Sunday 8/21/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mets (61-62) at Giants (68-55)

Game: 4
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: August 21, 2016 8:08 PM EDT

SAN FRANCISCO -- The New York Mets will send ace Noah Syndergaard to the mound on Sunday in an attempt to split their four-game series with the San Francisco Giants.

The Giants will counter with 10-game winner Jeff Samardzija in the game that has been picked to be televised nationally by ESPN on Sunday night.

The Mets had lost four of five on their trip and were experiencing pitching issues before veteran Bartolo Colon helped turn things around with 6 1/3 strong innings in Saturday's 9-5 win.

The Giants had opened the series with 10-7 and 8-1 wins.

But that was before Yoenis Cespedes got his power swing working again.

After a 15-day stint on the disabled list and a one-hit return on Thursday, the slugger bombed a pair of home runs to highlight Saturday's win.

The first of the two home runs went 457 feet, one foot shy of the being the longest hit at AT&T Park this season.

"He makes such a big difference," Mets manager Terry Collins gushed after Saturday's win. "It's nice to have him back."

The Mets had three home runs in the game, giving them 29 in their last 20 contests. The Giants, meanwhile, have allowed 47 homers in their 33 games since the All-Star break, the second-most in the National League.

Neither starting pitcher in the series finale has had any success against Sunday's opponent in his career.

Syndergaard has faced the Giants twice and lost both games, allowing eight runs in 11 2/3 innings. Neither of those outings were at AT&T Park, site of Sunday's start.

The 6.17 ERA is Syndergaard's highest among teams against which he's started at least twice.

The second-year standout can expect the Giants to attack him where he's weakest -- holding baserunners.

The Giants have gotten back in a base-stealing mode since acquiring Eduardo Nunez from the Minnesota Twins at the trade deadline. San Francisco has 11 steals in 15 attempts in August after totaling nine all of last month.

Syndergaard is on pace to challenge the all-time record for most steals allowed in a season. He's allowed a major-league-high 40, which is two-thirds of the way to Dwight Gooden's record of 60, set in 1990.

The Giants probably will go Sunday without their hottest hitter, and one of their best base-stealers, Angel Pagan. The ex-Met experienced tightness in his right groin while chasing a fly ball in Saturday's game and had to be pulled in the fourth inning.

"We had it checked out and he's fine," Giants manager Bruce Bochy reported after the game. "He's probably going to need a day (off), and we think he'll be OK."

Samardzija has struggled even more against the Mets than Syndergaard has against San Francisco. He has faced New York nine times in his career, three times as a starter, and has come away with an 0-3 record and 8.72 ERA.

The record is Samardzija's worst against all opponents; the ERA is his second-highest among clubs against which he has started two more times.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Mets, Giants close series

NEW YORK METS (61-62) at SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (68-55)

First pitch: Sunday, 8:00 p.m. ET
Line: Mets -110, Giants +100, Total 7.5

Game 1: Giants 10 Mets 7
Game 2: Giants 8 Mets 1
Game 3: Mets 9 Giants 5

The Mets and Giants meet in San Francisco for a big Sunday night battle.

Both New York and San Francisco are losing their footing, but the teams are in different situations right now. While the Mets currently find themselves sliding down the standings in the NL Wild Card race, the Giants have recently blown a huge lead in the NL West and are looking for a way to get that back.

A win over New York on Sunday night could help, as it would be a huge confidence boost to defeat a pitcher like RHP Noah Syndergaard (10-7, 2.76 ERA, 171 K). The guy that will need to try to outduel Syndergaard is RHP Jeff Samardzija (10-8, 4.24 ERA, 112 K) for the Giants.

On paper, this will look like a matchup that is destined to be won by Syndergaard, but Samardzija is capable of turning in a gem every now and then. Samardzija will also have the benefit of pitching against a Mets lineup that is banged up and struggling to score runs on a nightly basis.

The Mets still believe they have a shot at an NL Wild Card spot, but this team must turn things around fast. A couple of wins in a row would be huge for New York and Noah Syndergaard knows he must deliver in this big Sunday night spot. The righty has, however, had some issues over the past few weeks. While Syndergard has not pitched poorly, he is not giving the Mets a lot of innings. He has pitched less than seven innings in nine of his past 10 starts and it’d be huge for New York if he can start to use less pitches to make his impact.

One thing that should spark this Mets team is that OFs Yoenis Cespedes and Jay Bruce should be in the lineup together on Sunday. Cespedes has been battling injuries recently, but he’s healthier now and New York should be pretty dangerous with the two of them together. It’d also be huge if 2B Neil Walker is back in the lineup for this one.

Jeff Samardzija has been extremely solid his last two times on the mound and the Giants are hoping that he has turned a corner. If he can be the pitcher San Francisco thought it was signing in the offseason for the remainder of the year then this team should be dangerous come postseason time. In his past two starts, Samardzija has allowed just three earned runs in 11.2 innings of work. If he can turn in a quality start in this game then the Giants will be extremely happy with him.

Offensively, C Buster Posey is somebody to keep an eye on in this game. Posey is 3-for-6 against Syndergaard in his career and should be able to get on base a few times in this one as well. It’d also be big if SS Brandon Crawford is on his game for San Francisco. Crawford is 2-for-5 against Syndergaard in his career and has also been one of the Giants’ best hitters this season. The team needs both of them to find a way to drive in runs against a very good pitcher.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Sunday's Diamond Notes
By Kevin Rogers

Hottest team: Royals (10-1 last 11)

The defending World Champions aren’t going away quietly, as Kansas City is making a charge towards a Wild Card berth. The Royals sat seven games below .500 on August 5, but Kansas City has won 12 of its past 14 games, including seven of their last nine at home. Kansas City has done most of its damage against division opponents in this span, including a 5-1 record against Minnesota. The Royals wrap up their series with the Twins on Sunday as Danny Duffy takes the mound. Kansas City owns a perfect 10-0 record in Duffy’s last 10 appearances, including a 6-0 mark at Kauffman Stadium.

Coldest team: Brewers (3-7 last 10)

Milwaukee is one of two teams that has dropped 40 road games this season as the Brewers conclude a disastrous trip in Seattle. The Brewers lost all four games at Wrigley Field to the Cubs, while falling in the opener to the Mariners on Friday. Milwaukee scored two runs in the first three losses, but bounced back with six-run efforts on Thursday and Friday. Since the All-Star break, the Brewers have lost 13 of 17 games away from Miller Park, while dropping 10 of their past 11 road series finales. Matt Garza heads to the hill on Sunday, as the Brewers are 4-1 in his previous five trips to the mound.

Hottest pitcher: Jason Hammel, Cubs (13-5, 2.75 ERA)

Last season, Jake Arrieta put together a terrific second half on the way to a Cy Young award. Another Cubs’ right-hander is on fire post All-Star break as Hammel has won six consecutive decisions, including three straight scoreless outings. However, Hammel has done most of his damage in this span at home, as he is making his first road start since July 22 when he takes the mound at Colorado. Hammel tries to improve on his away struggles, as the Cubs are 2-5 in his last seven road starts.

Coldest pitcher: Jose Urena, Marlins (1-4, 6.80 ERA)

The Miami right-hander has lost each of his last three starts, while allowing 15 hits and 13 earned runs in his past two appearances (10.1 innings). Urena gave up five first inning runs to the Reds in his previous outing, but actually didn’t allow a run in the next five innings of a 6-3 setback. The Marlins have compiled a 1-8 record in Urena’s past nine starts since last June, while yielding 10 hits and five earned runs in less than five innings of a 5-1 loss at Pittsburgh last May as the Marlins and Pirates wrap up their series on Sunday.

Biggest UNDER run: Athletics (11-3 last 14)

There has been no rhyme or reason to Oakland’s latest UNDER stretch, as the A’s tossed a shutout against the White Sox on Friday, but failed to register a run against Chris Sale on Saturday in a 6-2 loss. The A’s offense has scored four runs or less in six of the past seven games, while also dealing with several inflated totals in UNDERS at Texas. Zach Neal makes his fourth start of the season for Oakland in Sunday’s finale at Chicago, as the rookie allowed five earned runs in his previous outing against Seattle.

Biggest OVER run: Diamondbacks (6-0 last six)

Arizona and San Diego played two exciting games to start its series at Petco Park as the two NL West rivals combined for 17 and 11 runs. In fact, each of the last 10 meetings between the Padres and D-backs have sailed OVER the total, including eight of the past nine matchups with the teams combining for at least 10 runs. Braden Shipley has cashed the OVER in each of his last two starts for Arizona, while right-hander Luis Perdomo has finished OVER the total in three of four starts at Petco Park.

Matchup to watch: Blue Jays vs. Indians

Toronto and Cleveland have played a pair of exciting contests at Progressive Field the last two nights. The Indians rallied for a pair of runs in the ninth inning in Friday’s 3-2 victory, highlighted by Tyler Naquin’s inside-the-park homer. Toronto built a 5-0 lead on Saturday before Cleveland erased that deficit with five runs in the fourth. However, the Jays were lifted to victory by an Edwin Encarnacion home run in the fifth for a 6-5 triumph.

Corey Kluber has been on fire of late for the Indians, winning four straight decisions as the 2014 Cy Young winner takes the mound on Sunday. Kluber looks for a better performance against Toronto after getting lit up by the Blue Jays in early July by allowing five earned runs in a 17-1 drubbing. Marcus Stroman counters for Toronto, as the right-hander is seeking his 10th victory of the season. Toronto has compiled a 5-8 record in Stroman’s last 13 outings, which includes a 2-1 defeat to Cleveland in 19 innings on July 1, even though he scattered five hits and one earned run in 6.2 innings.

Betcha didn’t know: The Nationals have been an instant fade when Gio Gonzalez takes the mound on the highway this season. Washington has lost seven of his past eight starts away from Nationals Park, while the Nats are 5-11 in his last 16 appearances overall. Washington goes for the sweep of Atlanta on Sunday, as Gonzalez has lost in his past two visits to Turner Field, both coming back in 2014.

Biggest public favorite: Nationals (-160) at Braves

Biggest public underdog: Orioles (+110) vs. Astros

Biggest line move: Mets (+100 to -110) at Giants

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'Rubber Match'

Toronto Blue Jays and Cleveland Indians August 21, 1:10 EST

Cleveland Indians and Toronto Blue Jays conclude their three-game set with both teams having notched one victory. Current betting odds has Tribe -$1.45 favorites with the total set at 7.5 across most shops.

Tribe's ace Corey Kluber gets the call in the finale. Kluber carrying a 13-8 record, 3.15 ERA has been light's out of late going 4-0 in his last four turns with 25 K's while allowing a total six runs over the span. Tribe do have a 6-0 streak in front of the home audience with Kluber. However, the club has not been able to solve Blue Jays handing the ball to their ace. In four career starts Tribe are just 1-3 including a loss this season in which the hurler was tagged for 5 runs in 3 1/3 innings of work.

Kluber matches pitches with Toronto's Marcus Stroman entering 9-5 on the campaign with a 4.63 ERA. After a shaky start to the season Stroman appears to have righted the ship as he's 3-1 with a 3.27 ERA since the early July. Tossing in an opposing park has been an obsticle for Stroman. In his last seven the results has been one win, six losses for the Blue Jays. On a possitive note, yesterday's 6-5 win for the Toronto bodes well for the team's chances, since the team is 4-1 courtesy of Stroman when coming off a win the previous effort.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB

Sunday’s games

National League

Marlins @ Pirates
Urena is 0-3, 6.14 in four starts this year.

Vogelsong is 1-1, 2.92 in five starts this year (over 3-2).

Marlins are 5-7 in last 12 road games; five of their last seven road games went over. Pittsburgh won six of its last nine games; five of last seven Pirate games went over.

Cardinals @ Phillies
Leake is 1-1, 7.77 in his last four starts; five of his last six went over. Cardinals are 7-4 in his road starts.

Velasquez is 0-3, 7.59 in his last four starts; over is 10-6 in his last 16. Phillies are 5-3 in his home starts.

Cardinals won five of last six games; over is 11-4-1 in last 16 Cardinal games. Phillies won six of last nine games; over is 7-3-2 in last 12 Philly home games.

Dodgers @ Reds
Urias is 2-0, 5.40 in his last four starts (over 4-0). Dodgers are 2-3 in his road starts.

DeSclafani is 1-1, 3.13 in his last four starts; under is 6-2-2 in his last ten. Cincinnati is 5-0 when he starts at home.

Dodgers are 6-10 in last 16 road games; over is 8-1-3 in last 12 Dodger games. Cincinnati is 12-4 in last 16 home games; eight of Reds’ last nine games went over.

Nationals @ Braves
Gonzalez is 2-0, 4.20 in his last three starts; three of his last four stayed under. Nationals lost six of his last seven road starts.

De la Cruz is 0-5, 4.60 in six starts this year (under 5-1).

Nationals are 13-5 in last 18 games; eight of their last ten games went over. Atlanta lost nine of last ten games; eight of their last nine games went over.

Cubs @ Rockies
Hammel is 6-0, 0.95 in his last six starts; he has a 22-inning scoreless streak. Six of his last seven starts stayed under. Chicago lost four of his last five road starts.

De la Rosa is 0-0, 4.24 in his last three starts; four of his last five stayed under. Colorado is 3-5 in his home starts.

Cubs are 19-4 in last 23 games; under is 4-2 in their last six games. Colorado is 5-11 in its last 16 games; over is 6-3 in their last nine games.

Diamondbacks @ Padres
Shipley is 2-1, 3.38 in his last four starts (under 3-2).

Perdomo is 0-3, 6.23 in his last three starts; three of his last four went over. Padres split his four home starts.

Arizona lost five of last six road games; over is 7-3 in their last ten road games. San Diego lost six of its last eight games; seven of their last nine home games went over total.

Mets @ Giants
Syndergaard is 1-3, 5.34 in his last five starts; three of his last four went over. Mets are 7-3 in his road starts.

Samardzija is 1-3, 5.04 in his last five starts (under 5-0). Giants are 5-4 in his home starts.

New York lost 16 of last 24 games; their last six games went over. Giants are 11-22 since All-Star break; seven of their last eight games went over the total.


American League

Red Sox @ Tigers
Rodriguez is 0-1, 2.08 in his last four starts; his last seven stayed under. Boston is 5-2 in his road starts.

Verlander is 3-1, 2.83 in his last five starts; his last nine stayed under. Detroit is 7-3 in his last ten home starts.

Red Sox won eight of last nine games; under is 14-4 in last 18 Boston road games. Detroit lost nine of last 12 games; seven of last eight Tiger games stayed under the total.

Astros @ Orioles
Keuchel is 1-3, 5.06 in his last four starts; five of his last seven stayed under. Houston is 4-8 n his road starts.

Gallardo is 1-1, 3.18 in his last three starts; six of his last eight stayed under. Orioles are 5-1 in his home starts.

Astros lost five of last seven games, but scored 27 runs the last two nights; nine of last 11 Houston games went over total. Baltimore lost seven of last ten home games; under is 11-3-2 in last 16 games at Camden Yards.

Rangers @ Rays
Perez is 1-1, 3.04 in his last four starts (under 4-0). Texas is 4-7 in his road starts.

Smyly is 3-0, 2.25 in his last five starts; three of his last four went over. Rays are 4-6 in his home starts.

Rangers are 10-4 in last 14 games; under is 7-2-2 in their last 11 road games. Tampa Bay won five of last six games; over is 11-3 in last fourteen Tampa Bay games.

Blue Jays @ Indians
Stroman is 1-1, 2.95 in his last three starts; four of his last six went over. Toronto lost five of his last six starts.

Kluber is 4-0, 2.00 in his last four starts; under is 3-1-1 in his last five. Indians won his last six home starts.

Blue Jays are 11-6 in last 17 games; under is 9-3 in Toronto’s last 12 road games. Cleveland is 8-3 in last 11 home games; under is 5-3 in their last eight home games.

A’s @ White Sox
Hahn is 0-2, 9.56 in his last four starts; over is 5-2-1 in his last eight. He is 0-3, 13.83 in four road starts.

Quintana is 2-1, 1.82 in his last six starts; under is 6-2-1 in his last nine. White Sox are 5-4 in his home starts.

Oakland lost six of last seven games; under is 11-3 in A’s last 14 games. White Sox are 8-14 in last 22 games; three of their last four home games stayed under.

Twins @ Royals
Santana is 3-0, 2.33 in his last three starts; under is 7-2 in his last nine. Minnesota won his last three road starts.

Duffy is 5-0, 1.64 in his last six starts (under 5-1). Royals are 9-1 in his home starts.

Twins are 11-7 in last 18 road games; over is 11-1-2 in their last 14 road tilts. Kansas City won 11 of last 13 games; under is 14-6 -1 in their last 21 games.

New York @ Angels
Green is 2-2, 6.29 in five starts this year (over 3-1-1).

Chacin is 0-4, 13.50 in his last five starts; over is 6-1-1 in his last eight. Angels won four of his five home starts.

New York won its last four road games; five of last eight Bronx games went over total. Angels lost 14 of last 16 games; under is 6-2 in their last eight games.


Interleague

Brewers @ Mariners

Garza is 3-1, 4.03 in his last four starts (over 5-5-2).

Miranda is 0-0, 4.09 in two starts this year (over 1-1).

Brewers lost their last seven road games; last three Milwaukee games went over. Seattle won its last eight home games; over is 11-5 in Mariners’ last 16 home games.


Teams’ record when this pitcher starts:

Mia-Pitt– Urena 1-3; Vogelsong 2-3
StL-Phil– Leake 11-13; Velasquez 10-11 (0-6 last 6)
LA-Cin– Urias 4-3; DeSclafani 8-5
Wsh-Atl– Gonzalez 10-14; De la Cruz 1-5
Chi-Col– Hammel 15-8 (6-0 last 6); De la Rosa 7-11
NY-SF– Syndergaard 14-9; Samardzija 12-13 (2-7 last 9)
Az-SD– Shipley 3-2; Perdomo 7-6 (0-3 last 3)

Hst-Balt– Keuchel 10-14; Gallardo 9-7
Tex-TB– Perez 14-11; Smyly 10-13 (4-0 last 4)
Bos-Det– Rodriguez 5-8; Verlander 14-11
Tor-Clev– Stroman 12-12; Kluber 13-11 (4-0 last 4)
A’s-Chi– Hahn 5-4; Quintana 12-12
Min-KC– Santana 7-15 (3-0 last 3); Duffy 15-3 (10-0 last 10)
NY-LA– Green 3-2; Chacin 5-7/2-3

Mil-Sea– Garza 5-7; Miranda 0-2


# of time pitcher allows 1+ runs in first inning:

Mia-Pitt– Urena 1-4; Vogelsong 1-5
StL-Phil– Leake 8-24; Velasquez 4-20
LA-Cin– Urias 2-5; DeSclafani 7-13
Wsh-Atl– Gonzalez 6-24; De la Cruz 1-6
Chi-Col– Hammel 4-23; De la Rosa 8-18
NY-SF– Syndergaard 5-23; Samardzija 9-25
Az-SD– Shipley 1-5; Perdomo 7-13

Hst-Balt– Keuchel 6-24; Gallardo 6-16
Tex-TB– Perez 11-25; Smyly 7-23
Bos-Det– Rodriguez 3-13; Verlander 9-25
Tor-Clev– Stroman 6-24; Kluber 6-24
A’s-Chi– Hahn 2-9; Quintana 6-24
Min-KC– Santana 7-22; Duffy 4-18
NY-LA– Green 3-5; Chacin 7-17

Mil-Sea– Garza 4-12; Miranda 1-1


Umpires

Mia-Pitt– Under is 4-1-1 in last six Conroy games.
StL-Phil– Underdogs won seven of last eight Randazzo games.
LA-Cin– Over is 5-3 in last eight Reynolds games.
Wsh-Atl– Home side won four of last five Hamari sides.
Chi-Col– Last four Porter games stayed under the total.
NY-SF– Underdogs are 7-7 in last fourteen Fagan games.
Az-SD– Five of last seven Eddings games went over.

Hst-Balt– Four of last five LBarrett games stayed under.
Tex-TB– Six of last eight Wolf games went over.
Tor-Clev– Last five DeJesus games stayed under total.
Bos-Det– Under is 6-2-1 in last nine TGibson games.
A’s-Chi– Six of last seven Davis games stayed under.
Min-KC– Over is 12-4 in last sixteen Miller games.
NY-LA– Six of last seven West games stayed under.

Mil-Sea– Under is 8-4 in last twelve Joyce games.


Teams’ records in first five innings:

Team (road-home-total)- thru 8/20

Arizona 22-29-11…..23-33-5……45-62
Atlanta 23-30-8……18-30-13…..41-60
Cubs 32-18-8……40-17-8…….72-35
Reds 17-37-7……28-29-4……45-66
Colo 23-27-11…..25-32-4……48-59
LA 26-25-9……36-20-7……62-45
Miami 27-26-9…..29-18-13……56-44
Milw 19-36-7……33-21-7…….52-57
Mets 25-40-8……27-24-9……52-54
Philly 20-27-15….23-28-11…..43-53
Pitt 18-33-10…..37-19-4……55-51
St. Louis 28-27-6……24-25-12….52-52
SD 19-40-4……27-27-6…..46-67
SF 27-28-7……31-18-12……58-46
Wash 32-18-13…..25-18-16…..57-36

Orioles 23-32-7……..31-23-8…….54-55
Boston 22-26-9……39-17-8…….61-43
White Sox 28-28-8……31-26-2……59-54
Cleveland 34-21-6……29-25-5…….62-46
Detroit 25-29-8……29-25-4…….54-54
Astros 23-28-11…..29-24-7…….52-52
KC 24-32-8……25-23-12……49-55
Angels 22-33-7…….22-30-10…..44-63
Twins 23-32-10…..20-32-11……43-64
NYY 20-32-8……27-28-9…….48-60
A’s 20-33-8……23-29-11…….43-62
Seattle 29-25-8……27-20-12……56-45
Tampa Bay 21-25-10……29-27-9……50-52
Texas 24-33-8…….28-21-9…….52-54
Toronto 37-19-4……..35-24-4……72-43

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

StatFox Super Situations

MLB*|*NY YANKEES*at*LA ANGELS
Play On - Home underdogs with a money line of +100 or higher (LA ANGELS) with an overused bullpen that pitches more than 3.2 innings per game, with a cold starting pitcher- ERA >= 6.50 over his last 10 starts
144-128*since 1997.**(*52.9%*|*65.8 units*)
4-6*this year.**(*40.0%*|*-1.5 units*)


StatFox Situational Power Trends

MLB*|*TEXAS*at*TAMPA BAY
TEXAS is 46-29 (+19.9 Units) against the money line vs. an AL team with an on base percentage .320 or worse*this season.
The average score was: TEXAS (4.7) , OPPONENT (4.4)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Sunday’s 6-pack

— Rams, Cowboys are only NFL teams to open this season with two divisional games.

— Lead singer Gord Downie of Canadian rock band Tragically Hip is the godson of former Boston Bruins’ coach/GM Harry Sinden.

— John Lynch is getting inducted into the Ring of Honor in both Denver and Tampa Bay this season. Pretty impressive.

— USC is a 10-point underdog at Alabama in
two weeks; last time they were a double digit dog was 2011, when the Trojans (+15) won 38-35 at Oregon.

— Ole Miss is 11-4 vs spread as an underdog under High Freeze.

— Tom Cruise has made 37 movies in his career; someone ranked them on the Interweb, with Jerry Maguire too high at #1, Cocktail too low at #36. My favorite? A Few Good Men.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CAPPERS ACCESS

Rays
Pirates
Giants

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Marc Lawrence

Nationals vs Braves

Play - Washington Nationals w/Gonzalez vs De La Cruz

Edges - Nationals: Gio Gonzalez 3-0 with 0.94 ERA last three team starts n this series; and 3.00 ERA with 1.17 WHIP last three overall starts. Braves: Joel De La Cruz 1-5 six MLB career team starts. With Atlanta 12-27 versus southpaws this season, we recommend a 1* play on Washington Thank you and good luck as always.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Jim Feist

Jim Feist's Comp Pick, Sunday, August 21, 2016 2:10 PM

(923) OAKLAND ATHLETICS VS (924) CHICAGO WHITE SOX

Take: UNDER

Reason: Your Bonus Play for Sunday, August 21, 2016 is in the baseball contest between the Oakland A's and the White Sox from Chicago. This is a big park, great for pitchers, and a pair of struggling offenses meet. Oakland is a long way from home with a bad offense, #25 in runs scored, #28 in on-base percentage, #22 in slugging. It's their sixth consecutive road contest. The Athletics are 15-37 away against a left-handed starter and face a good one in Jose Quintana (2.85 ERA). Quintana has had some rough luck this season, going just 9-9 despite an outstanding 2.85 ERA and 1.11 WHIP. That's mostly because he has received just 3.08 runs of support per game, the second-worst run support. Chicago is no offensive dynamo, either, #26 in runs scored, #21 in on-base percentage and #28 in slugging. Chicago is 19-7-2 under the total versus the AL West. Play Oakland/White Sox Under the total.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Arthur Ralph Sports

Bonus Play: SUN: Seattle w/Miranda -165

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Stephen Nover

Brewers vs Mariners

Bonus Play Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers are in full rebuilt mode. This is something veteran Matt Garza is well aware of. Best case scenario for the Brewers and Garza is a deal is made before the opening of the 2017 season where a team trades for Garza and gives Milwaukee a decent prospect or two. The Brewers want to get under Garza's $12.5 million contract and he doesn't fit into their long range plans.
Garza must pitch well for that to take place. That is starting to happen. Garza hasn't allowed more than three runs during any of his past five starts posting a respectable 3.49 ERA during this span. He should pitch a solid six innings here against a normally tough Seattle lineup that is likely to be resting several regulars with an upcoming home series against the Yankees starting Monday.
The Brewers are facing rookie lefty Ariel Miranda, who is making just his third big league start and has a 5.79 ERA. It's my opinion Miranda isn't ready yet to be in a big league rotation. He's only in Seattle's rotation because James Paxton is out with an elbow injury.
The Brewers have won six of the last eight times they've gone against a southpaw starter.
Milwaukee has some underrated and intriguing offensive talent besides Ryan Braun and Chris Carter, who has hit the third-most homers in the National League. Jonathan Villar is batting .300 and has the second-most steals in the majors. Hernan Perez is batting .283 with double-digit homers and 23 steals. Centerfielder Keon Broxton has finally started showing something and rightfielder Domingo Santana just recently came off the DL bringing his 20-plus home run potential into the lineup.
Seattle is playing well and Milwaukee has dropped nine of its last 11 road games. So you really have to be careful picking spots with the Brewers especially away from Miller Park. But given the pitching matchup and price, I think a small Brewers investment is warranted.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Scott Spreitzer

Blue Jays vs Indians

Bonus Play Toronto Blue Jays

'm backing the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday. Marcus Stroman is 9-5 and comes off a 9-2 win over Houston on Sunday while allowing just one earned run in 6 1/3 innings. Stroman pitched well enough to keep the Blue Jays in the game his previous two starts. Cleveland hitters have a combined .200 batting average against Stroman, who has a 2.45 ERA in August. Corey Kluber was the starter when the Indians lost 17-1 to Toronto on July 3 as he gave up five runs and seven hits in just 3 1/3 innings. Toronto batters have a combined .890 OPS against Kluber, who allowed five runs and eight hits in five innings versus the Blue Jays last year. The Blue Jays have won 21 of their last 31 against right-handed starters and are getting huge value with this line considering they're in first place in the AL East and have lost only two more games than the Indians. We'll back the Blue Jays on Sunday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Red Dog Sports

Atalanta vs Lazio

Bonus Play DRAW +227

I like the Draw when these two teams from Italy meet on Sunday afternoon. The totalis set at 2 so they expect a low score. I think it ends 0-0 or 1-1.

Lazio 1

Atalanta 1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB

Sunday, August 21

Trend Report

1:10 PM
LA DODGERS vs. CINCINNATI
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of LA Dodgers's last 12 games when playing on the road against Cincinnati
LA Dodgers are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Cincinnati's last 9 games
Cincinnati is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

1:10 PM
BOSTON vs. DETROIT
Boston is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Boston is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Detroit's last 6 games when playing Boston
Detroit is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Boston

1:10 PM
TEXAS vs. TAMPA BAY
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Texas's last 6 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
Texas is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Tampa Bay's last 8 games at home
Tampa Bay is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

1:10 PM
TORONTO vs. CLEVELAND
Toronto is 10-5 SU in its last 15 games on the road
Toronto is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
Cleveland is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cleveland's last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto

1:35 PM
HOUSTON vs. BALTIMORE
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 5 games on the road
Houston is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games on the road
Baltimore is 13-5 SU in its last 18 games when playing at home against Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Baltimore's last 16 games at home

1:35 PM
WASHINGTON vs. ATLANTA
Washington is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Washington's last 5 games when playing Atlanta
Atlanta is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Washington
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Atlanta's last 5 games when playing Washington

1:35 PM
MIAMI vs. PITTSBURGH
Miami is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Miami's last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Miami
Pittsburgh is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games when playing at home against Miami

1:35 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. PHILADELPHIA
The total has gone OVER in 5 of St. Louis's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of St. Louis's last 5 games when playing Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games when playing St. Louis
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Philadelphia's last 9 games when playing at home against St. Louis

2:10 PM
OAKLAND vs. CHI WHITE SOX
Oakland is 4-8 SU in their last 12 games when playing on the road against Chi White Sox
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Oakland's last 5 games on the road
Chi White Sox are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chi White Sox's last 5 games when playing Oakland

2:15 PM
MINNESOTA vs. KANSAS CITY
Minnesota is 2-13 SU in its last 15 games when playing Kansas City
Minnesota is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games
Kansas City is 13-2 SU in its last 15 games when playing Minnesota
Kansas City is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Minnesota

3:35 PM
NY YANKEES vs. LA ANGELS
NY Yankees are 7-3 SU in their last 10 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of NY Yankees's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of LA Angels's last 10 games when playing NY Yankees
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of LA Angels's last 8 games

4:10 PM
CHI CUBS vs. COLORADO
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chi Cubs's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chi Cubs's last 6 games when playing Colorado
The total has gone OVER in 16 of Colorado's last 23 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs
Colorado is 15-7 SU in their last 22 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs

4:10 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. SEATTLE
Milwaukee is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Milwaukee's last 10 games
Seattle is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Seattle is 12-3 SU in its last 15 games

4:40 PM
ARIZONA vs. SAN DIEGO
Arizona is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Arizona's last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Diego's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of San Diego's last 7 games at home

8:08 PM
NY METS vs. SAN FRANCISCO
NY Mets are 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of NY Mets's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of San Francisco's last 8 games
San Francisco is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB
Dunkel

Sunday, August 21


Boston @ Detroit

Game 915-916
August 21, 2016 @ 1:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Boston
(Owens) 16.548
Detroit
(Verlnder) 15.149
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Boston
by 1 1/2
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Detroit
-135
9
Dunkel Pick:
Boston
(+115); Under

Toronto @ Cleveland

Game 917-918
August 21, 2016 @ 1:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto
(Stroman) 18.081
Cleveland
(Kluber) 14.455
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 3 1/2
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cleveland
-170
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(+150); Over

Texas @ Tampa Bay

Game 919-920
August 21, 2016 @ 1:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Texas
(Perez) 16.846
Tampa Bay
(Smyly) 15.424
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Texas
by 1 1/2
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Tampa Bay
-125
8 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Texas
(+105); Over

Houston @ Baltimore

Game 921-922
August 21, 2016 @ 1:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Houston
(Keuchel) 16.587
Baltimore
(Gallardo) 13.341
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Houston
by 3
13
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
-125
9 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Houston
(-125); Over

LA Dodgers @ Cincinnati

Game 901-902
August 21, 2016 @ 1:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Dodgers
(Urias) 14.017
Cincinnati
(DeSclfni) 17.527
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cincinnati
by 3 1/2
11
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Dodgers
-130
9
Dunkel Pick:
Cincinnati
(+110); Over

Oakland @ Chicago White Sox

Game 923-924
August 21, 2016 @ 2:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Oakland
(Neal) 13.394
Chicago White Sox
(Quntana) 16.242
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chicago White Sox
by 3
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago White Sox
-160
8 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago White Sox
(-160); Over

St. Louis @ Philadelphia

Game 903-904
August 21, 2016 @ 1:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
St. Louis
(Leake) 14.822
Philadelphia
(Velsquez) 15.825
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Philadelphia
by 1
11
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
St. Louis
-120
9
Dunkel Pick:
Philadelphia
(+100); Over

Minnesota @ Kansas City

Game 925-926
August 21, 2016 @ 2:15 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota
(Santana) 14.256
Kansas City
(Duffy) 15.319
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Kansas City
by 1
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Kansas City
-170
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Kansas City
(-170); Over

Washington @ Atlanta

Game 905-906
August 21, 2016 @ 1:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Washington
(Gnzalez) 15.204
Atlanta
(DeLaCruz) 13.672
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 1 1/2
12
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
-165
8 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Washington
(-165); Over

NY Yankees @ LA Angels

Game 927-928
August 21, 2016 @ 3:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
NY Yankees
(Green) 16.374
LA Angels
(Chacin) 12.218
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
NY Yankees
by 4
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
NY Yankees
-120
9
Dunkel Pick:
NY Yankees
(-120); Under

Miami @ Pittsburgh

Game 907-908
August 21, 2016 @ 1:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Miami
(Urena) 14.971
Pittsburgh
(Voglsong) 16.859
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Pittsburgh
by 2
10
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Pittsburgh
-145
9
Dunkel Pick:
Pittsburgh
(-145); Over

Milwaukee @ Seattle

Game 929-930
August 21, 2016 @ 4:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Milwaukee
(Garza) 15.742
Seattle
(Miranda) 13.737
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Milwaukee
by 2
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Seattle
-165
9
Dunkel Pick:
Milwaukee
(+145); Under

NY Mets @ San Francisco

Game 909-910
August 21, 2016 @ 8:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
NY Mets
(Syndrgrd) 14.797
San Francisco
(Smrdzja( 13.967
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
NY Mets
by 1
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
NY Mets
-115
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
NY Mets
(-115); Over

Chicago Cubs @ Colorado

Game 911-912
August 21, 2016 @ 4:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago Cubs
(Hammel) 17.068
Colorado
(DeLaRosa) 15.288
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chicago Cubs
by 2
10
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago Cubs
-150
11 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago Cubs
(-150); Under

Arizona @ San Diego

Game 913-914
August 21, 2016 @ 4:40 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Arizona
(Shipley) 14.690
San Diego
(Perdomo) 12.776
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Arizona
by 2
12
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Diego
-110
9
Dunkel Pick:
Arizona
(-110); Over

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Blue Jays at Indians

GAME: Toronto Blue Jays (70-53) at Cleveland Indians (70-51)
DATE/TIME: Sunday, August 21 - 1:10 PM EST
WHERE: Progressive Field, Cleveland, Ohio
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A

With six homers in as many contests, Russell Martin has every reason to feel comfortable at the plate. The 33-year-old Ontario native looks to keep the good times rolling on Sunday afternoon as the American League East-leading Toronto Blue Jays and Central-best Cleveland Indians play the rubber match of their three-game series at Progressive Field.

Martin went deep in Saturday's 6-5 victory to improve to 12-for-24 with 11 RBIs and eight runs scored in his last six games heading into an encounter with Sunday starter Corey Kluber, against whom he is 2-for-7 with two homers and four RBIs. While Toronto has won five of seven and holds a one-half game advantage over second-place Boston in the East, Cleveland fell for just the third time in 10 outings. Jose Ramirez followed up his game-tying homer in the series opener with an RBI single on Saturday to improve to a blistering 30-for-77 in August, but is 0-for-4 versus Sunday starter Marcus Stroman.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, TVA Sports (Toronto), Sportsnet (Toronto), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Marcus Stroman (9-5, 4.63 ERA) vs. Indians RH Corey Kluber (13-8, 3.15)

Stroman improved to 3-1 with a 3.27 ERA in his last eight starts after allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits in 6 1/3 innings of a 9-2 triumph over Houston last Sunday. The 25-year-old has struggled with the long ball of late, surrendering eight homers in his last seven trips to the mound. Stroman has kept the ball in the park in a pair of career encounters (one start) versus Cleveland, allowing one run in 6 2/3 innings on July 1 before walking away with another no-decision.

Kluber won his fourth straight start and improved to 5-0 with a 1.65 ERA in his last seven turns on Tuesday, when he allowed one run in six innings of a 3-1 triumph over the Chicago White Sox. A solo homer accounted for the lone damage against the 30-year-old, who was taken deep twice in his previous outing. Kluber has struggled with Toronto, however, yielding five runs in 3 1/3 frames in a disastrous 17-1 setback to the Blue Jays on July 3 to fall to 1-3 with a 6.14 ERA in his career versus the club.

WALK-OFFS

1. Toronto 3B Josh Donaldson is expected to return to the lineup on Sunday after missing two games with a jammed thumb.

2. Cleveland RF Lonnie Chisenhall has homered and recorded three-RBI performances in two of his last three contests.

3. Blue Jays 1B Edwin Encarnacion has four homers, seven RBIs and scored seven times in his last eight games.

PREDICTION: Indians 6, Blue Jays 2

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Red Sox at Tigers

GAME: Boston Red Sox (69-53) at Detroit Tigers (64-59)
DATE/TIME: Sunday, August 21 - 1:10 PM EST
WHERE: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A

The Boston Red Sox lead the American League wild card standings and are keeping the pressure on the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East due in large part to the contributions from 40-year-old slugger David Ortiz. The Red Sox will try to ride Ortiz’s hot bat to another series win when they visit the Detroit Tigers for the finale of a four-game series on Sunday.

Ortiz tied Ted Williams for the most home runs ever in a season by a player after the age of 40 when he took a hanging curveball from Daniel Norris and belted it into the stands in right for his 29th homer and what proved to be the decisive shot in Saturday’s 3-2 victory. Ortiz is 6-for-8 with a pair of home runs in the series and helped Boston to wins in eight of the last nine games, which has kept it within a half-game of the Blue Jays for first place in the AL East. The Tigers are sliding in the opposite direction with losses in 10 of their last 13 contests to fall 3 1/2 back of the Baltimore Orioles for the second AL wild card. Detroit’s offense has been the biggest culprit in the decline, with the club managing two runs or fewer in nine of those 13 contests.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, TBS, NESN (Boston), FSN Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH Eduardo Rodriguez (2-5, 5.11 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Justin Verlander (12-7, 3.44)

Rodriguez was tossing a no-hitter through four innings with seven strikeouts at Baltimore on Tuesday but was forced out due to tightness in his left hamstring. The Venezuela native is ready to go on his regular start day and is trying to extend a string of seven straight starts allowing three or fewer runs that began when he was recalled from the minors on July 16. Rodriguez started against Detroit at home on July 27 and was reached for three runs on nine hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings without factoring in the decision.

Verlander had a streak of eight starts allowing two or fewer runs come to an end against Kansas City on Tuesday, when he was charged with five runs – three earned – on four hits in seven innings. The former MVP served up three home runs in that start, matching his total from the previous eight outings. Verlander earned a win at Boston on July 25 while scattering one run and five hits over six innings to improve to 4-5 with a 3.05 ERA in 14 career starts against the Red Sox.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tigers RHP Mike Pelfrey (back) will throw a bullpen session on Sunday and could progress to a simulated game next week.

2. Ortiz became the third player in Red Sox history to reach 1,500 RBIs with the team on Saturday, joining Carl Yastrzemski (1,844) and Ted Williams (1,839).

3. Boston RHP Steven Wright (shoulder) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Sunday.

PREDICTION: Tigers 4, Red Sox 1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rangers at Rays

GAME: Texas Rangers (73-51) at Tampa Bay Rays (51-70)
DATE/TIME: Sunday, August 21 - 1:10 PM EST
WHERE: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A

Evan Longoria has been a bright spot for the Tampa Bay Rays during an otherwise disappointing season, and his current surge has him on track to approach career bests. Longoria has collected 14 RBIs in his last 10 contests and looks to stay hot as the Rays host the American League West-leading Texas Rangers on Sunday in the rubber match of their three-game series.

Longoria belted his 28th homer in Saturday’s 8-2 victory and is five away from his career high of 33 set in 2009 while his 75 RBIs are two more than his total from last season. Drew Smyly goes after his sixth straight quality start for Tampa Bay in the finale while the Rangers send fellow left-hander Martin Perez to the mound after seeing their four-game winning streak come to an end. Adrian Beltre is 6-for-9 in the series and Ian Desmond is riding a six-game hitting streak (9-for-26) for Texas, which owns the best record in the AL at 73-51. Carlos Beltran is due for the Rangers after going 0-for-12 in his last three contests.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), FSN Sun (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Martin Perez (8-8, 4.09 ERA) vs. Rays LH Drew Smyly (5-11, 4.85)

Perez snapped an eight-game winless streak last time out as he allowed two runs - one earned - over seven innings to beat Oakland. The 25-year-old Venezuelan gave up two or fewer runs three times during his 0-4 stretch and has worked at least seven frames in three of his last four starts. Longoria is 4-for-7 with a homer versus Perez, who is 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA in three career games against the Rays.

Smyly has turned around his season during his last five starts, permitting eight runs over 32 innings while recording three victories in that span. The 27-year-old Arkansas product gave up one run and one hit last time out against San Diego and has posted a 3.16 ERA since the All-Star break. Beltre is 6-for-9 with a homer against Smyly, who is 2-2 with a 3.25 ERA in 10 career games (five starts) versus the Rangers.

WALK-OFFS

1. Texas SS Elvis Andrus is 6-for-10 with two walks and two stolen bases in his last three overall games and is hitting .306 lifetime versus the Rays.

2. Tampa Bay CF Kevin Kiermaier (hip tightness) and 2B Logan Forsythe (back spasms) are day-to-day.

3. The Rangers signed OF Carlos Gomez to a minor-league contract Saturday and will send him to Triple-A Round Rock.

PREDICTION: Rays 4, Rangers 2

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Dodgers at Reds

GAME: Los Angeles Dodgers (67-55) at Cincinnati Reds (53-69)
DATE/TIME: Sunday, August 21 - 1:10 PM EST
WHERE: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, Ohio
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A

The Cincinnati Reds fell out of playoff contention months ago, but they’ve clearly embraced the spoiler role in recent weeks. The Reds are 21-12 since the All-Star break and have won a season-high five straight games heading into Sunday’s contest against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers, who have lost three in a row for the first time since July 5-7 and sit one-half game behind first-place San Francisco in the National League West.

The Dodgers were outhit 18-3 in Saturday’s 11-1 loss and have been outscored 25-7 in their past three games. Manager Dave Roberts continues to be patient with struggling right fielder Josh Reddick, who was held out of the starting lineup Saturday but struck out as a pinch hitter and is 10-for-62 without an RBI in 16 games since being acquired from Oakland. “Everyone’s going to go through struggles,” Roberts told reporters. “All hitters go through that. At the beginning of the season, it’s magnified. And with Josh coming over to a new team, it’s magnified. We expect him to get out of it and be the hitter he’s been his whole career.” The Dodgers allowed three home runs on Saturday, including one from shortstop Jose Peraza after he was recalled from Triple-A Louisville prior to the game to start in place of Zack Cozart, who has missed the last three games due to knee and Achilles injuries and is unlikely to play Sunday.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles), FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Julio Urias (3-2, 4.41 ERA) vs. Reds RH Anthony DeSclafani (7-1, 3.10)

Urias is making his first start since Aug. 8 in order to give Kenta Maeda and Scott Kazmir extra rest. The 20-year-old rookie, who has gone 2-2 with a 4.37 ERA in 10 starts, last pitched on Aug. 13 and tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief in the Dodgers’ 8-4 win over Pittsburgh. Urias is facing the Reds for the first time after going 2-1 with a 3.38 ERA in four games (three starts) against other NL Central opponents.

DeSclafani allowed two runs over six innings last Tuesday in a 6-3 win over Miami and made another strong impression on Marlins manager Don Mattingly. “We didn't really mount a whole lot of charges as far as getting to DeSclafani,” Mattingly told reporters. “This guy has good stuff, seeing him last year. We had a lot of trouble with him last year.” The 26-year-old is 1-2 with a 2.37 ERA in three career starts covering 19 innings against the Dodgers.

WALK-OFFS

1. Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw (back) threw a successful bullpen session on Saturday and could begin a minor league rehab assignment by the end of the month.

2. The Reds optioned RHP Keyvius Sampson to Triple-A Louisville to make room for Peraza.

3. Los Angeles 1B Adrian Gonzalez is 21-for-51 during his 13-game hitting streak.

PREDICTION: Reds 6, Dodgers 3