Late Monday MLB plays

Play: N.Y. Mets/Arizona under 9 -110 (Wheeler vs. Collmenter)

Time: 9:40 p.m. ET

Reasoning: The Mets are hitting .190 against RH and scoring just 3.74 runs per game overall. David Wright (.228, 1 HR), Curtis Granderson (.159, 1 HR) and Daniel Murphy (hitless in 11 straight AB) are not producing. Tonight they will face Josh Collmenter, who has worked his way back into the Arizona rotation after spending most of 2012 and all of '13 and '14 in the bullpen. He has a 2.25 ERA in four appearances this season and he posted a 3.13 ERA last season. The Mets will run out Zack Wheeler, who, as a rookie last year, went 7-5 with a 3.42 ERA. Against the Diamondbacks last Aug. 10 he allowed just one run over 6.1 IP. In the last five games, the bullpens for both of these clubs have been vastly improved (Arizona: 1.66 ERA, New York: 3.98 ERA).




Play: Oakland/L.A. Angels under 8.5 -101 (Chavez vs. Santiago)

Time: 10:05 p.m. ET


Reasoning: The Athletics have held opponents to three or fewer runs in nine of 12 games and they haven't allowed a run in their last 17 innings. Oakland will start Jesse Chavez tonight and he struck out nine over seven innings in his last start. He has a 1.38 ERA. Bullpen-wise the A's have a collective 2.61 ERA overall and a 2.12 ERA on the road. Los Angeles goes with Hector Santiago and I expect a command performance from him because the A's are hitting just .156 against LH. Oakland also should be without OF Coco Crisp (hamstring).




Play: Colorado/San Diego over 7.5 -107 (action vs. action)

Time: 10:10 p.m. ET

Reasoning: Padres starters have allowed two or fewer runs in seven of their last eight games, but I like that to change with Eric Stults on the mound against the Rockies. Stults, who has a 4.00 ERA in 11 career games against Colorado, has a 5.59 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP so far this season. He will face a Rockies club that is hitting .302 vs. LH. Troy Tulowitzki has a .550 OBP in 20 appearances against Stults. Colorado is led by Charlie Blackmon who is batting .488. The Rockies will counter with pitcher Jordan Lyles, who is only in the majors because of an injury to Tyler Chatwood. Lyles is 1-2 with a 5.51 ERA in three career starts against San Diego. The Padres are hitting 53 points higher and scoring 2.46 more runs per game vs. RH.


Record: 44-28-3 (61.1%)