Inside the Chalk

After last night’s 7-1 victory at home over the Tampa Bay Rays, the surging Detroit Tigers have now won 4 straight, 8 of the last 9, and are tied with Kansas City for the second and third Wild Card spot. In an early one today at Comerica Park, the red hot Tigers will go for a sweep of the Rays and are expected to send Reese Olson to the hill. Olson is 4-8 but has a respectable 3.49 ERA with a 1.19 WHIP. The Rays were officially eliminated from post-season play with last night’s loss and are expected to send Tyler Alexander to the bump. Alexander is 6-5 with an elevated ERA of 5.35 and a 1.26 WHIP. The Tigers are a very dangerous team and have everything to play for, where the Rays don’t.
TODAY’S PICK: DETROIT TIGERS

The 86-71 Atlanta Braves are breathing down both the 87-70 New York Mets and the 87-71 Arizona Diamondbacks necks for a Wild Card spot. The Braves can gain some ground when they host the Mets tonight in the second game of their 3-game set, and they should do it. Last night the Braves knocked off the Mets, 5-1. Tonight they will have the best in the NL on the hill, southpaw Chris Sale. Sale is a shoo-in for the NL Cy Young because not only does he lead the league in wins, with 18, he also has the lowest ERA of 2.38 and the most K’s with 225. New York is expected to give the nod to another lefty, David Peterson, who has good numbers with a record of 9-3 and a 3.08 ERA but in his last turn against the Phillies, Peterson was lit up yielding 5 runs on 8 hits over 3-2/3 innings and Philadelphia routed New York 12-2. The Braves have won 3 straight against the Mets, outscoring them 18-3 over that span. They are 43-33 at Truist Park and have Chris Sale on the hill. Atlanta is the side to consider.
TONIGHT’S PICK: ATLANTA BRAVES

The Detroit Tigers were written off for a playoff berth just over a month ago but now find themselves tied with Kansas City for the second Wild Card spot in the AL. Tonight the surging Tigers will open a 3-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays at Comerica Park. Detroit took two out of three from Tampa in St. Pete back in April and will have the best hurler in the AL on the bump, Tarik Skubal. He is 17-4 with an ERA of only 2.48 and a nasty WHIP of only 0.94. Skubal is 2-0 in his career against Tampa with an ERA of just 1.50. The Rays are expected to counter with Ryan Pepiot, who has pitched well with a record of 8-6, a 3.65 ERA, and a 1.13 WHIP. The Tigers cannot afford to lose this homestand with Tampa, and they know it and they won’t.
TONIGHT’S PICK: DETROIT TIGERS

The Minnesota Twins are very much alive in the AL Wild Card hunt and will look to increase their chances when they play the second game of their 3-game set today with the host Boston Red Sox. With last night’s 4-2 win, the Twins have now won 5 of the last 6 meetings with the Red Sox and will have Pablo López on the hill. López has been dealing, with a record of 15-8, a 3.84 ERA, and a 1.15 WHIP. The 76-78 Red Sox will not be going to the postseason. Manager Alex Cora is expected to send Kutter Crawford to the bump. He is upside down with a record of 8-15, a 4.19 ERA, and a 1.10 WHIP. Boston will also be without their superstar, Rafael Devers, who is out for the season with a shoulder injury, and that will hurt.
TODAY’S PICK: MINNESOTA TWINS

The New York Yankees have already clinched a playoff berth and will be in Oakland tonight to open a 3-game set with the A’s. The Bombers’ expected starter for tonight is reigning AL Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole, and he has Oakland’s number. In his career against the turncoats, Cole is 6-1 with a 2.53 ERA and at the Coliseum he is a perfect 4-0 with a 2.39 ERA. Take the Yankees.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds will play the rubber game of their 3-game set today at Great American Ball Park. Southpaw Chris Sale will be on the hill for the Tomahawks. He is the best in the National League, with a record of 17-3, a 2.35 ERA, and a 1.00 WHIP. Atlanta wins today.
TODAY’S PICK: ATLANTA BRAVES