Will Rogers

The set-up: LA comes in off a 5-1 road loss in Ottawa and I think it’ll have its hands full here with a red hot Leafs team which returns home after a 4-2 road win in Washington.

The pick: The Kings are just 2-3 and the offense is averaging only 2.20 GPG. The defense/goaltending has been decent in allowing only 2.40 GPG, but Toronto is averaging 4.83 GPG, while allowing 3.67. Take it for what you will as well, but the Kings are just 2-6 in their last eight against a team with a winning record just 2-6 in their last eight when playing on one days rest. No upset here. Look for the Leafs to come in focused and to deliver another relatively simple victory in front of the home town crowd.

The set-up: The 49ers are 1-4 and last place in the NFC West. This is a “must win” game for San Francisco if it hopes to compete in the playoffs. Starting QB Jimmy Garraopolo was lost to injury for the season three weeks ago, so it’s “do or die” tonight. The 2-2-1 Packers have looked brilliant at times this year and very pedestrian in others. Hall of Fame QB Aaron Rodgers will be eager to bounce back in front of the home town crowd.

The teams: San Fran is now led offensively by RB Matt Breida, who is averaging 7.5 yards on 49 carries so far this year. QB CJ Beathard makes his third start after falling 29-27 to the Chargers most recently.

Rodgers comes in sporting an elite 10:1 TD/INT and I have a hard time seeing San Francisco slowing him down tonight after the critics have been quick to jump on him after last week’s sub-par effort.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but Green Bay has seen the total go “over” the number in 15 of its last 25 home games as a favorite of 9 points or more. I’m expecting a wide-open affair, play the “over.”

The set-up: This series is all tied up at 1-1. The visitors hand the ball to Jhoulys Chacin, while the home side goes with Walker Buehler. After rallying for the 4-3 win in Game 2, I think the Dodgers carry that momentum over here.

The pitchers: Chacin fired five shutout innings against Colorado in Game 3 of the LDS, but in his lone meeting against the Dodgers this year he was shelled for nine runs. Overall Chacin has struggled against the Dodgers, posting a 4.41 ERA and 1.53 WHIP over 145 career innings.

Buehler gave up five runs over five innings in Game 3 of the LDS against the Braves. In his lone start against Milwaukee this year though he gave up one run over seven innings.

The pick: If we look a little closer at Chacin’s numbers we see that he in fact has a very poor 6.13 ERA over his last eight starts against LA. Furthermore, Buehler was downright awesome at home this season, posting a tiny 1.93 ERA and 0.83 WHIP over 74.2 frames of work. Lay the price.

The set-up: This series is all tied up and I expect another hard-fought and spirited affair on Tuesday night. The visitors on the “run line” is the correct call in my opinion though. The Red Sox go with Nate Eovaldi on the mound, while the home side counters with Dallas Keuchel.

The pitchers: Eovaldio has a lifetime 3.19 ERA and 1.06 WHIP against the Astros to go along with a 1-1 record over five starts.

Keuchel has struggled against Boston whenever he’s faced them, giving up 20 runs off 28 hits over 19.2 innings to go along with an 0-1 record.

The pick: Take it for what you will, but Boston is 7-2 in its last nine American League night road games in which it’s an underdog in the -125 to -175 range. I think Keuchel’s struggles in this particular match-up continue.