Big Al McMordie

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the Houston Astros over the Los Angeles Angels. Please note:  for this ballgame, we will only list the Astros' starter, Gerrit Cole, and NOT specify the Angels' starter.  When the Astros acquired Cole from the Pirates before the 2018 season, they were hoping that the veteran RHP would bring them a second straight World Series title.  That didn't happen.  But Cole has a great opportunity still to get a ring with Houston, and certainly nobody would be surprised if he did.  Cole's individual achievements are impressive, as the 28-year-old is 9-5 with a 3.23 ERA and 1.03 WHIP, with a league-leading 183 strikeouts in just under 123 innings. Cole is also 4-1 with a very impressive 3.02 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in seven appearances (all starts), covering just under 45 innings vs. the Angels.  Finally, Houston is 42-21 in the last 63 meetings with the Halos.  Take the Astros.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 1:15 pm, our selection is on the St. Louis Cardinals over the Pittsburgh Pirates.  The Cards' starting pitcher this afternoon -- RHP Daniel Ponce de Leon -- has the distinction of being drafted by four different Major League clubs over the past five years, starting with the Rays in 2010 and ending with his current team, which selected him in June of 2014.  It seems it wasn't a bad choice as Ponce de Leon has posted a 2.37 ERA in 18 appearances, including eight starts, in a season-and-a-half with the Cards.  He'll get MLB start number nine today at Busch Stadium, a ballpark at which Ponce de Leon has had success with a 2.94 ERA in nine games (five starts) covering just under 34 innings.  The Pirates will couner with Chris Archer.  The veteran RHP has struggled over his last four campaigns and it appears 2019 will be no different.  In his first full season with the Bucs, Archer is 3-6 with a 5.42 ERA in 16 starts covering just under 85 innings.  Despite their win on Tuesday, the Pirates are just 8-15 in the last 23 meetings with the Cards.  Take St. Louis.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Texas Rangers over Arizona.  Jesse Chavez has made eight starts this season.  And he's been fairly effective, with a 3.99 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP.  His strikeout to walk ratio is also exceptional (28K, 4BB).  Tonight, he'll make his second career start vs. the Diamondbacks.  He was solid in his first one, as he gave up just one earned run over five innings.  Chavez will face Diamondbacks' lefty Robbie Ray tonight.  Ray's made four previous starts vs. Texas, and owns an ERA north of five runs per game (5.06) in those starts.  The Rangers have been installed as a home underdog for this game.  We'll grab the home team, as they're 31-20 (+16 games on the money line) this season here, in Arlington (including 17-12 (+13 games on the money line) as a home dog).  Take Texas.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Philadelphia Phillies.  Dodgers' RHP Kenta Maeda hasn't been able to duplicate his rookie season.  In 2016, the now 31-year-old came into the Majors from Japan and promptly won 16 games with a 3.48 ERA and finished third in the NL Rookie of the Year voting.  The next two seasons didn't match that success.  But so far in 2019, Maeda is having a very strong campaign.  For example, Maeda's hit rate is at a career low this season (6.7 per 9 IP), while he has maintained a strikeout rate of at least one per inning.   He also has seven career starts vs. the Phillies and he is 4-1 with a 4.29 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in those while the Dodgers are 5-2.  Take L.A.