Category: Baseball

The Texas Rangers swept the Seattle Mariners over the weekend and now hold a 2½ game lead over the Houston Astros and 3 over the Mariners for the top spot in the AL West. With 7 games left, the Rangers will open a 3-game set tonight with the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim then finish up with a 4-game series in Seattle with the Mariners so this series is vital for Texas. The Rangers will go for their sixth straight win tonight and are expected to send Jon Gray to the hill. Gray is 8-8 with a 4.22 ERA and is 2-1 in his career against the Halos, with a 3.42 ERA. LA is expected to counter with southpaw Patrick Sandoval, who is 7-13 with a 4.19 ERA. He is 1-3 in his career against Texas with a 3.94 ERA and is a dismal 1-8 in his last 9 starts overall. The Angels are just 2-9 in their last 11 games and are without Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. Not good.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TEXAS RANGERS

The Texas Rangers are clicking when it counts the most, down the stretch, and they will go for their fifth straight win and a 3-game sweep of their AL West foe Seattle Mariners today in Arlington. With last night’s 2-0 win over Seattle, Texas now has a 1½ game lead over Houston and 2 over Seattle for the top spot in the West. Nathan Eovaldi is expected to get the nod for the Rangers. He is 11-4 with a 3.05 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. The Mariners are expected to hand the ball to the rookie, Bryan Woo, who is 4-4 with a 3.91 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. Texas has had Seattle’s number this year. They have won 6 straight and 7 of the last 8 meetings. The Rangers are hot, ride them ’til they are not.
TODAY’S PICK: TEXAS RANGERS

With 8 games left on the slate, the San Diego Padres are 4 games back of the last Wild Card spot but they are still alive and not going down without a fight. San Diego has won 8 straight and look to remain hot when the Padres and the St. Louis Cardinals play the middle game of their 3-game set tonight at Petco Park. The 67-87 Cardinals are obviously out of the picture. Their skipper, Oli Marmol, stated that he will be looking at some of his young talent in tonight’s game. Also, the Cards will be without All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado and catcher Willson Contreras which is good for the Friars. Tonight’s expected starters are Nick Martinez for the Pads and Jake Woodford for the Cards. Martinez is 5-4 with a 3.73 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. Woodford, who was just called back up from AAA Memphis, is 2-2 with a 5.32 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP. The Padres are feeling invincible and like Manny Machado told the Padres fans last night, “We are not out of it. Sixteen in a row.”
TONIGHT’S PICK: SAN DIEGO PADRES

The 79-75 Cincinnati Reds trail the Chicago Cubs and the Miami Marlins by half a game for the last Wild Card spot in the NL and need to care of business tonight when they open a 3-game set with the 72-81 Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park. Lefty Andrew Abbott is expected on the hill for the Big Red Machine. He is 8-5 with a 3.68 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. The Bucs have yet to announce a starter for tonight, but it will probably be Luis L Ortiz, who is 4-5 with a 4.85 ERA and a 1.73 WHIP. The Reds were off yesterday, and this is their last homestand of the regular season so they will be ready. Losing is not an option for Cincinnati.
TONIGHT’S PICK: CINCINNATI REDS

The AL East leading 95-57 Baltimore Orioles are coming off a series win against the Houston Astros and will now set their sights on the 72-81 Cleveland Guardians when the two clubs open a 4-game set tonight at Progressive Field. The Orioles are an impressive 50-27 on the road and are expected to have Grayson Rodriguez toeing the rubber. Rodriguez is 6-4 with a 4.53 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP, but it gets better. Over his last 3 turns, he is 2-1 with an ERA of only 1.96, a 1.25 WHIP, and in his last outing against the Tampa Bay Rays he tossed 8 scoreless innings and the O’s went on to an 8-0 shutout win. Baltimore is 6-0 in their last 6 road games against a team with a losing record and 8-0 in Rodriguez’s last 8 starts against a team with a losing record. Cleveland has yet to announce a starter for tonight’s matchup but whoever it is shouldn’t matter. Baltimore is the real deal!
TONIGHT’S PICK: BALTIMORE ORIOLES

The Baltimore Orioles are starting to feel the heat from the 93-59 Tampa Bay Rays. With last night’s 6-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels at the Trop, the Rays are just 2½ games back of the O’s for the lead in the AL East. Tampa will go for their 5th straight win in St. Pete when the Angels and Rays play the middle game of their 3-game set. The 68-83 Angels have lost 6 straight and cannot wait for this disastrous season to end. LA is expected to send Reid Detmers to the hill. He comes in at 3-10 with a 4.77 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. Tampa is expected to have Aaron Civale toeing the rubber. Civale is 7-3 with a 3.06 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. The Rays have everything to play for and the Angels don’t. LA is without superstars Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, and they are just 2-8 in the last 10 meetings with Tampa. The Rays won’t come cheap but are still worth considering.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TAMPA BAY RAYS

With last night’s 4-2 loss to the 75-76 Boston Red Sox in Arlington, the 82-68 Texas Rangers have now lost 4 straight and will turn to Nathan Eovaldi to get them back on the rails tonight in the second game of their 3-game set. The ex-Red Sox pitcher is 11-4 with a 2.96 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP, and is 3-0 against his old club with an ERA of 4.78. Tanner Houck is expected to get the nod for Boston. He is 5-9 with a 4.94 ERA, a 1.33 WHIP, and the Red Sox are 0-6 in his last 6 turns as a road underdog. Texas sits 1½ games back of Houston for the lead in the AL West and if they want to catch them they had better get their act together, and they will. The Rangers have Josh Jung back in the lineup, as well as Adolis García, which will get their lethargic offense clicking again.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TEXAS RANGERS