Inside the Chalk

The Detroit Tigers fell to the lowly Chicago White Sox yesterday, 8-1, but that won’t happen again tonight. Detroit is the best in the business; they were all groomed through the Tiger organization, not bought, and that is how Champions are built. Detroit is averaging over 5 runs per game and will win tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: DETROIT TIGERS

The 36-23 Philadelphia Phillies are on a 4-game losing streak but they will get back on the rails tonight when they open a 3-game set with the 30-29 Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Toronto is expected to have Bowden Francis on the hill and the Phillies will light this guy up. Francis is 2-6 with a 5.04 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. Superstar Bryce Harper is expected to return for Philadelphia tonight. Enough said.
TONIGHT’S PICK: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

The best team in baseball, the Detroit Tigers, will open a 4-game set tonight with the lowly Chicago White Sox on the south side. The Tigers are the better team 1 through 9. They already swept the White Sox in early April and will win tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: DETROIT TIGERS

The Toronto Blue Jays will go for a 4-game sweep of the Oakland Athletics today in a matinée at Rogers Centre. The Jays have outscored the bottom feeding Athletics 31-14 over the first three games. Kevin Gausman is expected to be on the hill for Toronto and he has been in the zone. Take the Jays and then go cash your ticket.  
TODAY’S PICK: TORONTO BLUE JAYS

The 32-25 San Francisco Giants will take care of business again tonight against the 22-33 Miami Marlins at LoanDepot Park. Robbie Ray is on the hill for the Giants and he is back to his 2021 Cy Young form. Ray is 7-0 with a 2.56 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. The Giants are the better team on the diamond tonight and will win. 
TONIGHT’S PICK: SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

The San Diego Padres will open a 3-game set tonight at Petco Park with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 31-23 Padres sit just two games back of the LA Dodgers for the lead in the NL West. The Pirates come in at 21-36 and are the bottom feeders in the NL Central. Tonight’s expected starter for the Padres is Nick Pivetta and he has been delivering. Pivetta is 5-2 with a 2.72 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, and was sharp in his last start against Atlanta allowing just one run on four hits over six innings of work, with San Diego winning 2-1. Mitch Keller is expected on the hill for the Pirates. Keller is just 1-6 with a 3.66 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. The Friars have owned the Bucs. San Diego has won 9 straight against Pittsburgh, including a 3-game sweep in early May at PNC Park. The Friars are an impressive 18-9 at home and the Bucs are a dismal 8-20 on the road. San Diego is the side to consider.
TONIGHT’S PICK: SAN DIEGO PADRES

The Houston Astros will go for their fifth straight win when they open a 4-game set tonight with the Tampa Bay Rays at Daikin Park. The expected starters are Shane Baz for the Rays and Ryan Gusto for the Astros. Neither one of these guys is going to win the AL Cy Young anytime soon. Gusto is 3-2 with a 4.59 ERA, a 1.53 WHIP, and Baz has been erratic all season. He is 4-3 with a 4.94 ERA and 1.39 WHIP. This will not be a walk in the park for Houston. Tampa has won 7 of their last 8 games but Houston is tough at home. The Astros are 20-10 at Daikin Park and their 4 straight wins have all been at home. Houston also has the edge in runs per game, run differential, hits, homers, and the list goes on.
TONIGHT’S PICK: HOUSTON ASTROS