Saturday 6/11/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Phillies (29-32) at Nationals (37-24)

Game: 2
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: June 11, 2016 12:05 PM EDT

WASHINGTON -- After arriving at Nationals Park around 4 a.m. Friday after a return from Chicago and a night game on Thursday against the White Sox, the Washington Nationals are obviously a little road weary.

"Most of us got to sleep about 5 in the morning," Nationals manager Dusty Baker said.

But Baker wasn't so concerned about the series opener on Friday. "The tough day is tomorrow," Baker said of Saturday's 12:05 p.m. start against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Nationals will send Tanner Roark (4-4, 3.21) to the mound to face Aaron Nola (5-4, 2.65). Friday starter and winner Stephen Strasburg pointed out that he and Roark, a University of Illinois product, flew home before the rest of the team from Chicago to get some rest for the weekend starts.

With that in mind, Baker is slated to give starting shortstop Danny Espinosa a day off Saturday with Stephen Drew likely to start at short. Drew got the start at third on Friday, as Anthony Rendon got the night off, and he had his second home run in three games.

"I will find a way to keep him sharp," Baker said of Drew.

While Rendon is still entrenched as the regular third baseman, Saturday will be day two of a new era for the Phillies.

Philadelphia manager Pete Mackanin talked to veteran first baseman Ryan Howard before Friday's 9-6 loss that he was going to go with Tommy Joseph as his regular first baseman.

Joseph is a former catcher who went out and hit two homers on Friday -- the first time he has done that at the big league level. Howard is hitting .150 after striking out all three times on Wednesday against the Chicago Cubs.

What was it like to tell Howard the news?

"I talked to (Howard) today, and I told him I have to go with Tommy Joseph right now. I can't sit Tommy Joseph," said Mackanin, drafted by the Washington Senators in 1969. "He was low-key about it. I'm sure he's not happy about it. But he didn't have a whole lot to say. You can't argue about Tommy Joseph."

"I flat-out don't like it," the manager added. "I don't like to have to deal with it because of what he's done for the organization over the years. Once again, this is another year where we're looking to the future, and Tommy Joseph looks like he's going to be in the future."

Mackanin gave Howard the news and then Joseph took advantage.

"But you can't say enough about Tommy Joseph. He looks like the real deal, and it's great to have him here," Mackanin said. "He's got a real nice, quick-to-the-ball swing. There's not a lot of unnecessary, wasted movement. He reminds me a little, in that regard, of (Daniel) Murphy. It's very simply, straight to the ball. Now a lot of excess movement in the swing."

So the Saturday matinee will see both teams playing with a short night of rest. The Nationals have their annual gala after the game. "Get some rest and come back here tomorrow," Baker said late Friday night.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Orioles (36-24) at Blue Jays (33-30)

Game: 3
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: June 11, 2016 1:07 PM EDT

TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays are struggling to keep the Baltimore Orioles within sight in the American League East.

That is why when Edwin Encarnacion ended a 0-for-19 funk by taking a 96 mph fastball from Brad Brach to right field for a walk-off home run in the 10th inning to give the Blue Jays a 4-3 win over the Orioles, Toronto manager John Gibbons called it a big win.

It meant the teams have split the first two games of an important four-game series at Rogers Centre. They play three more games June 17-19 at Camden Yards.

The third game of the series on Saturday could be pivotal with Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ facing Orioles right-hander Mike Wright who is 0-3 in his career against Toronto.

The win Friday gives Toronto a chance to still win the series and gain some ground on the Orioles.

"I thought that was a big game for us (Friday) because of the way the one (Thursday) night got away," Gibbons said, referring to the Orioles' comeback 6-5 win in the series opener. "We held a great offense in check. It was a big one tonight simply because of the way it happened. We had the lead and it gets away and those can be demoralizing, you know, and we came through at the end."

After the games of Friday, the Orioles are first in the AL East, one game ahead of the Boston Red Sox and 4 1/2 games ahead of the third-place Blue Jays.

The way Orioles manager Buck Showalter talked after the loss on Friday, you would think Baltimore was chasing Toronto.

"We know they're going to be competitive," Showalter said. "We're just trying to stay up with them. Obviously on paper they're a really good team. They're coming off a good year (winning the AL East in 2015). I don't think anybody doubts they're going to be in it all the way. We played them tough in their place and we'll turn it around and do it really quick tomorrow again."

The Orioles have a 3-2 advantage in the season series between the teams after taking two of three from the Blue Jays at Camden Yards April 19-21.

All five games have been decided by one run and two have been decided in the 10th inning.

"Every time we come here it's always close games, especially against this team," Brach said "This seems to be the way every game is against them. Every pitch counts and you've just got to get the outs when you can and get the runs when you can. (Friday) was just one of those nights, we didn't get it when we needed it."

And there is little margin for error.

"Definitely not," Brach said. "Especially with those guys in their lineup -- one bad pitch or one pitch they can put a good swing on and the game's over, just like it was tonight. It happens, just got to be ready to go again tomorrow."

Happ will be out to make amends for his outing in the 11-0 loss to the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on Monday when he allowed six hits (including two home runs), two walks and six runs in five innings. In nine career outings, including eight starts, against the Orioles, he is 2-3 with a 3.56 ERA.

Wright already has a loss to the Blue Jays this season, April 19 at Baltimore. He allowed six hits, three walk and three runs in the 4-3 loss. In his most recent start, he beat the Kansas City Royals in a 4-1 game, allowing five hits, two walks and one unearned run over seven innings. In four career games, including three starts, against Toronto he is 0-3 with a 7.11 ERA.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Red Sox (35-25) at Twins (18-42)

Game: 2
Venue: Target Field
Date: June 11, 2016 2:10 PM EDT

Tyler Duffey didn't have much success suppressing the majors' most prolific offense Friday night.

The Minnesota Twins are hoping for a different result from returning starter Kyle Gibson in the second contest of their three-game weekend series with the Boston Red Sox on Saturday afternoon.

Duffey was shelled for six runs on 10 hits over 5 1/3 innings in Friday's 8-1 loss. It was the eighth loss in the last 11 games for Minnesota (18-42), which had taken two of three games against the Miami Marlins coming in.

Dustin Pedroia went 3-for-5 with an RBI, extending his league-leading hitting streak to 16 games. David Ortiz, who began his career with the Twins and was honored by former teammates and coaches in a pregame ceremony ahead of his impending retirement, went 2-for-5.

"If guys like that get chances, they're a good hitting team," Duffey said. "You've seen them on ESPN all season long."

Xander Bogaerts built on his major league-leading hit total with a 4-for-5 night, launching a three-run homer and driving in four total.

"He's having an unbelievable season," Pedroia said of Bogaerts. "Everything he hits, he's hitting it on the barrel."

Robbie Grossman's eighth-inning groundout plated the lone Twins' run. Max Kepler had Minnesota's only multi-hit night, going 2-for-4.

Boston (35-25) had lost five of seven entering Friday.

Gibson (0-3, 6.10 ERA) will be making his first start since April 22 after going on the disabled list with a right shoulder strain. He went 1-0 with a 1.17 ERA in three minor league rehab starts before being reactivated.

He's had success in the past against the Red Sox, albeit in one career start. Gibson tossed seven two-hit innings and struck out eight in a no-decision against Boston on June 18, 2014.

Hanley Ramirez is the only active Red Sox player with a hit against Gibson (1-for-4, RBI), but it came with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Eduardo Rodriguez takes the hill for his third start back from a patella subluxation in his right knee that sidelined him for Boston's first 51 games.

He's hoping his latest start will look more his first than the second.

The 23-year-old southpaw made his season debut to the tune of a two-run, six-hit performance in a six-inning win at Baltimore on May 31.

His next start wasn't as effective. Rodriguez was charged with five runs on four hits -- all home runs, a career-worst -- and three walks in a 5 2/3-inning loss against Toronto on Sunday.

Rodriguez won his only career start against the Twins, allowing one run on two hits and two walks while striking out seven in his second career start -- and his first at Fenway Park in Boston -- last June 9.

Brian Dozier went 1-for-2 with a home run, a walk and a strikeout in the game against Rodriguez. John Ryan Murphy (1-for-8) and Danny Santana (1-for-2) are the only other Minnesota batters with hits off Rodriguez.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Royals (30-30) at White Sox (31-30)

Game: 2
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: June 11, 2016 2:10 PM EDT

CHICAGO -- The Kansas City Royals tweaked their starting rotation.

Instead of starting right-hander Chris Young (2-6, 6.37 ERA) on Saturday against the Chicago White Sox as scheduled, the Royals will go with left-hander Danny Duffy (1-1, 3.35) to put him back on a more regular schedule after Thursday's off day. Young will instead start Tuesday against Cleveland.

"We want to keep everybody on five days," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "We didn't want to bump (Duffy) back to six, especially right now. You're always sharper on four, healthier on a five, kind of get out of whack on a six (day rest). Sometimes you need it, but right now I rather keep our guys sharp and keep everybody else on a regular rotation."

Duffy last pitched Monday, allowing two runs in 6 1/3 innings against the Baltimore Orioles. He was scheduled to pitch Sunday, but right-hander Yordano Ventura will instead start that day on regular rest. Ventura is appealing his nine-game suspension for his part in a brawl Tuesday with the Orioles.

"It is what it is. We'll just move forward," Yost said.

Left-hander Jose Quintana (5-6, 2.58) will start for the White Sox on Saturday. He has lost five consecutive starts and allowed a season-worst five runs in 4 2-3 innings against the Detroit Tigers in his last start. After he went 3-1 with a 1.47 ERA in April and 2-4 with a 2.61 ERA in May, Quintana is 0-1 with a 9.64 ERA in June.

"I have a lot of confidence in all my pitches at this moment, but I missed a spot a couple of times," Quintana told the Chicago Tribune after his last game.

The White Sox (31-30) have made a flurry of moves to try to revive their season. They designated veteran shortstop Jimmy Rollins for assignment and promoted top prospect and shortstop Tim Anderson from Triple-A Charlotte on Friday. A day earlier, the White Sox designated right-hander Mat Latos for assignment and signed veteran first baseman Justin Morneau to a one-year deal. The White Sox beat the Royals 7-5 Friday to win two out of their last seven.

"In the last 24 hours, we've done a pretty fair amount to keep this roster moving and we're trying to put ourselves in the best position to win," White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. "The consensus was that Timmy was ready to contribute at the big-league level.

"From our standpoint, hopefully it's very clear to everyone: He is not here to be sort of a savior. He is here to, hopefully, continue his successful run that he has been on over the last month or six weeks down there at Charlotte and get himself some experience here at the big-league level. We do feel that he has the ability to be a special player."

Anderson said he received a text message from Rollins wishing him well. The 22-year-old admitted he was excited but trying to keep his cool.

"(I'll) just go out and do my normal thing I've been doing, especially what it took me to get here," he said.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mets (34-26) at Brewers (28-33)

Game: 3
Venue: Miller Park
Date: June 11, 2016 4:10 PM EDT

MILWAUKEE -- With no other viable options at the moment, the Milwaukee Brewers will stick with struggling right-hander Wily Peralta, who takes the mound Saturday as the Brewers continue a four-game series with the New York Mets at Miller Park.

Milwaukee's opening day starter in 2016 has been a mess since day one; he was tagged for five runs (four earned) in just four innings of that start and gave up 15 in his first three.

He had started to show signs of improvement with a May 20 outing against the Mets, holding them to three runs over 5 2/3 innings, but couldn't get out of the sixth in his next three outings then was shelled over 4 1/3 his last time out, against the Phillies.

"I think we're going to keep going (with Peralta)," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said after the Phillies game. "We've got five guys; he's one of our five guys. We need him. That would be my sense right now.

"I think we have to have alternatives. We have to look what's best for everybody involved. We're trying to get something out of Wily. It's getting frustrating, there's no question. It's not good enough."

It's been frustrating, too, for Peralta, whose 6.79 ERA is the highest among qualifying starting pitchers in the National League.

"I'm not doing the job that I'm supposed to do and I don't feel good," Peralta said. "I appreciate the confidence they're keeping in me and the support. It's time I step up and do my job."

Peralta will be making his sixth career start against the Mets, against whom he has a 3-2 record and 3.23 ERA.

New York (34-26) will turn to right-hander Logan Verrett for a spot start; his third of the season. The extra starter was necessary when the Mets and Pirates were rained out last Sunday and had to play a doubleheader Monday. New York manager Terry Collins had considered starting Verrett on Friday night, but scrapped that plan after using Verrett to cover two innings in the first game of the double-header.

Verrett filled in when Jacob DeGrom was sidelined in April, posting 12 scoreless innings, but allowed seven over 2 2/3 in his last start, May 14 against the Rockies.

"It was my job to pitch out of it and limit the damage and I wasn't able to do that, which was unfortunate," Verrett said after that outing. "It was all downhill from there."

In all, Verrett has appeared in 18 games this season and is 3-3 with a 3.43 ERA with 14 walks and 26 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings of work.

He's made just one career appearance against the Brewers, allowing a walk and a strikeout over two scoreless innings in a 4-1 Mets loss at Miller Park on June 24, 2015.

Milwaukee (28-33) will be looking to beat the Mets for the first time this season; the Brewers were swept in three games last month and have dropped the first two of this four-game series.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cubs (41-18) at Braves (18-42)

Game: 2
Venue: Turner Field
Date: June 11, 2016 4:10 PM EDT

ATLANTA -- It's not the most enviable situation for the Atlanta Braves.

The Braves sport a .232 team batting average, among the worst in the National League. So it's probably not comforting to know they must face the reigning Cy Young Award winner who brings extra motivation after having his 20-game winning streak broken in his last start.

The Cubs will send right-hander Jake Arrieta to the mound to face the Braves. Arrieta is 9-1 with a 1.80 ERA, but was beaten by Arizona in his last start, despite striking out 12 in five innings. It was his first loss since July 25, 2015, which was the longest winning streak in team history and surpassed the 16 straight that Rick Sutcliffe posted in 1984-85.

Despite the odds against them, Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said the Braves will show up and field a team on Saturday.

"It's baseball. Anything can happen," Snitker said. "Like last week the Giants were the hottest team in the league and we took two out of four against them."

The situation is similar to the series opener on Friday, when Atlanta got a pair of home runs and seven strong innings from Bud Norris and beat Chicago 5-1. The Braves hit back-to-back home runs in the game, with third baseman Adonis Garcia and catcher Tyler Flowers going deep, and Norris allowed only one run on four hits.

"It's always nice to get a couple runs early," Flowers said. "It helps your starter."

Arrieta is 2-3 with a 2.81 ERA in four starts against Atlanta. He was 2-0 against the Braves in 2015 and allowed no runs and seven hits in 13 innings of work.

He will be opposed by Atlanta right-hander Matt Wisler (2-6, 3.98), who will try to bounce back from his worst start of the season. He was roughed up for eight runs in four innings against the Dodgers, which pushed his ERA from 3.18 to 3.98.

Wisler will be making his second career start against the Cubs. He took the loss against Chicago last year when he allowed seven runs in 2 2/3 innings.

The Cubs are hopeful that first baseman Anthony Rizzo can return to the starting lineup. He did not start on Friday because of tightness in his back.

Rizzo isn't the only Chicago player who is ailing. The Cubs placed infielder Tommy La Stella on the 15-day disabled list with a sore hamstring. He was replaced on the roster by Chris Coghlan, who was traded to Oakland in the offseason after spending two seasons with the Cubs.

Coghlan was hitting just .153 in 51 games for Oakland, with five homers and 14 RBI. Coghlan hit .283 for the Cubs in 2014 and .250 for them in 2015. He lined out as a pinch hitter in his return on Friday.

"He did a good job for us when he was here and we believe we can get him back on track," Chicago manager Joe Maddon said.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Padres (26-36) at Rockies (28-33)

Game: 2
Venue: Coors Field
Date: June 11, 2016 4:10 PM EDT

DENVER -- The San Diego Padres have won seven of 10 games from the Colorado Rockies this season. The latest victory was a stunner -- a 7-5 win that came when the Padres scored four runs on four straight two-out hits in the ninth, the last a three-run homer by Wil Myers.

The Padres have won the first two games of each of their previous three series with the Rockies this year and will try to continue that success behind Erik Johnson, who will make his Padres debut. They acquired him June 4 in a trade with the White Sox that sent James Shields to Chicago.

"We'll have a game plan for him," Padres manager Andy Green said before Friday's game. "We've seen these guys a lot so it's not like we can't feed him some good information how to attack these guys. The neat thing is he's actually pitched here in interleague. He's got some familiarity with this ballpark."

Johnson made a start at Coors Field with the White Sox on April 9, 2014, and threw 107 pitches in 5 2/3 innings while allowing nine hits and four runs in a no-decision as the White Sox lost 10-4.

Johnson is 7-6 with a 4.50 ERA in 18 career starts spread over four seasons with the White Sox, including two this year when he went 0-2 with a 6.94 ERA. At Triple-A Charlotte this season, Johnson went 2-1 with a 2.94 ERA in eight starts. He allowed 44 hits and 17 walks in 49 innings with 35 strikeouts.

"I've had a couple Septembers (in the majors)," Johnson, 26 said. "I've had a lot of spot starts, helping out the rotation when needed. I've been kind of waiting for my time, for my card to be pulled. I think the Padres are giving me an opportunity to go out and pitch."

The Rockies will counter with Tyler Chatwood, who allowed one run and one hit in eight innings Monday at Dodger Stadium with four walks and five strikeouts. In that 6-1 win, Chatwood became the second Rockies pitcher to pitch eight or more innings and allow one or fewer hits. The other is Ubaldo Jimenez, who threw the only no-hitter in Rockies history on April 17, 2010, at Atlanta.

Chatwood is 7-4 with a 2.79 ERA overall. At Coors Field, he's 2-4 with a 5.30 ERA in six starts. On the road, he's 5-0 with a 0.65 ERA in six starts. Against the Padres, Chatwood is 2-0 with a 3.42 ERA in six games.

Chatwood has given the Rockies a big lift this season after missing most of the past two seasons due to Tommy John surgery. In a more subtle way, second baseman DJ LeMahieu has also given the Rockies a boost.

He hit .301 last year with six homers and 61 RBIs, all career-high figures, and a career-high-tying 21 doubles. This season, LeMahieu is hitting .305 in 56 games and exhibiting more power with 15 doubles, four homers and 21 RBI. His slugging percentage is .458; last year it was .388.

"He's just maturing as a hitter," manager Walt Weiss said before Friday's game. "He's just discovering more power as he matures. He's always had the great ability to barrel up the ball, the great hand-eye (coordination). He's using his lower half more, just growing as a hitter. You watch his (batting practice) and it's more impactful. (He's) just getting in a better, more powerful position throughout the swing."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Astros (29-34) at Rays (28-31)

Game: 2
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: June 11, 2016 4:10 PM EDT

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Rays hope to continue their hot play Saturday in the second game of a three-game set against the Houston Astros at Tropicana Field.

The Rays (28-31) have won six of their past seven games including a 4-3 win in the series opener when they got all their runs in the first two innings off Astros starter Lance McCullers and needed 3 2/3 scoreless innings from the bullpen to hold on.

Houston (29-34) has lost four of its past five games and they have struggled to make the most of their scoring opportunities.

In Friday's game, the Astros left 11 runners on base and had bases loaded opportunities in the third and ninth innings but failed to score any runs.

"We aren't getting the hits right now with two outs," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "That was the difference (Friday). We had opportunities with the bases loaded and couldn't get the hit across. Those are the things you think about a lot in a one-run game."

The Astros will have a chance to get their offense back on track against Rays starter Chris Archer (4-7, 4.73). Archer has shown signs of turning things around in his last few starts but he's still giving up runs -- 14 earned in his last four starts -- and he's only pitched more than six innings twice this season.

That being said the Rays offense is doing more to help him out, they scored six runs in his last start against the Arizona Diamondbacks and he settled in as the game went on and finished with 12 strikeouts. Among the leaders on the offense in infielder Steve Pearce, who went 3-for-4 on Friday and is hitting .333 this season.

"He's been on fire at the plate," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "He goes up and whacks a double or a home run and then you see how much of a hitter he is by taking a ball the other way later in the ball game."

The top of the Rays order is become a strength on the team with a leadoff man Logan Forsythe returning and designated hitter Logan Morrison, who is hitting .373 since May 16 and has 18 RBIs in the past 22 games.

Cash says Forsythe is a huge piece of the team's offense and is trying to figure out more ways to get him and Pearce in the lineup at the same time.

"It's exciting to get back and get rolling with this team right now," Forsythe said. "We can get a consistent lineup going and that's going to continue to help us win."

The Astros will try to slow down the Rays offense with right hander Mike Fiers (3-3, 5.00). Hinch said the key will be to get off to a good start.

"You can't spot a team like that runs in the early innings," Hinch said. "We know what kind of pitching they have and it's tough to come back against that."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Athletics (25-35) at Reds (23-38)

Game: 2
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: June 11, 2016 4:10 PM EDT

CINCINNATI -- The Reds and Athletics rarely play and connections between the two rosters are few, but managers Bob Melvin and Bryan Price have a long history.

Price, in his third season at the helm in Cincinnati, was Melvin's pitching coach in Seattle (2003-04) and Arizona (2006-09). The two remain close friends and often spend time together off the field.

They also attended the University of California at Berkeley.

"That doesn't hurt," said Melvin, smiling.

Melvin led the Athletics to three postseason appearances in four seasons as manager. He saw Price's managerial potential early on.

"He's a good baseball guy, one of the best I've been around," said Melvin, with a caveat. "I might be a little biased."

While the Reds' skipper likes to joke about his lack of hitting knowledge, Melvin said Price's ability to visualize all aspects of the game, not just pitching, translates well in the manager's office.

"He always saw the totality of the game," Melvin said. "and not just the pitching end of it. Not too many coaches out there who can do that."

Patience is a virtue, especially when you're managing a team in last place in the American League West. But patience when dealing with struggling players is a trait of Melvin's that Price said he's adopted to his managerial style.

"He never forgets how hard the game is to play," Price said. "You see some managers lose faith in guys pretty quickly. He doesn't. When he's seen a player going through the ups-and-downs of playing, he's stuck with them. I believe in that."

Cincinnati is mired in a rebuilding process that might take at least a couple years to bear fruit. Price has had to remain patient while the Reds' front office reconstructs his roster. Following Friday night's come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Melvin's Athletics, Price's record with the Reds is 163-222.

Melvin is throwing a curve at his pal in Saturday afternoon's game with right-hander Daniel Mengden expected to be recalled from Triple-A Nashville to make his major league debut.

Mengden, 23, wasn't on Oakland's radar coming out of spring training but quickly rose through the ranks.

He's a combined 5-1 with a 1.19 ERA in 11 starts at Nashville and Double-A Midland. With Jessie Hahn optioned Friday to get himself right, Mengden is getting a chance to see what he can do at the big-league level.

"We knew the potential was there for him to move up very quickly, and he's done exactly that," Melvin said. "I did see him pitch in minor league camp, enough to be impressed by him. He had a good moving fastball and a good complement of pitches. Looked like he competed very hard. Had good velocity with sink as well." Mengden, a former fourth-round draft choice, was acquired from Houston in exchange for Scott Kazmir in July 2015.

On Saturday afternoon, Mengden will be opposed by right-hander Dan Straily who'll make his 11th start of the season. He's 3-2 with a 3.34 ERA.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Dodgers (33-29) at Giants (36-26)

Game: 2
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: June 11, 2016 7:15 PM EDT

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants have absolutely no complaints about the big bucks they invested in Scott Kazmir and Jeff Samardzija, respectively, over the offseason.

Even if neither ever has done much against their new rivals.

Kazmir and Samardzija will look to rewrite their personal histories Saturday night when they share the spotlight in the nationally televised battle of the top two teams in the National League West.

They will have a tough act to follow, as L.A. ace Clayton Kershaw and another Giants newcomer, Johnny Cueto, battled pitch-for-pitch in a dramatic 3-2 Dodgers win in the series opener Friday night.

The win allowed the Dodgers (33-29) to move within three games of the division-leading Giants (36-26) heading into Saturday's middle game of the three-game set.

Kazmir (5-3) had Dodgers fans wondering if the club's $48 million, three-year investment in the left-hander might have been wasted money when he struggled twice in head-to-heads with the Giants over the first two weeks of the season.

Matched up in those games against Cueto, the Giants' No. 2 starter, Kazmir never saw the fifth inning in either start, allowing six runs in a 9-6 defeat in San Francisco and four runs in a 4-3 home loss.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is willing to excuse those lapses, noting that June games carry greater significance than April.

"This is a big three-game series for us," he assured after Friday's narrow win. "Everyone in the clubhouse knows how important this win was. We're chasing these guys."

The Giants have taken two different approaches to beating Kazmir, a veteran who fashioned a fine 3.10 ERA in 31 starts for the Oakland Athletics and Houston Astros in 2015.

Buster Posey, Brandon Belt and Angel Pagan all homered in the home win, whereas the Giants used a double, six singles and four walks to knock Kazmir from the box after he'd faced just 23 batters in the rematch.

The successive losses dropped Kazmir's career record against the Giants to 1-2 with a 5.23 ERA in four starts.

This time around, he'll be dueling Samardzija (7-4) for the first time. History says that should work to his advantage.

The $90 million Giants signing over the winter has faced the Dodgers three times in his career and come up short on all three occasions, allowing 11 runs in 17 1/3 innings (5.71 ERA).

One of those matchups came April 17, when Joc Pederson's two-run homer off Samardzija was the difference in a 3-1 Giants loss.

"It's a tough one to lose," Bochy said of the series opener. "Those were two good pitchers (Kershaw and Cueto). There'll be two more (Saturday). Should be another good game."

The Giants got catcher Buster Posey back from a three-game absence Friday night. He came through with a game-tying double in the sixth inning off Kershaw, his only hit in four at-bats.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cardinals (33-28) at Pirates (32-29)

Game: 2
Venue: PNC Park
Date: June 11, 2016 7:15 PM EDT

PITTSBURGH -- Friday's game notwithstanding, Pittsburgh has dominated the St. Louis Cardinals, particularly at PNC Park, in recent seasons. Perhaps that's a good team to face to try to start a turnaround for Pirates left-hander Francisco Liriano.

Liriano (4-5, 5.25 ERA) is scheduled to start Saturday against St. Louis, and he's been struggling. He allowed seven runs in 3 1/3 innings in Pittsburgh's 9-2 loss to the Angels on June 3 and has lost back-to-back starts.

He essentially was skipped in the rotation as the Pirates' schedule was a little haywire over the past week with a rainout, a doubleheader and a one-game trip to Colorado for a makeup game. Pittsburgh opted to bring up Jameson Taillon and start him Wednesday in his major league debut.

Even after losing to St. Louis 9-3 in 12 innings Friday, the Pirates have won five of seven games between the clubs this season and are 22-10 against the Cardinals in the past 32 games played at PNC Park.

Liriano is 7-2 with a 2.41 ERA in 14 career starts against the Cardinals. But there is little question he will need to get past his recent control issues.

Asked following the loss to the Angels if he had an idea about a solution, Liriano said, "To be honest, no. Just going through a tough time right now. I'm not making pitches, not executing pitches, and getting behind the count too much."

Solutions have been difficult to find because there is more than one problem.

"It's everything," Liriano said. "Mechanically, overthrowing a little bit sometimes. Sometimes I go too slow to the plate."

Liriano is scheduled to pitch against St. Louis right-hander Carlos Martinez -- who made a cameo Friday night as a pinch-runner in the 12th.

Martinez is 2-4 with a 4.57 ERA in six career starts against Pittsburgh. The last time he faced the Pirates, May 6, he left after 3 1/3 innings because of fatigue, the second-shortest outing of his career.

He has contributed to St. Louis' struggles at PNC Park, where he is 1-2 with a 5.30 ERA in six appearances (two starts).

Overall, Martinez has won two starts in a row, however, after a rough May (1-5, 5.18 ERA).

Martinez might have turned a corner out of his funk on Memorial Day in a 6-0 win at Milwaukee. He mixed his pitches effectively and hit 100 mph with his fastball.

"That's who he can be," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said after that game. "He can be as dominating as anybody in the game when he puts it all together."

It's just that St. Louis hasn't put things all together all that often against Pittsburgh.

"The Pirates are a tough team to beat, especially in that ballpark," St. Louis pitcher Adam Wainwright said.

It will be difficult for either club to catch the Cubs in the NHL Central, setting up meetings between Pittsburgh and St. Louis as a strong division rivalry in the chase for a wild-card spot. With the win Friday, the Pirates pulled out of a tie for second with the Cardinals, but still are nine games back of Chicago, which lost to Atlanta.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Tigers (30-30) at Yankees (31-30)

Game: 2
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: June 11, 2016 7:15 PM EDT

NEW YORK -- The last time the New York Yankees won six in a row, they were under .500.

On Saturday, New York will be attempting to match its longest winning streak of the season but will take the field with a winning record when it continues a three-game series with the Detroit Tigers.

New York won six in a row May 18-24 when it went from having a 16-22 record to being a .500 team. They were unable to get it to seven games and a stretch of eight losses in 12 games dropped the Yankees to 26-30.

During their first six-game winning streak, the Yankees scored 32 times. After scoring 37 times during the 12-game slump, New York has crossed home plate 33 times.

"It's big for us," Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia said. "We've been grinding and hopefully we continue getting better and leave that mark behind us. We've been playing a lot better. We're pitching well, playing good defense getting some big hits."

New York is over .500 at 31-30 for the first time since April 13. The Yankees went over by opening the series with a 4-0 victory in a game which featured seven effective innings from Sabathia, a two-run double by Didi Gregorius and Carlos Beltran's 11th RBI in the last five games.

"Our bad stretch was not as bad as other bad stretches so I think that helped," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said when asked what's different about this winning streak. "I just think that offensively we're swinging the bats different in this stretch and that's the difference."

To keep it going, New York will turn to right-hander Masahiro Tanaka, who has struggled in two career games Detroit, allowing six earned runs and 13 hits in 11 1/3 innings.

He has not struggled recently or for most of this season. He ranks third in the AL with a 1.01 WHIP, seventh in ERA and fourth in walks per nine innings ratio.

Tanaka has allowed two earned runs or less in 10 starts this season, including Monday against the Los Angeles Angels when he allowed two runs and six hits in a no-decision.

The Tigers have been held to two runs in their last 18 innings after equaling a season high with five straight wins. They were shut out for the fifth time as Miguel Cabrera had a 10-game hitting streak stopped by going 0-for-4 and Mike Pelfrey struggled with command early.

"I thought I was good," Pelfrey said. "I don't think I was great."

Detroit will be hoping Justin Verlander can talk about pitching well even though he had a bad history at Yankee Stadium.

Verlander won his only start at old Yankee Stadium on Aug. 16, 2007, when he allowed three runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings of an 8-5 victory. Since the Yankees moved across the street in 2009, he is 0-4 with a 4.84 ERA in seven games.

The last time he faced the Yankees in New York, Verlander was on the other side of a milestone. On June 19, he gave up a home run to Alex Rodriguez for the designated hitter's 3,000th career hit and Verlander said "he definitely doesn't want to be part of history that way."

This time Verlander heads into a start on New York on a positive note having matched his win total from last season by going 5-5 with a 3.97 ERA in 12 starts.

Over his last six starts, the right-hander is 3-2 with a 2.01 ERA since May 8 and leads the American League with 52 strikeouts in that span.

He last pitched Sunday against the Chicago White Sox when he allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Indians (34-26) at Angels (26-35)

Game: 2
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: June 11, 2016 10:05 PM EDT

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- When Angels pitcher Matt Shoemaker was sent down to Triple-A Salt Lake after a terrible season-opening month of April, it figured he had a number of things to work on.

Shoemaker admitted his mindset was his biggest issue -- specifically, taking a more aggressive approach to the mound.

That approach of going after hitters and not nibbling seems to have worked. He goes into Saturday's start against the Cleveland Indians with an impressive streak alive -- he has set an Angels franchise record by striking out 39 batters without mixing in any walks.

Over his last four starts, he has 37 strikeouts and zero walks. His last walk came against the Dodgers on May 16, when he gave Trayce Thompson a free pass. He has gone 33 2/3 consecutive innings without a walk.

"It's kind of just a bunch of little things," Shoemaker said. "The execution of pitches, there's more focus on that. Throwing better pitches in better counts. A whole mix of stuff. Mentally, I'm a lot different. A better state of mind, going over hitters, game plans, sticking with it. I'm the same guy but maybe a better mindset."

Though Shoemaker seems to have turned things around, the Angels are going south quickly. They have lost five in a row and have fallen a season-worst nine games under .500 (26-35). They had not been nine games under .500 since Sept. 9, 2013.

The Indians, though, are going in a different direction, winning eight of their last 10 and moving into first place in the American League Central on June 4.

Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer, who will start Saturday's game, has been a big part of the Tribe's resurgence. Bauer was the starting pitcher in two of the victories during a recent six-game winning streak, giving up four runs on nine hits with 16 strikeouts and four walks in 14 2/3 innings.

Like Shoemaker, Bauer is attributing some of his success to a mindset.

"What is happiness? What is fun?" Bauer told MLB.com after his last start June 6 against Seattle. "It's a feeling. I want to enjoy playing. I've been trying to do that more this year."

The Indians also will take into the game the advantage of having "Angels killer" Mike Napoli, who played his first five big league seasons with the Angels before they traded him away after the 2010 season.

Since the trade, it doesn't seem to matter for which team Napoli is playing. With the Rangers, Red Sox and now the Indians, Napoli has hit .319 (60 for 188) against the Angels with 18 homers and 38 RBIs in 56 games.

It's the most homers against any opponent for Napoli other than the A's (21 homers) and the Mariners (20), but he's played twice as many games against those teams (112 vs. Oakland; 111 vs. Seattle).

"I like doing that, but I don't know what it is," Napoli told the L.A. Times when asked whether he wants to make the Angels pay for trading him. "It just happens. Guys have teams they do that against. The Angels happen to be it for me."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Marlins (32-29) at Diamondbacks (26-37)

Game: 2
Venue: Chase Field
Date: June 11, 2016 10:10 PM EDT

PHOENIX -- Miami right-hander Jose Fernandez is on the verge of franchise history and Ichiro Suzuki is closing in on a career hits record.

Arizona is just trying to win another game at home.

Fernandez, 9-2 with a 2.29 ERA, will attempt to set a Marlins record with his ninth straight victory Saturday at Chase Field when he faces Arizona right-hander Zack Godley, who will be recalled from Triple-A Reno to make a spot start.

Fernandez, who beat the Diamondbacks in Miami earlier this season, is tied with Marlins left-hander Chris Hammond for the team record for consecutive wins, and he has been something special -- 1.38 ERA, 78 strikeouts -- during the 8-0 run that began with a 5-3 victory at the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 28.

Only former D-backs left-hander Randy Johnson (1999, 2000) and Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw have better numbers during an eight-game winning streak.

"I think we see a more under control guy that is using his whole mix," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "Not going out and throwing the ball through a wall every pitch.

"He's using a little two-seamer. He knows the guys who will probably jump him early with the fastball or in breaking ball counts. He has been able to locate that one away and keep them of the other. It's like having two different fastballs. He's emotional. That has't changed. He still gets fired up. I think he has been more calm being before his starts. He loves to compete. You don't want to take any of that away."

Suzuki grounded into a forceout as a pinch-hitter Friday and remained five hits short of tying Pete Rose (4,256) for hits in a professional career. He had 1,278 hits during his nine Nippon Professional Baseball seasons.

Suzuki, 42, had seven hits in a three-game series at Minnesota that ended Thursday, but Mattingly wants to monitor his playing time.

"It was easy in Minnesota because of the DH and the way the pitching we set up there," Mattingly said. "The thing that I have to watch is time. We have to make sure he gets his breaks in there."

The Diamondbacks had 13 hits but could not withstand Miami's seventh-inning rally Friday while falling to 26-37 and dropping into the cellar in the NL West, 11 games below .500 for the first time this season. Arizona is 10-23 at home, and only Atlanta (7-23) has fewer home victories.

Arizona brought up power hitting rookie outfielder Peter O'Brien on Friday and manager Chip Hale said he will get a good look. O'Brien was leading the affiliated minor leagues with 17 homers and 142 total bases while slashing .330/.356/.670 with 52 RBIs in 51 games at Reno.

"He's going to play close to every day, five out of six, five out of seven," Hale said. "Going to give him an opportunity. He's earned it. We want to see what he can do."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rangers (37-24) at Mariners (34-27)

Game: 2
Venue: Safeco Field
Date: June 11, 2016 10:10 PM EDT

SEATTLE -- The Seattle Mariners still have a ways to go to catch the Texas Rangers, but they made a step in the right direction Friday night.

Having finally beat Texas after a three-game sweep last weekend, the Mariners are back within three games of the American League West leaders heading into Saturday's game.

"They obviously beat us pretty good in Texas," Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager said after Friday night's 7-5 win. "This is a new series, and you turn the page."

The Mariners' home series started off in the right direction when three home runs -- one from Seager and a pair from rookie first baseman Dae-Ho Lee -- put Seattle ahead 5-1 in the fourth inning. The Rangers rallied to get within a run in the eighth before falling short in the end.

"The two home runs there in the fourth inning were a challenge for us, but still our guys clipped back into it," said Texas manager Jeff Banister, whose team still holds a 5-2 record against Seattle this season. "That was nice to see."

The Mariners will face a right-handed pitcher for the only time this series, with the Rangers sending veteran Colby Lewis (5-0, 3.20 ERA) to the mound. Lewis lost both his starts against Seattle last season, due in large part to only three total runs scored by the Rangers in those games. Run support hasn't been a problem for Lewis this year, as Texas has scored six or more runs in five of his past six starts.

Seattle's .268 batting average against right-handed pitchers ranked third in the American League heading into Friday night's action. The Mariners, who feature the left-handed bats of Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager, were hitting .250 against southpaws -- the best average in the AL.

The Rangers' biggest concern may well be which Mariners player will hit multiple homers in the game. It's become a nightly occurrence for a Seattle team that's had four different players turn in two-homer games on four consecutive nights. Lee joined teammates Nelson Cruz, Chris Iannetta and Robinson Cano when he hit a pair of homers in Friday's 7-5 win.

"It feels good to be a part of history," Lee said through an interpreter after the game.

Texas will see lefty James Paxton (0-2, 3.72 ERA) for the first time this season. Paxton, a 27-year-old fireballer who has spent parts of the past three injury-plagued seasons with the Mariners, faced the Rangers twice last season and had his share of struggles. Texas hung 10 hits and seven runs while chasing the big southpaw in the third inning of an April game, then Paxton walked four batters in 4 1/3 innings against the Rangers after a September recall.

The teams will finish off the series Sunday, with Seattle's Wade Miley going against the Rangers' Cole Hamels in a battle of left-handed starters, then the AL West rivals won't meet again until late August.

Until then, the Mariners just want to stay in the hunt. Friday's win was a good step in that direction.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Five to Follow MLB Betting: Saturday, June 11, 2016, Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews

If the Miami Marlins are even thinking about trading ace Jose Fernandez because they know he's leaving as a free agent after the 2018 season and they can't re-sign him (they won't be able to), his value will never be higher than after this year if Fernandez keeps going at his current pace -- plus the team acquiring him would get two full seasons. The single-season major-league record for strikeout rate -- percentage of plate appearances that the pitcher strikes out batters -- is 37.5 percent, set by Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez in 1999 when he whiffed 313 batters and won the Cy Young for the Red Sox. Right now, Fernandez is at 37.7 percent with his 110 strikeouts. Fernandez brings an eight-game winning streak into Saturday's start. That's tied with Chris Hammond (1993) for longest in Marlins history.


Cubs at Braves (+263, 7.5)

A 4:10 p.m. matinee here. No-hit alert for the Cubs' Jake Arrieta (9-1, 1.80)? Actually, the reigning NL Cy Young winner is slacking a bit as the Cubs have lost his past two starts. Arrieta's franchise-record streak of 20 straight wins, tied for the third-most consecutive winning decisions in MLB history, ended Sunday against Arizona when he allowed three runs and nine hits in five innings, although he struck out 12. The D'backs had 10 balls put in play against Arrieta and nine were hits. That's crazy luck. Arrieta's previous personal loss was July 25, 2015, when the Cubs were no-hit by then-Phillies lefty Cole Hamels. Arrieta was 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA last year against the Braves in two starts. A.J. Pierzynski is 8-for-14 with two homers against him. Atlanta's Matt Wisler (2-6, 3.98) was destroyed Sunday at the Dodgers, allowing eight runs and nine hits (three homers) in four innings. The Cubs' Kris Bryant, Dexter Fowler and Miguel Montero all have homered in their career off Wisler. No Cub has more than three official at-bats against him.

Key trends: The Cubs are 23-3 in Arrieta's past 26 road starts. The Cubs are 0-6 in Wisler's past six at home. The "over/under" has gone under in 20 of Arrieta's past 32 vs. teams with a losing record.

Early lean: Braves and under. Yes Braves. I believe in trap games in MLB and this is one. Plus Joe Maddon likes to rest a regular or two in a day game after a night one.

A's at Reds (-136, 9.5)

Another 4:10 p.m. ET start. Oakland again loses the DH in the weekend's only interleague series. Cincinnati will be without outfielder Billy Hamilton as he's in MLB's concussion protocol. The A's were hoping to start top trade candidate and current ace Rich Hill here. He might be the top arm available for a reasonable price on the market, but Hill had to be scratched after reinjuring his groin during a bullpen session Wednesday. Hill originally suffered the injury on May 29. He was the AL Pitcher of the Month in May. So the A's turn to Kendall Graveman (2-6, 5.49), who was originally set for Sunday. He last pitched in Houston last Sunday and allowed five runs and seven hits in 4.1 innings. Graveman has never faced the Reds. Cincinnati goes with former A's right-hander Dan Straily (3-2, 3.34), another trade candidate; in fact, he's a goner barring injury. Straily got a no-decision last time out vs. Washington, allowing two runs and two hits in seven innings. Straily was with Oakland from 2012-14 and has never faced the A's.

Key trends: The A's are 0-5 in Graveman's past five on the road. The Reds are 4-1 in Straily's past five at home. The over is 4-1 in Graveman's past five on the road.

Early lean: Reds and over.

Padres at Rockies (-215, 12.5)

Yet another 4:10 p.m. ET first pitch. At least for right now, the Padres have to be tickled they traded James Shields to the White Sox last weekend because Shields was crushed in his Chicago debut on Wednesday. Perhaps the Friars actually sold Shields at his highest value? One of the two minor-leaguers the White Sox sent back to San Diego was 26-year-old right-hander Erik Johnson, once Chicago's top pitching prospect, and he makes his Padres debut here. Johnson did make two big-league starts with the Pale Hose this year and was 0-2 with a 6.94 ERA. He is 7-6 with a 4.50 ERA in 98 career MLB innings. Johnson was having a very good year in Triple-A. A few Rockies have faced him. Charlie Blackmon, Carlos Gonzalez and DJ LeMahieu are each 2-for-3 off Johnson. Colorado goes with Tyler Chatwood (7-2, 2.79). At this point, the Rockies should simply save him for road starts as Chatwood leads the majors with a 0.65 road ERA. He's 2-4 with a 5.30 ERA at home. Chatwood won in San Diego on May 5, throwing eight shutout innings.

Key trends: The Rockies are 2-5 in Chatwood's past seven at home. The under is 5-1 in his past six there.

Early lean: Rockies and over -- highest total of the year.

Astros at Rays (-127, 7.5)

A fourth 4:10 p.m. ET start. Houston avoided complete disaster on Thursday when star shortstop and reigning AL Rookie of the Year Carlos Correa hurt his ankle while running out a grounder against Texas. It looked potentially bad, but X-rays were negative and the team is calling it a sprain. He might obviously miss a few games. Correa is hitting .256 with eight homers and 32 RBIs this season. It might be an easier lineup for Tampa Bay ace Chris Archer (4-7, 4.73) to face. He snapped a three-start losing streak last time out in Arizona, allowing three runs and striking out a season-high 12 in six innings. Archer is 3-1 with a 0.80 ERA in five career starts against Houston. Jose Altuve is 3-for-13 off him. Houston goes with Mike Fiers (3-3, 5.00). He hasn't won since May 9, and the Astros are 0-5 in his five road starts this year with Fiers carrying a 7.20 ERA. He has never faced Tampa Bay.

Key trends: Houston is 0-5 in Fiers' past five road starts. The Rays are 2-7 in Archer's past nine following a quality start in his most recent appearance. The over is 6-0-1 in Fiers' past seven on the road.

Early lean: Rays and over.

Marlins at Diamondbacks (TBA)

Fernandez (9-2, 2.29) is certainly putting himself in the Cy Young conversation. He outdueled the Mets' Matt Harvey last Sunday in throwing seven shutout innings and striking out a career-high-tying 14. Fernandez thus became the first pitcher since ERA became an official statistic to go five consecutive starts earning a win while allowing no more than one earned run and striking out at least nine batters in each outing. The last time Fernandez allowed more than one earned was in a win over Arizona on May 4 when Fernandez allowed three in five innings. That tied his shortest outing of the season. The Snakes' Paul Goldschmidt is 2-for-9 with a double off him. David Peralta is 1-for-5 with a homer. Arizona is expected to call up Zack Godley for a spot start here. The 26-year-old right-hander is 4-5 with a 3.61 ERA this season in the minors, splitting time between Double-A and Triple-A. Godley was 5-1 with a 3.19 ERA in 36.2 innings last year as a rookie with Arizona.

Key trends: The Marlins are 9-1 in Fernandez's past 10 Saturday starts. The under is 6-1 in his past seven.

Early lean: TBA because Arizona hasn't officially announced its starter yet. Obviously the Marlins will be favored regardless of who it is behind the red-hot Fernandez -- stick with him.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'Runs at a Premium'

Kansas City at Chicago White Sox June 11, 2:10 EST

Two struggling teams get ready to duel again after the White Sox held on for a 7-5 win last night handing Royals an eight consecutive defeat on the current ten game road swing that has seen the club cross just 1.6 runs/game while allowing the host teams 6.1 per/contest. As for Chicago, Friday's victory was the second in-a-row but Pale Hose remain a dreadful 5-12 the past seventeen platting 3.8 runs/game with the pitching staff surrendering 5.7 per/contest.

The White Sox are -$1.55 home favorites with the total set at 8.5 at most shops.

Jose Quintana will start for Chicago which doesn't engender a lot of confidence. The southpaw carries a five-game skid into his outing. Another obstacle for Chicago, Quintana has struggled career-wise against Kansas City going 1-7 in 19 starts (5-14 TSR) with White Sox currently ridding a 2-10 slide vs K.C. w/Quintana and 1-9 skid in his ten career starts vs Royals at U.S. Cellular Field.

Danny Duffy gets the call for Kansas City. The Royals won both of the lefties starts vs Chicago this season and have won 8 of his 11 career starts in this series.

Taking an underdog is always a risky proposition, though in this case, the amount of negative data Chicago carries into the contest with Quintana makes it much less risky.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB

Saturday's games

National League games

Phillies @ Nationals
Nola is 2-1, 3.00 in his last three starts; three of his last four went over.

Roark is 2-1, 3.80 in his last four starts, three of which stayed under. .

Phillies lost 15 of last 20 games; over is 6-2 in their last eight road games. Washington won four of last five games; over is 6-2 in their last eight home games.

Cardinals @ Pirates
Martinez is 2-0, 1.93 in his last two starts; four of his last five starts went over. .

Liriano is 1-4, 7.76 in his last five starts (over 6-5).

Cardinals won five of last six games; five of their last six games went over. Pittsburgh lost ten of last 14 games; over is 9-2 in their last eleven home games.

Cubs @ Braves
Arrieta is 3-1, 2.81 in his last five starts (over 10-2).

Wisler is 0-3, 7.41 in his last three starts; three of his last four went over.

Cubs won 12 of last 16 games; four of their last six road games went over. Atlanta lost six of last eight games; six of their last eight games stayed under.

Mets @ Brewers
Verrett is 2-1, 4.30 in three starts this year (over 1-1-1).

Peralta is 1-3, 7.20 in his last five starts; seven of his last nine went over.

Mets are 6-3 in last nine road games, five of their last six games stayed under total. Milwaukee is 4-5 in its last nine home games; under is 6-2 in its last eight games.

Padres @ Rockies
Johnson is making his Padre debut; he was .

Chatwood is 3-1, 2.94 in his last five starts (under 11-1).

Padres lost eight of last ten road games; seven of last eight San Diego road games went over. Colorado won four of its last six home games; seven of their last eight home games went over the total.

Marlins @ Diamondbacks
Fernandez is 8-0, 1.38 in his last eight starts; six of his last seven stayed under.

Godley is making his first '16 start; he was 4-5, 3.61 in 11 AAA starts, is 5-1, 3.19 in nine MLB games (six starts) in his career.

Marlins lost four of last seven games; last six Miami road games went over. Arizona lost 16 of last 22 home games; eight of last nine Arizona home games went over.

Dodgers @ Giants
Kazmir is 2-0, 2.12 in his last three starts (over 5-2 last seven).

Samardzija is 0-2, 9.90 in his last two starts; his last three went over.

Dodgers lost eight of last 13 road games; nine of last 11 LA games stayed under total. San Francisco won six of last eight home games; under is 5-1-1 in their last six home games.


American League games

Tigers @ New York
Verlander is 3-1, 2.73 in his last four starts; four of his last five stayed under.

Tanaka is 2-1, 1.67 in his last four starts, which all stayed under total.

Bronx won six of last seven games, under is 7-4-1 in their last 12 games. Tigers won five of its last seven games; six of its last seven road games stayed under

Orioles @ Blue Jays
Wright is 2-0, 5.40 in his last five starts; six of his alst seven went over.

Happ is 1-3, 6.26 in his last five starts; three of his last four stayed under.

Toronto lost three of last five games; under is 8-3-1 in their last 12. Baltimore won eight of its last ten games; four of its last five road games went over.

Astros @ Rays
Fiers is 0-2, 5.73 in his last four starts; over is 6-1-1 in his last eight.

Archer is 1-3, 7.04 in his last four starts; five of his last six went over.

Astros lost four of their last five games, with last four staying under. Tampa Bay won six of its last seven games; seven of Rays' last ten games went over the total.

Red Sox @ Twins
Rodriguez is 1-1, 5.40 in two starts this year (under 2-0).

Gibson is making first start since April 22; he is 0-3, 7.08 in four starts (under 3-1).

Red Sox lost five of last eight games; under is 4-1-1 in their last six. Minnesota lost eight of last eleven games; nine of Twins' last 11 home games went over the total.

Royals @ White Sox
Young is 0-3, 7.94 in his last four starts (over 4-4).

Quintana is 0-5, 4.35 in his last five starts; his last 11 starts all stayed under.

Royals lost last nine road games; under is 4-2-1 in KC's last seven games. Chicago is 8-20 in its last 28 games; under is 8-5 in White Sox' last 13 home games.

Indians @ Angels
Bauer is 1-0, 3.05 in his last three starts (under 5-3).

Shoemaker is 0-2, 3.68 in his last two starts; three of his last four stayed under.

Indians won eight of last ten games; under is 4-1-1 in their last six road games. Angels lost their last five games; five of their last six home games stayed under.

Rangers @ Mariners
Lewis is 3-0, 3.75 in his last four starts; five of his last six went over.

Paxton is 0-2, 10.24 in two starts this year (over 1-1).

Rangers are 15-5 in their last 20 games; four of their last six road games stayed under. Seattle won five of last seven home games; over is 12-4-1 in its last 17 games overall.


Interleague

A's @ Reds
Mendgen is making his MLB debut here; he is 5-1, 1.19 in 11 minor league starts this season, four in AA, seven in AAA. .

Former Athletic Straily is 0-0, 2.37 in his last three home starts; four of his last five starts overall went over the total.

A's lost their last eight road games; over is 13-6-1 in their last 20 road games. Reds are 7-4 in their last 11 games, five of their last six home games went over the total.


Teams won-lost records when this pitcher starts:

Phil-Wsh-- Nola 7-5; Roark 5-7
StL-Pitt-- Martinez 6-5; Liriano 6-5
Chi-Atl-- Arrieta 2-9; Wisler
NY-Mil-- Verrett 2-1; Peralta 4-8
SD-Col-- Johnson 0-0/0-2; Chatwood 8-4
Mia-Az-- Fernandez 10-2; Godley 0-0
LA-SF-- Kazmir 6-6; Samardzija 7-5

Det-NY-- Verlander 6-6; Tanaka 8-4
Balt-Tor-- Wright 7-3; Happ 7-5
Hst-TB-- Fiers 5-6; Archer 5-8
Bos-Minn-- Rodriguez 1-1; Gibson 1-3
KC-Chi-- Young 2-6; Quintana 6-6
Clev-LAA-- Bauer 4-4; Shoemaker 3-8
Tex-Sea-- Lewis 8-4; Paxton 0-2

A's-Cin-- Mengden 0-0; Straily 5-5


Starting pitchers allowing 1+ runs in first inning:

Phil-Wsh-- Nola 5-12; Roark 2-12
StL-Pitt-- Martinez 1-11; Liriano 3-11
Chi-Atl-- Arrieta 5-11; Wisler
NY-Mil-- Verrett 1-3; Peralta 6-12
SD-Col-- Johnson 1-2; Chatwood 3-12
Mia-Az-- Fernandez 3-12; Godley 0-0
LA-SF-- Kazmir 6-12; Samardzija 2-12

Det-NY-- Verlander 5-12; Tanaka 2-10
Balt-Tor-- Wright 2-10; Happ 4-12
Hst-TB-- Fiers 3-11; Archer 6-13
Bos-Minn-- Rodriguez 1-2; Gibson 2-4
KC-Chi-- Young 5-8; Quintana 1-12
Clev-LA-- Bauer 3-8; Shoemaker 3-11
Tex-Sea-- Lewis 6-12; Paxton 1-2

A's-Cin-- Mengden 0-0; Straily 1-10


Umpires

Phil-Wsh-- Favorites won seven of nine HGibson games.
StL-Pitt-- Five of last six Estabrook games stayed under.
Chi-Atl-- Five of last six Layne games went over total.
NY-Mil-- Six of last nine Rackley games stayed under.
SD-Col-- Last four Emmel games stayed under the total.
Mia-Az-- Last three Barksdale games stayed under total.
LA-SF-- Over is 7-1-2 in BWelke games this season.

Det-NY-- Seven of last nine May games went over total.
Balt-Tor-- Underdogs won six of last ten Tumpane games.
Hst-TB-- Over is 3-1-1 in last five Bellino games.
Bos-Minn-- Over is 7-4 in Johnson games this season.
KC-Chi-- Underdogs won six of last eight Guccione games.
Clev-LA-- Under is 5-2-1 in last eight Drake games.
Tex-Sea-- Under is 5-3 in last eight Blakmey games.

A's-Cin-- Road team won nine of last ten Reynolds games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Saturday's six-pack

-- Warriors 108, Cavaliers 97-- Golden State can win the NBA title Sunday.

-- ESPN actually charted Steph Curry's shots in his pre-game routine; he took 181 shots in all, before pre-game warmups.

-- Golden State is 15-6 in playoffs, 0-4 in Game 3's, 15-2 in all the others.

-- Russell Westbrook and James Harden are also skipping the Olympics.

-- Only three of Nolan Arenado's 89 career HRs have gone to right side of the field.

-- RIP Gordie Howe 88, Mr Hockey, one of the toughest dudes ever. He played in the NHL until he was 52. RIP, sir.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

#1 Sports

Saturday's Free Selection: San Diego Padres + 200