GAME: Cincinnati Reds (40-51) at Cleveland Indians (49-40)
DATE/TIME: Tuesday, July 10 – 7:10 PM EST
WHERE: Progressive Field, Cleveland, Ohio

TV: 7:10 PM
LINE: -230
PREDICTION: CLEVELAND , CINCINNATI

Oddsmakers currently have the CLEVELAND listed as -230 point favorites versus the CINCINNATI, while the game’s total is sitting at 9.

After being on the wrong end of comebacks in each of their previous two games, the Cincinnati Reds shut down yet another late rally just in time in the opener of their interleague series with the Cleveland Indians. The Reds may not have any margin for error in the second contest of the three-game set in Cleveland on Tuesday, however, as Trevor Bauer tries to stop the Indians’ three-game slide.

Cincinnati let a five-run advantage slip away Saturday and could not hold on to the lead on two occasions Sunday against the Chicago Cubs, dropping two of three over the weekend to end their 4-0-1 run in series play since June 19. The Reds nearly let another one get away Monday after going ahead 7-1 in the ninth inning, as the Indians struck for four runs in the bottom of the frame before Raisel Iglesias struck out Jose Ramirez with a runner on to end the threat. Bauer is 6-3 with a 2.05 ERA while averaging 12.7 strikeouts per nine innings over his last 10 starts and has surrendered only five homers this season – none in his last six outings. He’ll be tasked with trying to stop the Indians’ three-game home losing streak – the longest for the club since a five-game skid from May 16-27, 2017.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Sal Romano (5-8, 5.40 ERA) vs. Indians RH Trevor Bauer (8-6, 2.45)

Romano continued to benefit from his offense in Wednesday’s victory over the Chicago White Sox, recording the win despite surrendering a pair of homers among the four runs he allowed in five frames. The 24-year-old has given up 11 runs over his last three turns but is 2-1 over his last five outings in part because Cincinnati has averaged 6.2 runs in those contests. Romano is 2-2 with a 3.77 ERA in five career interleague starts as he faces Cleveland for the first time.

Bauer struck out at least eight for the eighth straight outing and won for the third time in his last four trips to the mound Wednesday in Kansas City, allowing two runs while fanning eight over 7 2/3 innings. The UCLA product, who was named to his first All-Star team over the weekend, ranks third in the American League with 156 strikeouts. Joey Votto (3-for-8) has homered while Eugenio Suarez (1-for-10) has struggled versus Bauer, who yielded two runs in 5 1/3 frames last year in his only career start against Cincinnati.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Reds are 9-2 in interleague play this season after going 5-15 against the AL in 2017.

2. Cleveland OF Michael Brantley hasn’t homered in a season-high 24 straight games after hitting 11 in his first 54 contests, but the three-time All-Star has as many RBIs as strikeouts over that span (10).

3. Votto hit his 266th career home run Monday to move past Matt Stairs for second place on the all-time list among Canadian-born players.

PREDICTION: Indians 6, Reds 2

The post CINCINNATI vs. CLEVELAND 7/10/2018 MLB Odds, Pick & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

GAME: St. Louis Cardinals (46-43) at Chicago White Sox (30-60)
DATE/TIME: Tuesday, July 10 – 8:10 PM EST
WHERE: Guaranteed Rate Field, Chicago, Illinois

TV: 8:10 PM
LINE: 165
PREDICTION: CHI WHITE SOX , ST LOUIS

Oddsmakers currently have the CHI WHITE SOX listed as 165 point favorites versus the ST LOUIS, while the game’s total is sitting at 9.5.

The St. Louis Cardinals look to provide the finishing kick on the final leg of their season-long nine-game road trip Tuesday when they play the opener of their abbreviated two-game interleague series against the Chicago White Sox (30-60). St. Louis (46-43) won four of its first six contests on the trek before dropping a 13-8 decision at San Francisco on Sunday.

Matt Carpenter has shifted into a higher gear after limping out to the worst start of his career, highlighted by a pinch-hit three-run homer in Sunday’s setback to improve to .298 over his last 59 games. Carpenter, who paces the Cardinals in nearly every major offensive category, will bid for a fourth All-Star appearance as he competes in the National League’s Final Vote. Jose Abreu booked his second All-Star appearance and first as a starter, marking the first member of the White Sox to earn the latter honor since Hall of Famer Frank Thomas won the fan election at first base in 1996. Abreu, however, is mired in a 2-for-23 stretch with six strikeouts over his last seven contests for the slumping White Sox, who have dropped five in a row.


TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FS Midwest (St. Louis), WGN (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Miles Mikolas (9-3, 2.63 ERA) vs. White Sox RH Dylan Covey (3-4, 5.54)

Mikolas was selected to his first All-Star Game on Sunday, four days removed from allowing two runs over six innings and overcoming a career-high four walks in an 8-4 victory at Arizona. The number of free passes likely was quite a surprise for the 29-year-old, who didn’t issue more than two walks in any outing this season. Mikolas will get his first look at the White Sox, however he owns a 2-0 career mark with a 1.99 ERA in five interleague outings.

Covey’s good fortune has soured over his last four starts as he owns an 0-3 record with a bloated 13.20 ERA after yielding 22 earned runs on 21 hits — including six homers — and 13 walks in his last 15 innings. The 26-year-old answered being taken deep four times against Texas on June 29 by getting blitzed for six runs in 3 2/3 frames of a 7-4 setback at Cincinnati on Wednesday. Covey has yet to face St. Louis in his career and has posted an 0-2 mark with a 7.16 ERA in five interleague encounters (four starts).

WALK-OFFS

1. Chicago 2B Yoan Moncada, who had a two-run double in a 3-2 loss to St. Louis on May 1, has a homer, six RBIs and six runs scored during his seven-game hitting streak.

2. Cardinals C Yadier Molina is expected to return to the lineup Tuesday after missing the last two contests because of shoulder soreness.

3. White Sox INF Yolmer Sanchez, who had an RBI single in a 3-2 setback to St. Louis on May 2, has reached base in each of his last seven games.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 6, White Sox 2

The post ST LOUIS vs. CHI WHITE SOX 7/10/2018 MLB Odds, Pick & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

GAME: Seattle Mariners (57-34) at Los Angeles Angels (46-45)
DATE/TIME: Tuesday, July 10 – 10:07 PM EST
WHERE: Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, California

TV: 10:05 PM
LINE: -150
PREDICTION: LA ANGELS , SEATTLE

Oddsmakers currently have the LA ANGELS listed as -150 point favorites versus the SEATTLE, while the game’s total is sitting at 8.

Twenty-three games over .500 only gets a team the fourth-best record in the American League, and the Seattle Mariners are determined to move up in the standings. The Mariners will begin another push when they kick off a six-game road trip to close the first half by visiting the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday.

Seattle had some trouble scoring against Colorado to end its homestand but finally got the bats moving Sunday and earned a 6-4 victory to avoid a sweep. Nelson Cruz scored a pair of runs in the win and headlines a trio of Mariners that were announced to the AL All-Star roster Sunday, including right fielder Mitch Haniger and closer Edwin Diaz. The Angels only have one representative on the initial All-Star roster, but center fielder Mike Trout is the AL’s marquee player as he gets set for his seventh All-Star appearance in as many seasons and heads into the series against Seattle looking to do damage after struggling to 2-for-10 with three strikeouts at the Mariners last week. Trying to stop Trout on Tuesday will be Mariners right-hander Mike Leake, who opposes Los Angeles righty Garrett Richards.

TV: 10:07 p.m. ET, ROOT Northwest (Seattle), FS West (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Mike Leake (8-5, 4.11 ERA) vs. Angels RH Garrett Richards (5-4, 3.42)

Leake had a string of eight straight starts lasting at least six innings come to an end with a loss to the Angels on Wednesday. The Arizona State product was reached for four runs (three earned) on nine hits and one walk in four innings while squandering an early lead. Leake allowed two or fewer earned runs in seven of his previous eight outings, including a win over Los Angeles on June 12 in which he scattered one run and four hits over six frames.

Richards came off the disabled list after over a month because of a left hamstring strain Wednesday and went up against Leake at Seattle. Richards struck out eight in 5 1/3 innings while allowing three runs (two earned) and four hits to earn his first win since May 4, which also came at Seattle. The 30-year-old is 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA and 18 strikeouts over 14 innings in three starts against the Mariners this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Angels SS Andrelton Simmons and Mariners SS Jean Segura are on the Final Vote ballot for the last AL All-Star spot.

2. Diaz struck out the side in three of his last four appearances.

3. Los Angeles RF Kole Calhoun is 0-for-13 over the last four games, dropping his batting average to .170.

PREDICTION: Angels 5, Mariners 3

The post SEATTLE vs. LA ANGELS 7/10/2018 MLB Odds, Pick & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

GAME: Houston Astros (106-62) at New York Yankees (95-75)
DATE/TIME: Monday, October 16 – 8:00 PM EST
WHERE: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS1
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Charlie Morton (0-0, 4.15 ERA) vs. Yankees LH CC Sabathia (0-0, 3.72)
LINE: -135
PREDICTION: Yankees 5, Astros 3

Oddsmakers currently have the NY YANKEES listed as -135 point favorites versus the HOUSTON, while the game’s total is sitting at 8.5.

NEW YORK — For the second straight week, the New York Yankees are returning home facing a 2-0 deficit against an opponent who won at least 100 games in the regular season.

After rallying against the 102-win Cleveland Indians, the question is can New York do it again in the American League Championship Series against the 101-win Houston Astros?

The Yankees get their first opportunity to climb out of their deficit Monday night when they host Houston in Game 3.

The Yankees are down 2-0 in a best-of-seven for the ninth time and second straight time in the ALCS. In 2012, they were swept by the Detroit Tigers after beating the Baltimore Orioles in the fifth game of the ALDS.

After a pair of 2-1 losses in Houston when the Yankees did little offensively against Dallas Keuchel and Justin Verlander, they are looking to win their fifth best-of-seven series when losing the first two games. The Yankees won the World Series in 1996, 1978, 1958 and 1956 after dropping the first two games.

WALK-OFFS

1. Judge is 2-for-27 with 19 strikeouts in his last seven games.

2. Houston CF George Springer (0-for-7) and RF Josh Reddick (0-for-8) are hitless in the series from the top two spots in the batting order.

3. New York RHP Luis Severino worked only four innings in Game 2 due to being hit by a comebacker in the left wrist and appearing to have trouble loosening his right shoulder.

New York enters Game 3 hitting .159 (10-for-63) with 27 strikeouts, four walks and 16 total bases. New York entered Game 3 against the Indians hitting .179 (14-for-78) with 26 strikeouts and 25 total bases.

“We have a whole lot of baseball left to play with a seven-game series,” Yankees left fielder Brett Gardner said.. “We’re going back home. We’ve played really well at home all year, especially recently. We haven’t lost a playoff game there yet. Hopefully we can keep that streak going.”

The Yankees will hope to include Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez in their home success.

Judge is 1-for-7 with three strikeouts in this series, and 2-for-27 with 19 strikeouts since getting two hits in the wild-card game against the Minnesota Twins. Sanchez is 0-for-7 in this series, 4-for-30 since the wild-card game and hitless in his last 12 at-bats since homering in the sixth inning of Game 4 against Cleveland last Monday.

“I think they’re seeing a lot of good pitching,” New York manager Joe Girardi said. “They’re making good pitches on those kids.”

Said Judge: “Everyone wants to hit 1,000. I think you can ask everyone in this room. I think they’re not satisfied with their stats.”

The Astros are hitting .190 in the series after batting .333 in the ALDS against Boston.

Jose Altuve is 5-for-8 in this series after going 8-for-15 in the ALDS while Carlos Correa is 3-for-7 with three RBI, including a homer and the game-winning double that scored Altuve from first base Saturday.

Houston’s dynamic middle infield has put the Astros up 2-0 in a best-of-seven series for the first time in team history. Since the format expanded to best of seven, teams with a 2-0 lead in the LCS have won 25 of 28 series.

“They’re going to be loud,” said Astros catcher Brian McCann, who played the previous three seasons in New York. “We took care of business at home, and now we need to go on the road and continue to play good baseball. The Yankees are a team that has been here before, so we need to continue to play good baseball and show up and expect to win.”

Houston would also like to get some more offense from others beyond Altuve and Correa. Houston’s other hitters are a combined 3-for-43 against New York, which has posted a 2.20 ERA.

During the regular season, the Astros led the majors in runs and scored 24 runs on 18 extra-base hits in the ALDS

“We have just been able to stay present in the moment and win the games the way that they needed to be won,” Houston manager A.J. Hinch said. “We can’t ask their pitching to sit it out there over the plate and give up the home run ball that we’re pretty good at. We just continue to put up good at-bats and see if we can manufacture some runs.”

CC Sabathia, who pitched 4 1/3 innings in the series clincher in Cleveland will start Game 3. He is 3-3 with a 5.85 ERA in seven career starts in the ALCS with five of those starts for the Yankees.

Sabathia did not face the Astros during the regular season and is 2-1 with a 4.15 ERA in three starts against them.

Houston’s pitching has posted a 1.00 ERA and Charlie Morton has a tough act to follow when he starts Monday. He will be pitching two days after Verlander struck out 13 in a 124-pitch five-hitter on Saturday.

Morton started Game 4 of ALDS last Monday in Boston and did not get a decision after allowing two runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings during an 83-pitch outing. During the regular-season, Morton was 14-7 with a 3.62 ERA with a 51.8 percent ground ball rate.

Morton is 1-1 with a 5.68 ERA in two starts against the Yankees. He struck out 10 in a 10-7 win at New York on May 14 when he allowed four runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings.

The post Houston Astros vs. New York Yankees 10/16/2017 League Championship appeared first on IdealCapper.

GAME: New York Yankees (95-73) at Houston Astros (104-62)
DATE/TIME: Friday, October 13 – 8:00 PM EST
WHERE: Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Masahiro Tanaka (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (1-0, 1.59)
LINE: -175
PREDICTION: Astros 6, Yankees 2

Oddsmakers currently have the HOUSTON listed as -175 point favorites versus the NY YANKEES, while the game’s total is sitting at 8.5.

HOUSTON — It was difficult to determine whether Astros left-hander Dallas Keuchel was entertained or exhausted by the number of times he was asked the same question on Thursday, a query seeking perspective on his career success against the New York Yankees.

“I’ve been asked that question like 10 times already,” he said with an indecipherable smile.

Keuchel is 4-2 with a 1.41 ERA over six career starts against the Yankees, against whom he will start in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series on Friday at Minute Maid Park. He has totaled 45 strikeouts against only six walks over 44 2/3 innings vs. New York.

In his lone postseason start against the Yankees, Keuchel twirled six shutout innings with seven strikeouts in the 2015 AL wild-card game, a 3-0 Astros victory at Yankee Stadium.

On May 11, he limited the Yankees to five hits, one walk and one unearned run with nine strikeouts over six innings in a 3-2 victory.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Astros took five of the seven meetings during the regular season, including two of three at home.

2. New York RF Aaron Judge went 1-for-20 in the ALDS and set a record with 16 strikeouts in a postseason series.

3. Houston 2B Jose Altuve went 8-for-15 with three homers, five runs scored and four RBIs in the ALDS.

Combine those performances with his routinely splendid work at home, and a picture develops as to why Astros manager A.J. Hinch is confident handing Keuchel the ball for the opener. Keuchel, meanwhile, boiled his consistency down to exceptional pitching unrelated to the opponent.

“It’s not just because it’s the Yankees,” Keuchel said. “I think it’s just been a culmination of command, location, maybe a little bit more confidence. And just because it’s the Yankees you kind of get a little bit more amped and a little more jittery because it is the pinstripes and such a storied organization.

“But I think it’s just a coincidence that my command and location have been better than what it usually is against them.”

By winning the AL Division Series over the Boston Red Sox in four games, the Astros set the stage for their desired matchup. Keuchel was slated to start Game 5 before the Astros rallied to a 5-4 victory on Monday at Fenway Park. That result allowed Hinch to rejigger his rotation, flipping Keuchel and right-hander Justin Verlander, who started the opener against Boston.

“Dallas Keuchel has been remarkable as an Astro, he’s been remarkable in my three years here,” Hinch said. “We hand him the ball and the entire room knows we have a chance to win.

“So, we’re well aware he’s had success against the Yankees, we’re very confident in this ballpark. He’s pitched extraordinarily.”

Right-hander Masahiro Tanaka will get the start for the Yankees in part due to his recent success and also as a reflection of some long-term planning by Yankees manager Joe Girardi. New York advanced to the ALCS by overcoming a 2-0 ALDS deficit against Cleveland Indians, taking the decisive Game 5 on Wednesday, 5-2.

Tanaka pitched the Yankees to a 1-0 win over the Indians in Game 3 by working seven shutout innings, allowing three hits and one walk with seven strikeouts. Tanaka also twirled seven shutout frames in his last start of the regular season, defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 4-0.

By scheduling Tanaka for the opener, Girardi can also slot him for Game 5 (if necessary) at Yankee Stadium. Tanaka was 9-5 with a 3.22 ERA over 15 regular-season home starts but 4-7 with a 6.48 ERA over 15 road starts in 2017. He is 0-2 with a 10.38 ERA over four career starts against Houston.

In his lone appearance vs. the Astros this year, Tanaka allowed eight runs on seven hits in 1 2/3 innings during a 10-7 loss on May 14.

“Just going into the big game tomorrow, you don’t want to sort of have that negative feeling,” Tanaka said Thursday of his past struggles against Houston. “So to be honest, I really don’t want — it’s not something I really want to get into. But what I can say is that I feel like I’m a different pitcher from that particular game earlier in the season.”

Somewhat negating the Keuchel Effect for the Yankees is their youth movement and subsequently surprise run to the ALCS. Of the nine Yankees to record double-digit at-bats in the ALDS, only four were in the lineup against Keuchel two postseasons ago: left fielder Brett Gardner, third baseman Chase Headley, first baseman Greg Bird and shortstop Didi Gregorius.

In the interim, the Yankees added twentysomethings Gary Sanchez, Aaron Judge and Starlin Castro to positive results, though Judge struggled in the ALDS. The American League home run leader went 1-for-20 with 16 strikeouts in five games against the Indians.

“We went through some transition here where we have had an older club and … we made some trades to improve the club, the talent level in the minor leagues,” Girardi said. “And these kids have started to come up and make an impact.”

The post New York Yankees vs. Houston Astros 10/13/2017 League Championship appeared first on IdealCapper.

GAME: Chicago Cubs (94-72) at Washington Nationals (99-67)
DATE/TIME: Thursday, October 12 – 8:00 PM EST
WHERE: Nationals Park, Washington, District of Columbia

TV: 8:08 p.m. ET, TBS
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Kyle Hendricks (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. TBA
LINE: -190
PREDICTION: Nationals 3, Cubs 2

Oddsmakers currently have the Cubs listed as -190 point favorites versus the Nationals, while the game’s total is sitting at 5.5.

CHICAGO — The Nationals have yet to reach the National League Championship Series, as they were eliminated in the NL Division Series in each of their previous three postseason appearances since moving to Washington.

However, when the Nationals face the Chicago Cubs in the deciding game of the best-of-five NLDS on Thursday night in Washington, their past playoff shortcomings won’t factor into their confidence.

At stake is a chance to advance to the NLCS to face the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Washington, after staving off elimination behind a dominant performance by right-hander Stephen Strasburg on Wednesday in a 5-0 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field, will continue to focus on the business at hand.

Anything else — including attempting to make franchise history — doesn’t matter.

WALK-OFFS

1. Washington OF Michael A. Taylor’s eighth-inning blast in Game 4 was the first postseason grand slam in franchise history.

2. Cubs 3B Kris Bryant is 3-for-15 with nine strikeouts in the series.

3. The Nationals have scored nine of their 12 runs in the series in the eighth inning.

“I’ve kind of said this all year — I don’t believe in that because it’s a different team every year,” Nationals shortstop Trea Turner said of the club’s past. “You play different teams, different players, trades, free agents — whatever it may be.

“It doesn’t really matter (what happened in prior years). … Whoever plays better, whoever executes more, you’re going to move on.”

Nationals manager Dusty Baker said Wednesday he hasn’t yet decided who will start for his team Thursday in the winner-take-all game. After Strasburg bumped right-hander Tanner Roark from his scheduled start on Wednesday, Baker said Roark could be a candidate to start Thursday against the Cubs.

But so could Gio Gonzalez, who took a no-decision in Game 2 of the NLDS. The left-hander allowed three runs and three hits over five innings, striking out six and walking two.

“We’re going to make up our mind, see the condition of everybody,” Baker said.

The Cubs faced elimination during the 2016 World Series after falling behind three games to one against the Cleveland Indians. Now, after failing to close out the Nationals at home on Wednesday night, manager Joe Maddon said he would attempt to keep his players even-keeled as they look to advance to the NLCS for the third straight year.

Chicago right-hander Kyle Hendricks, who got the win in Game 1 when he allowed just two hits and struck out six over seven innings, will start Game 5. Hendricks is 2-2 in five career starts against the Nationals and is 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA against Washington this season, including the victory last week in Washington.

Given the fact his team has staved off elimination before, Maddon and his players are confident heading into Thursday. Yet after scoring just two runs in the last two games, the Cubs know they must be better on offense if they are to give Hendricks the support he needs.

“Our guys are ready to play,” Maddon said after the Wednesday game. “It’s been a really interesting series. Both teams have reflected one another pretty closely, and they got us tonight, and we have to fly back east and try to get them tomorrow night.”

The Nationals face the same challenge.

“As a team, we feel good,” said Michael A. Taylor, whose grand slam extended Washington’s lead in Game 4. “We talked about it a little before the game about taking it one game at a time, and obviously, today was a necessary step to take it back to D.C. … We’re going back, and we’d just like to have another quality game.”

The post Chicago Cubs vs. Washington Nationals 10/12/2017 Divisional Playoff appeared first on IdealCapper.

GAME: Washington Nationals (98-67) at Chicago Cubs (94-71)
DATE/TIME: Wednesday, October 11 – 4:00 PM EST
WHERE: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois

TV: 4 p.m. ET, TBS
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Tanner Roark (13-11, 4.67 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Jake Arrieta (14-10, 3.53)
LINE: -150
PREDICTION: Cubs 4, Nationals 3

Oddsmakers currently have the CHICAGO CUBS listed as -150 point favorites versus the WASHINGTON, while the game’s total is sitting at 7.5.

CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs entered Tuesday’s schedule Game 4 of the National League Division Series hoping to close out the Washington Nationals and advance to the NL Championship Series for the third consecutive season.

The Nationals were just hoping to play another day.

After rain washed out Tuesday’s game at Wrigley Field, the Nationals got their wish while the Cubs’ plans were put on hold. The Cubs, with their two-games-to-one lead, and Nationals will resume their best-of-five series Wednesday afternoon. They will play a deciding Game 5 on Thursday in Washington, if the Nationals win Wednesday.

“You’re playing the most important games of the year — you want to play in better weather,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said after Tuesday’s game was postponed. “Whatever (the weather) is, you’ve just got to get ready and go ahead and do it. There is no crying. You just go play.”

The Cubs, who lead the series 2-1, will turn to their scheduled Game 4 starter, Jake Arrieta, on Wednesday looking to finish off the series. Arrieta, who missed 2 1/2 weeks with a right hamstring injury, recently threw two bullpen sessions and said Monday the injury would be a non-issue against the Nationals.

Arrieta dropped his only decision of the season to the Nationals and is 1-2 with a 5.48 ERA in nine career starts against Washington.

With his team’s season on the line, Nationals manager Dusty Baker will stick with scheduled Game 4 starter Tanner Roark. Baker said earlier Tuesday that he would consider sending Stephen Strasburg to the mound if the game was pushed to Wednesday.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo has hit safely in nine straight postseason games, going 13-for-33 during the streak.

2. Washington 1B Ryan Zimmerman has driven in four of the Nationals’ seven runs in the series.

3. Cubs RHP Wade Davis improved to 6-for-6 in career postseason save opportunities on Monday and has posted a 0.79 ERA in 25 playoff games.

Strasburg held the Cubs without a hit for 5 2/3 innings in Game 1 before Chicago pulled out a 3-0 victory.

But after Tuesday’s game was pushed back to Wednesday, Baker announced Roark will remain the Game 4 starter. Asked about Strasburg’s availability — even out of the bullpen — Baker said Strasburg was “under the weather” and cited a change in weather, air conditioning in the team hotel and mold in Chicago.

Baker said Strasburg will start Game 5 if the series shifts back to Washington.

“I’m thinking Tanner’s going to do his thing,” Baker said.

Roark is 4-2 in seven career starts against the Cubs and is 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA against Chicago this season.

Tuesday’s game was officially called 35 minutes after it was scheduled to begin. With rain forecast throughout the evening, Joe Torre — Major League Baseball’s chief baseball officer — said there was not enough of a window without rain to begin the game with hopes of getting it in.

Torre said that not burning either of Tuesday’s starting pitchers also played a factor in the decision not to begin the game even though rain did not start falling until shortly before the postponement announcement was made.

“Sure, we wanted to play — I think everybody wanted to play,” Torre said. “But we certainly didn’t want to play at a cost, especially in postseason.”

Torre said both Maddon and Baker, along with both team’s general managers, were part of an initial meeting on Tuesday concerning the outlook of getting the game in. But once the forecast called for no halt in the rain in the foreseeable future Tuesday night, the decision was made to resume the series on Wednesday.

The winner of the series will face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS. The Dodgers will gain an extra day of rest after closing out the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night.

“Both these teams, between us and Washington, I think whoever wins this series, we’ll be ready for that moment (to face the Dodgers),” Maddon said.

The post Washington Nationals vs. Chicago Cubs 10/11/2017 Divisional Playoff appeared first on IdealCapper.

GAME: New York Yankees (94-73) at Cleveland Indians (104-62)
DATE/TIME: Wednesday, October 11 – 8:00 PM EST
WHERE: Progressive Field, Cleveland, Ohio

TV: 8:08 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1
PITCHING MACHUP: Yankees LH CC Sabathia (0-0, 3.38 ERA) vs. Indians RH Corey Kluber (0-0, 20.25)
LINE: -190
PREDICTION: Indians 3, Yankees 2

Oddsmakers currently have the CLEVELAND listed as -190 point favorites versus the NY YANKEES, while the game’s total is sitting at 7.5.

CLEVELAND — The final chapter of the drama is about to be written.

Wednesday night at Progressive Field, the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians will play a winner-take-all Game 5 in the best-of-five American League Division Series that is tied 2-2.

The home team has won all four games so far. The Indians took the first two games in Cleveland, then the series shifted to New York, where the Yankees won Games 3 and 4.

“We did the only thing that we could do,” Yankees designated hitter Chase Headley said. “We came home down 0-2, and we’re going back there 2-2. That’s the best thing we could possibly do, and we feel good about that.”

The Indians, who lost at home to the Chicago Cubs in 10 innings in Game 7 of last year’s World Series, will try to avoid a similar disappointment Wednesday night.

“At this point, to be honest, we really don’t have a choice,” Indians outfielder Jay Bruce said. “After Game 5, there is no tomorrow when it comes to the series. We’re going to come out ready to play. What’s done is done.”

WALK-OFFS

1. AL home run leader and Yankees RF Aaron Judge is 1-for-15 with 12 strikeouts in the series and is still looking for his first homer.

2. Indians DH Edwin Encarnacion (ankle) sat out the last two games and will have his availability re-evaluated prior to Game 5.

3. Cleveland committed four errors that led to six unearned runs in Game 4’s 7-3 loss.

The Houston Astros await the New York-Cleveland winner in the American League Championship Series.

The Wednesday pitching matchup will be a Game 2 rematch of former Cy Young Award winners: the Yankees’ CC Sabathia vs. the Indians’ Corey Kluber.

In Game 2, Sabathia was effective while Kluber had his worst start of the year. Sabathia pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing just three hits and two earned runs.

Kluber, the AL Cy Young Award favorite, only pitched 2 2/3 innings, giving up seven hits and six earned runs.

Even though the Indians eventually won Game 2 by a 9-8 score in 13 innings, Cleveland will need Kluber to pitch like an ace Wednesday as it bids to advance to the ALCS.

Asked what he needs to correct from his Game 2 performance, Kluber said, “Everything. I didn’t pitch well, didn’t have good command, didn’t throw the ball where I wanted to.”

Indians manager Terry Francona specifically set up his ALDS rotation to have Kluber available to pitch in a potential Game 5 on his normal four days’ rest. That was why Kluber started Game 2 instead of Game 1.

“We wanted Kluber if we got to this game, and we got to this game,” Francona said.

Francona said he held a team meeting after the Indians made four errors, resulting in six unearned runs, in an ugly 7-3 loss in Game 3.

“It wasn’t fire and brimstone. It wasn’t yelling,” Francona said. “It was just, hey, remind them of who we are and that we can figure things out together. We’re playing a good team, and we respect that. But our challenge is to play the best game we can, and I think we will.”

The Yankees come into the game with lots of momentum, having won the last two games.

“Momentum a lot of times depends on your starting pitching,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “CC, I thought, threw a pretty good game here the last time. And CC’s used to these big moments, so we feel good about him on the mound.”

Sabathia spent the first 7 1/2 years of his career with the Indians.

“I’ve pitched here a lot, so I’m very familiar with the city,” he said. “A lot of who I am as an adult male, Cleveland kind of shaped that. Three of my kids were born here. I have a lot of history in the city. So it will be a lot of fun to take the ball in Game 5 and hopefully get a win.”

The Indians hope to have designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion back in the lineup for Game 5. Encarnacion, who had 38 home runs and 107 RBI in the regular season, missed the past two games with a sprained ankle.

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GAME: Washington Nationals (98-66) at Chicago Cubs (93-71)
DATE/TIME: Monday, October 09 – 4:00 PM EST
WHERE: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois

TV: 4:08 p.m. ET, TBS
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Max Scherzer (16-6, 2.51 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Jose Quintana (11-11, 4.15)
LINE: 100
PREDICTION: Cubs 2, Nationals 1

Oddsmakers currently have the CHICAGO CUBS listed as 100 point favorites versus the WASHINGTON, while the game’s total is sitting at 7.5.

CHICAGO — During the Washington Nationals’ first two postseason games against the Chicago Cubs, star pitcher Max Scherzer has been relegated to the role of observer, unable to take an active role.

But after two days of “champing at the bit” to take the mound Monday as the deadlocked best-of-five National League Division series shifts to Wrigley Field, Scherzer is confident he can give the Nationals everything they’ve come to expect from their ace.

Scherzer hasn’t pitched since Sept. 30 when he left his final regular-season start with what he referred to at the time as a “small tweak” in his right hamstring. The reigning National League Cy Young winner was scheduled to pitch Game 1 against the Cubs, but was pushed back to Game 3 to provide him extra time to build more strength and endurance in his hamstring.

In recent days, Scherzer has worked with team trainers to get his hamstring as close to 100 percent in order to give him every chance to work as long as Washington needs in Monday’s pivotal Game 3.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cubs 3B Kris Bryant, who is 3-for-8 with a double and an RBI in the series, is 1-for-10 with seven strikeouts versus Scherzer.

2. Zimmerman was 9-for-79 with 23 strikeouts against the Cubs over the past three seasons and had not homered against them since 2013 before his go-ahead blast in Game 2.

3. Quintana has not walked a left-handed batter since July 23, facing 58 lefties during that stretch.

“I’m very confident as soon as I toe the rubber, I’m going to be good on pitch one,” Scherzer said Sunday. “It’s (about) how long can I go without re-injuring this and that’s where we’ve done everything we can to make sure I can throw 100 pitches and not have this happen.

“When I’m on the mound (Monday), I’m fully anticipating being able to throw 100 pitches.”

Scherzer won his only start against the Cubs this season and is 3-1 in six career starts against Chicago.

Nationals manager Dusty Baker said he’s not concerned about Scherzer, but said he will keep a keen eye on any signals that might be telling in how the right-hander is feeling.

Meanwhile, Cubs manager Joe Maddon said he will likely add another left-handed bat to his lineup against Scherzer. Maddon referred to Scherzer as “oppressively difficult” against right-handed hitters.

The Cubs overcame being no-hit for 5 2/3 innings in Game 1 against Stephen Strasburg to pull out a 3-0 victory to take an early series lead. But after the Nationals scored five times in the eighth inning in Saturday’s 6-3 victory to even the series, Cubs left fielder Kyle Schwarber said it’s just a matter of keeping the right approach against Scherzer.

“It’s Scherzer — we all know he’s got good stuff,” Schwarber said. “But we’re not afraid of the name on the back (of the jersey). We’re going to go out and execute what we want at the plate.”

While the Cubs prepare to face Washington’s ace, Chicago will counter with Jose Quintana, who will make his postseason debut. Quintana, who was acquired from the crosstown White Sox in a midseason trade, will face the Nationals for the first time in his career.

Despite Quintana’s lack of playoff experience, Maddon points to performances Quintana made late in the regular season when the Cubs were still in a fight for a Central Division title. Like Scherzer, Quintana will take the mound looking to give his team an edge in the series.

Quintana said he feels no pressure.

“I (will) just go try and get focused, pitch by pitch (and) control my emotions every time,” Quintana said. “I think that’s the huge part for me — especially when it’s my first time here.”

The post Washington Nationals vs. Chicago Cubs 10/9/2017 Divisional Playoff appeared first on IdealCapper.

GAME: Los Angeles Dodgers (106-58) at Arizona Diamondbacks (94-71)
DATE/TIME: Monday, October 09 – 10:00 PM EST
WHERE: Chase Field, Phoenix, Arizona

TV: 10:08 p.m. ET, TBS
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Yu Darvish (10-12, 3.86 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Zack Greinke (playoffs: 0-0, 9.82)
LINE: 100
PREDICTION: Diamondbacks 5, Dodgers 4

Oddsmakers currently have the ARIZONA listed as 100 point favorites versus the LA DODGERS, while the game’s total is sitting at 9.

PHOENIX — The Los Angeles Dodgers held home field in the first two games of the National League Division Series, looking very much like the team that two months ago was on a pace to tie the major league record with 116 victories.

Arizona is hoping that a day off and an efficient Zack Greinke start can turn things around.

Dodgers right-hander Yu Darvish will oppose Greinke when the teams meet in Game 3 of the best-of-five series at Chase Field on Monday, after the Dodgers outscored Arizona 17-10 in the first two games at Dodger Stadium.

“If you have to pick one guy to stop this situation that we’re in, I think we’ve found the right guy in Zack Greinke,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “He’s been that guy for us all year long. We’ve built around him. I know he loves challenges like this. Nobody prepares better.”

WALK-OFFS

1. The Diamondbacks have launched six homers in the series while the Dodgers have hit just one.

2. Los Angeles rookie 1B Cody Bellinger is only 1-for-10 with six strikeouts in the series.

3. Arizona 1B Paul Goldschmidt is just 1-for-7 in the series – the hit being a two-run blast in Game 2.

The Dodgers passed the baton in the first two games. Third baseman Justin Turner had three hits, including a homer, and matched a franchise playoff record five RBI, in a 9-5 Game 1 victory. That helped the Dodgers flex the muscle that led them to a franchise home run record this season.

They played smaller ball in their 8-5 victory in Game 2 on Saturday, when they strung together patient at-bats to knock out Arizona left-hander Robbie Ray, who had handled the Dodgers well this season. However, he entered after making his first relief appearance since 2014.

“We’ll homer when a pitcher makes a mistake,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

“But to spoil pitches and to grind, that’s when I think we’re at our best. It’s that team offense concept. We’ve got a lot of good players and a lot of good depth. There are so many guys in our lineup that can hurt you. Pass it to the next guy. Have that good at-bat. We can stress the pitcher early, get the pitch count up, get into the ‘pen. Putting the ball in play, not punching, taking the walk. We’ve done that the first two games and we put some runs on the board.”

The Dodgers’ 6-8 hitters Logan Forsythe, Austin Barnes and Yasiel Puig were 8-for-12 with five RBI in Game 2, and Puig has a team-high five hits, including a tongue-wagging triple in Game 1.

The Diamondbacks have six homers, four off Clayton Kershaw, who managed his first home postseason victory, regardless.

But the Diamondbacks’ starting pitching has not given them much of a chance, something Greinke needs to do to keep Arizona alive in its first playoff appearance since 2011. Arizona has not won a playoff series since the 2007 NLDS against the Chicago Cubs.

The Dodgers are looking to advance to the NLCS for the second straight year after losing to the Cubs in six games in 2016.

Greinke’s short outing in the NL wild-card game against Colorado has had a ripple effect in this series. Because Greinke could not get out of the fourth inning an 11-8 victory Wednesday, Ray was forced into action in long relief.

So, the D-backs turned Game 1 to Taijuan Walker, who gave up four runs in one inning, and called on Ray in Game 2 three days after he threw 34 pitches in the wild-card game. Ray was not himself. He gave up two earned runs in 19 2/3 innings at Dodger Stadium during the regular season but gave up four while pitching into the fifth inning despite command issues.

Greinke (17-7, 3.20) was 13-1 at home in the regular season, although he has given up 15 hits and 12 runs in his 7 2/3 innings in his last two starts at Chase Field. He could not hold a 6-0 lead in the wild-card game, giving up five hits and four runs in the fourth inning before being removed.

The Dodgers may know Greinke as well as anyone, inasmuch as he spent 2013-15 with them and, along with Kershaw, helped them to three straight playoff appearances. Greinke made six playoff starts with the Dodgers, all quality starts. He allowed as many as three runs only once.

Los Angeles has swung at fewer pitches outside the strike zone than any team in baseball, the numbers say, something Greinke said he noticed while going 1-2 with a 3.65 ERA against them in four starts this season.

“That’s what it seemed like the first couple games (of the NLDS), too,” Greinke said. They wait for a pitch to hit and that’s an ideal way of hitting. If you get it, you hit it as hard as you can. If it’s not a pitch to hit, they take it. I mean, it’s pretty simple, but it’s harder to do than it sounds like.”

Darvish, 10-12 with a 3.86 ERA, joined the Dodgers near the trade deadline and was 4-3 with a 3.44 ERA in nine starts with them. He struck out 10 in five innings of a 5-2 victory over Arizona at Chase Field on Aug. 10, his second start with the Dodgers. He lost both career postseason starts while with the Texas Rangers, to the Baltimore Orioles in 2012 and Toronto Blue Jays last year. Darvish gave up five runs on four homers in five innings of a 5-3 loss to the Blue Jays in the second game of the ALDS last year.

The Dodgers led the NL in team ERA, and Arizona was third. Darvish is 2-0 with a 2.75 ERA in three career starts against the Diamondbacks, 1-0 at Chase Field.

“If you look at the body of work from our guys, they’re all crazy,” Roberts said of his starters. “Yu … I’m still learning him, but I would say he is the most normal out of all of them.”

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