Month: July 2017

Fatigue has to be a factor for the Boston Red Sox tonight when they open a 4-game set at Fenway Park against their American League East rival the Toronto Blue Jays. Boston went 16 innings on Saturday in a losing effort to the New York Yankees and then had a double header yesterday with the Bombers in which they split. Toronto will send their ace, Marcus Stroman, to the hill. Stroman has been on his mark, going 2-1 in his last 3 starts, with an ERA of 1.37, and a WHIP of 1.12. Eduardo Rodríguez will tap the rubber for the Red Sox. Rodríguez comes into tonight’s contest with a 2-1 record over his last 3 starts, an ERA of 4.58 and a 1.17 WHIP. Toronto has had success in Boston, with a record of 6-2 in their last 8 trips to Fenway and the Jays are 9-3 in Stroman’s last 12 starts. Toronto needs at least a split in this 4-game set or their post-season chances will be bleak and they know that.

Tonight’s Pick:

Toronto Blue Jays

The Arizona Diamondbacks are in a funk, losing 4 in a row, but I like their chances for a victory today at SunTrust Park against the Atlanta Braves. Zack Godley will tap the rubber for the Diamondbacks. Over his last 3 starts, Godley is 1-2, with a 3.20 ERA, a 0.71 WHIP, and the Diamondbacks are 4-1 in his last 5 road starts. Jamie García will take the hill for the Braves and this guy has been struggling. García is 0-2 in his last 3 starts, with a 9.37 ERA, a 1.84 WHIP, and he is winless in his last 7 starts. Arizona gets back in the win column today.

Today’s Pick:

Arizona Diamondbacks

Madison Bumgarner is back on the hill tonight for the San Francisco Giants, facing Jhoulys Chacín and the San Diego Padres in a late one at Petco Park. If the Bum has any rust in his arm, he had better shake it off because he and the Giants have had issues with San Diego. San Francisco is 5-12 in their last 17 meetings with the Padres and 2-5 in Bumgarner’s last 7 starts at Petco. Chacín has been delivering for the Friars. Over his last 3 starts, he is 2-1, with an ERA of 1.47, a WHIP of 1.09, the Padres are 5-2 in his last 7 starts against a team with a losing record and you can’t ask for anything more than that. I like the home dog in this one.

Tonight’s Pick:

San Diego Padres

The Milwaukee Brewers have been on a roll, winning 9 of their last 11 games, and tonight they will open a 3-game set at Miller Park against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies have struggled on the road, going 13-33, and will send Nick Pivetta to the hill tonight to try to get a rare road win. Over his last 3 starts, Pivetta is 1-1, with an ERA of 5.40, a WHIP of 1.32, and Philadelphia is 2-5 in his last 7 road starts. Pivetta is vulnerable to the long ball, surrendering 7 homers over his last 4 games, which is not good against a Brewers team that has gone yard in 24 of their last 26 games. Milwaukee will counter with Zach Davies, who has been delivering. Over his last 3 starts, Davies is 3-0, with an ERA of 2.84, and a WHIP of only 0.95. Milwaukee is 7-1 in their last 8 home games, 5-2 in Davies’ last 7 home starts and the Brewers have won 10 out of the last 14 meetings with Philadelphia. Get this one early because the number will probably climb.

Tonight’s Pick:

Milwaukee Brewers

The Seattle Mariners will try for a split with the Oakland A’s when they play the final game of a 4-game set today at Safeco Field. The rookie Daniel Gossett is expected to take the mound today for Oakland. Gossett is 1-3, with an ERA of 6.23, and has been vulnerable to the long ball, surrendering 7 homers in 26 innings of work. Seattle is expected to counter with Felix Hernandez. King Felix has had shoulder issues and is 3-3, with an uncharacteristic ERA of 5.04, but has dominated Oakland over his career. Hernandez is 23-9, with a 2.68 ERA against the A’s and his 23 wins are the most he has had against any Major League team. If Hernandez is back to form, Seattle wins this game.

Today’s Pick:

Seattle Mariners

Stephen Strasburg is always a good bet when he takes the mound at Nationals Park and he will do just that in an early one today to face Julio Teherán and the Atlanta Braves. Strasburg, who is 9-2 with an ERA of 3.28, has dominated Atlanta. The Nationals are 8-2 in his last 10 starts against the Braves. Teherán, who is 6-6 with an ERA of 5.14, has struggled against Washington. The Braves are 1-8 in his last 9 starts against the Nats and Atlanta is 5-25 in their last 30 in Washington. Nationals All-Star Bryce Harper has had success against Teherán, going 16-36 with 7 home runs. The edge is all Washington in this one.

Today’s Pick:

Washington Nationals