Why have expanded playoffs in baseball when you have teams like the Tampa Bay Rays? The Rays are five games out of a playoff position. Yet they are sellers as the trade deadline approaches. 

The Rays traded Randy Arozarena to the Mariners and Zach Elfin to the Orioles during the past two days, receiving minor leaguers in return. 
That can't sit well with some of the Rays players. 

The Reds have won three in a row. They are 4 1/2 games behind the final wild-card spot. They have tremendous motivation to beat the Rays, or else their management could be sellers, too, before Tuesday's trade deadline. 

Of course this is baseball where motivation isn't such a strong handicapping factor as it is in other sports because of the day-to-day games. But pitching sure is. Cincinnati has a solid edge there with Andrew Abbott facing Zack Littell.

Abbott has given up three earned runs or fewer in all but three of his 20 starts this season. He is 9-6 with a 3.19 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. 

Let's contrast that with Littell, who is 3-7 with a 4.46 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in his 20 starts this year. He has a fat 7.47 ERA in his last three starts. 

(Editor's note: Stephen Nover is 33-17 on his last 50 premium baseball plays. Stephen has his National League Game of the Month today in addition to this free selection.)