Category: Los Angeles Dodgers

Shohei Ohtani Had Funny One-Word Response to Seeing Yankees’ Aaron Judge in Person
10 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Shohei Ohtani Had Funny One-Word Response to Seeing Yankees’ Aaron Judge in Person

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani’s recent comments on New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge didn’t need much translation. 

Ahead of the Yankees-Dodgers game on Sunday, Ohtani was asked for his thoughts when he sees Judge at the plate. 

“Huge,” Ohtani said. “I see him every year, but I’m just surprised at how big he is.”

Judge, who measures in at 6’7’’ and 282 pounds, is only a few inches taller than Ohtani, but with the season he’s having, it’s no wonder Judge can sometimes seem larger than life.

The five-time All-Star recorded his league-leading 24th home run of the season in the eighth inning of the Yankees’ 6–4 win against the Dodgers on Sunday. Ohtani, for his part, is slashing .311/.379/.571 with 15 homers on the year.

Judge and Ohtani rarely find themselves in direct competition with each other, yet there was one play from the game in which Judge tried—but ultimately failed—to throw out Ohtani. During the eighth inning, the Dodgers star proved too speedy and managed to outrun Judge’s throw to home plate, sliding in milliseconds before the catcher tried to tag him. 

The Yankees avoided the sweep against the Dodgers and went home with the victory, but this will hardly be the last time that the league’s top sluggers in Ohtani and Judge square off.

Aaron Judge, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Shohei Ohtani
0
Home Plate Angle of Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto Pitching vs. Yankees Was Frightening
8 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Home Plate Angle of Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto Pitching vs. Yankees Was Frightening

One can imagine that attempting to hit against major league pitching is one of the most difficult feats in professional sports.

But nothing does that sentiment justice quite like home plate camera angles of at-bats.

There were two such camera angle shots during the Los Angeles Dodgers' 2-1 win over the New York Yankees on Friday night at Yankee Stadium—and they were frightening.

The first saw Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who tossed seven innings of shutout ball against the Yankees, fire a 97 MPH sinker that shattered New York slugger Giancarlo Stanton's bat as he grounded out to Mookie Betts at shortstop in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Then, two frames later in the bottom of the sixth inning, Yamamoto, facing Yankees star Aaron Judge, fired a 97 MPH heater for a called strike, an offering that was caught on a home plate camera angle in a video posted onto X, formerly Twitter, by Rob Friedman.

The scariest part about these angles is that they still don't do true justice as to how fast the pitches are coming out of Yamamoto's hand.

And Yamamoto certainly was lighting up the radar gun on Friday night, as his four-seam fastball boasted an average speed of 97 MPH, up 1.5 MPH from his season average of 95.5, en route to the seven-strikeout performance against one of the best lineups in MLB.

The Dodgers (40-25) and Yankees (45-20) will lock horns again on Saturday at 7:35 p.m. ET, with Gavin Stone (6-2, 2.90 ERA) on the mound for Los Angeles and Nestor Cortes (3-4, 3.46 ERA) opposing him for New York.

Giancarlo Stanton, Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB, New York Yankees, Yoshinobu Yamamoto
0
Rounding the Bases: MLB Straight Up Picks for Every Game Today (Bet Dodgers as Road Underdogs)
8 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Rounding the Bases: MLB Straight Up Picks for Every Game Today (Bet Dodgers as Road Underdogs)

Saturday's MLB slate is headlined by the battle between the two favorites to win the World Series, the Dodgers against the Yankees in the Bronx.

The World Series preview in June takes center stage as all of Major League Baseball is in action on Saturday. Lucky for you, we have commentary on how to bet every game!

Keep reading to find out how we view each game on the Saturday slate.

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Pick: Mets (+150)

There’s some variance baked into this game with it being played in London as part of MLB’s London Series. 

With a short center field fence and the wind projected to be blowing out at London Stadium, this can be a short outing for the likes of Ranger Suarez, who is driving most of the opening odds in this game. 

Pick: Twins (-120)

Simeon Woods Richardson continues to thrive for the Twins in his first full season with the club, posting a 3.04 ERA while showcasing excellent control, posting a walk rate of only six percent. The Minnesota starter will match up against Pirates opener Carmen Mlodzinski, who will put a ton of pressure on the Pittsburgh below average bullpen. 

With the pitching edge, including a better pen, I’ll take the Twins as short road favorites. 

Pick: Nationals (+120)

MacKenzie Gore has been outstanding this season, striking out a career best 27.3% of batters with a career low 3.57 ERA. 

The former Padres prized prospect is starting to see perform like it and now draws a Braves team that is struggling without Ronald Acuna Jr, who tore his ACL and is out for the year. Atlanta is hitting only .211 in June. 

Pick: Athletics (+135)

The Blue Jays remain a non starter for me as a road favorite, even against the lowly A’s. 

Kevin Gausman has been overvalued all season, and Toronto is only 6-6 in his 12 starts. The right hander has an ERA of 4.60 while his xERA is far worse at 5.26, per MLBStatcast. He is striking out only 22% of batters, the lowest rate since 2018, and remains a worthy fade. 

Pick: Brewers (-165)

Freddy Peralta has been outstanding this season, striking out nearly a third of the batters he has faced while keeping his walk rate below eight percent, about the big league average. 

It’ll be tough sledding for the Tigers lineup that is bottom third in Major League Baseball in OPS while the Brewers are far better at generating run support for its pitching staff, fourth in the same metric. 

Pick: Royals (+115)

The Royals rallied to win 10-9 on Friday, and the team remains a great bet at home, 23-10 at Kauffman Stadium this season. 

Kansas City will have a stiff test against Luis Castillo, but the Royals ability to generate power is notable considering Castillo has allowed a barrel percentage in the 28th percentile this season, per MLBStatcast, and allows a high fly ball rate of over 60%. 

Pick: Rays (+115)

Both starters have missed time this season, with different results, but I’m betting on it going in a different direction on Saturday. 

Kyle Bradish of the Orioles has made six starts and has been pitching the best baseball of his career. He is striking out 32% of batters, way above his career average, while allowing a hard-hit percentage of only 25%, 99th percentile in the big leagues. 

While it’s a fantastic start for a league average pitcher, regression will come for him soon. 

I’ll try here, on the road against a Rays team that has pop in the lineup and a pitcher who has a high ceiling in Taj Bradley. The hard throwing right hander hasn’t had good results this season, his xERA is hovering around 7.00, but i believe he can outperform expectations given the Orioles have the third fewest walks on the year. 

Pick: Reds (-120)

The Cubs’ skid has continued while the Reds have won six straight, so I’ll side with the hot home team. 

It also helps that Chicago is bottom 10 in OPS against left handers this season as the team faces Reds’ starter Andrew Abbott. 

Pick:Red Sox (-205)

Chicago snapped a 13 game skid on Friday, but I’m not counting on two wins in a row. 

Pick: Rockies (+160)

Can Kyle Gibson justify this price tag? The veteran pitcher has a 3.69 ERA that is supported by a 4.99 xERA with a walk rate hovering around 10%. 

For what it’s worth, Ryan Feltner pitches better on the road than at the hitter friendly Coors Field, so I can get behind him outperforming expectations. 

Pick: Dodgers (+105)

The two best teams in baseball continue its weekend series, and I’ll side with the road underdog given the Yankees’ overall fitness with Juan Soto’s status in doubt for the foreseeable future. 

If New York’s lineup isn’t at its best, it’ll be tough to keep up with the Dodgers, who have the highest OPS against left handed pitching this season. 

Pick: Guardians (-160)

Cleveland is the far more talented side here and should have little issue snagging a road win. 

Ben Lively’s strikeout rate is at a career high of 23% and the Guardians have the clear offensive edge, 11th in OPS against the Marlins, who check in 29th. 

Pick: Diamondbacks (+125)

I’ll take Arizona to stay hot in June, winners of five of six, at an underdog price. 

Ryne Nelson isn’t a strikeout-focused pitcher, only 14.9%, but he has limited his walks to only six percent, which is impactful against a Padres team that is reliant on drawing walks to get runners on base. Nelson’s ERA is also due to come down from his mark of 5.44, with an xERA of 4.77. 

Pick: Astros (-165)

Angels starter Tyler Anderson has been among the best pitchers in baseball, but I expect a tough summer for the veteran left hander. 

He has an ERA of 2.37, which is staggering to see given some of his other numbers, including a 16% strikeout rate and 10% walk rate. Meanwhile, his xERA is 4.49, making him ripe for a few blow ups as the season continues. 

I’ll count on Saturday against a Houston lineup that is top five in OPS against southpaws. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

Arizona Diamondbacks, atlanta braves, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, MLB best bets, MLB Betting Preview, MLB Picks, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays
0
Kiké Hernández Error During Mic'd Up Dodgers-Yankees Interview Led to Awkward Silence
8 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Kiké Hernández Error During Mic’d Up Dodgers-Yankees Interview Led to Awkward Silence

Mic'd up interviews with MLB players in the field are a creative way to get fans closer to the game. Unfortunately, they can also go horribly wrong.

That's what happened to Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Enrique Kiké Hernández on a mic'd up interview live on the AppleTV+ broadcast during his club's 2-1 win over the New York Yankees on Friday night.

Hernández, wearing an earpiece and a microphone, was asked a question about the Dodgers' strong team chemistry by AppleTV+ color commentator and former MLB pitcher Dontrelle Willis during the bottom of the second inning with one out and the count 1-and-2 on Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres.

"After this play," Hernández said, as he ranged towards his right to field a grounder from Torres. The Dodgers veteran then failed to cleanly field the ball, resulting in the Yankees second baseman reaching first safely—and an incredibly awkward silence from the AppleTV+ broadcast.

Moments later, after Hernández asked Willis to repeat his question, the former MLB hurler replied by saying, “I don’t want to ask it again. Because I don’t want you to boot the ball again, to be honest with you. I’ll take that E for you, big dog.”

Fortunately for the Dodgers, Hernández' error was not a costly one, as starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto sandwiched a couple of strikeouts around another base hit to work himself out of the jam.

Hernández, per MLB's collective bargaining agreement, pocketed $10,000 for the in-game interview.

That's why the Dodgers star, even after enduring this awkward experience, doesn't plan on rejecting such opportunities in the future.

"No, because we're getting paid," Hernández said, according to the Associated Press. "I like money."

The Dodgers (40-25) and Yankees (45-20) will play two more games at Yankee Stadium this weekend, starting with Saturday's 7:35 p.m. ET game.

Enrique Hernandez, Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB, New York Yankees
0
MLB Fans Roast Bizarre Yankees-Dodgers Collab Merchandise at Yankee Stadium
8 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

MLB Fans Roast Bizarre Yankees-Dodgers Collab Merchandise at Yankee Stadium

MLB fans attending the interleague series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees in the Bronx this weekend have an opportunity to go home with one of the strangest souvenirs to emerge this season.

While the two teams battle on the field, shops around Yankee Stadium are selling split caps featuring the names and numbers of sluggers Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani.

It looks about as odd as it sounds.

The Yankees are also selling Ohtani jerseys at their home park this weekend.

It's not like this series is Ohtani's first at Yankee Stadium, either. The two-way star appeared in 13 games (including two starts on the mound) in the Bronx while playing in the American League for the Los Angeles Angels from 2018 to '23.

Fans fired off their takes once MLB's official social media accounts shared a photo of the odd split hat:

Whoever buys this hat will feature two of the top hitters in baseball on their melon.

Entering this weekend's series, Ohtani is batting .318/.385/.588 with 15 homers in 61 games. Judge is hitting .289/.423/.658—good for a league-high 201 OPS+—with 19 doubles and 21 homers in 64 games.

Aaron Judge, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Shohei Ohtani
0
Every MLB Team's World Series Odds Through First Two Months of 2024 Season
7 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Every MLB Team’s World Series Odds Through First Two Months of 2024 Season

We're officially more than two months into the 2024 Major League Baseball season so it's time to take a step back and take a look at the futures markets.

What teams have underperformed? What teams are a surprising contender? Are there any teams we should bet on now or are there a few we should stay away from?

In this article, we're going to take a look at the latest World Series odds for all 32 teams. Let's dive into it. All odds listed in this article are via FanDuel Sportsbook.

The Dodgers, despite underperforming by their standards, are still set as the World Series favorites at +260, which is an implied probability of 27.78%. There's no denying the talent this roster has and they're still playing well enough to have a hefty lead on the NL West.

The New York Yankees have been the best team in baseball through the first two months. Their pitching has been sharp and their offense, specifically the play of Juan Soto and Aaron Judge, has been unbelievable. If I were to pick one team to win it all at this point of the season, I'd pick the Yankees.

The Phillies have the best record in the National League at 44-19. They have a great chance to yet again go on a deep playoff run.

The injury bug has bitten the Braves, most notably Ronald Acuna Jr., who will miss the rest of the 2024 season. There's still plenty of time for them to rally and there's a reason they're still fourth on the odds list to win it all.

The Orioles are still well behind the Yankees in the AL East, but at 39-22, they'll be back in the playoffs once again.

The Seattle Mariners lead the AL West, but their offense needs to wake up if they want to be true World Series contenders in 2024.

The AL Central was supposed to be the worst division in baseball, but as of writing this article, four of the five teams are at .500 or above, including the Minnesota Twins at 33-29.

The Houston Astros don't look like the same contender they once were. Their metrics are still respectable and their offense has woken up in recent weeks. If there's one team that has got off to a slow start that I could see getting hot in the second half of the season, it's the Astros.

The Cleveland Guardians are eye-popping 40-21 as of writing this article. While that's impressive, I wouldn't be surprised if he saw some regression from this team in the second half of the season.

The Milwaukee Brewers lead the NL Central and have had one of the better offenses through the first two months of the season. They are a team to watch in the National League.

It's been a bad start to the season for the defending World Series champions. Their offense has been middling and their bullpen continues to cost them games. They need to find a way to turn the ship around or they're going to fail to make the playoffs.

The Kansas City Royals might be the single most surprising team in the Majors this season at 37-26. Not only has their record been good, but they have the metrics to back it up. Between strong offensive statistics and more than one Cy Young candidate in their rotation, the Royals could be a Cinderella story in 2024.

The Blue Jays may be the most disappointing team in the Majors. Despite looking like a talented squad on paper, their offense has been without teeth and their bullpen has been abysmal. On top of that, their rotation hasn't been nearly as good as it was last year. Time is running out for Toronto.

I feel sorry for Mets fans. It's been a disaster of a season and they're already 16.5 games back from the Phillies in the NL East.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Arizona Diamondbacks, atlanta braves, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, MLB, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, Washington Nationals, World Series
0
Dodgers vs. Yankees Prediction, Odds, Pick and Probable Pitchers for Friday, June 7
7 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Dodgers vs. Yankees Prediction, Odds, Pick and Probable Pitchers for Friday, June 7

All eyes in the baseball world will be firmly set on this weekend's interleague series between the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers, which could very well be a preview of this season's World Series.

The Yankees have looked like the best team in the Majors so far, sporting a spotless 45-19 record while leading all teams in a plethora of metrics. Game 1 of the three-game set is on Friday night.

Let's dive into everything you need to know to bet on tonight's game.

All odds listed in this article are via FanDuel Sportsbook

Run Line

Moneyline

Total

Dodgers

Yoshinobu Yamamoto: The Dodgers' pitching staff, including their starter for Game 1 Yoshinobu Yamamoto is going to have their hands full this weekend. The Yankees lead the Majors in OPS this season at .776 while also rocking a stunning .825 OPS over the last 30 days. Strong pitching is going to be a must if they want to win Game 1 tonight.

Yankees

Aaron Judge: Aaron Judge has been on an unbelievable roll of late. Over the last 30 days, he has a batting average of .387, an OPS of 1.491, and he's hit 14 dingers. He's the key to every game for the Yankees moving forward.

Juan Soto is going through an injury scare right now, but that shouldn't scare us bettors away from taking the Yankees as home underdogs.

The Yankees have statistically been the best team in baseball this season so I'm surprised they're this big of underdogs to the Dodgers at home on Friday night. Over the last 30 days, the Yankees have an eye-popping OPS of .825 while the Dodgers have an OPS of just .708, which ranks 14th in the Majors. I'll take New York at home.

Cody Peteet may be still of an unknown entity for the Yankees, but he's looked solid in his first two starts, giving up just three earned runs in 11.0 innings. If he can keep that going tonight, New York is going to be a great underdog bet.

Pick: Yankees +120

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

You can check out all of Iain's bets here!

Aaron Judge, Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB, New York Yankees, Yoshinobu Yamamoto
0
Painting Corners: Best MLB Prop Bets Today (Chris Sale Primed to Bounce Back)
7 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Painting Corners: Best MLB Prop Bets Today (Chris Sale Primed to Bounce Back)

Friday features a jam-packed slate of Major League Baseball action, and there are plenty of ways to bet in the prop market with so many teams playing. 

I’ve narrowed down my picks for Friday’s slate to just three, with two starting pitchers and one red-hot hitter getting the nod. 

The game of the night on Friday is likely between the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers, and Yankees slugger Aaron Judge may need to have a big game after Juan Soto exited Thursday night’s contest with left forearm discomfort. 

Judge is one of the three players I’m targeting tonight, so let’s dive into the picks for June 7: 

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Chris Sale to Record a Win (-110)

Atlanta Braves lefty Chris Sale is coming off a rough outing to open June, allowing eight earned runs in four innings against the A’s, but I think he’s due for a bounce-back showing against the Washington Nationals on Friday.

Sale was terrific in May, allowing just two earned runs across five starts (32.0 innings of work), so I’m not reading too much into his clunker to start June.

The Braves are 8-3 in Sale’s 11 starts this season, and he’s earned the decision in every win, posting an 8-1 record. Prior to his last outing, Sale had earned the win in seven consecutive starts.

Rather than laying the price on the Braves moneyline, I like taking Sale to earn the win against a Washington team that struggles against left-handed pitching, ranking 27th in MLB in OPS.

Aaron Judge OVER 0.5 Walks (-125)

Judge and Soto have been the best duo in baseball this season, but if Soto misses this game – or extended time – Judge may see less pitches to hit going forward.

As it is, Judge has drawn at least one walk in five straight games, and he’s racked 52 total walks in 64 games so far in 2024. 

Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto doesn’t walk a ton of hitters (just 14 in 12 starts), but I can’t imagine he’ll look to attack Judge every at bat with Soto likely out of the lineup on Friday. 

Judge has been great at drawing walks and getting on base for years, so I’ll gladly take him at this price on Friday. 

Griffin Canning UNDER 4.5 Strikeouts (-125)

Los Angeles Angels starter Griffin Canning has a tough matchup on Friday, as he’s taking on the Houston Astros, who strikeout a league-low 6.83 times per game this season.

Canning has cleared 4.5 strikeouts in just four of his 12 outings in 2024, and he struck out just two Houston batters across five innings in his first outing against the Stros this season. 

Overall, Canning ranks in just the 13th percentile in strikeout percentage this season, so I don’t see him racking up a huge number on this prop against the least strikeout prone offense in the league.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Find Peter Dewey's betting record here You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.

Aaron Judge, atlanta braves, Chris Sale, Griffin Canning, Houston Astros, Juan Soto, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB, New York Yankees, Washington Nationals
0
Rounding the Bases: MLB Straight Up Picks for Every Game Today (Time to Buy Low on Pablo Lopez?)
6 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Rounding the Bases: MLB Straight Up Picks for Every Game Today (Time to Buy Low on Pablo Lopez?)

Thursday is a travel day for a handful of teams in the big leagues, but we still have baseball starting in the afternoon.

With about a third of the season finished, it's time to look for some buy-low candidates and I have my eye on Twins' starter Pablo Lopez, who is due for a big uptick in production as the calendar flips to June. The matchup is daunting against the surging Yankees, but are the Twins live for an upset?

I have betting break downs for each game on the Thursday MLB card below!

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

The Orioles are the best-hitting team in baseball against left-handed pitching, making this is a tough ask for the Blue Jays, who will start Yusei Kikuchi on Thursday afternoon. 

Yes, Kikuch has lowered his walk rate to a career-low of five percent, but he still allows hard contact at a 43% clip, ranking in the 19th percentile, per MLBStatcast, a ripe matchup for the Orioles loaded lineup. 

After a rain out on Wednesday, we get a Thursday meeting between these two, and I’m looking to fade Royal starter Brady Singer. 

Brady Singer has 2.63 ERA but is due a ton of regression with an xERA of 4.35. 

Against a Guardians lineup that can put the ball in play at an elite level, 11th in OPS, I’ll back the home favorite. 

Bryan Woo has looked the part in five starts this season, posting a 1.30 ERA as he continues to be stretched out. Woo is striking out fewer batters, down to 18% from 25% as a rookie, but is walking only two percent of hitters while limiting posting an elite blend of fastball and off-speed pitches to avoid blowup innings. 

With limited path to base runners, I struggle to see the A’s keeping up on Thursday. 

Los Angeles is the second-best hitting team against lefties this season and draws a favorable matchup against Bailey Falter of the Pirates, who has seen his strikeout rate diminish to 15% this season. 

Falter won’t be able to get around the vaunted bats of Los Angeles, and somebody is due for a big-hitting day against him with his xERA sitting far higher than his actual ERA (3.22 vs. 4.73).

I’ll take a stab at the Nationals as home underdogs on the premise of a summer drop-off from Reynaldo Lopez, the Braves starter. 

Lopez has a 1.73 ERA, but his xERA is far higher at 3.72. He has been crushed by hard contact (42nd percentile) and his offspeed pitches are ineffective (17th percentile in terms of run value), and I believe the Nationals can have success. This is worth a flier on a home underdog. 

Pablo Lopez’s numbers don’t indicate that he’s pitching at a high level, but he may be due for a big jump statistically based on his pitching. He has a 4.84 ERA despite posting a career-best walk rate. He has an xERA of 2.99 despite posting a 73rd percentile xBA, and I believe that he will turn it around soon. 

I’ll fade the red-hot Yankees with a pitcher that is ripe to outperform expectations. 

The Cubs slide in play continues, and this matchup doesn’t set up well for them as the team heads to Cincinnati to face the Reds with emerging arm Hunter Greene on the mound. 

Chicago is 29th in OPS over the last 30 days while the Reds check in eighth. Further, Cubs’ starter Javier Assad may be due for a drop in play after a strong start to the year. He has a 2.27 ERA that is supported by a 3.72 xERA.

Sonny Gray has been on a tear this season. He has a 3.00 ERA while striking out a career-best 33.5% of batters. Even when hitters are putting the ball in play, it's soft contact (66th percentile in hard-hit percentage). 

At home, the Cardinals should have little issue getting past the Rockies. 

Tanner Houck is putting up All-Star numbers for Boston this season, posting a 1.85 ERA, and now faces the worst offense in Major League Baseball in Chicago, with the lowest OPS. 

I’m not backing an upset given the lack of talent for the White Sox. 

This is a fade of Randy Vasquez of the Padres, who has a 5.41 xERA and is walking nearly 10% of batters. This is problematic against the Diamondbacks, a team that is top 10 in walks this season and eighth in on-base percentage. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Arizona Diamondbacks, atlanta braves, Baltimore, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, MLB Betting Picks, MLB Betting Preview, MLB Picks, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Toronto Blue Jays, Washington Nationals
0
Paul Skenes Blows Away Shohei Ohtani With Three Straight 100-mph Fastballs
5 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Paul Skenes Blows Away Shohei Ohtani With Three Straight 100-mph Fastballs

Opposing pitchers don't get the best of Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani too often. But Pittsburgh Pirates rookie phenom Paul Skenes did just that on three pitches Wednesday night.

Skenes didn't mess around, either. He piped three straight fastballs inside the strike zone at 101.3 mph, 100.1 mph and 100.8 mph. Ohtani swung at all three pitches, fouling off one of them, but quickly headed back into the dugout after striking out.

Ohtani got his revenge in the top of the third inning, however. On a 3–2 pitch, Ohtani smacked a 100.1-mph fastball from Skenes 415 feet into the Dodgers' bullpen in center field for a two-run homer.

The two-way superstar swung and missed at the first five Skenes fastballs he saw before launching his 15th home run of the season on the sixth.

Skenes is making his fifth career start Wednesday night at PNC Park. Over his first four outings, Skenes logged a 2–0 record, 2.45 ERA and 12.3 strikeouts per nine innings.

Los Angeles Dodgers, Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates, Shohei Ohtani
0