EPL and MLB — The Daily Card

Boston sends Sonny Gray to the mound at a dominant 16-3 with a 2.79 ERA — an ace-level performance that overwhelms a Marlins squad missing their best arm, Max Meyer (15-Day IL), and starting Ryan Gusto at a shaky 0-3/4.37 ERA. The Red Sox injury concerns are real but manageable, while Miami's rotation is in shambles. Talent wins, and when Gray toes the rubber, you back him to go win by multiple runs.

Nobody wants to touch Detroit right now after getting swept by KC, but the so-called experts are sleeping on T. Melton's filthy 1.60 ERA at home while Tampa Bay limps in with a battered roster, a weak road offense, and three straight losses — this Rays squad is running on fumes! The Tigers +1.5 gives us the cushion we need, and with consensus data projecting a 5-2 Detroit win, the only thing getting swept here is the narrative that these Tigers are cooked.

The sheep are blindly backing Chelsea, but Fofana is suspended and Anselmino is out injured, leaving Chelsea's defense in disarray for a season opener on the road at Craven Cottage. Fulham are at full strength at home with Garcia available, and Chelsea still have key attackers like Jackson and Mudryk in fitness doubt — this is a classic public overreaction to a big name. Fade the crowd, back Fulham +0.5 at home, and cash in while everyone else cries into their Chelsea scarves.

Fulham are decimated defensively with Joachim Andersen suspended and Tom Cairney out — their backline is severely undermanned heading into a London derby. Chelsea, meanwhile, get Cole Palmer back fit for their first league match under Alonso, and despite their own absences, their attacking quality with Palmer, Joao Pedro, and Rogers is a massive mismatch against a patchwork Fulham defense. Laying -0.5 on Chelsea at -112 is essentially buying a clean win at a juice price that undervalues how lopsided this matchup truly is.

Chelsea arrives at Craven Cottage for Gameweek 1 missing Wesley Fofana (suspended) and Aaron Anselmino (hamstring), creating defensive vulnerability, while uncertainty swirls around whether fringe attackers like Jackson and Mudryk will even feature. Fulham are at full strength with Garcia in and are historically difficult for Chelsea at home — headlines specifically note Chelsea are 'bidding to avoid equalling a 27-year streak' in this fixture. Getting Fulham +0.5 at near-even odds (-108) at their own ground against a patched-up Chelsea side is a clear situational edge.

The Phillies get Jesus Luzardo (11-5, 3.23 ERA) on the mound against a Cardinals club that just lost Andre Pallante to a 15-day IL stint with elbow inflammation, forcing a weaker arm in H. Dobbins (3-3, 3.42 ERA) to take the ball. With Kyle Schwarber slugging 37 home runs anchoring a deep Phillies lineup at Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia -1.5 at nearly even money is an easy chalk play.

Everyone's sleeping on the Blue Jays while the Yankees are a walking MASH unit — Aaron Judge (60-Day IL, ribs), Cody Bellinger (10-Day IL), Giancarlo Stanton (10-Day IL), and ace Max Fried (15-Day IL) are all out of the lineup or rotation. Toronto sends out Soriano (10-6, 3.23 ERA) who has been an absolute rock, and with +1.5 runs of cushion against a hollowed-out Yankees squad, the Blue Jays don't even need to win outright to cash this ticket!

The sheep are blindly backing the big-market Yankees at home, but the Bronx Bombers are walking wounded — Aaron Judge is on the 60-day IL, Bellinger and Stanton are both shelved, and ace Carlos Rodón is out with elbow inflammation. The crowd is overrating the pinstripes based on reputation, not reality, while Toronto's starter J. Soriano brings a sharp 3.23 ERA into a lineup that's missing its three biggest bats. Fade the Yankees hype and take the Blue Jays to cover the +1.5.

Corinthians travel to Curitiba without Garro (suspended), André (thigh), Yuri Alberto (thigh), Vitinho, and Labyad — essentially gutted of their attacking and midfield core. Coritiba have Memphis Depay available at home and are being offered at the cheaper price on a flat spread, making this outstanding value. Laying -125 on a paper-thin Corinthians squad on the road is a trap the sharp money avoids.

Cristopher Sanchez is dominant at 16-4 with a 2.51 ERA and 1.22 WHIP, a massive pitching edge over Kyle Leahy (10-4, 3.24 ERA). The Cardinals arrive banged up — Pallante just hit the IL with elbow inflammation, shortstop Masyn Winn missed a second straight game with a sore thumb, and their bullpen depth is thin. The Phillies, playing at home with their ace on the mound, are well-positioned to win decisively and cover the -1.5 run line at the attractive -103 price.