Category: Baseball

The Los Angeles Dodgers are on a rare 3-game losing streak but that should change tonight when they play the second of their 3-game set with the San Diego Padres at Chavez Ravine. The Padres won last night’s game, 7-1, which is rare considering they are just 3-8 in the last 11 meetings. Tonight could be a long night for the Padres expected starter, lefty Sean Manaea. He is 7-7 with a 4.90 ERA, a 1.33 WHIP, and is a disastrous 0-2 this year against LA with an ERA of 15.12, and that is not a typo. The Dodgers are expected to counter with southpaw Julio Urías and he has been on fire. Urías is 14-7 with a 2.32 ERA and a WHIP of only 0.95. He is 11-1 in his last 13 starts and 4-1 in his career against San Diego with a 2.53 ERA. The best team in baseball owns the Padres and that is a fact. They are 36-15 in their last 51 meetings overall and 43-16 in the last 59 against them at home.
TONIGHT’S PICK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS 

The Toronto Blue Jays will hit the road tonight to open a 3-game set with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Jays are very much alive in the playoff picture and are starting to click. Toronto was 9-5 in the month of August and their pitching has been getting it done. Tonight they are expected to turn to the hard throwing righty, Alek Manoah. He has delivered all season long, with a record of 12-7, a 2.60 ERA, and a 1.07 WHIP. The Jays were idle yesterday and after a day off they are 10-1 in their last 11 and 6-1 in their last 7 road games. The Pirates are on course to lose 100 games this year so the Jays need to take care of bottom feeders like the Bucs and they will. Pittsburgh has yet to announce a starter for tonight but whoever it is it doesn’t matter because the Jays young guns can score runs on anybody.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TORONTO BLUE JAYS

The Cleveland Guardians and the Baltimore Orioles will play the rubber game of their 3-game set tonight at Progressive Field. Cleveland took the first one, 5-1, with Baltimore bouncing back last night blanking Cleveland, 4-0. Tonight’s expected starters are Shane Bieber for the Guardians and Kyle Bradish for the O’s. The former Cy Young winner, Bieber, is 8-7 with a respectable 3.02 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. Bradish is upside-down at 2-5 with an elevated ERA of 5.63 and a 1.54 WHIP. Advantage Cleveland. The Guardians are 7-2 in their last 9 against the Orioles and 7-1 in their last 8 in Game 3 of a series.
TONIGHT’S PICK: CLEVELAND GUARDIANS

The 79-51 New York Yankees snapped their 3-game skid last night with a 7-4 victory over the 56-74 host, the Los Angeles Angels. Tonight they will go for a series win when they wrap up their 3-game set with the Halos at Angel Stadium. The Yankees are expected to send their ace, Gerrit Cole, to the hill. Cole is 10-6 with a 3.31 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, and has owned Anaheim in his career. Cole has an ERA of only 1.87 in his last 7 starts against the Angels and remember he grew up just down the street from Angels Stadium so you can bet your bottom dollar he will rise to the occasion again tonight. LA is expected to send lefty Patrick Sandoval to the rubber. The southpaw is 4-9 with a 3.05 ERA, a 1.38 WHIP, and it’s a fact the Bombers crush left-handed starters. New York has won 4 of the 5 meetings with Los Angeles this year and I expect they will notch another tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

 The two Florida teams will hook up tonight when the Miami Marlins host the Tampa Bay Rays at LoanDepot Park. Two lefties will oppose each other with Shane McClanahan getting the nod for Tampa and Jesús Luzardo for Miami. McClanahan has been throwing heat all season long. He comes in at 11-5, with a 2.20 ERA, a nasty WHIP of 0.86, and is 2-0 in his career against the Marlins with a 0.82 ERA. Luzardo is 3-5 with a 3.34 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP. The Rays are 7-2 in their last 9 overall and 7-1 in their last 8 against a left-handed starter. Tampa holds the top spot in the AL Wild Card and they have won 5 straight against the rebuilding Miami Marlins.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TAMPA BAY RAYS

If the Milwaukee Brewers want to see the post-season once again, they will have to beat teams like the bottom-dwelling Pittsburgh Pirates but that has been an issue this year. Tonight however things should change when the Brewers open a 3-game set with the Bucs at American Family Field. The 67-59 Brewers will send their ace, Corbin Burnes, to the hill. Burnes is 9-6 with a 2.84 ERA, a 0.96 WHIP, and is 6-1 with a 3.02 ERA in his career against Pittsburgh. The Pirates are a pathetic 48-79 on the season and 22-43 on the road. They have yet to announce a starter for tonight’s contest but whoever it is will have to face Kolten Wong and Christian Yelich, who are both clicking on every cylinder. Good luck!
TONIGHT’S PICK: MILWAUKEE BREWERS

The Houston Astros will open a 3-game set tonight with the Baltimore Orioles at Minute Maid Park. The ‘Stros should have no problem taking care of business tonight. Not only do they have the best record in the American League, at 81-45, they are also hot, winners of their last 4. Lance McCullers Jr. is expected to tap the rubber for Houston. He is 1-1 with a 2.46 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. The 65-59 Orioles are expected to send Kyle Bradish to the hill and his numbers are not good. Bradish is 1-5 with a bloated ERA of 6.25 and a 1.65 WHIP.
TONIGHT’S PICK: HOUSTON ASTROS