Inside the Chalk

The Colorado Rockies are smoking hot and will go for a sweep today of the Seattle Mariners when they conclude their 3-game set at T-Mobile Park. The Rockies have won three straight and 8 of their last 10. They have also won their last 6 interleague games, are 5-0 in their last 5 overall against the Mariners, and 5-1 in their last 6 in Seattle. Colorado will also have an edge today in starting pitching. Germán Márquez is expected to get the nod for the Rockies. Márquez is 2-1 with a nasty 1.89 ERA and a WHIP of only 0.89. Seattle is expected to send the lefty, Justus Sheffield, to the hill. Sheffield is winless at 0-2, with a 9.39 ERA and a 1.83 WHIP. The Rocks’ Charlie Blackmon has been killing it at the plate and Colorado is 7-0 in their last 7 against a left-handed starter. Rocks are hot, ride them ’til they’re not.
TODAY’S PICK: COLORADO ROCKIES

The Minnesota Twins are tied with the Oakland A’s for the the best record in the American League, at 10-4, but have lost two straight. Look for them to get back on track tonight when they visit the Kansas City Royals. Despite last night’s loss to KC, the Twins are 8-3 in their last 11 meetings with the Royals, 7-3 in their last 10 at Kauffman Stadium, and are expected to send stud Jake Odorizzi to the hill. Odorizzi will be making his season debut after a stint on the IL but feels great and is ready to go. His numbers were impressive in 2019, going 15-7 with a 3.51 ERA. Odorizzi will be opposing KC’s southpaw Danny Duffy who is winless on the season, at 0-2 with a 4.11 ERA. The Twins have had their way with left-handed starters, with a record of 6-2 in their last 8, and will notch another one tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: MINNESOTA TWINS

The Los Angeles Dodgers return home tonight after a lengthy but successful road trip to face their archrivals, the San Francisco Giants. LA will have payback on their minds, after losing their last two meetings with San Fran, and are expected to send southpaw Julio Urías to the rubber. Urías is 1-0 on the season with a very respectable 2.45 ERA, a 1.27 WHIP, and has a career 1.40 ERA against San Francisco. The Giants are expected to counter with Jeff Samardzija and he is off to a rocky start. Samardzija is 0-1 with a bloated ERA of 9.31, a 1.34 WHIP, and the Dodgers might have Mookie Betts back in the lineup. It could be a long night for the Shark.
TONIGHT’S PICK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS

The Toronto Blue Jays snapped their 3-game skid yesterday by edging the Atlanta Braves, 2-1. Tonight they are expected to send their young phenom, Nate Pearson, to the rubber when the two clubs conclude their 3-game set at Truist Park. Pearson is the real deal. He can reach 100 miles an hour and proved he is worth all the hype when he made his Big League debut against the Washington Nationals. Pearson pitched 5 scoreless innings and yielded just 2 hits. The Braves will be without Ozzie Albies and Matt Adams, who landed on the injured list, which will definitely take a bite out of their potent offense. The Jays’ young guns should be able to get to Atlanta’s expected starter, Touki Toussaint, who has a 8.10 ERA and a 1.80 WHIP.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TORONTO BLUE JAYS

Max Scherzer is expected on the bump tonight when the Washington Nationals host the New York Mets. Scherzer might be winless on the season but he is still throwing flames. Mad Max has a 2.84 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP with 21 Ks. Not bad. On the flip side, Rick Porcello is expected to get the nod for the Metropolitans. Porcello is not what he once was and has been a hitter’s dream in 2020, posting a 13.50 ERA with a 3.00 WHIP. How do you not take take the Champs in this one?
TONIGHT’S PICK: WASHINGTON NATIONALS

When the Chicago Cubs take the field at home, good things happen. They win. Tonight the Cubs will be hosting the Kansas City Royals and they have had their number. Chicago is 5-1 in their last 6 meetings with KC and 4-1 in their last 5 against them at Wrigley Field. Rizzo and company get it done.
TONIGHT’S PICK: CHICAGO CUBS

The red hot Minnesota Twins will seek their 4th straight win when they host the struggling Pittsburgh Pirates tonight at Target Field. The Bucs are expected to send southy Derek Holland to the rubber and he has not fared well in his career in the Twin Cities. The Dutch Oven is 0-5 lifetime in Minnesota with a 7.98 ERA and the Twins hammer lefties.
TONIGHT’S PICK: MINNESOTA TWINS