Month: August 2022

The St. Louis Cardinals and the Milwaukee Brewers will play the rubber game of their 3-game set in an early one today at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals have a slim 1/2 game lead over the Brewers for the top spot in the NL Central so this is a pivotal game for both. The Cardinals are 7-3 over their last 10 and are expected to turn to Miles Mikolas to throw strikes. Mikolas is 8-9 with a 3.50 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. The Brewers are 4-6 over their last 10 and are expected to give the nod to Aaron Ashby. His numbers are not good. Ashby is 2-10 with a 4.32 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. The Cards always play well at home, with a record of 36-21, and should come out on top today.
TODAY’S PICK: ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

The New York Yankees found a way to lose again, blowing a 2-1 lead going into the ninth against the Boston Red Sox, falling to their rival, 3-2, in extras. The Yankees, who at one time seemed invincible, have now lost 3 straight and 8 of their last 9 but that won’t last. The Bombers are still in first place in the AL East with a commanding 10 game lead over Toronto and Boston sits dead last, 15.5 games back. Tonight in the second game of their 3-game set at Fenway, the Yanks are expected to send newly acquired Frankie Montas to the hill. Montas did not look sharp in his last turn but still has good stuff. He is 4-9 with a 3.59 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP, but keep in mind, he was with Oakland, one of the worst teams in baseball. Boston is expected to send Kutter Crawford to the hill. He is 3-4 with a 4.30 ERA and a WHIP of 1.23. The Yanks should be able to get to him. New York is still 30-27 on the road and 6-5 this year against Boston. The Bombers get back on track tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The San Diego Padres will take a two game winning streak into DC tonight for a 3-game series with the Washington Nationals. It could be a long night for the Nats, who own the worst record in baseball at 37-76. Cory Abbott is the expected starter for Washington. He will have to face his old teammates, Juan Soto and Josh Bell, for the first time and they are both due for a big night. Abbott is 0-1 with a 5.68 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. The 63-51 Padres are expected to give the nod to Mike Clevinger and he is starting to pitch like the ace he was when he took the mound for Cleveland. Clevinger is 3-4 with a respectable 3.60 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. The Friars are 9-1 in their last 10 games following a day off and 5-2 in their last 7 in Washington.
TONIGHT’S PICK: SAN DIEGO PADRES

Johnny Cueto will be on the hill for the Chicago White Sox tonight when he faces his old team, the Kansas City Royals, for the third game of their 4-game set at Kauffman Field. Cueto is upside down at 4-5 but has an ERA of 2.91 and a 1.19 WHIP. The last time he faced his old teammates was in May and he delivered, pitching 6 scoreless innings and yielding just 2 hits in a 5-3 White Sox win. The Royals will send Kris Bubic to the mound. The lefty has not pitched well. Bubic is 2-6 with a 5.27 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP. The White Sox are just 1.5 games back of the Cleveland Guardians for the top spot in the weak AL Central so every game counts from here on out. Not so for the Royals, who are not going anywhere.
TONIGHT’S PICK: CHICAGO WHITE SOX

The San Diego Padres will try to right the ship tonight when they host the San Francisco Giants. The Friars have lost 5 straight and Bell and Soto have yet to justify their huge salaries but they will tonight. The pitching matchup has Joe Musgrove against Alex Cobb. Musgrove is 8-5 with a 3.00 ERA and Cobb is 3-6 with a 4.08 ERA. Edge Padres.
TONIGHT’S PICK: SAN DIEGO PADRES

The New York Mets are #1 in the East because they are loaded with talent and have the best skipper in the bigs, Buck Showalter. Tonight they will host the Cincinnati Reds. The expected starters are Chris Bassitt for the Mets and Justin Dunn for the Reds. Bassitt is 8-7 with a 3.02 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. Dunn just got called up from AAA and the Mets are licking their chops. New York has won 3 straight, 8 of their last 10, and will not lose tonight at home to an inferior Reds team.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK METS