The Minnesota Twins and the Houston Astros will kick off the Wild Card today in an early one at Target Field. Today’s probable pitchers are Zack Greinke for the Astros and Kenta Maeda for the Twins. Father Time has caught up with the future Hall of Famer Greinke. He is 3-3 with a 4.03 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. On the flip side, Maeda has been delivering. He is 6-1 with a 2.70 ERA, a WHIP of just 0.75, and he has not forgotten the 2017 World Series when he was part of the Los Angeles Dodgers rotation. When Minnesota takes the field in Minneapolis, good things happen. They win. The Twins are 4-5 in their last 5 home games against the Astros and they will get it done today.
TODAY’S PICK: MINNESOTA TWINS
Monday NHL Pick
The Dallas Stars have been walking a tightrope but that can’t continue and their luck runs out tonight when they square off against the Tampa Bay Lightning in game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Tampa is, by far, the more talented team in this series. Their offense is relentless, they are 12-5 in their last 17 playoff games, and 8-3 in their last 11 meetings with the Stars. The Big Guava prevails.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
Sunday MLB Pick
With a win today at home against the Cincinnati Reds, the Minnesota Twins will clinch the AL Central title for the second straight season. They will have a formidable flamethrower to contend with, Cincinnati’s Sonny Gray. Gray has been getting it done, with a 5-3 record, a 3.73 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. The Twins will turn to the crafty southpaw, Rich Hill, to throw strikes. Hill is 2-2 with a 3.27 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. Minnesota is 5-1 in their last 6 games and own a 24-6 record at Target Field. The Reds know where they are going in the postseason – Atlanta. Good luck. Minnesota needs this game and the Reds don’t.
TODAY’S PICK: MINNESOTA TWINS
Saturday MLB Pick
The Cleveland Indians are surging and will go for their 7th straight victory when they play the middle game of a 3-game set against the worst team in baseball, the Pittsburgh Pirates, at Progressive Field. The probable starters for today’s matchup are Aaron Civale for the Indians and Joe Musgrove for the Bucs. Civale is 4-5 with a 3.99 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP as opposed to Musgrove who is winless, at 0-5 with a 4.68 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. Edge Cleveland. The Indians sit just one game game back of the Minnesota Twins for the top spot in the AL Central so losing is not in the cards. Cleveland has won the last 5 meetings with Pittsburgh and are hot. Ride them ’til their not.
TODAY’S PICK: CLEVELAND INDIANS
Friday MLB Pick
The Oakland Athletics may have clinched the AL West but they still have something to play for, sitting just half a game back of the Minnesota Twins for the second overall spot in the AL. The Athletics are expected to send Chris Bassitt to the hill and he has been delivering, with a mark of 5-2, a 2.57 ERA, and a 1.21 WHIP. The Mariners have southpaw Yusei Kikuchui slated to tap the rubber and has not been getting done. He is 2-4 with a 5.93 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. The Athletics crush lefties, going 44 -14 in their last 58, and are 6-2 in their last 8 against the Mariners at the Coliseum.
TONIGHT’S PICK: OAKLAND ATHLETICS
Thursday MLB Pick
The San Francisco Giants will wrap up their 4-game set with the Colorado Rockies in a matinée today at Oracle Park. Losing is not an option for the Giants, who are battling the St. Louis Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds for a postseason berth. The Giants are expected to send Kevin Gausman to the hill. Gausman is 3-3 with a 3.76 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. The Rockies are expected to counter with Chi Chi González and his numbers are not good. González is winless, at 0-2, with an elevated ERA of 7.53 and a 1.53 WHIP. The Giants are getting hot, winning 2 straight, and are 4-1 in their last 5 against the Rockies at home.
TODAY’S PICK: SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
Wednesday MLB Pick
The Chicago White Sox are feeling the heat from the Minnesota Twins, who sit just a 1/2 game back of them for the Al Central lead. The Twins, who have won 3 straight, will wrap up a quick 2-game set with the Detroit Tigers tonight at Target Field. With last night’s win, Minnesota is now 22-5 at Target Field and own the best home record in all of baseball. The Tigers are 2-8 in their last 10 and are expected to send the promising rookie, Casey Mize, to the rubber. Mize is 0-2 with a 6.08 ERA and a 6.43 WHIP, and is better than his numbers reflect. The Twins have Kenta Maeda slated to take the hill. Maeda has been on his mark, posting a 5-1 record with a 2.52 ERA and a nasty WHIP of only 0.75. To say the Twins have had the Tigers number would be an understatement. They are 38-17 in their last 55 meetings and 6-1 in their last 7 against Detroit at Target Field.
TONIGHT’S PICK: MINNESOTA TWINS