Author: Roger

If you thought the San Francisco Giants were done for the season, think again. This team is red hot. The Giants have won 7 straight and 9 of their last 10, and a Wild Card spot is within their grasp. Today they will go for 3 in a row against the visiting New York Mets in a matinée at Oracle Park. Jeff Samardzija will take the rubber for the Giants. He has pitched well, going 7-7, with a 3.93 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. San Francisco has won 4 straight at home and since June 1st, they have erupted, going 27-15. The Mets will counter with Walker Lockett. Lockett was recalled from AAA Syracuse and has had 2 starts this year in the Bigs. To say his numbers are horrendous might not big a strong enough word. In his 2 turns, Lockett is 0-1 with a bloated ERA of 11.74 and a 1.70 WHIP. The Giants should be able to feast on this guy today.
TODAY’S PICK: SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

The American League Central leading Minnesota Twins snapped their 3-game skid yesterday by knocking off the visiting Oakland Athletics in the first game of their 4-game set. The A’s, who had won 6 straight prior to yesterday’ s loss, will send Chris Bassitt to the rubber. Bassitt has pitched well, with a record of 6-4, a 3.98 ERA, and a 1.22 WHIP, but in his last four Friday starts the Athletics are 0-4. The Twins will counter with their All-Star flamethrower, Jake Odorizzi. Odorizzi has been lights out, at 11-4, with a 3.06 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP, and he is unbeaten at Target Field this year. Odorizzi is 6-0 at home, with a 2.27 ERA, a stingy WHIP of 0.92, and Minnesota is 16-5 in his last 21 turns overall. Consider the Twins.
TONIGHT’S PICK: MINNESOTA TWINS 

Yesterday’s game between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays was postponed. Today they will play a doubleheader in the Bronx and Game 1 will have the same pitching match-up as yesterday. Refer to yesterday’s blog for details.
TODAY’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES – GAME 1

The New York Yankees’ Domingo Germán is one of the best young arms in baseball and he will be tapping the rubber tonight when the Yanks host the Tampa Bay Rays in the third game of a 4-game set. Germán is 11-2, with a 3.40 ERA, a 1.05 WHIP, and the Yankees are 4-0 in his last 4 turns in the Bronx. Yonny Chirinos will get the start for Tampa. His numbers are good, at 8-4, with a 3.11 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP, but the Rays are just 1-5 in his last 6 starts.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The Atlanta Braves are scorching hot, winning 5 in a row, but that streak ends tonight. The Braves will be at Miller Park to face the Milwaukee Brewers for the second game of a 3-game set and will be going against one of the hottest pitchers in the Majors, Brandon Woodruff. The All-Star is 10-3, with a 3.67 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP, and the Brewers are 11-1 in his last 12 home starts. Bryse Wilson will get the nod for Atlanta. He has pitched just 14.2 innings and has an elevated ERA of 6.14, not good. Milwaukee is 6-0 in Woodruff’s last 6 turns against the National League East and after tonight, it will be 7.
TONIGHT’S PICK: MILWAUKEE BREWERS

After taking 2 out of 3 from the Boston Red Sox in Fenway, the best team in baseball, the Los Angeles Dodgers, will take their swagger into Citizens Bank Park tonight to open a 4-game set against the Philadelphia Phillies. Clayton Kershaw will be tapping the rubber for Los Angeles and he is back to what he does best, throw flames. Kershaw is 7-2, with a 3.09 ERA, a 1.05 WHIP, and has been a Philadelphia killer. The Dodgers are 6-2 in his last 8 starts against the Phillies. Zach Eflin will get the nod for Philadelphia. Eflin’s numbers are respectable, with a 3.78 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP, but over his last 3 starts, his ERA has ballooned to 9.64 and the Phillies are 0-4 in his last 4 turns against the Dodgers.
TONIGHT’S PICK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS

The New York Yankees will look to get back on track today when they wrap up a 3-game set against the Toronto Blue Jays in the Bronx. The Yankees fell yesterday to the Jays, 2-1, but Masahiro Tanaka will be on the hill for New York today and when he faces the Blue Jays good things happen. New York is 6-0 in Tanaka’s last 6 turns at home against Toronto and the Yanks are 5-0 in his last 5 starts overall. The Jays will counter with Marcus Stroman, who will probably be in pinstripes before the trade deadline. Will he want to pitch well today? Absolutely, so this won’t be an easy one. Stroman’s numbers aren’t bad, with a 3.18 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP, but Toronto has issues winning back-to-back games. They are just 4-17 in their last 21 games following a win. The Bombers get it done.
TODAY’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES