Month: August 2024

The Philadelphia Phillies lost to the Atlanta Braves last night, 7-2, but I expect they rebound tonight when they play the third game of their 4-game set at Citizens Bank Park. Southpaw Max Fried is expected to get the start for Atlanta. Fried is 8-7 with a 3.50 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. Phillies ace, Zack Wheeler, is slated to get the nod and he is 12-6 with an ERA of only 2.74 and a 1.00 WHIP. Despite last night’s loss, the Phillies are still an impressive 45-24 at home and are 6-0 in their last 6 games against a left-handed starter.
TONIGHT’S PICK: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

The 76-58 Cleveland Guardians hold a slim 1½ game lead over the Kansas City Royals for the top spot in the AL Central, so they have to take care of business this weekend when they open a 3-game set with the 62-71 Pittsburgh Pirates tonight at Progressive Field. Tonight’s expected starters are Ben Lively for Cleveland and Bailey Falter for Pittsburgh. Falter is 6-7 with a 4.25 ERA, a 1.26 WHIP, and over his last three starts his ERA has soared to 6.75 with a 1.77 WHIP. Lively has pitched well, with an 11-8 record, a 3.62 ERA, and a 1.19 WHIP. The Guardians are also 7-0 in Lively’s last 7 home starts against a team with a losing record and have the edge in runs scored, run differential, batting average, and home runs.
TONIGHT’S PICK: CLEVELAND GUARDIANS

The 75-59 Kansas City Royals will head to Minute Maid Park tonight to open a 4-game set with the 71-62 Houston Astros. The Royals are just one game back of Cleveland for the lead in the AL Central and will send Brady Singer to the hill. Singer has decent numbers with a record of 9-9, an ERA of 3.38 and a 1.25 WHIP. The Astros own the top spot in the very weak AL West and are expected to send Hunter Brown to the bump. Brown also has decent numbers with a record of 11-7, a 3.72 ERA, and a 1.32 WHIP, but in his career against Kansas City he is 0-2 with a disastrous 36.82 ERA – and that is not a typo! The Royals have owned the Astros, winning 6 straight and 8 of the last 9 meetings. Consider the road dog Royals tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: KANSAS CITY ROYALS

The Philadelphia Phillies will open a 3-game set with the Houston Astros tonight at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies will have their ace, Zack Wheeler, on the hill and he has been dealing. Wheeler is 12-6 with a 2.74 ERA and a WHIP of only 0.96. The Astros are expected to counter with Ronel Blanco who comes in at 9-6 with a 3.14 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. The Phillies are 5-0 in Wheeler’s last 5 starts against the AL West and are always tough at home with a record of 42-23.
TONIGHT’S PICK: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

The New York Yankees were bamboozled yesterday by the Colorado Rockies, 9-2, in the Bronx but they will bounce back today in the last game of their 3-game set. The Yankees have a ½ game lead over the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East and are not going to fall again to the lowly Rockies. The Bombers have the edge in every conceivable category. They score more runs, hit more homers, have more hits per game, better batting average, etc., etc., etc. Take the Yankees today.
TODAY’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The Arizona Diamondbacks and the Boston Red Sox will play the middle game of their 3-game set today at Fenway. The D-backs put a beating on the Sox yesterday, winning 12-2, and are averaging over 5 runs per game. They have won 4 in a row and will have their ace, Zac Gallen, on the hill. He is 9-6 with a 3.85 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. The Red Sox will counter with Kutter Crawford, who is 8-10 with a 4.25 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. Arizona sits just 4 games back of the LA Dodgers for the lead in the NL West and are not going to take their foot off the pedal. Take the Snakes.
TODAY’S PICK: ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS