Month: September 2023

The Houston Astros have a slim lead over the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners for the top spot in the AL West, and if they want to keep it, they cannot afford to lose to bottom feeders like the Kansas City Royals and they know it. After losing Game 1 of their 3-game set to the Royals last night, 4-2, at the K, I expect Dusty Baker will have his boys ready and they bounce back tonight. The expected starter for the Stros is the rookie J.P. France and he has been dealing. France is 11-5 with a 3.61 ERA, a 1.32 WHIP, and in his last turn against a potent San Diego offense he allowed just 1 run on 4 hits over 6 innings and Houston went on to a 12-2 romp. On the flip side, KC is expected to send leftie Cole Ragans to the bump. Ragans’ numbers are good at 6-4, with a 3.01 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP but he is 0-2 in his career against Houston with a 5.56 ERA. The Astros are 6-0 in France’s last 6 starts against a team with a losing record, 5-0 in his last 5 road starts,10-2 in his last 12 starts overall and have the edge in runs per game, run differential, batting average, hits, home runs, and so on.
TONIGHT’S PICK: HOUSTON ASTROS

Yesterday’s game between the San Francisco Giants and the Colorado Rockies was postponed. Refer to yesterday’s blog for tonight’s matchup because nothing has changed.
TONIGHT’S PICK: SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

The 75-71 San Francisco Giants are very much alive in the Wild Card hunt and will open a 4-game set with the Colorado Rockies tonight at Coors Field. To say the Giants have owned the Rockies would be an understatement. San Fran has won 16 of the last 17 meetings with Colorado and is expected to have Logan Webb toeing the rubber, who also owned the Rockies. Webb is 10-12 with a 3.40 ERA on the season, 8-2 in his career against Colorado with a 3.24 ERA and is 2-0 this year against them with an ERA of only 1.77. He last faced Colorado on Saturday where he pitched 6 scoreless innings resulting in a 9-1 Giants romp. The Rockies are 53-92 on the season and are obviously eliminated from post-season play. They are likely to send Chase Anderson to the hill. Anderson is winless, at 0-5, with a 6.49 ERA and is 0-1 this year against the Giants with a bloated ERA of 9.35. After yesterday’s 6-5 comeback win over Cleveland, San Fran will also have momentum on their side and should come out on top in this one. The Giants won’t come cheap but are still worth considering.
TONIGHT’S PICK: SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

The 91-53 Baltimore Orioles rarely lose a series, and I don’t see that happening tonight when they play the rubber game of their 3-game set with the 64-81 St. Louis Cardinals at the Yard. Tonight’s expected starters are Kyle Gibson for the O’s and Drew Rom for the Red Birds. Rom, the ex-Oriole and southpaw, is 0-2 with a 7.79 ERA and a 2.02 WHIP over 17.1 innings of work. Gibson comes in at 14-8 with a 5.12 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP over 168.2 innings of work. The Orioles are an impressive 43-27 at Birdland and 4-0 in their last 4 against a left-handed starter. Baltimore holds a 3-game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East and guess who comes to town tomorrow for a 4-game set? The Rays, so the O’s will be extra motivated tonight to go into that series on a winning note.
TONIGHT’S PICK: BALTIMORE ORIOLES

With last night’s win over the host Colorado Rockies, the 78-67 Chicago Cubs sit just 3 games back of the Milwaukee Brewers for the lead in the NL Central. In tonight’s middle game of their 3-game set, Chicago will likely turn to Javier Assad to throw strikes. He comes in at 3-3 with an ERA of only 2.83 and a 1.19 WHIP. The Rockies are having a season they would like to forget. They are 51-92 and are expected to send Chris Flexen to the hill. Flexen’s year has also been a disaster, at 1-7, with a bloated ERA of 7.36 and a 1.74 WHIP. In his career against Chicago, Flexen is 0-1 with a 12.79 ERA and that is not good. Cubs should get this one.
TONIGHT’S PICK: CHICAGO CUBS

After a lengthy road trip, the AL East leading Baltimore Orioles return home tonight to open a 3-game set with the St. Louis Cardinals. The Orioles are 90-52 overall and are expected to hand the ball to Dean Kremer. Kremer is 12-5 with a 4.07 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. The Cardinals, who are dead last in the NL Central at 63-80, are expected to give the nod to Dakota Hudson who is an impressive 6-1 with a 4.43 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. Baltimore is 42-26 at Birdland and 7-1 in Kremer’s last 8 starts. If the O’s want to hold their 3 game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays for the top spot in the AL East they have to take care of business at home against the St. Louis Cardinals, and I expect they will.
TONIGHT’S PICK: BALTIMORE ORIOLES