Early Inner Circle: The Tampa Bay Rays continue to hang around in the AL East race, just 2.5 back of the Boston Red Sox. The Rays are also just one game back in the Wild Card Race. Early start here on Wednesday has Alex Cobb toeing the rubber. Cobb is 8-6 this season with a 3.57 ERA and 1.20 WHIP. Cobb has put together eight of his last 10 starts as allowing three runs or less. The Orioles have dropped to six back in the AL East and five back in the Wild Card race. The O's have the second worst road record in the AL at 18-31. In fact, Baltimore is just 9-23 in the last 32 away games. Ubaldo Jimenez has been horrible for the O's, posting a 4-6 recordd, 7.19 ERA and 1.61 WHIP. Jimenez has allowed 12 runs over his last nine innings and 21 runs over his last 19 innings. Short price here for the Rays at home against a very poor road club. Take the Rays.

07/26 07:10 PM EST MLB (969) KANSAS CITY ROYALS VS (970) DETROIT TIGERS. Take: Division Dominator of the Month: (969) KANSAS CITY ROYALS Reason: Kansas City is in a pennant race and the Royals pen hasn't allowed a run in 26 consecutive innings. The result? How about seven straight KC wins and a big move in the standings to just 1.5 games behind division leader Cleveland. Ian Kennedy is holding batters to a .214 average, with a sparkling 1.19 WHIP. The Royals have won Kennedy's last two starts and seven of his last eight. Youth at the top of the lineup is serving Kansas City well, with Whit Merrifield and Jorge Bonifacio collecting two hits apiece in Tuesday's 3-1 victory. Merrifield has hit in 11 of 12 games after bashing a leadoff homer Tuesday. The Royals are 19-7 vs. a right-handed starter and face Detroit Tigers aging righty Anibal Sanchez (5.95 ERA). The Tigers are 7-15 a right-handed starter, plus e 3-7 against a winning team. The Royals have won seven of the last 10 meetings in Detroit and with their red-hot pen they should keep any lead they get right now. Play Kansas City.

07/26 07:05 PM EST MLB (973) HOUSTON ASTROS VS (974) PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES. Take: (973) HOUSTON ASTROS. Reason: Houston is a sizzling 29-9 on the road. Astros righty Mike Fiers (7-4, 3.59 ERA) is 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA in his last two starts. Houston is tops in baseball in runs scored, while Philadelphia is #29 in runs. The Astros are 22-5 in their last 27 interleague road games. Philadelphia is 3-8 at home, 14-37 after a defeat. Play Houston.

07/26 08:05 PM EST MLB (975) MIAMI MARLINS VS (976) TEXAS RANGERS. Take: (975) MIAMI MARLINS. Reason: Miami is a big dog but on a 6-2 run on the road. Marlins righty José Ureña (8-4, 3.78 ERA) is 5-0 in 10 appearances on the road after limiting Cincinnati to one run on three hits over six innings last time out. The Marlins are 9-3 in Urena's last 12 starts. Texas is 1-7 against losing teams and 106 when Yu Darvish is on the mound. Trade rumors on Darvish are swirling, so this could be his last start for Texas, adding emotion to the mix. And the Rangers are 0-5 in Darvish's last 5 home starts. Play Miami.

7/26 07:10 PM EST MLB (969) KANSAS CITY ROYALS VS (970) DETROIT TIGERS. Take: UNDER THE TOTAL. Reason: Your free play for Wednesday, July 26, 2017 comes in baseball as the Kansas City Royals head to Detroit to face the Tigers. This is a big park, great for pitchers, and the light hitting Kansas City Royals are in town, tops in baseball defensively, on a 9-4-1 run under the total. Ian Kennedy is holding batters to a .214 average. Anibal Sanchez goes for Detroit, throwing much better after a dreadful start, allowing 3 runs or less in 7 of his last 8 starts. And the Under is 9-4 in Sanchez's last 13 starts vs. the Royals. Play Kansas City/Detroit Under the total.