Picks for 10/16/23
4:37 PM EST
Rotation #965
Rangers +104 over Astros (win)
Eovaldi/Valdez
The Rangers pitched a gem last night, taking game one, and this afternoon will have Nathan Eovaldi on the mound, who has been a beast pitching in the postseason. We throw out all the regular season numbers as the playoffs are a different game. Eovaldi has been outstanding in his postseason career, as he doesn’t walk many batters or give up home runs. Framber Valdez got knocked around in his first postseason start of the year as his walks were sky-high. Valdez is a great pitcher but walks in the postseason equals runs for the other team. Look for Texas to take a commanding lead in this series. Take the Rangers.
MLB
8:07 PM EST
Rotation #968
Phillies -1.5 runs over Diamondbacks +130 (win)
Wheeler/Gallen
Zac Gallen is a great pitcher but only has a little postseason work. His strikeouts have been down, and it’s a matter of time before a team makes him pay for it. Phillies starter Zack Wheeler has plenty of postseason work and has been a strikeout machine. The Diamondbacks got hot at the right time and are playing on borrowed time. Arizona was average on the road, which is not good news going up against a great home team with a crazy crowd. Look for Philadelphia to set the tone for the series tonight. Take the Phillies run line.
NFL
8:15 PM EST
Rotation #277-278
Cowboys -1.5 over Chargers (win)
The Chargers are without the services of Mike Williams, and Joshua Palmer isn’t at full strength, nursing a groin injury. Dallas has an excellent secondary that should slow down the Chargers wide receivers. The Chargers have a new offensive coordinator, so the Dallas defense is ahead of the Los Angeles offense. Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn will be the difference in this game as he knows the Chargers offensive coordinator Kellen Moore like a book after working with him the last few years in Dallas. The Cowboys also have a new offensive coordinator, but the Chargers have a new defensive coordinator that has struggled, as the Charger defense is one of the worst in football. I expect the Dallas offensive line to dominate tonight. Dallas has healthier receivers that can beat the Chargers deep. Los Angeles has limited fans, and I’m sure the stadium will have its fair share of Cowboys fans. Home-field advantage is only essential for teams with a massive fan base. That is not the case tonight. Take the Cowboys.