Month: September 2020

The Cleveland Indians are desperate for a win and will try to avoid losing 8 in a row when they wrap up a quick 2-game set with the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley. The Indians lost a close one yesterday, 6-5, thanks to reliever Nick Wittgren hitting Cameron Maybin in the ninth to bring in the winning run. That hurts. Tonight the pitching matchup is expected to be Aaron Civale for the Indians and lefty Jon Lester for the Cubs. Neither pitcher is having a steller season. Civale is 3-5 with a 3.88 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. Southpaw Lester is 2-2 with an elevated ERA of 5.05 and a 1.34 WHIP – slight edge to Cleveland. The Indians have played well on the road, at 14-11, and despite being 3-7 in their last 10 against the Cubs they are 4-1 in their last 5 trips to the North Side. Cleveland needs to get back on track now and they know it.
TONIGHT’S PICK: CLEVELAND INDIANS

The New York Yankees sit just a half game back of the Toronto Blue Jays for the second spot in the AL East and will have a chance to gain some ground when the two teams open a 3-game set tonight in the Bronx. Deivi García is expected to get the nod for New York. García (1-1, 3.06 ERA) last faced Toronto in Buffalo where he allowed just 2 runs in 7 innings, snapping their 5 game skid. The Blue Jays are expected to counter with Taijuan Walker. The ex-Mariner (3-2, 2.95 ERA) pitched well the last time he faced the Yanks, yielding just 2 hits, but he walked 5 and is 0-2 lifetime with a 3.06 ERA against New York. The Yankees are a force at home, with a record of 18-7, and the Jays have had issues at Yankee Stadium, with a dismal record of 26-55 in their last 81. Consider the Bombers.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The Los Angeles Dodgers must be feeling the heat from the smoking hot San Diego Padres who sit just 2.5 games back of them for the NL West lead. The Pads will have a chance to gain some ground on their archrivals when they open a 3-game set tonight at Petco Park. San Diego is coming off a sweep of a very good San Francisco team and have now won 7 straight. The Friars boast a home record of 18-6 and will have their best flamethrower on the hill tonight, Dinelson Lamet. Lamet is 2-1 with a 2.24 ERA, a WHIP of just 0.92, and was spectacular in his last outing against the Rockies, pitching 7-2/3 innings of scoreless ball in a 1-0 Padres win. The Dodgers are coming off a split with the Astros and the starter for tonight’s game is still up in the air but it will probably be Clayton Kershaw or Julio Urías. LA is a force and that is a given. They have won 7 of their last 8 trips to Petco Park but these are not the same old Padres. The Friars are hot. Ride them ’til they’re not.
TONIGHT’S PICK: SAN DIEGO PADRES

Hyun-jin Ryu has been a Mets slayer in his career and is expected to get the nod for the Toronto Blue Jays today when they conclude their 3-game set with the New York Mets in Buffalo. Toronto’s ace (3-1 with a 3.38 ERA) is 4-1 in his career against the Mets with a nasty ERA of just 1.20. Ryu faced the team from Queens twice last year as a Dodger, going 1-0 without allowing a run in 14-2/3 innings of work. Lefty David Peterson (4-1 with a 4.26 ERA) is expected to get the nod for New York and he was roughed up in his last outing. Peterson lasted just 2 innings against the Phillies, yielding 5 runs. Toronto’s young phenom, Bo Bichette, who is batting .354, is back in the lineup and the Jays are 4-1 in their last 5 against a left-handed starter.
TODAY’S PICK: TORONTO BLUE JAYS

Oakland kept it rolling yesterday as they cruised to a 10-6 win over the Texas Rangers in Arlington. The Athletics have won 3 straight and 6 of their last 8 and they will look to stay hot as the Rangers and A’s play a doubleheader today at Globe Life Field. Texas is spiraling out of control, losing 2 straight and 8 of their last 10. Going into today’s double feature, Oakland has won 40 of the last 55 meetings with Texas and are 7-1 in their last 8 in Arlington. That’s domination. Game 2 expected starters are Chris Bassitt and Kolby Allard. Bassitt sits at 3-2, with a 3.12 ERA, a 1.20 WHIP, and hit a bump in the road but looked strong in his last outing against Houston, where in pitched 7 scoreless innings resulting in a 6-0 Oakland win. Southpaw Kolby Allard has been getting lit up. Allard is 0-5, with a bloated ERA of 7.22 and a 1.43 WHIP, and you know what the Athletics do lefties. They crush them.
TODAY’S PICK: OAKLAND ATHLETICS – GAME 2

The Detroit Tigers will have their work cut out for them tonight when they travel to Guaranteed Rate Field for a 3-game set with the AL Central leading Chicago White Sox. Right off the bat it won’t be easy for Detroit because Chicago has their ace, Lucas Giolito, slated for Game 1. Giolito, who has a no hitter under his belt this year, is 4-2 with a 3.29 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP. He was dominant in his last outing against the Tigers when he pitched 7 scoreless innings, yielding just 3 hits with 13 Ks. The Tigers are expected to start Casey Mize, who is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA, a 1.79 WHIP, and with the way the White Sox crush the ball, it could be a long night for the rookie. Chicago has dominated Detroit this year, winning 6 straight, and during that span they outscored them, 46-18.
TONIGHT’S PICK: CHICAGO WHITE SOX

Two teams that are red hot, the San Francisco Giants and the San Diego Padres, will open a 4-game set tonight at Petco Park. The Giants have won 5 straight, 8 of their last 10, and are expected to send Trevor Cahill to the rubber. Cahill, who is 0-0 with a 2.65 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP, has seen limited action this year with some finger and hip issues so he might be on a short leash tonight. The Pads have won 4 straight and 8 of their last 10. They are expected to have Chris Paddack tap the rubber and he has struggled. Paddack is 3-4, with a 4.75 ERA, a 1.25 WHIP, and he is 1-4 in his last 6 starts with a 5.13 ERA. The Giants have won 5 of their last 6 trips to Petco and warrant consideration.
TONIGHT’S PICK: SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS