Category: Baseball

With the New York Mets’ loss yesterday to the Miami Marlins, and the Atlanta Braves win over the Washington Nationals, the two teams are now deadlocked for the top spot in the NL East. Tonight New York will wrap up their quick 2-game set with Miami in Queens. The Mets cannot afford to lose again to the lowly Marlins and they know it because up next is a 3-game series with the Braves in Atlanta. Miami is expected to send Jesús Luzardo to the rubber. He comes in at 3-7 with a very respectable 3.57 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP but the Marlins are 0-7 in his last 7 turns against a team with a winning record. New York is expected to counter with Taijuan Walker and he has delivered all year long. Walker is 12-5 with a 3.53 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP, and he has owned Miami this year, going 4-0 with an ERA of only 2.23. The Mets are, by far, the better team 1-9, are 50-27 at Citi Field, and should come out on top in this one.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK METS

If the Seattle Mariners want to hold onto the last Wild Card spot in the AL, they had better start winning baseball games. The Mariners are just 3-7 over their last 10 but should notch a win tonight when they host the Texas Rangers. Reigning Cy Young winner, southpaw Robbie Ray is expected to get the nod for Seattle. After a slow start to the season, Ray found his groove and is 12-10 with an ERA of 3.60 and a 1.16 WHIP. The Rangers are having a season they would like to forget. Texas is 65-87 overall and 33-42 on the road. They have lost 3 straight and are 2-8 in their last 10 against Seattle. The Rangers have yet to name a starter.
TONIGHT’S PICK: SEATTLE MARINERS

The Baltimore Orioles are still alive in the Wild Card hunt, sitting 4 games back of the third and final spot, but time is of the essence so they are going to have to take care of business when they head to Fenway tonight to open a 4-game set with the Boston Red Sox. Baltimore is expected to send Jordan Lyles to the rubber. He is a mediocre, at 11-11, with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP, but was sharp in his last turn against the Tigers, going the distance and allowing just 3 hits, fanning 6, and walking none, resulting in an 8-1 Orioles win. Boston, who is officially eliminated for playoff contention, is expected to counter with Connor Seabold and the O’s should be able to get to this guy. Seabold is winless, at 0-3, with a bloated ERA of 10.47 and a 2.20 ERA, and that is not good. Simply put, Baltimore has everything to play for and Boston doesn’t.
TONIGHT’S PICK: BALTIMORE ORIOLES

Yankee Stadium will be electric tonight when the New York Yankees go for a 4-game sweep over the Boston Red Sox. Aaron Judge is still seeking his 61st home run to tie Roger Maris and it could happen tonight. The Red Sox have lost 5 straight to the Bombers and are expected to send Brayan Bello to the hill. He has not pitched well. Bello is 2-6 with a 4.75 ERA, a 1.71 WHIP, and the Red Sox are 0-7 in his last 7 starts against a team with a winning record. New York is expected to counter with the lefty “Nasty” Nestor Cortés, Jr. He has been delivering. Cortés is 10-4 with a 2.67 ERA and a nasty WHIP of only 0.97. The Yankees are hot, winning 6 straight, and are 7-0 in their last 7 against the AL East.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The Seattle Mariners lost the opener of their 3-game set last night to the host Kansas City Royals, 5-1. Seattle holds the final spot in the AL Wild Card but they can feel the heat from the Baltimore Orioles who are breathing down their necks for the coveted spot so they had better get back on track, and they should tonight. Logan Gilbert is the expected starter for the Mariners and he is an impressive 13-6 with a 3.13 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP, and the Mariners are 7-0 in his last 7 starts against the AL Central. The Royals are expected to send lefty Kris Bubic to the rubber and how he is still in the Bigs is beyond me. Bubic is 2-13 with a 5.81 ERA, a 1.71 WHIP, and has lost his last 7 starts. The Mariners have the edge in runs per game, run differential per game, home runs per game, etc., etc., etc.
TONIGHT’S PICK: SEATTLE MARINERS

The Milwaukee Brewers sit 2 ½ games back of the Philadelphia Phillies for the last Wild Card spot in the NL so losing to the lowly Cincinnati Reds is not an option. The Brewers took Game 1 of their 4-game set with the Reds yesterday, with a 5-1 win at Great American Ball Park. Tonight Milwaukee is expected to send lefty Eric Lauer to the hill. He is 10-7 with a 3.91 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. The Reds are expected to counter with the veteran southpaw Mike Minor. Minor has not pitched well. He is 4-12 with an elevated ERA of 6.06 and 1.63 WHIP. Milwaukee is 16-6 in the last 22 meetings overall and 4-0 in their last 4 in Cincinnati. The Brew Crew are 9-4 in their last 13 road games against a left-handed starter and should be able to get to Minor.
TONIGHT’S PICK: MILWAUKEE BREWERS

The San Diego Padres are very much alive in the NL Wild Card race and will go for a series sweep over the St. Louis Cardinals in a matinée today at Petco Park. The Friars have won 5 straight, outscoring their opponents 26-4 over that span, and are expected to have their ace, Joe Musgrove, on the hill . Musgrove is 10-7 on the season with a 3.16 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. The Cardinals have a very comfortable 7 ½-game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers for the top spot in the NL Central and are expected to send Jack Flaherty to the bump. Flaherty has seen little action this year due to a shoulder issue and is 0-1, with an elevated ERA of 5.09 and a 1.83 WHIP. Perhaps that shoulder is still an issue. The Padres have won the last 7 meetings with St. Louis in San Diego and are worth considering.
TODAY’S PICK: SAN DIEGO PADRES