It's the rubber match in Sunday's AL East showdown between the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Toronto will send lefty Eric Lauer (4–1, 2.21 ERA) to the hill, who has a solid record in 2025 so far against the Red Sox in particular. He’s allowed just a 3.00 ERA across two appearances against Boston this year. Opposite him is Walker Buehler, who has posted a disastrous 6.29 ERA so far this year, including several poor starts that have ballooned his total.

The Blue Jays are no strangers to success at the plate either, as their batting average ranks within the top 10 of the American League thanks to regular contributions from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., George Springer, Bo Bichette, and others. Meanwhile, Boston has struggled on the offensive side of things this season, trading away Rafael Devers midway through June while also dealing with a notably high “Drag Factor” among its hitters, that is, a lack of one-hit wonder players who help mask their offensive woes and wait to produce .

The Red Sox just put up a massive total on Saturday, but that was almost certainly an aberration, and their lineup will likely show its true face in this game after scoring two runs or less in four of the last five and splitting this series 1-1. 

Toronto has the pitching edge, with Lauer being able to hold down Boston’s offense, and Toronto’s bats have the juice to do some damage in this game too, resulting in a low-to-moderate scoring affair that the Blue Jays win to take the series.

Jim's Play: 913. Blue Jays

It’s a day to see who bares their teeth, baby as the Oakland A's take on the NY Yankees in this series finale from Yankee Stadium. The A's have been leveraging the underdog card all year long, and so 34-51 Oakland is here for it again. The A’s welcome Luis Severino (2–8, 4.83 ERA), who is making his return to Yankee Stadium as a member of the Athletics. In nine appearances at the stadium, Severino has managed just 0.9 innings per start, with a 6.90 ERA, and six walks to just four strikeouts. Away from the Bronx, however, Severino has shown markedly better performance, with a 2.27 ERA on the road -effectively flipping the script on disinterested crowds in hostile environments to delivering quality starts . By way of contrast, the Yankees are starting Marcus Stroman, fresh off the IL, and the command and consistency that he’s shown in previous years have yet to show up in his abbreviated starts this season (0.2 ERA and 11.57 ERA, respectively). Add in the fact that the southpaw righty is coming off the IL, and an exacta or trifecta wheel shot becomes enticing with the Yankees laying numbers, given the depth and difference in effectiveness of the two pitching staffs .

Oakland came out on top in a way that few would have predicted on Saturday, blanking the Yankees 7–0, led by JP Sears’ 5-shutout innings. Their offense did its part as well, homering twice in the game. It marked the Athletics’ first real statement win in some time, dating back to going 12-29 since roughly mid-May. If the A’s are given a modicum of breathing room, they can be dangerous, and they proved they’re not afraid to go deep.

The A’s are thin, sure, but Severino has been better pitching on the road, and with their offense and starting pitching seemingly perked by Saturday’s shutout, they don’t play the part of the patsy as well as they would have earlier this season. In fact, the betting on Oakland to keep this one close and pull off the shocker is the best underdog wagering of the weekend to me.

Jim's Play: 911. Oakland A's

One of the more interesting games this weekend could take place Sunday, when the Seattle Storm will square off against the Golden State Valkyries at Chase Center. Seattle has been playing some high-level basketball as of late, with seven wins in its last nine contests, and the Storm are a bona fide offensive powerhouse. Gabby Williams is a two-way stud and already leads the WNBA in steals, but her perimeter shooting and playmaking is also a major asset. Skylar Diggins and Nneka Ogwumike provide veteran savvy that has fueled Seattle’s recent play, highlighted by a blowout victory over Connecticut later in the week. The Golden State Valkyries have been one of the pleasant surprises of the young WNBA season, as the expansion club is already 6-3 at home. Golden State already owns a victory over Seattle earlier in the month and are built for a home win on Sunday. Kayla Thornton has been a stalwart offensively for the Valkyries with consistent scoring and rebounding. Tiffany Hayes has come into her own as a smooth and effective veteran presence as well. The Valkyries also have a bit of a defensive identity which should allow them to slow down Seattle’s potent offense. The Storm are slight favorites, but this is shaping up as a close one, particularly with Golden State being so confident on their home court. I'll take the Valkyries on Sunday. 

Jim's Play: 630. GS Valkyries