Month: March 2019

The New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles will play the rubber game of a 3-game set in a matinée today in the Bronx. The Bombers are expected to give the nod to southpaw J.A. Happ. Since being acquired from the Blue Jays last year, he has been lights out. Happ has yet to lose since dawning pinstripes, with a record of 7-0 along with a 2.69 ERA, and he has owned the Orioles. In his last 10 starts against Baltimore, he has allowed 3 runs or fewer, and last year they batted just .196 against the left hander. The Orioles are expected to send Dylan Bundy to the rubber. Bundy had a disastrous 2018 where he led the American league in losses with 16 and had an ERA of 5.45. It looks as if things haven’t changed for Bundy. This spring he had a bloated ERA of 7.89 and has not fared well over his career against New York, going 2-5 with a 6.18 ERA. Take the Bombers.
TODAY’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The World Champion Boston Red Sox were embarrassed last night by the Seattle Mariners, 12-4, at the newly named T-Mobile Park. Don’t expect a repeat of that tonight when the two clubs play the second game of a 4-game set. Seattle is expected to give the nod to the lefty Yusei Kikuchi. Kikuchi made his Major League debut last week in Japan and he pitched well, surrendering 2 runs on 4 hits in 4-2/3 innings of work but that was against the Athletics, not the Red Sox. The Mariners will keep him on a short leash and that might be a good thing because Boston crushes southpaws, going 20-8 in their last 28 against them. The Champs will send Nathan Eovaldi to the hill. Eovaldi can deliver, and that was evident in last year’s post-season play. In 3 career starts against Seattle, he has an ERA of only 2.12.
TONIGHT’S PICK: BOSTON RED SOX

The Philadelphia Phillies will kick off the 2019 campaign today when they open a 3-game set against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park. Philly made a statement in the off-season that they want to win the division when they signed super star Bryce Harper, Andrew McCutchen, Jean Segura and J.T. Realmuto. Atlanta was quiet over the Winter, with the only notable acquisition being third baseman Josh Donaldson. The Braves will turn to Julio Teherán today to throw strikes and he was 9-9 a season ago with a 3.94 ERA. The Phillies will counter with their ace, Aaron Nola. Nola was lights out in 2018 with a record of 17-6, a 2.37 ERA, and Philadelphia is 5-1 in his last 6 home starts against Atlanta. Consider the home team here.
TODAY’S PICK: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES