The New York Mets need to stop the bleeding and Noah Syndergaard might be the answer. Syndergaard is 9-5 on the season, with a 2.45 ERA and a WHIP of 1.13. The Rocks counter with Chad Bettis who is 9-6, with a 5.19 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. Mets are 6-1 in their last 7 on Sundays.
Today’s pick:
New York Mets
Don’t look now but the surging Los Angeles Dodgers are only 1 game back of the league-leading San Francisco Giants in the National League West. They’ll try to inch a little closer tonight when they send the left-hander Scott Kazmir to the mound. Kazmir comes into this game winning his last 7 starts, is 9-3 on the season, with a 4.35 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. The Dodgers are tough to beat at Chavez Ravine. They’re 23-7 in their last 30 at home. Braden Shipley will make his second start in the Bigs. He was roughed up in his Major League debut against Milwaukee, surrendering 6 runs on 8 hits in 5-1/3 innings. Arizona struggles against LA. They are 17-41 in their last 58 meetings and 6-20 in their last 26 at the Ravine. I like A-Gon and company tonight.
Tonight’s pick:
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Chicago White Sox are still scrapping for a Wild Card berth and will try to take game 1 of a 3-game set against the Minnesota Twins tonight at Target Field. Jose Quintana is expected to get the start for Chicago and he has been sharp over his last 3 outings, going 2-0 with a 2.41 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP, and Chicago is 4-0 in Quintana’s last 4 starts. The White Sox have owned Minnesota, winning 8 out of their last 9 meetings and taking the last four at Target Field. Ricky Nolasco should get the start for the Twins and he has struggled over his last 3 starts, with a 1-1 record, an ERA of 6.43 and a WHIP of 1.71. In Nolasco’s last outing, he was drilled by the Red Sox, yielding 6 runs on 6 hits in 2 innings of work. The Twins will be without All-Star shortstop Eduardo Nunez, after they traded him last night to the San Francisco Giants for a left-handed pitching prospect. The White Sox need to win – the Twins don’t. I like Chicago tonight.
Tonight’s pick:
Chicago White Sox
Cole Hamels, who has not allowed an earned run in his last 2 outings, gets the home start tonight for the Texas Rangers against Yordano Ventura and the Kansas City Royals. The lefty Hamels is having another stellar year, posting an 11-2 record with an ERA of 2.87 and a WHIP of 1.28. The Rangers are 13-3 in his last 16 home starts and 15-3 in his last 18 outings against a team with a losing record. Hamels last faced the Royals on July 23rd in Kansas City, with the Rangers winning 7-4. Ventura is 6-8 on the season with an ERA of 4.99 and a WHIP of 1.41. The Royals are 0-5 in Ventura’s last 5 starts, 1-5 in his last 6 road starts, and 0-7 in his last 7 outings against a team with a winning record. Kansas City has struggled against lefties, chalking up an 0-4 record over their last 4. I like the home team tonight.
Tonight’s pick:
Texas Rangers
The Giants send the lefty Madison Bumgarner to the hill today to try to win the rubber game against Dan Straily and the Cincinnati Reds in this 3-game set. Bumgarner is 10-5 on the season, with a 2.14 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. After losing his last 2 outings, he should be due for a big game. The Giants are 19-7 in their last 26 home games and 12-1 in Bumgarner’s last 13 starts against the National League Central. Dan Straily is 5-6 on the season, with a 4.01 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP, and the Reds are 3-8 in their last 11 meetings with the Giants. Joey Votto has had success against Bumgarner, going 5-14 with 1 homer but Jay Bruce has struggled against him, going 2-15. Kerwin Danley is calling it today and the Giants are 4-0 in their last 4 with him behind the dish. If Bumgarner keeps it away from Votto, the Giants should win this game.
Today’s pick:
San Francisco Giants
The Washington Nationals open a 9-game road trip tonight when they travel to Progressive Field to take on the Cleveland Indians. The Nationals have lost 5 of their last 7 games but will try to get back on track tonight when they send the lefty Gio Gonzalez to the hill. Gonzalez is 6-8 on the season, with a 4.53 ERA, a 1.37 WHIP, and Washington is 1-4 in his last 5 road starts. The Indians give Danny Salazar the nod tonight and he is 11-3 on the season, with a 2.75 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. Cleveland is 8-1 in Salazar’s last 9 starts, 7-0 in their last 7 Interleague games, and 6-1 in their last 7 home games against southpaws. The Indians were losers in their last 3 contests but that should end tonight.
Tonight’s pick:
Cleveland Indians
I’ll be back on tomorrow. Good luck tonight.
