The Bum's MLB Best Bets - Trends - News Thru the World Series !

[StarDust Bum]

Tuesday’s games

National League
Nationals @ Braves
Scherzer is 1-1, 3.55 in his first two starts (over 1-1).

Foltynewicz allowed two runs in 3.2 IP (91 PT) in his first ’17 start, a 5-4 loss in Pittsburgh. He pitched a couple innings in relief in a game since then.

Washington won four of its last six games; three of their last four stayed under. Atlanta won its last five games; eight of their last ten games went over the total.

Phillies @ Mets
Eflin is making his first ’17 start; he is 3-5, 5.54 in 11 MLB starts, all LY. He threw five scoreless innings in his only AAA start this year.

Wheeler is 1-1, 7.45 in his first two ’17 starts (over 2-0).

Phillies lost five of their last six games; under is 4-2 in their road games. New York lost their last three games, all lost by the bullpen; over is 7-3-1 in their last 11 games.

Pirates @ Cardinals
Kuhl is 1-0, 3.18 in his first two starts (over 1-1).

Leake is 1-1, 0.60 in his first two starts (under 2-0).

Pittsburgh won three of its last four games; under is 6-1 in their road games. St Louis is off to a 4-9 start; four of their last five games stayed under.

Brewers @ Cubs
Nelson is 1-0, 1.38 in his first two ’17 starts (under 2-0).

Anderson is 1-0, 0.84 in his first two ’17 starts (under 2-0).

Brewers won six of their first seven road games; under is 5-2 in their road games. Cubs lost their last four games; under is 5-2 in their home games.

Diamondbacks @ Padres
Miller is 1-1, 5.06 in his first two ’17 starts (over 1-0-1).

Cosart blanked the Rockies for four innings (70 PT) in Denver in his first ’17 start.

Arizona is 8-4 in its last 12 games; under is 5-2-1 in their last eight games. Padres lost their last four games; under is 5-2 in their last seven games.

Rockies @ Dodgers
Freeland 1-1, 5.91 in his first two ’17 starts (under 2-0).

Ryu is 0-2, 5.79 in his first two starts (under 2-0). Dodgers scored one run in those games.

Colorado won three of last four games; under is 5-1 in their last six road games. Dodgers are 5-3 at home; three of their last five home games went over.

——————————–

American League
Chicago @ New York
Gonzalez is 1-0, 4.22 in his first two starts (over 1-1).

Severino is 1-0, 4.50 in his first two starts (over 1-1).

White Sox won four of their last six games; under is 8-2 in their last ten games. Bronx won its last eight games; they’re 7-0 at home. Three of their last five games stayed under.

Red Sox @ Blue Jays
Johnson is making his first ’17 start; he allowed four runs in 4.1 IP in his only MLB start, in 2015. He is 0-0, 1.69 in two AAA starts this year.

Stroman 1-1, 1.76 in his first two ’17 starts (under 2-0).

Boston won its last three games; under is 8-5 in its games. Toronto is off to a 2-10 start, 1-5 at home. Under is 8-4 in their games.

Tigers @ Rays
Fulmer is 1-0, 2.25 in his first two ’17 starts (over 1-1).

Andriese is 0-0, 5.40 in his first two ’17 starts (over 1-1).

Detroit won five of its last seven games; over is 4-1 in their road games. Tampa Bay lost five of its last six games; over is 5-2 in their last seven games.

Indians @ Twins
Tomlin allowed 13 runs in 6.1 IP in losing his first two ’17 starts (over 2-0).

Hughes is 2-0, 3.86 in his first two ’17 starts (over 1-1).

Cleveland lost four of its last six games; over is 4-3 in their road games. Minnesota lost five of its last seven games; their last five home tilts stayed under total.

Angels @ Astros
Nolasco is 0-2, 5.40 in three starts this season (over 2-1).

Musgrove is 1-0, 4.22 in his first two ’17 starts (over 1-1).

Angels lost their last six games; they got shut out in last two— under is 7-1 in their road games. Astros won six of last seven games; six of their last eight games went over.

Rangers @ A’s
Darvish 1-1, 2.33 in his first three ’17 starts (over 2-1).

Triggs is 2-0, 0.77 in his first two ’17 starts (over 1-1).

Texas lost three of last four games; their bullpen is already 1-5. Over is 4-3 in their road games. Oakland lost its last four games; three of its last five games went over.

__________________________

Interleague
Orioles @ Reds
Gausman 1-0, 3.94 in his first three ’17 starts (under 2-1)

Arroyo is 0-2, 9.90 in his first two ’17 starts (over 1-1).

Orioles won four of last five games; over is 6-3 in their last nine. Cincinnati lost three of last four games; under is 4-3 in their home tilts.

Giants @ Royals
Cain is 1-0, 5.00 in his first two ’17 starts (over 1-0-1).

Hammel is 0-2, 6.52 in his first two ’17 starts (over 1-1).

Giants lost three of last four games; they’re 2-5 on road (over 6-1). Royals won their last four games; under is 5-1 in their home games.

Marlins @ Mariners
Chen is 1-0, 7.00 in his first two ’17 starts, both against the Mets (over 2-0).

Gallardo is 0-1, 6.30 in his first two ’17 starts (over 1-1).

Marlins won three of last four games; over is 6-3-1 in their last ten games. Seattle won its last four games; three of their last four games stayed under.

______________________________

Record with this pitcher starting:
National League
Wsh-Atl: Scherzer 1-1; Foltynewicz 0-1
Phil-NY: Eflin 0-0; Wheeler 1-1
Mil-Chi: Nelson 2-0; Anderson 1-1
Pitt-StL: Kuhl 1-1; Leake 1-1
Az-SD: Miller 1-1; Cosart 1-0
Col-LA: Freeland 1-1; Ryu 0-2

American League
Chi-NY: Gonzalez 2-0; Severino 1-1
Bos-Tor: Johnson 0-0; Stroman 1-1
Det-TB: Fulmer 2-0; Andriese 1-1
LA-Hst: Nolasco 1-2; Musgrove 1-1
Cle-Min: Tomlin 0-2; Hughes 2-0
Tex-A’s: Darvish 2-1; Triggs 2-0

Interleague
Balt-Cin: Gausman 3-0; Arroyo 0-2
SF-KC: Cain 1-1; Hammel 0-2
Mia-Sea: Chen 1-1; Gallardo 0-2

Pitchers allowing a run in first inning:
National League
Wsh-Atl: Scherzer 1-2; Foltynewicz 0-1
Phil-NY: Eflin 0-0; Wheeler 0-2
Mil-Chi: Nelson 1-2; Anderson 0-2
Pitt-StL: Kuhl 0-2; Leake 0-2
Az-SD: Miller 1-2; Cosart 0-1
Col-LA: Freeland 1-2; Ryu 2-2

American League
Chi-NY: Gonzalez 1-1; Severino 1-2
Bos-Tor: Johnson 0-0; Stroman 0-2
Det-TB: Fulmer 1-1; Andriese 2-2
LA-Hst: Nolasco 2-3; Musgrove 0-2
Cle-Min: Tomlin 1-2; Hughes 2-2
Tex-A’s: Darvish 0-3; Triggs 0-2

Interleague
Balt-Cin: Gausman 0-3; Arroyo 1-1
SF-KC: Cain 2-2; Hammel 0-2
Mia-Sea: Chen 1-2; Gallardo 1-2

***********************


Teams’ records in first five innings:
Team (road-home-total)- thru 4/16/17

Ariz 2-4………….2-2-3…….4-6-3
Atl 1-6-1………..2-0-1…….3-6-1
Cubs 4-2………….4-1-1……..8-3-1
Reds 5-1-1……….1-3-1……..6-4-2
Colo 5-3…………1-3-2……..6-6-2
LA 3-3-1………..4-2………7-5-1
Miami 3-3-1………..5-0………8-3
Milw 4-1-1………..2-5………6-6-1
Mets 2-4…………3-3-2……..5-7-2
Philly 2-1-2………..4-3………6-4-2
Pitt 1-3-2………..2-4………3-7-2
St. Louis 1-5…………3-2-1……..4-7-1
SD 3-5-2…………2-1……..5-6-2
SF 4-2-2…………2-4……..6-6-2
Wash 1-2…………..5-4………..6-6

Orioles 4-1-1……….3-2……..…7-3-1
Boston 1-3…………2-4-2………3-7-2
White Sox 2-2-2………2-2-1………4-4-3
Cleveland 1-4-1………1-4-1………2-8-2
Detroit 3-2…………..5-2………….8-4
Astros 0-4-1………3-3-1………3-7-2
KC 2-3-1………..3-2-1……..5-5-2
Angels 2-3-2………..2-4………..4-7-2
Twins 2-3-1………4-0-2……….6-3-3
NYY 3-3…………..5-1………….8-4
A’s 2-3-1………2-2-2………4-5-3
Seattle 2-4-1………..4-1-1……..6-5-2
TB 4-1-1………..5-2……….9-3-1
Texas 4-1-1………..4-2………..8-3-1
Toronto 1-5…………..0-5-1…….1-10-1

%age of times teams score in first inning (road/home/total-4/16/17)
Ariz 1-6……..1-7…………2
Atl 1-8……..1-3…………2
Cubs 1-6……..2-6…………3
Reds 1-6……..1-6…………2
Colo 1-7……..2-6…………3
LA 2-6……..2-7…………4
Miami 2-6……..4-6…………6
Milw 2-6……..1-7…………3
Mets 3-7……..2-6………….5
Philly 3-6……..2-6………….5
Pitt 1-6……..0-6…………1
StL 3-6……..2-6…………5
SD 4-9……..2-3…………6
SF 1-7……..2-7…………3
Wash 1-3……..3-9…………4

Orioles 1-5……..1-5…………2
Boston 0-4……..0-7…………0
White Sox 1-5…….3-5…………4
Clev 2-6……..3-5…………5
Detroit 0-4……..3-7…………3
Astros 2-5……..3-7…………5
KC 0-6……..3-4…………3
Angels 2-6……..1-6…………3
Twins 1-6……..1-5…………2
NYY 1-6……..3-5…………4
A’s 0-6……..1-6…………1
Seattle 2-7……..1-5…………3
TB 1-5………3-7…………4
Texas 2-5……..2-6…………4
Toronto 2-6……..1-5………….3

Interleague play
NL @ AL– 4-2 AL, favorites +$15
AL @ NL– 3-0 NL, favorites -$208
Total: 5-4 NL, favorites -$193

Totals in interleague games
NL @ AL– Over 0-6
AL @ NL– Over 2-1
Total– Over 2-7

[StarDust Bum]

Astros SS Correa sidelined with hand injury
April 17, 2017

Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa was held out of Monday's lineup against the Los Angeles Angels while nursing a right hand injury.

Correa sustained the injury after being hit by a pitch in Saturday's game against the Oakland Athletics.

"I didn't feel comfortable swinging the bat today; it bothered me a lot," the 22-year-old Correa said before Monday's game at Minute Maid Park. "So they give me another day. Hopefully, it will heal soon and I'll be ready to go back out there.

"It's just bruised, it just hurts. I got hit by a 95 mph fastball."

Alex Bregman was inserted into the lineup at shortstop in place of Correa, who is considered day to day. Marwin Gonzalez took over for Bregman at third base.

Correa, who is mired in a 2-for-18 slump in his last four games, is batting .234 with one homer and three RBIs in 12 games this season.

***************************

L.A.'s Hill aggravates blister, back on DL
April 17, 2017

For the second time this season, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Rich Hill was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a blister on his left middle finger.

The blister forced Hill out of his start on Sunday against the Arizona Diamondbacks after giving up two runs, five hits and two walks in three innings.

With the 37-year-old Hill on the disabled list, Alex Wood is expected to make Hill's next start on Sunday, also against the Diamondbacks.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Hill is continuing to throw with a Band-Aid on the finger, but the team will consider whether to shut Hill down completely to allow the issue to be resolved.

The Dodgers could move Hill to the bullpen upon his return after determining the source of the problem. Hill has a 1-1 record and a 3.38 ERA in eight innings.

The blister was also a problem last season, when he was sidelined two separate times. But when Hill was healthy, he posted a combined 12-5 record with a 2.12 ERA in 110 1/3 innings with Oakland and Los Angeles last year.

The Dodgers signed Hill to a three-year, $48 million contract during the offseason.

*****************************

Slumping Rangers RP Dyson lands on DL
April 17, 2017

The Texas Rangers placed struggling reliever Sam Dyson on the 10-day disabled list Monday and recalled fellow right-hander Keone Kela from Triple-A Round Rock.

Dyson, who is nursing a right hand contusion, has blown all three of his save opportunities and sports an 0-3 record with a 27.00 ERA this season. The 28-year-old has allowed 13 earned runs in 4 1/3 innings over six appearances.

Kela did not make the Rangers' Opening Day roster after being sent down for what general manager Jon Daniels and manager Jeff Banister alluded to being clubhouse culture. The latter two did not elaborate on that decision earlier this month.

As a rookie in 2015, Kela posted a 7-5 mark with one save and a 2.39 ERA in 68 appearances. While dealing with right elbow issues last season, he was limited to 35 games and finished 5-1 with a 6.09 ERA.

Kela, 24, yielded one earned run and struck out eight in four innings with Round Rock this season.

****************************

Cardinals take 1B Carpenter out of lineup before game
April 17, 2017

St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Matt Carpenter was a late scratch from Monday's game against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates.

Jose Martinez was inserted into the lineup to replace Carpenter, who was dealing with swelling in his lacerated finger.

The injury was sustained after the 31-year-old All-Star was hit by a ground ball in Sunday's interleague game against the New York Yankees.

Carpenter is batting just .222 with one homer and four RBIs in 12 games this season.

Martinez, 28, was riding a four-game hitting streak and batting .500 (6-for-12) with one RBI after nine games this season.

[StarDust Bum]

Overall Picks of the Day:
Date W-L-T % Units Record

04/17/2017 8-7-0 53.33% +575
04/16/2017 8-12-0 40.00% -1400
04/15/2017 12-10-0 54.55% +1700
04/14/2017 9-14-0 39.13% -2375
04/13/2017 9-7-0 56.25% +1125
04/12/2017 11-8-1 57.89% +2450
04/11/2017 3-10-1 23.08% -3525
04/07/2017 19-11-0 63.33% +3610
04/06/2017 8-7-0 53.33% +300
04/05/2017 3-11-0 21.43% -3975
04/04/2017 5-8-0 38.46% -1350
04/03/2017 6-7-1 46.15% -700
04/02/2017 3-1-1 75.00% +1175


Best Bets Daily: ( DOGS AND TOTALS ONLY )
Sides / Totals

04/17/2017............1 - 3 -1.65...............4 - 2+1.80
04/16/2017............4 - 2+5.20...............1 - 4 -3.40
04/15/2017............4 - 6 -0.30...............2 - 2 -0.20
04/14/2017 ...........2 - 4 -0.95...............2 - 4 - 2.00
04/13/2017............1 - 3 -0.35...............7 - 4 + 3.00
04/12/2017............4 - 1 +550...............4 - 6 - 2.00
04/11/2017............1 - 3 -1.35...............1 - 4 - 1 - 3.00
04/07/2017............5 - 1 +5.45..............6 - 0 +6.00
04/06/2017............1 - 3 - 2.00..............3 - 2 +1.00
04/05/2017............2 - 2 +0.95..............0 - 5 - 5.00
04/04/2017 ...........1 - 3 - 1.20............. 2 - 3 - 1.00
04/03/2017............0 - 3 - 3.00..............5 - 1 + 4.00
04/02/2017........... 2 - 0 + 2.15 ............1 - 2 - 1.00

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Dunkel

Tuesday, April 18


Miami @ Seattle

Game 929-930
April 18, 2017 @ 10:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Miami
(Chen) 17.437
Seattle
(Gallardo) 16.494
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Miami
by 1
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Seattle
-115
8 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Miami
(-105); Under

San Francisco @ Kansas City

Game 927-928
April 18, 2017 @ 8:15 pm

Dunkel Rating:
San Francisco
(Cain) 15.860
Kansas City
(Hammel) 14.679
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Francisco
by 1
11
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Kansas City
-125
9
Dunkel Pick:
San Francisco
(+105); Over

Baltimore @ Cincinnati

Game 925-926
April 18, 2017 @ 7:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Baltimore
(Gausman) 16.039
Cincinnati
(Arroyo) 18.298
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cincinnati
by 2
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Baltimore
-170
9
Dunkel Pick:
Cincinnati
(+150); Under

Texas @ Oakland

Game 923-924
April 18, 2017 @ 10:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Texas
(Darvish) 16.416
Oakland
(Triggs) 13.610
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Texas
by 3
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Texas
-125
7
Dunkel Pick:
Texas
(-125); Over

Cleveland @ Minnesota

Game 921-922
April 18, 2017 @ 8:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Cleveland
(Tomlin) 15.815
Minnesota
(Hughes) 17.298
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Minnesota
by 1 1/2
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cleveland
-120
9
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota
(+100); Under

LA Angels @ Houston

Game 919-920
April 18, 2017 @ 8:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Angels
(Nolasco) 14.862
Houston
(Msgrove) 13.403
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA Angels
by 1 1/2
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Angels
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
LA Angels
N/A

Detroit @ Tampa Bay

Game 917-918
April 18, 2017 @ 7:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Detroit
(Fulmer) 14.243
Tampa Bay
(Andriese) 13.005
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Detroit
by 1
11
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Tampa Bay
-115
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Detroit
(-105); Over

Boston @ Toronto

Game 915-916
April 18, 2017 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Boston
(Johnson) 16.031
Toronto
(Stroman) 17.674
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 1 1/2
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Toronto
-150
8 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(-150); Under

Chicago White Sox @ NY Yankees

Game 913-914
April 18, 2017 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago White Sox
(Gnzalez) 17.898
NY Yankees
(Severino) 15.298
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chicago White Sox
by 2 1/2
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
NY Yankees
-180
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago White Sox
(+160); Under

Colorado @ LA Dodgers

Game 911-912
April 18, 2017 @ 10:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Colorado
(Freeland) 16.044
LA Dodgers
(Ryu) 15.134
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Colorado
by 1
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Dodgers
-165
8
Dunkel Pick:
Colorado
(+145); Over

Arizona @ San Diego

Game 909-910
April 18, 2017 @ 10:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Arizona
(Miller) 14.694
San Diego
(Cosart) 13.361
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Arizona
by 1 1/2
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Arizona
-120
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Arizona
(-120); Under

Pittsburgh @ St. Louis

Game 907-908
April 18, 2017 @ 8:15 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Pittsburgh
(Kuhl) 12.866
St. Louis
(Leake) 16.299
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
St. Louis
by 3 1/2
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
St. Louis
-135
8
Dunkel Pick:
St. Louis
(-135); Over

Milwaukee @ Chicago Cubs

Game 905-906
April 18, 2017 @ 8:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Milwaukee
(Nelson) 13.962
Chicago Cubs
(Andrson) 18.298
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chicago Cubs
by 4 1/2
5
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago Cubs
-170
No Total
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago Cubs
(-170); N/A

Philadelphia @ NY Mets

Game 903-904
April 18, 2017 @ 7:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Philadelphia
(Eflin) 15.103
NY Mets
(Wheeler) 13.681
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Philadelphia
by 1 1/2
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
NY Mets
-160
8
Dunkel Pick:
Philadelphia
(+140); Under

Washington @ Atlanta

Game 901-902
April 18, 2017 @ 7:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Washington
(Scherzer) 14.442
Atlanta
(Fltynwicz) 15.638
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Atlanta
by 1
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
-175
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Atlanta
(+155); Under

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Tuesday, April 18

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7:05 PM
CHI WHITE SOX vs. NY YANKEES
Chi White Sox are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Chi White Sox's last 10 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of NY Yankees's last 5 games when playing Chi White Sox
NY Yankees are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games at home

7:07 PM
BOSTON vs. TORONTO
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games when playing Toronto
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Toronto is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Toronto's last 17 games

7:10 PM
BALTIMORE vs. CINCINNATI
Baltimore is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Baltimore is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Cincinnati is 5-10 SU in its last 15 games at home
Cincinnati is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games

7:10 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. NY METS
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 6 games when playing NY Mets
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 7 games on the road
NY Mets are 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 7 of NY Mets's last 8 games when playing at home against Philadelphia

7:10 PM
DETROIT vs. TAMPA BAY
Detroit is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Tampa Bay
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Detroit's last 5 games on the road
Tampa Bay is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Detroit
Tampa Bay is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

7:35 PM
WASHINGTON vs. ATLANTA
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Washington's last 6 games on the road
Washington is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Atlanta's last 8 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Atlanta's last 10 games

8:05 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. CHI CUBS
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Milwaukee's last 6 games when playing Chi Cubs
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Milwaukee's last 6 games when playing on the road against Chi Cubs
Chi Cubs are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chi Cubs's last 6 games when playing Milwaukee

8:10 PM
LA ANGELS vs. HOUSTON
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of LA Angels's last 5 games on the road
LA Angels are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Houston's last 5 games when playing LA Angels
Houston is 17-6 SU in their last 23 games when playing at home against LA Angels

8:10 PM
CLEVELAND vs. MINNESOTA
Cleveland is 12-5 SU in its last 17 games on the road
Cleveland is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Minnesota's last 7 games when playing Cleveland
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games at home

8:15 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. KANSAS CITY
San Francisco is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games when playing Kansas City
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Francisco's last 5 games when playing on the road against Kansas City
Kansas City is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games when playing San Francisco
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Kansas City's last 7 games at home

8:15 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. ST. LOUIS
Pittsburgh is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
St. Louis is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of St. Louis's last 5 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh

10:05 PM
TEXAS vs. OAKLAND
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Texas's last 8 games when playing Oakland
Texas is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Oakland
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Oakland's last 23 games
Oakland is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Texas

10:10 PM
MIAMI vs. SEATTLE
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Miami's last 7 games when playing Seattle
Miami is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Seattle
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Seattle's last 7 games when playing Miami
Seattle is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Miami

10:10 PM
ARIZONA vs. SAN DIEGO
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Arizona's last 6 games when playing San Diego
Arizona is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing San Diego
San Diego is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Arizona
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Diego's last 5 games at home

10:10 PM
COLORADO vs. LA DODGERS
Colorado is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Colorado's last 6 games on the road
LA Dodgers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against Colorado
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of LA Dodgers's last 7 games

[StarDust Bum]

MLB Daily Line Drive: Tuesday's picks, betting odds and analysis

Darvish has only allowed one earned run in his last two outings and is coming off a stellar seven shutout innings with 10 Ks in his last start in Los Angeles vs. the Angels.

The baseball schedule can be tough to navigate for even a seasoned baseball bettor. We break down all the betting angles for you including picks, trends, weather and analysis to help you handicap the MLB like a pro.

Double-Play Picks

Chicago White Sox at New York Yankees (-190, 7.5)

The Chicago White Sox are not exactly an offensive juggernaught. Coming in to tonight's game they rank No. 21 in baseball with a .231 batting average and they have only popped 11 home runs this season. However, a road game at Yankee Stadium can change everything.

The total for this game has actually dropped from the opening number of 8.5 down to the current number of 7.5. This move is because of the wind direction, which will be blowing in from right field tonight, but a wind strength of only 5-10 miles per hour shouldn't really be a major factor.

The White Sox are throwing a mediocre starter at the Yankees tonight (Miguel Gonzalez - 1-0, 4.22 ERA) and their young, live bats should eat him alive.

Like any time betting an Over involving the Yankees, their dominant late inning relievers cause a little bit of anxiety...but hopefully this game will hit eight runs long before the late innings.

Pick: Over 7.5

Texas Rangers at Oakland Athletics (+115, 7)

It's time for the Andrew Triggs string of successful starts to run out. His weird delivery and very good sinker have produced a pair of wins and an ERA of 0.00 thus far in 2017. But let's be honest, he is not Clayton Kershaw and he is putting up Kershaw-like numbers.

Today, Triggs and the A's host Yu Darvish and the Texas Rangers. Darvish has only allowed one earned run in his last two outings and is coming off a stellar seven shutout innings with 10 strikeouts in his last start in Los Angeles against the Angels.

Don't expect Triggs to fully blow up and give up 10 runs, but Darvish should dominate the A's and come out with a win somewhere in the 3-1 or 4-1 range. Getting Darvish at -130 is too good to pass up.

Pick: Texas -130

Record to date: 5-3



Streaking and Slumping Starting Pitchers

Streaking: Mike Leake, St. Louis Cardinals (1-1, 0.60 ERA, $4)

It has been a tough start to the season for the Cardinals, but you can’t put any of the blame on the shoulders of Mike Leake.

Leake has come out of the gates firing. In his first two starts he has pitched 15 innings to the tune of a 0.60 ERA with 13 strikeouts and just one walk. Additionally, batters are hitting just .208 against him this season and he faces a Pirates club that is hitting just .228 as a team.

Slumping: Josh Tomlin, Cleveland Indians (0-2, 18.47 ERA, $-344)

It has been nothing short of a disastrous start to the season for Tomlin, who has managed to pitch just 6.1 innings in his first two starts.

He allowed six runs on seven hits in 4.2 innings in his first start of the season at Arizona and followed that up with by allowing seven runs on eight hits in just 1.2 innings against the White Sox. Plus, batters are hitting a ridiculous .500 off Tomlin this year. He visits the Twins Monday.

Monday’s Top Trends

* The New York Yankees are 8-0 in their last eight overall. Yankees -183 vs. White Sox
* The Under is 9-0 in Marcus Stroman’s last nine starts overall. O/U 8.5 vs. Red Sox
* The Detroit Tigers are 6-0 in the last six meetings against the Tampa Bay Rays. Tigers +105
* The Under is 9-1 in the Minnesota Twins’ last 10 games overall. O/U 9 vs. Indians

Weather to Keep an Eye On

It should be windy and a bit chilly tonight in Minnesota, when the Twins host the Cleveland Indians. Temperatures will be in the low 50’s for the game with a moderate 14-16 mile per hour hitters wind gusting out over the right field fence. Skies will be overcast but there is a minimal chance of precipitation. The total for the game is currently 9.

Ump of the Day

D.J. Reyburn: Reyburn will be calling balls and strikes for tonight’s game in Houston between the Angels and Astros and if recent history means anything that bodes well for the ‘Stros. The home team is 10-3 in the last 13 games (76.9 percent) Reyburn has officiated and 30-22 (57.7 percent) since the start of 2015. Reyburn also has a very low strike rate so far this season at just 60.3 percent. Houston is currently a -163 home favorite with a total of 8.5.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Tuesday, April 18


MLB's top OVER bets through the first couple of weeks are the Atlanta Braves (8-4) and the New York Yankees (8-5).


Now a couple of weeks into the MLB season and the Rockies lead the league with 10 UNDERS (O-U 4-10). Twins lead in UNDER% at 81.8% (O-U 2-9)

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Long Sheet

Tuesday, April 18

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WASHINGTON (7 - 5) at ATLANTA (6 - 6) - 7:35 PM
MAX SCHERZER (R) vs. MIKE FOLTYNEWICZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 14-6 (+13.9 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 40-52 (+12.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

MAX SCHERZER vs. ATLANTA since 1997
SCHERZER is 5-3 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 3.92 and a WHIP of 1.290.
His team's record is 6-4 (+0.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-2. (+5.0 units)

MIKE FOLTYNEWICZ vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
FOLTYNEWICZ is 1-0 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 3.86 and a WHIP of 1.285.
His team's record is 1-1 (+1.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-0. (+2.0 units)

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PHILADELPHIA (4 - 8) at NY METS (7 - 6) - 7:10 PM
ZACH EFLIN (R) vs. ZACK WHEELER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 381-419 (+54.8 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
NY METS are 21-24 (-17.7 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 38-43 (-21.8 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss over the last 3 seasons.
NY METS are 18-22 (-19.8 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY METS is 3-0 (+3.1 Units) against PHILADELPHIA this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.9 Units)

ZACH EFLIN vs. NY METS since 1997
EFLIN is 0-1 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 4.50 and a WHIP of 1.167.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

ZACK WHEELER vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
WHEELER is 3-1 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 3.25 and a WHIP of 1.083.
His team's record is 4-2 (+2.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-2. (+2.3 units)

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MILWAUKEE (8 - 6) at CHICAGO CUBS (6 - 7) - 8:05 PM
JIMMY NELSON (R) vs. BRETT ANDERSON (L)
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 5-0 (+7.5 Units) against the money line in road games in night games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 32-21 (+20.0 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 1605-1693 (-259.6 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 405-436 (-91.3 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 346-288 (-76.6 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -125 to -175 since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 858-792 (-156.6 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 224-268 (-74.2 Units) against the money line when playing on Tuesday since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 400-369 (-87.9 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 0-5 (-8.8 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters this season.
ANDERSON is 54-65 (-24.1 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997. (Team's Record)
ANDERSON is 9-19 (-15.0 Units) against the money line in April games since 1997. (Team's Record)
ANDERSON is 0-6 (-10.0 Units) against the money line when playing on Tuesday over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
ANDERSON is 34-45 (-21.0 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 2-2 (+1.3 Units) against CHICAGO CUBS this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.0 Units)

JIMMY NELSON vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
NELSON is 1-6 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 3.84 and a WHIP of 1.264.
His team's record is 3-8 (-4.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 7-3. (+4.1 units)

BRETT ANDERSON vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
ANDERSON is 0-0 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 2.84 and a WHIP of 1.105.
His team's record is 1-1 (-0.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-0. (+2.0 units)

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PITTSBURGH (6 - 7) at ST LOUIS (4 - 9) - 8:15 PM
CHAD KUHL (R) vs. MIKE LEAKE (R)
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 70-89 (-32.7 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 63-77 (-25.2 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 750-472 (+90.5 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters since 1997.
PITTSBURGH is 114-121 (+29.2 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Tuesday since 1997.
ST LOUIS is 14-21 (-17.4 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -125 to -175 over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 41-47 (-26.4 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 2-9 (-11.3 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Tuesday over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 27-31 (-17.9 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 15-26 (-24.0 Units) against the money line in home games after a win over the last 2 seasons.
LEAKE is 32-43 (-20.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 since 1997. (Team's Record)
LEAKE is 3-11 (-11.6 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
LEAKE is 4-12 (-11.1 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
LEAKE is 2-10 (-11.4 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against PITTSBURGH this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.0 Units)

CHAD KUHL vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
KUHL is 0-1 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 6.43 and a WHIP of 2.286.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.3 units)

MIKE LEAKE vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
LEAKE is 9-5 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 3.66 and a WHIP of 1.260.
His team's record is 12-16 (-4.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 12-15. (-3.7 units)

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ARIZONA (9 - 5) at SAN DIEGO (5 - 9) - 10:10 PM
SHELBY MILLER (R) vs. JARRED COSART (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ARIZONA is 17-35 (-18.2 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
MILLER is 10-30 (-20.4 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAN DIEGO is 22-13 (+14.4 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 56-64 (+14.2 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 48-54 (+13.8 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 88-63 (+21.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
MILLER is 12-4 (+9.5 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

SHELBY MILLER vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
MILLER is 1-2 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 5.17 and a WHIP of 1.276.
His team's record is 1-5 (-5.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-5. (-4.8 units)

JARRED COSART vs. ARIZONA since 1997
COSART is 1-0 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 3.08 and a WHIP of 1.457.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (+0.0 units)

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COLORADO (9 - 5) at LA DODGERS (7 - 7) - 10:10 PM
KYLE FREELAND (L) vs. HYUN-JIN RYU (L)
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 240-432 (-84.0 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +125 to +175 since 1997.
COLORADO is 642-994 (-181.6 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997.
COLORADO is 427-680 (-136.4 Units) against the money line in road games in night games since 1997.
COLORADO is 13-6 (+12.1 Units) against the money line in road games in April games over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 103-84 (-11.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 71-63 (-17.1 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 24-32 (-17.0 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 2-1 (+2.2 Units) against LA DODGERS this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.9 Units)

KYLE FREELAND vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
FREELAND is 1-0 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 1.50 and a WHIP of 1.000.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)

HYUN-JIN RYU vs. COLORADO since 1997
RYU is 3-3 when starting against COLORADO with an ERA of 3.98 and a WHIP of 1.389.
His team's record is 3-3 (-1.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-3. (-2.2 units)

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CHI WHITE SOX (6 - 6) at NY YANKEES (9 - 4) - 7:05 PM
MIGUEL GONZALEZ (R) vs. LUIS SEVERINO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
NY YANKEES are 55-33 (+18.6 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
NY YANKEES are 36-17 (+16.6 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 23-14 (+12.5 Units) against the money line in April games over the last 2 seasons.
GONZALEZ is 5-0 (+9.4 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +175 to +250 since 1997. (Team's Record)
GONZALEZ is 49-36 (+18.1 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
NY YANKEES is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against CHI WHITE SOX this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

MIGUEL GONZALEZ vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
GONZALEZ is 4-4 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 3.61 and a WHIP of 1.115.
His team's record is 7-8 (+0.9 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 10-5. (+4.4 units)

LUIS SEVERINO vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
SEVERINO is 1-1 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 7.27 and a WHIP of 1.961.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.1 units)

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BOSTON (8 - 5) at TORONTO (2 - 10) - 7:05 PM
BRIAN JOHNSON (L) vs. MARCUS STROMAN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 36-20 (+13.3 Units) against the money line in road games in night games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 2-10 (-10.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TORONTO is 1-9 (-10.9 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
TORONTO is 18-23 (-15.2 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 2-10 (-10.9 Units) against the money line in April games this season.
TORONTO is 1-7 (-8.7 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
STROMAN is 16-20 (-13.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
STROMAN is 7-12 (-12.9 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
STROMAN is 4-11 (-13.4 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

BRIAN JOHNSON vs. TORONTO since 1997
No recent starts.

MARCUS STROMAN vs. BOSTON since 1997
STROMAN is 4-1 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 4.20 and a WHIP of 1.311.
His team's record is 5-2 (+2.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-3. (+0.1 units)

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DETROIT (8 - 4) at TAMPA BAY (6 - 8) - 7:10 PM
MICHAEL FULMER (R) vs. MATT ANDRIESE (R)
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 315-398 (-87.7 Units) against the money line on the road when the money line is +125 to -125 since 1997.
DETROIT is 94-79 (+15.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 36-22 (+14.3 Units) against the money line in April games over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 55-38 (+16.3 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
FULMER is 21-7 (+15.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
TAMPA BAY is 74-102 (-32.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 45-66 (-24.6 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 55-72 (-21.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 39-62 (-24.4 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 36-63 (-27.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

MICHAEL FULMER vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
FULMER is 2-0 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 0.64 and a WHIP of 0.571.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

MATT ANDRIESE vs. DETROIT since 1997
ANDRIESE is 1-0 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 6.75 and a WHIP of 1.313.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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LA ANGELS (6 - 8) at HOUSTON (9 - 4) - 8:10 PM
RICKY NOLASCO (R) vs. JOE MUSGROVE (R)
Top Trends for this game.
NOLASCO is 77-70 (+26.2 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997. (Team's Record)
NOLASCO is 26-8 (+22.3 Units) against the money line when playing on Tuesday since 1997. (Team's Record)
NOLASCO is 60-43 (+31.7 Units) against the money line in road games in night games since 1997. (Team's Record)
NOLASCO is 42-37 (+20.8 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997. (Team's Record)
HOUSTON is 121-132 (-42.4 Units) against the money line in home games in April games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against LA ANGELS this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.0 Units)

RICKY NOLASCO vs. HOUSTON since 1997
NOLASCO is 6-1 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 4.05 and a WHIP of 1.088.
His team's record is 7-1 (+6.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-4. (-0.2 units)

JOE MUSGROVE vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
MUSGROVE is 1-0 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 1.29 and a WHIP of 1.000.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.1 units)

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CLEVELAND (6 - 7) at MINNESOTA (7 - 6) - 8:10 PM
JOSH TOMLIN (R) vs. PHIL HUGHES (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 16-26 (-18.3 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 6-14 (-10.8 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 23-32 (-19.1 Units) against the money line in April games over the last 3 seasons.
TOMLIN is 30-15 (+15.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
TOMLIN is 16-7 (+11.6 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
MINNESOTA is 66-109 (-30.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 34-54 (-21.5 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 31-58 (-20.0 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 41-83 (-37.2 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 36-72 (-29.4 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against MINNESOTA this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.0 Units)

JOSH TOMLIN vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
TOMLIN is 4-4 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 5.63 and a WHIP of 1.283.
His team's record is 6-5 (+0.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-6. (-2.1 units)

PHIL HUGHES vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
HUGHES is 6-3 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 3.95 and a WHIP of 1.212.
His team's record is 7-4 (+3.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-6. (-1.3 units)

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TEXAS (5 - 8) at OAKLAND (5 - 8) - 10:05 PM
YU DARVISH (R) vs. ANDREW TRIGGS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS is 100-78 (+23.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 92-81 (+36.4 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 3 seasons.
TEXAS is 33-19 (+18.4 Units) against the money line when playing on Tuesday over the last 3 seasons.
TEXAS is 52-34 (+19.7 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 74-52 (+24.2 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 77-56 (+20.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 58-41 (+16.9 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 142-195 (-47.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.
OAKLAND is 36-52 (-18.0 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 11-21 (-14.1 Units) against the money line in home games in April games over the last 3 seasons.
OAKLAND is 15-29 (-15.6 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 41-56 (-20.7 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 3 seasons.
OAKLAND is 46-66 (-27.9 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
OAKLAND is 37-63 (-21.3 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 55-79 (-26.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS is 3-1 (+1.7 Units) against OAKLAND this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.1 Units)

YU DARVISH vs. OAKLAND since 1997
DARVISH is 3-10 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 4.43 and a WHIP of 1.399.
His team's record is 4-11 (-14.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 8-6. (+0.8 units)

ANDREW TRIGGS vs. TEXAS since 1997
TRIGGS is 0-0 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 1.59 and a WHIP of 0.353.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.0 units)

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BALTIMORE (8 - 3) at CINCINNATI (8 - 5) - 7:10 PM
KEVIN GAUSMAN (R) vs. BRONSON ARROYO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
GAUSMAN is 5-17 (-12.1 Units) against the money line in road games in night games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
BALTIMORE is 97-77 (+20.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 22-12 (+11.3 Units) against the money line in April games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 71-52 (+19.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 55-41 (+14.6 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

KEVIN GAUSMAN vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
No recent starts.

BRONSON ARROYO vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
ARROYO is 3-1 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 6.19 and a WHIP of 1.594.
His team's record is 5-1 (+3.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-3. (-0.0 units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SAN FRANCISCO (5 - 9) at KANSAS CITY (6 - 6) - 8:15 PM
MATT CAIN (R) vs. JASON HAMMEL (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN FRANCISCO is 59-61 (-18.2 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 61-62 (-25.2 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
CAIN is 17-34 (-20.6 Units) against the money line in April games since 1997. (Team's Record)
KANSAS CITY is 193-159 (+29.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 60-38 (+21.3 Units) against the money line at home when the money line is +125 to -125 over the last 3 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 109-67 (+30.2 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 39-22 (+14.8 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 49-38 (+13.3 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 406-321 (+62.5 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 213-186 (+41.3 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997.
KANSAS CITY is 264-379 (-106.4 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997.
HAMMEL is 48-57 (-23.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

MATT CAIN vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
CAIN is 1-0 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 3.38 and a WHIP of 0.750.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

JASON HAMMEL vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
HAMMEL is 0-3 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 3.28 and a WHIP of 1.231.
His team's record is 4-6 (-2.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-4. (+0.6 units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MIAMI (7 - 6) at SEATTLE (6 - 8) - 10:10 PM
WEI-YIN CHEN (L) vs. YOVANI GALLARDO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 3-18 (-13.9 Units) against the money line in road games in an inter-league game over the last 3 seasons.
CHEN is 85-59 (+23.4 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997. (Team's Record)
SEATTLE is 33-44 (-16.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 236-236 (-56.0 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 since 1997.
SEATTLE is 599-554 (-97.6 Units) against the money line in home games in night games since 1997.
SEATTLE is 48-67 (-23.4 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
SEATTLE is 76-90 (-28.6 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against MIAMI this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.1 Units)

WEI-YIN CHEN vs. SEATTLE since 1997
CHEN is 3-3 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 3.04 and a WHIP of 1.013.
His team's record is 5-3 (+1.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 6-2. (+3.6 units)

YOVANI GALLARDO vs. MIAMI since 1997
GALLARDO is 5-1 when starting against MIAMI with an ERA of 1.90 and a WHIP of 1.212.
His team's record is 6-2 (+2.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-4. (-1.3 units)

[StarDust Bum]

When fans see red, MLB men in blue may soon explain replays
April 18, 2017

Adrian Gonzalez dives headfirst into home, seems to beat the tag by Cubs catcher Willson Contreras, but is called out. Safe, shout fans at Dodger Stadium who see replays on the board.

Umpires go to their headsets for a video review, and nearly three minutes later, the signal comes: Out!

Want to hear exactly how disputed calls get decided, like that one in last year's NL Championship Series?

Soon, we might.

While nothing is set, Major League Baseball and umps are expected to discuss a plan - most prominently used in the NFL - for crew chiefs to wear a microphone and explain replay rulings.

Under one possible scenario, they would start at the All-Star Game on July 11 in Miami, tweak the process over the season's second half and then go forward with the experiment in the playoffs.

People familiar with the talks spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because an agreement has not yet been reached.

Last year, MLB asked for the plate ump to wear a mic at the All-Star Game, but there wasn't enough time to do it.

The umpires are in the middle of their five-year labor deal and any change would involve negotiations, plus a comfort level on both sides that the system would be efficient, accurate and easy.

So no way to say for sure if fans at Camden Yards, Coors Field and ballparks across the majors will become familiar with the voices of veteran crew chiefs - be it country singer Joe West, ordained minister Ted Barrett or Dale Scott, once a Top 40 AM radio disc jockey.

''It probably would be nice to get a little more explanation,'' Marlins reliever Brad Ziegler said. ''They're supposed to say the call stands or the call's confirmed. `The call stands' means you can't tell. A lot of times we don't get that ... they just signal out or safe. That's all we get on the field.

''They may announce it on the PA, but it doesn't seem like that is consistent in all parks. And the acoustics in the stadium here - we have a hard time hearing what's on the PA in the bullpen,'' he said.

In the NFL, hearing refs announce ''upon further review'' has long been part of the lexicon. The lore includes what Ben Dreith said in a 1986 game, when Jets lineman Marty Lyons tangled with Buffalo quarterback Jim Kelly and was penalized for ''giving him the business down there.''

The NHL for some time has mic'ed up officials to explain coach's challenges, based on what the central replay booth tells them.

NBA crew chiefs put on headsets to watch reviews and talk with the replay center. Decisions are explained to the official scorer's table and the benches, and the public address announcers inform the crowd.

MLB has tried to speed up reviews this year, aiming for the umpires in the New York replay booth to relay the final calls to the field in under 2 minutes.

''It'll take more time,'' Boston pitcher David Price said. ''It's not going to make them any shorter.''

As for making the replay system more informative and entertaining, ''Yeah, until they have a problem with the umpire's mic,'' he said.

Marlins star Christian Yelich said a switch wouldn't affect him.

''The call's the call,'' he said. ''Just because they tell you what they decided isn't going to change it.''

[StarDust Bum]

Overall Picks of the Day:
Date W-L-T % Units Record

04/17/2017 8-7-0 53.33% +575
04/16/2017 8-12-0 40.00% -1400
04/15/2017 12-10-0 54.55% +1700
04/14/2017 9-14-0 39.13% -2375
04/13/2017 9-7-0 56.25% +1125
04/12/2017 11-8-1 57.89% +2450
04/11/2017 3-10-1 23.08% -3525
04/07/2017 19-11-0 63.33% +3610
04/06/2017 8-7-0 53.33% +300
04/05/2017 3-11-0 21.43% -3975
04/04/2017 5-8-0 38.46% -1350
04/03/2017 6-7-1 46.15% -700
04/02/2017 3-1-1 75.00% +1175


Best Bets Daily: ( DOGS AND TOTALS ONLY )
Sides / Totals

04/17/2017............1 - 3 -1.65...............4 - 2+1.80
04/16/2017............4 - 2+5.20...............1 - 4 -3.40
04/15/2017............4 - 6 -0.30...............2 - 2 -0.20
04/14/2017 ...........2 - 4 -0.95...............2 - 4 - 2.00
04/13/2017............1 - 3 -0.35...............7 - 4 + 3.00
04/12/2017............4 - 1 +550...............4 - 6 - 2.00
04/11/2017............1 - 3 -1.35...............1 - 4 - 1 - 3.00
04/07/2017............5 - 1 +5.45..............6 - 0 +6.00
04/06/2017............1 - 3 - 2.00..............3 - 2 +1.00
04/05/2017............2 - 2 +0.95..............0 - 5 - 5.00
04/04/2017 ...........1 - 3 - 1.20............. 2 - 3 - 1.00
04/03/2017............0 - 3 - 3.00..............5 - 1 + 4.00
04/02/2017........... 2 - 0 + 2.15 ............1 - 2 - 1.00


TUESDAY, APRIL 18

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

CHW at NYY 07:05 PM

O 7.5

BOS at TOR 07:07 PM

BOS +145

U 8.5

PHI at NYM 07:10 PM

PHI +150

O 7.5

BAL at CIN 07:10 PM

CIN +155

O 9.5

DET at TB 07:10 PM

O 7.5

WAS at ATL 07:35 PM

ATL +167

O 7.5

MIL at CHC 08:05 PM

O 9.5

LAA at HOU 08:10 PM

U 8.5

CLE at MIN 08:10 PM

U 9.0

PIT at STL 08:15 PM

U 8.0

SF at KC 08:15 PM

SF +115

O 9.0

TEX at OAK 10:05 PM

O 7.0

ARI at SD 10:10 PM

U 8.0

COL at LAD 10:10 PM

COL +145

U 8.0

MIA at SEA 10:10 PM

O 8.5

[StarDust Bum]

MLB roundup: Cubs rally past Brewers
April 19, 2017

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs pounded out 14 hits, including home runs from Kyle Schwarber and Miguel Montero, as they snapped a four-game losing streak with a 9-7 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday in a Wrigley Field slugfest.

The Cubs rallied from a 7-4 deficit with a four-run sixth keyed by Albert Almora's two-run pinch single and Jon Jay's RBI triple.

The rally overshadowed another big night for the Brewers' offense as Eric Thames went 3-for-5 with three runs to extend his hitting streak to 12 straight starts. Travis Shaw was 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs.

Justin Grimm (1-0) worked a scoreless sixth inning, and Carl Edwards and Hector Rondon followed with one shutout inning apiece. Wade Davis pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his third save.

White Sox 4, Yankees 1

NEW YORK -- Miguel Gonzalez came within two outs of a complete-game shutout and Avisail Garcia hit a long three-run home run in the seventh inning as Chicago snapped New York's eight-game winning streak.

Gonzalez retired the first 12 hitters and gave up one run on four hits in 8 1/3 innings. Leury Garcia also homered for the White Sox, who won for the fifth time in their past seven games.

The Yankees' Luis Severino allowed four runs (three earned) and three hits in a career-high eight innings. After getting a career-high 11 strikeouts against the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday, Severino fanned 10 on Tuesday, eight of them in the first five innings.

Red Sox 8, Blue Jays 7

TORONTO -- Andrew Benintendi's two-out double in the eighth inning provided the winning run as Boston held on.

Toronto's Ezequiel Carrera belted a pinch-hit, two-run homer in the ninth off Matt Barnes to make it 8-7. Blue Jays starter Marcus Stroman (1-2) went 4 2/3 innings, allowing six earned on 11 hits as Toronto lost for the 11th time in 13 games this season.

Red Sox left-hander Brian Johnson (1-0), who was making his second career big league start, allowed four runs on seven hits over five innings to record his first career major league win. Mitch Moreland went 3-for-5 with three RBIs for Boston.

Angels 5, Astros 2

HOUSTON -- Albert Pujols blasted his 29th career home run at Minute Maid Park, a three-run shot that was the decisive blow in Los Angeles' victory.

Pujols' second home run of the season came against Houston's Joe Musgrove (1-1) with one out in the fifth inning, plated teammates Yunel Escobar and Mike Trout, and helped snap the Angels' six-game slide. Pujols has 54 career home runs against the Astros, his most against any club.

Los Angeles' Andrelton Simmons snapped an 0-for-11 skid with his opposite-field, solo homer off Musgrove in the second. That blast snapped a 21-inning scoreless drought for the Angels.

Indians 11, Twins 4

MINNEAPOLIS -- Jose Ramirez and Edwin Encarnacion each hit two-run homers and Francisco Lindor added a two-run triple as Cleveland routed Minnesota.

Ramirez, Lindor, Carlos Santana and Michael Brantley each had two hits as the Indians scored in five of the first six innings to support starter Josh Tomlin (1-2). Encarnacion added an RBI groundout for Cleveland after entering the game with one homer and two RBIs this season.

Lindor ran his current hit streak to 12 games while Ramirez is 14-for-24 with seven runs, three homers and 10 RBIs in his last six games. Phil Hughes (2-1) was out after 3 1/3 innings for Minnesota, allowing eight hits and six runs (four earned).

Nationals 3, Braves 1

ATLANTA -- Max Scherzer allowed two hits over seven shutout innings as Washington handed Atlanta its first loss in its new Sun Trust Park.

Scherzer (2-1) struck out seven and walked three in recording his third consecutive quality start. He allowed only two runners to reach scoring position and improved to 6-3 in his career against the Braves.

The Nationals survived a bullpen meltdown. Sammy Solis pitched a scoreless eighth inning but closer Blake Treinen loaded the bases in the ninth and allowed a run. Shawn Kelley entered and retired Emilio Bonifacio on a fly to right and struck out Chase d'Arnaud to end the game and earn his first save.

Reds 9, Orioles 3

CINCINNATI -- Adam Duvall hit his first career grand slam and Joey Votto added a two-run homer to lift Cincinnati past Baltimore.

The surprising Reds own at least a share of first place in the National League Central for the 14th straight day. Cincinnati's Bronson Arroyo (1-2), who needed a positive start after two rough outings in his return to the major leagues after two seasons, allowed three runs in five innings.

The Orioles' Adam Jones hit a two-run homer off Arroyo, his third of the season. Kevin Gausman (1-1) started for Baltimore and didn't make it through the third inning, allowing 13 of 20 batters to reach base.

Cardinals 2, Pirates 1

ST. LOUIS -- Mike Leake threw 6 1/3 solid innings in his third straight quality start and a shaky bullpen got the job done in St. Louis's victory over Pittsburgh.

Leake (2-1) scattered seven hits and allowed a run, walking none and striking out one. He recorded 12 of his 19 outs via grounders and saw his National League-low ERA rise to 0.84. The Cardinals own consecutive wins and a series victory for the first time this season.

Brett Cecil bailed Leake out of a seventh-inning jam by inducing a 6-4-3 double play from pinch hitter Jose Osuna, who was making his major league debut. Matt Bowman tossed a scoreless eighth and Seung Hwan Oh worked out of a bases-loaded spot in the ninth for his second save in as many nights.

Phillies 6, Mets 2 (10)

NEW YORK -- Cameron Rupp scored the tying run in the eighth inning and lofted the go-ahead sacrifice fly during a four-run 10th inning as Philadelphia defeated New York.

The Phillies won for the second time in seven games while the Mets lost their fourth straight. Odubel Herrera homered in the first for Philadelphia, which fell behind in the bottom of the inning when Jay Bruce delivered an RBI single and Yoenis Cespedes raced home on a wild pitch.

The score remained 2-1 until the eighth when Rupp drew a two-out walk, went to third when third baseman Jose Reyes dropped what should have been an inning-ending popup by Galvis and scored on a double by pinch hitter Andres Blanco.

Rays 5, Tigers 1

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Matt Andriese pitched six-plus strong innings as Tampa Bay ended a three-game slide.

The Rays got an offensive boost from Tim Beckham, who came in with one RBI this season but hit a two-run homer in the third. Tampa Bay's Kevin Kiermaier got his first RBI of 2017 to drive in Beckham in the seventh with an RBI double.

Detroit managed only four hits, held in check by Andriese (1-0) to end a six-game winning streak against the Rays. Miguel Cabrera hit his 449th career home run, moving into a tie for 38th all-time with Jeff Bagwall and Vladimir Guerrero.

Giants 2, Royals 1 (11)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Joe Panik's two-out single in the 11th inning scored Nick Hundley as San Francisco defeated Kansas City.

Hundley doubled into the left field corner with two outs to set up Panik's game-winning hit off Scott Alexander (0-1). The Royals went 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

Derek Law (1-0) worked two scoreless innings to pick up the victory. Mark Melancon pitched the bottom of the inning for his third save in four opportunities. Melancon gave up two singles before striking out Raul Mondesi to end the game.

[StarDust Bum]

Pirates CF Marte suspended 80 games
April 18, 2017

Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Starling Marte was suspended 80 games without pay after testing positive for the performance-ending substance Nandrolone, the commissioner's office announced Tuesday.

Marte's suspension begins immediately. The use of Nandrolone, an anabolic steroid, violates MLB's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

"The Pittsburgh Pirates fully support MLB's Joint Drug Agreement, including the very tough penalties for violations of its prohibitions," Pirates president Frank Coonelly said in a statement. "We are disappointed that Starling put himself, his teammates and the organization in this position.

"We will continue to fight for the division title with the men who are here and will look forward to getting Starling back after the All-Star break."

Marte, who was placed on the restricted list, said the mistake wasn't intentional but occurred because he wasn't educated.

"I have been informed that I have tested positive in one of the tests that are regularly done in my job," Marte said in a statement. "In this very difficult moment I apologize to my family, the Pittsburgh Pirates, my teammates, my fans, and baseball in general.

"Neglect and lack of knowledge have led me to this mistake with the high price to pay of being away from the field that I enjoy and love so much. With much embarrassment and helplessness, I ask for forgiveness for unintentionally disrespecting so many people who have trusted in my work and have supported me so much.

"I promise to learn the lesson that this ordeal has left me. God bless you."

The 28-year-old Marte was batting .241 with two homers in 13 games this season. He made the National League All-Star team for the first time last season when he batted a career-best .311 and set a career high with 47 stolen bases. He also won a Gold Glove for the second straight season.

Marte has a .288 career average with 60 homers, 242 RBIs and 162 steals in parts of six major league seasons.

Pittsburgh recalled OF/IB Jose Osuna from Triple-A Indianapolis to fill Marte's roster spot. The 24-year-old Osuna, who was one of Pittsburgh's final cuts after a strong spring, is in the majors for the first time.

[StarDust Bum]

Blue Jays place Happ on 10-day DL
April 18, 2017

TORONTO (AP) The Blue Jays have placed left-hander J.A. Happ on the 10-day disabled list and recalled infielder Ty Kelly from Triple-A Buffalo.

Happ, who won 20 games for the first time last year, left Sunday's start against Baltimore in the fifth inning with a sore elbow. On Monday, he had an MRI, which revealed no structural damage.

Manager John Gibbons says he's optimistic Happ will be ready to return at the end of his DL stint, or shortly after. Happ is 0-3 with a 4.50 ERA.

Right-hander Aaron Sanchez, who is on the 10-day DL because of blister on his middle finger, underwent a procedure Monday to remove a portion of his nail. He will try playing catch in the next few days.

Also Tuesday, the Blue Jays recalled right-hander Danny Barnes from Triple A. He takes the roster spot of left-hander Matt Dermody, who was optioned to Buffalo on Monday.

**********************

Bochy undergoes minor heart procedure
April 18, 2017

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy underwent a minor heart procedure in San Diego on Tuesday, forcing him to miss the team's two-game series against the Royals.

Bochy, who has a history of heart issues, had been complaining of discomfort in recent days. He told bench coach Ron Wotus on Sunday night that he was planning to go in for an exam Monday, and wound up having a procedure called an ablation to fix a heart rhythm problem.

The 62-year-old Bochy is resting at home and expects to rejoin the club in Colorado on Friday. In a text message to The Associated Press he said: ''All good. ... Ready to roll.''

Wotus will handle the managerial duties against the Royals.

''The last time I spoke to him was Sunday,'' Wotus said. ''I knew he was going in to get checked out, and we knew this was a possibility. He's had the (atrial fibrillation) and he's dealt with that before.''

Bochy underwent a heart procedure in February 2015, just a few months after beating the Royals in a dramatic seven-game World Series, to insert two stents. Bochy also was hospitalized last summer with an undisclosed illness that forced him to miss a game in Miami.

''I don't know all the details that led him to get in and get checked out and to have a procedure,'' Wotus said. ''All I know is we expect him to be back in Colorado.''

The procedure was considered minor enough that some of the players were barely aware of it, even asking members of the media how Bochy was doing before their game Tuesday night.

''He's had a little bit of a tough time the last few years with his health,'' said pitcher Madison Bumgarner, the hero of that World Series triumph three years ago and due to start Wednesday night.

''Hopefully it's all taken care of and he gets back to normal, everyday life pretty quickly.''

[StarDust Bum]

Jays 3B Donaldson to miss more time
April 18, 2017

The Toronto Blue Jays' slow start is being hampered further by injuries.

The Blue Jays were just 2-10 entering Tuesday's action, as they announced that left-hander J.A. Happ has been placed on the 10-day disabled list because of a sore left elbow.

Earlier in the day it was reported that Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson, who was placed on the disabled list April 14 after reinjuring his right calf, will miss at least two more weeks and maybe up to four.

The updated timetable will keep Donaldson sidelined into early to mid-May. The 2015 American League MVP missed most of spring training after sustaining the calf injury.

Donaldson batted .310 with two homers and four RBIs in nine games prior to going on the disabled list.

On Sunday, the Blue Jays put right-hander Aaron Sanchez on the 10-day disabled list because of a blister on his right middle finger. On Monday he had a procedure performed to remove part of the finger nail.

The latest injury involves Happ, who went 20-4 with a 3.18 ERA last season. He left Sunday's game against Baltimore in the fifth inning with pain in his elbow. An MRI exam performed Monday revealed no structural damage.

Manager John Gibbons believes Happ will be ready to pitch when he is eligible to return from the disabled list. Happ hopes he will have better results than he has had so far this season, going is 0-3 with a 4.50 ERA.

The Blue Jays recalled right-hander Danny Barnes and infielder Ty Kelly from Triple-A Buffalo.

*************************

Phillies' Buchholz may miss rest of season
April 18, 2017

NEW YORK (AP) Phillies right-hander Clay Buchholz had surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon in his right forearm Tuesday, and could miss the rest of the season.

The 32-year-old was placed on the 10-day disabled list retroactive to April 15 prior to the club's series opener against the New York Mets. The surgery was performed by Dr. James Andrews, and Buchholz now faces an estimated recovery time of four to six months.

''Probably out for the season, obviously, with the surgery today,'' Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. ''I don't know for a fact whether he can come back at the end of the year but what did they say, four to six months or something? It's too bad but fortunately we've got pretty good inventory at Triple-A.''

The Phillies also placed outfielder Howie Kendrick on the 10-day disabled list with a right abdominal strain, retroactive to April 16, in a move announced about an hour before the game.

Buchholz, a two-time All-Star, last pitched a week ago in Philadelphia, allowing six runs and eight hits in 2 1/3 innings against the Mets before the injury forced him to exit the game. An MRI the following day revealed a partial tear of the right flexor pronator mass. Buchholz then visited Dr. Andrews on Monday for a second opinion before opting for surgery.

Buchholz spent his first 10 seasons with the Boston Red Sox before he was traded to Philadelphia in December for minor leaguer Josh Tobias.

In the final year of a contract that pays him $13.5 million this season, Buchholz is 0-1 with a 12.27 ERA in two starts with the Phillies.

Over his career, he is 81-62 with a 4.01 ERA, including a 17-win campaign in 2010. The former first round draft pick played a major role in Boston's 2013 world championship run, going 12-1 with a 1.74 ERA in 16 starts and pitching four innings of one-run ball in Game 4 of the World Series in St. Louis.

Kendrick, acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers in November, was hitting .333 with four doubles, a triple and five RBI in 10 games this season. The 33-year-old Kendrick last appeared in a game on Saturday at Washington.

In a corresponding move, Philadelphia selected the contract of right-hander Mark Leiter Jr. from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The 26-year-old is 27-22 with a 3.38 ERA in 95 career minor league games, all in the Phillies' organization. A 22nd-round draft pick in 2013, Leiter allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings in two appearances for Lehigh Valley this season. His father, Mark Leiter Sr., pitched for the Phillies from 1997-98. They would become the second father-son pair to play for the Phillies.

Ruben Amaro Sr. played for the club from 1960-65 and former Phillies General Manager and current Boston Red Sox first base coach Ruben Amaro Jr. suited up for Philadelphia from 1992-93 and then again from 1996-98.

The Phillies also recalled right-hander Zach Eflin from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to replace Buchholz in the rotation. Eflin was 3-5 with a 5.54 ERA in 11 starts, including two complete games, last year during an injury-shortened rookie season in which he underwent separate surgeries to repair the patellar tendon in each knee.

''He had the experience and he pitched up here last year,'' Mackanin said. ''Eflin seemed to be the logical choice.''

The 23-year-old threw 10 scoreless innings with Single-A Clearwater and Lehigh Valley earlier this month, and is scheduled to start Tuesday night against the Mets.

[StarDust Bum]

LEADING OFF: Keuchel in ace form, M's give Ichiro bobblehead
April 18, 2017

A look at what's happening all around the majors Wednesday:

BIG D IS BACK

After struggling to defend his 2015 AL Cy Young Award last season, Dallas Keuchel is back in ace form for Houston. Keuchel (2-0, 0.86 ERA) has allowed just eight hits in 21 innings this season heading into a start against the Angels. The left-hander was 9-12 with a 4.55 ERA in 2016, a year after winning 20 games behind a 2.48 ERA. JC Ramirez (2-1, 7.20) will pitch for Los Angeles.

DIFFERENT BOBBLEHEAD

The Seattle Mariners will honor Ichiro Suzuki with a unique collectable during the series finale against the Miami Marlins. Dubbed the ''Ichiro Dual Bobblehead,'' the statue portrays Suzuki with the Mariners and Marlins. The Seattle representation honors the 2004 season when Suzuki set the record for most hits in one season with 262. The Miami half recognizes Suzuki's 3,000th hit last season with the Marlins. It's potentially the final time Suzuki will appear at Safeco Field, the stadium he called home for the first 11 1/2 seasons of his career.

STRONG BREW

Eric Thames can extend his record-setting start with Milwaukee when the Brewers wrap up a three-game series against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. The former Korean baseball star has a hit in a team-record 12 straight starts to begin the season, and he has an extra-base hit in eight consecutive games. He entered Tuesday with homers in five straight. Kyle Hendricks (1-1, 5.73 ERA) will try to shake a slow start to the season for the Cubs against Milwaukee's Tommy Milone (1-0, 7.36).

BUMMIN' OUT

The Giants will try to get Madison Bumgarner (0-2, 3.43 ERA) his first win of the season when they face Jason Vargas and the Royals. Bumgarner has hit as many homers (two) as he's allowed this season, but he's lost his last two outings after getting two combined runs of support. Vargas (2-0, 0.66) has dominated in starts against Houston and Oakland, striking out 14 and walking two over 13 2/3 innings.

GO AGAIN?

The Yankees look to start another winning streak after their eight-game run ended Tuesday night. New York is 7-1 on its nine-game homestand, including a victory last Friday for Masahiro Tanaka (1-1, 8.36 ERA) against St. Louis. The Japanese right-hander found his form while working into the seventh inning after struggling in his previous two starts. Dylan Covey (0-0, 1.69) makes his second major league start with the White Sox after holding Minnesota to a run over 5 1/3 innings in his debut.

ROOKIE ON A ROLL

Amir Garrett seeks his third win in three big league starts when the Reds host Baltimore. Garrett (2-0, 1.42), a former St. John's basketball player, has beaten NL Central rivals St. Louis and Pittsburgh on the road in his first two outings, and this will be his first start in Cincinnati. Ubaldo Jimenez (0-0, 10.38) is up for the Orioles.