EPL, MLB, and Serie A — The Daily Card

Detroit is absolutely ravaged by injuries — Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter, Matt Vierling, Jack Flaherty, and Verlander are all on the IL simultaneously, gutting both their lineup and rotation. The Dodgers enter at 77-51 with a dominant starter in Tylor Megill on the mound, making them the clear class of this matchup. Talent wins, and the Dodgers have far too much of it for a crippled Tigers squad to keep pace at home.

The Dodgers are limping into Comerica with a battered bullpen — Klein, Treinen, and Casparius are all on the IL — while Detroit's Tarik Skubal is locked in at a 2.91 ERA and a filthy 0.95 WHIP. Everyone sleeps on the Tigers because 'Dodgers,' but with LA's relief corps in shambles, holding any lead late is far from guaranteed. Give me Detroit at home with a run-and-a-half of cushion at plus money — this is the kind of spot underdogs were made for!

The sheep are chasing the Reds' plus-money spread while completely ignoring that Cincinnati's rotation is a graveyard — Hunter Greene, Graham Ashcraft, and Brandon Williamson are all on the 60-day IL, leaving the Reds trotting out a backend arm with a 5.13 ERA. The Cubs are at home, on a winning-percentage cushion in the division race, and catching a Cincinnati squad that is barely patching together a pitching staff. Fade the crowd, back the Cubs to win by 2+, and collect that sweet +109.

Venezia sit 18th with 0 points, were blanked 0-2 by Lecce in Week 1, and have striker Adorante sidelined until October — they've yet to score this season. Milan are at home, won the last H2H 2-0, and despite losing Leão and Giménez to injury, they still have enough firepower (Ramos, Loftus-Cheek) to cover a one-goal spread against the league's worst attack. Laying -1.0 at -130 is solid value given Venezia's complete inability to threaten going forward.

Manchester City head into this Selhurst Park trip without Rodri (post-surgery, out until mid-September), Doku, and potentially Nunes, significantly weakening their midfield engine and attacking width. Crystal Palace at home are a well-organized defensive unit, and City need to WIN outright to cover the -1.0 spread — a tall task with those absences against a physical Palace side. Taking Palace +1.0 means they cover with either a draw or a win, giving us a strong margin of safety at a ground where City regularly drop points.

Gerrit Cole takes the mound with a sharp 3.11 ERA against Hayden Wesneski (4.23 ERA), giving the Yankees a clear pitching edge at home in the Bronx. While Judge and Stanton are out for New York, Houston is also banged up with Correa and Brice Matthews sidelined — the injury toll is mutual. Cole's dominance (100 K in 92.2 IP, 1.07 WHIP) should carry the Yankees to cover the -1.5, and getting plus money on a spread favorite is a gift The Chalk doesn't pass up.

Everyone's crowning Barcelona kings after that Elche demolition, but Flick is without Gavi, Frenkie de Jong, AND Bardghji — that's a crippled midfield walking into a tough Bilbao side. Athletic may have their own absences, but they're battle-tested fighters who historically make Camp Nou uncomfortable, and a two-goal cushion against a banged-up Barça is more than enough breathing room. They count out the Basques every single time, and every single time Bilbao reminds the world why you don't!

The crowd is blindly backing the Yankees while ignoring that Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Max Fried, and multiple key relievers are all on the IL — this lineup is a ghost of itself. Meanwhile, Houston sends a hot Altuve and Cam Smith into Yankee Stadium against a depleted bullpen, and the Astros only need to stay within 1.5 runs — something very achievable against a short-handed New York squad. Fade the crowd, take the points, and let the Yankees' walking wounded do the rest.

The Yankees are decimated with Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Cody Bellinger, and Max Fried all on the IL, gutting their lineup and rotation depth, while Houston counters with Yordan Alvarez — baseball's most dangerous hitter — still healthy and leading the team with 36 HR and a .322 AVG. Gerrit Cole takes the mound for New York, but facing a shorthanded offense, the Yankees are far more likely to win a close, low-scoring game than blow Houston out by 2+, making Astros +1.5 the clear cushion play. At -149, you're paying for safety, but this injury-depleted Yankee lineup has too many holes to justify laying -1.5 with confidence.

The Yankees are decimated by injuries — Aaron Judge (60-Day IL), Giancarlo Stanton (60-Day IL), Cody Bellinger (10-Day IL), and Max Fried (15-Day IL) are all sidelined — severely depleting their lineup and rotation. Meanwhile, the Astros send Hayden Wesneski against Gerrit Cole, but Houston's offense is led by an elite Yordan Alvarez (36 HR, .322 AVG, 91 RBI) who will feast against a patchwork Yankees bullpen. Taking the Astros at +1.5 means they can even lose by one and still cover, making this a high-value cushion against a New York squad missing its two biggest bats.