Author: Roger

The Baltimore Orioles fell to the Texas Rangers, 3-2, yesterday in Game 1 of the ALDS at Camden Yards. They cannot afford to go down 0-2 in the 5-game series, or they will be in major trouble, and they know it. Today’s expected starters will be rookie Grayson Rodriguez for Baltimore and lefty Jordan Montgomery for Texas. Both guys have been dealing. Montgomery is a 1-0 in the postseason with a 0.00 ERA and is 3-1 in his career against the Orioles with a 3.04 ERA. Since being called back up to the Bigs from AAA-Norfolk, Rodriguez is 5-2 with an ERA of 2.58. The O’s looked a little sluggish after being off for a week but with the rust gone and with this, in a sense, being a do or die situation, they should bounce back today at Birdland.
TODAY’S PICK: BALTIMORE ORIOLES

The Arizona Diamondbacks and the Los Angeles Dodgers will open the NLDS tonight at Chavez Ravine. The expected starters for tonight’s game are future Hall of Famer lefty Clayton Kershaw for the Dodgers and Merrill Kelly for the Diamondbacks. Kershaw has had success against Arizona in his career, with a record of 22-12 and a 2.73 ERA. He last faced the D-backs on August 29th where he pitched 5 innings yielding just 3 hits, 1 run, and LA went onto a 9-1 blowout win. The pitcher that opposed Kershaw in that game was Merrill Kelly and that night the Dodgers smacked him around for 12 hits and 7 runs over his 5 innings of work. Kelly is also 0-11 in his career against the Dodgers with a 5.49 ERA. LA has won 5 straight against Arizona, including a 3-game sweep in late August at the Ravine, outscoring them 23-5. If the Dodgers are not affected by the week off, they should get this one.
TONIGHT’S PICK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS

Are the Tampa Bay Rays going to be swept by the Texas Rangers on their home turf at Tropicana Field? I doubt it. The Rays are 53-29 in St. Pete and will have Zack Eflin on the hill. Eflin is 16-8 with a 3.50 ERA and a WHIP of just 1.05. The Rangers will counter with Nathan Eovaldi and he can deliver. Eovaldi is 12-5 with a 3.63 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. This will be a tight one, with two flamethrowers on the bump, but Tampa is not going down without a fight and will prevail.
TODAY’S PICK: TAMPA BAY RAYS

The 89-73 Toronto Blue Jays will be in Minneapolis today when they face the 87-75 Minnesota Twins in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card series. Toronto has played well on the road, with a record of 46-35, and will have their ace, Kevin Gausman, on the hill. Gausman is 12-9 with a 3.16 ERA and over his last 3 turns he is 1-1 with a 2.04 ERA. Minnesota is expected to hand the ball to Pablo López. He comes in at 11-8 with a 3.66 ERA but over his last 3 his ERA has soared to 6.46. The Twins do not score a lot of runs and Gausman will be able to keep them in check. The young guns for the Jays get it done today.
TODAY’S PICK: TORONTO BLUE JAYS