Author: Roger

The New York Yankees have had issues with the Tampa Bay Rays in Tampa but it’s a different story when they meet in New York. The two team will open a 3-game set tonight in the Bronx. The Yankees are expected to give the nod to J.A. Happ, who is 12-6, with a 4.07 ERA, and a 1.13 WHIP. Since joining the Yankees from Toronto, he is a perfect 2-0 with a 2.65 ERA and a 0.76 WHIP. The Rays will once again start a reliever and are expected to go with Hunter Wood. Wood will probably pitch an inning or two, and in 25-1/3 innings of work he is 0-0, with a 3.91 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP. New York has won 5 of 6 meetings with Tampa in the Bronx this year and the Rays are 6-21 in their last 27 trips to Yankee Stadium.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

There will be a pitching mismatch tonight at Globe Life Park in Arlington when the Arizona Diamondbacks visit the Texas Rangers. Arizona will send their ace to the hill, Zack Greinke, who has been doing what he does best, deliver. Greinke is 12-7, with a 2.89 ERA, and a 1.04 WHIP. Texas will give the nod to Bartolo Colón, who is 6-10, with a 5.18 ERA, and a 1.27 WHIP. The Diamondbacks bats came alive yesterday when they smashed 5 home runs in a 9-2 trouncing of the Cincinnati Reds. They should get to Colón tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

Good things happen when Zack Godley taps the rubber for the Arizona Diamondbacks and he better be on his game today at Great American Ball Park if the D’backs want to avoid being swept by the last place Cincinnati Reds. Godley is 12-6, with a 4.35 ERA, a 1.43 WHIP, and Arizona is 4-1 in his last 5 road starts. The Reds will counter with Luis Castillo, who is 6-9, with a 4.91 ERA, and a 1.33 WHIP. Castillo did not look sharp in his last start against the D’backs on May 29th, where he gave up 5 runs in 5 innings of work in a 5-2 Arizona win. Arizona leads the Majors with 92 runs scored in the first inning and they need to jump on Castillo early.
TODAY’S PICK: ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

With the loss to the San Diego Padres last night at Petco Park, the Philadelphia Phillies have now been held scoreless in their last two games, blanked by Arizona on Wednesday, 6-0, and by the Friars last night, 2-0. The Phillies have the arsenal to put up numbers, it’s just a matter of time before they do, and tonight could be that night. The Pads and Phillies will play the second game of a 3-game set tonight and San Diego is expected to send Walter Lockett to the rubber. Lockett will be making his third Big League start and has struggled. He is 0-2, with an elevated ERA of 9.28, a 2.34 WHIP, and he did not look good in his last outing, surrendering 5 runs and 9 hits to the Chicago Cubs. Philadelphia will turn to their ace, Aaron Nola, to get them back on track. Nola is 12-3, with a 2.37 ERA, a WHIP of only 0.99, and the Phillies are 5-0 in his last 5 turns against the National League West. Philadelphia and Atlanta are tied for the National League East lead. The Phillies need to beat bottom feeders like the Padres if they want to keep pace and they know it.
TONIGHT’S PICK: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

The Seattle Mariners put up 8 runs last night at Minute Maid Park to beat the host Houston Astros, 8-6. Tonight they will meet again in Houston for the second leg of a 4-game set. The Astros will have their ace flame thrower, Gerrit Cole, on the bump. He is 10-4, with a 2.64 ERA, a 0.99 WHIP, and Houston is 6-1 in his last 7 home starts. Cole is 1-1 this season against Seattle with an ERA of only 1.32. The Mariners will give the nod to Mike Leake, who is 8-7, with a 4.16 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. Leake has not fared well this year against the Champs, going 0-2 with a 6.00 ERA. The Astros have won 12 of the last 16 meetings with the Mariners and are expected to have their All-Star shortstop back tonight, Carlos Correa, who has been out since June with back soreness. Houston should even it up tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: HOUSTON ASTROS

After last night’s loss to the Chicago Cubs, the Kansas City Royals have now lost six in a row. The Cubs will go for the sweep of the Royals when they play the final game of a 3-game set tonight at Kauffman Stadium. Kansas City is just 15-39 at home and will turn to the rookie, Heath Fillmyer, to throw strikes. Fillmyer has made 5 starts for the Royals and has yet to get a decision. He is 0-1, with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. Chicago is 10-4 this year in interleague play and will counter with the lefty, José Quintana. Quintana is 10-7, with a 4.12 ERA, a 1.38 WHIP, and the Cubs are 5-1 in his last 6 starts. The Royals have had issues with southpaws, going 5-17 in their last 22 games.
TONIGHT’S PICK: CHICAGO CUBS