1) NY Yankees vs Cleveland Indians- NY Yankees - favourite pick – no bet. PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH David Phelps (1-1, 5.02 ERA) vs. Indians RH Justin Masterson (5-2, 3.67)
Phelps will make his third consecutive start in place of the injured Ivan Nova. He allowed two runs and three hits over a season-high six frames, but settled for a second straight no-decision in Wednesday’s 3-2 win at Colorado. The 26-year-old right-hander, who will make his 42nd major-league appearance, is 2-2 with a 3.91 ERA in 14 career starts with the Yankees. Phelps will face Cleveland for the first time in his career, carrying a 2.96 ERA in eight all-time appearances in May.
Masterson reversed a recent slide in Wednesday’s 4-3 victory over Oakland to post his first win in three starts. The sinkerballer suffered through a rough fourth inning – giving up the three runs and all four hits he allowed during the frame – but yielded only two walks and struck out seven over his other six innings. Masterson is 2-2 with a 5.91 ERA over his previous five starts after beginning the season 3-0 with a 0.41 ERA. In 10 appearances (six starts) against the Yankees, he is 3-3 with a 3.00 ERA. Yanks for relief. pitching even, hitting for Induns .. very close – a coin toss - Yanks?
2) NY Yankees vs Cleveland Indians – NY Yankees - favourite pick. PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH Vidal Nuno (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Indians RH Trevor Bauer (1-1, 2.70)
With New York reluctant to pitch any of its regular starters on short rest, the Yankees are expected to call up Nuno from the minors to make his first career major-league start. The 25-year-old left-hander made his major-league debut in relief during a 9-1 loss to Houston on April 29, allowing four hits and striking out two over three scoreless frames. Nuno has been dominant in Triple-A this season, going 2-0 with a 1.54 ERA in four starts with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Bauer will be called up from the minors for his third spot start of the season. The right-hander, who collected his first win of the season on May 1 against Philadelphia, has walked a staggering number of batters (13) over his first two starts with the Indians. However, he has minimized the damage by allowing a total of three hits over 10 innings. Bauer, who has never faced the Yankees, is 1-0 with a 2.55 ERA over 24 2/3 innings in four outings this year with Triple-A Columbus. Yanks look better in this one relief and pitching should overcome the Indians hitting advantage.
3) Houston Astros vs Detroit Tigers – Detroit Tigers – favourite pick. PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Bud Norris (4-3, 3.40 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Anibal Sanchez (3-3, 1.97)
Norris received a no-decision against Detroit on May 3 when he allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings. He struck out a season-best seven and matched a season high with three walks. Norris defeated the Los Angeles Angels in his last start when he allowed one run over eight innings. He has given up two earned runs or fewer in six of his eight outings.
Sanchez has lost back-to-back starts since striking out a career-high 17 in eight innings against Atlanta on April 26. He has 34 strikeouts in his last 20 innings. Sanchez has allowed two or fewer earned runs in six of his seven starts. He is 3-1 with a 2.08 ERA in seven career starts against the Astros. DEtroit all the way.
4) Brewers vs Pirates – Pirates – favourite pick. PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Marco Estrada (2-2, 6.05 ERA) vs. Pirates RH A.J. Burnett (3-3, 2.57)
The Brewers gave Estrada two extra days to allow for an added bullpen session between starts after he was roughed up by St. Louis on May 5. The right-hander yielded season highs in runs (eight) and walks (five) while also allowing six hits over a season-low 3 1/3 innings in a 10-1 setback. Estrada, who is 3-0 with a 2.70 ERA in nine appearances (six starts) against Pittsburgh, was marginally better in a win on April 30 against the Pirates, surrendering five runs and seven hits over five frames.
Burnett took the loss in Wednesday’s 2-1 setback against Seattle, giving up two hits and walking four over seven innings while striking out nine. The right-hander has allowed two runs or fewer in each of his last five turns and pitched six or more innings in all but one outing. The NL leader in strikeouts (66) has fanned at least nine batters in four starts and struck out at least six in every outing. Burnett has struggled against Milwaukee, however, going 2-4 with a 4.99 ERA in nine career starts.
5) Mets vs Cardinals - Cardinals - favourite pick.PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Jeremy Hefner (0-4, 4.63 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Lance Lynn (5-1, 2.72)
Hefner had put together back-to-back strong starts before falling off last week in a loss to the Chicago White Sox. The right-hander was reached for four runs and eight hits in six innings. Hefner has gotten more than three runs of support twice in his six starts. He has never faced St. Louis and is 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA on the road this season.
Lynn had a 10-game winning streak snapped due to some poor support last time out, when he allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings at the Chicago Cubs. The right-hander celebrated his 26th birthday on Sunday and has surrendered two or fewer runs in five of his seven starts. Lynn has made three appearances (one start) in his career against the Mets and has yet to earn a win while carrying one loss and a 3.86 ERA. Cardinals for hitting, pitching and relief all by enough to dominate
6) Rockies vs Cubs – Rockies - PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Juan Nicasio (3-0, 4.72 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Travis Wood (3-2, 2.33)
Nicasio hasn’t recorded an out in the sixth inning since his first outing of the season. He went five innings his last time out, allowing two runs on two hits in a no-decision against the New York Yankees. Nicasio has never faced the Cubs, but he is 3-0 with a 2.04 ERA in six starts against NL Central teams.
Wood shut down St. Louis his last time out, holding the Cardinals to one run on five hits over 6 2/3 innings to earn his third win. He racked up a season-high eight strikeouts in his seventh consecutive quality start to begin the season. Wood is 0-1 with a 2.77 ERA in three games (two starts) against the Rockies. The Cubs have the advantage in pitching but it looks like the rockies hitting and relief maybe enough to overcome this – Rockies by a bit
7) White Sox vs Twins - White Sox – evens pick. PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox LH Hector Santiago (1-1, 1.69 ERA) vs. Twins LH Pedro Hernandez (1-0, 5.96)
Santiago is making his third start since filling in for an injured Jake Peavy. He allowed one run on two hits in 5 1/3 innings against Texas in his first start and topped that last time out. He held his own in a pitching duel with Mets ace Matt Harvey, tossing seven scoreless innings of four-hit ball while striking out eight. Santiago has made nine appearances overall, striking out 25 batters and walking seven in 26 2/3 innings.
Hernandez is coming off back-to-back rocky outings. He lasted only two innings and was pounded for six runs by Boston last time out despite being given leads of 4-0 and 11-5. He also was roughed up in his previous start, allowing five runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings at Cleveland. Hernandez’s best outing came in his only home start, when he limited the Texas Rangers to five hits in five scoreless innings on April 27. Pitching for White Sox, hitting has swing arround to evens for the sox and relief is evens as well. White Sox
8) Braves vs Diamondbacks – Diamondbacks – evens pick PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves LH Mike Minor (4-2, 2.96 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks LH Wade Miley (3-1, 2.93)
Minor continued his strong start last Wednesday against the Reds, striking out seven and giving up one run over seven innings while throwing a career-high 117 pitches. The 25-year-old lefty has had excellent control, walking just eight in 45 2/3 innings. Minor won his only start against Arizona last season, allowing one earned run while striking out nine over eight innings on April 19. He’s picked up where he left off last season, when he had a 2.16 ERA in 14 starts after the All-Star break.
After walking 10 batters in his previous 9 1/3 innings, Miley threw 75 of his 102 pitches for strikes and threw 7 2/3 innings without a walk against the Dodgers last Wednesday. “I just quit thinking,” Miley told reporters. “That was pretty much it. I just kind of got caught up and was losing it out there trying to do too much and be too perfect.” In two home starts, Miley is 1-0 with 1.64 ERA with 10 walks and eight strikeouts. He’s 0-1 with a 12.71 ERA in two career games (one start) against the Braves. Dbacks for Relief and pitching and Braves for hitting – Dbacks
9) Nationals vs Dodgers – Nationals – favourite pick. PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Jordan Zimmermann (6-1, 1.59 ERA) vs. Dodgers RH Josh Beckett (0-4, 5.13)
Zimmermann has been one of the hottest pitchers in the major leagues. He has allowed one earned run in his last 25 innings and that included starts against division leaders Atlanta and Detroit and second-place Cincinnati. A key to his success has been a more economical approach to his starts. He’s averaging 13.3 pitches per inning this spring compared to 15.8 last year. He pitched well against the visiting Dodgers last September, taking advantage of seven days’ rest to allow one run in six innings of a 3-1 victory. His only other appearance against the Dodgers came in his rookie season in 2009.
The last time Beckett ventured this far into a season without recording a victory was in 2002, his first full season in the major leagues. He didn’t earn win No. 1 that season until May 14. Beckett, who will turn 33 on Wednesday, has pitched well enough at times this season to claim a win. He’s 7-2 in 16 career starts against Washington/Montreal with a 2.46 ERA. He also faced the Nationals in September, taking a 6-0 lead into the eighth inning before giving up three earned runs in a six-run inning that cost him the victory, though the Dodgers scored in the ninth to win 7-6.
10) Rangers vs Athletics - Rangers underdog pick. PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Justin Grimm (2-2, 3.45 ERA) vs. Athletics RH A.J. Griffin (3-3, 3.83)
Grimm has lost back-to-back starts after winning his previous two outings. He allowed five runs and eight hits in five innings while losing to Milwaukee in his last start. Grimm has 31 strikeouts in 28 2/3 innings. He gave up one run in a three-inning relief stint last season in his only career outing against Oakland.
Griffin has lost three of his last four starts. He allowed two homers in each of the three defeats and has given up only one in his other four outings. Griffin allowed four runs (three earned) and six hits in 6 2/3 innings while falling to Cleveland in his last turn. He had a 4.15 ERA in two no-decisions against Texas last season. Pitching and relief Athletics and Rangers hitting = Rangers by a bit
11) KC vs LA Angels = LA ANgels – underdog pick. PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Luis Mendoza (0-2, 6.38 ERA) vs. Angels RH Joe Blanton (0-6, 5.66)
Mendoza had a strong season debut, giving up one run and two hits in six innings at Philadelphia, but he has regressed since. He was hurt by two errors and a wild pitch in his last outing against Baltimore and was charged with five runs (three earned) on only five hits in six innings. In his previous start at Tampa Bay, he lasted only four innings and served up three homers. He has been stung by the long ball against the Angels, surrendering three in 9 2/3 innings spanning five appearances (two starts).
Los Angeles has lost all seven of Blanton’s starts, even though he has pitched much better in his last three outings. Blanton has lost three straight starts but has yielded a total of eight earned runs in that span and pitched at least six innings in each. He went 6 2/3 innings his last time out against Houston, giving up three runs on eight hits. Blanton has enjoyed success in his career against the Royals, logging a 3-1 record and 1.76 ERA in four starts. The Angels have a small advantage in pitching, hitting and relief – Angels but really stay away
