Monday 5/1/17 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB

Monday, May 1

Trend Report

7:05 PM
TORONTO vs. NY YANKEES
Toronto is 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against NY Yankees
Toronto is 10-5 SU in their last 15 games when playing NY Yankees
The total has gone OVER in 6 of NY Yankees's last 7 games at home
NY Yankees are 10-2 SU in their last 12 games at home

7:10 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. CINCINNATI
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games when playing on the road against Cincinnati
Cincinnati is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cincinnati's last 5 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh

7:10 PM
BALTIMORE vs. BOSTON
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Baltimore's last 7 games on the road
Baltimore is 15-8 SU in its last 23 games
Boston is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing Baltimore
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Boston's last 10 games

7:10 PM
CLEVELAND vs. DETROIT
Cleveland is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games when playing Detroit
Cleveland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Detroit's last 11 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Detroit's last 7 games at home

7:10 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. MIAMI
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Tampa Bay's last 10 games when playing on the road against Miami
Tampa Bay is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing Miami
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Miami's last 10 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay
Miami is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay

7:35 PM
NY METS vs. ATLANTA
NY Mets are 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing Atlanta
NY Mets are 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Atlanta is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Atlanta is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games at home

8:05 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. CHI CUBS
Philadelphia is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 6 games when playing on the road against Chi Cubs
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chi Cubs's last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Chi Cubs's last 12 games

8:10 PM
TEXAS vs. HOUSTON
Texas is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Texas is 15-4 SU in its last 19 games when playing Houston
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 6 games when playing Texas
Houston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

8:15 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. ST. LOUIS
Milwaukee is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing St. Louis
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Milwaukee's last 8 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
St. Louis is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Milwaukee
St. Louis is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games

8:15 PM
CHI WHITE SOX vs. KANSAS CITY
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chi White Sox's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chi White Sox's last 5 games when playing Kansas City
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Kansas City's last 5 games when playing Chi White Sox
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Kansas City's last 8 games at home

10:10 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. LA DODGERS
San Francisco is 5-2 SU in their last 7 games when playing LA Dodgers
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Francisco's last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Dodgers
LA Dodgers are 10-3 SU in their last 13 games when playing at home against San Francisco
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of LA Dodgers's last 5 games when playing at home against San Francisco

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

May good month/bad month MLB starting pitchers

For horse racing fans, May is all about the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. For baseball purists, May is simply the second month of the season as we head toward summer. For die-hard baseball fans that enjoy handicapping America’s pastime, it also signals the arrival of our annual May Good Month/Bad Month pitchers report.

Listed below are hurlers that have enjoyed a two-to-one or better success ratio in team-starts over the course of the last three seasons during the month of May. On the flip side, we've also listed pitchers that struggle in May, winning 33 percent or less of their team-start efforts. To qualify pitchers must have made a minimum of 10 starts, with at least one start each May over the last three years. And for your convenience alongside each record we break down each pitcher’s greatest success or greatest failure rate either home (H) or away (A) within his good or bad month.

Note: * designates a categorical repeat appearance by this pitcher, maintaining status quo from last season’s May list.

GOOD MONTH PITCHERS:

Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants (15-3, 8-1 A)

Bumgarner is one the premier pitchers in baseball, though not the best bike rider which is why he starts this month on the DL. The left-hander is winless thus far after four starts, but that is a function of San Francisco not scoring as much as anything. MadBum is presumed to return to winning ways when he comes back.

Johnny Cueto, San Francisco Giants (12-4, 6-0 H)

Ceuto is the perfect No. 2 starter on almost any team and his array of starts and stops in his delivery keeps hitters off-balance. To date his numbers are off much like his team, but he's been top notch on May.

Zack Greinke, Arizona Diamondbacks (10-5, 4-2 A)

After a down year in 2016, Greinke is returning to his form of old. While he might not throw as hard as a few years ago, he has an outstanding collection of pitches to keep batter's guessing. The righty is the leader of an improving Arizona staff.

Phil Hughes, Minnesota Twins (10-5, 6-2 H)

Once thought of as a potential ace, Hughes has turned out to be a serviceable starting pitcher. Though he's enjoyed good success this month, he has an ERA around 4.5 for his career and team's have a batting average of about .270 against him.

* Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners (12-4, 7-1 A)

The King has right shoulder inflammation and will not likely return until the middle of May. Though only 31, the velocity continues to drop and Hernandez is finding his way to the DL more often after a decade of heavy usage.

Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers (11-5, 6-2 H)

Kershaw is still the best pitcher in baseball and has been for some time. His numbers are that of another era, as opposing teams are batting .205 lifetime against him. Already a first ballot Hall of Famer.

Lance Lynn, St. Louis Cardinals (8-3, 6-1 H)

Lynn is back from elbow surgery and has been better than new with every one of current stats well below career norms. What we have witnessed is more tilt on the breaking pitches and he's really spotting his fastball expertly.

David Price, Boston Red Sox (11-5, 5-1 H)

Price's rehab has been coming along and at the end of April was supposed to start throwing to batters. If all goes well, should return sometime this month. Great talent who has lost a little on the fastball, however, secondary pitches are still excellent.

Garrett Richards, Los Angeles Angels (8-4, 4-2 H)

Has not thrown since suffering biceps strain and has not been cleared to throw. Richards is elite talent who keeps finding ways to get hurt. The Angels could really use their ace.

* Chris Sale, Boston Red Sox (10-3, 4-1 A)

Sale is at the top of his game and embraced the role of being Boston's best pitcher. The big left-hander decided to sacrifice a little velocity (still throws in the mid 90's) in order to pitch deeper into games and to say that is working is an understatement. Like Kershaw, is a must watch hurler.


BAD MONTH PITCHERS:

Andrew Cashner, Texas Rangers (3-9, 1-4 H)

Overrated starting pitcher for years who fits the old Yogi Berra line "He pitches good enough to lose." Cashner's ERA remains under 4 for his career, but makes that one or two mistakes that costs his team's games. Currently has more walks than strikeouts.

Anibal Sanchez, Detroit Tigers (4-11, 2-6 A)

Sanchez is 33 and his stuff has gotten bad enough where Detroit can no longer keep him in the rotation. He is now doing long relief or middle of the game relief and Sanchez has hardly been a relief with an ERA over 9.

Ervin Santana, Minnesota Twins (3-8, 1-4 H)

Santana has been fantastic to start the year for Minnesota, with an ERA under one and teams batting an unfathomable .116 against him. Will this continue, no, because no matter how Santana starts, fast or slow, he almost always is around career numbers. Nonetheless, he has been overwhelming.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicappers Hub
May 01 '17, 10:10 PM
MLB | SFO vs LAD
Play on: UNDER 6 +100

Johnny Cueto is 5-6 against the Dodgers with a 2.56 ERA lifetime while Kershaw is 19-8 with a 1.57 ERA against the Giants lifetime. In the last 3 start each of of them had it has only gone over 6 runs just 1 time and that was 4-3 with the bullpen blowing the lead for the Dodgers. Both teams are also struggling scoring runs this season with the Giants averaging just 3.3 runs per game and the Dodgers averaging 4.3 runs per game.

Look for a pitchers duel with the first one getting 2 runs winning this thing tonight in LA!

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Ray Monohan
May 01 '17, 7:30 PM
NHL | Capitals vs Penguins
Play on: OVER 5½ -116

Washington vs. Pittsburgh Over 5.5

This play just missed out on our premium card. The Pens have all the control here heading into Game 3 and with their backs against the wall, Washington has to come out firing. Given that, expect the Over to be a nice play here. Washington and Pittsburgh are two of the quickest teams in the NHL and they're going to really push the issue here with the series in full swing.

With how many weapons each team has, there is a lot of back and forth action between each of the two teams. With Washington needing to be aggressive and needing to get out early, look for them to have plenty of chances, along with the Pens getting some counter chances. Some trends to note. Over is 3-0-4 in the last 7 meetings in Pittsburgh. Over is 5-1-1 in the last 7 meetings.

Look for fast pace here, giving this Over a nice move.

Back the Over. Good Luck, Razor Ray.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Andrew Gold
May 01 '17, 8:10 PM
MLB | Rangers vs Astros
Play on: Rangers +196 at betonline

If your a player that likes the big underdog look no further than this game here tonight. The Astros aren't exactly lighting it up right now only winning 2 of their last 5 games. Also is McCullers really that much better than Cashner?

McCullers has pitched his his best so far at home this season and clearly odds makers are giving him the benefit of the doubt here. He still carries a 4.34 ERA on the year and 5.62 ERA his last 3 starts. Not exactly something you are looking for with a huge favorite. He has also never beaten the Rangers and carries an 8.03 ERA against them!

Cashner in 3 starts has a 2.94 ERA on the season and the Astors do struggle to score runs at home only averaging 3.6 so far this season

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Mike Williams
May 01 '17, 7:10 PM
MLB | Pirates vs Reds
Play on: Pirates -110 at betonline

1* on Pirates -110

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Jimmy Boyd
May 01 '17, 7:10 PM
MLB | Pirates vs Reds
Play on: Reds +108 at 5Dimes

Free Pick on Reds +

I really like the value here with the Reds on Monday. While these two teams come in with identical records, Pittsburgh is perceived to be the better team and have their so called ace in Gerrit Cole on the mound. Given the suspension of Starling Marte and David Freese on the DL, I don't think the Pirates are any better than the Reds right now. Cole is a well known name, but he's still not his old self. He's 1-3 with a 3.60 ERA in 5 starts and has a 4.76 ERA in 3 road starts. On top of that, Cincinnati has been his nemesis. Cole is 0-6 with a 5.44 ERA in 43 innings against the Reds (6.10 ERA last year).

Not many know of Cincinnati starter Amir Garrett, but there's a lot to like. He was rocked for 9 runs on 8 hits in just 3 1/3 innings in his last start at Milwaukee, but prior to that hadn't allowed more than 2 runs in each of his previous 3 starts and pitched at least 6 innings in all 3 outings. This is a great spot for him to bounce back against a Pirates offense that is scoring just 3.7 runs/game (only 2.9 runs/game against division). Take Cincinnati!

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Jack Jones
May 01 '17, 7:10 PM
MLB | Rays vs Marlins
Play on: Rays +133 at 5Dimes

Jack's Free Pick Monday: Tampa Bay Rays +133

I like the value we are getting with the Tampa Bay Rays are +133 underdogs in Game 1 of this series with the Miami Marlins Monday. They'll be motivated for a win following two straight losses at Toronto over the weekend.

Jake Odorizzi makes his first start back from the DL after going 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA and 1.000 WHIP in his first three starts this season. Odorizzi has dominated the Marlins over the past two seasons, going 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in two starts against them while pitching 12 innings without allowing a single earned run.

Wei-Yin Chen has gone 2-1 with a 4.71 ERA in four starts this season. He was rocked in his only home start, giving up 6 runs in 3 innings of an 8-9 loss to the Mets. Chen has allowed 11 earned runs in 17 1/3 innings for a 5.71 ERA in his last three starts against the Rays.

Tampa Bay is 52-25 in its last 77 vs. an NL team with an on base percentage .315 or worse. The Rays are 38-13 in their last 51 interleague games vs. a team with a losing record. Tampa Bay is 4-1 in Odorizzi's last five interleague starts. The Marlins are 7-19 in their last 26 interleague games. The Rays are 19-9 in the last 28 meetings. Bet the Rays Monday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

DAVE COKIN

RAPTORS AT CAVALIERS
PLAY: CAVALIERS -6.5

I can see where a case can be made to back Toronto plus the points in tonight’s series opener. While the Cavs won three of the four regular season meetings, those victories were each by small margins (four, four and three points, respectively). It’s clear that the Raptors were able to compete with the Cavs in that quartet of games.

It’s also worth noting that while the Cavaliers dispatched Indiana in four straight to open their championship defense, all four games were tight. Cleveland wins were by four, five, six and one in descending order.

Those sets of numbers suggest the line on this opening game might be a bit on the high side. But my thoughts are that this is where the Cavs begin to ramp things up. Last season is a long time ago, but let’s remember that Cleveland absolutely crushed this opponent in its three home games in the May 2016 hookups. I’m not saying the Cavaliers will win by those massive margins, but I am of the belief they will control this series and win it fairly convincingly.

I’ll look for that trend toward domination to begin tonight, and I’ll play the Cavaliers minus the points.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Rob Vinciletti

Tampa Bay vs. Miami
Play: Miami -129

Miami fits a solid 91% system that plays on home favorites off a home favored win by 5+ runs vs a team like Tampa off a road favored loss that had 4 or less hits. Tampa is 0-3 on Monday and 2-9 on the road vs teams under .500. Chen start for Miami and he is 7-1 as a home favorite and has won his last 3 Home starts in may. Odorizzi has always struggled on the road and this is his 1st road start this year. Look for Miami to win.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Blue Jays at Yankees
GAME: Toronto Blue Jays (8-17) at New York Yankees (15-8)
DATE/TIME: Monday, May 01 - 7:05 PM EST
WHERE: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York

The New York Yankees finally came out on the losing end of a rally on Sunday, but their work over the weekend against the Baltimore Orioles managed to push the team into a tie for first place in the American League East. The Toronto Blue Jays, who sit last in the AL East and did not earn a series win on the season until taking the rubber match from Tampa Bay on Sunday, visit the Yankees for the opener of a three-game series on Monday.

New York rallied from an eight-run deficit to earn a 14-11 win in 10 innings over the Orioles on Friday and pounded their way to 12-4 win on Saturday to clinch a series win before falling 7-4 in extra innings on Sunday. The Yankees' offensive surge over the weekend coincided with the return of shortstop Didi Gregorius (shoulder), who made his season debut on Friday and went 7-for-15 with four RBIs in the series. The Blue Jays will counter Gregorius and the New York offense with a pitching staff that got two strong performances in a row over the weekend, through the bullpen was taxed in Sunday's 3-1 triumph when starter Aaron Sanchez had to leave after the first inning with a split fingernail. Toronto will try to get some length on Monday out of starter Marco Estrada while New York counters with hard-throwing youngster Luis Severino.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Sportsnet (Toronto), YES (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Marco Estrada (0-1, 2.70 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Luis Severino (2-1, 3.00)

Estrada did not factor in the decision in any of his last three starts despite allowing a total of two runs in 21 innings. The California native struck out a season-high nine while scattering two runs and six hits over six innings at St. Louis on Tuesday but was out of the contest before the Cardinals managed to complete a 6-5 win. Estrada received better support in four starts against New York last season, posting a 2-0 record and a 3.12 ERA.

Severino had a streak of two straight starts posting double-digit strikeouts come to an end on Wednesday and issued a season-high two walks but still managed to hold the Boston Red Sox scoreless on three hits over seven innings in a win. The 23-year-old owns 33 strikeouts and four walks in 27 total innings. Severino is looking for his first career win over the Blue Jays and enters with a 0-2 record and a 5.89 ERA in five career games - four starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Yankees RF Aaron Judge tied a major-league rookie record with 10 home runs in April.

2. Toronto DH Kendrys Morales went 2-for-3 on Sunday, matching his hit total from the previous six games.

3. New York DH Matt Holliday is 7-for-16 in the last four games, raising his batting average from .204 to .262.

PREDICTION: Yankees 6, Blue Jays 3

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Indians at Tigers
GAME: Cleveland Indians (14-10) at Detroit Tigers (12-12)
DATE/TIME: Monday, May 01 - 7:10 PM EST
WHERE: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan

The Cleveland Indians have won four straight series and will take their hot streak into a 10-game road trip, which begins against the Detroit Tigers on Monday with the first of four games between the division rivals. Francisco Lindor homered and drove in three runs to power the Indians to a 12-4 win over Seattle on Sunday in the rubber game of their set.

It was the ninth victory in the last 12 games for Cleveland, which has won four straight series for the first time since its 14-game winning streak last June. The Indians' last series loss came against Detroit in mid-April, when they lost two of three at home. The Tigers are just 4-8 since that set but did manage to snap a four-game slide with a 7-3 win over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday. Justin Upton homered and has hit safely in nine of his last 10 games for the Tigers, who also received a three-RBI performance from No. 9 hitter Jose Iglesias.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), FSN Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Trevor Bauer (2-2, 6.26 ERA) vs. Tigers LH Daniel Norris (1-2, 4.71)

Bauer has recorded just one quality start through four outings this year after giving up four runs over six frames in a win over Houston on Wednesday. The 26-year-old has allowed five home runs, five doubles and one triple among 24 hits thus far, and the Tigers reached him for six runs in five innings on April 14. Iglesias (5-for-8) and Alex Avila (7-for-18, two home runs) have enjoyed their encounters with Bauer, who has posted a 7.24 ERA in 11 career games (10 starts) against Detroit but is 2-0 with a 3.77 mark at Comerica Park.

Norris tossed six scoreless innings opposite Bauer earlier in the season but has since given up nine runs - eight earned - over 8 2/3 frames in two starts. He allowed nine hits - including his first home run this year - and walked two in a season-low four innings Wednesday against Seattle. The 24-year-old Tennessee native is 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA in four career starts versus Cleveland.

WALK-OFFS

1. Avila recorded three hits Sunday to raise his average to .405.

2. Indians RF Abraham Almonte is 7-for-13 with a homer and a triple during his four-game hitting streak.

3. Tigers 2B Ian Kinsler went 0-for-5 on Sunday and is 1-for-22 over his last five contests.

PREDICTION: Indians 6, Tigers 5

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Orioles at Red Sox
GAME: Baltimore Orioles (15-8) at Boston Red Sox (13-11)
DATE/TIME: Monday, May 01 - 7:10 PM EST
WHERE: Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts

The Baltimore Orioles finished April with a much-needed victory and look to start May on the right foot when they visit the Boston Red Sox on Monday for the opener of what could be a heated four-game set. The last series between the American League East rivals (April 21-23) started with a high slide by Baltimore’s Manny Machado that injured Boston’s Dustin Pedroia and ended with a pitch that just missed the head of the Orioles' third baseman.

Adam Jones went 7-for-15 with an RBI over the weekend as Baltimore salvaged the finale of a three-game set against the New York Yankees with a 7-4 victory in 11 innings on Sunday. Baltimore’s Dylan Bundy will oppose Rick Porcello of the Red Sox on Monday, and the Orioles could see the return of closer Zach Britton (strained left forearm), who is expected to join the team in Boston and may be activated during the series. The Red Sox took two of three from the World Series champion Chicago Cubs over the weekend, concluding the set with Sunday’s 6-2 triumph. Boston's Hanley Ramirez homered for the second straight contest in the finale and is 8-for-22 with three blasts and five RBIs during a six-game hitting streak.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN, MASN (Baltimore), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Dylan Bundy (3-1, 1.65 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Rick Porcello (1-3, 4.75)

Bundy has assumed the role of ace for the Orioles while beginning the season with five consecutive quality starts, allowing two runs and 15 hits over 19 1/3 innings in his last three turns. The 24-year-old Tulsa native gave up two runs over 6 1/3 frames against Tampa Bay in his first no-decision last time out and owns a 0.98 WHIP. Mookie Betts (5-for-15, two homers) and Pedroia (6-for-15) have had success versus Bundy, who is 2-3 with a 4.76 ERA against the Red Sox overall.

Porcello has pitched better in his last two starts, permitting six runs - two earned - over 13 2/3 innings with 14 strikeouts, but extended his losing streak to three with a pair of defeats. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner gave up 15 runs, including five homers, in his first three outings this season and opponents are batting .277 against him overall. Seth Smith (9-for-19) and J.J. Hardy (11-for-28) have hit well against Porcello, who is 4-8 with a 4.88 ERA in 15 career starts versus the Orioles.

WALK-OFFS

1. Baltimore 1B Chris Davis (sore right elbow), who is 0-for-8 with five strikeouts in his last two games, was a late scratch Sunday and is day-to-day.

2. Pedroia went 6-for-10 while LF Andrew Benintendi was 4-for-11 with two homers and four runs scored in the series against the Cubs.

3. Orioles 2B Jonathan Schoop has hit safely in six consecutive games, going 7-for-22 with six RBIs during that stretch.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 5, Orioles 4

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pirates at Reds
GAME: Pittsburgh Pirates (11-13) at Cincinnati Reds (11-13)
DATE/TIME: Monday, May 01 - 7:10 PM EST
WHERE: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, Ohio

The Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates finished April with identical 11-13 records, tying the division rivals for last place in the National League Central. One team will try to gain an advantage over the other when the Pirates continue a seven-game road trip by visiting the Reds for the opener of a four-game series on Monday.

Pittsburgh was struggling to score runs prior to last week, when they piled up 22 during a three-game winning streak before falling off the pace in a 10-3 setback on Sunday. One player who stayed hot was first baseman Josh Bell, who belted a two-run homer on Sunday and is 6-for-14 with two homers, three RBIs and five runs scored in the last four contests. Trying to retire Bell and the rest of the Pirates lineup on Monday will be rookie left-hander Amir Garrett, who is coming off his worst major-league appearance, while Pittsburgh counters with ace Gerrit Cole. Cincinnati snapped a four-game slide and avoided a second straight sweep with a 5-4 win at St. Louis on Sunday, which also ended a string of seven consecutive games in which the staff allowed at least five runs.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ROOT Pittsburgh, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Gerrit Cole (1-3, 3.60 ERA) vs. Reds LH Amir Garrett (2-2, 5.09)

Cole is having some trouble getting support from the Pittsburgh offense and suffered a loss against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday despite allowing just one unearned run and two hits while striking out eight without a walk in seven innings. That made two straight losses for the former No. 1 overall pick, who came out on the wrong end of a 2-1 final at St. Louis on April 19. Cole has been surprisingly bad against the Reds in his career and enters Monday's start 0-6 with a 5.44 ERA in eight starts against the division rivals.

Garrett dominated in his first three major-league starts but finally faced some adversity at Milwaukee last Monday, when he was ripped for 10 runs - nine earned - on eight hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings. The former basketball player from St. John's struck out one in that loss after punching out 12 over seven innings against Baltimore on April 19. Garrett earned a win over Pittsburgh on April 12, when he allowed two runs and struck out five in 6 2/3 frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. Reds LF Adam Duvall went 4-for-5 with three doubles on Sunday after going 4-for-35 over his previous eight games.

2. Pittsburgh C Francisco Cervelli (foot) sat out Sunday and will be re-evaluated prior to Monday's contest.

3. Cincinnati SS Zack Cozart went 1-for-12 in his last three games to drop his batting average from .407 to .352.

PREDICTION: Pirates 5, Reds 2

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rays at Marlins
GAME: Tampa Bay Rays (12-14) at Miami Marlins (11-12)
DATE/TIME: Monday, May 01 - 7:10 PM EST
WHERE: Marlins Park, Miami, Florida

Slugger Justin Bour hopes to build off a huge performance when his Miami Marlins host the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday for the opener of a four-game, home-and-home series. Bour recorded career highs of four hits and six RBIs to raise his season average to .222 as the Marlins snapped a four-game slide with a 10-3 victory over Pittsburgh on Sunday.

Marcell Ozuna also is looking to build momentum from Sunday’s win in which he registered three hits and scored twice as he went 9-for-16 against Tampa Bay last season. The Marlins will send Wei-Yin Chen, who knows the Rays well from his days in the American League East, to the mound while Jake Odorizzi is expected to return from the disabled list to start for Tampa Bay. The Rays are 2-4 on their eight-game road trip and have won just three of 13 away from home after scoring just one run in each of their last two contests in Toronto. Leading hitter Steven Souza Jr. (.330, 17 RBIs) is day-to-day with a sore wrist while Tampa Bay needs Evan Longoria (.208 batting average) and Kevin Kiermaier (1-for-32, 13 strikeouts in his last eight games) to get going offensively.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Tampa Bay, Miami)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Jake Odorizzi (1-1, 4.15 ERA) vs. Marlins LH Wei-Yin Chen (2-1, 4.71)

Odorizzi returns to the mound for the first time since April 15 after suffering a hamstring injury and hopes to pick up where he left off as he has allowed two runs in his last seven innings. The 27-year-old Illinois native, who recorded 30 wins over the previous three seasons, defeated Toronto on April 9 while permitting two runs and two hits in six frames. Odorizzi pitched five scoreless innings in a win against Miami last year and is 2-1 with a 4.29 ERA in his career versus the Marlins.

Chen suffered his first loss in four starts Wednesday at Philadelphia, yielding four runs and seven hits over five innings after limiting two of his first three opponents to fewer than two runs. The 31-year-old native of Taiwan, who started his career with Baltimore, is 5-6 with a 5.76 ERA in 20 starts against Tampa Bay after giving up five runs over 5 2/3 frames in a no-decision last season. Longoria has gone deep twice and Peter Bourjos is 4-for-9 lifetime versus Chen.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Marlins won three of the four meetings last season but trails in the Sunshine State all-time series 52-51.

2. Miami 3B Martin Prado has hit safely in seven straight games, going 8-for-30 in that stretch.

3. Tampa Bay 1B-DH Logan Morrison, who is second on the team with 14 RBIs this season, went 8-for-13 against the Marlins in 2016.

PREDICTION: Rays 5, Marlins 3

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mets at Braves
GAME: New York Mets (10-14) at Atlanta Braves (10-13)
DATE/TIME: Monday, May 01 - 7:35 PM EST
WHERE: SunTrust Park, Cumberland, Georgia

The New York Mets open a four-game road series against the Atlanta Braves on Monday, looking to put behind them a difficult April that concluded with an ugly 23-5 loss Sunday at Washington. The Mets have dealt with a variety of injuries, saw ace Noah Syndergaard leave Sunday’s game with a potential right lat strain, and employed catcher Kevin Plawecki to pitch the final two innings as they closed the month losing 11 of their past 14 games.

New York faces uncertainty with its top pitcher while its top hitter, Yoenis Cespedes, remains on the disabled list with a hamstring injury. Atlanta comes home after a 4-4 road trip as its four-game winning streak ended with Sunday’s 4-3 loss at Milwaukee. Braves second baseman Brandon Phillips lined a pinch-hit single Sunday, extending his hitting streak to 13 games. The two National League East rivals certainly are familiar with each other, as Monday’s game marks the sixth time this season Atlanta and New York have met.

TV: 7:35 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), FSN Southeast (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Robert Gsellman (0-2, 6.23 ERA) vs. Braves RH Julio Teheran (2-1, 3.38)

Gsellman makes his third appearance (second start) of the season against the Braves, and he looks for a better showing after surrendering five earned runs on 10 hits in four innings of a loss to Atlanta last Wednesday. He has struggled against right-handed hitters, allowing a .360 batting average and eight extra base hits in 50 at-bats. Gsellman, who pitched a scoreless inning of relief against the Braves on April 3, gave up eight runs (four earned) in 4 2/3 innings in his only road start of the season April 13 at Miami.

Teheran earned the victory against Gsellman and the Mets on Wednesday, giving up two runs on four hits with four walks and four strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings. He rebounded nicely after his worst start of the season April 19 against Washington - allowing seven runs in four innings - and has limited opponents to two earned runs or fewer in four of his five starts. Teheran opened 2017 by holding New York to four hits in six scoreless innings on April 3, and has held the Mets to a .186 batting average and no extra base hits in 37 at-bats this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Atlanta C Tyler Flowers is 7-for-12 with five RBIs in his past three games, including two hits and four RBIs against Gsellman on Wednesday.

2. Mets OF Curtis Granderson has just one hit in his past 28 at-bats, while the New York bullpen allowed 14 runs Sunday before Plawecki surrendered four more.

3. Atlanta 1B Freddie Freeman hit his ninth homer of the season Sunday and begins the series hitting .381.

PREDICTION: Braves 5, Mets 2

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Phillies at Cubs
GAME: Philadelphia Phillies (11-12) at Chicago Cubs (13-11)
DATE/TIME: Monday, May 01 - 8:05 PM EST
WHERE: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois

The Chicago Cubs' nine-game road trip ended in disappointing fashion, but they hope to get back on track at home Monday as they open a four-game series with the slumping Philadelphia Phillies. Chicago began its trek by winning four of its first five contests but went on to lose three of the last four, including a 6-2 decision at Boston on Sunday.

Kris Bryant has been doing his part offensively for the Cubs, as he homered for the second time in three contests and enters Monday with an 11-game hitting streak. Philadelphia's six-game winning streak has become a distant memory after a lost weekend in Los Angeles, where it dropped three straight to the Dodgers. The slide has not slowed down Freddy Galvis, however, as the 27-year-old delivered an RBI single in the first inning of Sunday's 5-3 setback to extend his hitting streak to 12 games. The Phillies will need their relievers to keep the ball in the park more often, as they have served up 20 home runs in 74 1/3 innings - the worst mark in the majors.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, CSN Chicago Plus

PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Vince Velasquez (1-2, 6.33 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Brett Anderson (2-0, 3.54)

Velasquez is coming off his first win of the year, a triumph over Miami on Wednesday in which he allowed three runs over a season-high 6 1/3 innings. The 24-year-old Californian has recorded only five strikeouts in his last two turns after registering 17 in his first two outings. Velasquez made two starts against the Cubs last season, surrendering seven runs in 4 2/3 frames at Chicago while throwing only two pitches at home on June 8 before leaving with bicep soreness.

Anderson bounced back from a rough outing against Milwaukee by allowing just one earned run over six innings in a win at Pittsburgh last Monday. The 29-year-old Texan struggled with his control, however, as he issued six walks against the Pirates after handing out a total of five free passes in his first three turns. Anderson has made two career starts versus Philadelphia, going 1-1 with a 3.27 ERA.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cubs 2B Ben Zobrist looks to continue the momentum after recording four hits and three RBIs during the series against Boston.

2. Philadelphia had four players make their major-league debuts last month, their most in April since five accomplished the feat in 1970.

3. Chicago has won seven of its last 10 meetings with Philadelphia, sweeping a three-game series at home last year.

PREDICTION: Cubs 6, Phillies 2

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rangers at Astros
GAME: Texas Rangers (11-14) at Houston Astros (16-9)
DATE/TIME: Monday, May 01 - 8:10 PM EST
WHERE: Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas

The Houston Astros are off to one of the fastest starts in club history as they host the Texas Rangers on Monday in the opener of a four-game series and the first of 19 meetings this season. Houston (16-9) won 16 or more games in April for the third time in franchise history (the team record is 17) after Sunday's 7-2 victory over Oakland but must figure out a way to beat Texas, which won the last two season series 15-4 and 13-6.

The Astros have had little trouble versus the American League West this season, going 12-4 - the best record in the major leagues among teams against their own division. Houston's 3.38 ERA is third-best in the major leagues and its offense could be ready to catch up as leadoff hitter George Springer (.230) and cleanup batter Carlos Correa (.233) combined for four hits Sunday and eight in their last three games. Texas lost 5-2 to the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday to complete a 10-game homestand that began with four straight victories but ended up 6-4. The Astros' Lance McCullers Jr. is coming off his first loss of the season and opposes Andrew Cashner, who has been plagued by control issues.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), ROOT (Houston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Andrew Cashner (0-2, 2.93 ERA) vs. Astros RH Lance McCullers Jr. (2-1, 4.34)

Cashner allowed two runs, five hits and six walks while striking out three in four innings of an 8-1 loss to Minnesota on Tuesday. The 30-year-old Texan walked 13 in 15 1/3 innings over his three starts this season after entering 2017 with an average of 3.2 walks per nine innings. Cashner, who is 6-13 with a 3.01 ERA in 38 April appearances (21 starts), is 2-2 with a 3.97 ERA in 10 career games (two starts) versus Houston.

McCullers yielded five runs, seven hits and three walks while striking out five in five innings of a 7-6 loss at Cleveland on Wednesday. The 23-year-old Floridian was 2-0 with a 3.38 ERA in his first four starts of the season - all Astros victories - and is 2-0 with a 1.83 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in three home turns. McCullers, though, is 0-3 with an 8.03 ERA and 1.95 WHIP in three starts versus Texas, losing 2-1 in his only appearance against the Rangers last season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Texas struck out a season-high 15 times Sunday with Nomar Mazara (.229, 1-for-19 in his last five games) leading the way with three after fanning only twice in the previous six contests.

2. Houston DH Carlos Beltran needs one extra-base hit to tie Pete Rose for third all-time among switch-hitters with 1,040. Eddie Murray (1,099) and Chipper Jones (1,055) top the list.

3. The Rangers claimed INF Pete Kozma off waivers from the Yankees on Sunday after New York designated him for assignment Friday. Kozma was 1-for-9 in 11 games with the Yankees this season and is a career .221 hitter.

PREDICTION: Astros 3, Rangers 2

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Brewers at Cardinals
GAME: Milwaukee Brewers (13-13) at St. Louis Cardinals (12-12)
DATE/TIME: Monday, May 01 - 8:15 PM EST
WHERE: Busch Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri

The St. Louis Cardinals are winners of nine of 12 but will be trying to bounce back from one of those rare losses when they host the Milwaukee Brewers in the opener of a four-game series on Monday. Three of the last nine wins came at Milwaukee, and the Brewers hit the road for a visit to St. Louis after finishing up a disappointing 5-5 homestand.

St. Louis squandered a 4-0 lead in Sunday's 5-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds, denying it a sweep of the three-game series. "We make a big deal when we come back from a 4-0 deficit, and I think the same thing [has to be] said on the opposite side when you lose a 4-0 lead," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny told reporters. "Those hurt. This is one of those games that we're going to look at and realize we need to put away." Milwaukee was carried in the first month by the bat of Eric Thames, who set a club record with 11 home runs in April but went without a blast in the last four games after leaving a game on Wednesday with a minor hamstring injury. The Brewers, who lead the NL Central in runs allowed (128), could stand to support Thames and the offense more from the mound, and righty Zach Davies will try to do just that when he goes up against St. Louis right-hander Michael Wacha on Monday.

TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Zach Davies (2-2, 6.57 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Michael Wacha (2-1, 2.55)

Davies has yet to complete six innings this season but is coming off his best outing after scattering six hits and striking out six over five scoreless innings against Cincinnati on Tuesday. The 24-year-old earned a win over the Cardinals on April 20 despite yielding four runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 as the Brewers grabbed a 7-5 victory. Davies, who surrendered a home run to Matt Carpenter in that outing, is 2-0 with a 2.67 ERA in four career starts against St. Louis.

Wacha posted a quality start in each of his first four outings but did not factor in the decision against Toronto on Tuesday despite allowing two runs and five hits in six innings. The Texas A&M product worked a season-high 6 2/3 innings and surrendered one run in a win over Pittsburgh on April 19. Wacha is 4-0 with a 4.09 ERA in seven career games - six starts - against the Brewers.

WALK-OFFS

1. Brewers LF Ryan Braun (arm) left Sunday's game and could miss the next few contests.

2. St. Louis SS Aledmys Diaz is 2-for-20 over his last four games.

3. Milwaukee RF Domingo Santana hit three home runs and drove in seven runs in the last three games.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 7, Brewers 6

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: White Sox at Royals
GAME: Chicago White Sox (13-10) at Kansas City Royals (7-16)
DATE/TIME: Monday, May 01 - 8:15 PM EST
WHERE: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

The Chicago White Sox dominated the Kansas City Royals in a series at home last week and will try to duplicate that effort when the teams begin a four-game set in Kansas City on Monday. The White Sox outscored the Royals 27-8 in the three-game sweep while building up a six-game winning streak, which came to an end Sunday in Detroit.

Meanwhile, Kansas City has been unable to recover and enters the rematch with a nine-game losing streak - its longest in five years. "It's tough to go through a stretch like this, especially when I know we're better than what we're playing," Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain told reporters after Sunday's 7-5 loss to Minnesota. "What can you do? Keep playing, keep battling. Hopefully, we can come out of this." One positive for the Royals thus far has been Jason Vargas, who was dominant in his first three outings before suffering a loss last time out. He will be opposed by White Sox rookie Dylan Covey, who will be making his fourth career start.

TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, FSN Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Dylan Covey (0-1, 6.91 ERA) vs. Royals LH Jason Vargas (3-1, 1.40)

Covey allowed two runs on three hits and three walks in four frames of a no-decision against the Royals last week. He has issued eight free passes and recorded just six strikeouts in his young career while giving up nine extra-base hits over the course of the three outings. The 25-year-old surrendered eight runs over five innings in his most recent road start.

After allowing just one run over his first three turns this year, Vargas was reached for four - three earned - in five frames of a loss at Chicago last Monday. He served up his first home run of the season in the setback but did register his second straight start without issuing a walk. The California native is 1-3 with a 6.70 ERA in 10 career games (nine starts) against the White Sox.

WALK-OFFS

1. Kansas City is nine games below .500 (7-16) for the first time since it ended play on June 4, 2013 with a 23-32 record.

2. White Sox 1B Jose Abreu has registered six straight two-hit performances, raising his average from .183 to .280 in that span.

3. Cain homered Sunday to snap a streak of 96 straight games without a blast.

PREDICTION: Royals 5, White Sox 4