verlande shines in possible finale to incredible journey with astros

Verlander shines in possible finale to ‘incredible journey’ with Astros

Where Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander goes next is a big mystery. He is not certain if he will be on the Astros’ playoff roster; a thought that seemed unimaginable at the beginning of the year. Verlander is also not sure about which team’s uniform he will wear next year.  There is an outside chance Saturday’s 4-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field was the last time he pitched in an Astros uniform. This would close an outstanding run in Houston. online pharmacy buy amoxil with best prices today in the USA Verlander won’t get emotional or look that far ahead, instead he is focusing on his good outing in Cleveland.  “It’s probably the best I felt since coming back [from a neck injury] so far,” Verlander said. “It’s nice to end on a strong note.” Verlander, making his 526th career start (130th with Houston). He conceded a two-run homer in the first inning to Guardians’ slugger José Ramírez who included a sac fly in the third inning. online pharmacy order lasix with best prices today in the USA Justin ended with six innings and three runs permitted, giving him a 5.48 ERA in 90 ⅓ innings pitched this campaign.  “I thought he threw the ball really, really well,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “He got to 97 [mph] against Ramírez, digging deep there in one at-bat. He made some good pitches. I thought he got those guys off balance. A lot of their singles were kind of soft and he made some really good pitches. “I thought today he went out there with a purpose. It’s not like he hasn’t been going with a purpose, but I thought there was some intention there to show he can really deliver, and he did. online pharmacy buy amoxicillin with best prices today in the USA ” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt, who went 1-for-8 against Verlander in his 10-year playing career, thought he was at the top of his game. Justin improved to 24-24 in his career against the Guardians. “That’s how he’s always been his whole career,” Vogt said. online pharmacy order stendra with best prices today in the USA “He kind of settles in the first couple innings and then it just starts to ramp up. We got to him. Josey hit the homer. We were able to manufacture a run off of him. Just not much else outside of that.” Houston has a powerful quartet of starting pitchers to lead them into the postseason. Framber Valdez, Hunter Brown and Yusei Kikuchi will possibly start, in some order. They are next week’s best-of-three Wild Card Series against either the Detroit Tigers or the Kansas City Royals. online pharmacy order lipitor with best prices today in the USA Then there is Ronel Blanco, who is second in the AL in ERA (2.80) and leads the league in opponents’ batting average (.190).

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mlb expert picks: boston red sox vs tampa bay rays

MLB EXPERT PICKS: Boston Red Sox VS Tampa Bay Rays betting Predictions

The Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays will meet tonight for a Sox VS Rays MLB action, don’t miss it.  MatchPlug has the MLB Expert Picks, predictions, and odds for Sox VS Rays. We are a Hot Prediction Site that offers accurate MLB previews and match analysis. Predictions And Betting Preview For Boston Red Sox VS Tampa Bay Rays  Odds as seen on 1XBet. Betting On The Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox scored just two runs on Saturday and it wasn’t enough as they lost by five runs. Triston Casas hit a home run. The Red Sox average 4.65 runs, while their pitching delivers 4.63 runs per match.  Boston’s offense is 9th in MLB, while their pitching is 23rd. Tyler O’ Neil has hit 31 home runs and driven in 61 RBIs so far this campaign. If the Red Sox want to win in this match, they’ll need the offense to give a fast start.  Betting On The Tampa Bay Rays  The Tampa Bay Rays offense was strong on Saturday, scoring seven runs and that was enough for the win. Junior Camerino hit a homer and drove in three RBIs. Josh Lowe also finished with one hit, one walk and two RBIs. The Rays average 3.75 runs, while their pitching concedes 4.09 runs per game.  Tampa’s offense is 29th in the league, and the pitching is ranked 8th. They have a negative run differential of -0.35 which is 21st in MLB. Yandy Diaz has hit 14 home runs and driven in 65 RBIs so far this term. Ryan Pepiot will start for the Rays. Pepiot has an 8-7 record and ERA of 3.45. In his last start against the Detroit Tigers, he went five innings conceding three hits and two runs.  MatchPlug Prediction For Boston Red Sox VS Tampa Bay Rays  The Red Sox bats struggled in Saturday’s game, and it won’t be no different tonight. The Rays average just 3.75 runs per game, but they will score enough to win the match. Take them on the moneyline.  Final Prediction: Tampa Bay Rays Moneyline. 

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mlb expert picks: los angeles angels vs texas rangers

MLB EXPERT PICKS: Los Angeles Angels VS Texas Rangers betting Predictions

The Los Angeles Angels and Texas Rangers will meet tonight at the Angel Stadium for an Angels VS Rangers action.  Find the MLB best bets today, predictions, picks, and odds for Angels VS Rangers on MatchPlug. We are a Sure Prediction Site to get accurate previews on MLB matches. Predictions And Betting Preview For Los Angeles Angels VS Texas Rangers  Odds by 1XBet. Betting On The Los Angeles Angels  The Los Angeles Angels enter this match hoping to salvage points to close the season after getting a series loss no thanks to Saturday’s defeat. The loss meant that the Angels will end the year with series defeats to Chicago White Sox, Houston Astros, and Rangers over the last week and a half.  Taylor Ward has 144 hits including 26 doubles, 25 home runs and 75 RBIs while Zach Neto has 34 doubles, 23 home runs, 77 RBIs, 140 strikeouts, and 30 stolen bases. Luis Rengifo also has 85 hits and 24 stolen bases, while Jo Adell has 20 home runs, 62 RBIs and 15 stolen bases.  Betting On The Texas Rangers The Texas Rangers will want to complete their sweep after winning the Angels 9-8 in Saturday’s game. The series victory for the Rangers meant they would end their series skid to close out the season, after losing to the Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners over the last week and a half.  Marcus Semien leads the Rangers with 153 hits including 27 doubles, 23 home runs and 74 RBIs. Adolis Garcia has 25 home runs and 85 RBIs with 27 doubles including 11 stolen bases. Jonah Heim has 13 homers and 58 RBIs, while Josh Smith has 29 doubles.  MatchPlug Prediction For Los Angeles Angels VS Texas Rangers  The Rangers have played out the end of their season well and will impress come next year if they keep their current form. But for now, they will close out the term with a win over the Angels.  Prediction: Texas Rangers Moneyline. 

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will grizzlies be title contenders with ja morant returning?

Will the Memphis Grizzlies be title contenders with Ja Morant returning?

There was a time when the Memphis Grizzlies were the NBA’s ‘Next Big Thing.’ While it feels like a decade ago, it’s only been a few years. A lot of things happened with the team. Ja Morant got out of line, subsequently costing the Grizzlies their place in the line.  Morant and the team were that connected, as these sorts of combinations often go, and Memphis fell as hard as their star player did.  But let us assume that his 2023 suspensions are behind him, including the injuries that piled up to ruin him and the Grizzlies too. Which brings the questions: Is Memphis a 50-win team again? A top-two team in the West once again? Or a title contender once again? Can the Grizzlies regain all that was lost, after a 27-win bridge year? Maybe.  Morant is a spectacular player just reaching his prime, a unique talent that can carry a squad. Jaren Jackson Jr. is a top defender. Desmond Bane averaged over 20 points in a match last season. Marcus Smart was the NBA’s Kia Defensive Player of the Year in 2022 just before he arrived in Memphis and got wounded, missed much of the campaign, but is now itchy.  The Grizzlies have depth: Brandon Clarke, is terrific at rebounding, also recovering from injury. GG Jackson is still wounded but should come back in three months after foot surgery; he and Vince Williams were answered prayers last term. Zach Edey, if he learns fast, can move in the middle like Steven Adams once did.  So, yes, Memphis has the resources to reintegrate into the West conversation. But the next climb is sloppy. Because of their suspension-and-injury-induced absence from the big stage, other clubs took their spot: Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks, and Minnesota Timberwolves.  The Grizzlies are somewhere in the mix, along with other teams (Nuggets, Suns). Mostly, Memphis are eager to remind everyone about a 202 Western Conference semifinal trip and 107 regular season wins over a two-year span, determined to prove that last year was a pause.  Morant and Memphis on A Mission. That could be their 2024-25 slogan. The Grizzlies are the wildest when it comes to wild cards. Write them in for 50 victories again. But not for Western Conference title. 

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pittman puts early struggles aside "as long as we win games, it's good"

Colts’ Michael Pittman puts early struggles aside: ‘As long as we win games, it’s good’

Indianapolis Colts receiver Michael Pittman is used to leading the squad in targets. He has done so again through three matches of the 2024 season with 20 looks his way. What is he used to? Those targets led to little production, something he said cannot affect him or the Colts plans of winning.  “Yeah, you have to fight it because if that gets to you, then you start playing bad,” Pittman said, via Fox59’s Mike Chappell. “You start doing too much. You’ve gotta fight that off and just know that it is a team sport. As long as we win games, it’s good. You have to put [the frustrations] aside. “Obviously, we want to do more. I want to do a lot more. But you have to do what you’re asked to do and just be a good teammate.” So far in the new season, Pittman’s 20 targets are almost double of the next Colts player (Alec Pierce, 12).  He has turned that into only 88 yards on 11 catches. His 8.0 yards per reception comes in 1.3 yards off his worst-ever season total. His 55.0 catch percentage is currently 10.6% lower than his 2020 rookie season, his worst in that category.  Pittman’s numbers across the board are far off from his career rates, not to mention down from last season. He has a 109-catch, a 1,152-yard campaign that is his best to date. This led to his three-year, $70 million extension over the summer.  Pittman surpassed his present three-game yardage total in five different standalone contests last season, one of which came during Anthony Richardson’s first start as a rookie.  Although, this year, the connection hasn’t been there as Richardson greatly struggled with his precision. He only made four starts in 2023 before he lost his campaign to an injury. He has not completed more than half his passes in any tournaments this term, plus he leads the NFL with six interceptions.  The Colts’ have enjoyed more success on the ground behind Richardson’s scrambles and running back Jonathan Taylor’s steady contributions, surpassing 100 yards rushing as a team weekly.  During their first win of the year in Week 3 over the Chicago Bears, the scales heavily swung that way, as the offense scored 33 run plays compared to 20 passes.  Pittman knows that will be the winning formula sometimes. “I think Travis Kelce said it the best,” he said. “You have to be unselfish with the type of team we are right now. Just knowing we’re going to do what is going to win us games and we’re going to do whatever that is. “Some games it could be a passing attack. Some games it could be a run attack. Man, it’s all about winning the game. As long as we’re winning games, you kind of put your head down and just keep going.” He also understands that there is enough football ahead to correct his current lull. The Colts will figure out their best balance to stay competitive, with more chances hopefully leading to more ease for Richardson behind center. That in turn could lead to better days ahead for the fifth-year wide receiver, who has consistently proven that he can adjust to change and deliver. “We’re just being patient,” Pittman said. “We are committed to getting better each day and opportunities are going to come. When they do, we have to make the most of them.”

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sabres win in global series game with peterka goal

Sabres win in Global Series game with Peterka goal

Munich national JJ Peterka scored in his homecoming match, and the Buffalo Sabres beat EHC Red Bull Munchen 5-0 in the 2024 NHL Global Series Challenge Germany. The game was presented by Fastenal at SAP Garden on Friday before a crowd of 10,796 fans.  Tage Thompson had a goal and an assist, and Sam Lafferty, Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn also scored for the Sabres. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made eight saves in 31:32 before Devon Levi who made four saves replaced him. Buffalo won’t play again until October 4th, when they begin the regular season with the first of two matches in two nights against the New Jersey Devils in the 2024 NHL Global Series Czechia. Fastenal will also present this at O2 Arena in Prague.  Lafferty gave the Sabres a 1-0 lead at 7:46 of the first period. His pass attempt to Rasmus Dahlin deflected off Red Bull forward Viet Oswald high in the zone and flew past goalie Mathias Niederberger into the net. Thompson made it 2-0 at 15:14, when he skated out of the left face-off circle to the front of the net and stopped Henri Jokiharju’s floating wrist shot from the left point.  Cozens scored a power-play goal to make it 3-10 at 13:41 of the second period.  Quinn delivered a goal at 17:29 to make it 4-0. He won a race to the puck in the right circle, stayed on his skates despite being almost pulled down from behind by Red Bull defenseman Jakob Werber, and roofed a fast shot past Niederberger. Peterka extended Buffalo’s lead to 5-0 at 3:48 of the third period, when he scored from the right circle with a wrist shot inside the right post. 

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royals "cherish" advancing to improbable wild card spot

Kansas City Royals ‘cherish’ advancing from 106 defeats to improbable Wild Card spot

The Kansas City Royals do not like talking about last year. This whole season, they decided not to think about 2023. All that matters, according to manager Matt Quatraro, is today.  On the night the Royals won their first postseason place since 2015 with the Minnesota Twins losing to the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night, the 2023 season was mentioned many times. And how far the team has come from it.  “This is the moment to take it in,” Vinnie Pasquantino said. “We were really bad last year. This year, we’re really good. And you get kind of emotional thinking about it. I’m super excited to be in this locker room right now. We’re happy to be here. And we’re not satisfied.” Nine years after the Royals won it all and brought Kansas City its second World Series title in franchise history, they are back in the postseason. They’ll compete in the Wild Card Series next week in Baltimore or Houston, with seeding to be determined over the final two days of the regular season.  In 2024, the Royals became the third team since the expansion era began (‘61) to advance to the postseason after losing up to 100 matches the previous year. They join the 2017 Twins and 2020 Miami Marlins, but are first to lose 106+ and make it.  “To get to where we were from where we are, there’s so many people involved,” general manager J.J. Picollo, the architect of the turnaround, said. “So many people played a part in this. To see it all happen is kind of surreal. We felt like it was going to happen. But until it did, you just didn’t know.” They finally got their moment on Friday, despite waiting for the Twins to lose to the Baltimore Orioles after they dropped their series opener to the Braves at Truist Park. But that didn’t matter to Royals when champagne was spraying and beers were flowing.  Bobby Witt Jr. had two empty beer cans strapped to his head with a cigar hanging out of his mouth with a goofy smile only a baseball-loving superstar would wear.  “This is what I dreamed of as a kid,” Witt said. “I saw the pictures. I bought the shirts. Now I’m in the pictures. And I have the shirt. “It’s amazing what the front office and coaching staff did. And this team. I’m forever thankful. I’m glad to be here.”

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toronto blue jays vs miami marlins betting predictions

MLB EXPERT PICKS: Toronto Blue Jays VS Miami Marlins betting Predictions

The Miami Marlins and Toronto Blue Jays meet Friday in MLB game 1 action at Rogers Centre. Here’s a Toronto Blue Jays vs Miami Marlins prediction for you.  Find the MLB best bets today, predictions, picks, and odds for Toronto Blue Jays vs Miami Marlins on MatchPlug. We are a Sure Prediction Site to get accurate previews on MLB matches. Predictions And Betting Preview For Toronto Blue Jays VS Miami Marlins  Odds by 1XBet. Betting On The Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are 74-85 on the year after playing the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox. The Blue Jays have scored 12 runs in their last 3 matches and 4 or more runs in 6 of their last 12 matches.  Toronto have won 5 of their last 7 matches when scoring 4 or more runs. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. leads the Blue Jays with 197 hits and 102 RBI, while George Springer and Ernie Clement combine for 230 hits and 106 RBI. Betting On The Miami Marlins  The Miami Marlins are 59-100 on the year after playing the Atlanta Braves and Minnesota Twins. The Marlins scored 15 runs in their last 3 matches and 4 or more runs in 7 of their last 9 matches.  Miami have won 4 of their last 7 matches when scoring 4 or more runs. Jake Burger leads the Marlins with 127 hits and 72 RB, while Jesus Sanchez and Otto Lopez combine for 220 hits and 110 RBI. MatchPlug Prediction For Toronto Blue Jays VS Miami Marlins  Although both the Blue Jays and the Marlins have nothing to play for, Toronto was on a break yesterday while Miami played 13 innings. Adam Oller hasn’t given much in limited frames and suffered a hard hit on the road. Jose Berrios has been excellent in his few starts, which includes permitting 3 runs in his last 19 innings. Experts back the Blue Jays at home and with an All-Star material arm on the hill.  Prediction: Toronto Blue Jays -1.5.

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new york yankees vs pittsburgh pirates betting predictions

MLB EXPERT PICKS: New York Yankees VS Pittsburgh Pirates betting Predictions

The New York Yankees will face the Pittsburgh Pirates in Game 1 of their season-ending three-game Yankees VS Pirates series tonight at Yankee Stadium.  MatchPlug has the MLB Expert Picks, predictions, and odds for Yankees VS Pirates. We are a Hot Prediction Site that offers accurate MLB previews and match analysis. Predictions And Betting Preview For New York Yankees VS Pittsburgh Pirates  Odds as seen on 1XBet. Betting On The New York Yankees The New York Yankees rebounded on a powerful offensive day with the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday after dropping the first two. They will face the Pirates in the last three matches, which is the first time both teams are meeting in 2024.  New York winning in the series opener means they’ll stay in the sole spot of the best record in the American League. They are presently 1.0 game ahead of the Guardians. Their series loss against the Os broke a series of five straight series victories for the Yankees.  Betting On The Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates will end their disappointing campaign on a high. They have only 3 victories in their last 10 matches and are 2 points behind the Reds in NL Central standings in fifth.  Jared Jones will start for the Pirates after what was an appalling start against the Cincinnati Reds. In his last start versus Cincinnati, Jones had 5.0 innings, 6 hits, 6 earned runs, 3 walks, and 5 strikeouts.  MatchPlug Prediction For New York Yankees VS Pittsburgh Pirates  The Yankees will believe in Rodon to fix his 3rd best Win-Loss record in the league. They’ll focus on Aaron Judge, as the captain is expected to be hot at the plate after getting back to shape. The Pirates lineup’s .224 batting average in the last ten contrasts the New York’s 2.57 ERA from their pitching.  Final Prediction: New York Yankees Moneyline. 

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jayson tatum, jaylen brown are motivated for another title run

Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown are motivated for another title run

Jayson Tatum came back for training camp with a new back tattoo, another gold medal and a chip on his shoulder. He was accompanied by trusty colleague Jaylen Brown.  Tatum appeared for his eighth NBA season on Tuesday after helping the Boston Celtics win an 18th championship and joining the U.S team for its victory at the Paris Olympics. He did all that to become a supporting character and got benched for two matches in the middle of the tournament.  “In real time, it was tough,” Tatum said at the Celtics Media Day, acknowledging “I guess you could say that” it would motivate him when the Celtics try to repeat as NBA champions. “Did I need any extra motivation coming into the season? No,” said Tatum, whose new ink is a picture of himself cradling the championship trophy. “It was a unique circumstance — something I haven’t experienced before in my playing career. But I’m a believer that everything happens for a reason.” Boston return to practice on Wednesday, and the biggest threat to a repeat championship may be how complacent they could be after winning the first one. That is why Tatum’s Olympic disgrace might just be what Joe Mazzulla needs to keep his star player on track.  He was also overlooked for Finals MVP in favor of his teammate Jaylen Brown, who due to coming into the league a year earlier, was the highest-paid player in the NBA.  “Joe was probably the happiest person in the world that I didn’t win Finals MVP, and I didn’t play in two of the games of the Olympics,” Tatum said. “So that was odd. But if you know Joe, that makes sense.” Also smarting from a wounded ego is Brown, who was not chosen to join the Olympic squad and used social media to complain about being snubbed. Reporters wasted no time in asking him about it.  “Damn. Question No. 1,” Brown said with a laugh. “Don’t I get to warm up a little?” “The past is the past,” he said. “I’m extremely motivated, for obvious reasons. I’m ready to get after it.” The Celtics had the shortest offense in the NBA, defeating the Dallas Mavericks in the Finals on June 17. They then go back to practice a week earlier than most of the league because they open the preseason in Abu Dhabi on October 4th. Three of them did not get the summer off: Tatum, Jrue Holiday, and Derrick White all competed for the United States at France.  Holiday said the break was enough. “I love this game, so basketball isn’t like a hassle to me or anything,” he said. “I guess I love this job that I have. I had some great experiences this summer, so I wouldn’t trade that for anything.” Boston is back with the exact roster that won it all: Fifteen players return from last year’s team, including their top 11 scorers. The last NBA team to win back-to-back titles was the Golden State Warriors, who won three in four seasons from 2015-18. “It was never about trying to just win one,” Tatum said. “All the guys I looked up to growing up won at least one championship. Now it’s just a conversation of  how great are you trying to be?”

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