Joe Orrico strongly advocated buying Chris Sale despite his unsightly 6-plus ERA through four starts. Orrico highlighted Sale's strong underlying metrics, notably a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 24:4 over his first 19 innings, as evidence that Sale's poor ERA is likely luck-driven. He pointed out Sale's inflated .400+ BABIP allowed and uncharacteristically low 61% strand rate significantly diverge from career norms. Orrico noted Sale's expected stats, including a 2.98 SIERA, show he's pitching much better than surface results indicate. Minor concerns over increased barrel rate and slight velocity dips (around half a mile per hour) were downplayed, considering Sale's consistent strikeout ability and good command this year.

Brad Francis advised betting the Braves money line against the Rays, primarily due to Tampa Bay's struggles, having lost their last six straight games when listed as the underdog versus National League opponents. Francis also noted Chris Sale starting for the Braves as further rationale that the Braves would likely secure a victory.

Cash Out Sports Picks advised backing the Braves on the money line, highlighting Chris Sale as a key factor. Despite an inconsistent start, Sale remains a top-tier pitcher and offers great betting value. They've pointed out that Atlanta's offense has started turning around after a painful 7-game losing streak to open the season, recently winning four of their past seven games with their bats finally showing signs of life. Meanwhile, the Rays' Shane Baz hasn't yet proven himself fully reliable despite a promising ERA of 1.38, and Tampa Bay has struggled offensively, scoring four or fewer runs in seven of their last nine games. With the ace going for Atlanta and their upward offensive momentum, betting the Braves offers solid value.

Kingpin favors Chris Sale today on the road against Tampa Bay, noting that Sale appears rejuvenated in his stint with Atlanta. He has posted a 3.00 ERA through his first two outings with strong strikeout numbers, facing a Tampa lineup that recently struggled (no-hit into the fifth inning yesterday). Rookie Shane Baz, the Rays' starter, has electric stuff but is coming off injury with limited MLB experience. Kingpin expects Sale's veteran presence and current form to hold the edge in today’s rubber match.

Joe Pisapia expressed serious reservations about Chris Sale after another disappointing start allowing five runs over just 4.2 innings of work. Sale's repeated struggles early on leave Pisapia skeptical about his ability to rebound effectively. Pointing out consistent ineffectiveness, Pisapia notably remarked that Sale looked beaten-up significantly by opposing hitters and advised reconsidering reliance on him as a trusted fantasy starter. Given these continued poor outings, Pisapia implied Sale may be trending downward significantly this season.

Brian Howard pushed back against betting on the Phillies despite Kyle Purviance's enthusiasm, urging caution due to Chris Sale's elite left-handed pitching specifically against the Phillies' left-handed hitters. While acknowledging Wheeler's quality and Atlanta's rough start, Howard strongly emphasized Sale's matchup advantage—pointing out the prevalence of key Phillies bats hitting from the left side. Howard concluded that even though Phillies hitters like Bryce Harper manage left-handed pitching reasonably well, facing Sale isn't the same as facing average lefties. Ultimately, Howard's caution suggested passing on this game's betting lines altogether rather than jumping on the attractive Phillies' price, wary of Sale's ability to neutralize Philadelphia’s offense.

Eric Lindquist singled out Chris Sale's over 6.5 strikeout prop, highlighting Sale's strong early-season form. While acknowledging the line was slightly inflated (between -150 and -160), Lindquist emphasized Sale's recent impressive performances and strikeout capability as reasons to track alternate lines or consider laddering his total. Lindquist also highlighted the pitcher duel scenario with Zack Wheeler on the opposing side, anticipating limited offense and highlighting the matchup as a potential pitcher's duel and must-watch game.

Derek Carty recommended Chris Sale's over 6.5 strikeouts prop at -165 odds, giving it a robust 73% probability and a $27.50 expected value. Sale recently compiled seven strikeouts in his last outing, and maintaining strong recent form magnifies his chances of surpassing the strikeout prop in this matchup.

Scott Reichel advised betting Chris Sale's total outs under 16.5 at even money. Reichel cited Sale's injury history, including last year when his late-season injury significantly hurt his team. Sale has consistently gone under 17 outs in each of his first season starts dating back to 2018. Additionally, the Red Sox likely intend to ease him back into pitching, given he only pitched over 70 pitches once during spring training. Considering these factors and Sale facing a tough Padres lineup, Reichel expects Sale to pitch no more than five innings.