Betting news, trends, odds and predictions for Friday, April 27, 2018 from various handicappers and websites
Preview: Brewers at Cubs
Gracenote
Apr 27, 2018
The Chicago Cubs’ pitching staff has underachieved so far this season – except when they face the Milwaukee Brewers. Having shut out the Brewers three times in five meetings, the Cubs will look for Yu Darvish to keep visiting Milwaukee’s bats in check Friday afternoon in the second contest of their four-game series.
After some rocky performances early on, Cubs starters have posted three straight quality starts after Kyle Hendricks scattered four hits over seven innings in Thursday’s 1-0 triumph. The loss snapped the Brewers’ eight-game winning streak and marked their fourth shutout defeat of the season. Darvish will try to keep Milwaukee's hitters on their heels as he looks for his first win with Chicago. He has posted only one quality start in his first four outings - but it came at Milwaukee on April 7, when he struck out nine while allowing just one run and two hits over six innings.
TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee), NBCS Chicago
PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers LH Brent Suter (1-2, 5.68 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Yu Darvish (0-2, 6.86)
Suter was victorious in his season debut but is winless in four starts since. The 28-year-old endured his toughest outing yet last time out, yielding five runs and eight hits over five innings of a no-decision against Miami on Saturday. Suter is 1-1 with a 4.19 ERA in seven career games (three starts) versus the Cubs but will make his first start at Wrigley Field.
The fifth inning has been Darvish’s undoing in his first four starts with the Cubs, as he has allowed only three runs over the first four frames but 12 in the fifth. The 31-year-old from Japan failed to get out of the fifth on Saturday at Colorado, as he walked four for the second straight game and was charged with five runs in 4 2/3 innings. Darvish is 0-1 with a 3.27 ERA in two career starts against the Brewers.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cubs 2B Javier Baez (18-for-42, three homers, 14 RBIs) and CF Albert Almora Jr. (15-for-39, one, five) are riding career-high nine-game hitting streaks.
2. Brewers 1B-OF Ryan Braun has recorded 101 hits at Wrigley Field, joining Joey Votto (102) as the only active visiting players with at least 100.
3. Chicago LF Kyle Schwarber homered for the team's only run on Thursday and is 15-for-41 with five blasts and 14 RBIs in his last 12 games.
PREDICTION: Cubs 5, Brewers 3
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Preview: Braves at Phillies
Gracenote
Apr 26, 2018
Right-handers Julio Teheran and Aaron Nola will square off for the third time this season as the Atlanta Braves continue their 10-game road trip on Friday with the opener of a three-game series versus the Philadelphia Phillies. Teheran recorded one victory at Nola's expense earlier this month to help the Braves (14-10) win four of six against the Phillies (15-9) at SunTrust Park.
Atlanta overcame surrendering 19 runs in back-to-back losses to struggling Cincinnati before Ronald Acuna Jr. stepped up in his first two career contests, going 4-for-9 with a homer, two RBIs and three runs scored help the Braves salvage a split of the four-game set. "The real good ones make an immediate impact," manager Brian Snitker said after Thursday's 7-4 triumph. "This kid has skills. He's an asset for us, whether he's batting, in the field or on the bases. It's nice to have him." The Phillies had won 11 of 13 before dropping two of three versus Arizona heading into the final leg of their 10-game homestand. Odubel Herrera went 2-for-4 in Thursday's 8-2 setback to the Diamondbacks to reach base safely in a career-high 26 straight games, although he is just 5-for-22 against Atlanta this season.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FS South (Atlanta), NBCS Philadelphia-Plus
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Julio Teheran (1-1, 4.00 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Aaron Nola (2-1, 2.30)
Teheran recorded his third straight quality outing on Saturday but settled for a no-decision despite scattering four hits and striking out six over seven scoreless innings against the New York Mets. The 27-year-old Colombian was fortunate to walk away with a no-decision versus Philadelphia in the season opener on March 29 after allowing four runs in 5 2/3 innings before securing the win on April 16 following a nine-strikeout performance in a 2-1 triumph. Rhys Hoskins has three doubles to highlight his 4-for-9 performance against Teheran, although the right-hander has flustered Cesar Hernandez (5-for-31) and Aaron Altherr (3-for-21).
Nola yielded two runs or fewer for the fifth straight outing on Saturday and struck out a season-high nine without issuing a walk in seven innings of a 6-2 triumph over Pittsburgh. The 24-year-old has pitched well in both outings against Atlanta this season, as he settled for a no-decision after receiving an early hook from Phillies manager Gabe Kapler in the opener before giving up two runs and four hits en route to taking the loss in the most recent encounter. Freddie Freeman is 6-for-19 while Nick Markakis has homered twice off Nola, who sports a 5-2 mark with a 2.04 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in nine career matchups with the Braves.
WALK-OFFS
1. Alther is 7-for-18 in his last five games after collecting just four hits in his previous 44 at-bats.
2. Atlanta 2B Ozzie Albies has homered in back-to-back outings and leads the majors in extra-base hits (19), although he is just 5-for-27 with five strikeouts against Philadelphia this season.
3. Hernandez is 11-for-28 with five RBIs and five runs scored during the homestand.
PREDICTION: Phillies 3, Braves 2
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Preview: Braves at Phillies
Gracenote
Apr 26, 2018
Right-handers Julio Teheran and Aaron Nola will square off for the third time this season as the Atlanta Braves continue their 10-game road trip on Friday with the opener of a three-game series versus the Philadelphia Phillies. Teheran recorded one victory at Nola's expense earlier this month to help the Braves (14-10) win four of six against the Phillies (15-9) at SunTrust Park.
Atlanta overcame surrendering 19 runs in back-to-back losses to struggling Cincinnati before Ronald Acuna Jr. stepped up in his first two career contests, going 4-for-9 with a homer, two RBIs and three runs scored help the Braves salvage a split of the four-game set. "The real good ones make an immediate impact," manager Brian Snitker said after Thursday's 7-4 triumph. "This kid has skills. He's an asset for us, whether he's batting, in the field or on the bases. It's nice to have him." The Phillies had won 11 of 13 before dropping two of three versus Arizona heading into the final leg of their 10-game homestand. Odubel Herrera went 2-for-4 in Thursday's 8-2 setback to the Diamondbacks to reach base safely in a career-high 26 straight games, although he is just 5-for-22 against Atlanta this season.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FS South (Atlanta), NBCS Philadelphia-Plus
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Julio Teheran (1-1, 4.00 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Aaron Nola (2-1, 2.30)
Teheran recorded his third straight quality outing on Saturday but settled for a no-decision despite scattering four hits and striking out six over seven scoreless innings against the New York Mets. The 27-year-old Colombian was fortunate to walk away with a no-decision versus Philadelphia in the season opener on March 29 after allowing four runs in 5 2/3 innings before securing the win on April 16 following a nine-strikeout performance in a 2-1 triumph. Rhys Hoskins has three doubles to highlight his 4-for-9 performance against Teheran, although the right-hander has flustered Cesar Hernandez (5-for-31) and Aaron Altherr (3-for-21).
Nola yielded two runs or fewer for the fifth straight outing on Saturday and struck out a season-high nine without issuing a walk in seven innings of a 6-2 triumph over Pittsburgh. The 24-year-old has pitched well in both outings against Atlanta this season, as he settled for a no-decision after receiving an early hook from Phillies manager Gabe Kapler in the opener before giving up two runs and four hits en route to taking the loss in the most recent encounter. Freddie Freeman is 6-for-19 while Nick Markakis has homered twice off Nola, who sports a 5-2 mark with a 2.04 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in nine career matchups with the Braves.
WALK-OFFS
1. Alther is 7-for-18 in his last five games after collecting just four hits in his previous 44 at-bats.
2. Atlanta 2B Ozzie Albies has homered in back-to-back outings and leads the majors in extra-base hits (19), although he is just 5-for-27 with five strikeouts against Philadelphia this season.
3. Hernandez is 11-for-28 with five RBIs and five runs scored during the homestand.
PREDICTION: Phillies 3, Braves 2
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Preview: Cardinals at Pirates
Gracenote
Apr 26, 2018
Climbing atop the National League Central is proving to be a difficult chore for the St. Louis Cardinals, but collecting victories inside the division has been a much easier task. The Cardinals eye their 11th win in the last 13 games Friday when they open a three-game set in Pittsburgh against the Pirates.
St. Louis (15-9) hasn't been able to overtake Milwaukee atop the division thanks to the Brewers' eight-game winning streak, but the Cardinals have been among the hottest teams in the NL since their 5-7 start, going 8-1 against division rivals Cincinnati and the Chicago Cubs to improve to 11-4 against the Central. That success from April 12-22 carried over to the team's most recent series, as St. Louis ventured outside the division for only the third time this season and claimed two of three from the New York Mets. Pittsburgh has cooled off since an 11-4 start, although the Pirates righted the ship a bit by kicking off their six-game homestand with two wins in three contests against Detroit. This weekend will mark the first meetings of the year between the longtime division rivals after St. Louis went 11-8 against Pittsburgh in 2017 - the fourth consecutive season the Cardinals won the season series.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FS Midwest (St. Louis), AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Miles Mikolas (3-0, 3.46 ERA) vs. Pirates LH Steven Brault (2-1, 4.44)
Mikolas has walked only two over 26 innings and befuddled Cincinnati for the second time in as many starts Sunday, permitting two runs (one earned) on five hits across seven innings. The 29-year-old Floridian was even sharper eight days earlier versus the Reds when he yielded one run on four hits in seven frames - a turn that followed a pair of outings against Milwaukee in which he surrendered eight runs over 12 innings. Sean Rodriguez has a homer in three at-bats against Mikolas, who hasn't faced Pittsburgh since 2012.
Brault struggled with his control again Saturday at Philadelphia and has issued 11 free passes while recording only 12 strikeouts over 21 1/3 innings as a starter. The Regis University product did not factor into the decision against the Phillies after allowing two runs on two hits and three walks over 5 1/3 innings. Brault gave up two runs in four relief frames versus the Cardinals last year, but his only career start against them came in his big-league debut in 2016 - a no-decision in which he yielded one earned run over four innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cardinals OF Tommy Pham went 4-for-6 against the Mets on Thursday, the fourth time he's had at least three hits in 22 contests this season.
2. Pittsburgh OF Starling Marte has played in each of his team's 25 games and reached base safely in 24 of them.
3. St. Louis has allowed a majors-low four stolen bases.
PREDICTION: Cardinals 6, Pirates 3
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Preview: Diamondbacks at Nationals
Gracenote
Apr 26, 2018
The Arizona Diamondbacks aim to get the early leg up on their bid to record a ninth straight series victory to begin the season when they play the opener of a three-game set at the Washington Nationals on Friday. The NL West-leading Diamondbacks (17-7) took two of three from Philadelphia to improve to 8-4 on the road heading into Washington (11-14), which is just 3-7 at home.
"The guys come every day prepared, ready to win. So if you beat us, you beat us prepared," said light-hitting Jarrod Dyson, who went deep for the second time in three outings as Arizona breezed to Thursday's 8-2 victory. The Diamondbacks have yet to suffer back-to-back setbacks this season as they head into the second leg of their six-game road trip. Washington answered a dismal four-game stretch in which it batted .179 and mustered eight runs by recording season-high totals in runs and hits (18) in Wednesday's 15-2 romp over San Francisco. Trea Turner matched a career high with five hits to finish 15-for-42 with seven runs scored during the team's nine-game road trip.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS Arizona, MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Zack Godley (3-1, 3.09 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (2-2, 2.97)
Godley gave himself quite the birthday present on Friday, picking up his third win in four outings by overcoming a two-run double from Franchy Cordero in the first to strike out eight over 5 1/3 innings versus San Diego. The 28-year-old showed better control by surrendering one walk on the heels of issuing six free passes in a disastrous performance at the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 15. Bryce Harper (3-for-8) has gotten his licks in on Godley, but the right-hander owns a 2-1 mark against the Nationals while limiting them to a .225 batting average.
Strasburg has been plagued by the home run ball this season as he was taken deep twice to spoil a 10-strikeout performance in Saturday's 4-0 setback at the Dodgers. The three-time All-Star has surrendered six homers in five outings (33 1/3 innings) after permitting 13 during his entire 2017 campaign. David Peralta has a homer to highlight his 4-for-7 effort versus Strasburg, but the 29-year-old boasts a 4-2 record versus the Diamondbacks while keeping the rest of their bats in check (.219).
WALK-OFFS
1. Washington LHP Sean Doolittle has recorded at least two strikeouts in eight of his 10 appearances this season.
2. Arizona 1B Nick Goldschmidt had three hits in the series finale to improve to 8-for-20 with six runs scored in his last five contests.
3. Harper is mired in a 3-for-23 stretch in his last eight games, although he has 11 walks in that span.
PREDICTION: Diamondbacks 6, Nationals 2
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Preview: Tigers at Orioles
Gracenote
Apr 27, 2018
The Baltimore Orioles look to halt their five-game losing streak and avenge a three-game road sweep last week when they continue their nine-game homestand Friday against the Detroit Tigers in the opener of their three-game series. Baltimore, which lost three in Detroit from April 17-19, dropped a 9-5 decision to Tampa Bay on Thursday for its 13th setback in 15 contests.
Anthony Santander and Adam Jones each recorded three hits for the Orioles, with the latter belting a two-run homer that ended his 17-game drought. Detroit has lost three of four after being edged 1-0 at Pittsburgh on Thursday. The defeat, which came courtesy of a walk-off homer in the ninth inning, actually was a victory for a Tigers' pitching staff that was battered by the Pirates for 18 runs in Wednesday's doubleheader. Leonys Martin went 2-for-4 for Detroit on Thursday, giving him multi-hit performances in seven of his last 12 contests.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, MASN2 (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Mike Fiers (2-1, 3.71 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Chris Tillman (0-4, 9.87)
Fiers managed to come away with the victory against Kansas City on Saturday despite yielding four runs - two earned - and 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings. The 32-year-old Floridian has issued just one walk in each of his three turns this season but failed to register a strikeout versus the Royals. Fiers has won each of his two career starts against Baltimore, allowing two runs while striking out 16 over 14 frames.
Tillman's struggles this season continued Saturday as he surrendered four runs and eight hits - three homers - over six innings in a loss to Cleveland. It was the longest outing of the year for the 30-year-old Californian, who has given up 19 runs on 30 hits and 11 walks over 17 1/3 frames in his four turns. Tillman is hoping to continue the success he has had against Detroit during his career as he is 6-1 with a 3.12 ERA in 10 starts versus the Tigers.
WALK-OFFS
1. Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera has gone 9-for-18 during his five-game hitting streak.
2. Detroit recalled RHP Johnny Barbato from Triple-A Toledo and optioned OF Mike Gerber to the Mud Hens.
3. Baltimore 3B Tim Beckham underwent core muscle surgery on Thursday and is expected to be sidelined for at least six weeks.
PREDICTION: Tigers 7, Orioles 4
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Preview: Rangers at Blue Jays
Gracenote
Apr 27, 2018
The Toronto Blue Jays hit a rough patch against the American League East's elite teams over the past week but hope to have some better results against the last-place team in the AL West when the Texas Rangers visit Friday for the first of three games. The Blue Jays went 2-5 in a stretch against the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox with three of the losses coming by one run.
The latest of those setbacks was a 5-4 decision against the Red Sox on Thursday in which Toronto produced just two hits over its final six innings while falling to 8-5 at home. The Blue Jays are 8-2 against teams outside their division and won two of three at Texas earlier in the month. That was the beginning of a 5-12 slide for the Rangers, who managed to avoid a sweep against Oakland by winning 4-2 on Wednesday behind a rare solid effort by a struggling bullpen. "To get these guys out there and off the field in positive situations, close the door for them, I believe will go a long ways to get them back on track mentally and physically," Texas manager Jeff Banister told reporters.
TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Texas), Sportsnet (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Mike Minor (1-1, 3.86 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Marcus Stroman (0-2, 8.55)
Minor rebounded from a rocky outing two turns ago to limit Seattle to a run over 5 1/3 innings his last time out. The 30-year-old dominated Toronto on April 7 at home by allowing a run and just two hits across six frames while striking out a season-high seven, picking up his first win as a starter since 2014. Steve Pearce is 3-for-5 with a home run and a walk against Minor, who is 3-0 with a 1.64 ERA in his career against the Blue Jays.
Stroman has yet to produce a quality start in 2018 and he was nowhere close to doing so in a loss at Yankee Stadium on Saturday. He allowed six earned runs in 5 1/3 innings while walking four batters and has issued 14 free passes in 20 innings this season. The Duke product was the losing pitcher opposite Minor earlier this month after giving up five runs over 4 2/3 innings and he owns a 6.89 ERA in three lifetime starts versus Texas.
WALK-OFFS
1. Blue Jays OF Randal Grichuk was 0-for-4 in Thursday's loss and is 5-for-63 on the season.
2. Rangers 1B Joey Gallo has seven walks in his last eight games.
3. Toronto 2B Devon Travis is 6-for-20 over his last six games after going 3-for-38 through his first 11 contests.
PREDICTION: Blue Jays 6, Rangers 5
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Preview: Rockies at Marlins
Gracenote
Apr 26, 2018
José Ureña won 14 games in 2017 but he remains in search of his first victory this season as he prepares to make his sixth start when the Miami Marlins host the Colorado Rockies on Friday in the opener of a three-game series. The Marlins wrapped up a nine-game road trip by taking the final two against the Los Angeles Dodgers -- their first back-to-back wins this season.
With its roster riddled by injuries, Miami could get some reinforcements Friday with the potential return of third baseman Martin Prado (hamstring), who played seven innings in rehab games Tuesday and Wednesday. The Marlins have lost the last seven starts dating to last season by Ureña, who is only 7-17 lifetime at home. The Rockies posted their first series home win of the season against San Diego on Wednesday and enter their nine-game road trip with a 9-5 record away from home. Colorado starters did not allow a run over 13 innings in the last two games and left-hander Tyler Anderson looks to keep the streak going when he opposes Ureña in the opener.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Colorado), FS Florida (Miami)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies LH Tyler Anderson (1-0, 4.32 ERA) vs. Marlins RH José Ureña (0-3, 5.88)
Anderson was pounded in his season debut at Arizona, giving up seven runs over 2 1/3 innings, but he has permitted only five earned runs in his last four turns while recording quality starts in three of them. He picked up his first win last time out by tossing six innings of two-run ball against the Chicago Cubs. Anderson has a 1.42 ERA in splitting two decisions against Miami, limiting the current roster to 3-for-16.
Ureña failed to go beyond five innings for the fourth time in five starts last time out, giving up four runs on four hits over five innings in a no-decision at Milwaukee. He fell to 0-3 at Marlins Park this season in his previous turn, permitting four runs and eight hits over five innings in a loss to Pittsburgh. Nolan Arenado is 3-for-10 with a pair of homers off Ureña, who was 0-1 with a 7.84 ERA versus Colorado in 2017.
WALK-OFFS
1. Marlins C J.T. Realmuto has homered three times in the past two games.
2. Rockies OF David Dahl has hit safely in all four games, including a triple in his last two, since he was called up from the minors.
3. Marlins 2B Starlin Castro is riding a five-game hitting streak.
PREDICTION: Rockies 4, Marlins 3
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Preview: Mariners at Indians
Gracenote
Apr 27, 2018
Corey Kluber looks to win his fourth consecutive start when the Cleveland Indians host the Seattle Mariners on Friday for the second contest of their four-game series. The two-time Cy Young Award winner has allowed just 22 hits while striking out 37 in 36 2/3 innings this season.
Kluber, who lost 2-1 to the Mariners on Opening Day, looks to get the Indians back on the winning side of the ledger after they dropped the series opener 5-4. The Mariners have won three straight and are an impressive 5-2 during their 10-game road trip. Kyle Seager delivered the tiebreaking RBI double in the eighth inning of the opener as part of his 3-for-4 effort. Yonder Alonso belted a two-run homer for the Indians and ranks second on the club with six blasts to go with a team-leading 15 RBIs.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ROOT Northwest (Seattle), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Erasmo Ramirez (0-1, 9.64 ERA) vs. Indians RH Corey Kluber (3-1, 1.96)
Ramirez is making his second start after opening the season on the disabled list due to a strained lat. The 27-year-old was roughed up by Texas on Sunday, when he gave up five runs and five hits - two homers - over 4 2/3 innings. Ramirez is 1-2 with a 3.51 ERA in seven career appearances (four starts) against the Indians and has been torched by Alonso (6-for-9) and Jason Kipnis (5-for-12, two homers).
Kluber gave up a season-worst three runs while defeating Baltimore in his last turn as he allowed six hits and didn't walk a batter in seven innings. The 32-year-old ranks fifth in franchise history with 1,238 strikeouts - 27 behind CC Sabathia for fourth. Kluber served up a first-inning, two-run homer to Nelson Cruz while losing the season opener to the Mariners as he allowed six hits over eight frames to drop to 3-2 with a 1.66 ERA in five career outings against Seattle.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cleveland's Andrew Miller (hamstring) was placed on the 10-day disabled list, Jeff Beliveau was recalled from Triple-A Columbus and fellow LHP Jack Leathersich was designated for assignment.
2. Seattle 1B Ryon Healy (ankle) was activated prior to the series opener and went 1-for-4, while 1B-DH Dan Vogelbach was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma.
3. Mariners RF Mitch Haniger, who is hitless in seven at-bats over his last two games, went 3-for-3 versus Kluber on Opening Day and is 5-for-7 overall against him.
PREDICTION: Indians 5, Mariners 1
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Preview: Rays at Red Sox
Gracenote
Apr 27, 2018
The surging Tampa Bay Rays look to remain hot at the plate when they visit the American League East-leading Boston Red Sox on Friday for the opener of their three-game series. The Rays have scored 47 runs during a six-game winning streak - their longest since July 2014 - after collecting 13 hits in Thursday’s 9-5 victory at Baltimore and have crossed the plate at least eight times in a franchise-record five straight contests.
Tampa Bay’s C.J. Cron launched his fourth homer in four contests Thursday and has driven in 10 runs in that span while Wilson Ramos also went deep in the latest win and is 11-for-28 with eight RBIs during his seven-game hitting streak. Blake Snell attempts to keep his strong run going on the mound when he takes the ball for the Rays against Drew Pomeranz, who is making just his second start of the season. Boston endured a three-game losing streak during its latest road trip but finished it with back-to-back one-run wins at Toronto after Thursday’s 5-4 triumph. Tampa Bay will be happy not to have to face the injured Xander Bogaerts (ankle), who is 12-for-27 with nine RBIs against the Rays this season, but Hanley Ramirez has recorded three multi-hit performances in his last five games and is batting .329 overall.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), NESN (Boston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays LH Blake Snell (3-1, 2.54 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Drew Pomeranz (0-0, 7.36)
Snell has strung together three outstanding performances - including his season-high seven-inning effort on Saturday, when he held Minnesota to one run and five hits while registering six strikeouts. The 25-year-old native of Washington gave up three runs and 11 hits while striking out 25 across 19 1/3 frames in his last three starts and hasn't issued a walk in the last two. Ramirez is 4-for-9 lifetime versus Snell, who limited the Red Sox to three hits over 5 2/3 innings of a no-decision on March 30.
Pomeranz returned from the disabled list on April 20 at Oakland after battling a forearm injury and allowed three runs on five hits and two walks with seven strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings in his 2018 debut. The 29-year-old from Tennessee went 17-6 (2-1 versus Tampa Bay) with a 3.32 ERA in 32 starts last year during his first full season with the Red Sox. Brad Miller is 10-for-19 with a homer and six RBIs against Pomeranz, who is 4-2 with a 3.59 ERA in nine career games (eight starts) versus the Rays.
WALK-OFFS
1. Boston UTIL Brock Holt doubled on Thursday to extend his hitting streak to nine games but left the contest with hamstring tightness.
2. Tampa Bay INFs Daniel Robertson (11-for-24) and Joey Wendle (12-for-24) are riding six-game hitting streaks.
3. Red Sox LF Andrew Benintendi recorded two hits Thursday after going 0-for-14 over his previous four games but is 2-for-23 versus the Rays in 2018.
PREDICTION: Rays 6, Red Sox 3
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Preview: Reds at Twins
Gracenote
Apr 27, 2018
The Minnesota Twins look to put an especially discouraging setback behind them quickly and snap a seven-game losing streak when they host the Cincinnati Reds for the first of three contests on Friday night. Fernando Rodney served up a walk-off, three-run homer to Gary Sanchez in the bottom of the ninth inning Thursday afternoon as the Twins dropped a 4-3 decision to the New York Yankees.
“You’re going to have stretches like this where you’re in quite a few ballgames, and the ball just can’t bounce your way,” Minnesota pitcher Kyle Gibson told MLB.com after striking out 10 in six innings Thursday. “Snakebitten, unlucky, whatever you want to call it. But nobody in here is playing the victim, nobody in here is trying to make excuses, we just have to be a little bit better.” Veteran Phil Hughes will try to start the Twins' turnaround when he takes the mound against Cincinnati’s Luis Castillo, who is off to a slow start after posting a 3.12 ERA in 15 starts as a rookie in 2017. The Reds (5-20) own the worst record in the majors after dropping the last two games against Atlanta at home and visit Minnesota for the first time since 2001. Former MVP Joey Votto is warming up for Cincinnati with homers in each of his last three contests and eight RBIs over a five-game stretch.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), FS North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Luis Castillo (1-3, 6.51 ERA) vs. Twins RH Phil Hughes (0-0, 5.40)
Castillo allowed three runs on seven hits and four walks over five innings at St. Louis on Sunday to suffer the loss after posting his first victory at Milwaukee six days earlier. The 25-year-old Dominican has completed at least five innings but given up three or more runs in all five of his starts. Castillo faces Minnesota for the first time in his career and lost his only other interleague start, yielding three runs over five innings to the Yankees last season.
Hughes permitted two runs on five hits and two walks over 3 1/3 innings in his 2018 debut at Tampa Bay last Sunday after spending time on the disabled list with a strained left oblique. The 31-year-old California native was 5-10 in 26 appearances (20 starts) combined in 2016-17 after reaching the 10-win mark in four of the previous six seasons. Scooter Gennett is 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles against Hughes, who won his only career meeting with the Reds in 2015 - giving up four runs on eight hits over 6 2/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cincinnati OF Jesse Winker doubled as a pinch hitter Thursday to extend his hitting streak to eight games (11-for-24).
2. The Twins claimed RHP David Hale off waivers from the Yankees on Thursday. He is expected to join the team for the series.
3. Reds 3B Eugenio Suarez returned Thursday after missing 16 games with a fractured right thumb and went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
PREDICTION: Twins 5, Reds 4
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Preview: Athletics at Astros
Gracenote
Apr 27, 2018
The Oakland Athletics hope Sean Manaea can duplicate his previous performance as the team looks to remain hot when it visits the Houston Astros on Friday for the opener of their three-game series. Manaea tossed a no-hitter against Boston in his last outing for Oakland, which has won eight of its last 10 contests but is coming off a 4-2 loss at Texas on Wednesday that dropped it to 2-1 on its nine-game road trip.
The Athletics squandered a 2-0 lead that was provided by Khris Davis, who belted his seventh homer of the season to give him eight RBIs in his last four games. Houston salvaged the finale of its three-game set against the Los Angeles Angels, winning 5-2 on Wednesday for its seventh victory in nine contests. Alex Bregman delivered a three-run double while Jose Altuve and Jake Marisnick homered for the Astros, who had lost four straight at home. Altuve, who has won the batting title in the American League three of the last four seasons, has been held without a hit in just four of his 26 games this year.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, NBCS California (Oakland), AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics LH Sean Manaea (3-2, 1.23 ERA) vs. Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (1-3, 3.10)
Manaea can't perform much better than he did last time out, when he recorded 10 strikeouts and issued two walks against the Red Sox on Saturday. The 26-year-old native of Indiana has allowed two runs and five hits over 24 innings in his three victories this season and has given up more than four hits just once in his five overall outings. Manaea has posted an impressive 2.45 ERA in his eight career starts against Houston but owns just a 1-3 record.
Keuchel's record is deceiving, as he has allowed three runs or fewer in each of his five starts. The 30-year-old former Cy Young Award winner is coming off his first win, a triumph over the White Sox in Chicago on Saturday in which he gave up one run and four hits over six innings. Keuchel is 5-4 with one complete game and a 2.59 ERA in 16 starts and two relief appearances against the Athletics.
WALK-OFFS
1. Athletics SS Marcus Semien is riding a five-game hitting streak that has featured four two-hit performances.
2. Houston SS Carlos Correa has gone 16-for-35 during his 10-game hitting streak.
3. Oakland optioned Kendall Graveman and Chris Bassitt to Triple-A Nashville and activated fellow RHP Wilmer Font, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday.
PREDICTION: Astros 6, Athletics 3
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Preview: White Sox at Royals
Gracenote
Apr 27, 2018
The Chicago White Sox put on a power display in the opener of the five-game series and look to follow up with another solid performance when they visit the Kansas City Royals on Friday. The White Sox belted five homers - two by Matt Davidson - while notching a 6-3 victory on Thursday.
Welington Castillo, Yoan Moncada and Trayce Thompson also went deep as Chicago won for just the third time in 17 games. Davidson has hit seven homers this season, with five coming at Kauffman Stadium. The White Sox are saddled with a 6-16 record, but half of the victories have occurred in Kansas City, where they swept a season-opening two-game series. Kansas City has dropped 13 of its last 15 games and owns the American League's worst record at 5-18, including a 1-10 mark at home.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, NBCS Chicago, FS Kansas City
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Reynaldo Lopez (0-2, 1.50 ERA) vs. Royals LH Danny Duffy (0-3, 5.26)
Lopez is winless in four starts despite allowing just four earned runs and 12 hits over 24 innings. The 24-year-old hasn't yielded more than four hits in any of his outings, but he has experienced bouts of wildness by issuing four or more walks in three of his turns. Lopez is 2-0 with a 3.44 ERA in three career starts against the Royals and has served up two homers to Mike Moustakas and one to Alcides Escobar.
Duffy was roughed up by Detroit in his last outing as he gave up six runs and 10 hits over 4 2/3 innings. The 29-year-old's season began on a bad note when Chicago's Jose Abreu, Davidson and Tim Anderson all went deep off him in the fourth inning on Opening Day as he allowed five runs and seven hits in four frames. Duffy is 7-6 with a 4.47 ERA in 21 career appearances (19 starts) against the White Sox and has struggled with Abreu (16-for-45, two homers), Yolmer Sanchez (10-for-26) and Anderson (8-for-22, one homer).
WALK-OFFS
1. White Sox bench coach Joe McEwing will serve as manager on Friday and Saturday as Rich Renteria will be away from the team due to the death of his mother on Wednesday.
2. Moustakas was 2-for-5 in the series opener and has recorded at least one hit in 16 of his last 17 games.
3. Abreu (flu-like symptoms) is expected back in the lineup on Friday after sitting out the series opener.
PREDICTION: Royals 3, White Sox 2
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Preview: Yankees at Angels
Gracenote
Apr 26, 2018
The New York Yankees ended a wildly successful homestand in dramatic fashion and hope to carry their momentum into a challenging stretch when they open a three-game series at the Los Angeles Angels on Friday. Gary Sanchez's walk-off three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted the Yankees to a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday, capping a four-game sweep.
New York won the final six games of the homestand by a combined margin of 47-13 and enter a seven-game trip through Los Angeles and Houston on a very high note. "We've got a lot of fight in here, a lot of bulldogs," left-hander Jordan Montgomery, who threw the first five innings Thursday, told reporters. The Angels won two of three at Houston to begin the week to improve to 11-2 on the road, compared to 5-7 at home. Veteran slugger Albert Pujols begins their six-game homestand with 2,994 career hits, the most recent of which was his 619th homer in Wednesday's 5-2 loss to the Astros.
TV: 10:07 p.m. ET, YES (New York), FS West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Luis Severino (4-1, 2.32 ERA) vs. Angels LH Andrew Heaney (0-1, 9.64)
After giving up five runs in five innings at Fenway Park on April 10, Severino returned to his dominant form with back-to-back victories. He allowed one run and four hits in 13 innings over that span, defeating Toronto for the second time this year in his last turn on Sunday. The 24-year-old lost his only prior meeting with the Angels last June at home after giving up five earned runs in six innings.
Heaney is 1-4 with a 7.54 ERA in eight starts with the Angels since the beginning of the 2016 season after a rocky outing against San Francisco last Friday. The former first-round pick does have 13 strikeouts in 9 1/3 innings this year and 40 in 31 frames at the big-league level over the last two seasons. He dominated the Yankees over seven innings in a 2015 encounter at Angel Stadium to pick up his first win in the majors.
WALK-OFFS
1. Yankees 1B Tyler Austin's suspension for his involvement in a brawl at Boston was reduced from five games to four, and he will begin serving it Friday.
2. Angels LF Justin Upton has struck out at least once in 11 straight games.
3. New York RF Aaron Judge has reached base safely in 21 consecutive contests.
PREDICTION: Yankees 5, Angels 3
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