Author: Roger

The 78-59 Los Angeles Dodgers will be at PNC Park tonight to open a 3-game set with the 61-77 Pittsburgh Pirates. This is a great opportunity for the NL West-leading Dodgers to put some space between them and the San Diego Padres, who are on their tails just 2.5 games back of them for the lead. Tonight Los Angeles will send future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw to the hill. Most people thought the southpaw’s best days were behind him, but they were all dead wrong. Kershaw is 9-2 with a 3.06 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP, and over his last 3 turns he is 3-0 with a 2.70 ERA and a WHIP of only 0.72. The Bucs are expected to send Carmen Mlodzinski to the hill. He is 3-7 with a decent ERA of 3.86 and a 1.32 WHIP. Los Angeles has won 6 of the last 7 meetings with Pittsburgh and the Pirates score the fewest runs in the league; not good with Kershaw on the hill.
TONIGHT’S PICK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS

The San Diego Padres and the Baltimore Orioles will open a 3-game set today in SoCal. At 61-76, the O’s will not be making the postseason, that is a given. They enter tonight’s game with just one win in their last seven and are 30-39 on the road. Baltimore is expected to send Kyle Bradish to the hill. He is 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA and a 0.67 WHIP but that is over just six innings of work. The Padres are in a dog fight with the Dodgers for the top spot in the NL West, sitting just two games back of their hated rival. San Diego is expected to give the nod to Dylan Cease. His numbers are nothing to write home about. Cease is 6-11 with a 4.82 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP but keep in mind that is over 142 innings of work. The Friars are tough to beat at Petco, with a record of 43-22. They cannot afford to lose to the lowly Orioles if they want to catch the Dodgers and they know it.
TODAY’S PICK: SAN DIEGO PADRES

The Philadelphia Phillies are on the verge of being swept by the New York Mets, but that won’t happen tonight. The Phillies have played well on the road, at 34-34, and are 6 and 4 over their last 10. We don’t need to discuss starting pitchers because they get pulled after 5 innings anyway. 
TONIGHT’S PICK: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

The Toronto Blue Jays should take care of business when they host the Minnesota Twins tonight at Rogers Centre. The Jays are 43-21 at home with the edge in runs scored, hits per game, on base percentage, and slugging. 
TONIGHT’S PICK: TORONTO BLUE JAYS

The Kansas City Royals have won seven of their last ten and are only three games back for the final AL wild card spot. The Royals will be visiting the worst team in the AL, the Chicago White Sox, on the southside. Noah Cameron is on the hill for KC. Cameron is 7-5 with a 2.53 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP, and you can’t argue with that. Chicago will start Shane Smith, who is 3-7 with a 4.12 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. You’ve got to side with the Royals.
TONIGHT’S PICK: KANSAS CITY ROYALS

The San Diego Padres are on the verge of sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers today at Petco Park, and they will do it.
TODAY’S PICK: SAN DIEGO PADRES