Inside the Chalk

The Atlanta Braves will look to even the score with the Washington Nationals tonight after getting pummeled by them yesterday, 11-2. Patrick Corbin is expected to take the hill for the Nats and he is not the flame thrower he once was. Corbin was on the losing end of his 2022 debut to the New York Mets and has had issues with the reigning Champs. Last year Corbin was 0-3 against Atlanta with an 8.44 ERA. Olson and company get back on track.
TONIGHT’S PICK: ATLANTA BRAVES

The Baltimore Orioles are doing what they do best and that is lose. The Orioles were swept by the Tampa Bay Rays in a 3-game set over the weekend and mustered just 4 runs over 27 innings. That’s not good. Today they will host the Milwaukee Brewers, and after losing 2 out of 3 against the Cubs, the Brewers are due for a big game. The Milwaukee sluggers will be facing Bruce Zimmermann. The Brewers should light this guy up. Zimmerman had an awful spring and was 4-5 last year with a 5.04 ERA. That doesn’t get it done in the Majors.
TODAY’S PICK: MILWAUKEE BREWERS

The Tampa Bay Rays will go for a series sweep today over the Baltimore Orioles when they wrap up their 3-game set at the Trop. The Rays have owned the Orioles. Tampa has won 14 straight against the Birds and are 20-1 in the last 21 meetings. Two-time Cy Young winner, Corey Kluber, will take the hill for TB. Kluber can still throw flames and is 5-1 in his career against the Orioles. Tampa gets it done in an early one today in St. Pete.
TODAY’S PICK: TAMPA BAY RAYS

Sonny Gray will be making his debut for the Minnesota Twins today as they face the Seattle Mariners at Target Field. Take Sonny.
TODAY’S PICK: MINNESOTA TWINS

The New York Yankees will host the Boston Red Sox in their home opener today and it doesn’t get any better than this. Projected starters are Gerrit Cole for the Yankees and Nathan Eovaldi for the Red Sox. Cole had somewhat of a down year in 2021 but he still went 16-8 with a 3.23 ERA, fanned 243 batters, and walked just 41. Last year, Eovaldi was 11-9 with a 3.75 ERA, 195 K’s with 35 base on balls. The Yankees had a great spring and their 1-9 lineup is brutal with the likes of Judge, Rizzo, Stanton, Gallo, and the list goes on… If that doesn’t put fear in the opposing pitcher what does? New York is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings with Boston and 36-15 in their last 51 against them in the Bronx. Take the Bombers.
TODAY’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The first game of the 2022 MLB campaign will have the Chicago Cubs hosting the Milwaukee Brewers in a matinée today at Wrigley Field. The Milwaukee Brewers have one thing in mind this year, getting to the World Series, a feat that has eluded them for the last 40 years. Milwaukee was already saturated with tons of talent and got even stronger in the off-season when they acquired outfielder Hunter Renfroe, catcher Pedro Severino, and veteran All-Star Andrew McCutchen, who can still get it done. On the other hand, Chicago is in a definite rebuilding phase so don’t expect much out of them this coming season. Today’s expected starters are, of course, Corbin Burnes for the Brew Crew and Kyle Hendricks for the Cubs. Burnes was lethal in 2021, going 11-5 with a nasty ERA of only 2.43, which earned him the NL Cy Young award. On the flip side, Kyle Hendricks was a respectable 14-7 in 2021 but had an elevated ERA of 4.77, which is uncharacteristic for the Cubs ace. Milwaukee has won 19 of the last 26 meetings with Chicago and are 6-0 in their last 6 trips to the North Side.
TODAY’S PICK: MILWAUKEE BREWERS