Wednesday 5/25/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Padres (19-28) at Giants (29-19)

Game: 3
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: May 25, 2016 3:45 PM EDT

While the San Diego Padres' James Shields has pitched much better than his record indicates, Jake Peavy of the San Francisco Giants is deserving of his poor mark.

Peavy is the only Giants pitcher to lose in the last two weeks but will try to help them stay hot Wednesday with a sweep over his former team.

That would be nothing new for San Francisco (29-19) as it has already swept two series against its NL West foe, including last week in San Diego to close a 7-0 road trip. Tuesday's 8-2 victory gave the Giants eight straight wins over San Diego (19-28) and 10 consecutive at AT&T Park.

It also was the Giants' 12th win in their last 13 games to push their division lead to 4 1/2 games over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

San Francisco has already beaten Shields twice this season, though not due to any shortcomings by the right-hander. He held the Giants to three hits and a run in seven innings of a 1-0 loss on April 26, and he fell victim to another low-scoring affair in Thursday's 3-1 defeat - his fifth loss from a quality start.

Shields (2-6, 3.07 ERA) held the Giants to three runs in 6 2/3 innings while walking one and striking out seven. His ERA moved to 3.40 in eight career starts against them, the last four San Diego losses.

Shields has tossed at least six innings in each of his nine starts, but the Padres are 2-7 in them. They have supplied him just 13 runs in those games, and his 1.99 run support average is the only one south of two runs in the majors among qualifying pitchers.

After Monday's 1-0 series-opening loss, San Diego manager Andy Green held a 10-minute closed-door meeting to address his team. A point of emphasis was scoring runs.

"We have, from a pitching perspective, for the most part put ourselves in a position to win baseball games," Green told MLB's official website. "I think there's more than enough in that clubhouse to go out and actually win those games more consistently than we are. So we've got to raise the bar."

Peavy holds a similar record to Shields at 1-5, though his 8.21 ERA is much more telling as to why. The 15-year veteran has allowed at least five runs in four of his starts already.

Peavy, who spent the first eight years of his career with the Padres, has lost four of his last five starts. He holds a 9.58 ERA in that stretch, which was capped by his shortest regular-season start since July 6, 2010.

The Chicago Cubs shelled Peavy for seven hits and five runs in 1 2/3 innings on Friday. He walked two and finished without a strikeout for the first time since August 2013.

All five runs came in a disastrous second inning. Somehow, Peavy still found a silver lining.

"I felt better tonight, stuff-wise and with life (on pitches)," Peavy told MLB's official website. "When teams are going that well and are that professional, you have to earn your wins and they're going to make you throw your 3-2 pitches."

The difference between the Cubs and Padres is huge. Chicago leads the NL with 5.61 runs per game, while San Diego ranks toward the bottom with 3.49.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Diamondbacks (21-26) at Pirates (25-19)

Game: 2
Venue: PNC Park
Date: May 25, 2016 7:05 PM EDT

Since enduring a rough start that led to bullpen duty, the only thing that has slowed Rubby De La Rosa down lately has been some minor aches and pains.

After receiving much-needed rest, the right-hander will try to pick up where he left off Wednesday night when the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks look to avoid their 11th loss in the past 14 meetings with the red-hot Pittsburgh Pirates.

De La Rosa (4-4, 3.53 ERA) would rather forget the first couple of weeks when he went 1-3 with an 8.44 ERA in five games, including three relief appearances.

Those struggles now seem like long ago as he's gone 3-1 with a 1.93 ERA in five starts since returning to the rotation. In his last outing, he gave up only a solo home run over 6 2/3 innings in a 2-1 home loss to San Francisco on May 15.

De La Rosa became the 12th pitcher in club history to allow one hit or fewer in six-plus innings and the first since Chase Anderson surrendered one hit over seven in June 2015 before leaving with groin tightness. The Diamondbacks then skipped his last start while he dealt with that injury, along with a blister and tight triceps.

"He had those nagging little injuries," manager Chip Hale told MLB's official website. "It just came down to the situation where Rubby had had that tight triceps, the tight groin. He had the blister thing, which, I think, talking to the training staff, is pretty regular for him. He creates so much friction with the velocity."

The Diamondbacks are concerned about second baseman Jean Segura after he was beaned in Tuesday's 12-1 season-opening loss and sent to the hospital for tests upon showing signs of a concussion.

Segura, who has a team-high .316 average, seems likely to miss some time.

Short-handed Arizona (21-26) hopes avoid its first back-to-back road losses since May 3-5 as it takes on a surging Pittsburgh team that has averaged 6.3 runs and hit .332 through the first eight games of this 10-game stay at PNC Park.

De La Rosa has gone 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA in two starts versus the Pirates (25-19). He gave up one run and three hits over six innings in a 7-1 home win April 23.

Sean Rodriguez homered and John Jaso doubled off him. However, Josh Harrison, Starling Marte and Andrew McCutchen are 0 for 16 lifetime in the matchups.

Gregory Polanco went 3 for 5 with a home run, double and five RBIs Tuesday. He's batting .317 with three homers and 13 RBIs in 15 games since manager Clint Hurdle elevated him to third in the lineup.

"You know you're in the middle of the lineup,' Polanco said. 'You're expected to hit. You're fighting every pitch, every at-bat.'

The Pirates will give the ball to Jeff Locke (2-3, 5.00) as they go after their eighth win in 10 games. The left-hander is coming off one of his best performances, allowing two runs over seven innings in Thursday's 8-2 home win over Atlanta.

Locke is 0-2 with a 7.88 ERA in three starts against the Diamondbacks, though he hasn't faced them since July 2014. Paul Goldschmidt is 5 for 9 in the matchup.

Phil Gosselin had two of the team's six hits Tuesday when Arizona fell to 2-2 on a six-game road swing.

Pittsburgh's Jordy Mercer is 11 for 23 over his last seven games and 7 for 16 in his past three versus Arizona.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Blue Jays (22-25) at Yankees (22-22)

Game: 2
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: May 25, 2016 7:05 PM EDT

In position to surpass the .500 mark for the first time since the second week of the season, the surging New York Yankees hope Ivan Nova can continue his success since joining the rotation earlier this month.

The right-hander tries for a third consecutive winning start that would give the Yankees a seventh straight victory Wednesday night against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays.

Thanks to six strong innings from Nathan Eovaldi and a home run from Carlos Beltran in Tuesday's 6-0 victory, New York (22-22) owns a 32-11 scoring advantage in the last six games. Winners in 14 of 20, the Yankees haven't been above .500 since they were 4-3.

"When things are going bad, you set your sights to get back to .500 and then you go from there," third baseman Chase Headley said. "We've had to play really good baseball to get back here, but we're here and now we've got to keep going, keep building."

New York starters have a 1.70 ERA during the winning streak.

Nova (3-1, 3.26 ERA) earned a fourth consecutive start after going 2-0 with a 1.65 ERA in three since moving from the bullpen May 9.

"When you're starting, if you don't have it in the first inning you can have it in the second inning," said Nova, who went 1-1 with a 5.14 ERA in six relief appearances. "This is my natural position and I feel good about it."

He's allowed a run in each start after giving up four hits with no walks Thursday over a season-high six innings in a 4-1 victory at Oakland.

"He's pitching great," said manager Joe Girardi, who could employ a six-man rotation with Luis Severino set to return from a stint on the disabled list due to a triceps strain.

Nova, 5-4 with a 5.14 ERA in 13 starts against the Blue Jays (22-25), was roughed up for four runs and five hits in an inning of out of the bullpen during a 7-2 loss to them April 13.

Josh Donaldson is 7 for 16 against Nova, while Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion are batting a combined .340 with three doubles and a home run each. Bautista, batting leadoff, and Troy Tulowitzki had the only hits Tuesday.

Beltran is 10 for 21 with two home runs and 10 RBIs in the last five games. Three of his seven hits in 24 at-bats against Marco Estrada (1-2, 2.61) have left the park.

After giving up four earned runs and walking four in six innings at Texas on May 14, the right-hander yielded one earned and struck out nine while walking one over a season-high eight of Thursday's 3-2, 11-inning victory at Minnesota.

"He's got a nice mix," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "He knows how to pitch."

Starlin Castro is 12 for 27 with four doubles and a triple against Estrada and Brian McCann is 8 for 20. All three of Mark Teixeira's hits in nine at-bats against him went for home runs.

The impending return of Alex Rodriguez (hamstring) from the disabled list continues to drag on for the Yankees. The underachieving designated hitter played for Double-A Trenton on Tuesday, but he might not be activated for this series.

Batting .194, Rodriguez last saw major league action May 3.

"Our plan is a couple of days," Girardi said. "Again, we can change our mind. We're allowed to do that. And if he feels good after two days, I wouldn't hesitate to call him here."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Brewers (19-26) at Braves (12-32)

Game: 2
Venue: Turner Field
Date: May 25, 2016 7:10 PM EDT

The Milwaukee Brewers struggled to overcome the worst pitching staff in the majors early on, but the group has turned things around in the past two weeks.

Having played a role in that reversal, Junior Guerra will try to become the first starter to win his first four decisions with the club in eight years Wednesday night in the second of this three-game road set against the light-hitting Atlanta Braves.

Milwaukee (19-26) took a chance on Guerra in October when it acquired the 31-year-old off waivers from the Chicago White Sox. The Brewers are starting to reap the benefits after recalling him from Triple-A Colorado Springs earlier this month.

After allowing two hits over six innings in a 1-0 home win over San Diego on May 13, Guerra (3-0, 3.96 ERA) gave up three runs and struck out a career-high 11 over seven innings in Thursday's 5-3 home victory over the high-scoring Chicago Cubs.

The Brewers have won each of Guerra's four starts. Now the right-hander has an opportunity to become the first starter to win his first four decisions with Milwaukee since CC Sabathia won nine in a row from July 8-August 31, 2008.

"We had some hopes for him when we claimed him," manager Craig Counsell told MLB's official website. "We saw some things in Colorado Springs that we really liked."

The journeyman has been effective by mixing in a split-finger with his 94-96 mph fastball. That'll be the game plan again as he tries to contribute to a staff that has a 3.12 ERA in its last 16 after posting a MLB-worst 5.69 mark through May 6.

"It's a good pitch, and it plays off his other stuff very well," Counsell added.

Atlanta (12-32) has averaged 2.4 runs while dropping 13 of its last 14 games at Turner Field. Rookie outfielder Mallex Smith drove in the only run as the Braves finished with five hits in Tuesday's 2-1 loss in the opener of this three-game series.

"At some point in time it's going to start going our way," interim manager Brian Snitker said after his club fell to a major league-worst 2-18 at home.

The Braves will try to get something going for Mike Foltynewicz, who looks to rebound after allowing five runs and seven hits over three innings in Thursday's 8-2 loss at Pittsburgh. He had given up just two runs in 15 innings over his two prior outings.

"It's all part of the process," said Snitker, who has guided the club to a 3-4 record since replacing Fredi Gonzalez. "I can see what he's capable of. It's just the consistency."

In his only start versus Milwaukee, Foltynewicz (1-2, 4.57) surrendered one run and three hits while fanning seven over 7 2/3 innings in a 2-1 home win last May. Aaron Hill has gone 2 for 2 with a walk against the right-hander dating to his time with Arizona.

The Brewers have totaled nine runs and batted .176 over their last four games. Ryan Braun hit his eighth home run and Scooter Gennett had the go-ahead RBI single in the eighth inning Tuesday, but Milwaukee finished with only two other hits.

"It's very important, especially after the (0-4) series we had with (the New York Mets)," Gennett said. "Hopefully we can take the series tomorrow."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rockies (21-23) at Red Sox (28-17)

Game: 2
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: May 25, 2016 7:10 PM EDT

With Jackie Bradley Jr. in the midst of a historic streak, the Boston Red Sox are riding the major league's best offense during a dominant run at Fenway Park.

They're hoping those trends continue with reliable Steven Wright on the hill.

While Bradley chases the team's longest hitting streak in 11 years, Boston goes after its 13th win in 15 home games Wednesday night against the Colorado Rockies.

Bradley wasted little time matching Wade Boggs (1985) for the fifth-longest streak in Red Sox history on Tuesday when he doubled in his first at-bat. He ended up 2 for 4, raising his average to .412 with eight homers and 29 RBIs over a 28-game run.

The outfielder can now match Johnny Damon's 29-game streak in 2005 for the fourth longest run in club history. Dom DiMaggio, whose brother Joe had a MLB-record 56-game streak in 1941, holds the franchise record with a 34-gamer in '49.

Bradley has contributed to a Boston offense that has averaged 8.7 runs and batted .352 with 20 home runs in the last 13 of a 12-2 stretch at Fenway. David Ortiz also stayed hot with two hits and four RBIs in Tuesday's 8-3 series-opening victory, while Dustin Pedroia added three hits and Xander Bogaerts had two.

Ortiz is hitting .365 with eight homers and 25 RBIs over a 21-game stretch, while Bogaerts is batting .408 with 12 RBIs in his 17-game hitting streak.

'I'm having so much fun watching it,' said Ortiz, who is in his final season. "They make me feel like I'm a part of it. ... They make me feel like I'm their age.'

They'll try to make up for the poor run support given to Wright in his last start. He allowed three runs over eight innings in Wednesday's 3-2 loss at Kansas City.

Wright (3-4, 2.52 ERA) has held opponents to three runs or less in seven of eight outings. The only blemish came May 13 when he gave up five runs over 4 1/3 innings while struggling with his knuckleball in the rain in a 7-6 loss to Houston.

"He's been very steady for us all year long, very good," manager John Farrell told the league's official website.

Wright will get his first look at a Colorado team that has totaled 19 runs and hit .229 while dropping five of its last six games. Gerardo Parra drove in two runs and Charlie Blackmon hit his third home run on Tuesday.

The Rockies (21-23) will try to put up some runs for Chad Bettis in the second of this three-game interleague series. After allowing nine runs over 12 1/3 innings in his previous two starts, the right-hander got back on track Tuesday when he surrendered one run and five hits over 6 2/3 innings in a 3-1 win at St. Louis.

"Something that I try make sure I do every time I go out is keep the ball down and make them roll over to our infielders," he said after forcing 11 groundball outs.

In his first career start against the Red Sox (28-17), Bettis (4-2, 4.18) will try to help the Rockies avoid their 25th loss in their last 30 games at AL ballparks.

Hanley Ramirez's status is uncertain for Boston after he left in the fourth inning Tuesday when he was hit by a pitch on his right big toe. X-rays were negative.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Marlins (23-22) at Rays (21-22)

Game: 3
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: May 25, 2016 7:10 PM EDT

Matt Andriese has already provided a boost to Tampa Bay's rotation, but next he will try to push himself into select company with the Rays.

Andriese hopes to open his season with a fourth consecutive victory as the Rays move their home-and-home set against the Miami Marlins to Tropicana Field on Wednesday night.

Tampa Bay (21-22) opened its eight-game trip with four wins but needed a split at Miami (23-22) to walk away with a 5-3 record. The Rays did so with a 4-3 victory Tuesday that snapped a three-game skid.

"We needed a win today to turn this road trip in the positive," manager Kevin Cash said. "With the way we started we had to finish a little better than the way we were going. It was a big win."

Andriese looks to supply the Rays with their sixth win in the last seven games of the Citrus Series while extending his own streak.

He's 3-0 with a 2.11 ERA since being called up from Triple-A Durham on May 8, earning a 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels that day. He followed with his first shutout in a 6-0 win against Oakland on May 14 before taking a step back Friday.

The right-hander gave up five hits, including a two-run homer, and four runs in 5 1/3 innings in a 7-5 victory at Detroit.

Still, Andriese became just the fifth Rays pitcher to open a season with wins in his first three starts, joining Matt Moore, Jeremy Hellickson, Matt Garza and Victor Zambrano. Moore was the only one to win at least four straight, opening 5-0 in 2013.

Andriese made his MLB debut out of the bullpen against Miami on April 10, 2015, walking one in a scoreless inning.

Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton drew that walk and will try to pose a threat to Andriese on Wednesday. Stanton was stuck in a 6 for 57 stretch (.105) before hitting his 12th home run Tuesday. He was stranded in the on-deck circle when Alex Colome sealed his 12th save by striking out Justin Bour looking.

Stanton's struggles were highlighted by 17 Ks while going 1 for 21 in six games before Monday's 7-6 win. He went 2 for 7 with a strikeout against Tampa Bay in Miami.

"He's starting to see the ball better," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "That's really what you want."

Marcell Ozuna also doubled twice and reached base for the 31st consecutive game on Tuesday. Ozuna and Stanton hope to provide some offense for Justin Nicolino, who looks to end his own struggles.

Nicolino (2-2, 4.30) opened by allowing six earned runs in his first three starts spanning 19 1/3 innings, but he's coughed up eight in his last two over 10 innings.

The left-hander had allowed one home run in his first 25 innings before allowing two in the second of Friday's 4-1 loss to Washington. He retired the next 10 batters he faced, but the damage was already done.

"That inning they were in attack mode," Nicolino said. "They were swinging. After that I settled in, but I put us in a hole early."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Orioles (26-17) at Astros (18-28)

Game: 2
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: May 25, 2016 8:10 PM EDT

The Houston Astros' ace isn't getting it done, and his struggles have been compounded by their No. 2 faltering nearly as much.

Collin McHugh can at least begin to alleviate the latter Wednesday night as the Baltimore Orioles try to even things up in the second of a three-game series in Houston.

While reigning AL Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel sits at 2-6 with a 5.92 ERA through 10 starts, McHugh (4-4, 5.13 ERA) enters his 10th with a shot at stringing together quality starts for the first time this season. The right-hander gave up two runs and five hits in seven innings of Thursday's 2-1 loss at the Chicago White Sox.

His manager had no problem comparing his outing to the ace in the other dugout.

"Chris Sale came as advertised," A.J. Hinch told MLB's official website. "It's no real surprise as well as he's pitched. It's probably as good a stuff that we've seen all season. We knew it was going to be a tough, low-scoring game. If we could hang in there enough and give ourselves enough opportunities we'd get a chance, and we couldn't scratch anything across early. Got the big home run, got a couple of runners on. He was in pretty much control of the game, and Collin matched him."

The additional good news is these might not be sustainable poor numbers. He's throwing more pitches per inning (18.2) than he has since his rookie year, but he's walking fewer batters this season (2.28 per nine innings) than he has over his career (2.36). What it might come down to is a .368 batting average on balls in play that's certain to come down.

Whether that happens against the Orioles remains to be seen. McHugh is 1-0 with a 4.66 ERA in three starts in the series and gave up eight runs in 13 innings of two contests last season.

Mark Trumbo is 2 for 2 against him, while Adam Jones is 3 for 9 with a home run.

Baltimore counters with Tyler Wilson, who is coming off his worst start of the season. Wilson (2-2, 3.68) gave up five runs and six hits with three walks in six innings of Thursday's 7-2 home loss to Seattle, yet the Orioles can't be altogether upset with what the right-hander has given them in five starts since making the move from the bullpen.

Wilson is 2-2 with a 4.40 ERA in those games and has gone at least six innings in his last three outings after a couple starts of stretching out.

He said a three-run sixth in which he was trying to be too perfect spoiled what could have been a stronger box score.

"There in the sixth inning, sometimes you end up giving up three trying to stop one, and I think that's what happened," Wilson said. "I tried to make too good of pitches or tried to worry about stopping that guy from scoring on third, forcing the double play, and giving up three. And I think sometimes that happens in the game.

"Obviously, that's not how you want it to go down."

The Astros (18-28) walked off with Tuesday's 3-2 win in 13 innings on Carlos Correa's single scored Tony Kemp. George Springer was 3 for 4 with two walks and has a .420 on-base percentage on a 14-game span of reaching bas at least once.

Baltimore (26-17) has scored seven runs over a 1-2 span while batting .162.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Reds (15-31) at Dodgers (24-23)

Game: 3
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: May 25, 2016 10:10 PM EDT

Scott Kazmir's first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers has thus far been a letdown. Dan Straily's first with the Cincinnati Reds has been a pleasant surprise, and he hasn't even been with the club for two months.

They'll go at it Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium in the finale of a three-game series with the Dodgers seeking a sweep and the Reds just content with ending a nine-game losing streak.

Kazmir (3-3, 5.23 ERA), whose career resurgence hit a bit of a snag after being sent from Oakland to Houston in July, had a full-on regression to the crippling control issues that plagued him at the end of his time with Tampa Bay and into his seasons with the Los Angeles Angels in his latest start.

The left-hander gave up five runs, two homers and a career-high seven walks in Friday's 7-6 loss in San Diego but avoided the decision.

"I just felt like I was fighting myself for pretty much the whole game," Kazmir said. "I was getting behind in counts and not throwing good pitches down in the count."

He had no such problems in his only start against the Reds â?? a win in which he gave up a run and eight hits in seven innings three years ago while with Cleveland.

Straily (2-1, 2.85) has been Cincinnati's best starter despite being acquired off waivers April 1 and making his first three appearances with the club out of the bullpen.

The right-hander has gone 2-1 with a 2.77 ERA in seven starts while never surrendering more than three runs. That's included getting away with walking 4.38 batters per nine innings in those starts, but Straily has limited his last two opponents to a run and 10 hits in 11 innings.

Straily held Seattle to a run and four hits in six innings of Friday's 8-3 loss and wasn't stuck with the decision.

He's beginning to understand six innings, which is 1/3 of an inning off his season high, isn't enough. Over his last four starts, he's averaged 18.1 pitches per inning, which is up even from his already-high 17.8 career mark.

"I have to find a way to get as deep into the game as possible," Straily said. "Six? I always want more. I have to find a way to get my pitch count down earlier in games and find that rhythm earlier to take us deeper into the ball game. Six is better than five, but it's still not seven."

His two games against the Dodgers came in relief in 2014, but the two innings resulted in six runs, four hits and three walks. Howie Kendrick is 5 for 14 against him.

Los Angeles (24-23) has won three straight after dropping six of seven. The Dodgers have also won eight straight over Cincinnati while limiting the Reds to 14 runs and a .169 batting average.

Cincinnati (15-31), meanwhile, can't get anything right on the mound. The Reds have posted a 7.20 ERA on their nine-game skid, though that's hardly noteworthy after losing 13 straight as recently as Sept. 20-Oct. 2.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Athletics (20-27) at Mariners (27-18)

Game: 3
Venue: Safeco Field
Date: May 25, 2016 10:10 PM EDT

Sonny Gray going on the disabled list was said to be a big blow for the Oakland Athletics' rotation given his potential to dominate on the mound. The reality is that he's been a major disappointment and one of their most unreliable starters this season.

It won't be difficult for replacement Zach Neal to better Gray's numbers.

Neal will make his first major league start Wednesday night against Hisashi Iwakuma and the host Seattle Mariners.

Gray had a 2.88 ERA over his first three seasons while emerging as one of the game's best young pitchers, but he struggled out of the gate this year with a 6.19 ERA through nine starts before going on the DL on Sunday with a strained right trapezius muscle.

Enter the 27-year-old Neal, a unproven rookie who won't have to do much to be better than Gray. Neal made his major league debut in relief May 11 at Boston, allowing three runs and four hits in three innings of mop-up duty in Oakland's 13-3 defeat.

The right-hander has pitched well for Triple-A Nashville, though, going 5-1 with a 2.53 ERA in seven starts.

"We like the movement on his fastball and his complement of pitches," manager Bob Melvin told MLB's official website. "We rely on our people in development to have input on that, and Zach Neal's our guy.

"He's pitching well. He's been here and we like what we saw."

Iwakuma (2-4, 4.39 ERA) hasn't been pitching well. He has a 5.19 ERA over his last three starts, showing problems early in two of them and later on in the other.

The right-hander spotted Cincinnati three runs before settling down and lasted six innings to pick up an 8-3 win Friday.

"I was fighting my command early," Iwakuma said. "I was going side to side instead of top to bottom, and that gave me a hard time commanding the ball down in the zone, but I was able to make the adjustment towards the end and it paid off."

Iwakuma was efficient against the A's on May 3, giving up one run in seven innings during an 8-2 victory in his best start of the season. He's 2-0 with a 1.33 ERA in his last three outings against them.

The Mariners (26-19) sit atop the AL West and won 6-5 in dramatic fashion Tuesday when Leonys Martin hit a walkoff two-run homer in the ninth. Seth Smith had three hits, and Robinson Cano hit a two-run shot in the eighth.

It marked another tough loss for the A's (20-27), who have dropped five of their last six after blowing a three-run lead in the final two innings. Coco Crisp had three RBIs before John Axford and Ryan Madson allowed the homers.

Oakland relievers have allowed at least a run in four of the last six and have a 4.06 ERA for the season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Five to Follow MLB Betting: Wednesday, May 25, 2016, Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews

It's not too often that I'll say a team missing a guy hitting .236 with five homers and 16 RBIs is a huge loss, but that's definitely the case for the Tampa Bay Rays and center fielder Kevin Kiermaier. He broke two bones attempting to make a diving catch on Saturday in Detroit and was to have surgery on Tuesday. He's out 8-10 weeks. This guy is an utter magician in the outfield. Last year, he had 42 Defensive Runs Saved, the highest ever recorded in a single season since that stat has been kept track of in 2003. He also led all center fielders with 15 assists in taking home a Gold Glove. The Rays don't have a great offense, so they generally have to win by preventing runs. That's not going to be as easy without Kiermaier.


Mets at Nationals (-111, 7.5)

First pitch of the day with a 1:05 p.m. ET start time. The Mets learned on Monday that slugging first baseman Lucas Duda had a stress fracture in his back, and he was placed on the disabled list. Duda will likely miss at least 4-6 weeks. When teammate David Wright suffered a lower back stress fracture in 2011, he missed 58 games. Duda was hitting .231 with seven homers and 19 RBIs. New York starts lefty Steven Matz (6-1, 2.81) here. He beat the Brewers last time out, allowing two runs and three hits over seven innings. It was his first start in 11 days due to forearm soreness. Matz has never faced Washington. The Nationals go with Tanner Roark (3-3, 2.89). They had lost four straight of his starts, but Roark beat the Marlins on Friday, allowing one run and six hits over 6.2 innings. He is 5-0 with a 3.05 ERA in 11 career appearances (six starts) against the Mets. Curtis Granderson is 6-for-16 with four doubles off him. Neil Walker is 2-for-5 with two doubles.

Key trends: The Mets are 6-0 in Matz's past six road starts. Washington is 1-5 in Roark's past six vs. teams with a winning record. The "over/under" has gone under in six of Roark's past eight. The Nats are 5-1 in Roark's past six vs. New York.

Early lean: Nationals and under.

Royals at Twins (-103, 8.5)

A 1:10 p.m. ET start time. Kansas City has lost outfielder Alex Gordon for 3-4 weeks. He broke a bone in his wrist after colliding with teammate Mike Moustakas on Sunday. It is the same wrist that Gordon injured in 2014 that eventually required surgery. Gordon got a big new extension this offseason but is really struggling at the plate. Like Kiermaier, he's a stellar defensive player. The Royals start Dillon Gee (1-1, 2.90) here. He beat the White Sox in his last start, allowing a run and four hits over five innings. He threw two shutout innings of relief earlier this season vs. the Twins. Joe Mauer is 2-for-4 with a double off him. The Twins counter with Tyler Duffey (1-3, 3.30). He was rocked for six runs and nine hits Friday against Toronto. Duffey has never faced Kansas City.

Key trends: The Twins are 6-2 in Duffey's past eight vs. the AL Central. They have lost eight straight Wednesday games. The under is 5-2 in Duffey's past seven.

Early lean: Twins and over.

Cubs at Cardinals (+152, 7)

A 1:45 p.m. ET matinee. I'm calling my shot: the crazy winning streak of Cubs ace and reigning NL Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta will end Wednesday in St. Louis. The Cubs have won 22 straight starts by Arrieta (8-0, 1.29), tied for the second-longest such streak in MLB history behind then-Atlanta Brave Kris Medlen (23 from 2010-12). Arrieta has won his last 16 road decisions, dating back to last season. Only Hall of Famer Greg Maddux (18 straight in 1994-95) has a longer streak in MLB history. And the Cubs have outscored their opponents by 58 runs in Arrieta's nine starts, tied for the best run differential in a pitcher's first nine starts of a season in the modern era. He hasn't faced St. Louis this year. In 2015, he was 2-1 with a 2.42 ERA in two starts against the Cardinals. Matt Holliday is just 1-for-15 against him. Matt Adams is 5-for-15 with three RBIs. The Cardinals have lost four straight starts by Carlos Martinez (4-4, 3.56). But he beat the Cubs on April 20, allowing one run and three hits over seven innings. Anthony Rizzo is 4-for-15 with two homers and six RBIs against him.

Key trends: The Cardinals are 5-0 in Martinez's past five vs. the Cubs. The over has hit just once in his past 11 overall at home. The under is 4-1 in Arrieta's past five on Wednesday.

Early lean: Cardinals and under.

Angels at Rangers (-115, 9)

Another getaway game with a 2:05 p.m. ET start. Texas has announced something that I predicted would happen weeks ago: Josh Hamilton won't play this season. He needs another surgery on his left knee, and I'd frankly be surprised if Hamilton ever takes the field again. The Rangers also have lost fellow outfielder Shin-Soo Choo back to the disabled list with a strained right hamstring. He just came off that on Friday. On the mound for the Rangers is Colby Lewis (3-0, 2.75). He has thrown exactly seven innings in five straight starts. He beat the Angels on April 29, giving up two runs and nine hits over seven innings. Kole Calhoun is a .387 hitter off him with a homer and five RBIs in 31 at-bats. Mike Trout is 13-for-33 with four homers and 11 RBIs against him. Lefty Hector Santiago (3-2, 3.93) goes for the Halos. He is 0-1 with a 4.63 ERA in two starts this year vs. Texas.

Key trends: The Angels are 7-1 in Santiago's past eight on the road. The over is 8-2-1 in Lewis' past 11 at home vs. the Angels. Texas is 2-8 in Lewis' past 10 against them.

Early lean: Angels and over.

Marlins at Rays (-148, 8)

Miami will add the designated hitter in this interleague game as the series shifts from South Florida to St. Petersburg. Will the Marlins have outfielder Christian Yelich? He hasn't played since Friday due to back spasms. Ichiro Suzuki has been starting in his place and is red hot. The Rays will now use Mikie Mahtook in center field as he was called up from Triple-A. Tampa starts Matt Andriese (3-0, 2.11) on the mound. His first two starts this year were great, but he wasn't quite as sharp last time out, allowing four runs in 5.1 innings vs. Detroit -- but still won. He has thrown one career scoreless inning vs. the Marlins. They go with lefty Justin Nicolino (2-2, 4.30). He allowed four runs over 5.1 innings in his last start vs. Washington. The Fish have dropped his past three. Nicolino has never faced the Marlins.

Key trends: The Marlins are 0-12 in their past 12 interleague road games. The Rays are 8-1 in their past nine interleague games at home. They are 4-1 in Andriese's past five at home. The under is 2-0-2 in Nicolino's past four road starts vs. teams with a losing record.

Early lean: Rays and under.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'Arrieta looks to stay unbeaten'

Chicago Cubs at St Louis Cardinals May 25, 1:45 EST

The Chicago Cubs and St Louis Cardinals complete a three-game set at Busch Stadium with two pitchers coming at it from opposite ends of the spectrum.

Cubbies Jake Arrieta is undefeated on the campaign at 8-0 with a sparkling 1.29 ERA and has allowed two or fewer runs in seven of nine starts. As a team, the Cubs have won twenty-four of Arrieta's last twenty-five starts. In contrast, Cardinals' Carlos Martinez has dropped his last four and has allowed four or more runs in three of those starts.

When handicapping this contest a few betting nuggets to ponder. Chicago is 4-4 in Arrieta's last eight vs Cardinals including 0-3 at Busch Stadium with their ace. On the other side, Cardinals are 5-0 vs Cubs handing the ball to Martinez including a seven inning one run gem back on April 20th.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB

Wednesday's games

National League games

Mets @ Nationals
Matz is 6-0, 1.35 in his last six starts (over 4-3).

Roark is 2-1, 3.00 in his last six starts (under 6-2 in last eight starts).

Mets won four of last five games; under is 8-4 in their last 12 road games. Washington won five of its last seven games; over is 3-1-1 in its last five home games.

Diamondbacks @ Pirates
De la Rosa is 3-1, 1.93 in his last five starts (under 6-0 last six starts).

Locke is 1-1, 4.62 in his last four starts (over 6-1 in his last seven starts). .

Arizona won seven of its last ten road games; over is 5-1-1 in last seven. Pirates won six of their last eight games; over is 9-3 in their last 12 home games.

Brewers @ Braves
Guerra is 3-0, 3.96 in his four starts this year (under 1-0-3).

Foltynewicz is 1-2, 4.57 in his four starts (under 2-1-1). .

Milwaukee lost five of last seven road games; under is 10-3-1 in last 14 games. Atlanta won split its last six games but they're 2-18 at home. Under is 10-5-1 in their last 16 games.

Cubs @ Cardinals
Arrieta is 8-0, 1.47 in nine starts this year (over 9-0).

Martinez is 0-4, 5.76 in his last four starts (over 6-1-1).

Cubs are 5-8 in their last 13 games; over is 10-4-2 in their last 16 road games. St Louis is 4-3 in its last seven games; over is 4-1-1 in their last six games.

Reds @ Dodgers
Straily is 1-0, 1.59 in his last three starts; three of his last four starts went over.

Kazmir is 2-2, 4.96 in his last five starts, last four of which went over.

Cincinnati lost its last nine games; they're 3-16 on road. Over is 7-2-1 in their last ten games. Dodgers lost four of their last seven games; over is 8-4 in their last 12.

Padres @ Giants
Shields is 1-2, 3.20 in his last three starts (under 7-2).

Peavy is 0-4, 9.58 in his last five starts (over 7-2).

Giants won 12 of their last 13 games; under is 13-4 in their last 17. San Diego lost seven of its last nine games; under is 9-4 in ther last 13 games.


American League games

Blue Jays @ Bronx
Estrada is 0-1, 3.00 in his last four starts (under 7-1).

Nova is 2-0, 1.69 in three starts this year (under 2-1).

Toronto is 7-5 in its last 12 road games; four of their last five games stayed under the total. Bronx won its last six games; six of its last eight home games went over.

Angels @ Rangers
Santiago is 1-2, 5.13 in his last five starts; three of his last four went over

Lewis is 2-0, 2.20 in his last six starts (under 4-2).

Angels won eight of their last 12 games; over is 8-5 in their last 13. Texas is 12-5 in its last 17 games; six of its last nine home games went over. .

Indians @ White Sox
Kluber is 1-2, 6.06 in his last three starts (under 3-1-1 in his last five starts). .

Quintana is 4-2, 1.74 in his last six starts; his last eight starts stayed under.

Indians won seven of last ten games; over is 13-6-1 in their last 20 games. White Sox lost ten of last 14 games; six of their last eight games stayed under.

Orioles @ Astros
Wilson is 2-2, 4.71 in his five starts (over 3-1-1). .

McHugh is 3-1, 3.82 in his last five starts (over 5-3-1).

Baltimore won 10 of its last 15 games; three of its last five road games went over the total. Houston lost four of last five games; under is 6-1-2 in its last nine home games.

Royals @ Twins
Gee is 1-1, 3.48 in two starts for the Royals (under 2-0).

Duffey is 1-3, 4.20 in five starts this year; three of his last four starts stayed under.

Royals won seven of their last nine games- under is 7-3-1 in their last 11 games. Twins are 1-11 in their last 12 home games; over is 9-3-1 in their last 13 games overall. .

A's @ Mariners
Neal is making his first MLB start; he was 5-1, 2.53 in seven starts in AAA. .

Iwakuma is 1-1, 5.19 in his last three starts; four of his last five starts went over.

Oakland is 7-15 in its last 22 games; 11 of their last 16 games went over. Seattle won six of last eight games; over is 7-4-2 in their last thirteen games.


Interleague

Phillies @ Tigers
Nola is 3-1, 2.41 in his last six starts (under 6-3).

Sanchez is 0-3, 6.38 in his last four starts (over 7-1-1).

Phillies lost four of last five games; five of their last seven games stayed under total. Detroit won eight of its last nine games; over is 13-4 in its last 17 home games.

Marlins @ Rays
Nicolino is 0-2, 6.19 in his last three starts; three of his last four went over.

Andareise is 3-0, 2.11 in his last three starts (under 2-1).

Tampa Bay lost three of its last four games; eight of its last nine went over the total. Miami lost five of its last seven games; under is 8-4-1 in its last 13 games.

Rockies @ Red Sox
Bettis is 2-2, 4.83 in his last five starts (under 5-3 in last eight starts). He also threw a scoreless inning Sunday before that game got rained out.

Wright is 1-3, 3.62 in his last four starts; five of his last seven starts stayed under. .

Colorado lost five of its last six games; six of its last nine road games stayed under. Boston is 12-2 in its last 14 home games (over 10-2 in last 12).


Teams won-lost records when this pitcher starts:

NY-Wsh-- Matz 6-1; Roark 3-6
Az-Pitt-- De la Rosa 3-4; Locke 2-6
Mil-Atl-- Guerra 4-0; Foltynewicz 1-3
Chi-StL-- Arrieta 9-0; Martinez 4-4
Cin-LA-- Straily 4-3; Kazmir 3-6
SD-SF-- Shields 2-7; Peavy 3-6

Tor-NY-- Estrada 3-5; Nova 3-0
LA-Tex-- Santiago 6-3; Lewis 5-4
Clev-Chi-- Kluber 3-6; Quintana 6-3
Balt-Hst-- Wilson 3-2; McHugh 4-5
KC-Minn-- Gee 1-1; Duffey 1-4
A's-Sea-- Neal 0-0; Iwakuma 4-5

Phil-Det-- Nola 5-4; Sanchez 3-6
Mia-TB-- Nicolino 2-3; Andriese 3-0
Colo-Bos-- Bettis 5-4; Wright 3-5


Starting pitchers allowing 1+ runs in first inning:

NY-Wsh-- Matz 1-7; Roark 1-9
Az-Pitt-- De la Rosa 0-7; Locke 1-8
Mil-Atl-- Guerra 2-4; Foltynewicz 2-4
Chi-StL-- Arrieta 0-9; Martinez 1-8
Cin-LA-- Straily 0-7; Kazmir 5-9
SD-SF-- Shields 3-9; Peavy 3-9

Tor-NY-- Estrada 3-8; Nova 0-3
LA-Tex-- Santiago 4-9; Lewis 5-9
Clev-Chi-- Kluber 2-9; Quintana 1-9
Balt-Hst-- Wilson 2-5; McHugh 5-9
KC-Minn-- Gee 0-2; Duffey 2-5
A's-Sea-- Neal 0-0; Iwakuma 2-9

Phil-Det-- Nola 4-9; Sanchez 3-9
Mia-TB-- Nicolino 1-5; Andriese 1-3
Colo-Bos-- Bettis 2-9; Wright 5-8


Umpires

NY-Wsh-- Under is 10-5 in last fifteen Reyburn games.
Chi-StL-- Four of last six Bucknor games stayed under
Az-Pitt-- Under is 5-1-1 in last seven Guccione games.
Mil-Atl-- Three of last four Hallion games stayed under.
Cin-LA-- Favorites won last six Hoberg games.
SD-SF-- Over is 3-1-1 in last five Winters games.

Tor-NY-- Last three Fairchild games stayed under total.
LAA-Tex-- Over is 10-3 in last thirteen Blakney games.
Cle-Chi-- Underdogs are 5-4 in last nine Basner games.
KC-Minn-- Four of five Kellogg games went over total.
Balt-Hst-- Six of eight Baker games went over the total.
A's-Sea-- Under is 3-0-1 in last four Scott games.

Phil-Det-- Six of eight Gorman games went over the total.
TB-Mia-- Six of eight Johnson games went over the total.
Col-Bos-- Underdogs won last three Wendelstedt games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Wednesday's six-pack

-- NFL awarded Super Bowls to Atlanta-Miami-LA; two of those three cities are getting new stadiums, which is not a coincidence.

-- Nationals 7, Mets 4-- Matt Harvey wouldn't asnwer questions after game. Uh-oh.

-- Bengals' TE Tyler Eifert hurt his ankle in the Pro Bowl, had it operated on this week, may miss Cincinnati's season opener. What took so long?

-- BYU's football team has a tough September: Arizona, @ Utah, then UCLA, West Virginia at home. They also visit Michigan State, Boise State, Cincinnati later on.

-- 28 college football teams changed head coaches this year, 22% of all I-A teams.

-- Oklahoma City 118, Golden State 94-- Thunder go up 3-1; defending champs are in real trouble- they gave up 70+ points in first half of this game.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

#1 Sports

Wednesday's Free Selection: Pittsburgh Pirates - 125

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Mike Wynn

Bonus Play: MLB Cincinnati/LA Dodgers Over 7½ Runs

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Razor Sharp

FREE PICK FOR WEDNESDAY:Take the LA DODGERS (Kazmir) -165 over Cincinnati

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Totals4U

Wednesday's Free Selection: Arizona/Pittsburgh over 8

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Platinum Plays

Free Pick: Toronto Blue Jays w/Estrada +100 over NY Yankees

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Golden Dragon Sports

Free Pick Baltimore Wilson +120

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Huddle Up Sports

Bonus Play: Miami Nicolino +160