Category: Baseball

Sonny Gray will be making his debut for the Minnesota Twins today as they face the Seattle Mariners at Target Field. Take Sonny.
TODAY’S PICK: MINNESOTA TWINS

The New York Yankees will host the Boston Red Sox in their home opener today and it doesn’t get any better than this. Projected starters are Gerrit Cole for the Yankees and Nathan Eovaldi for the Red Sox. Cole had somewhat of a down year in 2021 but he still went 16-8 with a 3.23 ERA, fanned 243 batters, and walked just 41. Last year, Eovaldi was 11-9 with a 3.75 ERA, 195 K’s with 35 base on balls. The Yankees had a great spring and their 1-9 lineup is brutal with the likes of Judge, Rizzo, Stanton, Gallo, and the list goes on… If that doesn’t put fear in the opposing pitcher what does? New York is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings with Boston and 36-15 in their last 51 against them in the Bronx. Take the Bombers.
TODAY’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The first game of the 2022 MLB campaign will have the Chicago Cubs hosting the Milwaukee Brewers in a matinée today at Wrigley Field. The Milwaukee Brewers have one thing in mind this year, getting to the World Series, a feat that has eluded them for the last 40 years. Milwaukee was already saturated with tons of talent and got even stronger in the off-season when they acquired outfielder Hunter Renfroe, catcher Pedro Severino, and veteran All-Star Andrew McCutchen, who can still get it done. On the other hand, Chicago is in a definite rebuilding phase so don’t expect much out of them this coming season. Today’s expected starters are, of course, Corbin Burnes for the Brew Crew and Kyle Hendricks for the Cubs. Burnes was lethal in 2021, going 11-5 with a nasty ERA of only 2.43, which earned him the NL Cy Young award. On the flip side, Kyle Hendricks was a respectable 14-7 in 2021 but had an elevated ERA of 4.77, which is uncharacteristic for the Cubs ace. Milwaukee has won 19 of the last 26 meetings with Chicago and are 6-0 in their last 6 trips to the North Side.
TODAY’S PICK: MILWAUKEE BREWERS

The Atlanta Braves had the Houston Astros on the ropes in Game 5, up 4-0 in the first, but couldn’t finish it, allowing Houston to crawl back and win, 9-5. Tonight the series will switch to Houston and the Astros will have momentum on their side as well as 41,000 fans to back them. Lefty Max Fried is expected to take the hill for Atlanta. Fried was lit up the last time he faced Houston in Game 2, allowing 6 runs on 7 hits over 5 innings of work, and the Astros rolled to a 7-2 victory. Houston is expected to counter with Luis García. García allowed 1 run over 3-2/3 innings in Game 3 and will be on short rest, so any sign of trouble he’ll get the hook. Having their backs against the wall is nothing new for the Astros. They are also 5-1 in their last 6 interleague home games against a left-handed starter and 7-2 in their last 9 playoff games at Minute Maid Park. The Braves had their opportunity on Sunday to close it out but squandered it and that could come back to bite them.
TONIGHT’S PICK: HOUSTON ASTROS

Framber Valdez was outstanding in his last turn against the Boston Red Sox and will get the nod tonight for Houston in Game 1 of the World Series at Minute Maid Park. The southpaw allowed just 1 run on 3 hits over 8 innings and the Astros went on to crush the Red Sox, 9-1. Ex-Astro Charlie Morton will be toeing the rubber for the Atlanta Braves. In 3 postseason starts this year, Morton is 0-1 with a 3.77 ERA. Atlanta has struggled against lefties in interleague play, going 3-11 in their last 14, and are 0-5 in their last 5 trips to Houston. The Astros enter Game 1 on fire, winning 3 straight against Boston to reach the Fall Classic, and outscored them 23-3 over that span. Houston is 6-1 in their last 7 playoff home games and 5-1 in their last 6 interleague games at Minute Maid Park.
TONIGHT’S PICK: HOUSTON ASTROS

After yesterday’s come from behind 6-5 victory over the Atlanta Braves, the Los Angeles Dodgers are back in business in the NLCS with momentum on their side and lefty Julio Urías toeing the rubber in tonight’s Game 4. Urías has been light’s out all year with a 21-3 overall record, a 2.99 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. In two career regular season starts against the Braves, Urías is 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA and the Dodgers are 5-0 in his last 5 home starts. Atlanta has yet to announce a starter so it is likely to be a bullpen game for the Braves.
TONIGHT’S PICK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS

If you think the NLCS is over, just look back to last year’s NLCS and you will reconsider. The Dodgers may be down 0-2 but now the venue switches to Dodger Stadium where Los Angeles is 60-24 this season. This series could easily be knotted at one apiece if it were not for Dave Roberts’ questionable managing skills. The Braves have not fared well at Dodger Stadium, with just one win in their last 12 tries, and were swept by the Dodgers in a 3-game set at Chavez Ravine back in August.
TODAY’S PICK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS