The Cubs gave the Pirates something to think about yesterday, walking away 18-8 winners thanks in large part to a Grand Slam from Dansby Swanson
A win here would put Chicago back above .500 for the first time since May, and they should feel confident with Justin Steele taking the mound coming off a 10 strikeout day against the Tigers last week.
Steele has been one of the most reliable arms through the month of August, posting a 1.66 ERA across four starts to go with 11.22 K/9 rate.
He gave up six earned runs against the Buccos earlier in May, but after holding tough lineups like Baltimore scoreless over the last month, I’m willing to bet on his stuff.
The A’s and Reds both enjoyed Tuesday off as they step out at Great American Ball Park on Wednesday to kick off a three-game series.
Oakland has struggled to find runs over the last week, sitting bottom five in the league with only five home runs hit over their last seven games.
Fortunately, the ball tends to fly at this ball park, so I think this could be a nice game for the A’s to get back on track and add to their solid 11-7 record overall following an off day.
For a player pick, you’d be hard-pressed to find a hotter hitter than Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz.
The 22-year-old has recorded 10 hits and a homer over the last seven days, so I’m throwing him in to have a nice game at the plate.
The Yankees opened this three-game set against the Nats with a 5-2 win yesterday, and they should be well on their way to claiming the series with their ace Gerrit Cole on the mound for Game 2.
After a rough return to action coming off the IL, Cole has put together two vintage starts, holding both the Tigers and the Guardians scoreless across 12 combined frames.
Cole’s career 2.79 ERA against the Nats stands out on paper, but he has had some rough outings at Nationals Park, allowing a combined nine earned runs over four starts.
Interestingly, there are a few home run bets I’m happy to make on this game.
Joey Gallo has sent four over the fence against Cole in 27 plate appearances, while Yankees DH Giancarlo Stanton has hit a couple off Patrick Corbin.