Inside the Chalk

The Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Diego Padres will play an early one today at PNC Park. The pitching matchup today will be Jameson Taillon for the Pirates and southpaw Clayton Richard for the Friars. Taillon is 6-5 on the season, with an ERA of 4.74, and a WHIP of 1.53. Richard is 5-12, with a 5.40 ERA, a 1.60 WHIP, and has given up more hits than any other hurler in the Majors, with 175. The Padres are 2-6 in their last 8 trips to PNC Park. McCutchen and company should get to Richard today.

Today’s Pick:

Pittsburgh Pirates

The New York Yankees have now lost 4 in a row and tonight they will ask the southpaw Jordan Montgomery to pull them out of their funk. Montgomery is 7-6, with an ERA of 4.15, and a WHIP of 1.27. Cleveland is expected to counter with Danny Salazar. Salazar is 4-5, with an ERA of 4.63, a WHIP of 1.37 and last faced the Bombers in 2016 where he yielded 6 runs on 8 hits in 5-2/3 innings of work. The Yankees’ bats are heating up, racking up 11 hits last night to the Indians 8. New York is a good dog bet today.

Tonight’s Pick:

New York Yankees

The Houston Astros have lost 3 in a row and are a little banged up but they should get back on track tonight when they host the Toronto Blue Jays. The Jays will send César Valdez to the hill. Over his last 3 starts, his ERA has exploded to 7.50, with a WHIP of 1.75, and Toronto is 3-8 in their last 11 trips to Houston. Houston will counter with Brad Peacock. Peacock is 2-0 in his last 3 starts, with an ERA of 1.12, a WHIP of 1.12, and the Astros are 6-0 in his last 6 starts. Houston should get this one.

Tonight’s Pick:

Houston Astros

The Los Angeles Angels are hot, winning 4 of their last 5 contests, and will go for the sweep tonight over the visiting Philadelphia Phillies. The Angels blanked Philadelphia last night, 7-0, and held them to just 1 run on Tuesday in a 7-1 victory. The Angels will hand the ball to Parker Bridwell and he has been on his game. For the season, Bridwell is 5-1, with a 2.83 ERA, and was perfect in the month of July, going 3-0 and posting an ERA of 1.69. Philadelphia is 16-38 on the road and will send Jerad Eickhoff to the rubber. Eickhoff is 2-7, with a 4.56 ERA, a 1.48 WHIP, and is 0-5 in 8 starts on the road this season with a 5.36 ERA. The Angels have the Phillies’ number, winning the last 11 contests and I don’t see that changing tonight.

Tonight’s pick:

Los Angeles Angels

The Chicago White Sox have literally sold the farm and tonight they will host the Toronto Blue Jays in the first game of a 3-game series. Both hurlers today are mediocre at best, with Marco Estrada going for the Jays and James Shields for the White Sox. Estrada is 4-7, with an ERA of 5.43, and a WHIP of 1.49. Shields is 2-3, with an ERA of 5.86, and a WHIP of 1.66. The Blue Jays are by far the more talented team and with Chicago’s record of 1-9 in their last 10 home games, the Jays are the play here.

Tonight’s Pick:

Toronto Blue Jays

The Pittsburgh Pirates will try to avoid being swept by the San Diego Padres when they play a matinee today at Petco Park. Gerrit Cole will take the rubber for the Pirates. Over his last 3 outings, Cole is 1-0, with a 2.37 ERA, a 1.05 WHIP and the Bucs are 5-0 in his last 5 road starts. Clayton Richards will take the hill for the Padres today and he’s been getting roughed up. Over his last 3 starts, Richards is 0-3, with a 9.87 ERA, a 2.42 WHIP, and has allowed 20 runs and 37 hits in his last 17-1/3 innings of work. The Padres are 0-4 in Richards last 4 home starts. Pirates get this one.

Today’s pick:

Pittsburgh Pirates