Category: Baseball

The Toronto Blue Jays and the Tampa Bay Rays will play the third game of a 4-game set tonight at Rogers Centre and I’m leaning Toronto in this one. Jacob Faria will get the call tonight for the Rays. Faria is winless in his last 3 starts, posting an ERA of 5.06, with a WHIP of 1.44, and has issued 10 walks during that span. Toronto’s ace Marcus Stroman will tap the rubber tonight for the Jays. Stroman is 1-1 in his last 3 outings, with a 2.49 ERA, a 1.20 WHIP, and is 1-0 against the Rays this year with an ERA of 1.98. Toronto is 7-2 in Stroman’s last 9 starts at Rogers Centre and 6-0 in their last 6 games following a loss.

Tonight’s Pick:

Toronto Blue Jays

The Arizona Diamondbacks blanked the Houston Astros last night, 2-0, but that’s understandable since Zack Greinke was on the hill for Arizona. Today they meet again in an early one at Chase Field and the outcome could be different. Brad Peacock gets the start for Houston and he has been spectacular. Peacock is 10-1, with an ERA of 3.07, and has not lost a game since June 9th. Houston is 7-1 in his last 8 starts and 6-1 in his last 7 road starts. Anthony Banda gets the nod for Arizona and he is 1-2, with an ERA of 4.60. Banda lost to the Dodgers in his last outing, 8-6. Houston has won 7 of the last 10 meetings with Arizona. I like the Astros in this situation.

Today’s Pick:

Houston Astros

The Atlanta Braves will travel to Coors Field tonight to face a Colorado Rockies team that they have struggled against. Atlanta is 2-14 in their last 16 meetings with the Rockies and 1-10 in their last 11 trips to Coors Field. The Braves will hand the ball to Julio Teherán who has had issues this year with a 7-10 mark, an ERA of 5.25, and the Braves are 1-4 in his last 5 starts. The Rockies’ Chad Bettis, who had off season cancer surgery, will be making his 2017 debut. In 2016, Bettis was 14-8, with an ERA of 4.79, and Colorado is 10-1 in his last 11 starts against the National League East. The crowd will be fired up for this one. I like the home team here.

Tonight’s Pick:

Colorado Rockies

The St. Louis Cardinals are hot, winning 7 in a row, and will go for 8 today when they host the Atlanta Braves at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals have the edge in the pitching matchup in this one. St. Louis will send Carlos Martínez to the rubber. Martínez is 8-9, with an ERA of 3.52, and a WHIP of 1.19 in 148.1 innings of work. Atlanta will counter with Lucas Sims, who is 0-2, with a 5.25 ERA, and a 1.17 WHIP in just 12 innings of work. The Cards are 13-3 in their last 16 games as a favorite and Atlanta is 1-7 in their last 8 games as an underdog. St. Louis is hot, ride them ’til their not.

Today’s Pick:

St. Louis Cardinals

The Milwaukee Brewers have lost 5 in a row but they should get back on track tonight when they host the Cincinnati Reds at Miller Park. Jimmy Nelson will tap the rubber tonight for Milwaukee. Nelson is 9-5, with a 3.24 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP and is 2-0 this season against the Reds, with an ERA of 1.93. Homer Bailey will get the nod for Cincinnati. Bailey has been struggling, posting a record of 3-6, with an ERA of 8.86, a 2.04 WHIP, and was lit up in his last outing by St. Louis, yielding 10 runs on 10 hits in just 3-1/3 innings of work.

Tonight’s Pick:

Milwaukee Brewers

The Houston Astros and the Chicago White Sox will play the final game of a 3-game set tonight on the South Side. The Astros are on the verge of being swept by a very bad White Sox team but Brad Peacock takes the hill for Houston tonight and he can deliver. Peacock is 10-1, with a 3.20 ERA, and a 1.26 WHIP. Houston is 7-0 in his last 7 starts and 6-0 in his last 6 road starts. Chicago will hand the ball to Carlos Rodon. Rodon is 1-4 on the season, with an ERA of 4.66, and a WHIP of 1.47. Chicago is 2-5 in their last 7 games against the American League West and 4-11 in their last 15 home games. The numbers say Houston in this one.

Tonight’s Pick:

Houston Astros

Masahiro Tanaka will take the hill tonight for the New York Yankees when they face the Toronto Blue Jays in the second game of a 3-game set at Rogers Centre. Tanaka has pitched well of late, going 1-1 over his last 3 starts, with a 2.70 ERA, and a 0.80 WHIP. Tanaka has been a Blue Jay killer. New York is 6-1 in his last 7 starts against Toronto and has notched 2 victories against them this season. Toronto is expected to call up Nick Tepesch from AAA Buffalo. In 41 career starts, Tepesch is 9-19, with an ERA of 4.69. Toronto’s Ryan Goins is 0-19 against Tanaka, Justin Smoaks is 1-14, and the ex-Yankee Russel Martin is 1-11. I like the Yankees’ chances in this one.

Tonight’s Pick:

New York Yankees