Inside the Chalk

After taking 2 out of 3 from the Boston Red Sox in Fenway, the best team in baseball, the Los Angeles Dodgers, will take their swagger into Citizens Bank Park tonight to open a 4-game set against the Philadelphia Phillies. Clayton Kershaw will be tapping the rubber for Los Angeles and he is back to what he does best, throw flames. Kershaw is 7-2, with a 3.09 ERA, a 1.05 WHIP, and has been a Philadelphia killer. The Dodgers are 6-2 in his last 8 starts against the Phillies. Zach Eflin will get the nod for Philadelphia. Eflin’s numbers are respectable, with a 3.78 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP, but over his last 3 starts, his ERA has ballooned to 9.64 and the Phillies are 0-4 in his last 4 turns against the Dodgers.
TONIGHT’S PICK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS

The New York Yankees will look to get back on track today when they wrap up a 3-game set against the Toronto Blue Jays in the Bronx. The Yankees fell yesterday to the Jays, 2-1, but Masahiro Tanaka will be on the hill for New York today and when he faces the Blue Jays good things happen. New York is 6-0 in Tanaka’s last 6 turns at home against Toronto and the Yanks are 5-0 in his last 5 starts overall. The Jays will counter with Marcus Stroman, who will probably be in pinstripes before the trade deadline. Will he want to pitch well today? Absolutely, so this won’t be an easy one. Stroman’s numbers aren’t bad, with a 3.18 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP, but Toronto has issues winning back-to-back games. They are just 4-17 in their last 21 games following a win. The Bombers get it done.
TODAY’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The New York Yankees better be sleeping with one eye open because the Boston Red Sox are starting to heat up. Boston will go for their sixth straight victory when they host the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second game of a 3-game set. The best southpaw on the planet, Chris Sale, will get the nod for Boston and he is due for a lights out performance. The Red Sox are 5-1 in their last 6 meetings with the Dodgers and 7-0 in their last 7 against them at Fenway.
TONIGHT’S PICK: BOSTON RED SOX

The Oakland Athletics get overshadowed by the Houston Astros but keep an eye on this team. They are really good. Tonight the A’s open a 3-game set at home against the Chicago White Sox. Mike Fiers has been spectacular and he will take the bump tonight for Oakland. Fiers is 8-3, with a 3.87 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. Over his last 3, Fiers’ numbers get even better, with a record of 1-0, an ERA of only 1.45 and a 1.02 WHIP. Iván Nova will get the nod for Chicago. Nova sits at 4-7, with an elevated ERA of 5.58, a 1.53 WHIP, and the White Sox are 1-4 in their last 5 road games. This is a good spot to take Oakland. They are 5-1 in Fiers’ last 6 starts and have won 7 of the last 9 against the boys from the south side.
TONIGHT’S PICK: OAKLAND ATHLETICS

The Texas Rangers and the Houston Astros will square off tonight in Arlington for the only game on the MLB ticket. Framber Valdez will get the nod for Houston and his numbers are not good. Over his last 3 starts, Valdez is 1-2, with a 9.49 ERA, a 1.78 WHIP, and the Astros are 1-4 in his last 5 turns. On the flip side, Lance Lynn will be tapping the rubber for Texas and he has been delivering. Lynn is 11-4 on the season, with a 3.91 ERA, and a 1.22 WHIP. The Rangers are 4-0 in Lynn’s last 4 starts and 8-1 in his last 9 at Globe Life Park. Take the home dog.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TEXAS RANGERS

The Cleveland Indians will try to take a 6 game winning streak into the All-Star break when they conclude a quick 2-game set with the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. The Reds will try to cool off the Indians when they send Tyler Mahle to the rubber. Mahle is winless in his last 5 turns and is just 2-8 on the season with a 4.36 ERA. Trevor Bauer will get the nod for the Indians. Bauer is 7-6, with a 3.74 ERA, and Cleveland is 5-0 in his last 5 starts. The Indians have owned the Reds, going 6-1 in their last 7 meetings overall and 5-0 in their last 5 in Cincinnati. Cleveland is hot, ride them ’til they’re not. 
TODAY’S PICK: CLEVELAND INDIANS