In today’s SportSense Entertainment Newsletter…

There were plenty of predictions to go around yesterday across the NFL and MLB, with our model focusing in on two of those predictions in our Featured Matchups. Those predictions went 1-1 overall, and you can see how each of the models performed below.

Money Line Predictions: 0-1

Over/Under Predictions: 1-0

Spread Predictions: 1-0

Featured Matchup: 1-0

Money Line Predictions: 3-2

Over/Under Predictions: 0-5

Run Line Predictions: 5-0

Featured Matchup: 0-1

🦁 Lions beat Chiefs in first game of season. While the Chiefs celebrated raising a championship banner, it was Dan Campbell and the Lions who found victory in a challenging atmosphere at Arrowhead Stadium. Detroit's defense, under Aaron Glenn's guidance, impressively limited Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs to just 20 points, and the Lions' ability to consistently pressure the Chiefs' offensive line and a crucial pick-six by rookie Brian Branch made the difference. Despite the Lions' impressive start, there are high expectations for them, with a potential NFC North title on the line, making 2023 a pivotal year for the young and entertaining team.

💰 Joe Burrow signs record deal with Bengals. Cincinnati Bengals' top draft pick from 2020, Joe Burrow, has proven to be everything the team had hoped for, leading to a massive payday for the LSU product. In a historic move, the Bengals have secured their quarterback's future by signing a five-year, $275 million contract extension, making Burrow the NFL's highest-paid player. Burrow's impressive performance, which includes leading the Bengals to Super Bowl 56 and setting multiple franchise records, ensures he will remain a cornerstone for Cincinnati as the team looks to win the AFC North for the third consecutive season.

🚔 Jimmy Graham won’t face charges following August arrest. New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham has been cleared of charges stemming from his August arrest in California, according to the Orange County district attorney's office. Graham was arrested in Newport Beach on suspicion of drug influence and obstructing an officer but the case was dropped due to insufficient evidence. Graham expressed gratitude for the support of the LAPD and his team throughout the incident and is looking forward to moving on from it, especially as he returns to the NFL after a hiatus since 2021.

There are 15 MLB games scheduled to take place throughout this afternoon and evening, and our model has predictions for all 15 matchups. You can see every prediction below.

Arizona Diamondbacks @ Chicago Cubs

Model Predicts- Diamondbacks ML, OVER 7.5, Diamondbacks +1.5

The Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago Cubs will continue their four-game series on Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field.

Arizona got the best of Chicago last night, taking Game 1 by a score of 6-2. The win was a massive one for Arizona, as it now owns the final NL wild card spot by half a game.

Chicago is in a similar position when it comes to the wild card race, up three games on Arizona, but our model thinks the Diamondbacks are in a position to close the gap. Let’s dive into why that is.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Zac Gallen (14-7 record, 3.48 ERA) was a top candidate for the Cy Young Award in the National League during the first half of the season, However, Gallen has seen quite a bit of regression in the second half of the season, essentially pushing him out of the running.

Gallen was elite on the mound up until the All-Star break, posting a 3.04 ERA and 3.74 FIP, per FanGraphs. The strikeouts were coming in bunches, as evidenced by his 26.5% strikeout rate, and his 4.9% walk rate indicates that he was well in control while on the mound.

However, the second half of the season has been an entirely different story. Gallen has seen his ERA spike to 4.33 in ten starts since the All-Star break, while his strikeout rate has fallen to 24.7% and his walk rate has risen to 6.1%. The regression he has experienced has been significant, and his 4.14 xERA indicates that more is on the horizon.

Is it possible that we see that regression today? Absolutely, especially when you consider Gallen’s struggles on the road.

The right-hander owns a stellar 2.18 ERA at home this season, but at ERA spikes to 4.81 on the road, per FanGraphs. His road struggles were on full display in his last road outing against the Dodgers, surrendering nine hits, six runs, and four home runs in 5.1 innings.

Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs have been one of the most exciting teams in the second half of the season, and all of their success starts at the plate.

According to FanGraphs, Chicago ranks seventh in the MLB in wRC+ since the All-Star break at 115, posting .795 OPS and just a 20.9% strikeout rate in that time as well. The Cubs have done a tremendous amount of damage against right-handers in that time too, seeing their wRC+ and OPS rise to 123 and .825, respectively, in those situations.

Cody Bellinger has been the spark for this offense in the second half, posting 162 wRC+ and just a 10.0% strikeout rate against right-handed pitching since the break. He should have no problems staying hot today, and his teammates will likely follow.

However, the Cubs will have a wild card on the mound today with Jameson Taillon (7-9 record, 5.51 ERA), which could make things dicey in the NL wild card race.

Taillon is oftentimes pitching to contact, but his 11.4% barrel rate and 37.1% ground ball rate make it a nightmare when he is on the mound. We’ve seen exactly that across his last five starts, a span in which he has posted a 7.93 ERA and surrendered eight home runs.

What’s the Play?

Neither one of these pitchers is in a good spot this afternoon, and our model is expecting a high-scoring game because of that.

Gallen' is clearly uncomfortable on the road, which will likely pose a problem against a Cubs offense that has done tons of damage against right-handed pitching over the last two months. However, it won’t be easy for Chicago to hold a lead, as Taillon will face a Diamondbacks offense that has scored 18 runs over its last two games.

Our model is projecting roughly nine runs to be scored this afternoon, well above the current total of 7.5. We’ll take the over here with two hot offenses going against two shaky pitchers.

The Play: Over 7.5 (+100)

Money Line Trends 💰

• Philadelphia Phillies- 77-62 overall this season, 41-26 as the home team

• Milwaukee Brewers- 77-62 overall this season, 37-34 as the away team

• Baltimore Orioles- 88-51 overall this season, 26-15 against division opponents (Play AL East rival Boston today)

Over/Under Trends ⬆️⬇️

• Los Angeles Dodgers- Over is 80-52-7 this season, 45-20-3 as the away team

• Toronto Blue Jays- Under is 74-59-7 this season, 36-25-4 as the home team

• Oakland Athletics- Over is 72-60-8 this season, 38-26-5 as the away team

Run Line Trends ➕➖

• St. Louis Cardinals- Run line is 66-74 overall this season, 26-15 as a road underdog

• Los Angeles Dodgers- Run line is 79-60 overall this season, 24-24 as a road favorite

Various injuries around the league. See full injury report at MLB.com.

🤕 Mookie Betts leaves game with foot injury. Los Angeles Dodgers' standout Mookie Betts had to exit Thursday's game due to a foot injury sustained when he fouled a pitch. Although initial X-rays showed no major damage, Betts left the stadium on crutches, posing a potential challenge for the team's pursuit of the best National League record and home-field advantage in the playoffs. Betts has been a crucial asset for the Dodgers in the 2023 season, boasting impressive statistics and even contending for the NL MVP Award alongside Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr.

☎️ Rangers place Garcia on IL, call up top prospect. In preparation for their series against the Oakland Athletics, the Texas Rangers have brought up their highly regarded prospect, Evan Carter, as a replacement for the injured All-Star Adolis García, who is sidelined due to a patellar tendon strain. Carter, a 21-year-old outfielder, was selected by the Rangers in the second round of the 2020 MLB Draft and is currently ranked as the 10th best prospect in baseball by Keith Law of The Athletic. Carter has posted impressive stats in the minors this season, with a batting average of .288, .413 on-base percentage, and 13 home runs.

💪 Shohei Ohtani close to a return. Shohei Ohtani is making progress toward returning to the Los Angeles Angels' lineup after straining his right oblique muscles earlier in the week. While he wasn't in the starting lineup for the fourth consecutive game against the Cleveland Guardians, manager Phil Nevin expressed optimism that Ohtani might be available as a pinch-hitter, as he's moving well and showing improved swings. Despite Ohtani's eagerness to play, the Angels are urging caution and have already ruled him out as a pitcher for the rest of the season.

🏈 North Carolina receiver denied eligibility for 2023 season. North Carolina wide receiver Devontez Walker's recent appeal to the NCAA to regain his eligibility for the 2023 season has been denied. UNC coach Mack Brown expressed his disappointment in the NCAA's decision, stating that it has failed Walker and his family, and he has lost faith in the organization's ability to govern the sport. UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham and Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz also expressed their disappointment, with Cunningham highlighting the inconsistency in NCAA decisions regarding student-athlete transfers and eligibility rules.

💰 Sanderson earns MASSIVE contract from Senators. The Ottawa Senators have secured their future by signing defenseman Jake Sanderson, a 21-year-old American, to an eight-year, $64.4-million extension. Sanderson, who ranked second in scoring among the team's defensemen during his rookie season with four goals and 28 assists in 77 games, earned a spot on the NHL's All-Rookie Team alongside Buffalo's Owen Power. The contract, which pays Sanderson $8.05 million annually, begins in the 2024-25 season and extends through 2031-32, with Sanderson entering the upcoming season in the final year of his entry-level contract.

Today’s trivia requires you to dig into multiple pockets of your brain, testing your knowledge of recent events as well as those that happened decades ago.

See how many of the below questions you can get correct. Answers are provided at the end of the newsletter.

Question #1- Who holds the MLB record for the most consecutive games with a hit, and how many games did they achieve this feat?

Question #2- New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas set the NFL record for receptions in a season in 2019. How many receptions did Thomas have that season?

Question #3- Not many NBA players stay with the same team for their entire career, with one player suiting up for 13 different teams in his career. Who is that player?

Anyone know what has happened on September 8th throughout history? We didn’t have a clue either, but it appears that it has been a busy day.

On September 8th…

1985- Bert Campaneris becomes the first player in MLB history to play all nine positions in one game in a 5-3 loss to the California Angels. Campaneris started the game at short stop, and switched positions every inning for the rest of the game. He even took the mound for a short period of time, throwing left-handed to lefty hitters and right-handed to righty hitters.

2002- Rookie quarterback David Carr throws two touchdown passes as the Houston Texasn defeat the Dallas Cowboys 19-10. The game was the first in Texans’ franchise history, becoming only the second expansion team to win its inaugural game. Wins were a rarity for the rest of the season though, with Houston finishing 4-12.

2018- Naomi Osaka becomes the first Japanese female to win a Grand Slam singles final, defeating Serena Williams 6-2 and 6-4 at the U.S. Open. The match was marked by controversy though, as Williams was penalized one game for calling the chair umpire a “thief”. Williams would be fined $17,000 for her actions, which also included receiving coaching and “racket abuse”.

1. Joe DiMaggio (56)

2. 149

3. Ish Smith