MLB Betting Info. 7/17

[TheGame]

StatFox Super Situations


MLB | MILWAUKEE at CINCINNATI
Play On - Any team (MILWAUKEE) poor NL hitting team (AVG <=.250) against a team with a bad bullpen (ERA >=5.00), with a starting pitcher whose ERA is 3.70 to 4.20 on the season (NL)
55-28 since 1997. ( 66.3% | 29.3 units )




StatFox Situational Power Trends


MLB | TEXAS at CHICAGO CUBS
TEXAS is 144-114 (+53.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
The average score was: TEXAS (4.7) , OPPONENT (4.6)

[TheGame]

Re: MLB Betting Info. 7/17

Midseason top prospects: Unfamiliar names could make the difference
By The Sports Xchange


A potent lineup and a deep pitching staff are only two of the variables that provide confidence for a contending baseball team.
Now, if one is looking for perhaps an ace in the hole or an additional jolt to an established lineup, perhaps a view in the minors is in order.
With that in mind, here's a look at the top prospect for each team, courtesy of The Sports Xchange's national network of baseball writers:


ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
Right-hander Braden Shipley has continued his progression through the chain at Triple-A Reno this season, and his 7-5 record and 3.85 ERA in 18 starts in a hitter's league (Pacific Coast) only tells part of the story. Shipley, a first-round pick in 2013, has refined his command and control to the point he is averaging only 1.5 walks per nine innings, a career best. He has halved his walk average from Double-A Mobile in 2015.


COLORADO ROCKIES
Center fielder David Dahl, 22, was the 10th overall pick in the 2012 draft and has moved more slowly than anticipated because of injuries rather than any deficiencies in his game. Indeed, Dahl is a potential five-tool player and has shown that all-around talent this season. He should join the Rockies at some point in the second half, quite possibly before rosters are expanded Sept. 1. A severe hamstring injury followed by back soreness limited Dahl to 10 games in 2013 at the Class A level.


LOS ANGELES DODGERS
MLB.com ranks LHP Julio Urias as the majors' best left-handed pitching prospect and the second-best prospect overall. The 19-year-old already made eight starts in two stints with the Dodgers before returning to Triple-A Oklahoma City on July 5. In 16 appearances (15 starts) between Los Angeles and Oklahoma City, Urias already has thrown 77 1/3 innings. With the front office carefully managing his workload, the left-hander could return during the playoff drive as a reliever.


SAN DIEGO PADRES
CF Manuel Margot, 21, could be a dynamic player in center field. His speed and defense are plus-plus. And he's hitting .300 in Triple-A with developing power. He is the Padres' top prospect. But he's not that far ahead of C Austin Hedges, 23, and corner outfielder Hunter Renfroe, 24. The only problem with the Padres' top prospects is that each is blocked by a contributing player who needs to be moved to create an opening.


SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
No team is less likely to promote a prospect in September than the Giants. Heck, they had ample opportunity in the first half of the season due to all their injuries, yet on most occasions they reached for a proven commodity such as Conor Gillaspie, Ramiro Pena or Grant Green rather than one of their future hopes. If a Giants prospect sees the light of day in September, chances are it will be because manager Bruce Bochy uses one on the final day of the regular season to set up his playoff rotation. RHP Clayton Blackburn (5-7, 5.02 ERA at Sacramento) could get that assignment.


CHICAGO CUBS
Five minor league prospects have had an early shot with the parent club, already joining the Cubs over the past month, but C Willson Contreras has been the most impressive and appears likely to stick with Chicago for now. He stepped up ably and saw more action than expected with backup David Ross on the disabled list the past week with concussion symptoms. In 23 games so far, Contreras has a .305 average, five home runs and 15 RBIs. He also has a touch of the dramatic.


CINCINNATI REDS
Like Cody Reed, who already joined the rotation, RHP Robert Stephenson will soon become a part of that group for good. Stephenson, the No. 1 prospect in the Reds' organization according to Baseball America, has made two starts this year for Cincinnati, going 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA. He allowed four earned runs in 12 innings. Stephenson, 23, is 5-5 with a 3.89 ERA in 15 starts for Triple-A Louisville, having walked 46 and struck out 75 in 88 innings.


MILWAUKEE BREWERS
When the season began, it was only a matter of time until SS Orlando Arcia was headed to Milwaukee for his major league debut. However, the stellar play of Jonathan Villar quieted that talk significantly. The extra seasoning will only benefit Arcia, who shot up the rankings last season by hitting .307/.347/.453 with 37 doubles, 25 stolen bases and 69 RBIs for Double-A Biloxi. While still flashing a strong glove, he's fallen off a bit offensively this season, batting .270/.328/.407 in 83 games for Triple-A Colorado Springs.


PITTSBURGH PIRATES
First baseman Josh Bell made his major league debut against the Cubs this past weekend, when he singled off Chicago ace Jake Arrieta on Friday. He followed up that performance with a grand slam in his second career at-bat Saturday. Despite that explosive introduction, Hurdle has said Bell is not guaranteed to be with the team following the break. Somewhere down the line, Pittsburgh could possibly turn to their third-ranked prospect, according to Baseball America, though.


ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
RHP Alex Reyes could be recalled as soon as next week in order to beef up the bullpen. Reyes, who can throw nearly 100 mph, is regarded as one of the top prospects in all of baseball. After serving a 50-game suspension at season's beginning for marijuana use, Reyes has gone 2-1 with a 4.35 ERA in nine starts at Triple-A Memphis, fanning 61 over 41 1/3 innings. While his command is still a concern, Reyes has the raw stuff to pitch to and get any hitter out.


ATLANTA BRAVES
SS Dansby Swanson and 2B Ozzie Albies form a two-headed middle infield monster considered the newest iteration of Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker. Both came up as shortstops, but Albies was moved to second base while he was at Triple-A Gwinnett. Albies was sent back to Double-A Mississippi so he could play alongside Swansby. The organization is in no hurry to rush them, but the fans in Atlanta are thirsty to see the guys who are considered the future of the franchise. It would not be a surprise to see them called up in September when rosters expand.


MIAMI MARLINS
LHP Jarlin Garcia could be used as a chip to bring in a veteran pitcher, or the Marlins could opt to try him as the fifth starter at some point this season. Garcia, a 23-year-old Dominican, started the season as Miami's third-best prospect overall. However, since the No. 1 guy on that list, RHP Tyler Kolek, is out for the year due to elbow surgery, Garcia is the biggest hope of the organization in terms of short-term pitching help. Garcia, who is considered athletic for a pitcher, slings it from 91 to 95 mph with an above-average changeup and a still-developing curve.


NEW YORK METS
RHP Gabriel Ynoa wasn't even listed amongst the organization's top 10 prospects by Baseball America entering the season, and he doesn't have swing-and-miss stuff (477 strikeouts in 750 2/3 innings), but he is the closest thing to a young Triple-A starter who might be able to help the Mets out if they can't land a pitcher via trade. Ynoa, 23, is 9-3 at Las Vegas and averaging six innings a start while producing a 4.19 ERA -- no small feat given the average ERA in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League is 4.76.


PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
With SS Freddy Galvis batting .234, it seems a call-up of SS J.P. Crawford could come sooner than expected. The No. 1 prospect in the organization according to MLB.com, Crawford is batting .270/.346/.357 with two homers and 17 RBIs in 47 games for Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The only thing keeping Galvis in the lineup is his defensive prowess, which is an area where Crawford has improved of late. Baseball Prospectus labeled him the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball in its most recent Top 50 ranking.


WASHINGTON NATIONALS
RHP Koda Glover, 23, could make it to the majors for the first time. He has not allowed a run in his first seven bullpen outings for Triple-A Syracuse since being promoted from Double-A Harrisburg. He was an eighth-round pick out of Oklahoma State by the Nationals in 2015. In his first 42 1/3 innings at all levels this year he allowed just 28 hits. "Koda has had a very strong first half," according to Doug Harris, the Nationals' player personnel chief. "He has angle to an explosive fastball and is able to repeat the strike zone. His secondary stuff continues to develop. He has good aptitude and loves to compete."


HOUSTON ASTROS
SS Alex Bregman continues to bang on the door of promotion, following his terrific run with Double-A Corpus Christi (.297/.415/.559 with 14 home runs and 46 RBIs in 62 games) with a fabulous start for Triple-A Fresno, where Bregman hit .389/.421/.889 with five homers and 14 RBIs over his first eight games. The second overall pick of the 2015 draft will eventually move to third base, but might not until he joins the Astros at some point this summer.


LOS ANGELES ANGELS
Recalled when LHP Andrew Heaney suffered an injury in the second game of the season, RHP Nick Tropeano went 3-2 with a 3.25 earned-run average -- the best among the Angels' remaining healthy starters -- before a tight right shoulder put him on the disabled list June 4. The Angels optioned Tropeano to Salt Lake after activating him June 24 but recalled him July 3. LHP Nate Smith and 3B Kaleb Cowart, both 24, could arrive in September. Smith made the United States' team for the All-Star Futures Game. Cowart, the Angels' first pick in the June 2010 draft, would compete with INF Jefry Marte as the leading in-house candidates to replace 3B Yunel Escobar if Escobar is traded.


OAKLAND ATHLETICS
The Athletics promoted Matt Olson to Triple-A this season. He hasn't lit up the competition, but he'll almost assuredly get a chance to introduce himself to the Oakland fans in September. It could come earlier if general manager Billy Beane is looking for a way to quiet the boos if/when he deals Josh Reddick.


SEATTLE MARINERS
1B D.J. Peterson. The former first-round pick, once considered the team's first baseman of the future, struggled with injuries and power outages for most of his first two seasons and is no longer seen as a cornerstone to the team's future. But a recent promotion to Triple-A Tacoma has coincided with the awakening of his big bat, which might come in handy for the Mariners down the stretch. He won't supplant Dae-Ho Lee or Adam Lind as the Mariners' everyday first baseman, but he could be a contributor off the bench if he is called up in September -- or he could end up being the trade piece Seattle so desperately needs.


TEXAS RANGERS
1B/3B Joey Gallo: The Rangers haven't gotten the production they expected out of the first base-designated hitter duo of Prince Fielder and Mitch Moreland. While sitting one for an extended period of time is unlikely, it would open the door for Gallo. He had six homers in just 108 at-bats for Texas last year and has 15 in less than 200 at-bats in Triple-A this year. He's also striking out less in Round Rock this season than he did last year.


CHICAGO WHITE SOX
After the White Sox promoted No. 1 prospect Tim Anderson to the big leagues, right-hander Carson Fulmer moved forward to the top of the prospect chart. The former Vanderbilt star headed to San Diego this week to represent the White Sox in the annual Futures Game. The White Sox selected Fulmer in the first round (No. 8 overall) in 2015. The right-hander recorded a 2.05 ERA in eight starts at high Class A Winston-Salem last season, but this season has been bumpier. Fulmer, 22, is 4-9 with a 4.76 ERA in 17 starts at Double-A Birmingham. He has 90 strikeouts in 87 innings.


CLEVELAND INDIANS
RHP Mike Clevinger would be the next man up, should there be an injury to one of the pitchers in the Indians' rotation. Clevinger had a brief cup of coffee with the Indians earlier this season, and the numbers were not good. In four appearances, three of them starts, he was 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA. However, he remains the top upper level pitching prospect in the organization, and he's having a big year at Triple-A Columbus. In 14 starts at Columbus, Clevinger is 9-0 with a 2.72 ERA and an average of 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings. The 25-year-old right-hander was acquired by Cleveland in a 2014 trade with the Angels in which the Indians sent RHP Vinnie Pestano to the Angels.


DETROIT TIGERS
Multi-position player JaCoby Jones has a seriously high ceiling and is closest to the majors among Detroit's brightest minor league players. He finished off a 60-game suspension for a violation of baseball's substance abuse policy at the start of the season and earned a promotion to Triple-A based on a sizzling start in Double-A. Jones played mostly shortstop after coming to Detroit in a trade with Pittsburgh last July but this year was asked to play center and some third base. He's got great speed and power and is solid defensively wherever he plays.


KANSAS CITY ROYALS
RHP Alec Mills could be added to the rotation if the Royals do not pick up a veteran via a trade. Mills is 2-0 in four starts since being promoted to Triple-A Omaha. He has a 2.67 ERA in 16 starts this season between the Storm Chasers and Double-A Northwest Arkansas with 86 strikeouts in 91 innings. He made his major league debut earlier this season when he was added as the 26th player for a doubleheader, giving up a run in two-thirds of an inning. Mills is projected to be a No. 3 starter, but he could the Royals' fifth starter soon.


MINNESOTA TWINS
RHP Jose Berrios was regarded as the Twins' top prospect in preseason publications after he was 14-5 with a 2.87 ERA and 175 strikeouts between Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Rochester last season. This year, he is 8-4 with a 2.59 ERA in 13 starts with Rochester. In those outings, he has 85 strikeouts and allowed only six home runs in 83 1/3 innings. Berrios had a brief cameo in May, when he got a win in one start and couldn't get out of the first inning in another. It seems possible to expect Berrios to be in the majors at some point whether it's in September or earlier.


BALTIMORE ORIOLES
Trey Mancini could get a look in September and give the Orioles a good bat off the bench. He hit .302 with seven homers and 14 RBIs at Double-A Bowie earlier this year before moving to Triple-A Norfolk. Mancini, a first baseman, hit 10 homers and 30 RBIs with a .297 average in 72 games with Norfolk. Mancini's hit well at every level he's been at so far and helped Bowie win the Eastern League championship last year.


BOSTON RED SOX
Cuban import Yoan Moncada, Sunday's futures game MVP, was just named baseball's top prospect at midseason by Baseball America. He's playing second base and you wonder what that means with Dustin Pedroia signed through 2021. Does that mean Moncada moves to third base when he gets closer to the big-time (he's in Double-A now)? Since moving up from A-Ball, Moncada has played 16 games with Portland, batting .328 with five homers, 15 RBIs, four steals and a 1.023 OPS.


NEW YORK YANKEES
Aaron Judge seems to be the logical right fielder of the future and might make his first appearance in the majors in September. Many fans wanted Judge to be recalled after he went on a home run binge during last month but they will have to wait to see how recovers from a strained PCL and bone bruise in his right knee which could sideline him for three to four weeks. Judge is known for his prodigious power and the fact he is a right-handed hitter helps. Judge is regarded as one of the Yankees top three prospects and the 2013 first-round pick has 16 home runs, a .261 average and a .825 OPS.


TAMPA BAY RAYS
Blake Snell has only one win in his first six starts, but he's pitched well, with a sub-4.00 ERA and rising strikeout totals. He was USA Today's Minor League Player of the Year last season, so he's a potential future ace once he adjusts to major league hitting and continues to develop his secondary pitches.


TORONTO BLUE JAYS
OF Dalton Pompey was held in such high regard that he was the Opening Day center fielder in 2015. He was not ready and was returned to the minors in May but he did return in late season and was on the playoff roster where he made a contribution as a pinch-runner. He started this season at Triple-A Buffalo where he has been hampered by injuries, including a concussion that kept him out from June 19 to Friday. In his three games back he is 2-for-12 with a double. The 23-year-old is batting .272 in 47 games with one home runs, 14 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.

[TheGame]

Re: MLB Betting Info. 7/17

'Yankees RedSox resume rivalry'


In Sunday's finale it's Masahiro Tanaka toes the rubber for Yankees. The right-hander undefeated in his last five starts (5-0 TSR) is 6-2 on the campaign with a 3.23 ERA. Tanaka has made eight career starts against the Red Sox, sporting a 4-2 record and 4-4 Team Start Record in those eight games. Well to note, Yankees have a 5-0 streak at home w/Tanaka, 6-1 stretch in his last seven July starts overall. Lefty David Price gets the start for Boston. Price not exactly having a banner year at 9-6 with a 4.34 ERA is 1-1 vs Yankees since joining Red Sox and will be looking to make amends for the last start at this venue where he was shelled for 6 runs over 4 2/3 innings in a Boston 8-2 loss. On a possitive note, that loss in Yankee Stadium was his first in nine trips to New York with Bos, Tor, Det, TB.

[TheGame]

Re: MLB Betting Info. 7/17

MLB roundup: Cubs' Hammel halts skid in win over Rangers
By The Sports Xchange


CHICAGO -- Jason Hammel snapped a six-game winless streak and Anthony Rizzo doubled in two runs as the Chicago Cubs posted a 3-1 victory over the Texas Rangers on Saturday afternoon.
Hammel allowed just one run on three hits as he outdueled Rangers right-hander Yu Darvish, who was making his first start since June 8 and only his fourth big-league appearance since 2014.
Closer Hector Rondon worked a perfect ninth for his 15th save.


Red Sox 5, Yankees 2
NEW YORK -- Sandy Leon highlighted a career-high four RBI showing with a three-run home run and Boston ran its season-high winning streak to six games with a victory over New York.
Xander Bogaerts drove in the other run for the Red Sox, who won for the eighth time in nine games.
The Yankees were held to two runs or less for the 35th time and are two games under .500 after the All-Star break for the first time since being 57-59 on Aug. 31, 1995.


Mariners 1, Astros 0
SEATTLE -- Hisashi Iwakuma threw seven shutout innings and Robinson Cano drove in the only run of the game with a sixth-inning RBI single as the Seattle beat Houston.
Seattle's Leonys Martin had two hits, including a leadoff triple in the sixth that resulted in the only run of the game. Cano followed the triple with an RBI single to left.
Seattle ended a five-game skid against the Astros. The Mariners also won for just the third time in their past nine games.


Athletics 5, Blue Jays 4
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Rookie Ryon Healy belted a three-run homer for his first major league hit, Khris Davis launched two solo shots and right-hander Sonny Gray ended his seven-game losing streak as Oakland posted a win over Toronto.
Gray gave up three runs on six hits over six innings and won for the first time since April 22 at Toronto.
Edwin Encarnacion (No. 24) and Justin Smoak (No. 10) hit homers for Toronto.


Orioles 2, Rays 1
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Baltimore starter Chris Tillman picked up his 13th win of the season by holding reeling Tampa Bayto four hits in seven innings.
J.J. Hardy's two-run home run in the second inning was enough for the Orioles, who have won six of seven.
Zach Britton pitched a perfect ninth, striking out two, for his 29th save and his second in as many nights.


Brewers 9, Reds 1
CINCINNATI -- Hernan Perez and Jonathan Lucroy each hit two-run homers and Jimmy Nelson pitched seven shutout innings, lifting Milwaukee over Cincinnati.
Nelson managed the big lead well, allowing six hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. He retired eight straight in one stretch.
Joey Votto had four of Cincinnati's nine hits, his first four-hit game since 2014.


Rockies 4, Braves 3
ATLANTA -- Colorado scored three times in the eighth and once in the ninth for the win, the first time in 44 games the Rockies have won when trailing after the seventh inning.
The Braves aided the Rockies' comeback with three wild pitches and two errors in the final two innings.
Carlos Estevez retired the Braves in order in the ninth for his fifth save. Boone Logan (1-0) got credit for the victory after pitching around a hit and a walk in the eighth inning.


Phillies 4, Mets 2
PHILADELPHIA -- Maikel Franco singled home the go-ahead run in the seventh inning as Philadelphia beat New York.
Ryan Howard homered for the Phillies, who won for the 11th time in 15 games.
The Mets lost for the fourth time in five games.


Royals 8, Tigers 4
DETROIT -- Danny Duffy struck out seven while winning his fourth straight decision and Christian Colon drove in two runs to lead Kansas City Royals over Detroit.
Duffy became the third pitcher in Royals history with at least seven strikeouts in five consecutive starts. Kevin Appier (1996) and Zack Greinke (2009) were the other Kansas City pitchers to accomplish the feat.
Duffy, who has won three of his last four starts, gave up four runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings.


Cardinals 5, Marlins 0
ST. LOUIS -- Adam Wainwright delivered his third straight dominant start and allowed only three hits.
Adeiny Hechavarria got the first hit when led off the sixth inning with a double. That was as close as Miami came to scoring against Wainwright.
He walked two and struck out five in the 10th shutout of his career and the 22nd complete game of his career. Wainwright has won his last three starts, allowing only one run in 23 innings, and has lowered his ERA to 4.15.


Nationals 6, Pirates 0
WASHINGTON � Tanner Roark took a shutout into the ninth inning, Anthony Rendon had two hits and two RBIs and Stephen Drew had three doubles and scored twice as the first-place Washington beat Pittsburgh.
Rendon, batting cleanup for the first time this year, had his first homer since July 7 when he went deep in the fifth inning.
Roark, who had an RBI single, yielded just five hits in eight innings plus two batters. He left after allowing a single and hit by pitch to start the ninth, and Blake Treinen came on to get the last three outs.


Padres 7, Giants 6, 10 innings
SAN DIEGO -- San Francisco reliever Santiago Casilla stumbled while delivering a pitch and balked in the winning run in the 10th inning.
Buster Posey's 10th-inning home run, the Giants' fourth of the game, had given San Francisco its first lead of the game.
Kevin Quackenbush got the win despite allowing Posey's homer.


Diamondbacks 2, Dodgers 1, 12 innings
PHOENIX -- Brandon Drury singled through a five-man infield to drive in the winning run with no outs in the 12th inning to give Arizona the win.
Jake Lamb tripled to right field to open the 12th against right-hander Casey Fien before Fien intentionally walked Welington Castillo and Yasmany Tomas to load the bases.
The Dodgers brought left fielder Howie Kendrick into the infield for Drury, who grounded his first game-winner into right field.


Angels 1, White Sox 0
ANAHEIM -- Matt Shoemaker pitched a six-hit shutout to lead Los Angeles.
Shoemaker amassed a career-high 13 strikeouts in recording the first shutout of his career.
Right-hander James Shields retired 16 of the final 18 batters he faced, permitted only one hit after the first inning, allowed only two hits and two walks and collected two strikeouts yet lost his second successive decision.


Twins 5, Indians 4, 11 innings
MINNEAPOLIS -- Max Kepler's fielder's choice grounder scored Joe Mauer from third base and lifted Minnesota to the win in front of a couple of hundred people.
Most of the fans left had left thanks to a two hour-plus rain delay.
The Twins loaded the bases against Indians reliever Joe Colon. Colon stabbed Kepler's comebacker to the mound behind his back and fielded the ball, but catcher Yan Gomes dropped the throw home, allowing Mauer to score.

[TheGame]

Re: MLB Betting Info. 7/17

Preview: Brewers (39-50) at Reds (33-58)


Game: 3
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: July 17, 2016 1:10 PM EDT


CINCINNATI -- The Milwaukee Brewers will be looking to win a series on the road when they wrap up a three-game weekend set against the Reds on Sunday.


Manager Craig Counsell's club is 23-22 at home, but just 16-28 away from Miller Park. If the Brewers played better on the road, perhaps this season might be different.


On Saturday night, the Brewers club broke out the bats in a 9-1 victory over the Reds. Jimmy Nelson effectively managed a huge early lead allowing six hits over seven shutout innings.


On Sunday, Milwaukee is expected to recall right-hander Zach Davies to make his 16th start of the season and second against Cincinnati. In two career starts against the Reds, Davies is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA. But, both of those outings came at Miller Park where he allowed five earned runs in 11 2/3 innings.


The Brewers will need to make a roster move prior to Sunday's game in order to make room on the roster for Davies.


His last start came on July 5 at Washington when he earned a 5-2 victory after giving up only two earned runs in 6 2/3 innings. He was optioned to Triple-A Colorado Springs after that game, however, to make room for first baseman Andy Wilkins.


Since struggling in his first three starts, going 0-3 with 13 earned runs allowed in 13 1/3 innings, Davies responded by going 6-1 with a 3.24 ERA in 12 starts with seven quality starts.


Milwaukee (39-50) is 8-7 when Davies starts.


Reds right-hander Homer Bailey made his fourth rehab appearance for Triple-A Louisville on Friday and will make at least one more before being activated.


When that happens, right-hander Dan Straily is among the current starters who could be the odd man out. Either him, or John Lamb who allowed nine earned runs in two-plus innings on Saturday could be called on to be a left-handed specialist in the bullpen.


Lamb is among many Reds players feeling the frustration as they fell to 33-58 on Saturday.


"Any time you don't do well, there's a collective frustration," said Lamb. "it's frustrating when there are expectations and you're not meeting them. I hope I continue to have the ball every five days and be able to go out there and compete. At some point you've got to produce."


On Sunday, Straily will make his 20th appearance and 17th start of the season. It will be his second career appearance against Milwaukee but his first start.


Opponents are hitting only .218 against Straily who is tied for the club lead with nine quality starts. This after beginning the season in the bullpen.


Straily began spring training with the Houston Astros before being traded to San Diego on March 28 before being claimed off waivers by the Reds whose rotation was decimated by injuries just three days later.


Cincinnati hopes to have second baseman Brandon Phillips back on Sunday after he missed Saturday's game with a strained calf muscle suffered on Friday.


The Brewers are awaiting word on the condition of right fielder Hernan Perez who left Saturday's game with a left foot contusion after hitting a two-run home run to spark the offensive outburst.


X-Rays were planned as a precaution and he will be evaluated further on Sunday, which could be an ideal day to give Perez a breather.


"He had trouble putting weight on it," said manager Craig Counsell. "He was struggling enough to take him out. I think he'll be fine."

[TheGame]

Re: MLB Betting Info. 7/17

Preview: Royals (46-44) at Tigers (47-44)


Game: 3
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: July 17, 2016 1:10 PM EDT


DETROIT -- Michael Fulmer has made pitching in the major leagues look easy. The Detroit Tigers rookie phenom can tie a franchise record on Sunday if his string of dominance continues.


Fulmer has allowed one or no earned runs in each of his last nine starts. That's the second longest such streak by a Tigers starter since at least 1913.


He can tie Doug Fister, who posted 10 consecutive one-or-no earned run outings spanning the 2011 and 2012 seasons, in the finale of a three-game series against Kansas City.


"Every time I take the mound, my goal is to put up zeroes," said Fulmer, who is 9-2 with a 2.11 ERA. "With the defense I have and the way the catchers have been calling the game, it's been real easy, honestly. I'm just trusting him and trusting my defense."


Fulmer knows he can't keep this up over the long haul. He's trying to avoid getting wrapped up in the overwhelmingly successful start to his MLB career.


"It all comes back to staying level-headed and staying humble," the 23-year-old right-hander said. "This is a humbling game. This is a game of failure, it really is."


One of his two losses came against the Royals, though he only gave up one run in that June outing. He did walk a season-high four batters in his 5 2/3-innings stint.


"They're the World Series champs for a reason," he said. "It's a good lineup. I felt at times I had to pitch around a few guys."


By adding a changeup to his fastball-slider combination, Fulmer has kept most hitters off-balance. He made his debut in late April after Shane Greene went to the disabled list with a blister issue and never looked back.


"My goal the first three, four or five starts was just to stay here," he said. "I knew there was a possibility I could get sent down when Greeny came off the DL. I kind of took it as motivation to see how long I could stay up here."


His mound opponent will be facing his favorite team, at least on paper. Royals right-hander Yordano Ventura has six of his 33 career victories against the Tigers. He's 6-0 with a 3.27 ERA in eight outings against them, including seven starts.


Ventura has lost his last three starts, though he only allowed three runs in seven innings to Seattle in his last appearance.


"Out of his last five outings, he's had four very encouraging outings," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "We see signs of him starting to understand who he is a little bit and how to harness that powerful fastball that he has."


The pitching staff got a boost on Saturday when premier closer Wade Davis was activated off the 15-day disabled list. Davis pitched a scoreless inning in the Royals' 8-4 victory on Saturday night.


Davis' return provides more clarity to bullpen roles, with fill-in closer Kelvin Herrera returning to his eighth-inning duties and Luke Hochevar and Joakim Soria resuming sixth and seventh-inning duties.


"He's one of the best relievers in the game," Yost said. "We had to go a couple of weeks without that but we felt like we had it covered. It just gives us another quality arm we can put in the back of that pen."

[TheGame]

Re: MLB Betting Info. 7/17

Orioles-Rays preview


Game: 3
Date: July 17, 2016 1:10 PM EDT


ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Out of options this season, Baltimore Orioles right-hander Dylan Bundy was relegated to a bullpen role to stay in the majors, but the 23-year-old prospect moves to the spotlight and the starting rotation on Sunday as he makes his first major league start against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Bundy reached the majors briefly at age 19 in 2012, but his promising career was sidetracked by elbow surgery that limited his pitching for three seasons. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2011 draft, he has a chance to prove himself as the Orioles seek answers for a struggling starting rotation.
"You think about all the trials that Dylan's fought his way through," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "I think we're all ... I wouldn't say anxious. Regardless of what happens, there are a lot of good things about it."
Bundy has pitched well in the bullpen, carrying a 3.08 ERA in 22 appearances this season. He has been stretched out a bit, facing 12 batters in each of his last three appearances, including outings of 57 and 56 pitches.
Showalter said Bundy wasn't sure where to watch the last two games -- from the dugout, as a starter would, or from the bullpen, as he has done. He has shifted to the dugout, and there are high hopes for his joining the rotation.
Baltimore's starters have had an ERA above 5.00 this season, ranking 28th among 30 teams. So while the Orioles are leading the American League East, they need stable pitching to stay there.
The Rays, on the other end, are looking for everything -- they've held four straight opponents to four runs or less and still haven't won. They've dropped eight straight, 12 of their last 13 and 24 of their last 27 -- no AL team has endured a stretch like that since the 2003 Tigers.
"There's a lot of parts to our team going into this skid," Rays starter Matt Moore said after Saturday's loss. "It's easy to look at things that are going wrong and kind of put your finger on them, but you know we're trying. It's something.
"The guys are getting to the field at the same time, putting the same work in. We're just waiting for tomorrow to get here."
The Rays on Sunday will turn to RHP Jake Odorizzi, who has lasted no more than six innings in any of his last eight starts. He's 3-5 with a 4.47 ERA, and he knows the Orioles well -- he has faced them three times this year, with a 5.63 ERA.
Odorizzi has been mentioned as a trade target for contenders looking to add a starter, but he has struggled to showcase his talents. In his last seven starts, his season ERA has climbed from 3.33 to 4.47, and he's facing an Orioles lineup that has beaten the Rays nine times in 11 meetings, including seven straight

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Preview: Pirates (46-45) at Nationals (56-36)


Game: 3
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: July 17, 2016 1:35 PM EDT


WASHINGTON -- Max Scherzer has had some memorable games at Nationals Park since he joined Washington before the 2015 season.


And the veteran right-hander has pitched very well in day games, and he had a memorable outing last season against the Pittsburgh Pirates.


All of those factors will be in play Sunday afternoon when Scherzer, who pitched one inning for the National League on Tuesday in the All-Star Game, will get the start for the Nationals in his first appearance of the second half.


It was June 20, 2015 -- a Saturday afternoon -- that Scherzer tossed a no-hitter against the Pirates at Nationals Park. He is 3-2 in seven career starts against Pittsburgh.


He will face the Pirates at home for the first time since his first no-hitter when he opposes Pittsburgh rookie right-hander Chad Kuhl on Sunday.


"Scherzer was the least rested, so we decided to give him some extra days," Washington manager Dusty Baker said after Stephen Strasburg started Friday and Tanner Roark went Saturday.


Several of the top Pittsburgh hitters have struggled against Scherzer. Josh Harrison is 0-for-12, Matt Joyce is 0-for-10 and Andrew McCutchen is hitting .083 against the veteran. McCutchen had two of the team's five hits in a 6-0 loss Saturday as Roark went eight scoreless innings.


Kuhl (1-0, 6.08), a product of the University of Delaware, will be making his fourth career start and will face the Nationals for the first time.


"I think it all comes down to executing pitches," Kuhl told The Sports Xchange on Saturday. "Any hitter in this league can hit a fastball down the middle. It all comes down to pitch execution. If I am making my pitches, I feel I can be successful."


The 23-year-old right-hander from Bear, Del., said he expects at least 20 or 30 family and friends to be at the game Sunday. His home is less than two hours from Nationals Park.


"I have to be able to keep the fastball down in the zone and throw the slider off that," he said.


Kuhl said he has benefited from throwing to veteran catchers Eric Fryer and Erik Kratz.


"They have a lot of experience. You build off that trust," Kuhl said.


He was drafted in the ninth round in 2013 out of Delaware by the Pirates.


"It is obviously a dream come true for me and my family," Kuhl said. "I had a shorter route that most. I got here in three years. It is a rewarding feeling to be here. It has been an awesome experience."


"He has a big league fastball," said Fryer, claimed off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals on July 3. "He is able to control his change; his slider is a good one. All of the young pitchers (with the Pirates) seem to be level-headed and cool and able to control their emotions. That is how you can be successful."


In Kuhl's last start, he had a no-decision against the Chicago Cubs on July 10 as he worked 2 1/3 innings and gave up seven hits and four earned runs. He had trouble with his sinker that day.


"It wasn't sinking like we wanted it to," said Fryer, and he had to use other secondary pitches.


The first-place Nationals will be a tough test. They are 20 games above .500 for the first time since 2014.


"That was our goal, to be 20 games over," Baker said. "The guys have responded to my challenge."


Baker said he wanted his team to play strong before and after the All-Star break.


He said there are times a team can catch an opponent who is on "vacation mode" around the break. The Pirates will try to break out of that mode and salvage the finale Sunday, but it might be tough with a veteran such as Scherzer going against rookie Kuhl.

[TheGame]

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Preview: Mets (48-42) at Phillies (43-49)


Game: 3
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: July 17, 2016 1:35 PM EDT


PHILADELPHIA -- New York Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom established himself as a rising star last season.


Philadelphia Phillies rookie righty Zach Eflin is just beginning to establish himself, period.


The two pitchers square off Sunday afternoon, when the Mets and Phillies play the rubber game of their three-game series in Citizens Bank Park.


DeGrom (5-4, 2.61) has recently begun to show the dominating form he displayed last year, when he went 14-8 with a 2.54 ERA during the regular season and 3-1 with a 2.88 ERA in four postseason starts for the National League champions.


He has gone 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA and 20 strikeouts (compared to four walks) in 20 innings over his last three starts, and his last time out he worked seven innings in a 4-2 victory over Miami. He allowed two runs on six hits while striking out seven and walking two.


He escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first inning unscathed, and thereafter only allowed solo homers to Giancarlo Stanton in the fourth and sixth innings.


"(I feel) better than where I started," deGrom said afterward, according to Major League Baseball's official web site. "Things are starting to come back, and I was pretty happy about today."


He is 3-0 with a 3.03 ERA in six career starts against the Phillies, and the Mets have won all six of those outings.


Eflin (2-2, 4.08) was hit hard by Toronto in his first major league start, on June 14, allowing nine runs (eight earned) on nine hits in 2 2/3 innings, but since then he has gone 2-1 with a 2.20 ERA. He earned his first major league victory on July 5, going the distance to beat Atlanta 5-1, then followed that up with a 10-3 victory in Colorado five days later.


Over his last two starts, he has gone 15 innings and yielded three runs on 13 hits while striking out nine and walking two.


"You just can't live in the past," Eflin said of his bounceback, according to MLB.com. "You've just always got to have your head high. I learn after every outing and I learned a lot after that one (against the Rockies). I've done a good job of just keeping the ball down and throwing all of the pitches for strikes and keeping the hitters guessing."


The Mets won the series opener 5-3, but the Phillies answered with a 4-2 victory Saturday night, as Maikel Franco drove in the go-ahead run with a seventh-inning single.


Franco is hitting .370 over his last 18 games, raising his average from .235 to .265, and has 17 RBIs in his last 15. His 18 homers and 54 RBIs lead the team and are third among major league third basemen, and on Saturday he blooped the first pitch he saw from Mets reliever Hansel Robles -- a 97 mph fastball -- into left field to snap a 2-2 tie.


"I know it was a good situation for me," Franco said. "I just want to put the ball in play. Something good happened, and I'm glad something good happened for me, and for my team, too."


Franco had shown considerable promise in his first extended big league trial in 2015, hitting .280 with 14 homers and 50 RBIs in 80 games, but found himself in the throes of a frustrating slump earlier this season.


That is now behind him.


"He looks like he's staying on the ball better," manager Pete Mackanin said. "He's fouling off some tough pitches to right field. He's just not flying off the ball like he has been, and he's getting results."


Mackanin added that Franco is "real close" to resembling the player he was a year ago.


"He's going to have a good year," Mackanin said. "I think he's only going to get better as the season goes along."


The Phillies have won 11 of their last 15 games, while the Mets have dropped four of five.

[TheGame]

Re: MLB Betting Info. 7/17

Braves-Rockies preview
By Guy Curtright
The Sports Xchange


Game: 3
Date: July 17, 2016 1:35 PM EDT


ATLANTA -- Arodys Vizcaino lasted just three pitches Friday night against the Colorado Rockies and it will be at least August before the reliever gets back on the mound for the Atlanta Braves.
Vizcaino, who leads the team with 10 saves, was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday before the second game of the weekend series, depriving the Braves of a chance to get the right-hander back on track.
The hard-throwing Vizcaino struggled late in June and then was unavailable the final four game before the All-Star break because of a skin irritation on his elbow.
Vizcaino is likely to miss more than two weeks.
"It's just time-consuming," Braves interim manager Brian Snitker said of the road back from an oblique injury. "You've got to calm everything down until you don't feel anything before you start throwing again or you end up really screwing things up. It's unfortunate. You've just got be patient wanting to get back and get everything good again."
The Braves activated veteran left-handed reliever Eric O'Flaherty from the disabled list to take Vizcaino's roster spot. He was out for a month because of a right knee sprain.
While the Braves bullpen took a hit with the loss of Vizcaino, the Rockies' relief corps may be starting to stabilize with the return of Adam Ottavino who was out with Tommy John elbow surgery.
"I feel like we have a good chance to win every night, with the starters we are running out there," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "We have to get some things ironed out at the back end of the game. And we will."
Rookie Carlos Estevez, who replaced Jake McGee as closer, remains the ninth-inning man and picked up his fifth save Saturday night against the Braves. Weiss, though, made it clear side-arm pitcher Ottavino will pitch late in games.
Ottavino made his third appearance since coming off the disabled list Friday against the Braves, getting an out.
"It's a fine line between putting too much on him this soon, but also using him to help us win games," Weiss said.
Ottavino took over as closer for LaTroy Hawkins last year and recorded three saves before hurting his elbow.
The Rockies felt good enough about Ottavino that they signed him to a three-year, $10.4 million contract last winter even though he was recovering from surgery and wouldn't be available until midseason this year.
Neither the Rockies (42-48) nor the Braves (31-60) may have to go deep in the bullpen Sunday as Colorado goes for a sweep of the three-game series.
The Braves will start All-Star Julio Teheran, while the Rookies will counter with fellow right-hander Jon Gray, one of the top rookie starters in the National League.
Teheran has a 2.96 ERA, but is still looking for his first home win. He is 0-4 with a 3.23 ERA in 10 home starts compared to 3-4 with a 2.67 ERA in eight road outings.
The native of Colombia is 4-1 in five career starts against the Rockies, posting a 3.41 ERA.
Gray, the third overall pick in the 2013 draft, held Philadelphia to three hits and two runs over 6 1/3 at Colorado in his last start before the All-Star break, striking out eight and ending a streak of eight games giving up at least one homer.
Gray didn't get a decision against the Phillies, but has a winning record at 5-4 and has lowered his ERA from 6.75 to 4.67.
The former University of Oklahoma standout has pitched as well in mile-high Denver as he has on the road. He is 3-0 with a 4.71 ERA at home and 2-4 with a 4.64 ERA away from Colorado.

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Preview: Indians (53-37) at Twins (33-57)


Game: 3
Venue: Target Field
Date: July 17, 2016 2:10 PM EDT


MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Twins might want to consider starting their games closer to midnight.


The Twins waited out a rain delay of more than two hours in the top of the inning in a 5-4 win against the Cleveland Indians at Target Field, wrapping up the victory shortly after 12:30 a.m. local time Sunday morning, when rookie outfielder Max Kepler's comebacker to the mound with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the 11th inning produced an error and allowed the winning run to score.


"It was adventurous," said Twins manager Paul Molitor. "But he finished it off with a big hit to help us get the win."


It was the third time in the last month the Twins have started a game on one day, finished it on the next while also playing a day game the following afternoon.


So far, the Twins are 5-0 in those games and will look for their sixth win on Sunday.


"I told the guys before we went back out there, 'We've been good in these situations,'" said Molitor. "They came out with some energy and got it done."


The loss dropped the American League Central Division-leading Indians to 3-5 against Minnesota this season; the Twins have the worst record in the American League and are 2-19 against every other team in the Central. Meanwhile, the Indians have posted a 24-7 mark against the rest of the division.


"Every game with these guys is a tug-of-war," said Indians manager Terry Francona. "Some teams just play you tough."


Cleveland will send Josh Tomlin to the mound in search of his 10th victory of the season. The right-hander will look to bounce back from his worst outing of the season his last time out against the Detroit Tigers on July 6.


In a game the Indians lost 12-2, Tomlin was tagged for eight runs -- five of them earned -- on seven hits and a walk in just 4 2/3 innings of work.


Tomlin has been good in two outings against the Twins this season, earning the victory each time out. He allowed five runs, four earned in 5 1/3 innings pitched at Target Field on April 27, but got enough offensive support in a 6-5 victory.


He was better two weeks later, giving up three earned runs over 6 1/3 innings while striking out four.


Cleveland has a 13-3 record in his 16 starts this season.


Minnesota will counter with right-hander Kyle Gibson, who has been uneven in 10 starts this season. He didn't pick up his first victory until June 28. Despite the inconsistencies, the Twins have won three of his last four starts and were in line for a victory in the other before a late bullpen meltdown against the Texas Rangers his last time out on July 8, when he surrendered four runs in five innings.


Gibson's 5.77 career ERA in seven starts against the Indians is his highest against any American League Central opponent.

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Preview: Marlins (48-42) at Cardinals (47-43)


Game: 3
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: July 17, 2016 2:15 PM EDT


ST. LOUIS -- Lost in the dominant shutout tossed by Adam Wainwright Saturday night was some good situational hitting by the St. Louis Cardinals in the bottom of the third inning.


Four consecutive hitters stepped to the plate with a man at second and no outs. Aledmys Diaz walked. Stephen Piscotty doubled home two runs. Randal Grichuk doubled in Piscotty, and Matt Adams singled Grichuk home.


That sequence sealed St. Louis' 5-0 win over the Miami Marlins, setting up Sunday's rubber game between the National League wild-card hopefuls in Busch Stadium.


"Those guys weren't going up there, just giving themselves up to move the runner over," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "They had good, solid at-bats, took good passes at the ball."


Piscotty, Grichuk and Tommy Pham -- the team's outfield of the future, the outfielders that management bet on in the offseason when Jason Heyward left for the Chicago Cubs -- combined for five hits, three runs and three RBIs in 12 plate appearances, drawing a pair of walks as well.


While Matheny seems willing to give veteran Matt Holliday every chance to regain his form, despite Holliday's average dropping to .237 after going 0-for-4 Friday night, Pham is elbowing his way into the conversation.


Pham has notched extra-base hits in four straight games and is 5-for-8 in this series, cracking two homers Friday night. Limited to 53 big league at-bats after missing nearly 2 1/2 months with an oblique injury suffered on Opening Day in Pittsburgh and a month-long stint in the minors, Pham is showing his vast ability.


"He's playing an exciting style of baseball, too," Matheny said. "Lots of speed, lots of power. He's making the most of it."


Pham should be back in the lineup Sunday when Miami (48-42) marches lefty Adam Conley (6-5, 3.62) to the mound. Conley is coming off a 4-2 win July 9 over the Cincinnati Reds, and averages nearly a strikeout an inning, although he also issues nearly four walks per nine innings.


This will be the first time Conley has faced St. Louis in a regular season game, although he's probably seen it at least once in exhibition games as the teams share a spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla.


The same goes for Cardinals right hander Michael Wacha (5-7, 4.36), who hasn't pitched since going 6 2/3 innings in a no-decision on July 8 in Milwaukee. Wacha departed that game after being struck with a comebacker in the right heel, but wasn't seriously injured.


Even though the calendar says July 17 and the teams will have 71 games remaining after this one, there is some importance to this one. The Marlins enter tied with the New York Mets for the National League's second wild-card spot, while St. Louis (47-43) is a game back.


Saturday night's 5-0 setback snapped a four-game winning streak for Miami, but it didn't spend much time dwelling on that result against a hot pitcher who's allowed only one run over his last 23 innings.


"Tomorrow's a new day, man," Marlins left fielder Christian Yelich said.

[TheGame]

Re: MLB Betting Info. 7/17

Preview: Rangers (54-38) at Cubs (55-35)


Game: 3
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: July 17, 2016 2:20 PM EDT


CHICAGO -- Cole Hamels returns to the scene of his greatest career triumph on Sunday.


The Texas Rangers left-hander (9-2, 3.21 ERA) makes his first Wrigley Field appearance since pitching a no-hitter against the Chicago Cubs on July 25, 2015.


Hamels struck out 13 and walked two in the Phillies' 5-0 victory.


"Things line up every once in a while in a season and in your career and I just happened to do it at that time," Hamels said before Sunday's 19th start of the season. "It's obviously a memory that everybody on that field and in the dugout will remember. Quite a few Cub fans were applauding, just a fun ordeal."


The no-hitter ended up being Hamels' last appearances with a Phillies organization he spent nearly 10 seasons with.


"Not too many people get to have a sendoff like I did," Hamels said. "It was the last start I had on a team that I was with from the very beginning and you're around guys you came up with the develop good relations with.


"I had Carlos Ruiz there -- he's one of the best catchers in the league -- and we had a real good system working, especially on that day we were definitely on the right page. Everything seemed to work out perfectly."


Hamels' gem came at a very opportune time as the 2015 trading deadline approached, the Phillies were willing to deal and it arguably raised Hamels' value to a contending team.


Texas was willing to pay the price.


In addition to Hamels, the Rangers acquired left-handed pitcher Jake Diekmann. But they gave up starter Matt Harrison and minor league prospects Jorge Alfaro (catcher), Nick Williams (outfielder), Jake Thompson (pitcher), Alec Asher (pitcher) and Jerad Eickhoff (pitcher) to the Phillies.


Now an ace for a team that entered the weekend interleague series with the American League's top record, Hamels worked a scoreless third inning -- retiring three Cubs -- in the AL's 4-2 All-Star Game victory on Tuesday in his hometown of San Diego.


Hamels did not factor into a decision in his last start, a 6-5 victory over Minnesota on July 8. Hamels tossed 4 1/3 innings and gave up five runs and five hits, walked six and struck out four.


Hamels will face Cubs right-hander John Lackey.


Lackey is no stranger to the Rangers. His 40 previous meetings are his most against any opponent and fifth most by any active pitcher against any opponent. But will be his first start against Texas since 2014.


He's 14-15 all time against the Rangers.


Lackey is looking to break a five-game winless streak that included a rocky start in the Cubs' 9-5 July 5 loss to the Reds.


"Honestly, besides the first inning with some crazy stuff, I felt like I threw the ball pretty good," Lackey said. "It wasn't an ideal day to pitch for sure. It was one of those days. I really thought once we scored the four runs we were going to have a chance to come back in that game."

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Preview: White Sox (45-45) at Angels (39-52)


Game: 3
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: July 17, 2016 3:35 PM EDT


ANAHEIM -- Right-hander Jered Weaver continues his rugged struggle of a season when his Los Angeles Angels meet the Chicago White Sox in Sunday's final game of their weekend series.


As recently as 2014, Weaver was one of baseball's best. He shared first place in the American League that year with 18 victories and in the majors overall with 34 starts.


Since then, however, assorted physical problems and decreasing velocity dramatically reduced Weaver's effectiveness. Last season was the worst of his career; the right-hander compiled a 7-12 record and a 4.64 earned-run average. Until 2015, Weaver never won fewer than 11 games or finished with an ERA higher than 4.33.


This season, Weaver matched last year's victory total but is allowing opponents to bat .294 and is projected to finish with a career-worst 4.93 ERA. After collecting five quality starts in the first two months, Weaver has had just three since, though he conceded just one run, one walk and four hits in six innings against the Tampa Bay Rays on July 6 while striking out five in a 7-2 victory.


"I don't know if it's ever easy," Weaver told MLB.com. "I'm just trying to locate pitches and keep those guys off balance."


One constant in the midst of fluctuating success is Weaver's personal tenacity.


"Jered competes," manager Mike Scioscia told MLB.com after Weaver's latest victory. "Just having that element inside of him lets him go out with whatever his tools are and try to win."


For the past two seasons, that tenacity provided the foundation for professional survival.


"About 80 percent of the league wouldn't have been throwing with what I've been throwing the last couple of years," Weaver told MLB.com.


One of Weaver's goals will be to extend Chicago's streak of consecutive innings without scoring. The White Sox enter Sunday's game having not scored in 32 innings.


Opposing Weaver will be right-hander Jacob Turner, who will be making his first major league start in two years. Turner was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte after Saturday night's 1-0 loss and replaces left-hander Carlos Rodon, who is on the disabled list with a sprained left wrist.


Turner, who signed as a free agent in December, made 18 starts for Charlotte. Despite pitching a complete-game shutout, the 25-year-old owns a 4-7 record and a 4.71 ERA. In 107 innings, Turner has allowed 29 walks and 125 hits, including 10 home runs, while amassing 85 strikeouts.


Before signing with the White Sox, Turner spent four seasons with the Detroit Tigers, Miami Marlins and Chicago Cubs. He won his last major league start Sept. 28, 2014 for the Cubs against the Milwaukee Brewers.


Left-hander Chris Sale, who started for the American League in Tuesday night's All-Star Game and pitched one inning, would be pitching on four days rest had he received the start Sunday. But Ventura wanted to give Sale another day off. Sale will pitch Monday night in Seattle.


"I think they pitch harder in that game than they probably would in a normal game," said Ventura, a two-time All-Star. "They definitely throw more fastballs than in a normal game. That's part of the experience. I know it was only one inning but we wanted to make sure he had extended rest."

[TheGame]

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Preview: Blue Jays (51-42) at Athletics (40-51)


Game: 3
Venue: Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Date: July 17, 2016 4:05 PM EDT


OAKLAND, Calif. -- Runs could be scarce when Toronto Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ and Oakland A's lefty Rich Hill square off in the finale of a three-game series Sunday afternoon at the Oakland Coliseum.


Happ is 12-3 with a 3.36 ERA in 18 starts this season in his second stint with the Blue Jays. Hill is 9-3 with a 2.25 ERA in 16 starts in his first season with the A's.


Hill was initially scheduled to pitch Friday night against Toronto, but his start was pushed back two days because of two blisters on the middle finger of his left hand. Hill said a blister developed late in his final start before the All-Star break against Houston and that another one appeared after he had a long throwing session on flat ground three days later on July 10.


"It's fine now," Hill said Saturday. "There's no issues. It feels good. .... I think it was more of a precautionary thing than anything, to make sure it was 100 percent healed. And we had the time to do that."


Hill signed a one-year, $6 million contract as a free agent with the A's during the offseason. Now he's drawing considerable interest from teams throughout baseball as the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline approaches.


Staying focused on the task at hand has not been a problem, Hill said.


"I think just focusing in on your daily routine and sticking with what you do on a day-in and day-out basis, so it's not about anything else that's going on outside of what you can control," Hill said. "I've said that all year long."


Happ has been on a roll since being traded by Seattle to Pittsburgh on July 31 last season. He went 7-2 with a 1.85 ERA in 11 starts for the Pirates then stayed hot after re-signing with the Blue Jays, with whom he played for from 2012-2014.


"That was the plan, that was the goal definitely," Happ said of picking up where he left off in Pittsburgh. "I think just trying to be consistent. I always say that's the hardest thing in this game, but I do feel I'm in a better place mentally for sure. And with my mechanics I feel like I'm able to make adjustments. Just trying to stay there."


Happ has gone 6-0 in his past six starts with an ERA of 2.95, 41 strikeouts and eight walks. He earned his 12th win, matching his career single-season high, on July 8, blanking Detroit over 5 2/3 innings. Happ struck out nine and walked one.


Happ went 12-4 with Philadelphia in 2009 when he made 35 appearances, including 23 starts.


According to Happ, one of the reasons he's having such a good season is that he's not as tough on himself as he used to be.


"That's always been an issue of mine," Happ said. "That's probably part of the reason why I got here, but it's also sometimes a negative for me because I can be pretty tough and I can carry it over for a long time. I feel like I'm getting better about turning the page. I have a little better perspective about the game and everything. I think that's helped, some of the experiences I've had."


Happ will face an A's team that won the first two games of the series, hitting three home runs each time, and can complete a sweep with a victory Sunday. Happ has allowed 13 home runs over 112 1/3 innings this season.