Inside the Chalk

The Toronto Blue Jays will go for a 3-game sweep of the visiting San Francisco Giants in an early one today at Rogers Centre but it will not come easy. San Fran will have their ace on the hill, southpaw Robbie Ray. The Ex-Jay Ray will be extra motivated to shut down his former team. Ray won the 2021 AL Cy Young when he was with Toronto and then they traded him. He is also having another stellar year with a record of 9-3, a 2.65 ERA, and a 1.08 WHIP. José Berríos is expected to get the nod for Toronto. Berríos is 5-4 with a 3.75 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. The Giants have lost 4 straight. If they are going to get back on the rails, who would rather have on the bump than Robbie Ray?
TODAY’S PICK: SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

Even though the Detroit Tigers have lost 5 straight, they still own the best record in all of baseball, at 59-39. Tonight they will try to get back on track when they play the middle game of their 3-game set with the 49-49 Texas Rangers in Arlington. Texas won the opener last night, 2-0, with Detroit mustering just 4 hits but the Tigers should be able to get to the Rangers expected starter tonight, Kumar Rocker. Rocker is 3-4 with an elevated 6.39 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. In his last turn against the LA Angels, Rocker was tagged for 6 runs on 6 hits over 4.1 innings of work and the Halos went on to an 11-8 win. Detroit is expected to give the nod to Keider Montero, who has been getting the job done. Montero is 4-1 with a 4.02 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. The Tigers have the edge in runs per game, run differential, batting average, hits, homers, and are the side to consider.
TONIGHT’S PICK: DETROIT TIGERS

The Seattle Mariners went into the break by sweeping the best team in baseball, the Detroit Tigers, outscoring them 35-14 over the 3-game set and they did at Comerica Park! Tonight the Mariners will be back home to host the struggling Houston Astros. Houston is just 1-5 over their last 6 games and is expected to send southpaw Brandon Walter to the hill, and the Mariners love lefties. Seattle is 4-0 in their last 4 games against a left-handed starter and if they want to make ground on the AL West leading Astros this is their opportunity. The Mariners’ expected starter has yet to be determined.
TONIGHT’S PICK: SEATTLE MARINERS

The San Diego Padres will go for a sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies today at Petco Park, but that is not going to happen. The Phillies will have Cristopher Sánchez on the hill. He is 7-2 with a 2.59 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. Philadelphia has the edge in runs scored, hits per game, batting average, and home runs.
TODAY’S PICK: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

The Detroit Tigers were embarrassed yesterday at home by the Seattle Mariners, losing 12-3, but the best team in baseball will not let that happen again today in the second game of a 3-game set at Comerica Park. Detroit’s expected starter is Casey Mize, who is in the zone with a record of 9-2, a 2.63 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. Seattle will counter with George Kirby, who comes in at 3-4 with a 4.22 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. The Tigers are 32-16 at home and will get this one today.
TONIGHT’S PICK: DETROIT TIGERS

If the Toronto Blue Jays want to keep their two game lead in the AL East over the New York Yankees, they cannot afford to lose to the bottom feeding Athletics… and they won’t.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TORONTO BLUE JAYS