Sean Murphy

My selection is on New York first five innings over Philadelphia at 7:10 pm et on Friday.

We’ll back the Mets in the first five innings only on Friday as they have a considerable starting pitching edge with Max Scherzer taking the ball against Ranger Suarez of the Phillies.

Scherzer is obviously enjoying another Cy Young Award-worthy season having recorded a 2.45 FIP and 0.90 WHIP while giving up only 2.16 runs per nine innings. Note that Scherzer will be looking for revenge after giving up three earned runs on 10 hits over six innings the last time he faced the Phillies back on May 8th.

Ranger Suarez is having a fine season but his numbers certainly don’t compare to those of Scherzer. He has allowed 2.5 more hits and 1.7 more walks per nine innings compared to Scherzer this season. He’s also giving up nearly twice the runs at 4.31 per nine innings.

The reason we’re playing the first five innings only here is that the Phillies bullpen has actually been better than the Mets’ over the last seven games, entering yesterday’s action sporting a collective 2.30 ERA and 1.21 WHIP over that stretch. Take New York first five innings (8*).

Friday MLB Free play. My selection is on Tampa Bay over Baltimore at 7:10 pm et on Friday.

We’ll back the Rays as they open a series against the upstart Orioles in St. Petersburg on Friday.

Austin Voth will take the ball for Baltimore. He’s been a bit perplexing this season but as a whole, has struggled, posting a 3.97 FIP and 1.57 WHIP while giving up just north of 6.0 runs per nine innings. Behind Voth is an O’s bullpen that has faded a bit lately, recording a collective 4.12 ERA and 1.21 WHIP over its last seven contests (entering last night’s action).

Veteran right-hander Corey Kluber will counter for Tampa Bay. He’s enjoyed a ‘turn back the clock’ type of campaign in 2022, posting a 3.39 FIP and 1.15 WHIP while holding the opposition to 4.3 runs per nine innings.

The Rays bullpen has been lights out lately, recording a collective 3.03 ERA and 0.98 WHIP over the last seven games. For the season, it has converted 21 saves while blowing 11 at home, posting a 3.03 ERA and 1.07 WHIP at the Trop. Take Tampa Bay.

N.L. Non-Division Game of the Week. My selection is on San Francisco -0.5 runs first five innings over Pittsburgh at 10:15 pm et on Friday.

As we still don’t trust the Giants bullpen, we’ll back them in the first five innings only on Friday as they have a considerable starting pitching edge with All-Star Carlos Rodon taking the hill against Bryse Wilson of the Pirates.

Rodon enters Friday’s start sporting a terrific 2.28 FIP and 1.07 WHIP while allowing only 3.02 runs per nine innings this season. He absolutely baffled the Pirates in a start against them earlier this season, tossing eight shutout innings of two-hit ball.

Bryse Wilson is one of the weakest links in the Pirates rotation and that’s saying something. He has recorded a 5.06 FIP and 1.52 WHIP this season, yielding a whopping 6.82 runs per nine innings.

There’s no real advantage for the Giants in the later innings of this one as their bullpen continues to under-achieve, having posted a collective 4.62 ERA and 1.42 WHIP over the last seven games, not to mention converting only 10 saves at home this season (four blown). Take San Francisco -0.5 runs first five innings (10*).

My selection is Los Angeles -1.5 runs over Kansas City at 8:10 pm et on Friday.

While the Royals are coming off a stunning series sweep of the division rival White Sox, I expect Friday’s result to be much more straightforward as they host the Dodgers.

Los Angeles will send All-Star Tony Gonsolin to the mound for the series opener. He checks in with a 3.47 FIP and 0.89 WHIP this season, yielding only 2.38 runs per nine innings. Behind Gonsolin is a Dodgers bullpen that has posted a collective 1.80 ERA and 0.72 WHIP over the last seven games.

The Royals will hand the ball to left-hander Daniel Lynch. He owns a 4.08 FIP and 1.52 WHIP while giving up just over 5.0 runs per nine innings on the campaign.

The Kansas City bullpen did its best to cough up yesterday’s game against the White Sox but ultimately held on to finish the series sweep. Note that the Royals ‘pen owned a 4.50 ERA and 1.50 WHIP at home this season, entering yesterday’s contest. Take Los Angeles -1.5 runs (8*).

My selection is on Houston -1.5 runs over Oakland at 8:10 pm et on Friday.

There’s quite simply no comparison between these two teams which lie at opposite ends of the A.L. West spectrum this season.

The A’s will hand the ball to struggling rookie Adam Oller on Friday. He checks in with a 7.15 FIP and 1.79 WHIP while allowing just north of 8.2 runs per nine innings.

His counterpart on Friday will be Luis Garcia of the Astros. While not an elite starter by any stretch, he’s been more than serviceable in the Astros starting rotation, posting a 4.03 FIP and 1.10 WHIP while allowing 4.33 runs per nine innings this season.

Houston’s bullpen has been lights out at home all season, recording a collective 2.01 ERA and 0.94 WHIP while converting 15 saves and blowing only five (entering yesterday’s action). Take Houston -1.5 runs (8*).

My selection is on San Diego -1.5 runs over Washington at 7:05 pm et on Friday.

This one sets up exceptionally well for the Padres as they head to Washington to face the lowly Nationals on Friday.

Mike Clevinger will take the ball for San Diego. He’s having a fine season having posted a 3.98 FIP and 1.12 WHIP while allowing just 3.74 runs per nine innings. Behind Clevinger is a Padres bullpen that has recorded a collective 3.52 ERA and 1.39 WHIP over the last seven games.

Cory Abbott was awful in limited work for the Cubs last season and has been equally bad in 12 2/3 innings with the Nationals this year. Abbott checks in with an 8.88 FIP and 1.50 WHIP while allowing 5.68 runs per nine innings.

The Nationals bullpen has struggled for much of the campaign and has certainly had a tough time lately, posting a collective 6.29 ERA and 1.64 WHIP over its last seven contests. Take San Diego -1.5 runs (8*).