Inside the Chalk

The red hot Kansas City Royals start their 10-game road trip tonight when they travel to Progressive Field to take on the Cleveland Indians. Carlos Carrasco is expected to return from the DL tonight and get the start for the Indians. Carrasco is 2-0 on the season with an ERA of 2.45 and a WHIP of 0.95. In his last outing against the Royals he was lights out, striking out 15 and surrendering just 1 hit. Yordano Ventura is expected to take the hill for Kansas City. He is 4-3 on the season with a 5.17 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP. Ventura faced Cleveland on May 6th and was lit up, giving up 5 runs and 5 walks in 4 innings of work, resulting in a 7-1 loss. I like Cleveland to snap the Royals 6-game winning streak tonight.

Tonight’s pick:

Cleveland Indians

The Cincinnati Reds are 5-20 on the road this year and tonight they will send John Lamb to the hill at Coors Field. Lamb has been getting lit up. He is 0-3 in his last 3 outings with a 10.54 ERA, a 2.27 WHIP and in his 2 road starts this season it’s been ugly, with an ERA of 15.26. On the flip side for the Rockies, Tyler Chatwood gets the call. Chatwood has been sharp. In his last 3 starts, he is 2-0 with an ERA of 1.80 and a WHIP of 1.05. The Reds are just 1-5 in Lamb’s last 6 road starts and they are 8-20 in their last 28 meetings in Colorado.

Tonight’s pick:

Colorado Rockies

Mike Leake takes the hill tonight for the St. Louis Cardinals in the second game of a three game set, to face Wily Peralta and the Milwaukee Brewers. Leake has been dominating over his last 3 starts, posting an ERA of 1.35 and a WHIP of 0.95. Outfielder Stephen Piscotty should return tonight for the Cardinals after missing yesterday’s contest with a stomach ailment. Peralta has been struggling to find his mark. Over his last 3 outings, he has an ERA of 6.32 and a WHIP of 1.79 and Milwaukee is 0-5 in his last 5 against St. Louis. Ryan Braun has missed the last 2 games with neck stiffness but is expected to suit up tonight. I’m siding with the Cardinals in this one.

Tonight’s pick:

St. Louis Cardinals

How do you blow a 7 run lead in the ninth inning? Well, the White Sox did, but Chris Sale is on the hill today for Chicago to straighten things out. Sale was lit up in his last outing but that was a rarity. The southpaw is 9-1 on the season with a 2.26 ERA and a WHIP of 0.84. Chicago is 5-0 in his last 5 road starts and 10-1 in his last 11 overall. Ted Barrett is calling the shots behind the dish and the host teams are 1-4 in his last 5 when he is in charge.

Today’s pick:

Chicago White Sox

Danny Salazar takes the hill for the Cleveland Indians today as they try to get one back from the visiting Baltimore Orioles. Salazar over his last 3 has an ERA of 3.24 and a WHIP of 1.62 and the Indians are 6-1 in his last 7 home starts. Ubaldo Jimenez gets the nod for the Orioles and over his last 3 he has struggled, posting an ERA of 9.60 and a WHIP of 2.20. The Orioles are 0-4 in his last 4 road starts. Wolf is behind the dish and Cleveland is 7-3 in his last 10 calling it.

Today’s pick:

Cleveland Indians

The Minnesota Twins will have their word cut out for them when they take their 4-19 road record to Safeco Field to take on the King, Felix Hernandez, and the Seattle Mariners. The King has owned the Twins, posting a lifetime ERA of just 1.93 against them and he shut them out this year on April 25th. The Mariners’ Robbie Cano is on fire. He is riding a 4-game hitting streak where he is 6-17, with 2 homers 6 RBIs and batting 3.53. The kid who is back from AAA Rochester, Pat Dean, takes the hill for the Twins. In his 14 innings in the Bigs, he is 0-1 with an ERA of 3.86 and a WHIP of 1.57 in 14 innings of work. The number is high but the Mariners should get this one.

Today’s pick:

Seattle Mariners