MLB Betting Info - Saturday 4/16

[NewYorkKnight]

Preview: White Sox (8-2) at Rays (3-7)


Game: 2
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: April 16, 2016 6:10 PM EDT


The Chicago White Sox came out on top in a pitching duel in their opener in Tampa Bay, and a rested John Danks will try to follow suit by rebounding from his dreadful season debut.


The left-hander hasn't performed well in many of his recent matchups against the Rays but will face an anemic lineup Saturday night while trying to help the White Sox match their best start in 59 seasons.


Chicago improved to 8-2 with a 1-0 victory Friday, and Melky Cabrera pushed across the lone run with a ninth-inning single. The White Sox chose to keep Chris Sale on regular rest after Sunday's postponement against Cleveland and move Danks to Saturday.


Sale responded with a two-hitter while striking out nine for his third win, but Jake Odorizzi kept the Rays (3-7) in the game with seven scoreless innings.


"You don't care when it is, it could be early in the year or later in the year, you find a way to win these games," Chicago third baseman Todd Frazier said. "It's huge because now it helps you out at the end of the year but it also helps the team come together."


Danks will have had seven days between starts after a 7-1 loss to Cleveland on April 8 and likely needed all of them to recover from giving up seven runs in five innings. "I've been excited about this start for a couple weeks now. I definitely pictured it going a lot different in my head, but it's baseball," he said. "Got to get ready for the next one."


Danks (0-1, 9.00 ERA) will seek to extend the White Sox's best start since they were 9-2 in 1982, and get them a step closer to matching their 11-2 mark from 1957. He's 1-5 with a 5.93 ERA in his last seven starts against Tampa Bay, however, and gave up five runs in 5 1-3 innings in his only matchup last season, a 7-5 defeat at Tropicana Field.


He might catch a break this time with the Rays owning a .196 batting average and a .567 OPS. They have scored one run over their last three games and totaled 17 hits in their past four.


Tampa Bay has been shut out in three consecutive games just once - June 8-10, 2014 - and its 19-inning scoreless streak is three shy of matching the fifth-longest in franchise history. Another shutout would give the Rays their second-longest stretch of offensive futility behind a 31-inning streak in June 2014.


Erasmo Ramirez (1-0, 3.00) will try to keep the White Sox scoreless in his first start in 2016. The right-hander went 11-6 with a 3.51 ERA in 27 starts in his first season in Tampa Bay and gave up five runs in six innings in his only matchup with Chicago, a 6-5 loss in 10 innings Aug. 5.


Rays starters have yet to earn a victory, matching their second-longest such drought to open a season in team history. Tampa Bay went 16 games without a starter registering a win in 2003 until Jorge Sosa ended that run.


The statuses of Rays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier and second baseman Logan Forsythe are unknown after they collided Friday. Forsythe has a bruised lower left leg and left hip. Kiermaier suffered a head contusion and will be monitored for concussion symptoms for "the next 24 hours," manager Kevin Cash said.


"We're going to see how (Kiermaier) is when he comes in (Saturday)," Cash added. "He's got a little bit of a headache. I don't know if that's from the ground or connecting with Logan, I'm not sure."

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Preview: Brewers (5-5) at Pirates (5-6)


Game: 2
Venue: PNC Park
Date: April 16, 2016 7:05 PM EDT


Taylor Jungmann could be facing the right opponent after the worst start of his young career.


He beat the Pittsburgh Pirates three times a season ago as a rookie and meets them again Saturday night for the visiting Milwaukee Brewers.


Jungmann (0-1, 11.57 ERA) was tagged for a career-high eight runs in two-plus innings Monday in a 10-1 loss at St. Louis, with seven of his eight hits allowed going for extra bases. He had never yielded more than six runs in his first 22 outings before the shortest one of his career.


"They hit fastballs, they hit breaking balls, they hit inside fastballs, they hit outside fastballs," Jungmann said. "It wasn't just one pitch they were going after."


The right-hander has had no such issues facing Pittsburgh, going 3-0 with a 2.42 ERA in four outings in 2015. He struck out 20 and limited the Pirates (5-6) to a .165 average.


The only Pittsburgh batter with more than two hits against him is Jung Ho Kang, who is still out following knee surgery last year. Josh Harrison, Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte, Gregory Polanco and Francisco Cervelli are a combined 5 for 39 against him.


One factor against Jungmann is that Milwaukee (5-5) has dropped his last eight road outings, a span in which he is 0-7 with a 10.02 ERA.


The Brewers opened this three-game set with Friday's 8-4 win highlighted by Ryan Braun's pair of two-run homers for his first multi-homer effort since May 15 and 23rd of his career.


'Maybe I got lucky and the wind stopped blowing when I was up to bat,' Braun said with a smile before adding, 'it was warmer here than it usually is at that time of the year, so I think that probably helped.'


The Pirates were blanked for six innings before they cut the gap to 5-4 in the seventh before Braun's second two-run blast in the eighth.


'It was good to get those tack-on runs,' Braun said. 'The Pirates are one of the best teams in baseball and they are especially tough at home. You always want to get as many runs as you can against them.'


Jonathan Villar had three hits as he returned after missing the two previous games with a sore left ankle.


The Pirates have allowed 30 runs in losing four straight and have dropped six of seven since a 4-0 start.


'We need to execute our pitches better,' manager Clint Hurdle said. 'We need to execute our locations better.'


They will send Jonathon Niese (1-0, 5.73) to the mound after he gave up four runs in six innings to get credit for Monday's 7-4 victory at Detroit.


The left-hander is 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA in eight starts versus the Brewers. Braun is 5 for 16 against him while Aaron Hill is 2 for 11 with a homer.


Marte went 3 for 5 on Friday and is hitting .421 in his last nine games. Pirates newcomer John Jaso has reached base in all of his 10 games, going 11 for 26 in a six-game hitting streak.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Preview: Nationals (8-1) at Phillies (5-6)


Game: 2
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: April 16, 2016 7:05 PM EDT


The Washington Nationals will have Max Scherzer on the mound Saturday night as they try to continue their best start in franchise history against the Philadelphia Phillies.


Washington has reeled off eight wins in nine games to start the season, opening this three-game series with Friday's 9-1 rout of the Phillies.


"I thought it was a good team (before the season)," Nationals manager DustyBaker said. "We can get a lot better."


Bryce Harper had three hits, including a home run, and drove in three runs to support 7 2-3 scoreless innings from Joe Ross. The Nationals have outscored opponents 30-10 during a six-game win streak and are off to their best nine-game beginning since the franchise was born in 1969 as the Montreal Expos.


"We're battling every day, having fun," Harper said. "We're pitching well, hitting well and we just want to keep it rolling."


Harper is 12 for 26 with six homers and 10 RBIs in his last six games at Citizens Bank Park. He's gone deep in four consecutive games there.


Scherzer (1-0, 4.15 ERA) looks to continue his success against the Phillies. He's 4-1 with a 2.25 ERA in six career starts versus Philadelphia, striking out 42 and walking just five in 40 innings.


The right-hander earned his first win Monday against Atlanta, allowing four runs and six hits in six innings.


Philadelphia's starting pitchers entered Friday combining to post a MLB-best 2.14 ERA, including Vince Velasquez's 16 strikeout, three-hit shutout on Thursday. However, Jeremy Hellickson was roughed up for six runs and seven hits in three innings in the opener.


"What a difference one day makes," manager Pete Mackanin said. "Like a roller-coaster ride."


The offense was just as bad, managing just four hits as the Phillies (5-6) were held under 10 for the 11th straight game, leaving them one off the pace of the 1967 team which did it in 12 consecutive contests to start that season.


Getting the call for the Phillies on Saturday will be young right-hander Aaron Nola (0-1, 3.21), who gave up four runs and six hits over seven innings in a 4-3 loss to San Diego on Monday. He struck out a career-high nine.


"He made one bad pitch, really," catcher Cameron Rupp said, referencing WilMyers' fourth-inning home run.


Nola has fanned 17 without a walk in his two starts, spanning 14 innings.


"I expected him to be poised," Mackanin said. "Because that's how he showed upto the big leagues last year."


Nola faced the Nationals twice a year ago, allowing six runs in 10 innings without recording a decision.


Anthony Rendon, Jayson Werth and Harper are a combined 7 for 16 against him, each with a homer.


Washington has won seven of eight in Philadelphia.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Preview: Braves (1-9) at Marlins (3-5)


Game: 2
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: April 16, 2016 7:10 PM EDT


It may have taken 10 games, but the Atlanta Braves finally found the win column.


Now they'll try to make it two straight victories Saturday when they continue a three-game set with the Miami Marlins.


Atlanta looked as if it was on its way to matching the worst start in team history Friday, managing just one hit through the first six innings and trailing 3-0 in the seventh. Adonis Garcia led a furious comeback, though, knocking in three runs as the Braves (1-9) scored six unanswered in a 6-3 win.


"It's nice to touch people's hands for once," said first baseman Freddie Freeman. "It's a nice little two-ton boulder off our shoulders."


Nick Markakis also added an RBI, while Alexi Ogando picked up the win, as he and four other Atlanta relievers combined to pitch 4 2-3 scoreless innings.


"It's almost like a playoff win for us," Freeman said. "You hate to say it was almost a must win, but it was almost a must win."


Miami's Marcell Ozuna had three hits, but struck out with the bases loaded against Arodys Vizcaino to end the eighth. Vizcaino retired J.T. Realmuto on a groundout with two on in the ninth to earn the save.


The loss ended Miami's seven-game winning streak versus the Braves and also dropped it to 0-3 at home.


"It was one of those games," manager Don Mattingly said. "We didn't get the outs that we needed."


Getting the call for the Braves on Saturday will be righty Bud Norris (0-2, 6.00 ERA). After pitching well in defeat against Washington on April 6, Norris was roughed up by the Nationals on Monday for five runs and nine hits in five innings.


Norris, winless in six starts dating to June 7 of last season and without a victory since Aug. 14 overall, has faced the Marlins (3-4) five times and is 1-1 with a 6.18 ERA against them.


Miami is one of just three National League teams without a win from its starting rotation, along with Atlanta and Arizona, but the rotation has been turning a corner over the last five games.


Since April 10, Miami's starters have not allowed more than three runs in a game and own an ERA of 2.54 over 28 1/3 innings in that span. It's a sharp contrast from the beginning of the year, when they posted a 10.03 ERA in the first three games after allowing 13 earned runs in 11 2/3 innings.


Hoping to continue the recent trend will be righty Tom Koehler (0-1, 2.84), who lost his season debut Sunday against Washington. The Nationals reached him for two runs and eight hits over 6 1/3 innings of a 4-2 defeat.


"I didn't really have a good feel in the first," said Koehler, who didn't help himself by issuing four walks. "As the game went on, I felt like I got stronger. I would have liked to execute some pitches better in the first inning, thatway I would have given us a better chance to win the game."


In 10 starts and 14 games versus the Braves, Koehler has gone 2-4 with a 3.36 ERA. A.J Pierzynski has been a thorn in his side, going 7 for 15 with two homers and one double.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Preview: Tigers (6-3) at Astros (4-7)


Game: 2
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: April 16, 2016 7:10 PM EDT


A stellar performance from their ace allowed the Houston Astros to win even while their lineup continued to scuffle.


Justin Verlander will try to help the Detroit Tigers respond with another successful outing against the Astros on Saturday night, but he'll have to shake off a miserable performance from his latest start.


Dallas Keuchel preserved the Astros' slim lead through eight innings in a 1-0 victory in Friday's series opener, ending their three-game slide. Houston (4-7) registered five singles, with Colby Rasmus' driving in the game's lone run in the first.


The Astros have totaled seven runs in their last four games while batting .193. That's not a promising sign as they get set to face Verlander, who is 2-0 with a 1.62 ERA in five lifetime matchups against them.


He didn't give up a run in seven innings in his lone start versus Houston last season, a 4-2 road victory Aug. 15. Verlander has gone at least seven scoreless in three starts against the Astros.


The right-hander wasn't nearly as sharp in a 7-4 loss to Pittsburgh on Monday, getting tagged for seven runs and 10 hits over 4 1-3 innings. Verlander (0-1, 8.71 ERA) took a no-hitter into the sixth inning in his season debut April 5 in Miami, an 8-7 win in 11 innings.


"It was kind of one of those days where the hard-hit balls found gaps. The ones that weren't hit hard ended up being base hits. I was never able to get comfortable out there. There were baserunners on all the time," he said. "You don't want to have a start like that, but you have to stay positive.


"I know historically I've been somebody that takes a few starts to get rolling. My Aprils historically aren't great. They're a little up and down but once it clicks, it goes."


The Tigers (6-2) produced 22 runs and 33 hits in their three consecutive wins before heading into Houston, and they had scored at least four runs in each of their first eight games. They'll try to get back on track while keeping Collin McHugh (1-1, 6.14) from building on his 8-2 win over visiting Kansas City on Monday.


The right-hander scattered eight hits over seven scoreless innings while rebounding from the worst outing of his career. McHugh recorded just one out in a 16-6 loss at the New York Yankees on April 6 and was charged with six runs.


"He was exceptional and he pitched with a purpose tonight," manager A.J. Hinch said. "I am glad he made the adjustment from being a careful pitcher dancing around the strike zone to attacking them with all of his pitches."


McHugh went 0-1 with a 2.57 ERA in his two starts against Detroit, both last season. He yielded one run in seven innings while fanning seven in a 4-2, 11-inning loss at Minute Maid Park on Aug. 15.


He only avoided taking the loss in that game when Preston Tucker homered in the ninth.


Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler, batting .350 in his first nine games, is 1 for 7 against McHugh.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Preview: Orioles (8-2) at Rangers (6-6)


Game: 3
Venue: Globe Life Park in Arlington
Date: April 16, 2016 8:05 PM EDT


After choosing greater security with the Baltimore Orioles over more money from the Texas Rangers, Yovani Gallardo gets a chance to show he made the right decision.


He'll face his former team while attempting to build on his new one's outstanding start when the Orioles and Rangers continue a four-game series Saturday night.


Gallardo finished 13-11 with a 3.42 ERA over 33 regular-season starts during his lone season in Texas and won Game 1 of the Rangers' playoff series with Toronto, prompting the Rangers to issue a $15.8 million qualifying offer the free agent rejected before ultimately signing a two-year, $22 million contract with an option year with Baltimore.


The Fort Worth native's early results since the switch have been mixed. Gallardo (1-0, 5.40 ERA) held Minnesota to a run on two hits over five innings to win his Orioles debut on April 6, but was reached for five runs in five innings against a stronger Boston lineup on Monday.


Texas' rotation has withstood Gallardo's departure thus far, with its starters having allowed three runs or less in each of the first 12 games, a club record and the longest by any team to begin a season since Boston opened 2013 with 16 straight.


The Rangers received a solid six-plus innings from Martin Perez on Friday, though the bullpen imploded as Baltimore scored nine runs in the seventh to rally for an 11-5 victory. The Orioles homered four times during the inning to snap a two-game skid that followed a 7-0 start, the franchise's best since moving to Baltimore in 1954.


Mark Trumbo hit two of those homers and has five with 11 RBIs over a five-game stretch. The offseason acquisition is the first Orioles player to homer twice in the same inning and first in the majors to do so since Toronto's Edwin Encarnacion against Houston on July 26, 2013.


"He's been in a good spot since the day he walked into Sarasota,' manager Buck Showalter said. 'It's obvious, the atmosphere that he's in fits him well. And the guys have drawn to him. He fits the way we try to do things and need to do things.'


Baltimore is the first team to homer four times in an inning since Detroit against the Orioles on June 1, 2013.


Manny Machado doubled in the seventh to extend his season-opening hitting streak to 10 games, during which he's batting .405.


Machado is one of several Orioles with good career numbers against Colby Lewis (1-0, 3.00), the free-agent pitcher Texas (6-6) did manage to retain this offseason. The 36-year-old was brought back on a one-year deal after winning a career-high 17 games in 2015.


Lewis is coming off a strong performance Monday in Seattle, yielding one run and four hits over six innings in a 7-3 victory in which he retired 13 straight hitters at one point.


'We had a plan and stuck to it and it showed," Rangers catcher Brett Nicholas said. "He was just cruising and I was just making sure I caught the ball well and threw it back to him so he could keep it going.'


Lewis won his only 2015 meeting with Baltimore on June 30 despite surrendering two home runs to Chris Davis and one to Machado. Davis is 4 for 8 against him, while Machado is 2 for 5 and J.J. Hardy 6 for 18 with two homers.


Texas, which went 23-11 against the AL East last season, had won five straight against Baltimore

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Preview: Diamondbacks (4-7) at Padres (3-8)


Game: 2
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: April 16, 2016 8:40 PM EDT


Don't expect either Shelby Miller or Andrew Cashner to be fazed by their respective team's current scoring struggles.


A lack of offense has been a common theme for both scheduled starters for Saturday night's game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres, and that scenario could very well play out again.


Miller and Cashner ranked first and second, respectively, in the National League in losses last season while also getting the lowest run support in the majors. Miller received 2.54 runs per nine innings during a hard-luck 6-17 campaign with Atlanta, while Cashner was given 3.12 per nine en route to a 6-16 finish.


Miller's prospects figured to be boosted by a trade to Arizona, second in the NL with 720 runs last season, but the 2015 All-Star hasn't helped his cause during his brief time with his new club. He's allowed five homers and 10 runs in 11 innings through two starts, failing to win either.


The right-hander served up a two-run homer to counterpart Jake Arrieta that contributed to Sunday's 7-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs, in which he surrendered four runs while laboring through five-plus innings.


"I think he battled," Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale told MLB's official website. "I put him back out there (in the sixth) with about 90 pitches because I thought his best inning was the fifth. I felt like he was getting stronger."


Miller (0-1, 8.18 ERA) faces a seemingly softer spot against a Padres team that was shut out a MLB-record five times in its first 10 games and has mustered three runs during a four-game losing streak. San Diego (3-8) is hitting .165 with no home runs and 45 strikeouts over the slide.


The Padres had chances in Friday's opener of this three-game series, loading the bases with one out in the ninth inning before Brad Ziegler induced a double play from Jon Jay that preserved a 3-2 Diamondbacks' victory.


Arizona (4-7) hasn't been swinging it well either, having totaled six runs and 19 hits over its last three. It did just enough to halt a two-game skid Friday, getting a tie-breaking RBI single from pinch-hitter Phil Gosselin in the ninth after Jake Lamb stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error.


Lamb finished 2 for 3 and is 4 for 11 with a home run against Cashner (0-1, 8.00), who's also seeking better results after struggling with high pitch counts in his first two outings.


Cashner did show a slight improvement Monday at Philadelphia, allowing three runs over five innings while not factoring in the outcome of a 4-3 win. He threw 94 pitches while surrendering five runs in four innings of a 7-0 home loss to the Dodgers on April 6.


"I always try to take aggressiveness out there," he said. "I think sometimes it maybe gets me in a little bit of trouble, but I think it was a lot better (Monday)."


Cashner lost his first three 2015 starts against Arizona but won the last two, including a June 27 victory at Petco Park in which he yielded two runs over seven innings. He received five runs of support in the defeats.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Preview: Giants (6-5) at Dodgers (7-4)


Game: 2
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: April 16, 2016 9:10 PM EDT


Johnny Cueto is undefeated through his first two starts with the San Francisco Giants. However, he'll look for a cleaner outing this time against the Los Angeles Dodgers than he experienced last weekend.


Scott Kazmir certainly hopes for a better performance than he put forth against Cueto and Giants.


The two veterans match up for the second time in seven days Saturday night when the Dodgers try for a sixth consecutive home win over the Giants.


Cueto (2-0, 4.50 ERA) allowed five first-inning runs Sunday against Los Angeles (7-4) in his first home start, but just one over the next six before leaving a wild 9-6 victory.


"It's part of the game," Cueto told MLB's official website. "My teammates said, 'Just keep the game at 5-0 and we'll take care of the rest.' And that's exactly what I did."


The right-hander yielded 10 hits, two walks and overcame a sore knee and back suffered while backing up home plate.


"For him to go seven innings tells you a couple of things," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "It tells you how tough he is. And he's a pro."


Kazmir (1-0, 5.40) wasn't as fortunate.


Staked to that 5-0 lead, the left-hander gave it all back by allowing six runs and seven hits - three of them homers - in four innings.


'I just didn't get it done,' Kazmir said. 'There were pitches where if I would have made it, it would have been a different situation. But it was those pitches that were right in their wheelhouse, something that they could really handle, and they made me pay.'


It was a far cry from his one-hit, six-inning Dodger debut in a 3-0 victory at San Diego five days earlier.


'When you've got Kaz on the mound you feel pretty good about things,' Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said. 'But that's why you've got to play a complete game. Those guys, they don't quit. They play every pitch and play every inning. They're a tough group.'


Kazmir and Cueto each hope to be more effective as they again follow another Clayton Kershaw-Madison Bumgarner matchup. Kershaw allowed two earned runs over seven innings while Bumgarner yielded seven - four earned - in five-plus of Los Angeles' 7-3 victory.


The versatile Kike Hernandez homered twice off Bumgarner and drove in four runs as the Dodgers handed San Francisco a third consecutive defeat.


"If (Bumgarner) makes a mistake you've got to make sure you make him pay because he doesn't do it a lot in a game," said Hernandez, who is 7 for 13 in his last three games and has six RBIs in the last two.


Angel Pagan had two of the five hits for San Francisco (6-5), which has totaled 11 runs while batting .204 and striking out 44 times during its five-game slide at Chavez Ravine.


Batting .385 through 11 games, Pagan homered against Kazmir last week. Buster Posey and Brandon Belt also took him deep in that contest.


The Giants announced they placed reliever Sergio Romo (arm) and backup infielder Ehire Adrianza (broken foot) on the 15-day disabled list. Adrianza is expected to miss six to eight weeks.


Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley has sat two straight games but should return to the lineup Saturday. The 37-year-old is 11 for 27 against Cueto.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Five to Follow MLB Betting: Saturday, April 16, 2016, Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews


Washington Nationals star and reigning NL MVP Bryce Harper seems to be one of those guys that you either love or hate. But Harper sure is interesting and fabulous player. How cool was his 100th career home run on Thursday? He became the eighth-youngest do to it but of course Harper did it in style: on a grand slam. Harper is the only major-leaguer whose first grand slam came on his 100th career home run. And I'm going to pat myself on the back here. On Thursday's Opening Line Report I recommended betting a Harper home-run prop because in his career he had killed Atlanta starter Julio Teheran. With the homer, Harper improved to 12-for-27 with five home runs off Teheran. Store that nugget for the next Braves-Nats series.


Angels at Twins (+108, 8.5)


A 2:10 p.m. ET matinee. These stories are posted before the games the day I write them are completed, so perhaps the Minnesota Twins will get their first win of the season on Friday. But I feel obligated to write about them just in case they didn't. The Twins actually got some good news Thursday when prized prospect Byron Buxton was hit on the hand against the White Sox. I say good news because it's not broken, just bruised. But Buxton is likely to miss a few days. The former No. 1 overall prospect is batting .167 with 13 strikeouts in 24 at-bats so maybe he needs to go back to Triple-A for a while. The Twins start Ricky Nolasco, who had been truly terrible with the team since signing as a free agent before the 2014 season. He was good in his 2016 debut, allowing a run and three hits over seven innings in a no-decision in Kansas City. He didn't face the Angels in 2015. Albert Pujols destroys him, going 13-for-25 with five doubles, three homers and 11 RBIs. It's Jered Weaver for the Angels. His debut went well Sunday in beating the Rangers, allowing a run over six innings. He didn't face the Twins last year.


Key trends: The Angels are 8-2 in Weaver's past 10 following a quality start in his last appearance. The Twins are 1-11 in their past 12 vs. right-handers. The "over/under" has gone over in 11 of Weaver's past 15 vs. the AL Central. The over is 6-1 in his past seven in Minnesota.


Early lean: Angels and over.


Reds at Cardinals (-179, 7)


A 2:15 p.m. ET matinee. The Reds look like they have a nice rotation piece going forward in young left-hander Brandon Finnegan (0-0, 2.84), who was part of last year's Johnny Cueto trade with Kansas City. The Chicago Cubs are crushing people in the young season but Finnegan no-hit them for 6.2 innings on Monday, but the bullpen then let both of Finnegan's inherited runners score after he lost the no-hitter and the Cubs would win. Finnegan struggled against St. Louis last year, going 0-1 with a 7.04 ERA in 7.2 innings (one start, two relief appearances). Matt Carpenter is 2-for-5 with two homers and four RBIs off him. Former Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright (0-1, 6.55) hasn't looked good thus far. He allowed five runs and walked five over five innings last time out against a very weak Atlanta offense. Wainwright missed most of last season but faced the Reds once, allowing a run in eight innings. Jay Bruce is 11-for-36 off him with two homers.


Key trends: The Cards are 23-4 in Wainwright's past 27 with five days of rest. The under is 5-2 in the Cards' past seven vs. a lefty. St. Louis is 1-4 in Wainwright's past five at home vs. Cincy.


Early lean: Cardinals and under.


Nationals at Phillies (+170, 7)


I mentioned earlier this week that Philadelphia could be good soon with a lot of fine young pitching. On Thursday, that was on display as 23-year-old Vincent Velasquez threw a complete-game three-hitter vs. the Padres, striking out 16. In this game, it's Philly's top pitching prospect in 22-year-old Aaron Nola (0-1, 3.21). He hasn't gotten much run support yet and has 17 strikeouts in two starts without a walk. Nola was 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA in two starts last year vs. Washington. Harper has a solo homer off him in five at-bats. Jayson Werth is 2-for-5 with a homer and four RBIs. Ace Max Scherzer (1-0, 4.15) goes for Washington. Both his first two starts have come against the Braves. Scherzer was 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA in four starts last year against the Phillies. Ryan Howard is 1-for-13 off him with eight strikeouts.


Key trends: The Nats are 4-0 in Scherzer's past four on the road. The Phillies are 0-5 in Nola's past five. The under is 3-0-2 in Scherzer's past five on the road. The under is 4-0 in Nola's past four.


Early lean: Nats and under.


Braves at Marlins (-171, 8)


This game will be shown on Fox Sports 1. As noted above, I feel obligated to write about the Braves in case they are 0-10 entering this one (and I think they will be) like the Twins. And I'm not super-confident about their chances here as Atlanta starts veteran journeyman Bud Norris (0-2, 6.00). Both of his starts have come against Washington. He has allowed 15 hits and four walks in 12 innings. Norris didn't face Miami in 2015. Just a few Marlins have ever faced him. Dee Gordon is 2-for-6 with a double. Giancarlo Stanton is 1-for-2 with an RBI. Tom Koehler gets the call for Miami. His debut was Sunday in Washington and he allowed two runs and eight hits over six innings. At Marlins Park, he is 15-16 with a 3.63 ERA in his career. Against the Braves, Koehler is 2-4 with a 3.36 ERA all-time. Nick Markakis hits him well, going 6-for-11. So does A.J. Pierzynski, going 7-for-15 with two homers.


Key trends: The Braves are 1-7 in their past eight Saturday games. The Marlins are 5-2 in Koehler's past seven. The over is 5-2 in his past seven at home.


Early lean: Marlins and over.


Diamondbacks at Padres (-117, 6.5)


I think it's fair to say the early returns on Arizona's grand offseason experiment have failed miserably. The trade for Shelby Miller (0-1, 8.18) looks more lopsided every day as he has been one of the worst pitchers in baseball thus far. To be fair, he has faced two terrific offenses in the Cubs and Rockies and both were at home. Maybe going to Petco Park helps -- and that Padres lineup is a joke. Miller threw seven shutout innings in his lone start vs. San Diego in 2015. Matt Kemp is 2-for-6 off him with a double. Melvin Upton is 0-for-8 with six whiffs. Andrew Cashner (0-1, 8.00) takes the bump for the Friars. Guy throws 98 mph at times but it obviously hasn't helped much yet. He was 2-3 with a 2.90 ERA in five starts last year vs. the Snakes. Paul Goldschmidt is 7-for-23 off him with a homer and five RBIs.


Key trends: San Diego is 1-4 in Cashner's past five at home. The over is 7-3-1 in his past 11 there. The Padres are 2-6 in his past eight vs. Arizona.


Early lean: Diamondbacks and under.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Previews, Streaks, Tips, Notes


Arizona Diamond-Backs at San Diego Padres April 16, 8:40 EST


Things havent started well for San Diego. Offense is the main issue for Padres as they've been blanked five times platting just 3.7 per/game heading into weekend action. That said, Padres should find enough pop in its line-up Saturday for a victory when they host Arizona Diamondbacks and Shelby Miller.


D-Backs newly acquired hurler is 0-1 in two starts for his new club spanked for 5 yard-ball, 10 runs over 11.0 innings of work. Looking back to his days with Atlanta, the right-hander has now managed just a single win in 25 starts for Atlanta/Arizona surrendering 84 runs, 15 long-ball with his teams 4-21 over the span. Shelby Miller not a peg to hand your hat on got to like Padres chances.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Jason Heyward is not in the Cubs starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Rockies.

Miguel Montero is not in the Cubs starting lineup on Saturday.

Ben Zobrist is not in the Cubs starting lineup on Saturday.

Brian McCann is not in the Yankees starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Mariners.

Billy Hamilton is not in the Reds starting lineup on Saturday

D.J. LeMahieu is not in the Rockies starting lineup on Saturday

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Some large MLB line moves already today:


ATL +161 to +121
CIN +161 to +127
MIN +107 to -120

 

[NewYorkKnight]

MLB visitors receiving at least 70% of total dollars wagered have gone 19-5 this season.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Most Lopsided Public Bet MLB Games Today ...



D'Backs -109 63%
Giants -109 62%
Orioles +102 61%