Inside the Chalk

The Cincinnatti Reds were bamboozled by the Miami Marlins yesterday, 12-2, but they will bounce back tonight. Chris Abbott is slated to get the start for the Big Red Machine, and they win when he is on the hill. Abbott is 7-1 with a 2.15 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. Sandy Alcántara is expected to get the nod for the Marlins. He is not what he once was. The Sandman got paid big time and now he doesn’t care about winning anymore. Alcántara is 4-8 with a bloated ERA of 7.01 and a 1.64 WHIP.
TONIGHT’S PICK: CINCINATTI REDS

The Cleveland Guardians finally won a game yesterday, but that streak ends tonight when Houston and Cleveland play the middle game of their three-game set tonight in Houston. The Astros are a better team 1 through 9. Hunter Brown will be on the hill for the Astros and his numbers are lights out. Brown gets overshadowed by Skubal and Fried but he is better. Brown is 9-3 with a 1.82 ERA, a WHIP of only 0.90, and the Astros are 6-0 in his last 6 home starts.
TONIGHT’S PICK: HOUSTON ASTROS

The surging Toronto Blue Jays are at the top of the AL East and have won 8 straight games. Today they head to the south side to face a really bad Chicago White Sox team. The number is low in this one which a reason for concern, but the Jays are hot, and you ride them ’til they are not.
TODAY’S PICK: TORONTO BLUE JAYS

Are the Tampa Bay Rays going to get swept by the Minnesota Twins today? The answer is no.
TODAY’S PICK: TAMPA BAY RAYS

The Philadelphia Phillies lost the opener of their 3-game set against the Cincinnati Reds but they will bounce back today. The Phillies are 28-16 at home and will have Ranger Suárez on the hill. Suárez delivers. He is 7-2 with a 2.00 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP.
TODAY’S PICK: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

After sweeping the New York Yankees in a 4-game set, the Toronto Blue Jays are now the top dog in the AL East. Toronto has won 5 straight, 8 of their last 10, and will open a 3-game series tonight at Rogers Centre with the Los Angeles Angels. The Jays will send Eric Lauer to the hill and his record speaks for itself. He is 4-1 with a 2.60 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. The Halos will send veteran Kyle Hendricks to the bump and he is starting to show his age. Hendricks is 5-6 with a 4.66 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. Toronto should see the return of their All-Star shortstop Bo Bichette, which will add even more power to an already lethal lineup. The Jays come into this game with momentum on their side, their chests pumped, and should take Game 1 of this 3-game set.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TORONTO BLUE JAYS

The Houston Astros will go for a 3-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field today and they should do it. The pathetic 19-67 Rockies are expected to send Kyle Freeland to the hill and his numbers are terrible. The southpaw is 1-9 with a 5.56 ERA, a 1.58 WHIP, and Colorado is 0-7 in his last 7 home starts. The 52-34 Astros are expected to give the start to Brandon Walter and he will keep one of the worst hitting teams in the league in check. Walter is 1-1 with a 3.34 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. The ‘Stros have won 7 straight against the Rockies. They are also 4-0 in their last 4 interleague games against a left-handed starter and 6-0 in their last 6 in Game 3 of a series. Everything points to a Houston win.
TODAY’S PICK: HOUSTON ASTROS