Category: Baseball

After going 19-7 in the month of June, the Houston Astros are now in the top spot in the AL West. Tonight they will travel to Coors Field to open a 3-game set with the worst team in baseball, the 19-65 Colorado Rockies. If the altitude doesn’t play a factor, the ‘Stros should cruise to an easy victory. Chase Dollander is expected on the hill for the Rockies and how this guy is still in the Bigs is puzzling. Dollander is 2-8 with a 6.06 ERA, a 1.43 WHIP, and Altuve and company should be licking their chops. The rookie southpaw, Colton Gordon, is expected to get the nod for the Astros. Gordon is everything Houston hoped he would be. He is 3-1 with a 3.98 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. In his last turn against the very talented Philadelphia Phillies, Gordon allowed just 4 hits, no runs and the Astros went on to a 2-0 victory. Houston has won the last 5 meetings with Colorado and is the better team by far, 1 through 9.
TONIGHT’S PICK: HOUSTON ASTROS

The 47-37 Tampa Bays Rays are just 1½ games back of the New York Yankees for the lead in the AL East and will open a 3-game set tonight at Steinbrenner Field against the 34-52 Athletics. The Rays have been hot in the month of June, going 17-9, and are expected to call on their ace, righty Drew Rasmussen, to throw strikes. Rasmussen is 7-5 with an excellent ERA of 2.46, a WHIP of just 0.96, and is 2-0 in his career against the A’s with a 0.69 ERA. The Athletics are expected to give the nod to southpaw Jacob Lopez (2-4, 3.56 ERA, 1.30 WHIP) and he has been dealing. Over his last 4 starts, Lopez has allowed just 14 hits and only 2 runs but that doesn’t bother Tampa. They are 4-0 in their last 4 against a left-handed starter. The Athletics are the third worst team in the majors with a record of 19-25 on the road, and even with a hot hurler on the mound Tampa should prevail.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TAMPA BAY RAYS

The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies will play the rubber game of their 3-game set in a matinée today at Truist Park. After blanking the Braves on Friday 13-0, the Phillies’ bats went cold yesterday, mustering just 4 hits in a 6-1 loss. Philadelphia holds a 1/2 game lead over the New York Mets for the top spot in the NL East with Atlanta sitting 9-1/2 back. The Phillies are expected to send lefty Ranger Suárez to the hill and he has been delivering. Suárez is 6-2 with a 2.08 ERA, a 1.22 WHIP, and last faced the Braves on May 27th when he pitched a gem, yielding only 4 hits, no runs, and the Phillies went on to a 2-0 win. Atlanta is expected to counter with Spencer Strider who is 3-5 with a 4.07 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP, but don’t let his numbers fool you. Strider is a quality pitcher. If Philadelpha wants to remain at the top of the NL East, they have to beat their division rivals and they know that. Philadelphia has the edge today in starting pitching, runs scored, run differential, batting average, hits, and homers. Consider the road dog in this one.
TODAY’S PICK: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

The 51-32 Detroit Tigers lost the opener of their 3-game set to the 40-42 Minnesota Twins last night at Comerica Park, 4-1. Detroit is not in the habit of losing two in a row and should even the score this afternoon in front of the home crowd. The best in the AL are expected to hand the ball to Casey Mize. The flamethrower is 7-2 with a 2.88 ERA, a 1.24 WHIP, and the Tigers are 6-0 in his last 6 home starts against a team with a losing record. Bailey Ober is expected on the hill for the Twins. Ober is 4-5 with an elevated ERA of 4.90, a 1.37 WHIP, and Minnesota is 0-6 in his last 6 starts. Detroit is the side to consider.
TODAY’S PICK: DETROIT TIGERS

The 48-34 New York Mets are back on track, riding a 2-game winning streak, and have reclaimed the top spot in the NL East. Tonight they will travel to PNC Park to open a 3-game set with the 32-50 Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates do not score runs, averaging just 3.3 per game, and that will be a problem once again tonight against the Mets’ expected starter, southpaw David Peterson. Peterson is 5-3 with an excellent ERA of 2.98, a 1.22 WHIP, and New York is 8-1 in his last 9 starts in Game 1 of a series. The Bucs will likely counter with Mitch Keller who is 1-10 with a 4.02 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. The Mets score more than the Pirates, give up less, and are the side to consider.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK METS

The Los Angeles Dodgers will go for a sweep of the host Colorado Rockies when they wrap up their 3-game set this afternoon at Coors Field. The Dodgers, who are tied with the Detroit Tigers for the best record in baseball, should take care of business today against the worst in baseball, the 18-62 Rockies. Two southpaws are expected to oppose each other today: Clayton Kershaw for the Dodgers and Austin Gomber for the Rockies. The future Hall of Famer Kershaw is 3-0 with a 3.31 ERA, a 1.32 WHIP, and is 27-11 in his career against the Rockies with an ERA of 3.30. The Dodgers, who are first in the league in runs scored, hits, homers, batting average, OBP, and slugging, should feast on Gomber today. Gomber is 0-1 with an 8.38 ERA, a 1.66 WHIP, and was tagged for 12 hits and 9 runs in his last turn against the Arizona D-backs, resulting in a 14-8 loss.
TODAY’S PICK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS

The New York Mets are spiraling out of control. With last night’s 7-4 loss to the Atlanta Braves, the Mets have now lost 3 straight and 10 of their last 11. Tonight they will try to get back on track when they host the Atlanta Braves in Game 3 of their 4-game set at Citi Field. Clay Holmes is expected to get the nod for New York. Holmes was not sharp in his last turn against the Braves but still has decent numbers at 7-4 with a 3.04 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. Atlanta is expected to turn to Didier Fuentes to throw strikes and if the Mets are going to have a breakout game it should be against this guy. Fuentes is 0-1 with a bloated ERA of 7.20 and a 1.40 WHIP over just 5 innings of work. Despite their losing ways, the Mets are still 43-34 overall, 27-12 in Queens, and have too much talent for this losing trend to continue.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK METS