 5.03 ERA) was one of the worst pitchers in the AL before a decent outing last time out. Several Yankees have good career splits off him, led by Paul Goldschmidt (6-for-9, two 2B, HR). Max Fried was so dominant on Friday that basically the entire Yankees bullpen is available on Saturday.

How many minutes will "Podz" get for the Warriors tonight? In the two games of the series where he saw at least 35 minutes he topped this. In the other three, not close. This should be a defensive battle with Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler obviously taking most of the shots. And if Houston goes with that double-big lineup a lot again, that could mean fewer minutes for Podziemski as the Warriors may try to match that size at least somewhat. Our model has BP at 12.0 points.

Do I lean Blues winning Friday? I do. But, again, I take gifts and +1 is a gift. First time since 2022 where a home team has won the first five of an NHL playoff series. Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck was nothing short of terrible in the two games in St. Louis and really hasn't been very good in this series overall but for one game. And now Winnipeg is without captain and second-leading RS scorer Mark Scheifele due to injury for Game 6.

This might end up laughably wrong, but I always look at Under 5.5 in the first five in games where weather won't factor, and it won't in Miami. The Marlins' Enrico Pallazzo ... err Valente Bellozo has allowed two runs over his eight innings pitched in 2025 and will serve as a glorified opener. It's the MLB debut of the Athletics' Gunnar Hoglund. I don't generally play Unders when rookies are pitching, but I don't think much of the Miami lineup and Hoglund has been impressive in six starts for Triple-A Las Vegas this season, with a 2.43 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 29 2/3 innings. Obviously the Marlins haven't seen him, which usually is to the pitchers' benefit the first time through a lineup.

Not sure the Sox should be home dogs as the Twins are 4-13 on the road, enter on a three-game skid and used their bullpen extensively in yesterday's extra-inning loss in Cleveland. Starting pitcher Joe Ryan has an ERA more than a run worse on the road in 2025. Few Twins have seen Sox starter Brayan Bello (2-0, 3.27 ERA). Excellent Boston rookie second baseman Kristian Campbell should be back in the lineup after sitting Thursday with some soreness.

Arizona impressively won the final two of its series at the Mets to start this week but now the Snakes' back end of the bullpen is likely really thinned-out tonight in terms of availability. The Phils look to avoid back-to-back home losses for the first time all season. New addition Jesus Luzardo has been fantastic at 3-0 with a 1.73 ERA. Arizona is 19th in the majors in OPS vs. lefties.

For entertainment purposes, I would "almost" eat my wager Thursday to see a Game 7 in this series. This has been such fun hockey, reminds me so much of when I first picked up the sport as a kid on TV and guys were flying around late at night on some random channel in the 39 range on that old-school slider cable box that went to 42. I was actually looking for Benny Hill then, but that's another story. The Kings have to be gutted after losing a rare, rare home game. And L.A. is four games under .500 away. So, yeah, I think yet again the Oilers oust L.A. in Round 1.

Do I lean Wild winning? Yes. Vegas is without regular-season goalscoring leader Pavel Dorofeyev (35G, 17A in RS). But we don't turn down +1.5 on a home team in the playoffs at less than -200. You are probably fine with +1 at -122 as a push potential. But let's just pay the 60 extra cents to sit back and enjoy a possible ATS guaranteed OT win as if I am the Front Man during a particularly murderous round of Squid Game.

The books are still pricing Philly's Taijuan Walker as a bad pitcher. And he probably will be soon. But not yet with a 2.78 ERA. Walker is a glorified opener at this point. No Nationals have good career splits off him. Washington is 4-11 away after Wednesday's blowout loss. The Nats have also lost three straight starts by converted reliever Brad Lord.