Monday MLB Free play. My selection is on Detroit +1.5 runs over Philadelphia at 6:40 pm et on Monday.

We'll take a flyer on the Tigers with an insurance run as they head to Philadelphia and look to bounce back from a series sweep at the hands of the White Sox in Chicago. Detroit had been playing reasonably well entering that three-game set. They're actually only a game worse than the Phillies this season. Joey Wentz will take the ball for the Tigers. While he's struggled for the most part, he is coming off an effective outing against the hot-hitting Rangers, allowing just one earned run over 4 1/3 innings in a 3-2 victory. While the Phillies plated a whopping 11 runs in yesterday's victory, they've actually been held to four runs or less in six of their last eight games overall. Phillies starter Aaron Nola has consistently worked deep into games this season but has recorded rather pedestrian numbers with a 4.40 FIP and 1.13 WHIP. Philadelphia has lost three of his last four starts overall. As far as the two bullpens go, the Tigers hold a slight edge in terms of overall numbers this season. The Phillies 'pen has been better in the more recent picture but still owns a collective 1.37 WHIP on the campaign. Take Detroit +1.5 runs.

American League Game of the Month. My selection is on Houston over Toronto at 7:05 pm et on Monday.

The Blue Jays are coming off an impressive three-game sweep of the Mets in Queens over the weekend but I look for their run of success to come to an end on Monday as they return home to host the Astros. Houston checks in off a 2-1 loss against the Angels yesterday, failing to complete the four-game sweep of its division rival. Here, I'm confident we'll see the Astros bounce back against Blue Jays starter Alek Manoah, who continues to grind through a miserable campaign. Manoah last pitched last Wednesday and showed no signs of turning things around, lasting only four innings in an eventual 4-2 defeat. Now Manoah will have to start on short rest (four days) having posted a lofty 6.27 FIP and 1.77 WHIP in 12 starts spanning 57 2/3 innings of work this season. While the Jays 'pen behind Manoah has been terrific lately, I'm not sure it will be enough on this night. Brandon Bielak will get the start for the visiting Astros. He got shelled in his first couple of big league starts this season but has since settled down, allowing only 13 hits and six earned runs in his last three starts, spanning 17 1/3 innings. While Bielak certainly hasn't been as good as his 3.19 ERA indicates (he's posted a 5.15 FIP and 1.45 WHIP), I do think he can be effective against the up-and-down Blue Jays. While the Astros bullpen has struggled lately, it still owns a collective 3.30 ERA and 1.26 WHIP this season with 16 saves converted and only five blown. Take Houston (10*).

My selection is on Florida over Vegas at 8:10 pm et on Monday.

After an emotional victory in Game 1 of this series on Saturday I look for the Golden Knights to suffer a bit of a letdown in Game 2, allowing the Panthers to rise up and even this series at one game apiece. While the Panthers haven't had a great deal of success against the Golden Knights in the all-time series between these two teams (they've never won in Las Vegas), they have managed to go 3-2 when coming off a loss by two goals or more in their previous matchup, as is the case here. Note also that Florida is 10-4 when playing on the road off a loss by two goals or more this season, outscoring opponents by an average margin of 0.9 goals in that situation. I didn't feel that Game 1 was as lopsided as the final score indicated, noting that the Panthers actually outshot the Knights by a 35-34 margin. Take Florida (8*).