Month: August 2019

The Oakland Athletics will go for the series sweep over the New York Yankees tonight at the Coliseum but the Yanks’ Masahiro Tanaka might have something to say about that. Tanaka is expected to get the nod for New York. The Yankees are 11-1 in his last 12 starts and he is 2-0 in his last 3 turns, with a 3.20 ERA, and a WHIP of only 0.97. Tanner Roark is expected to take the hill for Oakland. Since being acquired from Cincinnati, he has pitched well but overall in 2019, his numbers are mediocre at best. He is 7-8, with a 4.01 ERA, and a 1.39 WHIP. The Bombers should be able to get to Roark tonight and if Tanaka can keep the ball in the park the Yanks head to Chavez Ravine with a victory. 
TONIGHT’S PICK:  NEW YORK YANKEES

The Washington Nationals took the loss yesterday, 4-1, to the Pittsburgh Pirates but they bounce back tonight when the two clubs meet again at PNC Park. Washington is a respectable 32-31 on the road and is expected to send southpaw Patrick Corbin to the hill. Corbin has been delivering as he usually does, with a 9-5 record, a 3.34 ERA, and a 1.18 WHIP. Pittsburgh’s probable starter will be Joe Musgrove. He is 8-11, with a 4.59 ERA, a 1.22 WHIP, and is winless over his last 3 turns, with a 7.31 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. The Pirates are just 1-7 in their last 8 games following a win and, even with last night’s victory, they are still a pathetic 6-22 in their last 28 overall. The Nats have been a scoring machine, racking up 45 runs in their last 4 games, and it could be an early exit for Musgrove tonight. 
TONIGHT’S PICK: WASHINGTON NATIONALS

The Chicago Cubs return to Wrigley tonight to start a 6-game homestand and their first opponent will be the San Francisco Giants. Chicago has won two in a row and is expected to give the nod to the lefty, Cole Hamels. Hamels is 6-4, with a 3.69 ERA, and a 1.32 WHIP, but has looked shaky in his last two turns so he is due for a good showing. Chicago is 5-1 in his last 6 home starts and he has decent numbers in his career against the Giants, going 6-4 with a 4.33 ERA. San Francisco’s probable starter will be Tyler Beede and he has been getting roughed up. Beede is 3-7, with a 5.77 ERA, and a 1.60 WHIP. He is 0-4 in his last 5 starts, with an 8.49 ERA, and that is not good. San Francisco is a dismal 3-14 in their last 17 trips to Wrigley and, against a Cubs team that is 41-19 at home this year, that doesn’t bode well for the Giants.
TONIGHT’S PICK: CHICAGO CUBS

The Chicago White Sox will be a big dog tonight when they open a 3-game set against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Ivan Nova is expected on the bump for the White Sox and he has been throwing flames. Over his last 3 starts, Nova is 2-0, with a nasty ERA of 0.41, and a WHIP of only 0.86. The Twins, who have gone 1-5 in their last 6 home stands, are expected to send Kyle Gibson to the rubber. Over his last 3, Gibson is 1-1, with an elevated ERA of 5.62, and a 1.69 WHIP. The White Sox are 5-0 in Nova’s last 5 starts and 4-1 in his last 5 turns against teams with a winning record. A play on the boys from the south side is worth a shot.
TONIGHT’S PICK: CHICAGO WHITE SOX

The Houston Astros have now lost 5 straight and are on the verge of being swept by the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum today, but not so fast. The Astros are expected to send Zack Greinke to the rubber and he has been stellar. Greinke is 12-4, with an ERA of 2.91, and he has been perfect since joining Houston from Arizona. He is 2-0, with a 3.00 ERA, and has been an Oakland killer in his career. Greinke owns a 6-2 record with a 3.11 ERA lifetime against the Athletics and is 3-1 with a 2.74 ERA in Oakland. The southpaw, Brett Anderson, is expected on the hill for the A’s. Anderson has decent numbers, at 10-8, with a 3.95 ERA, but has struggled miserably in his career against Houston. He is 1-4 lifetime against the Stros with a bloated ERA of 6.58. Houston has had success against southpaws, going 40-15 in their last 55. The Astros get out of their rut today.
TODAY’S PICK: HOUSTON ASTROS

The New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians will play an early one today in the Bronx and Yankee Stadium will be electric. The Yanks will be honoring the greatest reliever of all time, Mariano Rivera. James Paxton will be tapping the rubber for New York and after a slow start he has turned things around. Over his last 3, Paxton is 3-0, with a 2.89 ERA, and a 0.96 WHIP. Zach Plesac will go for Cleveland and he has pitched well. In his last 3 turns, Plesac is 1-0, with a 3.94 ERA, and a 1.56 WHIP. Plesac will be making his first career start in the Bronx and will have to contend with a packed house of revved up Yankees fans. The pressure could be too much.
TODAY’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES