Author: Roger

The New York Yankees opened a 4-game set last night at Tropicana Field against the Tampa Bay Rays, using the Rays’ tactic of starting relievers and it worked, resulting in a 4-1 Yankee victory. Tonight they will abandoned that and give the nod to their ace, Louis Severino. Severino, who is 18-8 with an ERA of 3.38 and a 1.14 WHIP, was spectacular in his last turn, allowing just one run in a 10-1 beating of the Boston Red Sox. Tampa’s first pitcher will be Jake Faria, who is 4-3 on the season, with a 5.17 ERA, a 1.40 WHIP, and the Rays are 2-5 in his last 7 home starts. Severino is 7-2 in his career against the Rays with a 3.06 ERA and the Yanks are 20-8 in his last 28 starts against the AL East. The Yankees are just 1-1/2 games up on the Athletics for the top Wild Card spot. They will have to take care of business in Tampa because it won’t be easy down the stretch when they finish the season against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The Arizona Diamondbacks may be eliminated from post-season play but they would love nothing better than to put the screws to Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Tonight they will have that opportunity when they open a 3-game set at Chase Field. We all know Kershaw’s track record and he has been delivering again with a record of 8-5, a 2.45 ERA, and a 1.02 WHIP. In his last 3 turns, Kershaw is 2-0, with a 2.84 ERA, and a 1.32 WHIP however, the Dodgers have struggled at Chase Field, going 3-8 in their last 11 and are 3-8 in Kershaw’s last 11 starts in Arizona. The Diamondbacks will give the nod to Robbie Ray and he has been getting it done. Ray is 6-2, with a 3.92 ERA, and a 1.32 WHIP. In his last 3 starts, Ray is 1-0, with a 2.08 ERA and a WHIP of only 0.92. The Snakes are 4-1 in his last 5 turns and are 5-0 in his last 5 starts at home against the Dodgers. Good spot to consider the home team.
TONIGHT’S PICK: ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

The New York Yankees clinched a playoff berth yesterday but are just 1-1/2 games ahead of the Oakland Athletics for the right to host the Wild Card game, so they have to keep winning. Today the Yankees will host the Baltimore Orioles for the final game of a 3-game set and are expected to call on J.A. Happ to throw strikes. Happ is 16-6 on the season, with a 3.62 ERA, and a 1.13 WHIP. Since joining the Yanks from Toronto, Happ is still unbeaten, at 6-0, with a 2.39 ERA. Baltimore is expected to send Alex Cobb to the rubber. Cobb is 5-15, with an ERA of 4.90, a WHIP of 1.41, and has been fighting a blister on his throwing hand, which is never a good thing. The Orioles are just 1-5 in their last 6 road games against southpaws and 8-20 in their last 28 meetings with the Yankees. Consider the Bombers today in an early one.
TODAY’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The Chicago Cubs had better get back on track soon because the Milwaukee Brewers are just 1-1/2 games back of them for the NL Central lead. That should happen tonight when the Cubs resume play on the southside against the Chicago White Sox. Southpaw Jon Lester will get the start for the Cubs. Lester is having another outstanding year, at 16-6, with a 3.43 ERA, a 1.31 WHIP, and the Cubs are 9-1 in his last 10 road starts. Lucas Giolito will get the nod for the White Sox and he has been struggling. Giolito is 10-11 on the year, with a 5.77 ERA, and is 0-2 in his last 3 turns with an ERA of 6.91. The White Sox are 1-5 in their last 6 home games and 0-4 in Giolito’s last 4 starts. Rizzo and company get it done tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: CHICAGO CUBS

It is apparent the Los Angeles Angels just want this season to end, after getting outscored by the Oakland Athletics 31-3 in their last two outings. Tonight the Angels will travel to Minute Maid Park to face the Houston Astros for a 3-game set. Houston’s Gerrit Cole, who is 14-5 with an ERA of 2.88, will square off against the Angel’s lefty Andrew Heaney, who is 9-9 with an ERA of 3.97. Houston has won 7 of the last 10 meetings and are 6-0 in Cole’s last 6 home starts against teams with a losing record. The Astros can feel the heat from the Oakland Athletics and know they have to take care of business in this series.
TONIGHT’S PICK: HOUSTON ASTROS

The Philadelphia Phillies’ chances of catching the NL East leading Atlanta Braves are slim, to say the least, and tonight the two teams will open a 4-game set at SunTrust Park. The Braves will have Kevin Gausman tapping the rubber and, since being acquired from Baltimore in July, he has been paying dividends, with a record of 5-2, a 2.61 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. The Phillies will give the nod to Vince Velasquez and he has been a disappointment, with a record of 9-11, a 4.50 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. Velasquez is 0-4 this year against Atlanta with an inflated ERA of 7.41. I like the Braves in this situation.
TONIGHT’S PICK: ATLANTA BRAVES

The Los Angeles Dodgers have a 1-1/2 game lead in the NL West over Colorado and will go for a sweep tonight against the Rockies at Chavez Ravine. The Rockies will send the unpredictable Tyler Anderson to the hill and he is 6-9, with a 4.82 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. The Dodgers will counter with their young right-hander, Walker Buehler, and he has been getting it done, with a record of 7-5, a 2.88 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP. The Dodgers have been hot, winning seven of their last ten. Ride ‘em til they’re not,
TONIGHT’S PICK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS