Monday's Tip Sheet
August 4, 2014
Tigers at Yankees – 7:05 PM EST
Probable Pitchers:
DET: Scherzer (13-3, 3.27 ERA)
NYY: McCarthy (3-0, 2.55 ERA)
Previous series recap: The Tigers finished off a three-game home sweep of the Rockies, capped off by Sunday’s 4-0 shutout as -230 favorites. The Yankees rallied past the Red Sox on Sunday night, 8-7 to take two of three at Fenway Park, while finishing their road trip at 3-3 by winning two straight.
What to watch for: Detroit has won each of Scherzer’s last four road starts, while the Tigers are 5-1 in his past six outings against the Yankees since 2011. New York has struggled in the role of a home underdog, posting a 2-9 record in this situation in 2014. However, the Yankees are 5-2 in their last seven home series openers, while McCarthy is unbeaten in his last six starts with New York and Arizona.
Reds at Indians – 7:05 PM EST
Probable Pitchers:
CIN: Simon (12-6, 2.84 ERA)
CLE: Kluber (11-6, 2.61 ERA)
Previous series recap: The Reds captured three of four games at Miami, as the offense finally woke up in Sunday’s 7-3 rout of the Marlins. Cincinnati’s pitching staff limiting Miami to just eight runs in the four-game set, while the ‘under’ is 6-1-1 in its past eight road contests. The Indians rallied on Sunday to top the Rangers in 12 innings, 4-3 to pull off the three-game sweep, as Cleveland held Texas to five runs in the series.
What to watch for: The home team has won each of the last 10 meetings of the Buckeye Series since 2012, while the Reds have dropped nine straight visits to Progressive Field. Kluber is coming off consecutive complete-game efforts, including a 2-0 shutout of the Mariners in his previous outing. After winning 15 of his first 18 starts, the Reds are 0-3 in Simon’s past three starts, while two of his worst efforts this season came as an underdog of at least +130.
Orioles at Nationals – 7:05 PM EST
Probable Pitchers:
BAL: Gausman (5-3, 3.70 ERA)
WSH: Roark (11-6, 2.74 ERA)
Previous series recap: The Orioles needed just one run in Sunday’s 1-0 triumph over the Mariners as short home ‘dogs to take two of three from Seattle. The Nationals rebounded from a pair of losses to the Phillies by taking the final two games of their weekend set. Washington blanked Philadelphia on Sunday as -150 favorites, 4-0 to outscore the Phillies, 15-0 in the last two victories.
What to watch for: This is a make-up game from a rain-out on July 8, as the Orioles won two of the first three matchups in the Beltway Series. Baltimore has drilled the ‘under’ in 11 of its past 13 games overall, including seven straight on the highway. The Nationals have split 16 interleague contests this season, while Washington owns a 4-0 record in Roark’s past four trips to the mound.
Rays at Athletics – 10:05 PM EST
Probable Pitchers:
TB: Cobb (7-6, 3.54 ERA)
OAK: Samardzija (2-1, 3.19 ERA)
Previous series recap: The Rays fell behind, 5-0 in the first inning of Sunday’s 7-5 defeat to the Angels as short home favorites to lose two of three in that set. Tampa Bay finished off its homestand at 5-4, while still trying to reach the elusive .500 mark. The A’s dropped two of three to the Royals at home, as Oakland scored just two runs in the two defeats.
What to watch for: Oakland grabbed two of three at Tropicana Field in late May, as the lone victory by Tampa Bay came on a walk-off, three-run homer in 11 innings in the series finale. The Rays have won six of Cobb’s eight road starts, including each of the last five on the highway. The A’s are 4-1 in Samardzija’s five starts since he was acquired from the Cubs, but each of the past two wins came as a heavy favorite against the Astros.
Angels at Dodgers – 10:10 PM EST
Probable Pitchers:
LAA: Richards (11-4, 2.74 ERA)
LAD: Greinke (12-6, 2.65 ERA)
Previous series recap: The Angels concluded an East Coast swing at 3-3 at Baltimore and Tampa Bay, including a 7-5 triumph at Tropicana Field on Sunday to capture the weekend set. The Dodgers were tripped up by the Cubs this past weekend, including Sunday’s 7-3 defeat as nearly a -200 favorite. It was the third home series loss by the Dodgers since the start of June, which also includes series defeats to the White Sox and Indians.
What to watch for: The home team finished 4-0 in the Freeway Series last season, which included the Dodgers rallying from a 6-1 deficit with Greinke on the hill to beat the Angels, 8-7 in the series opener at home. Following an eight-game winning streak from June through the All-Star break, the Angels have lost each of Richards’ last three outings, all in the favorite role. Since last July, the Dodgers are 13-3 in Greinke’s past 16 home starts, which includes a pair of wins over AL foes.
