Inside the Chalk

The Kansas City Royals did a rare thing yesterday, they got a win taking Game 1 of their doubleheader with the Chicago White Sox, only to go back to their old habits and lose Game 2. Today they will meet again at Guaranteed Rate Field and the Royals will have to be clicking on every cylinder because the Sox are expected to send lefty Carlos Rodón to the hill. Rodón isn’t just baffling hitters, he is mowing them down. His numbers are off the charts, at 5-0, with a ridiculous ERA of 0.58 and a 0.68 WHIP. Southpaw Mike Minor is expected to get the nod for KC and Chicago should be able to light him up. He is 2-2 with a 5.75 ERA and that ERA has soared over his last 3 turns to 7.36. The White Sox have been feasting on left-handed starters at Guaranteed Rate Field, going 8-1 in their last 9, and have won 14 of the last 17 meetings with the Royals.
TONIGHT’S PICK: CHICAGO WHITE SOX

The Seattle Mariners fell to the Cleveland Indians last night at T-Mobile Park, which now brings their losing streak to 5. During their 5-game skid they have been outscored 36 to 17 and it won’t get any easier for them tonight when they play Game 2 of their 4-game set against the smoking hot Cleveland Indians. The Tribe is expected to send Aaron Civale to the hill and he is a perfect 5-0, with a 2.91 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. Cleveland has won 4 in a row, 13 of their last 16, and are 6-0 in their last 6 on the road. Even with Seattle’s expected starter, Chris Flexen, who has pitched well at 3-1 with a 3.78 ERA, it won’t be enough to slow down the Tribe.
TONIGHT’S PICK: CLEVELAND INDIANS

It will be a good pitching matchup today when the Chicago White Sox go for the 3-game sweep of the struggling Minnesota Twins in a matinée at Guaranteed Rate Field. The expected starters are two guys that have been on their mark, Minnesota’s Michael Pineda and Chicago’s Lance Lynn. PIneda is 2-1 with a 2.43 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP, with Lynn at 3-1 with a stingy ERA of 1.52, and a 0.98 WHIP. The White Sox are hot, winners of 5 straight. The Twins are just 6-11 on the road, 1-6 in their last 7 overall, and 1-5 in their last 6 trips to the south side. The White Sox are hot, ride them ’til they’re not.
TODAY’S PICK: CHICAGO WHITE SOX

The Tampa Bay Rays have been a thorn in the side of the New York Yankees, winning 21 of the last 29 meetings, but trends end and the Yankees are hot. The Bombers have won 2 in a row and 7 of their last 10. Luis Patiño will get the nod for Tampa and his numbers look good on paper, with an ERA of only 1.17 but that’s in just 7.2 innings of work. Southpaw Jordan Montgomery is expected to tap the rubber for New York and he is a mediocre 1-1 with a 4.41 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP but Tampa is 2-5 in their last 7 home games against left-handed starters.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The San Diego Padres scored 11 runs last night against the West-leading San Francisco Giants. Tonight they should have no problem racking it up again when they face the Colorado Rockies in hitter-friendly Coors Field. The Padres are 5-0 in their last 5 meetings with the Rockies and they will be facing Antonio Senzatela, who has an ERA of 5.76 and a 1.55 WHIP.
TONIGHT’S PICK: SAN DIEGO PADRES

The New York Yankees were able to scratch out a win yesterday against arguably the best pitcher on the planet, Washington’s Max Scherzer. Today it will be easier for the Bombers to find the sweet spot when they face Joe Ross and wrap up their 3-game set with the Nationals at the Stadium. Ross is 2-2 with a 4.39 ERA, a 1.24 WHIP, and he will oppose Domingo Germán, who is better than his 2-2 record reflects. The Yankees have won 6 of their last 8, are 4-1 in their last 5 following a win, and are a scary 80-32 in their last 112 games as a home favorite.
TODAY’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES