Stephen Nover

Can the Cubs actually sweep the Rays? Nope. Tampa Bay hasn't been swept in a series all season and I don't see it happening here in a pitching matchup of Zack Eflin versus lefty Justin Steele.

Tampa Bay is 8-1 in games started by Eflin, who is pitching his best ball. Steele started well, but is 0-2 with a 5.74 ERA in his last three starts. The Rays have won eight of 11 games versus lefties this season.

The Rays are the best offensive team in baseball. The Cubs are averaging 2.1 runs during their last six games.

I need plus 1 1/2 runs, but I'll back Patrick Corbin and the Nationals against the Dodgers today. Corbin actually has been underrated this season. But the big reason is to fade Noah Syndergaard.

I feel bad for ''Thor.'' Injuries have robbed him of his dominant fastball. Even though the Dodgers are down multiple starting pitchers, I can't see LA sticking with Syndergaard too much longer in their rotation. He's just not any good. The numbers prove this. Syndergaard is 1-4 with a 6.27 ERA in 10 starts. Opponents are batting .294 against him. Washington, believe it or not, leads the National League in batting average and also has the fifth-highest on-base percentage in the league.

This is what Syndergaard said after losing, 9-3, to the Rays during his last start this past Friday after giving up six runs on eight hits in six innings: "There's not a lot of positive emotion right now when I think about pitching in particular. Just hard going out there with the weapons you used to have kind of being taken away from you. Just continue to work in between starts to snap out of this.''

Corbin faders have feasted for three years going against Corbin, who entered this season 17-42 from 2020-2222. However, Corbin has turned things around. He did get hit hard by the Royals in his last start - allowing six runs in 6 1/3 innings - but Corbin hadn't given up more than two earned during four starts previous to that while working six, six, six and seven innings.

Discount a one-run game against St. Louis and the Reds are averaging 7.8 runs in their last seven games.

I'm expecting another strong offensive performance from Cincinnati facing lefty James Paxton at hitter-friendly Fenway Park with the wind blowing out to left at 8-to-10 mph.

Paxton entered this season having pitched only once in two years. He's on the comeback trail and struggling with a 5.14 ERA. The Reds have the sixth-highest batting average against lefties.

The Red Sox should feast on Luke Weaver, who has yet to regain his earlier promise due to arm injuries. Weaver has a 5.45 ERA. The Red Sox rank in the top-five in runs, batting average and OPS. They got their bats going last night scoring eight runs during the final three innings.