The New York Yankees clinched a playoff berth yesterday but are just 1-1/2 games ahead of the Oakland Athletics for the right to host the Wild Card game, so they have to keep winning. Today the Yankees will host the Baltimore Orioles for the final game of a 3-game set and are expected to call on J.A. Happ to throw strikes. Happ is 16-6 on the season, with a 3.62 ERA, and a 1.13 WHIP. Since joining the Yanks from Toronto, Happ is still unbeaten, at 6-0, with a 2.39 ERA. Baltimore is expected to send Alex Cobb to the rubber. Cobb is 5-15, with an ERA of 4.90, a WHIP of 1.41, and has been fighting a blister on his throwing hand, which is never a good thing. The Orioles are just 1-5 in their last 6 road games against southpaws and 8-20 in their last 28 meetings with the Yankees. Consider the Bombers today in an early one.
TODAY’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES