Hot lines: Wednesday's best MLB bets

Los Angeles Angels at Boston Red Sox (-165, 10)

The Red Sox's disabled list is starting to look a lot like a phone book, but their latest callup should inject some strong medicine into the walking wounded and the AL East playoff race.

Second baseman Dustin Pedroia returned Tuesday night after spending eight weeks on the DL and brought some hope back to Fenway Park and the Red Sox's dugout.

When he went down with a foot injury on June 25, the Red Sox were three games back of the Yankees and tied with the Rays for the wild-card. Now, well, they have their work cut out for them.

"Everyone in that clubhouse feels we can win," Pedroia said. "We don't need to prove anything to anybody. We've had guys fight through it all year. Frankly, we don't give a shit about what anybody thinks. We're trying to win games. That's the attitude we have. Jump on the wagon now. It's going to be a fun ride."

Boston has lost in John Lackey's last three starts, but the righthander is 8-2 at home this season and has had some success against the Angels. His last win came over the Halos on July 27, when he allowed only two earned runs over 7 1/3 innings.

The Angels counter with lefty Scott Kazmir, who is just 1-5 in his last six outings. The Red Sox roughed him up for seven earned runs in only 4 1/3 innings in their last meeting on May 6, when Pedroia went 2-for-4 with three runs scored.

Pick: Red Sox

Seattle Mariners at Baltimore Orioles (-145, 8.5)

The Buck Showalter bump appears to have more legs than anyone imagined.

After winning nine of their first 11 games under Uncle Buck - the clubs' hottest stretch in more than five seasons - the Orioles are making the transition from losers to spoilers in the AL East.

"It's not a coincidence that we've turned it around since Buck showed up," said Orioles starting pitcher Jeremy Guthrie. "We know what he expects and we've played good baseball with him here. No magic formula, but maybe just a good shift in gears for us."

No one has benefited from Showalter's arrival than Guthrie, who has won three consecutive starts and allowed only 13 hits and four earned runs in 21 innings of work during that span. Those victories came against the hard-hitting Rays, White Sox and Angels.

So the right-hander won't be intimidated by the Mariners, who are batting just .233 against righties this season. The M's are 17-44 on the road this year, and the Daren Brown bump doesn't have the same ring to it.

Pick: Orioles