Interleague Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'over' between Boston and Pittsburgh at 7:05 pm et on Wednesday.

This game sets up nicely as a high-scoring affair between the Red Sox and Pirates at PNC Park.

Veteran left-hander Rich Hill will take the ball for the Red Sox. He continues to labor through the 2022 campaign, sporting a 4.31 FIP and 1.35 WHIP while allowing north of 5.2 runs per nine innings.

Behind Hill is a disappointing Red Sox bullpen that entered last night’s series-opener having posted a collective 6.04 ERA and 1.50 WHIP over the last seven games. On the road it has converted only 13 saves while blowing 12, again prior to last night’s action.

The Pirates will turn to Roansy Contreras on Wednesday. He’s had an up-and-down season, with more downs than ups. Contreras has posted a 4.89 FIP and a 1.38 WHIP, yielding 4.32 runs per nine innings. He’ll be making his first big league start since July 7th and hasn’t necessarily dominated at the minor league level, recording a 3.15 ERA and 1.22 WHIP at AAA and still struggling with his command, allowing 1.0 home runs and 3.4 walks per nine innings (he’s given up 1.6 home runs and 4.0 walks per nine innings in 12 MLB appearances this season).

Like the Red Sox ‘pen, the Pirates relief corps has struggled, particularly of late as it has recorded a collective 6.15 ERA and 1.52 WHIP over the last seven contests, entering last night’s action. For the season, the Buccos ‘pen owns a 4.41 ERA and 1.38 WHIP with only 11 saves converted compared to nine blown at home. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on the 'over' between Oakland and Texas at 8:05 pm et on Wednesday.

While we’re dealing with small sample sizes to be sure, both of Wednesday’s starters, Adam Oller of the A’s and Cole Ragans of the Rangers have struggled mightily at times this season. I’m expecting plenty of offense as they match up on Wednesday evening.

Oller owns a 6.86 FIP and 1.78 WHIP in 48 1/3 innings of work this season, yielding a whopping 7.82 runs per nine innings. The Rangers will be seeing him for the second time after scoring five earned runs, including two home runs, off of him over five innings back in late April.

Ragans has only pitched 9 1/3 innings at the big league level this season, posting a 7.29 FIP and 1.71 WHIP while getting tagged for 5.79 runs per nine innings. Most concerning is the fact that Ragans has issued seven walks while striking out only four since joining the Rangers rotation earlier this month.

While both bullpens have been solid lately, neither is strong enough to keep us off the full game ‘over’ in this one. Between the two teams, they’ve combined to blow 34 saves this season (entering last night’s action) so the potential is there for late runs on the board, should we need them. Take the over (9*).

A.L. Division Game of the Week. My selection is on Toronto first five innings over Baltimore at 3:05 pm et on Wednesday.

I really like the way this situation sets up for the Blue Jays, in the first five innings at least. Few teams hold an advantage over the Orioles in the later innings as the Baltimore bullpen has been terrific this season. That holds true here so we’ll elect to get behind Toronto in the first five frames only.

Austin Voth gets the start for the Orioles. While he’s arguably been better than expected at the back of the O’s rotation, his overall numbers still aren’t great as he owns a 3.99 FIP and 1.50 WHIP while allowing just shy of 5.8 runs per nine innings. He’s faced the Blue Jays just once previous in his career, allowing three runs, two of them earned, and two home runs over five innings in a 5-1 defeat back in 2020.

Ross Stripling has been one of Toronto’s most reliable starters this season, sporting a 3.02 FIP and 1.10 WHIP while allowing only 3.59 runs per nine innings. Note that he faced the O’s once last season, giving up one earned run over five innings in a 5-2 victory. You would have to go back four games to find the last time the Jays lost a game that Stripling started. Note that while he's been on the shelf for a bit, he did make one rehab start at the AAA level and tossed five shutout innings, facing just two batters more than the minimum. He’s done a great job of keeping his team in the game at the very least and I expect more of the same on Wednesday. Take Toronto first five innings (10*).

Wednesday MLB Free play. My selection is on Los Angeles over Milwaukee at 8:10 pm et on Wednesday.

The Dodgers have another favorable matchup on Wednesday as they hand the ball to Tony Gonsolin against Eric Lauer of the Brewers.

Gonsolin has of course been somewhat of a breakout star for the Dodgers this season. He owns a 3.47 FIP and 0.89 WHIP while allowing only 2.32 runs per nine innings. The All-Star will have the advantage of facing the Brewers for the first time in his career on Wednesday.

Lauer has recorded a 4.68 FIP and 1.21 WHIP while giving up 4.10 runs per nine innings this season. Most concerning is the fact that the left-hander has been tagged for 1.7 home runs per nine innings. He also allows 2.2 more hits and 0.7 more walks per nine innings compared to Gonsolin.

With the bullpens virtually a wash in terms of recent form, we’ll confidently back the visiting Dodgers with their considerable starting pitching edge. Take Los Angeles.

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My selection is on New York first five innings over Atlanta at 7:20 pm et on Wednesday.

Credit Braves’ recent acquisition Jake Odorizzi as he’s actually pitched reasonably well this season, splitting time between Houston and Atlanta. However, his numbers don’t hold a candle to those of his counterpart on Wednesday, Max Scherzer of the Mets.

Scherzer checks in with a 2.40 FIP and 0.92 WHIP this season, yielding only 2.1 runs per nine innings. He’s allowed 1.9 fewer hits and 1.3 fewer walks while striking out 4.2 more batters per nine innings in comparison with Odorizzi this season. He’s already baffled the Braves twice this season, allowing only one earned run while striking out 20 across 14 innings in two starts.

We’ll play the first five innings only in this one as Atlanta does have an edge in terms of the two bullpens. The Braves relief corps entered last night’s action sporting a collective 1.73 ERA and 1.23 WHIP with five saves converted and only one blown over the last seven games. We’ll look to avoid that potential poor later innings matchup here. Take New York first five innings (8*).

My selection is on Philadelphia over Cincinnati at 12:35 pm et on Wednesday.

We’ll back the visiting Phillies in the finale of this three-game series in Cincinnati on Wednesday.

Philadelphia will hand the ball to Ranger Suarez, who is coming off one of his best outings of the season as he held the Mets to just one earned run over seven innings in a 2-1 victory in New York last week. Suarez has lowered his FIP to 3.81 and his WHIP to 1.32 and is allowing just north of 4.1 runs per nine innings.

Behind Suarez is a Phillies bullpen that has been among the best in baseball lately, entering last night’s action with a sparkling 0.56 ERA and 0.75 WHIP over the last seven games.

Rookie Nick Lodolo will get another turn in the rotation for the Reds. He’s gone through plenty of growing pains here in 2022, posting a 4.42 FIP and 1.66 WHIP while yielding 5.1 runs per nine innings. Note that Lodolo allows 1.8 more hits, 0.5 more home runs and 1.2 more walks per nine innings compared to Suarez this season.

The Reds bullpen has had a tough time all season, recording a collective 4.94 ERA and 1.43 WHIP with only eight saves converted and eight blown here at home, entering last night’s action. Take Philadelphia (8*).