The Washington Nationals were embarrassed yesterday by the Philadelphia Phillies, getting drilled 17-3, but I don’t see that happening again today. The Nationals will send the flame throwing San Diego native, Stephen Strasburg, to the hill. He is 8-2, with an ERA of 2.37 against Philadelphia, and the Nats are 15-3 in their last 18 trips to Philly. Harper and company get it done today.
Today’s pick:
Washington Nationals
The San Francisco Giants are off to a slow start, going 1-4 in their first 5 games, and you can attribute that mostly to their bullpen. Today however, the All-Star southpaw Madison Bumgarner will take the hill at Petco Park for the second game of the 3-game series. Mad Bum was stellar in his season debut against the Diamondbacks, retiring the first 16 batters and launching 2 home runs but the Giants lost due to the bullpen. The Padres will send Jhoulys Chacin to the bump and he was horrendous in his season debut against the Dodgers, yielding 9 runs on 8 hits and 2 walks, in just 3-1/3 innings of work. The Giants are 4-1 in Bumgarner’ last 5 starts and they should get to Chacin today.
Tonight’s pick:
San Francisco Giants
The Texas Rangers were swept by the Cleveland Indians in their home opening series but could have easily won one or two of those games if it wasn’t for their closer Sam Dyson, who gave up 8 runs in his 2 outings. Tonight they will open another 3-game set in Arlington against the Oakland Athletics. The A’s are expected to send Raúl Alcántara to the bump. Alcántara was 1-3 last year, with a bloated ERA of 7.25, surrendering 18 runs with 9 homers in 22-1/3 innings of work. The Rangers are expected to send the ex-Athletic A.J. Griffin to the hill. Griffin went 7-4 in 2016, with a 5.07 ERA, and the Rangers are 5-1 in his last 6 starts, and 4-0 in his last 4 home starts. The overnight line was Texas -155 but has dropped to Texas -135 which is a little fishy but I’m still rolling with the Rangers.
Tonight’s pick:
Texas Rangers
The Texas Rangers will look to avoid being swept at home by the Cleveland Indians tonight when they send southpaw Cole Hamels to the hill in in the final game of a 3-game set. Hamels was his usual stellar self in 2016, posting a record of 15-5, with an ERA of 3.32, and Texas is 18-4 in his last 22 home starts. The Indians will counter with Danny Salazar, who was a solid 11-6 in 2016, with an ERA of 3.87. Against the American League West, the Indians are 1-5 in their last 6 when Salazar is on the hill. Marty Foster is behind the dish tonight and Cleveland is 7-21 in their last 28 with him calling the shots. Texas avoids the sweep.
Tonight’s pick:
Texas Rangers
The San Francisco Giants will send Johnny Cueto to the bump tonight to face Patrick Corbin and the Arizona Diamondbacks in the second game of a 4-game set at Chase Field. Cueto had a great Spring, posting an ERA of 1.50 in 3 outings, and San Francisco is 4-1 in his last 5 starts. Corbin was 2-1 in Spring training, with an ERA of 3.44, and is 4-5 in 14 career starts against San Francisco. Hunter Pence has owned Corbin, going 12-25 with 4 homers, and the Giants are 13-3 in the last 16 meetings with Arizona.
Tonight’s pick:
San Francisco Giants
The Boston Red Sox will open the season with an interleague matchup today at Fenway against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Rick Porcello will take the hill for the Red Sox. Porcello was lights out in 2016, with a record of 22-4, an ERA of 3.15, a WHIP of 1.09 and was 13-1 at Fenway with an ERA of 2.97. Gerrit Cole gets the nod for the Pirates. Cole was 7-10 in 2016, with an ERA of 3.88, a WHIP of 1.44 and the Bucs are 1-4 in his last 5 interleague starts. With the current Pirates hitting a combined .130 against Porcello, the edge goes to Boston in this one.
Today’s pick:
Boston Red Sox
The New York Yankees had a great Spring in Tampa and will kick off their 2017 campaign with a trip to Tropicana Field to take on the Tampa Bay Rays. Masahiro Tanaka gets the nod for the Bombers and the Yankees are 8-0 in his last 8 starts against the Rays. Tampa Bay will counter with Chris Archer. The Rays are 0-6 in Archer’s last 6 outings against New York and 2-10 in his last 12 home starts. Last year Archer was 9-19, with an ERA of 4.02, and a WHIP of 1.24, as opposed to Tanaka, who was 14-4, with an ERA of 3.07, and a WHIP of 1.08.
Today’s pick:
New York Yankees
