Inside the Chalk

The Los Angeles Dodgers were slow out of the gate but it appears they are now on track. They will go for their third straight win tonight when they host the Oakland Athletics in the final game of a quick 2-game set at Chavez Ravine. The Dodgers took the first game last night, launching 3 homers in a 4-0 shutout. Tonight Los Angeles is expected to send the southpaw Alex Wood to the rubber. Wood has yet to post a win, at 0-1, but has pitched superbly. He has an ERA of 1.93, a 0.50 WHIP, with 10 strikeouts, no walks and no home runs. Daniel Mengden is expected to get the nod for Oakland. Mengden has struggled thus far, at 0-2, with a 6.55 ERA, and a 1.27 WHIP. Oakland has not had success against lefties, going 0-4 in their last 4, and they are 1-4 in their last 5 games overall. Consider the Dodgers in this one.
TONIGHT’S PICK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS

The Boston Red Sox are on a roll, winning 8 in a row, but will have their hands full tonight when the Bronx Bombers come to town. New York will have their ace, Luis Severino, on the hill. Severino is off and running, with a record of 2-0, an ERA of 1.38, and a WHIP of 0.77. The Yankees win when he takes the mound, going 17-4 in his last 21 starts, and he was electric at Fenway last year, posting a ridiculous ERA of just 0.64 in 2 outings. Of course, Boston will counter with their ace, Chris Sale. The lefty has yet to record a win but has had his usual nasty stuff, with an ERA of 0.82, and a WHIP to match at 0.82. However, Boston is 1-4 in Sale’s last 5 starts against the Yanks and will be without SS Xander Bogaerts due to an ankle injury. I like New York in this spot.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The Colorado Rockies took 3 of 4 games last week from the San Diego Padres at Petco Park and today they will open a 3-game set against them at Coors Field. The Friars are expected to send the southpaw, Clayton Richards, to the rubber. Richards is 0-1, with an ERA of 4.50, and a 1.50 WHIP. Richards last faced the Rockies on Wednesday, where he was hammered for 5 runs on 8 hits in the 5-2 loss. Jon Gray is expected to go for Colorado. Gray is 1-1, with an ERA of 2.45, and a WHIP of 1.18. The Rockies are 7-2 in his last 9 home starts, and they are 4-1 in Gray’s last 5 starts against the Padres. I like the Rockies in this situation.
TONIGHT’S PICK: COLORADO ROCKIES

The bats have been silent for the Los Angeles Dodgers but that could change today when they play the second game of a 2-game set against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park. Ty Blach is expected to get the nod for the Giants. Blach is 1-1 on the season, with an ERA of 5.79, and the Giants are 1-6 in his last 7 starts. Clayton Kershaw is expected to tap the rubber for the Dodgers. The king of the hill has yet to win a game at 0-2, but has been delivering, posting an ERA of 2.25. This is a good spot to take the Dodgers because they are 10-3 in Kershaw’s last 13 starts against their hated rivals.
TODAY’S PICK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS

The Washington Nationals have now lost 3 in a row and were blasted in their home opener on Thursday by the New York Mets, 8-2. Washington will have another shot at New York when they play a matinee today at Nationals Park. The Mets are expected to send Steven Matz to the rubber. Matz has struggled with elbow issues and that was evident in his season debut against St.Louis, where he gave up 3 runs, 2 of which were homers, in just 4 innings of work. That cannot be said about Gio González, who is expected to take the hill for the Nationals. González was on his mark in his season debut against Cincinnati, yielding just 1 run on 5 hits in 6 innings of work. He was 3-0 last year against the Mets, with an ERA of 2.25, and Washington is 16-5 in his last 21 starts against New York. Good spot for Washington to get back on track.
TODAY’S PICK: WASHINGTON NATIONALS

The Cleveland Indians started the season with a 6-game road trip which did not go well. Today they will be glad to be back home at Progressive Field to play their home opener in an early one against the Kansas City Royals. The southpaw, Danny Duffy, is expected to get the nod for Kansas City. Duffy was awful in his season debut, taking the loss in a 14-7 romp at the hands of the Chicago White Sox. He has also struggled against the Tribe. The Royals are 0-5 in his last 5 starts against the Indians and 1-5 in his last 6 starts at Progressive Field. Cleveland is expected to send Carlos Carrasco to the rubber. Carrasco was not at his best his last time out but did get the victory in a 6-5 triumph over Seattle. Carrasco has had success against the Royals. The Indians are 8-2 in his last 10 starts against them and 4-0 in his last 4 starts at Progressive. The Indians’ bats could come alive today. They are 8-2 in their last 10 home games against lefties.
TODAY’S PICK: CLEVELAND INDIANS

The Washington Nationals have lost their last 2 games but will look to get back on track today when they play their home opener in an early one against the New York Mets. Two of the best hurlers in the game will oppose each other today, with Washington sending Stephen Strasburg to the rubber and New York starting Jacob deGrom. Both pitchers are off and running. DeGrom is 1-0 with an ERA of 1.59 and Strasburg is 1-0 with an ERA of 1.42. Strasburg has incredible numbers at home, with a record of 44-19 in his last 63 games, and the Nationals are 6-1 in his last 7 starts against the Mets. Home opener and Strasburg on the hill, the edge goes to Washington.
TODAY’S PICK: WASHINGTON NATIONALS