Inside the Chalk

The Arizona Diamondbacks will be glad to get back to the desert tonight when they open a 3-game set with their NL West rival, the San Francisco Giants. The D-backs went 2-4 on their recent road trip and were swept by the Tampa Bay Rays where they mustered just 4 runs over the 3-game series. Tonight though they should get back on the rails. Arizona has won all 6 meetings with San Fran this year and their lethargic bats should wake up against the Giants’ expected starter Tyler Mahle. Mahle is 1-7 with a 5.49 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. Arizona is expected to give the nod to Eduardo Rodríguez who has exceptional numbers. He is 6-2 with a 2.27 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. The Snakes are tough at home with a record of 24-17 and on the flip side the Giants are a dismal 17-26 away from Oracle Park.
TONIGHT’S PICK: ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

The 49-32 Atlanta Braves have lost five of their last six and had better get back on track quickly because the surging Philadelphia Phillies now sit just four games back of them for the lead in the NL East. Today in the rubber game of their 3-game set with the 34-48 San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park, the Braves will turn to southpaw Chris Sale to get them back on the rails, and he is more than capable. The future Hall-of-Famer is having another stellar season, posting a record of 8-5 with an ERA of only 2.14, a 1.05 WHIP, and is a perfect 2-0 in his career against San Fran with a 1.33 ERA. The Giants have another southpaw slated to take the hill, Robbie Ray. Ray comes in at 6-6 with a respectable 3.70 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP but in his career against Atlanta he has stumbled, going 2-4 with a 5.09 ERA. The Braves are 6-0 in Sale’s last 6 road starts against a team with a losing record and are worth considering.
TODAY’S PICK: ATLANTA BRAVES

The St. Louis Cardinals were shut out at Busch Stadium last night by the Miami Marlins, 4-0, in Game 1 of their 3-game set and have now lost three straight home games. Tonight they get back on track. The Cardinals are expected to send Andre Pallante to the hill and when they do the Cardinals win. Pallante has great numbers, at 9-4, with a 3.58 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP, and St. Louis is 6-0 in his last six starts.
TONIGHT’S PICK: ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

When the Tampa Bay Rays take the field at the Trop they are always worth considering and that is where they will be tonight when they open a 3-game set with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Rays own the best home record in baseball, at 28-12, and are expected to have Nick Martinez on the hill. Martinez has been outstanding. He is 6-2 with a 2.76 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. The D-backs have not played well on the road, at 17-22, and their expected starter Zac Gallen is having a season he would like to forget. The once ace of Arizona is 3-6 with a bloated ERA of 6.10 and a 1.63 WHIP. The Rays have the edge in runs scored, hits, batting average, team ERA, and have won two straight against the Snakes and seven of the last eight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TAMPA BAY RAYS

The AL East leading New York Yankees will be in Fenway Park tonight to open a 4-game set with the bottom feeding Boston Red Sox. The Yankees have won 4 of the 5 meetings with the Red Sox this year which includes a 3-game sweep of them in Boston back in April. New York’s young ace, Cam Schlittler, is expected to take the hill for the Bombers. He grew up a Red Sox fan so he will be extra motivated to be at his best. Schlittler has excellent numbers at 8-3 with an ERA of only 1.71 and one of the lowest WHIPs in the majors at 0.89. The Red Sox are expected to counter with lefty Connelly Early who is 6-5 with a 3.64 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. Boston is just 3-7 over their last 10 and have been terrible at home, with a record of 12-25.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The Atlanta Braves are on the verge of being swept by the San Diego Padres tonight when they wrap up their 3-game set at Petco Park, but not so fast. The Friars are expected to give the nod to lefty J.P. Sears who was just called up from AAA El Paso where he was terrible. Over his last 6 starts for the Chihuahuas, Sears had an 11.14 ERA, a 2.02 WHIP, and one of the best teams in baseball should send him packing early. Atlanta is expected to counter with another southpaw, Martín Pérez, and he has been dealing. Pérez is 6-3 with a 2.78 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP, and was lights out in his last turn against a really good Milwaukee team where he yielded just 1 run over 6 frames and the Braves went on to a 3-2 win. Atlanta bounces back tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: ATLANTA BRAVES