MLB Betting Info 4/14

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Thursday’s Diamond Notes
By Kevin Rogers
Hottest team: Cubs (7-1)
Coming into the season, Chicago had high expectations following last season’s run to the National League Championship Series. The Cubs are living up to the lofty hopes early by winning seven of the first eight games, including a pair of home victories over the Reds. Chicago scored five runs in the first inning of Wednesday’s 9-2 blowout of Cincinnati, as Joe Maddon’s squad has plated at least five runs in six of eight games this season.
Things are setting up nicely for Chicago the remainder of April, as the Cubs host the Rockies this weekend, followed by a seven-game road trip at St. Louis and Cincinnati, then home for six games against Milwaukee and Atlanta. The amazing part of Chicago’s early success is the Cubs have overcome slow starts by two of its young stars with third baseman Kris Bryant (.212) and first baseman Anthony Rizzo (.207) each struggling at the plate.
Coldest team: Twins (0-8)
Minnesota is one two winless teams remaining in baseball along with Atlanta, as the Twins were shut out at home by the White Sox on Wednesday, 3-0. The Twins haven’t hit an ‘over’ yet this season in eight games, while plating only one run through the first 18 innings of their series against Chicago.
The pitching hasn’t been terrible for Minnesota, as the Twins have allowed more than four runs in a game just once this season. Ervin Santana is making his third start of the season as his first outing at Baltimore was cut short due to a rain delay. The veteran right-hander scattered six hits and yielded two earned runs in six innings of work in his last outing at Kansas City, a 4-3 defeat last Friday.
Hottest pitcher: Cole Hamels, Rangers (2-0, 2.08 ERA)
Texas returns home from a 4-3 road trip against Baltimore, who suffered its first loss following a 7-0 start. The Rangers send out their ace to the mound in tonight’s opener as Hamels has been solid in two victories against the Mariners and Angels. Hamels allowed a pair of solo homers in his first outing against Seattle, but the Rangers’ southpaw settled down and gave up just four hits in a 3-2 victory. The former Phillies’ ace silenced the Angels by yielding four hits in six innings of a 4-1 triumph as a short underdog against the Rangers as Texas improved to 13-1 in his past 14 starts since last August.
Coldest pitcher: Chris Archer, Rays (0-2, 7.20 ERA)
It’s been a rough start for Tampa Bay’s standout right-hander, as Archer has failed to pitch past the fifth inning in losses to the Blue Jays and Orioles. In his last outing at Baltimore, Archer was lit up for six earned runs in five innings of work, while getting touched up for four home runs in a 6-1 defeat as a -125 road favorite. Archer didn’t face the Indians last season, but lost twice to Cleveland in the 2014 campaign, including a 6-5 home defeat as a -130 home favorite.
Biggest OVER run: Cardinals (5-0 last five)
After starting the season at 2-1 to the ‘under,’ St. Louis has run off five consecutive ‘overs,’ including a pair against Milwaukee. The Cardinals woke up after getting swept at Pittsburgh in the opening series by scoring at least seven runs during each contest of a four-game winning streak. St. Louis was limited to four runs in last night’s 6-4 defeat to Milwaukee, as the Cards plated three runs in the first inning before scoring only once in the final eight frames. The Cardinals beat Wily Peralta four times last season, as the Brewers’ right-hander has allowed 11 runs through two starts this season.
Biggest UNDER run: Padres (4-0 last four)
The Twins own the longest ‘under’ run at eight, but today’s spotlight will shine on San Diego. The Padres were blanked in their first three games against the Dodgers prior to busting out at Colorado with 32 runs. Heading to Philadelphia was definitely a buzz-kill following their successful weekend at Coors Field as the Padres have scored five runs in the first three games against the Phillies. In the past two defeats, San Diego has crossed home plate just once, but the Padres have held the inept Phillies’ offense to eight runs in three games.
Matchup to watch: Royals vs. Astros
Kansas City goes for the series victory after winning each of the two nights at Minute Maid Park. The Astros drilled the Royals in Monday’s opener, 8-2 in the first meeting since Kansas City eliminated Houston in last season’s ALDS. The Royals rebounded with a pair of low-scoring wins, while limiting the Astros to two runs in each of those victories. Ian Kennedy is coming off a strong Kansas City debut by tossing 6.2 scoreless innings in a 7-0 triumph over Minnesota last Saturday, as the right-hander takes the ball tonight. Dating back to last season (including playoffs), the Royals have won 11 of their last 16 road contests.
Betcha didn’t know: After losing each of his first two starts to the Dodgers last season, Arizona southpaw Robbie Ray didn’t allow a run in his final two outings against Los Angeles, both Diamondbacks victories. Since last September, the D-backs own a 5-1 record when Ray takes the mound, including handing the Cubs their only loss this season in a 3-2 win last Saturday.
Biggest public favorite:
Cardinals (-190) vs. Brewers
Biggest public underdog:
White Sox (+105) at Twins
Biggest line move:
Padres (+130 to +120) at Phillies

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Preview: Tigers (4-2) at Pirates (5-3)

Game: 4
Venue: PNC Park
Date: April 14, 2016 12:35 PM EDT

After dominating his first American League start, Jordan Zimmermann returns to a more familiar environment.

Uncharacteristically shaky in his season debut, Gerrit Cole seeks better results when matched opposite Zimmermann in Thursday's interleague game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Detroit Tigers.

Following seven successful seasons in Washington, Zimmermann signed a five-year, $110 million contract in November to bolster a Tigers rotation that posted an AL-worst 4.78 ERA in 2015. The investment yielded an instant benefit when the two-time NL All-Star limited the New York Yankees to two singles and three walks over seven innings in a 4-0 victory in Friday's home opener.

"He's a bulldog," Tigers catcher James McCann told MLB's official website. "You saw the way he goes out and attacks hitters. He wants to let his defense work. I look forward to catching him some more."

None of Zimmermann's 70 wins with the Nationals came against Pittsburgh, however. He's lost both previous starts to the Pirates, including a 4-3 defeat at PNC Park on May 23, 2014, in which he allowed four runs in six innings.

While Zimmermann was in top form, Cole is still trying to get there after missing part of spring training with a rib cage injury and struggling in Saturday's outing in Cincinnati, where the Pittsburgh ace walked three and surrendered three runs over 4 2-3 innings of a 5-1 loss.

"I was just a little rusty," he said. "I'm going to have to do a little work.'

An interleague matchup could help Cole, tied for second in the NL with 19 wins last season, get untracked. He's won six of his last seven decisions against AL teams and owns a 7-2 record and 2.82 ERA in 11 career interleague starts.

The Pirates have won eight of Cole's last nine interleague assignments, including a 4-3 home win over Detroit on April 13, 2015 behind the All-Star's six innings of one-run ball and eight strikeouts.

Pittsburgh, though, enters the finale of this four-game home-and-home series in a rut, having lost four of five following a 4-0 start. After amassing 17 hits in Monday's 7-4 win in Detroit, the Pirates have just nine in losing the past two.

Backed by Jarrod Saltalamacchia's 100th career homer - a go-ahead grand slam off reliever Arquimedes Caminero in the sixth inning - Shane Greene combined with three relievers on a four-hitter in Wednesday's 7-3 Tigers' victory. The right-hander allowed two runs over six innings to earn his first major league win since May.

'It means a lot,' said Greene, who underwent shoulder surgery in August, "but we're just trying to win ballgames.'

J.D. Martinez finished 2 for 4 with an RBI for Detroit (5-2) to extend his season-opening hitting streak to seven games. The outfielder, 13 for 29 during the run and 2 for 5 lifetime against Cole, was 4 for 5 with two RBIs in Tuesday's 8-2 win.

David Freese, 2 for 5 with a home run against Zimmermann, had two of Pittsburgh's four hits.

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Preview: Padres (3-4) at Phillies (2-5)

Game: 4
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: April 14, 2016 1:05 PM EDT

Vince Velasquez might be the fifth starter for the Philadelphia Phillies, but he has the confidence of a staff ace.

The right-hander looks to build on a strong season debut Thursday as the Phillies try for a third straight win and series victory over the visiting San Diego Padres.

Acquired from Houston in a seven-player December deal that sent closer Ken Giles to the Astros, Velasquez allowed three hits and struck out nine over six innings Saturday to help Philadelphia (4-5) end an 0-4 start with a 1-0 victory over the New York Mets. Velasquez, who made seven starts and appeared in 19 games as a rookie last season, opened with 16 straight fastballs - clocked between 92-95 mph.

"Just go out and dominate," he told MLB's official website.

"(I wanted) to go out there and make a statement ... to show that we're capable of winning and we're not losers.'

Though Velasquez is at the back of the Phillies' rotation for now, manager Pete Mackanin believes good things are in store for the spirited young man who turns 24 in June.

"He exudes energy," Mackanin said. "It's almost like he pitches with a chip on his shoulder.

"He's going to be a good one. Coachable, great kid, a true competitor."

Making his first appearance against San Diego (3-6), the southern California native will try to help Philadelphia move to .500 after starters Charlie Morton and Jerad Eickhoff combined to allow seven hits and fan 16 over 13 2-3 scoreless innings of the last two contests.

"It's no secret these guys are good," Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp said of the team's young but talented rotation. "It seems like they're literally going to see who can do better each night."

Maikel Franco homered, doubled and drove in both runs Wednesday for the Phillies, who won for the fourth time in five games with a 2-1 victory. Franco, 5 for 11 in the series, is batting .379 with two homers.

"I'm feeling pretty good, hitting the ball pretty good," he said. "I want to continue to do that, continue to make adjustments on the pitches and try to be ready every single day."

One night after being shut out for the fourth time, the Padres' 20-inning scoreless streak ended with Brett Wallace's RBI single in the ninth.

'We've got to focus on our hitting and not be concerned about the pitcher," San Diego manager Andy Green said.

Matt Kemp went 1 for 4 for a second consecutive contest, but is 2 for 16 in four games since going 9 for 15 in the previous three.

Drew Pomeranz takes the mound after winning his Padres' debut Saturday. The left-hander, who came over in a five-player trade with Oakland in December, gave up two runs, four hits and three walks in five innings but struck out seven and was the beneficiary of 10 runs during San Diego's 16-3 rout of Colorado.

"Everything was working pretty good," Pomeranz said.

He is 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA in three starts against the Phillies, but last faced them in 2014.

Carlos Ruiz is 2 for 3 with a double against Pomeranz and Franco has a hit in two at-bats.

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Preview: White Sox (5-2) at Twins (0-7)

Game: 3
Venue: Target Field
Date: April 14, 2016 1:10 PM EDT

The Chicago White Sox can claim their best start since 1982 by extending the Minnesota Twins' worst since they headed north.

Mat Latos will try to lift the White Sox to a 7-2 record Thursday and give them a sweep of the winless Minnesota Twins.

Chicago has taken advantage of Minnesota's anemic lineup for a pair of wins after Carlos Rodon went six innings in a 3-0 victory Wednesday. The Twins (0-8) have totaled 13 runs in their franchise's worst start since dropping their first 13 games as the Washington Senators in 1904 and are one of MLB's two winless teams along with Atlanta.

Minnesota is also batting .210 and has a dreadful .082 average with runners in scoring position (5 for 61) after going 0 of 6 in its latest contest.

"It's difficult. It's the story and that's what's happening. Everybody knows about it and is reading about it," pitcher Phil Hughes said. "We come in and things are being said, and we've got to find a way to block that out and treat (Thursday) like it's the first game of the season and not worry about this hole we've dug ourselves."

The White Sox (6-2), meanwhile, secured their best start since their World Series championship campaign in 2005. They won their first eight games in 1982 and nine of their first 11.

A well-rested Latos (1-0, 0.00 ERA) will try to complete Chicago's first three-game sweep in Minnesota since September 2012 by building on his spectacular debut for the team.

The right-hander yielded just one hit and one walk in six innings in a 6-1 victory in Oakland last Thursday. It was a promising sign for a player who has dealt with left knee issues in each of the past two seasons.

"I just wanna get back to my old self, I wanna put up zeros on the board and I wanna compete with (the other White Sox starters)," Latos told MLB's official website. "I know we're on the same team, but it's still a competition. With pitchers, I think that's the way we have to go about it. We're always trying to out-do one another, and I think that'll take everybody to the next level."

Latos will face the Twins for the first time and pitch opposite Ervin Santana (0-0, 2.25). After having his season debut cut short by rain, the Twins' right-hander yielded two runs in six innings while fanning seven Friday in Kansas City.

Santana won his only start against the White Sox last season, yielding two runs in seven innings in a 6-2 road victory Sept. 11. He is 2-2 with a 2.77 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP in his last four starts versus Chicago.

Santana has yielded one hit to Austin Jackson in 17 matchups, and Jimmy Rollins is 1 for 11 against him. Latos has never faced any Twins regular.

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Preview: Indians (2-2) at Rays (2-4)

Game: 6
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: April 14, 2016 1:10 PM EDT

Mired in a lengthy personal winless stretch, Chris Archer hasn't lost faith.

Looking to avoid losing three straight starts for the first time, Archer tries to help the Tampa Bay Rays take Thursday's decisive finale against the visiting Cleveland Indians.

Archer (0-2, 7.00 ERA) has not looked like a 2015 All-Star or been up to the caliber of an opening-day starter while lasting only five innings in each of his first two starts. He allowed six runs and 10 hits, including a career-high four homers, in Friday's 6-1 loss at Baltimore.

Though the right-hander won a career-high 12 games last season, he's 0-5 with a 6.15 ERA in eight starts since beating the Orioles on Aug. 31.

Despite a rough 2016 start that's aided his dry spell, Archer remains confident in his abilities.

"I'm not going to beat myself up too much," he told MLB's official website. "Obviously I wanted to win, but I think if I continue to pound the strike zone the way that I did tonight, that over the course of 33, 34, 35 starts I'm going to have a more normal outcome for me."

Rays manager Kevin Cash doesn't seem too concerned at the moment, either.

"(Archer) will be fine," he said. "He'll make some adjustments and be right where he needs to be."

Archer can start by improving on his 0-3 record and 5.40 ERA against the Indians (3-3), though he last faced them in September 2014.

'The biggest thing, when you have a bad outing is bouncing back and trusting your ability, trusting your stuff,' Archer said. 'I know and I trust that if I fill up the strike zone, then I'll get the ultimate goal and that's a team win.'

After opening this set with a 5-1 victory Tuesday, the Rays (3-5) didn't score until the eighth inning of Wednesday's 4-1 defeat that ended a 21-game streak with at least one home run.

Jason Kipnis went 2 for 4 with his first homer for the Indians, who struck out 15 times for the second time already this season but got eight strong innings from Carlos Carrasco.

After going 0 of 4 in the opener, Kipnis recorded his second two-hit game in the last three. However, he struck out twice for a third consecutive contest, and has fanned seven times in four games.

He didn't strike out while going 2 for 6 with a double against Archer.

The Indians will turn to Danny Salazar, who gave up a home run, one other hit and struck out seven in 5 1-3 innings of a Friday's 7-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

"Sometimes I was getting behind in the count, but then I was coming back and I made the adjustment right there," he said.

The right-hander was also solid the only other time he faced Tampa Bay on June 30, yielding a one earned run and two hits in 7 2-3 innings of a 6-2 road victory.

Salazar will try to keep down struggling Logan Morrison, who is 2 for 25 with no RBIs and 11 strikeouts through eight games.

Cleveland has won six of seven at Tropicana Field.

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Preview: Brewers (3-4) at Cardinals (4-3)

Game: 3
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: April 14, 2016 1:45 PM EDT

Jonathan Lucroy may not end the season with the Milwaukee Brewers, and his terrific start will increase the odds that he'll be shipped off.

Lucroy looks to continue his surge at the plate and help the Brewers move above .500 for the first time this season with another win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday.

After finishing 68-94 last year, Milwaukee entered 2016 expected to miss the playoffs for a fifth straight year, leading to speculation that it would trade Lucroy in an effort to build for the future.

The Brewers (4-4), though, have won four of six after being outscored 14-4 while losing the first two.

Lucroy had his best performance of the season Wednesday, connecting for three hits with two RBIs and two runs before Domingo Santana's two-run shot in the ninth delivered a 6-4 win over the Cardinals.

"Timely hitting in big spots," manager Craig Counsell said. "We got the big hits when we needed them."

Lucroy is batting .346 while getting at least one hit in each of his seven games for the longest season-opening hitting streak by a Brewer since he had a nine-gamer to start 2011.

An All-Star in 2014, the catcher is hitting .542 over his last eight games in St. Louis (4-4), getting at least one hit in seven. He's also 8 for 20 since 2012 against scheduled starter Jaime Garcia.

The left-hander takes the mound after giving up four runs with six strikeouts in six innings while not getting a decision in a 7-4 win at Atlanta in his season debut Friday.

Garcia will now try to re-establish his success at home, where he went 5-2 with a 1.70 ERA in 10 starts last season. However, his last appearance there ended in a 6-3 loss to Chicago in Game 2 of the NL division series Oct. 10, allowing five unearned runs in two innings.

Garcia, though, is 4-3 with a 1.88 ERA in nine career home starts against Milwaukee. He split two last year, allowing two runs in 15 innings.

The Brewers will counter with Wily Peralta (0-2, 10.80 ERA), who hasn't come close to getting his first win of 2016. The right-hander was pounded for six runs and three homers with four walks in 4 1-3 innings of a 6-4 loss to Houston on Saturday. That came five days after he surrendered five runs in four innings of a 12-3 defeat against San Francisco.

Both of those outings were at home, and Peralta is 1-7 with a 4.78 ERA over his last 12 starts on the road.

He's 1-3 with a 5.04 ERA in five starts in St. Louis, and he's lost five straight decisions over his last six overall starts against the Cardinals.

Peralta has had a tough time with Matt Carpenter and Matt Holliday. Carpenter is 15 for 33 with three homers and three doubles off him, while Holliday is 10 for 26 with a pair of homers.

Both, however, are off to sluggish starts with Carpenter hitting .233 and Holliday scuffling at .207.

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Preview: Giants (5-2) at Rockies (3-3)

Game: 3
Venue: Coors Field
Date: April 14, 2016 3:10 PM EDT

Playing in baseball's most hitter-friendly atmosphere, the Colorado Rockies aren't usually prone to slumps.

With Nolan Arenado having broken out of his, the Rockies aim to earn a series victory and extend Matt Cain's winless stretch in Thursday's finale with the San Francisco Giants.

Stymied by Jeff Samardzija's eight outstanding innings in Tuesday's 7-2 loss, the Rockies returned to their heavy-hitting ways in the second of this three-game set. With Arenado's two homers and seven RBIs leading the charge, Colorado collected 18 hits en route to Wednesday's 10-6 win.

Following a 3-for-19 start, Arenado is 7 for 13 with three homers over his last three games. The 2015 Silver Slugger recipient fell one RBI short of a single-game team record.

'It's a matter of time,' manager Walt Weiss said of Arenado's breakout. 'He's a great player.'

Colorado (4-4) did set a franchise mark with four triples - two by rookie sensation Trevor Story - and matched a club record with 12 extra-base hits, last set against the Cubs on July 30, 2010.

After pounding Jake Peavy for six runs and 11 hits in four innings, the Rockies now attempt to deny Cain his first win in nearly nine months. The injury-plagued hurler is 0-3 with a 6.25 ERA in 10 starts since besting San Diego on July 22.

Cain was in line to end the drought in his final 2015 start, limiting Colorado to two hits over five scoreless innings on Oct. 4. The Rockies scored seven times in the ninth to rally for a 7-3 win.

Though he owns a 6.27 ERA in six Coors Field starts since 2011, Cain is coming off an encouraging 2016 debut. The three-time All-Star allowed two runs over six innings in Friday's 3-2, 10-inning win over the Dodgers.

"It's a great start," Giants manager Bruce Bochy told MLB's official website. "He just looks healthy. He made a couple of two-strike mistakes, but besides that, he did a terrific job."

Cain has handled two of the Rockies' top hitters, holding Carlos Gonzalez to a .128 average (6 for 47) with 17 strikeouts and Arenado to 3 for 17.

Gonzalez is batting .403 over an 18-game hitting streak dating back to Sept. 23 and finished a home run short of the cycle Wednesday.

San Francisco (6-3) has a few players swinging hot bats as well. Angel Pagan is 11 for 24 over a seven-game stretch and Trevor Brown, starting a second straight night in place of an injured Buster Posey, went 2 for 4 Wednesday after hitting a pair of two-run homers in the opener.

The Giants are hoping to have Posey, dealing with a bruised right foot, in Thursday's lineup.

Posey is 6 for 10 with a home run against Christian Bergman (0-1, 12.00), set for his first 2016 start after working twice in relief.

Bergman took the loss after allowing four runs in one inning of an 11-6 defeat at Arizona on April 5, then worked two scoreless innings Friday against San Diego. The right-hander won the final rotation spot by posting a 2.84 ERA in 19 spring innings.

Bergman also opposed Cain in the Oct. 4 matchup, surrendering two runs and six hits over three innings. He's 1-0 with a 3.32 ERA in four overall starts against San Francisco.

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Preview: Braves (0-6) at Nationals (4-1)

Game: 4
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: April 14, 2016 4:05 PM EDT

An illness delayed Stephen Strasburg's attempt to open a season with two straight winning starts for the first time since he was a rookie six years ago. That chance could be pushed back again.

With Strasburg's status still unknown, the Washington Nationals attempt to tie a franchise record by continuing their dominance of the winless Atlanta Braves on Thursday.

Strasburg was scheduled to start Wednesday but was scratched as a precaution due to the lingering effects of an illness. Washington (6-1) instead sent Tanner Roark to the mound, and he went seven innings in a 3-0 win over Atlanta.

"We gave him 24 hours to prepare and he came through big time," manager Dusty Baker said.

Strasburg might take the ball in the finale of this four-game set, but the Nationals have Yusmeiro Petit ready for a spot start. Petit made one start in 42 games with San Francisco last year, allowing four runs in six innings of a loss at Colorado.

Baker hasn't decided if Strasburg will get a chance to beat the Braves for a fifth start in a row. The right-hander allowed one run in six innings of a 3-1 road win April 6 after winning the previous three by striking out 20 over 18 scoreless innings.

Extending that streak would give the Nationals a 14th consecutive home victory over Atlanta, tying the franchise record set as the Montreal Expos against San Diego from 1993-95.

It would also give the Braves their longest slide on the road against an opponent since losing 17 in a row to the Chicago Cubs from 1935-36.

There are few reasons to believe Atlanta (0-8) won't move closer to matching that streak. The team is off to its worst start to a season since losing the first 10 games of 1988, and it's batting .199 while averaging 2.8 runs.

The dreadful start isn't much of a surprise since the Braves are 25-61 since holding a 42-42 record on July 7. It's the worst record of any team in the majors over that stretch.

Julio Teheran takes the mound in search of a bounce-back effort. The right-hander was tagged for five runs - four earned - and six hits with four strikeouts and as many walks in four innings of Saturday's 12-2 loss to St. Louis.

"We didn't make some plays behind Julio, and he just struggled," manager Fredi Gonzalez told MLB's official website. "There's no pitching staff alive that survives when a starting pitcher only goes four innings. You start going into the middle relievers, and we didn't catch the ball behind those guys either."

Teheran was much better five days earlier against the Nationals, yielding solo homers to Bryce Harper and Daniel Murphy in six innings of a 4-3 loss in 10.

He's 0-1 with a 4.29 ERA over his last six starts against them.

Teheran has major problems with Harper and Murphy. Harper is 11 for 25 with four homers and three doubles off him, while Murphy is 7 for 17 with one home run.

Harper, though, is 1 for 11 in this series after going 0 for 4 with two strikeouts Wednesday. Murphy, though, is 11 for 22 with two homers, seven RBIs and a 1.516 OPS. He's batting .395 while driving in 11 runs over his last 11 meetings with Atlanta.

Freddie Freeman is 2 for 25 and 0 for 12 over the past four games. He might be looking forward to facing Strasburg since he's 12 for 31 with three homers in the matchup.

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Preview: Yankees (3-2) at Blue Jays (3-4)

Game: 3
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: April 14, 2016 7:07 PM EDT

The New York Yankees' lineup wasn't quite as dynamic with Brian McCann missing and it's not quite clear when they'll get their hot-hitting catcher back at the plate.

The Yankees did receive some good news on McCann's big toe and that could mean his return in Thursday night's series finale against the Toronto Blue Jays.

New York (4-3) scored its second-fewest runs in the early season with McCann nursing his ailing left digit, losing 7-2 on Wednesday. Toronto (4-5) broke open a competitive game with four runs off Ivan Nova in the eighth inning, and Jose Bautista's doubled home his 800th RBI.

"You play these teams in your division and you need to beat them," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "That was an important game for us."

Austin Romine was 1 for 4 in McCann's place, and the Yankees were 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position, putting them 2 for 17 in those situations in their first two games in Toronto.

"I thought we hit some balls pretty hard in some key situations, but they were at people," manager Joe Girardi said. "We had some opportunities to get the lead, but we weren't able to do it."

A fluoroscope showed that McCann's toe wasn't broken after it was hit by a foul tip in a 3-2 victory Tuesday. He stayed in that game until the final inning and hit a tying home run in the sixth.

McCann is 9 for 18 with two homers while hitting safely in each of his first five games and has two hits in each of the past four.

"I had him to pinch hit if I needed him," Girardi said. "I sure hope (he's back Thursday)."

The Yankees could perhaps be slightly tempted to keep him out of the lineup for another day as he's 2 for 13 lifetime against Marcus Stroman (1-0, 5.40 ERA). The Blue Jays right-hander couldn't build on his opening day win against Tampa Bay on April 3, giving up five runs in 5 1-3 innings in an 8-7 loss to Boston on Friday.

Stroman is 4-0 with a 2.08 ERA in his last four starts against the Yankees and went 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA last season. He made his return from a torn left ACL suffered in spring training with a 10-7 victory at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 12 and has won six consecutive decisions dating back to September 2014.

Nathan Eovaldi (0-0, 9.00) also avoided a loss in his latest start and his season debut, an 8-5 victory against Houston last Thursday. The right-hander yielded five runs in five innings in that game but gave up one in 6 1-3 innings in his only start against Toronto, a 2-1 loss in 10 innings Aug. 7.

Josh Donaldson is 1 for 6 lifetime against Eovaldi, but the lone hit was a home run. Justin Smoak is 0 for 6, and Bautista, who has reached base safely in every game, is 0 for 2.

Jacoby Ellsbury has also struggled against Stroman, going 0 for 11. Brett Gardner is 3 for 13, but two of those hits were home runs.

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Preview: Reds (5-2) at Cubs (6-1)

Game: 3
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: April 14, 2016 8:05 PM EDT

The Cincinnati Reds arrived in Chicago riding their best start in five years. The Cubs have a chance to exit the series with their best since 1969.

After another prosperous night at the plate, they'll seek to complete a three-game sweep against the Reds on Thursday night.

Cincinnati was a surprising 5-1 before coming to Wrigley Field and kept the potent Cubs lineup without a hit until the seventh inning Monday until faltering in a 5-3 defeat. Chicago (7-1) made sure it didn't need a late rally Wednesday and kept Reds starter Alfredo Simon from escaping a five-run first inning.

The Cubs forced Simon to throw 49 pitches before he exited with two outs and Cincinnati's staff had to deliver 188 in a 9-2 loss. Chicago's pitchers threw 121.

"Guys are trying to do the best they can. It just wasn't very efficient tonight," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "Whenever you get outhit by one (8 to 7) and lose by seven that usually means there were some walks involved. ... It was a painful game to watch from a tempo perspective. We have to do better."

The Cubs' Kris Bryant hit his first home run, and each starter reached base as Chicago boosted its season run total to 56. The Cubs also lead MLB with 48 walks after drawing 10 on Wednesday.

"This lineup's deep," Chicago pitcher John Lackey said. "Looking from the other side as a pitcher, it's tough to get through without suffering a little bit of damage."

The Cubs haven't started 8-1 since beginning 11-1 with their legendary team that featured Ernie Banks, Ferguson Jenkins, Ron Santo, Billy Williams and manager Leo Durocher.

Jason Hammel will try to help deliver that while building on his strong season debut. The right-hander yielded one run in six innings Friday in Arizona but was denied the win when the Diamondbacks rallied for a 3-2 victory.

He also escaped a first-inning jam after giving up hits to each of the first two batters. Hammel had a 5.23 ERA in the opening inning in 2015.

Hammel went 1-0 with a 3.15 ERA in four outings against Cincinnati last season and pitched five scoreless innings in his final start, a 5-3 victory Oct. 1.

Reds starter Raisel Iglesias (1-0, 2.31 ERA) posted a 2.84 ERA and totaled 18 strikeouts in his two starts versus Chicago in his rookie campaign, but did not get a decision in either one. The right-hander yielded one run in 5 2-3 innings in Saturday's 5-1 victory against Pittsburgh.

Jason Heyward, who had a two-run single Wednesday, is 1 for 9 in his career against Iglesias and Bryant is 0 for 6.

Joey Votto is 4 for 23 lifetime against Hammel, his third-worst performance against any active pitcher he's faced at least 20 times. Eugenio Suarez, batting .400 with four homers, is 4 for 8 versus Hammel.

The statuses of Zack Cozart and Devin Mesoraco are unclear because of quad injuries. Both players were held out Wednesday, and Cozart is batting .313 in his last 15 matchups with Chicago.

The Cubs have won five straight over the Reds (5-3) and haven't completed a three-game home sweep in the series since Sept. 15-17, 2014.

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Preview: Orioles (6-0) at Rangers (4-4)

Game: 1
Venue: Globe Life Park in Arlington
Date: April 14, 2016 8:05 PM EDT

Held in check for the first time this season, the Baltimore Orioles' offense next faces arguably its toughest challenge yet.

After having a historic winning streak halted, Baltimore attempts to end Cole Hamels' unbeaten run when it begins a four-game series with the host Texas Rangers on Thursday night.

The Orioles scored 40 runs in recording the franchise's first 7-0 start since moving to Baltimore in 1954, but their bats generated little other than Chris Davis' two-run homer in Wednesday's 4-2 loss at Boston.

Coming off a long flight and a short turnaround, they'll now have to gear up for Hamels (2-0, 2.08 ERA), who's 9-0 with a 2.96 ERA in 11 regular-season starts dating back to Aug. 23. The Rangers have won the accomplished left-hander's last 12 non-playoff assignments.

Hamels has been sharp in each of his two outings this season. He yielded four hits through seven innings in a 3-2 victory over Seattle in the April 4 season opener, then held the Los Angeles Angels to a run and four hits in six innings in Saturday's 4-1 win.

The three-time All-Star was even better in a 4-1 victory over Baltimore in Arlington on Aug. 28, permitting a run and two hits with 10 strikeouts over eight innings.

Hamels did allow a pair of solo homers in his season debut and faces an Orioles team that's hit 14 over a seven-game stretch. Davis has four with nine RBIs during that span and Manny Machado has three while batting .441 over an eight-game hitting streak.

Mark Trumbo, who homered in the first two games of the Boston series and is hitting .406, is 4 for 12 with a homer against Hamels.

Texas (5-5) returns home after winning four of six to conclude a seven-game trip against AL West foes Los Angeles and Seattle, though it was denied a three-game sweep of the Mariners when Dae-Ho Lee's pinch-hit two-run homer in the 10th inning Wednesday resulted in a 4-2 defeat.

'I like the way we played, 4-3 going home, win a series against division foes, I like the way we went about it. I like our approaches at the plate,' manager Jeff Banister said. 'Offense got going a little bit, so we'll take the 4-3 and go back and go to work in our ballpark.'

Texas, held to six hits in the finale after recording 26 over the series' first two games, faces a potentially rejuvenated Chris Tillman (1-0, 1.29) in the opener.

Tillman allowed a run and four hits over five effective innings in Friday's 6-1 win over Tampa Bay, flashing the form that made him among the AL's steadiest pitchers from 2013-14. He compiled a 29-13 record and a 3.52 ERA in 67 starts over that period, but slipped to 11-11 with a 4.99 ERA last season.

"It was OK," Tillman said of his 83-pitch effort. "The command was a little bit off, especially early. It kind of got better right towards the end. I was able to command the fastball better, as well as the changeup. Threw some real good changeups later on in the game to help me get through that."

Tillman posted a 5.33 ERA in 15 road outings last season but does have past success at Globe Life Park, compiling a 3-0 record and 3.91 ERA in four starts.

Adrian Beltre is 6 for 12 with a home run off Tillman and 8 for 20 with two homers in the last five games. Elvis Andrus, 5 for 8 in the Seattle series, is 5 for 13 against Tillman.

Texas won six of seven against Baltimore in 2015 and swept a three-game set at home Aug. 28-30.

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Preview: Royals (4-2) at Astros (3-4)

Game: 4
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: April 14, 2016 8:10 PM EDT

World Series MVP Salvador Perez is hoping he's finally solved his early season funk. The Kansas City Royals certainly aren't suffering from a championship malaise.

After coming through with his most significant hit of the season, Perez will try to help the Royals cap this four-game series with a third straight win over the Houston Astros on Thursday night.

Last fall, Perez went 8 for 22 with two RBIs and three runs while leading Kansas City to its first World Series title in 30 years by beating the New York Mets in five games.

That success didn't carry into 2016 for the All-Star catcher, who was hitting .208 with one RBI through seven games. Perez ended that slump with his first homer Wednesday, connecting for a go-ahead, two-run shot in the eighth inning of a 4-2 win at Houston.

"I have struggled a little, but every time I go to hit, I try to do the best I can do to do something to help us win," said Perez, who went 4 for 14 with two homers and four RBIs while the Royals beat the Astros in five games of last year's AL division series.

Perez, though, has a .186 average with three homers and nine RBIs in 12 games at Minute Maid Park, including the postseason.

The Royals (6-2) will give the ball to Ian Kennedy, who is aiming to open with back-to-back wins for the first time since 2012, with Arizona.

The right-hander got 2016 off to an impressive start Saturday, striking out seven while yielding five hits in 6 2-3 innings of a 7-0 win over Minnesota. That was a relief to Kennedy, who struggled through spring training with an 0-3 record and 6.30 ERA in six starts.

"There was a little more added to it, coming to a new team that's the defending world champs," Kennedy said. "You want to do well. It adds a little more to it in your first outing for them."

Kennedy has allowed one run in 12 2-3 innings while winning both career starts against the Astros (3-6) - both in Houston. However, he hasn't faced them since 2012.

He'll try to slow down Jose Altuve, who is 6 for 13 with a homer, two doubles, three RBIs and five runs in this series. The second baseman was 5 for 24 over the first six games.

Like Kennedy, Doug Fister is hoping a change of scenery can revive his career after going 5-7 with a 4.19 ERA in 25 games - 15 starts - with Washington last year. The right-hander allowed three runs with six strikeouts in five innings of a 6-4 win at Milwaukee on Saturday to end Houston's three-game skid.

"I felt like I had some decent command," Fister said. "Couple walks that really kind of irked me, but at the same time, it felt like I got out of situations when I needed to. Overall it wasn't a bad day, but I still have a lot of room to grow."

Fister is 1-4 with a 3.50 ERA over his last seven starts against the Royals, last facing them in 2013, with Detroit.

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Preview: Diamondbacks (2-5) at Dodgers (4-3)

Game: 3
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: April 14, 2016 10:10 PM EDT

Ross Stripling, and his parents, are all grateful first-year Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts sees the potential in the rookie right-hander.

After Roberts pulled Stripling from a no-hit bid in his major league debut, the 26-year-old makes his first home start trying to build on that strong performance Thursday night in the decisive series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Two years removed from Tommy John surgery, Stripling had not allowed a hit through 7 1-3 innings Friday at San Francisco when Roberts replaced him after he walked Angel Pagan on his 100th pitch. The next batter, Giants backup catcher Trevor Brown, hit a tying two-run homer off Chris Hatcher and Los Angeles (5-4) eventually lost 3-2 in 10 innings.

Though it would have been easy for Roberts to regret his decision or for Stripling to whine about being yanked, all parties involved knew it was the appropriate move.

'It was the right call,' said Stripling, who threw 145 pitches over four spring training games and also appeared in a minor league contest.

'It was a tough decision for him and I certainly had no ill feelings toward the decision one bit.'

Stripling's parents also agreed with the move. His father, Hayes, even personally thanked Roberts the next morning in the lobby of the team hotel for taking care of his son.

"I wanted to see him throw a no-hitter," Roberts told MLB's official website. "I think it's a special moment but we're looking at the long term, and Ross can help us win many more games.

"If it would have went south and something would have happened, I never would have been able to live with myself because this is this kid's livelihood. That's my job.'

As a fifth starter, Stripling knows he must continue to prove himself but certainly earned a second start. At least his manager and teammates are behind him.

"I'm really proud of him, excited for the future and for what he can be as a major league pitcher, and excited to catch him going forward," Los Angeles catcher A.J. Ellis said.

Stripling will try to help the Dodgers to a series win after they posted a 3-1 victory over Arizona (3-6) on Wednesday. Adrian Gonzalez homered for the first time in 2016, and Chase Utley and Yasiel Puig each had two hits to help Los Angeles move above .500.

Puig is hitting .394, Gonzalez .389 with seven RBIs and Utley .324.

Gonzalez is 0 or 8 against Robbie Ray, who went 2-2 with a 2.28 ERA against the Dodgers last year. He earned both victories while yielding five hits over 11 scoreless innings in the last two outings over a 12-day span in September.

The left-hander issued four walks and hit a batter Friday against the Chicago Cubs, but yielded only two runs in six innings while taking a no-decision in the 3-2 victory.

"Early (on), I was getting a lot of early outs and it was just that (third) inning where I just kind of lost a little bit of my focus and had those walks," Ray said.

Teammate Jean Segura had two more hits Wednesday, and is batting .412 through nine games. He's 8 for 19 in his last five games at Dodger Stadium.

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'Rubber Match'

The Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees conclude their three-game set with both teams having notched one victory. Occording to current odds the Blue Jays are -$1.55 home favorite with the total set at 8.0 runs.

Marcus Stroman (1-0, 5.40 ERA) will be the starter charged with keeping the Yankees offense in check on Thursday night. The Jays' right-hander tagged for six hits, 5 runs earning a no-decision in Jays 8-7 loss to Boston last effort carries to the mound a solid 7-2 team start record in nine starts since returning from an ACL tear last year.

New York will respond with Nathan Eovaldi (0-0, 9.00 ERA) hoping to snare his first victory of the season after struggling in his debut serving up five runs on six hits, including two homers over five innings to the Astros.

The Blue Jays are in good hands in this rubber match. Toronto has been successful vs division opponents with Stroman on the mound going 11-4 including 4-1 facing rival New York Yankees. Additionally, Jays are 4-0 off a team win handing the ball to Stroman and the team hits the field a solid 6-3 last nine rubber matches in front of the friendly crowd