Wednesday 6/29/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB Betting: Division Underdogs

Just about half of a team’s 162 game MLB schedule is against division rivals and these games have a lot more meaning to them as team's try to either win a division title or get into the playoffs. If you're going to bet on underdogs, it's a great idea to focus on divisional games as there is extra incentive for team's in these matchups and under the right set of circumstances can deliver big profits.

At this point in the season, divisional home underdogs have won 53 games, lost 86 with a negative impact of -$2045 against the money line. Division road underdogs have walked off winners in 137 and at the wrong end of a decision 167 times. But, the road pooches have been a good choice, stuffing betting accounts to the tune of +$1533. Of course, you can't blindly bet on divisional road underdogs every time and expect to come out ahead in the long run, so let’s take a look at a situation where it favors you.

Our MLB number crunching machine chips in small to medium divisional road underdogs priced between +$1.00 and +$1.50 delivered the goods. In this situation the home favorite essentially has an edge but isn't overly superior meaning the underdog in what is basically a tossup game can easily upset the odds offering good value. In 221 situations so far, division road underdogs in the +$1.00 to +$1.50 range won at a 48.4% clip (107-114) rewarding backers with +$1527 at the betting window.

An even better ROI can be had focusing on fewer plays with less total money at risk. In this situation we want to concentrate strickly on a division road underdog that won the first game of the series and getting little respect in game-two as they won at a 55.3% clip (21-17) cashing +$788 worth of tickets.

While there's no guarantee small to medium divisional road underdogs in the above mentioned situation will continue to perform the rest of the way, the angle is definitely worth keeping an eye-out for.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB roundup: Surging Indians win 11th straight
By The Sports Xchange

ATLANTA -- Carlos Santana's run-scoring single in the ninth inning drove in the deciding run and the Cleveland Indians won their 11th straight game, beating the Atlanta Braves 5-3 on Tuesday at Turner Field.
With the game tied 2-2, Atlanta closer Arodys Vizcaino walked Tyler Naquin and Juan Uribe to start the ninth inning. Santana delivered a single to right field to drive in Naquin.
The Indians added two insurance runs. Pinch runner Rajai Davis scored on shortstop Erick Aybar's fielding error and Santana scored on a single by Jose Ramirez.
The victory gave Cleveland its first 11-game winning streak since 1982. The franchise record is 13, last accomplished in 1951.

Rangers 7, Yankees 1
NEW YORK -- Cole Hamels pitched seven shutout innings for his ninth straight road victory and the Texas Rangers extended their road winning streak to eight games with a victory over New York.
Adrian Beltre hit a two-run home run off CC Sabathia (5-5) and it was enough for Hamels (9-1). Beltre added an RBI single and Prince Fielder contributed an RBI double as Texas won for the 28th time in its last 36 games.
Pinch hitter Nomar Mazara, Rougned Odor and Jurickson Profar had RBI singles for the final margin for Texas.

Tigers 7, Marlins 5
DETROIT -- Miguel Cabrera blasted a go-ahead, three-run homer during a seven-run fifth and Detroit held on for a victory over Miami at Comerica Park.
Cabrera's homer was sandwiched by two-run shots from Jose Iglesias and Nick Castellanos as the Tigers snapped a three-game losing streak. Castellanos wound up a double shy of a cycle.
Mike Pelfrey (2-7) lasted 5 1/3 innings despite giving up four runs on 12 hits and got the win. Francisco Rodriguez collected his 21st save.

Red Sox 8, Rays 2
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Travis Shaw had a solo home run and five RBIs, helping Boston bounce back with a win over Chris Archer and Tampa Bay at Tropicana Field.
Boston had dropped six of eight before Tuesday's win, which saw starter Rick Porcello (9-2) keep the Rays bats in check, one day after an 18-hit, 13-run barrage. Tampa Bay saw Archer (4-11) become the majors' first 11-game loser, matching the team record for losses before the All-Star break. Archer has also lost his last eight decisions against Boston.
If Archer kept the Rays close, leaving in the seventh down 3-1, reliever Enny Romero quickly took care of that. Romero inherited a runner, gave up a single to David Ortiz, an RBI single to Hanley Ramirez and after an out, Shaw's two-run double to make it a 6-1 game. Shaw, who had been 1-for-12 on Boston's road trip, had a solo home run in the second, a two-run double in the seventh and a two-run single in the ninth. It's his third game this season with five RBIs.

Twins 4, White Sox 0
CHICAGO -- Brian Dozier hit two home runs and drove in all four runs, and Kyle Gibson threw seven shutout innings as Minnesota beat Chicago.
The Twins earned their fifth in their past eight games, their first over the White Sox in seven meetings this season.
Dozier's second homer -- a three-run blast with two outs in the sixth inning -- broke the game open and provided Gibson and the Twins (25-51) with some breathing room.

Cardinals 8, Royals 4
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Matt Carpenter homered, doubled and drove in a pair of runs and Michael Wacha pitched six useful innings as St. Louis held off Kansas City.
The Royals loaded the bases with one out in the ninth off Seung Hawn Oh, but came away empty. Pinch hitter Alex Gordon popped up foul to third baseman Jhonny Peralta, while Eric Hosmer grounded out to end the game.
Carpenter, who leads the National League in on-base-plus-slugging percentage and with 43 extra-base hits, homered to lead off a two-run sixth and contributed a RBI-double in a three-run sixth.
Wacha (4-7), who snapped a personal career-worst seven-game losing streak in his previous start, gave up four runs, one unearned, on nine hits and a walk in six innings.

Cubs 7, Reds 2
CINCINNATI -- Javier Baez's grand slam highlighted a five-run 15th inning, and Chicago earned a win over Cincinnati at Great American Ball Park.
Kris Bryant, coming off a historic performance Monday night, began Tuesday 0-for-4 with a strikeout and two walks before he singled off J.J. Hoover (1-2) to drive home Ben Zobrist in the 15th, making the score 3-2. Baez's grand slam was the sixth allowed by Hoover, a Reds franchise record.
Cincinnati's much-maligned bullpen shined for much of the game, with four relievers combining for 8 1/3 hitless innings before the Cubs broke through against Hoover.

Mariners 5, Pirates 2
SEATTLE -- Twelve hits and a strong outing from Hisashi Iwakuma were enough for Seattle to beat Pittsburgh.
Robinson Cano had three hits, and Nelson Cruz hit his 20th home run of the season as the Mariners (39-38) improved to 9-2 in interleague games. Cano had three singles, an RBI and two runs, while Cruz delivered the big hit with a two-run homer in the fifth.
Cruz's blast gave the Mariners a 5-0 lead.

Dodgers 6, Brewers 5
MILWAUKEE -- Rookie phenom Julio Urias earned his first career victory, holding Milwaukee to two hits while striking out six in a victory for Los Angeles at Miller Park.
Urias (1-2), who is 19 years old, worked six innings and might have picked up at least one more but walked six batters to hit the 100-pitch mark for the first time in his career.
Adrian Gonzalez had three hits and reached base four times for the Dodgers, who finished with 12 hits while winning for the second consecutive day.

Nationals 5, Mets 0
WASHINGTON -- Lucas Giolito pitched four scoreless innings in his major league debut and combined with four others on a five-hitter as Washington beat New York in a game that ended around 12:15 a.m. ET on Wednesday after two rain delays.
Wilson Ramos, who caught the shutout, had two hits and his two-run double in the seventh gave the Nationals a 5-0 cushion. Bryce Harper also had two hits for the Nationals, including a homer.
The first-place Nationals are five games ahead of the Mets, who have lost seven of their last 11 games.

Astros 7, Angels 1
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Carlos Correa drove in four runs and recorded a home run and double among three hits, Jose Altuve had two hits to extend his hitting streak to 10 games and Houston rolled to a victory over reeling Los Angeles.
The win for the Astros was their ninth in 10 games, but they remain 10 games behind the equally hot Texas Rangers in the American League West. The Angels, meanwhile, continue to slip into oblivion. The loss was their eighth in nine games as they fell 14 games below .500 (32-46) and 19 games out of first, both season-worsts.
Astros right-hander Scott Feldman had not started a game since April, making a spot start Tuesday in place of Lance McCullers (blister on index finger). Feldman (5-3) was up to the task, allowing only an unearned run and three hits in five innings.

Orioles 11, Padres 7
SAN DIEGO -- Baltimore hit three home runs to power past San Diego.
The Orioles won their sixth straight by flexing their muscles and leaning on the solid pitching of Ubaldo Jimenez. Adam Jones, Hyun Soo Kim and Chris Davis all went deep for the Orioles, who lead the majors in home runs this season and in June.
Kim had three RBIs, one of four Orioles with multiple runs batted in. Jonathan Schoop and Davis had three hits. Jimenez (5-7) worked five innings, surrendering one run on three hits. He struck out five and walked four in beating the Padres for the second time since Wednesday.

Phillies 4, Diamondbacks 3
PHOENIX -- Ryan Howard walked with the bases loaded to force in the winning run in the ninth inning when Philadelphia compounded Arizona's loss of ace Zack Greinke with a victory over the Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
Pinch-hitter Jimmy Paredes doubled to open the ninth inning off Brad Ziegler (2-3) and scored on a single by Andres Blanco to tie the game at 3.
Odubel Herrera singled to right to send Blanco to third and Peter Bourjos walked to load the bases. Ziegler struck out Maikel Franco to bring up Howard, who walked on a 3-2 pitch.
Ziegler has failed to convert two of his last three save opportunities after setting a franchise record with 43 straight.

Athletics 13, Giants 11
SAN FRANCISCO -- Jake Smolinski smacked a three-run, pinch-hit home run in a five-run eighth inning, rallying Oakland to a victory over San Francisco in the second game of their interleague series.
Marcus Semien and Jed Lowrie also drove in runs in the game-swinging eighth for the A's, who recorded a two-game sweep of the San Francisco portion of the four-game set between San Francisco Bay Area rivals.
The two-site series moves to Oakland for games Wednesday and Thursday.

Blue Jays 14, Rockies 9
DENVER -- Toronto sat through a fierce rainstorm that pelted Coors Field with hail and delayed the start of the game until 9:21 p.m. The Blue Jays then tore into two Colorado pitchers while beating the Rockies 14-9.
The Blue Jays had lost their seven previous games at Coors Field -- three each in 2006 and 2010 and Monday night. The win was just their third in nine games.
The Blue Jays had 18 hits and went 10-for-24 with runners in scoring position in a game that lasted 3 hours, 51 minutes.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Red Sox (42-35) at Rays (32-44)

Game: 3
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: June 29, 2016 12:10 PM EDT

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- As rough a road trip as the Boston Red Sox have had in the past week, they enter Wednesday's series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays with David Price on the mound and a chance to finish the trip 3-3 with a win.

That was the powerful momentum of Tuesday's 8-2 win, which bore little resemblance to the 13-7 loss the night before that saw Boston give up a season-high 18 hits in taking their sixth loss in eight games.

Boston manager John Farrell said he didn't see more urgency than normal from his club, but liked the emotion he saw, like Rick Porcello getting out of a bases-loaded, no-outs jam in the fourth or Hanley Ramirez scoring from first on a double to help extend the lead.

"I don't know about urgency, but we've played with a lot of energy," Farrell said. "I can't say enough about the way our position players have continued to grind away, not give at-bats away, find a way to build an inning late when we've been down multiple runs. Tonight was just another example of that."

Now Price (8-4, 4.68 ERA) gets to face his old team -- he didn't take the loss but was on the mound in April when Tampa Bay got a 12-8 win in Boston. He's pitched at Tropicana Field twice since being traded from the Rays in 2014, losing both games, including an eight-inning, one-hit 1-0 loss in 2014.

"It would mean David went out and pitched the game he was capable of," Farrell said of his confidence in Price facing his old team again to close out the series.

Tampa Bay, meanwhile, answers with LHP Matt Moore (3-5, 5.04 ERA), who has gone six innings or more in his last four starts. He's 3-4 for his career against Boston with a 5.40 ERA -- he beat the Red Sox in Boston in September. In his last start against Boston, he gave up four home runs, including David Ortiz's 500th of his career. Starting pitching, once a strength of the Rays' success, has been less and less dependable as their season has progressed.

The Rays have dropped 12 of 13 games and will hope to salvage a series win Wednesday, even against a tough pitcher they know well. Their margin of error with a thin, depleted bullpen is razor thin, as was the case Tuesday when a bad outing by Enny Romero took a 3-1 game to 6-1 in the seventh.

"We're built on winning tight ballgames and keeping things within reach," manager Kevin Cash said after seeing starter Chris Archer take his 11th loss, the most in the majors. "Not that getting behind 3-1 or 4-1 is out of reach, but you felt the momentum shift right there."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Marlins (41-36) at Tigers (39-38)

Game: 2
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: June 29, 2016 1:10 PM EDT

DETROIT -- Daniel Norris battled cancer, fought through a back injury and spent an extended period in the minor leagues. He's finally in the place he expected to be this season -- the Detroit Tigers' starting rotation.

Norris makes his second start for the Tigers in the finale of a nine-game homestand Wednesday afternoon against Miami. Detroit is 5-3 on the homestand after defeating the Marlins 7-5 on Tuesday.

The second-year left-hander got a no-decision against Seattle on Thursday, allowing three runs -- all solo home runs -- in five innings with five strikeouts. He's trying to solidify a spot in the five-man rotation.

"As of right now, I just appreciate every day that I'm here," said Norris, who will be making his first career appearance against the Marlins.

It's understandable he feels that way after a rocky road back to the majors. Norris was the top prospect the Tigers acquired in the non-waiver deadline deal that sent ace David Price to Toronto last season. He made eight starts with Detroit last season, going 2-1 with a 3.68 ERA.

Norris was diagnosed with thyroid cancer shortly after the season and underwent surgery in late October. He was pronounced cancer free but suffered a back injury in spring training.

He was sent to the minors during his recovery and wound up making 11 starts for Triple-A Toledo before he was recalled.

"I felt like I couldn't catch a breath for awhile," he said. "It was just one thing after another. I just tried to wake up thinking good thoughts and being positive about it. Sure, I had some days where I said 'What's going on here?' When I hurt my back in the spring, it was really hard to focus because I had so many expectations for this year. Those had to be delayed but I knew my time would come at some point."

Detroit manager Brad Ausmus believes Norris' biggest challenge now is not dwelling on his mistakes.

"The progress I'd like to see from him is not beating himself up so much when he gives up a hit or a home run," Ausmus said. "You've got to learn to put it behind you because it might affect the next batter you're facing."

Miami altered its rotation for the next two games. Right-hander Tom Koehler starts against the Tigers while lefty Wei-Yin Chen will pitch the series opener at Atlanta on Thursday. Left-hander Adam Conley started Tuesday and couldn't get out of the fifth after tossing four scoreless innings.

"It's really a chance to give (Chen) a little bit of a breather but Atlanta is just stacked with lefties and these guys (the Tigers) are stacked with righties," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "It makes a little sense for us to flip those two guys and it also allows us to split our lefties, rather than having them back-to-back."

Koehler has only faced Detroit once -- a late September start in 2013 when he pitched 5 1/3 innings in a 3-2 victory.

Miami is 9-5 over its last 14 games with the aid of some stellar defense. Its infield has not committed an error since May 29, a 27-game streak. It's the longest such streak since at least 1913.

"In general, I think we're a good defensive team," Mattingly said. "We've got a lot of guys that catch the ball well. It was a trademark before we got here. It's one of our strengths that we're usually in the right spot. We were a little rough early but for the most part, we haven't given up a bunch of extra bases or extra outs."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Blue Jays (42-37) at Rockies (37-40)

Game: 3
Venue: Coors Field
Date: June 29, 2016 3:10 PM EDT

DENVER -- The Toronto Blue Jays finally won a game at Coors Field. Now they can try to win a series there.

The Blue Jays collected a season-high 18 hits as they beat the Colorado Rockies 14-9 Tuesday night. The game ended at 1:12 a.m. MDT, almost exactly 12 hours before the teams are due to begin the rubber game of their three-game series at 1:10 p.m.

Tyler Anderson will make his fourth career start for the Rockies, his first in an interleague game. The 26-year-old rookie left-hander is 0-1 with a 2.55 ERA and has not allowed a home run in 17 2/3 innings in outings against the San Diego Padres, Miami Marlins and the Arizona Diamondbacks. He faced San Diego and Arizona at home.

The Rockies' first-round pick and 20th player taken overall in the 2011 draft, Anderson has been compared with former Rockies left-hander Jeff Francis. When he was rising through the minors and overcoming injuries, Anderson earned a reputation for being poised and cerebral on the mound and wise beyond his years.

Having seen him briefly, Rockies manager Walt Weiss agrees with that assessment.

"You have to take into account that he's doing it in the heat of the battle," Weiss said. "It's one thing to do it from the sidelines and do it in your bullpen sessions or in the dugout when you're charting or in the minor leagues.

"I hadn't been around him in the minor leagues, but I heard all those reports about him. To come up here and to be able to just plug him right in -- he still responds that way. He seems to be one of those guys who's in complete control of his surroundings. As a young pitcher, you don't see that. He's been as good as advertised."

Anderson will be opposed by Aaron Sanchez, who is 7-1 with a 3.24 ERA this year. He has pitched at least six innings in 13 of 15 starts, compiling 93 strikeouts and 32 walks in 97 1/3 innings.

Sanchez, a supplemental first-round pick by the Blue Jays and the 34th player taken overall in the 2010 draft, is 5-0 with a 2.48 ERA in nine road starts. He has been nearly as effective against right-handed batters -- they are hitting .246 with a .622 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in 187 plate appearances -- as against left-handers --.242 average, .727 OPS in 220 plate appearances.

When he broke in with the Blue Jays in 2014, Sanchez pitched 24 games in relief and didn't start. Last year, he began the season in the rotation but went on the disabled list with a right lat strain June 15. When he returned July 24, Sanchez worked out of the bullpen.

Asked how he benefited from relieving, Sanchez said, "Just attacking guys, coming in understanding that out of the 'pen, you got to get outs as fast as you can. As a starter, you kind of get that luxury of finding a pitch if you don't have it early on. Out of the 'pen, you got to come in pounding the zone, attacking hitters and getting outs quick."

Sanchez snapped his fingers for emphasis as he finished that sentence.

This will be Sanchez's first start at Coors Field. When Tuesday night's game was delayed 2 hours, 41 minutes by a storm that pelted the field with a coating of hail, the Blue Jays sent Sanchez back to their hotel so he could get a decent night's sleep. He wasn't there in person to see a game that produced 23 runs and 32 hits as Coors Field lived up to its reputation as a nightmarish place to pitch and a wonderful place to hit.

"I'm definitely looking forward to pitching here," Sanchez said before Tuesday's game. "Yeah, you hear everything, you see guys' numbers, but it is what it is. But I can't come into a start fretting (over) something like that. I got to go out there and pitch my game and continue to do what I do best, and that's try to keep the ball on the ground."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Astros (41-37) at Angels (32-46)

Game: 3
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: June 29, 2016 3:35 PM EDT

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- How good is Mike Trout?

Even when a pitcher makes a good pitch, the Los Angeles Angels center fielder is capable of doing damage. That is what the Houston Astros and Collin McHugh found out Monday in the series opener between the two teams.

McHugh threw a 75 mph curveball that was about six inches off the ground when Trout golfed it over the fence in left-center field for a home run.

"(Catcher Jason) Castro said it was going to bounce," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said.

Trout is as hot as anybody these days going into Wednesday's series finale against Houston. He is 4-for-7 with two doubles, a home run, a walk and two runs in the first two games of the series, both won by the Astros. He is hitting .560 (14-for-25) with three homers, two doubles, five RBIs and eight runs in his past six games overall.

"He's probably the best player on the planet," Hinch said. "He always factors in, one way or another. It feels like it's always going to come down to him. ... He's one of the elite players in the world, so it doesn't surprise me when he does that stuff."

Trout has hit well in his career against left-hander Dallas Keuchel, the Astros' starter on Wednesday, batting .324 (11-for-34) with two homers.

"He's got a great idea of the strike zone, first of all," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "There are pitches that look like they are either ankle high, and some are even above the waist that he's getting to now this year. He's just a special player."

Despite Trout's presence, the Angels (32-46) are mired in last place in the American League West, 19 games behind the first-place Texas Rangers (51-27). The Astros (41-37) are 10 games back, but they are in a virtual three-way tie for the second AL wild-card position.

"We've got to be more than Mike, and we feel we are more than Mike," Scioscia said. "But the most important thing, and it seems like we've talked about this almost on a nightly basis, is getting our rotation in order and getting our bullpen set up where we get some roles and hold some leads. When that happens, I think we'll put up wins."

Jered Weaver (6-6, 5.24 ERA) will start for the Angels on Wednesday. The one-time ace of the staff leads the team in wins (six) and innings pitched (89 1/3), but he also has given up 19 home runs, tied for second most in the league.

He will face an Astros lineup that has its own "mini-Mike Trout" in Jose Altuve, who will take a 10-game hitting streak into the game. Altuve has reached base by hit, walk or hit-by-pitch in 31 consecutive games, during which time he is batting .408 (49-for-120).

Altuve also has hit Weaver well over this career, batting .333 (10-for-30) against him.

Keuchel (4-9, 5.35 ERA) won his last start, allowing four runs in 6 1/3 innings Friday at Kansas City, after going 1-8 with a 6.20 ERA in a 12-start span.

With victories in the first two games of the series, the Astros have beaten the Angels seven times in a row, losing only the teams' first meeting of the season on May 27.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Phillies (34-45) at Diamondbacks (36-44)

Game: 3
Venue: Chase Field
Date: June 29, 2016 3:40 PM EDT

PHOENIX -- A day after losing ace Zack Greinke and another home series, the Diamondbacks cannot wait to turn the page.

Philadelphia can play the final game of a three-game series in Arizona with the knowledge that it does not have to win the game to win the series.

The Phillies won their first series since taking two of three from Miami on May 16-18 by winning the first two games in Arizona, a near-360 from the Diamondbacks' four-game sweep at Citizens Bank Park from June 17-20.

Greinke won his eighth straight start in the first game of that set. The D-backs can only hope the tight left oblique muscle that caused Greinke to leave after two innings in the Phillies' 4-3 victory on Tuesday is nothing serious. There was no indication of the extent of the injury after that game.

"Something that maybe he can miss a start, possibly not miss a start, possibly at the worst maybe 15 days on the DL," manager Chip Hale said. "You never know. But if you go out and really yank it bad, you are talking about a month or two. We'll hope for best-case scenario."

Greinke is the second D-backs' starter to leave in as many games, after left-hander Robbie Ray was removed in the seventh inning of the Phillies' 8-0 victory on Monday with a blood blister on his left middle finger. Ray is not expected to miss his next scheduled start Sunday.

Arizona right-hander Archie Bradley will oppose right-hander Zach Eflin, the second straight return match from the first series. Bradley had one of his best starts of the season in a 5-1 victory, giving up three hits and one unearned run in six innings. Eflin almost matched him, giving up four hits and two runs in 5 2/3 innings.

The D-backs are 13-27 at home, and only Atlanta has fewer victories. They entered the homestand of a 7-3 road trip, but the momentum gained has diffused with the loss of two games and possible Greinke.

The D-backs have won three of their 12 home series, taking two of three from the Yankees, San Diego and Miami.

Greinke, who is 10-3 and has won his last seven decisions, is scheduled to start again Monday, but that seems unlikely. He felt the oblique injury on his first warmup pitch before the third inning, and did not feel much better after a quick trip to the dugout to apply a heating salve. He pinpointed a second-inning sacrifice fly as the probable cause, and said he believed Hale made the right decision in removing him when he did.

"At the time, I didn't know if it was a good idea or not to do what we did, but afterwards it was probably the right move," Greinke said. "I more than likely would have hurt myself more staying in."

Arizona closer Brad Ziegler has turned human in the last week after running off a streak of 43 consecutive saves, a franchise record and the seventh longest in major league history. He failed to convert his second save opportunity in his last three tries Tuesday, giving up three hits and two walks when the Phillies scored twice. Ziegler walked Ryan Howard on a 3-2 pitch with the bases loaded to force in the deciding run.

"When you pitch to contact a lot, occasionally that is going to happen," said Ziegler, who gave up two singles to right field that were just out of second baseman Jean Segura's reach. "It sucks that it happens several times in one game. They got enough of the barrel on it do just enough damage."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Orioles (46-30) at Padres (33-45)

Game: 2
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: June 29, 2016 3:40 PM EDT

SAN DIEGO -- The visiting Orioles continue their interleague schedule against the San Diego Padres on Wednesday and that brings a smile to Baltimore manager Buck Showalter's face.

And not just because the AL East-leading Orioles are seeking their seventh straight victory.

"It's easier to keep everyone happy in National League games," Showalter said. "Everybody is more on their toes and thinking about the game because you use more players. And it's the same with the bullpen."

The Orioles have forgone a designated hitter in the NL ballpark and that's something Showalter isn't thrilled about.

"It's easier for a National League team to play against an American League team (at its home) because every team has someone it can DH," Showalter said. "But for an American League team it isn't as big as an advantage playing without a DH."

Showalter knows what it's like to go without right-handed starter Yovani Gallardo (2-1, 6.04 ERA), his starter Wednesday. He missed some eight weeks with a sore shoulder and is making his third start since escaping the disabled list June 18. He has a win and a no-decision to show for his work.

Gallardo squares off against lefty Christian Friedrich (4-2, 3.60).

"The first game back (Gallardo) was pretty good," Showalter said. "The second one he had a tough first inning but he bounced back."

Since returning, Gallardo has worked 10 1/3 innings, charged with five runs and 13 hits. He's walked six with eight strikeouts.

Gallardo knows his way around the National League, starting 211 games when with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Showalter said that's a slight advantage, but it doesn't mean squat if "he doesn't get out of the first or second inning."

But Showalter isn't expecting that.

"He's going to pitch five-to-seven innings and give us a chance," Showalter said. "He feels good, that's the most important thing. We need him."

What Showalter doesn't appreciate is the jumbled road trip his squad is on. After finishing today's two-game set with the Padres, the Orioles returned to American League action when facing the Seattle Mariners for four games.

Then it's back to National League play and a three-set against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"It's hard to prepare for because you have your pitchers running the bases and other things," Showalter said. "That is what you worry about. I just wish we do it all at one time and we can get it over with. But nobody asked me."

In Friedrich, the Padres offer one of their more surprising pitchers.

"He's a guy we couldn't be more pleased with," Padres manager Andy Green said. "He is developing into a very depending starter for us."

Friedrich earned a win in his last start Thursday against Reds, working five innings and allowing four runs on six hits and four walks. He struck out two.

"He threw the ball well in Cincinnati," Green said.

And maybe the southpaw continues doing just that in his ninth start of the season and fifth at Petco Park.

"The Orioles don't like to hit left-handers as well as they do right-handers," Green said. "And we are going to see if Christian can take advantage of that."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mets (40-36) at Nationals (46-32)

Game: 3
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: June 29, 2016 7:05 PM EDT

WASHINGTON -- The starting rotation of the New York Mets was a strength going into the 2016 season.

Now it is officially a concern following updates Tuesday on left-hander Steven Matz and right-hander Noah Syndergaard, who lasted just three innings on Monday in Washington against the Nationals.

"We have a less than perfect situation right now," Mets general manager Sandy Alderson admitted Tuesday, after announcing that Matz would not make his start as scheduled on Wednesday against the Nationals.

Logan Verrett (3-4, 4.14) will make the start Wednesday against Max Scherzer (8-5, 3.52) of the Nationals. Verrett has made 20 appearances this year, with four starts, while Scherzer threw a no-hitter at New York last October.

"Steven has a spur in the back of his elbow," Alderson said. "It is causing discomfort. There is no structural damage in his elbow. Continuing to pitch will not cause any structural damage. What we have decided to do for the moment is skip his start tomorrow and pitch him on Thursday. We will continue to monitor his situation. We will monitor the level of discomfort. We will monitor it on a start-by-star basis."

Alderson said at some point the Mets may consider going to a six-man rotation to help save wear and tear on Matz and the rest of the staff. But manager Terry Collins said Tuesday that is not going to happen in the immediate future.

Matz last pitched on Friday against the Atlanta Braves and last 4 1/3 innings and gave up six earned runs on nine hits. He did not figure in the decision as the Mets won 8-6.

Is he confident he can pitch through his elbow issues?

"I've been doing it up until this point," he told reporters Tuesday. "It's something that, as long as they feel comfortable with me being out there with the way I'm pitching, then I think I'm going to battle through it. That's the mindset- get it all behind me and just go out there and pitch."

Is it difficult to deal with mentally?

"There's not much difficulty there just because the doctor is really confident that nothing structurally is wrong. So it's just a matter of going out there and pitching now," Matz added.

Alderson said if Matz had surgery he would be out about three months, which would put a return in October. Matz said he will deal with the spur coming out when the time comes.

The Long Island native said he has talked to veteran pitcher Bartolo Colon, whom Matz has talked to regarding his condition.

"Yeah, I was talking to Bartolo. He's had stuff like this taken out and he's pitched through it. I know some other guys I've talked to that have dealt with the same thing," Matz said. "I think that's one thing I talked about with Terry that we're going to just treat this like I'm cleared to go. We're going to put this behind me, we're going to keep it in mind, but we're going to try to keep the rotation in order. That's ultimately up to them, but that's my mindset too... If I'm good, then I'm good."

Alderson said Syndergaard has a very small spur in the back of his elbow. "There is no structural damage," said Alderson, who added the right-hander will take anti-inflammatory medicine.

The Nationals have right-hander Stephen Strasburg on the disabled list, but have ace Scherzer ready to pitch the series finale Wednesday against the Mets. Washington will seek a sweep after winning on Monday and Tuesday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rangers (51-27) at Yankees (37-39)

Game: 3
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: June 29, 2016 7:05 PM EDT

NEW YORK -- The Texas Rangers waited over seven hours to get their 50th win. They quickly recorded their 51st victory.

How will Texas get its next victory?

The Rangers will look to make it three straight wins over the New York Yankees Wednesday night when the teams continue their four-game series at Yankee Stadium.

Texas began this series by scoring four runs in the ninth inning in a 9-6 victory in a game that began at 7:26 pm EST Monday night and concluded at 2:44 am EST Tuesday morning following a rain delay of three hours, 35 minutes.

It was believed to be the latest ending to any game in Rangers history according to the team's game notes.

"For our guys to stay so engaged through the rain delay that determined to out on the field and have their shot at finishing the game in a competitive matter on the field was in my opinion second to none," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said Tuesday afternoon.

Adrian Beltre factored into the win with a two-strike, two-run single Monday/Tuesday. On Tuesday it was all Cole Hamels with a little help from Beltre.

Hamels pitched seven shutout innings while Beltre hit a two-run home run in the first inning and drove in three runs in a 7-1 victory.

Those performances gave Texas eight straight road wins, 15 wins in its last 18 road games and 29 wins in the last 37 games overall.

"I think everyone comes in every day, we're just excited to be here," Hamels said. "We're having fun with each other. We're really pushing each other to I think another level, emotionally and physically. I think for all of us and that's exciting to see because we have an unbelievable balance in this clubhouse and out on that field that nothing's going to push us over the top and nothing's going to take us all the way down. So we're always going to be in it. We're always going to believe that we're in and we're just going to keep doing it as long as we can."

The Yankees dropped their fifth straight home game to Texas and dropped to 3-4 on their nine-game homestand. New York has lost nine of its last 16 games and Tuesday's loss also was costly as Carlos Beltran injured his right hamstring after getting a single in the first.

Beltran has been New York's best hitter and was injured running out of the batter's box. The Yankees said he had a tight right hamstring, they said the MRI showed cramping and he is day-to-day.

Even if he avoids the disabled list for now, Beltran is unlikely to play Wednesday.

Alex Rodriguez returned Tuesday after being benched against right-handers Tyler Duffey and Chi Chi Gonzalez. He was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and drove in New York's only run with a sacrifice fly.

When Rodriguez was benched the previous two games, Beltran was the designated hitter. Rodriguez could be in the lineup Wednesday or manager Joe Girardi could use Rob Refsnyder as the designated hitter while Aaron Hicks plays right field.

Regardless of what the lineup looks like the Yankees know they have to start winning more consistently.

"Obviously we're not playing the way want to," CC Sabathia said. "But we have to turn it around."

Nick Martinez will make his third start of the season for Texas and will be pitching in a familiar area. Martinez was an 18th-round pick by the Rangers in 2011 out of Fordham University in the Bronx.

He last pitched Friday and took a no-decision in an 8-7 win over Boston. Before the Rangers won in their last at-bat, he allowed four runs and six hits in six innings while squandering a 6-0 lead.

Martinez has faced the Yankees three times and is 1-1 with a 4.00 ERA. He opposed New York May 23 in Yankee Stadium and allowed two runs and five hits over seven innings in a 15-4 rout.

Martinez has struggled on the road for the last year, going 0-5 with a 7.82 ERA in his seven outings since June 20, 2015.

Masahiro Tanaka will pitch for the Yankees and will be doing on four days' rest. Numbers show he has had difficulties on regular rest as Tanaka is 1-2 with a 4.70 ERA in six starts on regular rest this season.

Tanaka last pitched in Friday's 5-3 win over Minnesota when he allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings. He also tied his season high by striking out seven.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Indians (46-30) at Braves (26-51)

Game: 3
Venue: Turner Field
Date: June 29, 2016 7:10 PM EDT

ATLANTA -- A month ago, the Atlanta Braves were wondering what to do with all their starting pitchers. Now they're wondering who's going to start.

Three players who were in the starting rotation last month are on the disabled list. Mike Foltynewicz (right elbow soreness), Williams Perez (right rotator cuff soreness) and John Gant (left oblique) are all on the sidelines.

When you add the demotion of Aaron Blair, who was sent to Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday, there are plenty of holes to be filled in the Atlanta rotation.

As a result, the Braves will start Joel De La Cruz in Wednesday's series finale against Cleveland against right-hander Danny Salazar (8-3, 2.23).

De La Cruz will be making his major league debut. He was signed as a minor league free agent in November and has spent all season with Triple-A Gwinnett. De La Cruz began the season in the bullpen, but was moved to the rotation and has a 2.16 ERA over his last four starts. Overall he's 1-3 with a 4.68 ERA in 21 games.

De La Cruz pitched eight innings against Charlotte in his most recent start.

"I talked to the guys and he's stretched out and good to go," Snitker said. "He's been up here a couple times and hasn't pitched. We're going to put him to work."

Salazar will make his 15th start of the season in Cleveland's final appearance at Turner Field. Salazar (9-3, 2.40) has second-best ERA in the American League. He has faces the Braves only one time, going four innings and allowing two earned runs in his fifth career start. Salazar is 1-5 with a 4.07 ERA in nine career interleague starts.

Foltynewicz will make one more rehab start with Triple-A Gwinnett before he is activated. He threw five scoreless innings and allowed one hit last week.

Perez isn't like to be ready to return until the All-Star break and Gant is expected to miss no less than a month. The organization would like to see Blair get three to five starts in Triple-A before he is returned to the majors.

Cleveland got a bit of good news on the injury front when manager Terry Francona reported that outfielder Michael Brantley has been hitting balls off a tee.

Brantley has been sidelined with a sore shoulder since May 10. He had a cortisone shot and rested for five days before resuming activity. He has been taking 50-55 swings off the tee and his progress will be reassessed when the team returns to Cleveland.

"He didn't feel anything other than feeling good," Francona said. "We'll have more of a schedule after we get off this trip."

Brantley is hitting .231 with seven RBIs in 11 games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Dodgers (43-36) at Brewers (34-42)

Game: 2
Venue: Miller Park
Date: June 29, 2016 8:10 PM EDT

MILWAUKEE -- Another day, another new starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Right-hander Brock Stewart becomes the ninth pitcher to start a game for the Dodgers this season -- and fourth to make his MLB debut -- when he takes the mound Wednesday night against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.

The move wasn't formally announced before Los Angeles opened its three-game see at Milwaukee on Tuesday, but Stewart had apparently already been informed and shared the news on Twitter.

"I'm so incredibly fortunate to say that the dreams I've had since I was a young boy have come true," he tweeted. "I got the call!!"

Stewart, the Dodgers' sixth-round draft choice in 2014, has been on a tear this season. He opened the year with Class A Rancho Cucamonga and after two starts (one earned run, 11 innings pitched), was promoted to Double-A Tulsa, where he started nine games and posted a 1.12 ERA. That was enough to earn another promotion, this time to Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he went 3-0 with a 2.89 ERA in three starts and struck out 27 in 18 2/3 innings.

"It's all just happened really fast," Stewart told The Oklahoman after making his Triple-A debut. "I've been just having a good year, and everything's working for me so far. I can't really pinpoint what's caused all of the success, but it's definitely been a whirlwind. I'm here for a reason, they believe in me so it's all about me going out there and showing I can compete at this level."

Milwaukee counters with its own rookie, 31-year-old right-hander Junior Guerra, who faces the Dodgers for the second time this season.

He took no decision on June 16 after allowing five runs on five hits and a walk with four strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings then rebounded later in the week, holding Oakland to two runs on five hits over seven innings for his fourth career victory.

Not much was expected from the 31-year-old when he was claimed off waivers from the White Sox last winter. Once a prospect in the Mets and Phillies system, he spent several years in unaffiliated baseball -- including stints in Mexico, Italy and with Wichita of the independent American Association -- but has since emerged as a workhorse in the Brewers' rotation.

"Right now, nothing's guaranteed," Guerra said. "All you can do is keep working hard, keep doing your thing, keep doing your job and give your team a chance to win."

Milwaukee hopes Guerra can not only snap a two-game losing streak but also get the starting rotation back on track. Brewers starters had combined for a 2.65 ERA over six games before Chase Anderson was tagged for six in four innings of work Tuesday in a 6-5 loss to the Dodgers.

Los Angeles may have to go without center fielder Joc Pederson, who bruised his right shoulder crashing into the wall Tuesday night.

"Sounds like day to day, so hopefully get on some anti-inflammatories, knock it out," Pederson said. "It's just a bruise, we have great trainers, get some treatment and be back in no time.

"But it's a big relief that the X-rays came back negative. Can't do anything about a broken bone."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Twins (25-51) at White Sox (38-39)

Game: 2
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: June 29, 2016 8:10 PM EDT

CHICAGO -- After a month-long slide, the Chicago White Sox have seeming started to figure out how to win again as the little things that plagued them during their slump have again started to come around.

A White Sox offense that had been struggling to score runs has put up at least five runs four times in the past week before being shut out by the Minnesota Twins 4-0 Tuesday night. Sluggers who had been failing to come through in key moments are producing timely hits and a bullpen that had been an Achilles heel has started to settle into place.

But whether the White Sox can build off their recent success remains the big question. Chicago again dipped below .500 with its loss Tuesday and appeared to be building momentum before losing to the Twins for the first time this season.

"We're a .500 team right and I think that's not all bad because we started the season very hot and then we suddenly struggled," first baseman Jose Abreu said before Tuesday's loss "(Being .500) is good because we've been in good and bad stretches and have been able to survive."

The Twins have struggled to do that, struggling the entire year before being more stringing together double-digit wins this month for the first time this season. But after finally notching a win against the White Sox Tuesday night, manager Paul Molitor knows his team still has a lot of work left to do.

"We have to find a way to kind of make these games more competitive against some of these teams in our division," Molitor said Tuesday. "...I hope the guys take it a little bit personal."

The White Sox, who had won five of their last seven games before Tuesday's loss, will try to get back on the winning track when struggling starter James Shields faces the Twins on Wednesday looking for his first win in a Chicago uniform.

Shields is 0-2 in four starts with the White Sox with an 18.73 ERA (34 earned runs in 16 1/3 innings pitched).

"There's really no reason for it," Shields told the Chicago Tribune recently. "I'm not one to make excuses. I just move forward and try to attack the hitters the way I know how to attack them and just kind of move on and try get some W's for this team."

With ace Chris Sale cruising along and with Jose Quintana still struggling to get much run support as was the case again Tuesday, Shields reversing his course may be key for Chicago in its efforts to try and keep pace with the first-place Cleveland Indians.

Yet, as hot as the Indians have been, manager Robin Ventura said Tuesday his team can't afford to start tracking the success of others. Not when it's got its own issues with consistency to solve.

"We have to continue to focus on what we're doing and control that," Ventura said. "I think the effort and what we're doing, I like where we're at."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Royals (40-36) at Cardinals (40-36)

Game: 3
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: June 29, 2016 8:15 PM EDT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- While the Kansas City Royals headed for St. Louis after an 8-4 loss to the Cardinals on Tuesday night, center fielder Lorenzo Cain was going for a MRI.

Cain suffered a left hamstring injury while running to first base in the seventh inning. Cain was first ruled safe, but upon a review the call was overturned.

By the time the reversal was announced after an 83-second delay, Cain was already being attended to by a trainer and headed for the dugout.

Whether Cain will be going on the disabled list is still unknown.

"I don't know," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "You guys want to know what I don't know. Nobody knows. The doc will look at him and we'll evaluate him tomorrow. I wish I had an answer for you, but it doesn't happen that quick. We'll have a MRI soon as they can get him in. We'll determine how much fluid is on it and what the extent of it is."

The defending World Series champion Royals can ill afford to have another serious injury to a key player. Alex Gordon just returned Saturday after missing 30 games with a fractured wrist, while third baseman Mike Moustakas is out for the season after knee surgery.

"It's tough especially the way the year has been going," Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer said to see Cain go down. "It's happened to quite a few guys. We've just got to figure out a way to get through it. We've got to hope it's not anything serious. It's just an added adversity to a 162-game season. It's time for guys like myself and Gordo to step up and carry the team."

"At the last second it (Cain's hamstring) kind of pops. We've just got to hope for nothing to be torn in there and hopefully it's just a couple of days and we'll get him back sometime on this road trip."

The Royals open an eight-game three-city trip Wednesday, continuing this four-game series with the Cardinals with the final two games at Busch Stadium. The first five games are in National League cities, including three in Philadelphia.

Yost said he is toying with the idea of playing designated hitter Kendrys Morales in the outfield in Philadelphia to keep his bat in the lineup.

The Cardinals will likely be without rookie shortstop Aledmys Diaz for the remainder of the Royals' series. Diaz's right eye was nearly swollen shut Tuesday, looking more like a pugilist than a baseball player. He did not play Tuesday and probably will not return before the weekend.

"I just feel discomfort in my eye with the inflammation," Diaz said. "I don't see very well right now, but thank God it is nothing worse."

Greg Garcia, who started Monday, will likely fill in at shortstop until Diaz returns.

"Soon as we get the swelling down, he should be ready to go," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "They had no concerns structurally or anything else. I don't think it's going to be very long for Diaz."

The Cardinals and Royals have had a rivalry for the Missouri state championship since interleague play began. Well, actually longer.

"This goes back I think a ways to '85 that kind of solidified that," said Matheny, referring to the 1985 World Series that the Royals won in seven games. "When we play these guys, it's always a good matchup. Obviously, they're the team wearing the (World Series) ring from last year. They've brought a young team in, built it from the ground up and did a lot of things right.

"Now it's a young team with some experience and some success. We talk about the different components. They have everything they need to be in a good place to continue to win for a while. I'm sure it's going to be a good matchup for us."

Right-hander Carlos Martinez starts Wednesday for the Cardinals, his first career start against the Royals. He tops the Cardinals with seven victories, 3.02 ERA and .209 opponents' batting average.

Royals right-hander Edinson Volquez is coming off his worst career start, surrendering 12 runs (11 earned) in one inning, plus three batters, Friday to the Astros. George Springer tripled and hit a grand slam in a nine-run first off Volquez.

Yost is not putting any emphasis on the Cardinals series.

"I don't think there is any difference than for any other team, any other game," Yost said. "Each series is important. Playing the Cardinals, it's unique in that we're playing two here and two there. We don't do that anywhere else. I don't look at as a rival or anything like that. I don't think my mindset changes on who we're playing. It's just every series is important."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Giants (49-30) at Athletics (34-43)

Game: 3
Venue: Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Date: June 29, 2016 10:05 PM EDT

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Oakland Athletics fans might have a hard time recognizing their team when it takes the field for the continuation of a four-game series against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night.

When last seen in Oakland, the A's were losing six of nine to the Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Angels and Milwaukee Brewers with the likes of Eric Surkamp and Andrew Triggs making one-third of the starts and Max Muncy manning right field on eight occasions.

The A's return Wednesday, just six days later, with left-hander Sean Manaea and right fielder Josh Reddick having rejoined the team off the disabled list, and with lefty Rich Hill scheduled to do the same Saturday.

"We're starting to get a little healthier, which is a good thing," A's manager Bob Melvin proudly proclaimed Tuesday before Oakland's 13-11 win over the Giants in San Francisco. "And we're starting to play a little better."

Reddick's return adds a .316-hitting bat to a lineup that is overpowering recent competition. He went 1-for-6 in his first big-league action since May 19.

Shortstop Marcus Semien, left fielder Khris Davis and pinch hitter Jake Smolinski hit home runs at AT&T Park in the two wins, extending the Athletics' streak of games with at least one homer to a season-best seven.

Manaea, who is scheduled to start Wednesday, pitched on the last homestand, but not for long. Staked to a 10-2 lead against Texas in the homestand opener on June 13, he couldn't finish the fifth inning because of a strained left forearm, costing him what surely would have been his third win of the season. Manaea is 2-4 with a 6.02 ERA in nine starts overall, though he is 2-3 with a 4.17 ERA over his past six outings.

A's fans might not recognize the Giants, either, and that is probably a good thing. The Bay Area's other team hasn't played in Oakland since last September, when the Giants added to the Athletics' miseries by taking two of three.

Right-hander Jake Peavy (4-6, 5.22 ERA) will get the start for the Giants on Wednesday. He no stranger to the A's, having faced them four times in his career, going 2-1.

The Giants likely will trek to the east side of the Bay Bridge without second baseman Joe Panik, who reported light-headedness before Tuesday's game and had to be scratched from the lineup.

The Giants fear the condition was a delayed response to Panik getting hit by a pitch in the helmet on June 18 at Tampa Bay.

Panik underwent three concussion tests in the aftermath of the incident and passed them all, which prompted the team to keep him in the lineup. He played seven consecutive games, collecting seven hits, before taking Monday off for non-health reasons.

The Giants plugged Ramiro Pena into Panik's spot in the two San Francisco stops in the series Monday and Tuesday, and he produced four hits.

Pena will pack a team-leading .412 average for the bus ride into Oakland on Wednesday.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy hopes his club doesn't pack anything else from Tuesday's seesaw loss for the short trip.

"This was one of those wild games," he said after watching his team blow 4-1 and 8-5 leads. "You have one of these games once in a while. Hopefully you come out on top, but we didn't. You have to wash a game like this off."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pirates (37-41) at Mariners (39-38)

Game: 2
Venue: Safeco Field
Date: June 29, 2016 10:10 PM EDT

SEATTLE -- Getting Wade Miley back from the disabled list might not be the ticket to the Seattle Mariners getting back into the pennant race, but it's a step in the right direction for a rotation that's had a rough June.

The veteran left-hander is scheduled to be back on the mound when the Mariners host Pittsburgh on Wednesday night, the final game of a two-game series with the Pirates (37-41).

Miley (6-3) was eligible to come off the disabled list Tuesday night and is listed as the Mariners' probable starter for Wednesday's game. Shoulder soreness landed him on the DL, costing the Mariners one of their veteran starters during a month when three of them -- Miley, Felix Hernandez and Taijuan Walker -- missed starts because of injury.

Miley and Walker are expected back in the rotation this week, while Hernandez threw 15 pitches off a mound Tuesday and looks on track to be back in the rotation by early- to mid-July. Getting all the arms back, combined with the successful start of newcomer Wade LeBlanc last week, left the Mariners (39-38) with a tough decision to make -- and manager Scott Servais did just that when he announced veteran starter Nathan Karns would work out of the bullpen.

"Our club certainly welcomes the arm down there," Servais told reporters before Tuesday's game. "But more importantly, get him a breather, get him back on track."

Pittsburgh's rotation has had its share of issues as well this season, and the Pirates are hoping that touted prospect Jameson Taillon can help provide some stability. The 24-year-old right-hander is scheduled to make his fifth career start Wednesday night, having struggled his last two times out.

With veterans Gerrit Cole and Ryan Vogelsong ailing, and the rest of the rotation falling on hard times, the Pirates look to Taillon and fellow rookie Chad Kuhl to make an immediate impact. Kuhl's next start -- his MLB debut came over the weekend -- is scheduled to come Saturday at Oakland.

The Pirates could use a shot of youth in a rotation that has been struggling as of late. Jonathon Niese was the latest starter to have an off night as he allowed nine hits and five runs (four earned) over 4 2/3 innings in Tuesday night's 5-2 loss at Seattle.

"In the fifth inning," Niese said, "it just unraveled."

That phrase also applies to both teams' seasons because in large part to starting pitching. Neither rotation is hitting on all cylinders right now.

The Mariners are hoping that some healthy arms might get them back on track. Getting Hernandez back on the mound is of particular importance, so his brief bullpen session was a step toward resolving that issue.

"His arm looks great," Servais said. "Obviously, it's fresh."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Five to Follow MLB Betting: Wednesday, June 29, 2016, Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews

My spring training pick for National League MVP this season was Cubs second-year player Kris Bryant. I'm feeling pretty good about his chances now. The 2015 NL Rookie of the Year had a night for the ages in Monday's win in Cincinnati. He became the first batter in baseball's modern era (since 1900) with three homers and two doubles in one game. Bryant, 24, also is the youngest Cub ever with a three-homer game; he was 10 days younger than when Mr. Cub and Hall of Famer Ernie Banks did it in 1955. Bryant's five extra-base hits were the most by a Cub since 1885, and his 16 total bases were the most in a game since Josh Hamilton's 18 (four home runs, one double) in May 2012. The MLB record is 19 by Shawn Green. Bryant nearly got a chance to get to bat in the ninth inning with a shot at breaking that. As of Tuesday, Bryant is tied for the NL lead with 21 homers and third with 57 RBIs. Either he or Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado has to be your first-half MVP (I refuse to consider pitchers, but I guess Clayton Kershaw has to be in there). I wonder how much the Houston Astros continue to regret taking Stanford pitcher Mark Appel at No. 1 overall in 2013, one spot ahead of Bryant. My AL MVP pick in the spring was Astros shortstop Carlos Correa. Looks like that one will be wrong.


Marlins at Tigers (-128, 9.5)

A 1:10 p.m. ET first pitch from Motown and should have live betting at sportsbooks with it televised by the MLB Network. Miami adds the DH. The Marlins were to start lefty Wei-Yen Chen on the mound, but with Monday's day off they decided to push him back to Thursday. So it's Tom Koehler (6-6, 4.07). He has been consistent, lasting exactly six innings in each of his past five. Koehler took a no-decision vs. the Cubs last time out, giving up four runs (all in the first inning) and seven hits. Not many Tigers have faced him. Miguel Cabrera is 2-for-3. Justin Upton is 6-for-16 with a triple and homer. Detroit starts lefty Daniel Norris (0-0, 4.50) as he makes only his third big-league appearance and second start of the year. Norris took a no-decision Thursday vs. the Mariners, allowing three runs -- all solo homers -- in five innings. Norris has never faced the Marlins.

Key trends: The Marlins are 1-7 in their past eight interleague road games vs. a lefty. They are 1-9 in Koehler's past 10 on Wednesday. The Tigers are 6-1 in Norris' past seven starts dating to last year. The "over/under" is 4-0 in Norris' past four vs. teams with a winning record.

Early lean: Tigers and over.

Mets at Nationals (-162, 7.5)

ESPN2 national TV game. New York is scheduled to throw lefty Steven Matz (7-3, 3.29), but that's not 100 percent guaranteed. He has been dealing with some left elbow tightness, and the Mets recently had him checked out. A bone spur was found in there. He could undergo surgery if he is unable to effectively pitch through it. But doctors say he can't make it worse by continuing to pitch. It's basically a comfort issue. Matz wasn't sharp in his most recent outing, allowing a season-high six runs and nine hits in 4.1 innings in Atlanta. Matz repeatedly rubbed his pitching elbow while in the dugout before taking the mound for the bottom of the fifth inning. His velocity dipped as he surrendered six runs and recorded only one out in the inning. Matz beat Washington on May 25, shutting out the host Nats on four hits over eight innings. Bryce Harper is 0-for-1 career off him. The Nationals throw Max Scherzer (8-5, 3.52). He was roughed up in Milwaukee last time out, allowing five runs in six innings. Homers have killed Scherzer this year as he's allowed 20 of them. Scherzer lost at the Mets on May 17, allowing two runs in 6.1 innings.

Key trends: The Mets are 8-2 in Matz's past 10 on the road. The Nats are 8-3 in Scherzer's past 11 vs. the NL East. The under is 4-1 in his past five vs. New York.

Early lean: Nationals and under.

Twins at White Sox (-114, 9.5)

Maybe the Pale Hose can start to breathe a little easier about the Human Torch who had been James Shields (2-9, 6.22). His first three starts in a White Sox uniform had been historically bad, but he was decent Thursday in Boston, allowing three runs and five hits in five innings of a no-decision. Shields recorded his first scoreless first inning since joining the White Sox. He was rolling into the sixth before walking the first two batters. The Twins' Brian Dozier is 8-for-22 career off him with four doubles, two homers and eight RBIs. Joe Mauer hits .349 off him with a homer and 10 RBIs in 43 at-bats. Minnesota's Ricky Nolasco (3-5, 4.95) lost to the Phillies in his most recent outing, allowing four runs and 10 hits over 6.2 innings. He lost at the White Sox on May 6, allowing seven run in five innings. Jose Abreu is 4-for-11 off him with two homers. Dioner Navarro likely will start behind the plate for Chicago as he's 7-for-18 off Nolasco with a homer.

Key trends: The Twins are 0-5 in Nolasco's past five vs. the AL Central. The over is 4-0-s in his past six on the road.

Early lean: White Sox and over.

Giants at A's (+117, 8.5)

San Francisco adds the DH for this interleague Battle of the Bay Area. The Giants start Jake Peavy (4-6, 5.22). His numbers don't look good but consider that his ERA was 8.21 six starts ago. Peavy beat the Phillies in his last start, allowing two runs and seven hits in a season-high-tying seven innings. Peavy has allowed eight runs over his last six starts compared to the 38 he yielded in his first nine outings of the year. He hasn't faced Oakland in 2016. Billy Butler hits him well, going 16-for-36 with three homers and eight RBIs. Coco Crisp is 3-for-13 off him. Josh Reddick is 1-for-6 off Peavy. Reddick was to be activated from the DL on Tuesday. He had been out since May 19. Oakland is going to activate lefty top prospect Sean Manaea (2-4, 6.02) off the DL for this one. He last pitched June 13 and allowed two runs in 4.1 innings vs. Texas. He suffered a strained forearm in the game. Manaea has never faced the Giants.

Key trends: The Giants are 8-3 in Peavy's past 11 vs. teams with a losing record. The under is 5-1 in his past six against them.

Early lean: Giants and under.

Pirates at Mariners (-132, 8)

Pittsburgh will have the DH here. The Pirates start their top pitching prospect in Jameson Taillon (1-1, 4.50), and he is making his fifth career start. His last two starts, against the Cubs and Dodgers, have been the same: four innings, eight hits and four hits allowed. Well, the Pirates beat the Dodgers but lost to the Cubs. Taillon has never faced Seattle. The Mariners go with lefty Wade Miley (6-3, 5.28). He is set to be activated off the DL. Miley (shoulder) threw a rehab assignment on Friday and had four shutout innings. He last pitched in the majors June 12, allowing three runs in five innings against Texas. Plenty of Pirates have seen the former Diamondback. Starling Marte is 5-for-13 against off him. Andrew McCutchen is 2-for-12 with four walks. Jordy Mercer is 3-for-6.

Key trends: The Pirates have lost four straight on Wednesday. The Mariners are 8-2 in Miley's past 10. The over is 5-2-1 in his past eight.

Early lean: Pirates and under.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Wednesday's Diamond Notes
By Joe Williams

Hottest team: Indians (11-0 past 11)

The Cleveland Indians remain on a roll, winning their 11th consecutive game Tuesday night in Atlanta. It's their longest winning streak since 1982. They will look to keep the good times rolling Wednesday with Danny Salazar on the bump. Salazar has the second-lowest ERA in the American League at 2.40, and he will be opposed by Braves RHP Joel De La Rosa who is making his major league debut. De La Cruz had an underwhelming 4.68 ERA and 1.49 WHIP over 57 2/3 innings at Triple-A Gwinnett, so the Indians will be heavy favorites to rack up their 12th straight victory.

Coldest team: Reds (3-10 past 13)

The Cincinnati Reds have certainly given the first-place Chicago Cubs fits in the first two games of this series, knocking around RHP Jake Arrierta while holding their own against LHP Jon Lester. Not only are the Reds ice cold over their past 13 games, they have the worst run differential in the majors at minus-123. Cincinnati has dropped six of their past seven games at Great American Ball Parkl, and they're just 11-29 in their past 40 against National League Central Division foes. Cincinnati is also just 5-12 in their past 17 home games against right-handed starting pitching.

Hottest pitcher: Carlos Martinez, Cardinals (7-5, 3.02 ERA)

Martinez has heated up over the past month, going 3-0 with a 1.24 ERA over his past five starts with a .184 opponent batting average and 0.91 WHIP. The Cardinals have managed to win just three of Martinez's past 10 starts, and they're 1-5 in his past six outings at home. However, the Cardinals are 4-1 in their past five against right-handed starting pitching and they are 21-7 in the past 28 starts by Martinez when he spins a quality start in his most recent appearance. He did just that in Seattle last time out, holding the Mariners bats at bay. The Royals have won just one of the past six meetings between these Interstate 70 rivals, so that bodes well for Martinez.

Coldest pitcher: James Shields, White Sox (2-9, 6.22 ERA)

'Big Game' James hasn't looked like a major league caliber pitcher this season, stumbling to an awful 2-9 record, 6.22 ERA and 1.70 WHIP. Shields has looked like he is pitching batting practice since being acquired from the San Diego Padres, going 0-2 with a 15.80 ERA and amazingly poor 3.07 WHIP in four outings over 13 2/3 innings. The White Sox added Shields' arm for a run at a postseason spot, but his addition has actually hindered their chances at the playoffs way more than it has helped.

Biggest UNDER run: Mariners (7-3 past 10)

The under connected in Tuesday's interleague series opener against the Pirates, hitting for the seventh time in the past 10 games. The under is also 5-1-1 in Seattle's past seven home games against a right-handed starter, while going 8-3-1 in their past 12 games overall vs. RHP. And for what it's worth, in the past 10 meetings between these interleague teams the under has hit in nine of those outings. The under is also 5-1 in the past six meetings at Safeco Field, including Tuesday's opener.

Biggest OVER run: Athletics (6-0 past six)

The Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants looked like they were playing slow-pitch softball in Tuesday's game at AT&T Park, with the A's scratching out a 13-11 win. They managed to tap the plate 21 times in the two games across the bay, and now they'll host the Giants at O.co for two. The A's have managed at least six runs in five straight games, averaging 7.9 runs per game in the past six while allowing 5.4 runs per outing. The A's have a patchwork rotation with several injuries, and Giants RHP Jake Peavy has a 5.22 ERA. Wednesday's game looks good for the A's to continue their over run.

Matchup to watch: Athletics vs. Giants

The San Francisco Giants dropped a pair against the Oakland Athletics at home, now they look for revenge across the bay. The Giants are facing Athletics LHP Sean Manaea (2-4, 6.02 ERA, 1.44 WHIP) in Wednesday's game, and he is coming off the 15-day disabled list and could show rust. The Giants are 11-2 in their past 13 games against left-handed starting pitching, they're 21-5 in their past 26 games againts a starter with a WHIP over 1.30, and they're 22-7 in their past 29 road games against a team with a losing record. One thing to give bettors pause is the fact the Giants are just 4-12 in their past 16 trips to Oakland.

Betcha didn’t know: The Rangers have won 40 of their past 54 games played on a grass surface, and they're 20-8 in their past 28 games following a win. On the flip side, the Yankees are just 2-5 in their past seven home games against a right-handed starter. And while the Yankees have won six of their past seven home outings by Masahiro Tanaka, they are just 1-5 in Tanaka's past six starts against a team with a winning overall record. The Yankees are also 0-5 in their past five home games against the Rangers, and 0-4 in the past four meetings overall.

Biggest public favorite: Nationals (-155) vs. Mets

Biggest public underdog: Rangers (+180) at Yankees

Biggest line move: Diamondbacks (-150 to -175) vs. Phillies

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'Runs at a premium'

Houston Astros at Los Angeles Angels June 29, 3:35 EST

When Halos and Stros meett in the finale of this three game set they'll look to continue a solid trend for 'Under' gamblers. In the last 16 meetings between Halos and Stros at Angel Stadium the 'Under' has paid dividends 11 times with 4 'Over', 1 'Push. Matching that, Stros have a habit of keeping the score low in an opposing park. In the last thirteen the result has been 11 'Under', 2 'Over'.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB

Wednesday's games

National League games

Mets @ Nationals
Verrett is 2-2, 5.79 in four starts this year (over 2-1-1).

Scherzer is 3-1, 2.38 in his last five starts; six of his last seven went over.

Mets are 5-9 in last 14 road games; under is 10-4 in their last 14 road games. Washington won its last three games; eight of Nationals' last 11 home games went over.

Cubs @ Reds
Hendricks is 1-2, 4.64 in his last four starts (under 9-5)..

Reed is 0-1, 6.75 in two starts this year, which both went over.

Cubs lost six of last nine games; last five Chicago games went over. Cincinnati lost eight of last ten games; six of Reds' last eight games wet over.

Dodgers @ Brewers
Stewart is making MLB debut; he was 3-0, 2.89 in three AAA starts- he started this year in A ball, then also made nine starts in AA. He is 24, so not that young.

Guerra is 2-0, 3.96 in his last four starts; under is 5-2-1 in his last eight starts.

Dodgers lost three of last five games; over is 3-1-1 in last five Dodger games. Milwaukee is 4-2 in last six home games; three of its last four games went over.

Phillies @ Diamondbacks
Eflin is 0-1, 2.31 in his last two starts (over 2-1).

Bradley is 1-0, 1.64 in his last two starts (over 6-2).

Phillies won three of last four games; over is 10-4 in their last 14 road games. Arizona is 4-9 in its last 13 home games; four of last six Diamondback games went over.


American League games

Rangers @ Bronx
Martinez is 0-0, 6.10 in two starts this season (over 1-1).

Tanaka is 2-0, 2.57 in his last two starts; six of his last seven stayed under.

Rangers won 12 of last 14 games; over is 11-4-1 in their last 16 road games. New York is 3-6 in its last nine home games, four of its last five games stayed under.

Red Sox @ Rays
Former Ray Price is 1-3, 4.05 in his last five starts; five of his last six stayed under.

Moore is 1-2, 4.55 in his last five starts; three of his last four stayed under. .

Red Sox lost six of last nine games; six of last seven Boston road games went over total. Tampa Bay lost 12 of last 13 games; their last four games all went over.

Twins @ White Sox
Nolasco is 1-2, 4.64 in his last five starts; over is 13-1 in his last 14 starts.

Shields is 0-2, 16.46 in four starts for Chicago, which all went over. .

Twins lost seven of last ten road games. Chicago is 5-3 in its last eight games; four of last fie White Sox games stayed under, as have last four Minnesota games.

Astros @ Angels
Keuchel is 1-3, 5.12 in his last five starts; three of his last four road starts went under.

Weaver is 1-2, 5.76 in his last four starts; four of his last five went over.

Houston won 11 of its last 13 games; under is 15-4 in Astros' last 19 games. Angels are 6-16 in their last 22 games; nine of their last 12 home games went over.


Interleague

Marlins @ Tigers
Koehler is 3-0, 3.00 in his last four starts; four of his last six went over.

Norris allowed three runs in five IP (79 PT) in his first '16 start.

Marlins are 9-5 in their last 14 games; over is 10-2 in Miami's last 12 road games. Detroit lost three of last four games; three of its last four games went over total.

Indians @ Braves
Salazar is 5-0, 2.81 in his last five starts, four of which went over.

Kelly allowed three runs in five IP (85 PT) in his first '16 start.

Indians won their last 11 games, five of last six Cleveland road games went over total. Atlanta lost four of last five games; under is 8-3 in their last 11 games.

Royals @ Cardinals
Volquez allowed 17 runs in 7.1 IP in his last two starts; he was thrown out of the game last night, which doesn't happen much.

Martinez is 3-0, 1.24 in his last five starts, four of which stayed under. .

Cardinals are 10-3 in last 13 road games, over is 12-8 in their last 20 road games. Kansas City lost five of last seven games, seven of Royals' last ten home games went over.

Blue Jays @ Rockies
Sanchez is 3-0, 3.41 in his last five starts (under 10-5).

Anderson is 0-1, 2.55 in his first three MLB starts (under 2-1).

Blue Jays lost six of last nine games, six of their last nine road games went over total. Colorado won seven of last ten home games (over 7-1 in last eight).

Orioles @ Padres
Gallardo is 1-1, 6.94 in his last five starts; his last three stayed under.

Friedrich is 4-1, 4.29 in his last six starts; six of his last seven went over.

Orioles won their last six games; their last three games went over. San Diego won six of its last nine games; last six San Diego home games went over the total.

Pirates @ Mariners
Taillon is 1-1, 450 in his first four MLB starts, three of which went over.

Miley is 1-1, 2.25 in his last two starts; over is 6-0-2 in his last eight.

Pirates lost ten of last eleven road games; over is 11-9 in their last 20 games. Seattle lost seven of last ten games; three of last five Seattle home games went over.

Giants @ A's
Peavy is 2-0, 1.42 in his last three starts; six of his last nine went over.

Manaea was 1-3, 4.80 in his last five starts before going on DL; under is 4-1-1 in his last six outings.

A's won five of last six games, all of which went over the total. San Francisco lost three of last four games- five of their last six home games went over.


Teams won-lost records when this pitcher starts:

NY-Wsh-- Verrett 2-2; Scherzer 9-7
Chi-Cin-- Hendricks 7-7; Reed 0-2
LA-Mil-- Stewart 0-0; Guerra 8-2
Phil-Az-- Eflin 0-3; Bradley 5-3

Tex-NY-- Martinez 1-1; Tanaka 10-5
Bos-TB-- Price 10-6; Moore 5-10
Min-Chi-- Nolasco 6-9; Shields 1-3/2-9
Hst-LA-- Keuchel 6-10; Weaver 6-9

Mia-Det-- Koehler 6-9; Norris 1-0
Cle-Atl-- Salazar 9-5; Kelly 0-1
KC-StL-- Volquez 9-7; Martinez 7-7
Tor-Col-- Sanchez 9-6; Anderson 1-2
Blt-SD-- Gallardo 4-2; Friedrich 5-3
Pitt-Sea-- Taillon 2-2; Miley 9-4
SF-A's-- Peavy 8-7; Manaea 4-5


Starting pitchers allowing 1+ runs in first inning:

NY-Wsh-- Verrett 1-4; Scherzer 7-16
Chi-Cin-- Hendricks 4-14; Reed 2-2
LA-Mil-- Stewart 0-0; Guerra 2-10
Phil-Az-- Eflin 2-3; Bradley 2-8

Tex-NY-- Martinez 0-2; Tanaka 2-15
Bos-TB-- Price 6-16; Moore 3-15
Min-Chi-- Nolasco 7-15; Shields 7-15
Hst-LA-- Keuchel 4-16; Weaver 6-15

Mia-Det-- Koehler 5-15; Norris 0-1
Cle-Atl-- Salazar 1-14; Kelly 0-1
KC-StL- Volquez 4-16; Martinez 1-14
Tor-Col-- Sanchez 3-15; Anderson 1-3
Blt-SD-- Gallardo 4-6; Friedrich 3-8
Pitt-Sea-- Taillon 1-4; Miley 6-13
SF-A's-- Peavy 4-15; Manaea 1-9


Umpires

NY-Wsh-- Last three Marquez games stayed under the total.
Chi-Cin-- Underdogs won five of last six Foster games.
LA-Mil-- Underdogs are 5-4 in last nine Basner games.
Phil-Az-- Over is 3-1-1 in last five Scott games.

Tex-NY-- Nine of last ten Wegner games went over total.
Bos-TB-- Underdogs won six of last eight Hirschbeck games.
Min-Chi-- Five of last seven Kulpa games went over total.
Hst-LA-- Seven of last ten Davis games went over total.

Mia-Det-- Over is 9-4 in Johnson games this season.
Cle-Atl-- Six of last eight Wendelstedt games stayed under.
KC-StL-- Five of last six Blakney games stayed under.
Tor-Col-- Favorites won six of last seven Lentz games.
Balt-SD-- Six of last seven Tichenor games stayed under.
Pitt-Sea-- Five of last seven Carlson games went over.
SF-A's-- Nine of last eleven Hernandez games went over.