Category: Baseball

The Boston Red Sox cannot go down two games to the World Champs or they are in major trouble and they know it. Justin Verlander was on his game last night in the 7-2 Astros victory and it won’t get any easier tonight for Boston because Houston will have Gerrit Cole tapping the rubber. Cole has been delivering all year, with a regular season record of 15-5, a 2.88 ERA, and he is 2-1 lifetime against the Red Sox with a 4.32 ERA, but is 0-1 in his career with a 5.73 ERA in two starts at Fenway. Boston is expected to counter with David Price. Price’s post-season track record is well documented and it is not good but this guy is a top shelf pitcher. Price was 16-7 in the regular season, with a 3.58 ERA, and Boston is 20-6 in his last 26 starts at Fenway. Price has pitched well against Houston in his career, with a record of 6-2 and an ERA of 2.69. If he pitches a gem tonight, which he is capable of doing, Boston heads to Houston with a split.
TONIGHT’S PICK: BOSTON RED SOX

The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers kick off the NLCS tonight at Miller Park. Craig Counsell is expected to start the lefty, Gio González. Since being acquired from the Washington Nationals, González has been on his game with a record of 3-0 and a 2.13 ERA but he has not pitched since September 30th. The Dodgers can hit lefties so they had better jump on him early because he will be on a short leash. The Dodgers clobbered the Brewers in their last meeting, 21-5, and will have their ace southpaw, Clayton Kershaw, tapping the rubber. He was spectacular in his last turn against Atlanta, tossing 8 scoreless innings and yielding just 2 hits. Kershaw is 1-1 this season against the Brewers, with a 2.25 ERA, and the Dodgers are 5-2 in his last 7 turns at Miller Park. The Brewers have won 11 in a row but streaks end.
TONIGHT’S PICK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS

The Los Angeles Dodgers are playing at the top of their game and will go for a sweep of the Atlanta Braves tonight at SunTrust Park. Their pitching has been exceptional, shutting out Atlanta in Game 1 of the NLDS, 6-0, and Game 2, 3-0. Walker Buehler is expected to get the nod tonight for Los Angeles and the young upstart has been dueling, with a record of 8-5, a 2.62 ERA, and a 0.96 WHIP. Atlanta is expected to go with Sean Newcomb and he has had a productive season. Newcomb is 12-9, with a 3.90 ERA, and a 1.32 WHIP, but Atlanta is 0-4 in his last 4 home starts. The Dodgers are 5-2 in Buehler’s last 7 starts and they are 4-1 in their last 5 trips to Atlanta.
TONIGHT’S PICK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS

The New York Yankees fell to the Boston Red Sox in Game 1 of the ALDS yesterday, 5-4, but will have an opportunity to even things up today when they meet again at Fenway. Masahiro Tanaka is expected to tap the rubber for the Bombers and he is 12-6, with a 3.75 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. Tanaka’s post-season numbers are good, at 2-2 with a 1.44 ERA. The Red Sox are expected to counter with southpaw David Price. He has delivered this year, with a record of 16-7, a 3.58 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP but has struggled in his career in post-season play. In eight career starts in the playoffs, Price is 0-8 with an elevated ERA of 5.84 and has struggled against New York this year, going 0-3 with a bloated ERA of 10.54. We know the Bombers can hit lefties and collectively their batting average is .318 against Price. The Yanks even the score.
TODAY’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

Two of the best flamethrowers in the business will oppose each other today at Munute Maid Park when the Houston Astros send Justin Verlander to the rubber and the Cleveland Indians start Corey Kluber. Kluber is 20-7, with a 2.89 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP. Verlander is 16-9, with a 2.52 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP. Verlander knows how to get it done in the post-season with a record of 11-6 and a 3.07 ERA. Consider the World Champs.
TODAY’S PICK: HOUSTON ASTROS

The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves will square off tonight at Dodger Stadium in Game 1 of the NLDS. Lefty Hyun-jin Ryu will get the nod for Los Angeles. Ryu has been delivering, with a mark of 7-3, a 1.97 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, and he in 3-0 in his last 3 turns, with an ERA of only 0.47 and a 0.74 WHIP. Mike Foltynewicz will start for Atlanta and he has pitched well. Foltynewicz is 13-10, with a 2.85 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP, and he is 2-1 in his last 3 starts but his ERA climbed to 4.76. The Braves are 1-4 in their last 5 trips to Dodger Stadium and they have struggled against lefties, going 3-9 in their last 12.
TONIGHT’S PICK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS

The New York Yankees and the Oakland Athletics will meet in the Bronx tonight to decide the AL Wild Card game. The Yanks will have their ace tapping the rubber, Luis Severino. He is 19-8 on the season, with a 3.39 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP, and New York is 22-4 in his last 26 turns at the Stadium. The A’s are going to use relievers as starters and will send the Australian, Liam Hendriks, to start. In 24 innings of work, Hendriks is 0-1 with a 4.12 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. The Athletics have had success against the the Yankees in Oakland but not in the Bronx, where they are 1-4 in their last 5.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES