Month: August 2021

The Washington Nationals will open a quick 2-game set tonight with the Toronto Blue Jays at Nationals Park. The Nats season is over and they know it but Toronto’s isn’t. The Jays are very much in the playoff hunt. They are expected to have their young gun on the hill, Alek Manoah, and he delivers. The rookie is 5-1 with an ERA of only 2.59 and a 1.02 WHIP. The Jays are averaging over 5 runs per game and should be able to light up Washington’s expected starter, Erick Fedde. Fedde is 4-8 with an elevated ERA of 5.12 and a 1.43 WHIP. Washington has lost 7 straight, 9 of their last 10, and I don’t see the upstart Blue Jays falling to them tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TORONTO BLUE JAYS

The New York Yankees will have their ace, Gerrit Cole, on the hill tonight when they host the Anaheim Angels in the Bronx. Cole has been sidelined with the Covid virus and did not look sharp in his last outing but he still commands a 10-6 record with a 3.11 ERA and is 6-1 lifetime against the Halos with an ERA of just 2.70. Anaheim will counter with Jose Suárez and he has decent numbers, at 5-5 with a 3.90 ERA, but the Yankees can hit lefties. They are 5-2 in their last 7 against a left-handed starter, 5-1 in their last 6 at the Stadium, and 7-3 in their last 10 overall.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The Oakland Athletics are starting to click on every cylinder. They are 8-1 in their last 9 and should have no problem disposing of the Texas Rangers and southpaw Kolby Allard today. Allard is just 2-10 on the season with a 4.93 ERA and 1.20 WHIP, and the Athletics can hit lefties.
TODAY’S PICK: OAKLAND ATHLETICS

The best southpaw in the business, Chris Sale, will be back on the rubber after a two year layoff due to TJ surgery when the Boston Red Sox host the Baltimore Orioles. Baltimore has lost 9 in a row and they are 8-22 in their last 30 against a left-handed starter on the road. That doesn’t bode well for the Birds. Sale is 8-2 in his career with a 2.57 ERA against Baltimore.
TODAY’S PICK: BOSTON RED SOX

The Milwaukee Brewers are hot. They lead the NL Central by 8 games and should pad that lead this weekend when they visit the 41-74 Pittsburgh Pirates. Mitch Keller is expected to toe the rubber for the Bucs and he is just simply not good. Keller is 3-9 with a 7.06 ERA, a 1.81 WHIP, and the Brewers are 6-1 in their last 7 at PNC Park.
TONIGHT’S PICK: MILWAUKEE BREWERS

The San Diego Padres cannot afford to lose to a team like the Miami Marlins if they want to contend in the tough NL West and they know it. Tonight the Pads will have Joe Musgrove tapping the rubber at Petco Park and he has been delivering. Over his last 3 starts, Musgrove is 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA and a 0.84 WHIP. Enough said.
TONIGHT’S PICK: SAN DIEGO PADRES