Author: Roger

The Chicago Cubs will try to get back on track when they travel to PNC Park tonight to open a 3 game set with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Jake Arrieta will get the call for the Cubs and he is 12-3 on the season with an ERA of 2.33 and a WHIP of 1.06. Arrieta has been spectacular at PNC Park, going 4-0 with an ERA of just 1.85 in 6 career starts. Chicago has dominated the Pirates, winning their last 7 in Pittsburgh and taking 13 out of the last 16 meetings. The lefty Francisco Liriano takes the hill for Pittsburgh tonight and he has struggled in 2016, going 5-8 with an ERA of 5.34 and a WHIP of 1.65. The Cubs have faced Liriano twice this season and clobbered him, putting up 12 runs in 10-1/3 innings. The Pirates are a dismal 1-6 in Liriano’s last 7 starts and 0-4 in his last 4 home outings. Cubs should snap their 3 game skid tonight.

Tonight’s pick:

Chicago Cubs

After being swept by the Toronto Blue Jays, the Kansas City Royals will be glad to return to Kauffman Stadium tonight where they will take on the Seattle Mariners. Two lefties are expected to face off tonight, with James Paxton for the Mariners and Danny Duffy for the Royals. Paxton is 1-1 with a 5.89 ERA and a 1.91 WHIP over his last 3 outings, and Duffy is 2-0 with an ERA of 2.95 and a WHIP of 0.98 over his last 3. The Mariners are just 2-6 in Paxton’s last 8 starts and are 0-5 in his last 5 against the American League Central. The Royals are 7-3 in Duffy’s last 10 starts and 24-9 in his last 33 at Kauffman. The Royals can also hit lefties, going 6-2 in their last 8 against them. The Royals should end their 4 game skid tonight.

Tonight’s pick:

Kansas City Royals

The red hot Cleveland Indians will try to make it 13 in a row when they open a four game series with the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre tonight. The Indians have just been on fire, winning their last 6 road games and posting a record of 21-6 in the month of June. Carlos Carrasco gets the call for Cleveland. In his last 3 outings, he is 1-1 with a 1.61 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and owns an impressive road ERA of 1.95 this season. Cleveland is 5-0 in Carrasco’s last 5 starts against the American League East. The Jays send the knuckle baller R.A. Dickey to the mound and he is 1-2 with a 4.58 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP over his last 3. Toronto is 0-8 in Dickey’s last 8 home starts and 2-9 in his last 11 on 4 days’ rest. Toronto had a late game with the Rockies on Tuesday, then played an early game yesterday and then flew home to Toronto; that takes it’s toll. Riding the Indians until they cool down.

Tonight’s pick:

Cleveland Indians

The Toronto Blue Jays will try to even the series with the Colorado Rockies, when they send the left-hander J.A. Happ to the mound tonight. In Happ’s last 3 outings, he is 3-0 with a 2.84 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. J.A. has a perfect 3-0 career record against the Rockies, with a 2.36 ERA and Toronto is 5-1 in his last 6 starts. Eddie Butler is expected to get the start tonight for Colorado and his struggles continue. Over his last 3 outings, he is 0-1 with an inflated ERA of 10.20, a WHIP of 2.27 and the Rockies are 0-5 in his last 5 starts. The hard-hitting Jays should be able to get to Butler tonight.

Tonight’s pick:

Toronto Blue Jays

Two lefties will face off tonight at Tropicana Field with Blake Snell getting the nod for the Tampa Bay Rays and Eduardo Rodriguez for the Boston Red Sox. Tampa’s top prospect Snell is 0-2 on the season with an ERA of 2.40 and Boston’s Rodriguez is 1-2 with an ERA of 6.41. Boston is 0-5 in their last 5 against left-handers and are 1-5 in their last 6 meetings with the Tampa Bay Rays. Rays should end their 11 game skid tonight.

Tonight’s pick:

Tampa Bay Rays