Category: Baseball

The San Diego Padres and the Pittsburgh Pirates will play the rubber match of their 3-game set in a matinée today at Petco Park. The 29-17 Pads sit just three games back of the Dodgers for the top spot in the NL West and will send their 2017 first round pick to the hill, lefty Mackenzie Gore. Gore is living up to all expectations. He is 3-1 with a 2.06 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP over 35 innings of work. The 19-26 Bucs will send Roansy Contreras to the bump and his numbers look good, at 1-0 with a 2.13 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP, but that was over just 12.2 innings of work. The Friars usually bounce back after a loss. They are 4-0 in their last four Sunday games and could have Manny Machado back today, who sat out yesterday with a sore elbow. San Diego scores more than Pittsburgh, gives up less and they are worth considering today.
TODAY’S PICK: SAN DIEGO PADRES

The Toronto Blue Jays won the first two games of their 4-game set with the Los Angeles Angels but LA should bounce back tonight in Anaheim. The Angels are 11-2 in their last 13 in game 3 of a series and will have Michael Lorenzen toeing the rubber. Lorenzen has been on his mark, with a record of 5-2, a 3.05 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP, and LA is 4-1 in his last 5 starts. The Jays will send Yusei Kikuchi to the hill. Kikuchi has decent numbers, at 2-1, with a 3.47 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. However, he has struggled against the Angels in his career, going 1-4 with a bloated 10.92 ERA and the Jays are 0-4 in his last 4 road starts.
TONIGHT’S PICK: LOS ANGELES ANGELS

The San Francisco Giants won two straight against a really good Mets team and tonight they will be in Cincinnati to open a 3-game set with the Reds. Cincinnati is also riding a 2-game winning streak and put up a staggering 20 runs yesterday but that was against a rebuilding Cubs team so no reason to get too excited. The Giants are expected to send Carlos Rodón to the hill. The southie is 4-3 with a 3.43 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP, and is 2-0 in his career against the Reds with a stingy 1.64 ERA. The Reds starter has yet to be determined. If the Giants want to keep pace with the Dodgers and Padres in the NL West they have to beat teams like the Reds and they know it. San Fran is 6-0 in the last 6 meetings overall with Cincinnati and 4-0 in their last 4 at Great American Ball Park.
TONIGHT’S PICK: SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

The Kansas City Royals will look to snap their 6-game losing streak when they head to Target Field to open a 4-game set with the Minnesota Twins. Just last week the Twins took 3 games from the Royals in KC and have won 6 of their last 7. Minnesota should have success against KC starter Daniel Lynch. Lynch is 2-3 with a 4.01 ERA, a 1.37 WHIP, and Royals relievers own the worst ERA in the American League. Devin Smeltzer will get the nod for the Twins and he has been dealing. Smeltzer is 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. The AL Central-leading Twins are 21-9 in their last 30 at home against the Royals and should come out on top tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: MINNESOTA TWINS

The San Diego Padres fell to the Milwaukee Brewers yesterday, 4-1, but expect them to bounce back today when the two clubs meet again in an early one at Petco Park. The expected starters for today’s matchup are lefty Aaron Ashby for the Brewers and Yu Darvish for the Padres. Ashby is 0-3 with a 3.49 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP, and Darvish comes in at 4-1 with a 3.91 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. San Diego rarely loses two in a row. They are 6-0 in Darvish’s last 6 starts and 12-2 in their last 14 against a left-handed starter. Consider the Friars.
TODAY’S PICK: SAN DIEGO PADRES

The New York Yankees are in a rare 3-game losing streak. Will it go to 4? Highly unlikely. Two southpaws will oppose each other tonight in the Bronx when the Yankees and the Orioles play the middle game of their 3-game set. Baltimore will send Bruce Zimmermann to the hill and New York Jordan Montgomery. Both hurlers have similar numbers, with ERA’s hovering around 3.50. It’s common knowledge that New York feasts on left-handed starters and Baltimore is 1-8 in Zimm’s last 9 road starts. The Bombers get back on track tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The Detroit Tigers will have their hands full when they travel to Target Field tonight to open a 3-game set with the Minnesota Twins. The Twins return home after a successful road trip where they won 5 of 6 and this team is a legitimate contender. They are first in the Central and swept the Tigers back in April, outscoring them 17-5 over their 3-game series. Chris Archer is expected to be on the hill for Minnesota and he can still get it done. Detroit has been back and forth with their expected starter and whether it’s Beau Brieske or Elvin Rodriguez doesn’t matter, the Twins will have a field day with either one these guys.
TONIGHT’S PICK: MINNESOTA TWINS