Happy Fade the Public Friday! Let's discuss a trio of key Friday night MLB games receiving notable action...
7:07 p.m. ET: Oakland Athletics (74-60) at Toronto Blue Jays (70-62)
This non-division matchup features a pair of American League teams fighting for postseason berths. The Athletics trail the Red Sox by 2-games for the second Wild Card spot. The Blue Jays are very much alive as well, trailing Boston by 5-games. In tonight's series opener, Oakland hands the ball to lefty Sean Manaea (8-9, 3.97 ERA) and Toronto counters with righty Alek Manoah (5-2, 3.15 ERA). This line opened with the Blue Jays listed as a -132 home favorite and the Athletics a + 122 road dog. The public sees two evenly matched teams and doesn't know who to back. But pros have leaned on the Blue Jays at home, steaming Toronto up from -132 to -150. Non-division home favorites are 429-268 (61.5%) this season. If they're in the "sweet spot" between -150 and -175 they improve to 91-54 (62.8%). This is also a "schedule spot" edge for Toronto, who had the day off while Oakland played at Detroit (and won 8-6). Rested favorites off a day off against teams on a back-to-back are 63-37 (63%). Toronto is 48-38 as a favorite. Oakland is 18-24 as a dog. Toronto will lean on their bats in this one. The Jays are hitting .262, which ranks 2nd-best in MLB. Oakland is hitting .237, which ranks 22nd.
7:10 p.m. ET: Detroit Tigers (63-72) at Cincinnati Reds (72-63)
These Interleague foes are both looking to get back on track. Detroit just dropped two of three against Oakland and is now 1-5 over their last six games. Meanwhile, Cincinnati just lost two of three against St. Louis to fall to 1-4 of their last five. In tonight's series opener, the Tigers hand the ball to lefty Tyler Alexander (2-2, 4.34 ERA) and the Reds rebuttal with righty Vladimir Gutierrez (9-5, 4.03 ERA). This line opened with Cincinnati listed as a -170 home favorite and Detroit a + 155 road dog. Wiseguys have laid the minus number with the Reds, steaming Cincinnati up from -170 to -180. Big home favorites -150 or more coming off a day off are 57-34 (62.6%) this season. Cincinnati also has value as a non-division favorite off a day off against a team who played the previous day. This "schedule spot" advantage is 38-18 (67.9%) this season. The Reds are 37-31 at home. The Tigers are 28-37 on the road. Cincinnati is 44-31 as a favorite and 17-13 against lefties. Detroit is 50-64 as a dog and 38-51 against righties.
8:10 p.m. ET: St. Louis Cardinals (68-64) at Milwaukee Brewers (82-53)
The Cardinals enter this series 12.5-games back of the first place Brewers in the NL Central. In tonight's series opener, St. Louis starts veteran righty Adam Wainwright (13-7, 2.97 ERA) and Milwaukee sends out righty Freddy Peralta (9-3, 2.45 ERA). This line opened with the Brewers listed as a -163 home favorite and the Cardinals a + 153 road dog. Sharps aren't scared off by the chalk and have pounced on Milwaukee, steaming the Brewers up from -163 to -175. Favorites receiving 10-cents of steam or more are 349-221 (61.2%) this season. Milwaukee also has value as a favorite with a low total (7.5). The fewer amount of expected runs scored, the more likely they come from the better team. The Brewers are 63-40 as a favorite. The Cardinals are 27-36 as a dog. Milwaukee is 36-29 at home. St. Louis is 33-34 on the road. We could also be looking at a lower scoring game. The total is 7.5 with the under juiced to -115.
Remember to check the VSiN Betting Splits every day for money and ticket counts so you can tell who the public is betting on.