Inside the Chalk

The New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies will play the middle game of their 3-game set this afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. The Mets took Game 1, 4-1, but I expect the Phillies bounce back today. Two southpaws are expected to oppose each other with Jesús Luzardo getting the start for Philadelphia and Sean Manaea for New York. Manaea is 2-4 on the season with a 4.56 ERA, a 1.32 WHIP, and has not fared well against Philadelphia in his career, going 2-3 with an elevated ERA of 5.05. Luzardo comes in at 8-4 with a 3.51 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. In his career against New York, Luzardo has delivered going 6-2 with an ERA of 3.16. Philadelphia is 7-0 in Luzardo’s last 7 starts against the NL East and they have the edge in runs scored, run differential, batting average hits and homers.
TODAY’S PICK: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

The struggling Athletics will open a 3-game set tonight at their temporary home, Sutter Health Park. The A’s have lost 9 straight and are a dismal 19-28 in Sac. They are expected to send southpaw Gage Jump to the hill, and he is not the answer. Jump is 3-4 with a 3.51 ERA, a 1.27 WHIP, and over his last three turns he is 0-3 with an ERA that ballooned to 7.42 and a 2.10 WHIP. This could be a problem for the Athletics when they are facing a Nationals team that is first in the league in scoring, averaging 5.3 runs per game, and second in the league in homers with 138. Washington has played well on the road, at 28-18, and is expected to give the nod to Cade Cavalli. Cavalli is 5-4 with a 3.83 ERA, a 1.35 WHIP, and over his last three starts he is 1-0 with an ERA that dropped to 2.83 and his WHIP to 0.91. Sutter Health Park is a hitters’ ballpark and the way the Nationals light it up they are worth considering.
TONIGHT’S PICK: WASHINGTON NATIONALS

The Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets will open a 3-game set tonight at Citizen Bank Park. The Mets had a disastrous first half of the season, posting a record of 40-57 and earning them the last place in the NL East. On the flip side the 54-43 Phillies have been just the opposite. After a slow start they have turned it around thanks to Donny Baseball and are just two games back of the Atlanta Braves for the lead in the NL East. Going into the break the Mets lost three straight and are expected to be without third baseman Bo Bichette and second baseman Marcus Semien. The Phillies have owned the Mets this year, winning four of the six meetings and they are by far the better team on the diamond tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

Two flame throwers will oppose each other today when the Philadelphia Phillies play the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Zack Wheeler is expected on the hill for the Phillies. He has been outstanding, at 9-1 with a 2.28 ERA and a WHIP of 0.91. The Tigers are expected to give the nod to Tarik Skubal and hitters have caught up to him. Skubal is 5-4 with a 3.06 ERA and 0.95 WHIP. The edge in this one goes to the Phillies.
TODAY’S PICK: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

The Chicago White Sox took care of business last night on the southside and will do it again today in a matinée at Rate Field when they face the Athletics who are in a tailspin after losing 7 straight. The White Sox are 29-17 at home and will have Bryan Hudson on the hill. He has been delivering, at 3-2, with a 2.25 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP.
TODAY’S PICK: CHICAGO WHITE SOX