Inside the Chalk

The San Diego Padres will not come cheap but should get the job done against the Colorado Rockies when they wrap up their 3-game set today at Petco Park. When you take the Rockies out of the mountains, they are just 17-42. On the flip side, the Padres are heating up, winning 8 of their last 10, and they are closing in on the LA Dodgers for the lead in the NL West. The pitching matchup today favors San Diego. The Friars will give the nod to Matt Waldron who has a 3.89 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. The Rockies will have Cal Quantrill tapping the rubber. He has a 4.50 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. Consider the Friars.
TODAY’S PICK: SAN DIEGO PADRES

The Arizona Diamondbacks and the Pittsburgh Pirates will play the middle game of their 3-game set tonight at PNC Park. The Snakes are hot, winning 4 straight and 8 of their last 10, but all good things must come to an end. Pittsburgh will have Mitch Keller on the hill, and he has been dealing. Keller is 10-5 with a 3.30 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. Jordan Montgomery is expected to get the nod for Arizona. His numbers are not good. Montgomery might be 7-5 on the season but he has an ERA of 6.51 and a bloated 1.69 WHIP.
TONIGHT’S PICK: PITTSBURGH PIRATES

The New York Yankees are hot and will go for their sixth straight win when they host the worst in the AL East tonight, the Toronto Blue Jays. The ex-Jay, Marcus Stroman, is expected to get the start for the Bombers and he will be extra motivated to stick it to his old club. Stroman is 7-5 with a 3.64 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. New York is averaging over 5 runs per game as opposed to Toronto’s 4 and the Jays will be without Bo Bichette, which will not help their cause. The Boys from River Ave. continue to roll.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

There will be a pitching mismatch tonight when the Kansas City Royals visit the Detroit Tigers. Seth Lugo will be on the hill for the Royals. He is 12-5 with a 2.66 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. Keider Montero is expected to get the nod for the Tigers. He is 1-4 with an elevated ERA of 6.78 and a 1.45 WHIP. The Royals are 4-2 this year against the Tigers and depending on where you do your shopping, Kansas City is around -155/-160. The Royals are worth considering.
TONIGHT’S PICK: KANSAS CITY ROYALS

The Atlanta Braves will go for a series win today over the Milwaukee Brewers when they wrap up their 3-game set at American Family Field and they will do it. The Braves have the best in the NL on the bump, southpaw Chris Sale. The Condor is 13-3 with a 2.68 ERA, a 0.92 WHIP, and is 1-0 in his career against the Brewers with a 1.13 ERA. Freddy Peralta is expected to get the nod for the Brewers. Peralta is 6-6 with a 3.94 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP, and he is winless over his last 3 turns. Freddy gets lit up today.
TODAY’S PICK: ATLANTA BRAVES

The Detroit Tigers will be a home dog today when they host the best in the AL, the Cleveland Guardians, in a matinée at Comerica Park. Baseball is all about pitching and the boys from the Motor City have the edge today. The Tigers are expected to send Tyler Holton to the rubber and he has been in the zone. Holton is 4-1 with a 2.87 ERA and a WHIP of only 0.87. The Guardians are expected to counter with Gavin Williams, who is 0-3 with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. Side with the Tigers and go collect.
TODAY’S PICK: DETROIT TIGERS