Inside the Chalk

The AL Divisional Playoffs will get underway today at Dodger Stadium with the Houston Astros facing the Oakland Athletics. Oakland will be considered the home team in the opener and is the superior team in this series. The Athletics finished 36-24 in the regular season and are expected to send Chris Bassitt to the hill. He has been exceptional. Bassitt is 6-2, with a 2.19 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP, and was lights out the last time he faced the Astros, pitching 7 scoreless innings resulting in a 6-0 Athletics win. The Astros were 29-31 in the regular season and as of now Lance McCullers, Jr. is slated to get the start, but don’t be surprised if Dusty Baker makes a switch to Zack Greinke. McCullers is 3-3 with a 3.93 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. Oakland owned Houston this year, going 7-3 overall, and down the stretch they won the last 3 meetings.
TODAY’S PICK: OAKLAND ATHLETICS

It’s do or die today for the Chicago Cubs and they will turn to Yu Darvish to throw strikes when they square off against the Miami Marlins in a matinée at Wrigley Field. Darvish has been on his mark, with a record of 8-3, a 2.01 ERA, and a WHIP of just 0.96. Miami will counter with the rookie Sixto Sánchez, who has pitched well at 3-2 with a 3.46 ERA and a WHIP of 1.21, but he had issues in his last 2 turns, surrendering 9 runs in 7 innings of work. The Marlins could be without Starling Marte, and despite Wednesday’s win, they are 2-9 in their last 11 against Chicago. Rizzo and company will come to play.
TODAY’S PICK: CHICAGO CUBS

The Milwaukee Brewers will have to click on every cylinder when they open their Wild Card matchup at Chavez Ravine against the best team in baseball, the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Brewers have no right being in the postseason with a record of 29-31. The Dodgers finished a League best 43-17 and have beaten the Brew Crew 4 out of the last 5 meetings. Walker Buehler is expected to get the nod for the Dodgers and when he is healthy (which he is) he delivers.
TONIGHT’S PICK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS

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