Author: Roger

The Texas Rangers are starting to show signs of life and they will seek their second straight win against the Kansas City Royals in a matinée today at Globe Life Park. Texas will turn to Bartolo Colón to get things done. Colón might be 45 years old and 285 pounds but he still knows how to pitch. He is 2-2, with a 3.51 ERA, and a WHIP of just 0.92. Colón was roughed up in his last turn but he was facing the Bronx Bombers and they do that to everybody. Kansas City will counter with Ian Kennedy, who has been awful. Kennedy is 1-5 on the season, with a 5.30 ERA, a 1.54 WHIP, and in his last 3 turns he was 0-2, with a bloated ERA of 10.91 and a WHIP of 1.91. The Royals are a dismal 5-16 in their last 21 encounters with the Rangers.
TODAY’S PICK: TEXAS RANGERS

What has happened to the Arizona Diamondbacks? This team has now lost seven in a row and 9 out of their last 10. Arizona has too much talent for numbers like that. Tonight they will try to turn it around when they head to the Coliseum for a 3-game set with the Oakland Athletics. Two lefties will face off tonight when Patrick Corbin taps the rubber for Arizona and Sean Manaea for Oakland. Corbin has pitched well at 4-1, with a 2.60 ERA, and a 2.71 WHIP. Manaea has come back down to earth since throwing a no-hitter on April 21st against Boston. In his last 3 turns, he is 1-1, with a 5.94 ERA, and a 1.44 WHIP. The A’s are 1-5 in their last 6 home games and 1-5 in Manaea’s last 6 Interleague starts. Arizona’s 5 time All-Star, Paul Goldschmidt, is batting just .200. It’s just a matter of time before Goldy gets hot. Tonight could be that night.
TONIGHT’S PICK: ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

The National League Central leading Milwaukee Brewers are hot, winning 3 in a row, and 8 of their last 10. Tonight they will try to keep the momentum rolling when they open a 4-game set at Miller Park against the New York Mets. The pitching match-up tonight is mediocre at best. Zach Davies will get the nod for the Brewers and he is 2-3, with a 4.24 ERA, and a 1.26 WHIP. The Mets will send Steven Matz to the rubber. Matz is 1-3, with a 4.42 ERA, and a 1.31 WHIP. The Mets have lost their last 5 games at Miller Park and they are 2-6 in Matz’s last 8 road starts. Edge Brewers.
TONIGHT’S PICK: MILWAUKEE BREWERS

It seems the New York Yankees have an unlimited supply of superb young talent as we have seen over the past two days in Gleyber Torres. Torres went yard twice in Monday’s match-up with the Texas Rangers and again last night with a solo shot. Tonight the Bombers will go for the series win against the Rangers when they play the rubber game of a 3-game set in Arlington. The future Hall of Fame lefty, C.C. Sabathia, will take the hill for the Yanks and he has been on his mark. C.C. is 2-1, with a 2.40 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. Texas counters with Doug Fister. Despite a 1-4 record, he has pitched well. Fister possesses a respectable ERA of 3.43 with a 1.37 WHIP. New York has been getting it done away from home. They are 13-7 on the road this season and 10-3 in their last 13. Texas has had issues with southpaws, going 3-9 in their last 12 games. Consider New York tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The Washington Nationals snapped their 3-game skid last night by throttling the San Diego Padres, 10-2, and I expect a similar result tonight. Jeremy Hellickson gets the nod for the Nationals and he has been delivering. Hellickson is 1-0, with a 2.20 ERA, and a 0.86 WHIP in 32.2 innings of work. That can’t be said about Eric Lauer, who will take the hill for the Padres. Lauer is 1-2, with a soaring ERA of 8.14, a 2.10 WHIP, and is 0-1 on the road with a 9.24 ERA. Harper and company should get to him tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: WASHINGTON NATIONALS

The Washington Nationals have lost 3 in a row after being on a tear, going 13-15, but should get back on track tonight when the San Diego Padres come to town. The Friars are reaching into the barrel when they send Robbie Erlin to the rubber. Erlin will get the nod because Joey Lucchesi is nursing a sore hip. Erlin is 1-2, with a 3.46 ERA, and was lit up in his last start against the Dodgers, yielding 6 runs in just 3 innings of work. The Nationals will send the southpaw, Gio González, to the hill. González has been on his mark, with a record of 4-2, a 2.36 ERA, and a 1.41 WHIP. In his last 3 turns, he has been even better, with an ERA of only 1.69 and a 1.38 WHIP. Anthony Rendon has feasted on Erlin, going 4-6, and the Nationals collectively are 10-16, with 2 homers and 11 RBIs against the young left-hander.
TONIGHT’S PICK: WASHINGTON NATIONALS

Julio Teherán will take the hill today for the Atlanta Braves as they try to take the 3-game set from the visiting Miami Marlins. Atlanta’s ace comes into the game at 4-1, with a 3.49 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. The bottom-feeding Marlins will send Wei-Yin Chen to the bump. Chen has been battling elbow issues and that’s apparent in his record. He is 1-2, with a 7.56 ERA and a 1.80 WHIP. The Braves should get to him today.
TODAY’S PICK: ATLANTA BRAVES