Inside the Chalk

It looks as if Father Time has finally caught up to Bartolo Colón, but he will get the start tonight when the Atlanta Braves make a trip to Minute Maid Park to take on Charlie Morton and the Houston Astros. Colón is just 1-3, with an inflated ERA of 6.27, and was drilled in his last 2 outings, giving up 11 runs, on 17 hits, in 9 innings of work. Morton has been steady for the Astros, with a 3-2 record, a 3.97 ERA, and Houston is 4-0 in his last 4 home starts. Atlanta has dropped 4 in a row and are 6-10 on the road.

Tonight’s pick:

Houston Astros

The Toronto Blue Jays still remember last year’s ALCS, as they host the Cleveland Indians tonight at Rogers Centre. The Jays top hurler Marcus Stroman will take the hill and he has been steady over his last 3 outings, with an ERA of 3.72, and a 1.24 WHIP. The Indians will send Trevor Bauer to the bump and he has struggled. Bauer has an ERA of 7.16 and a 1.59 WHIP over his last 3, and was lit up in his last start by Detroit, yielding 7 runs on 7 hits, with 5 walks, in 4 innings of work. Troy Tulowitzki and Josh Donaldson are questionable for tonight’s game, but I will still take our friends to the North in this one.

Tonight’s pick:

Toronto Blue Jays

The San Francisco Giants were bamboozled by the Cincinnati Reds over the last two games, but Johnny Cueto comes home today to straighten things out. The Giants are 16-6 in Cueto’s last 22 road starts, and he is 4-1 on the season, with a 4.86 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. Cincinnati will send Scott Feldman to the hill, and he is 1-3, with a 4.83 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. The Reds are 0-4 in Feldman’s last 4 home starts. I like the Giants in this one.

Today’s pick:

San Francisco Giants

The Baltimore Orioles are 9-3 at home and they’ll try to put another notch in their belt today when they face the Chicago White Sox and Dylan Covey. Covey is 0-2 on the season, with a 7.29 ERA and a 1.76 WHIP. The Orioles will counter with Dylan Bundy and he can throw flames. Bundy is 4-1 on the season, with a 1.82 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP, and the Orioles are 4-0 in Bundy’s last 4 home starts. I’ll take Baltimore in this one.

Today’s pick:

Baltimore Orioles

The Cleveland Indians will visit Kauffmann Stadium tonight to take on a Kansas City Royals team that is 2-11 in their last 13 overall. Cleveland will send Danny Salazar to the bump and he is 2-2, with a 4.34 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP, and the Indians are 7-3 in Salazar’s last 10 road starts. Kansas City will counter with Jason Hammel, who is 0-3 on the season, with a 6.65 ERA, a 1.94 WHIP, and the Royals are 0-5 in his last 5 starts. The Indians have owned the Royals, going 8-0 in their last 8 meetings overall and 5-0 in their last 5 trips to Kauffman. I like the Indians chances in this one.

Tonight’s pick:

Cleveland Indians

The Seattle Mariners and the Los Angeles Angels will play the rubber match of a 3-game set tonight at Safeco Field. Seattle will be sending the lefty Ariel Miranda to the hill and over his last 3 outings, he is 2-1, with a 2.93 ERA, a 0.98 WHIP and the Mariners are 5-1 in Miranda’s last 6 home starts. The Angels reach down to their AAA affiliate to bring back up Alex Meyer and in 10 career Big League appearances, Meyer has an ERA of 6.54. Meyer faced the Mariners in one outing last year and he surrendered 4 runs on 5 hits in 4 innings of work, which included a 2-run dinger by Seattle’s Nelson Cruz. Cruz has been on fire, going 20-43 during his 12-game hitting streak. I like Seattle in this spot.

Today’s pick:

Seattle Mariners