No picks were given for today.

I was off about the Diamondbacks yesterday as they managed to only get one hit off of the Nationals. Nationals themselves are showing a strong sign that they have what it takes to run for the NL East. Red Sox are pushed to the cusp for the AL East title after Yankees beat them in the Bronx. Rockies Dahl suffered a nasty injury last night after turning his ankle in a weird play. He was later carted off the field, his teammates pulled together for the win after his departure.

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White Sox @ Phillies (Detwiler vs Nola)

White Sox took the Phillies to extra innings where they lost in a 14 inning effort. Phillies are now outside of the club looking in on the party. Phillies are also pushed to the brink for their shot for the NL East. A couple more losses here and the chance for NL East will push them out and they will only have a chance at the hotly contested NL Wild Cards. Expect the Phillies to bounce back here today behind their ace Nola.

CHW: Anderson, Abreu, McCann.

PHI: Realmuto, Harper, Segura, Hoskins, Kingery

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Blue Jays @ Orioles (Pannone vas Bundy)

Ah yes, our favorite pitcher is once again taking the mound and this time at home. Dylan Bundy (5-11) should NOT be pitching in the MLB level at all. I feel sorry for all of the player on the Orioles that have to compete with him on the mound. Toronto wins this one easily. Lots of hits for Toronto and an easy outing for Pannone to pick up a win. Good time for the rookies to show out in this one. If Baltimore wins this one it’ll be a miracle.

TOR: Gurrero Jr, Gurriel, Biggio, Galvis, Grichuk, Jansen

BAL: Davis, Nunez, Santander, Villar

Updated Results

Hits: Anderson, Harper, Hoskins, Guerrero Jr, Gurriel, Galvis, Villar (7)

No Hits: Abreu, Segura, Grichuk, Davis, Nunez, Santander (6)

No AB’s/NIL: McCann, Realmuto, Kingery, Biggio, Jansen (5)

Are the Dodgers guaranteed to make the World Series again this year? After last nights game it’s certain that they should and not many teams can matchup with them offensively. Last night it was a show for the ages as the Dodgers’ Will Smith (no, not the actor) crushed a Grand Slam to give LA the win at 8-2.

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Nationals @ Diamondback (Ross vs Young)

Diamondbacks are home after coming on the heels of rumors of a relocation. Which is surprising because they are one of the newest franchises in MLB. I don’t think they have an attendance problem in particular but this news is quite interesting. Nationals are in town and pose as a serious threat to the D-Backs. Ross is boasting an ERA of 9 so it is giving Arizona a chance. Washington is going to come up clutch behind Soto’s full season performance this year.

WSH: Soto, Suzuki, Rendon, Robles

ARI: Peralta, Jones, Kelly

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Giants @ Rockies (Anderson vs Lambert)

This game really doesn’t mean that much for these two teams as they are facing a mountain of a challenge to climb for the Wild Card spots. Giants decided to hold onto Bumgarner even though they are going through a rebuild. Most of the veterans on the Giants have a couple of years left so it will be interesting to see what moves in the offseason that some of the guys will make as they look at their remaining career years left. Rockies have been disappointing this year as they were projected to be number 2 in the NL West.

SFG: Sandoval, Belt, Yastrzemski

COL: Tapia, McMahon, Blackmon, Murphy

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Updated Results

Hits: Soto, Sandoval, Belt, Yastrzemski, McMahon, Blackmon, Murphy (7)

No Hits: Rendon, Robles, Peralta, Jones, Kelly, Tapia (6)

No AB’s/NIL: Suzuki (1)

It’s August and you know what that means. Only two months left before we enter the post season. The deadline has passed and now we assess how the trade moves effected teams that are on the bubble. We had some blockbuster moves right at the deadline which could have a huge impact on World Series odds.

BEST TRADE of 2019:

Well its official, Zach Greinke has a new home in Houston. After having a decent outing against the Yankees, he was on the move before the game was even over. Greinke was traded for the price of 3 out of their 5 prospects, including Seth Beer. This trade benefits both teams as the Diamondbacks aren’t looking to compete this season or probably next season, they have some really nice pieces in the pipeline for years to come. For Astros they landed yet another ace to go behind Verlander and Cole. Even at the age of 35 Greinke is throwing like he’s in his 20’s. Astros should be able to cruise to the ALCS this year with this lineup. Astros are now more than ever the most favorited team to win the World Series.

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WORST TRADE of 2019:

Would it be too far to say that the Padres got fleeced? They did in my opinion. They just gave up their most passionate player that has the most power on that entire team for a replacement prospect. We knew the Padres would have some pieces to trade but honestly they should’ve gotten something better than a prospect. Another big question mark in this trade is Cleveland gets Puig? After getting Franmil Reyes do they really need Puig? Puig has been struggling at the plate and when he’s not at the plate he’s in the other teams dugout picking fights. The only team that won this trade was Cleveland as they managed to get stronger without giving up too much, and Trevor Bauer was having a mental breakdown and looking like he was uncontrollable as a player.

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Reds @ Braves (DeScalfani vs Fried)

Reds have been a team that has been pushed to the way side for awhile. They only got Bauer in a view that it will be a long haul stash for them. Braves are on a roll, Donaldson has found the fountain of youth. Blue Jays are kicking themself for letting him walk after last year. Expect them to keep rolling especially at home.

CIN: Votto, Senzel

ATL: Donaldson, Duvall, Albies, Freeman

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Padres @ Dodgers (Lucchesi vs Kershaw)

Oh this rematch should be good to watch. Kershaw got pounded against the Padres last time out in a very rare win for them in Dodger land. Lucchesi takes the mound on the defensive side and he has looked like the Padres number one pitcher this season after stumbling earlier this season. Both teams are still poised to win even though Dodgers have already ran away with the NL West title.

SDP: Machado, Tatis Jr

LAD: Bellinger, Verdugo, Turner

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Updated Results

Hits: Votto, Donaldson, Duvall, Albies, Freeman, Machado, Tatis Jr, Bellinger. (8)

No Hits: Senzel, Turner. (2)

No AB’s/NIL: Verdugo. (1)

It’s the final day of July and that means its officially the trade deadline day! With the deadline a few hours away keep your eyes peeled for some sneaky trades being made at the last minute.

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Giants @ Phillies (Samardija vs Velasquez)

It might be tough for the Giants to remain focused after potential moves and rumors of trade pieces in their lineup. If their nerves break for this game it might be tough for them to remain their composure. Phillies have been in a rollercoaster of a trend lately after getting some much needed wins against Miami. Phillies have to keep making strides because the Mets and Nationals are taking advantage of opportunities given to them. Don’t expect a perfect game from Velasquez but good enough to notch a win at home.

SFG: Pillar, Posey, Crawford, Dickerson

PHI: Realmuto, Segura, Kingery

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Rays @ Red Sox (Kittredge vs Porcello)

This might be THE game to watch today as both teams are nipping on the heels of the recently slumping NY Yankees. I believe both teams will stay the same around the deadline as they don’t seem to be the risky type of organizations. Rays won last night and they should win again today. Rays will need to step up their progress on their record or they can find themself squeezed out of the post season. Rays players Pham and Meadows who have played for different teams in the past few years are looking like great acquisitions.

TBR: Choi, Pham, Meadows

BOS: Chavis, Benintendi, Betts

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Updated Results

Hits: Pillar, Posey, Crawford, Realmuto, Segura, Choi, Meadows, Chavis, Betts. (9)

No Hits: Kingery, Benintendi. (2)

No AB’s/NIL: Dickerson, Pham (2)

The final picture is becoming clear by the day. Still no big blockbuster trades outside of the Stroman deal that sent him to the Mets. There are rumblings of teams willing to deal their “blue chip” aces, many by the names of Thor, Bumgarner, and Red’s position players. The deadline for all trade deals is 4pm EST tomorrow. We will recap the trade deadline deals on the 1st and predict the future outcome of teams involved.

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Brewers @ Athletics (Houser vs Bassitt)

This matchup isn’t too bad to watch. NL vs AL face off as both of these teams are looking at wild card positions. Brewers have been spotty against teams coming down the stretch into the series with the A’s. They have gone a few games since the last time they have scored 5 runs or more. MVP candidate Christian Yelich has slowed down his offensive prowess and homer numbers but still reigns king in the rankings next to Bellinger. Brewers should get a win here in Oakland with the front half of the order start to click for the Brewers. You still can’t count out the Brewers as they boast some tough veteran players acquired from prior years.

MIL: Moustakas, Yelich, Arcia, Hiura

OAK: Semien, Olson, Pinder

Updated Results:

Hits: Yelich, Arcia, Olson, Pinder. (4)

Not Hits: Moustakas, Hiura, Semien. (3)

No AB’s/NIL: none.

No picks were given on this day, it is considered a travel day for most MLB teams. If matchups seem desirable picks will be made.

July is coming to an end and that means that the back half of summer is about to begin. Many teams have fallen off the wagon and lost a wheel a long time ago while others are trying to catch up on much needed ground. While it’s impossible to rule out the “bottom feeders” of the league, these teams can play spoil to teams that have playoff hopes. We have played about two weeks since the All-Star break and teams are starting to have a trend again. From what I believe and see from fans, team performance, and roster moves I have assessed the new current trends. Remember fans, the trend is your friend.

Positive trend: Red Sox, Indians, Royals, Astros, Athletics, Braves, Nationals, Mets, Cardinals, Brewers, Dodgers, Giants. (12)

Notes: Red Sox are the most surprising, hanging in there and overtaking the Rays in the standings. Royals get a boost from Bubba Starling but still lack consistency, this year will be a wash (no playoffs). Indians making the strongest case to nab one of the AL Wild Cards as the Twins are too far ahead to catch. NL Central will be the most interesting race to watch down the stretch from here on out (we think Cubs will likely take it).

Neutral trend: Yankees, Twins, Angels, Rangers, Phillies, Cubs, Diamondbacks. (7)

Notes: Angels are the most surprising to me, they had all the momentum to keep it going after the All-Star break but looks like they are starting to falter here, they are the team to watch down the stretch if Astros slump. Phillies have the hardest road to win the NL East as they are getting clobbered. Yankees will have an up and down second half of the season. Diamondbacks should begin to fade away in the NL West.

Negative trend: Rays, Jays, Orioles, White Sox, Tigers, Mariners, Marlins, Reds, Pirates, Padres, Rockies. (11)

Notes: Majority of these teams are in the bottom of their respective division and are not likely to make the playoffs. The only team that has a slim chance to make the playoffs is the Rays. Rays started the second half by getting swept by the Yankees in their own home. This severely put them back in the spectating mode until Yankees and Red Sox drop more than a few games to let them back into the picture. It will be very heartbreaking for this franchise who had a hot start to the season fizzle away in the second half.

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Twins @ White Sox (Gibson vs Covey)

Sunday afternoon in Chicago, but not at Wrigley field. One of the bottom tier of ball parks will host the AL Central leaders. This is a no brainer for the Twins game plan. They are set to attack a pitcher who is 1-6 in his starts and giving up 6 ERA. I have to give credit for the White Sox this season though, they have tried to stay in the conversation for a while. Over/Under pegs this game at 10.5. Its prone for some good chances for scoring here.

MIN: Sano, Cruz, Buxton, Kepler

CHW: Abreu, McCann, Castillo

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Orioles @ Angels (Bundy vs Pendy)

Our favorite pitcher is back for more punishment from the Angels. Bundy is taking the mound in LA with an ERA of 5.14. Angels should be able to get revenge from the past two games. Trout is batting better than Ohtani which is surprising to me. Angels are still dealing with the injury bug.

BAL: Mancini, Nunez

LAA: Simmons, Rengifo, Ohtani, Trout

Updated Results:

Hits: Sano, Cruz, Buxton, Kepler, Castillo, Mancini, Simmons, Trout. (8)

No Hits: Nunez, Ohtani. (2)

No AB’s/NIL: Abreu, McCann, Rengifo. (3)

Braves @ Phillies (Fried vs Eflin)

It’s great to be a Braves fan lately after the rough “rebuilding” years during the late 2000’s and early 10’s. Braves have great a great rookie pipeline system that has been demonstrated by Acuna and Riley so far. They made no big acquisitions in the offseason and stayed the same team and only added Keuchel last month. Phillies have had a bit of bad luck with McCuthen going down earlier this season and then the results aren’t being made out to match their projections. Harper isn’t carrying this team and isn’t “earning” his keep so far for that Phillies uniform. This series is pivotal if the Phillies want to stay within an arms reach of the division or even the wild card as the Nationals are slowly boxing them out. You have to roll with the hot bats here in Philly for the visiting team. If the Phillies win it will be because of their offense and not their pitching. Jean Segura currently has a 16 game hitting streak, keep an eye on him. Freeman is always considered an “everyday” player for the Braves. Markakis is recently injured and will require some time away from the field. The young guns for the braves will need to pull it together here to win.

ATL: Freeman, Riley, Acuna, Donaldson

PHI: Segura, Harper, Realmuto

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Yankees @ Red Sox (Sabathia vs Rodriguez)

Third time is the charm right? The Red Sox are making a case and presentation, if you will, on how to beat the Yankees. In the first game of this series they beat them at their own offensive game, the perpetual runs that kept getting higher and higher. In the second game things were fairly even but the Red Sox maintained a strong pitching arm and made them chase. Surely the Red Sox can’t beat the Yankees three times in a row, especially this years team. Yankees will figure things out by game three and will persevere over this small speed bump in the season. They can’t give the Rays any more breathing room or they will completely lose momentum riding into the playoffs. CC gives rival fans a glimpse at what they will miss when he retires and comes to the Hall of Fame. For the Red Sox, Betts has been turning it on recently and finding that 2018 flow that he once had.

NYY: Voit, LeMahieu, Gregorius, Judge

BOS: Chavis, Bradley Jr, Betts

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WILDCARD: Dodgers @ Nationals (Kershaw vs Ross)

Nationals were unable to snag a win yesterday against these foes and have an even more difficult chance stealing a win again today. Kershaw is taking the mound in DC and will likely pitch into the 6th or even 7th. Kershaw is a killer on the mound and will mercilessly sit down batters with only a few pitches. Looking at the optimistic approach here, Nationals are at home and will have the fans behind them supporting them for a much needed win in a tightly contested NL East race. Ross is starting in his second MLB game of the year and still hasn’t found a groove while allowing an ERA of above 9. Theres a good chance that the Dodgers take the Nationals out to the wood chipper in this one but also a chance for a miracle and for the Nats to exploit the few mistakes by Kershaw and send the ball deep. Either way, this game will be fun to watch for all baseball fans alike.

LAD: Bellinger, Muncy, Turner, Verdugo

WSH: Parra, Adams, Rendon, Robles, Gomes

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Updated Results

Hits: Freeman, Acuna, Donaldson, Segura, Realmuto, Voit, Chavis, Bradley, Bellinger, Muncy, Turner, Gomes. (12)

No Hits: Harper, Gregorius, Judge, Betts, Verdugo, Rendon, Robles. (7)

No AB’s/NIL: Riley, LeMahieu, Parra, Adams. (4)

Trade deadline is fast approaching and yet nobody has made a single move yet. As the time on the clock keeps ticking, it will be interesting to see who will get. moved. right before the deadline. From rumors and suspicion, it looks like the Mets will look to move some pitchers to some teams looking to add veterans. Teams looking to vamp up their roster for the postseason begins now.

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Rangers @ Athletics (Lynn vs Mengden)

The AL West battle is about to begin in these pivotal matchups between rival teams. Rangers desperately need a win as they are starting to slip down in the standings. Athletics are rising in the standings and are full of passion as they look to take it to the rivals at home in Oakland. I expect the A’s to come out the winner in this one. Semien has still put in a good season so far with the A’s. Davis always comes up clutch in key moments. Choo, the usual leadoff hitter is getting old but has plenty of opportunities to get a hit here.

TEX: Choo, Pence, Gallo

OAK: Davis, Piscotty, Semien

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Indians @ Royals (Plesac vs Junis)

Royals fell just a tad short in an 14 inning game outing last night. They were close to rallying back but ultimately fell short and lost by only scoring 1 run in the bottom half of the 14th. Royals are showing some good fight in them while wearing out the Indians bullpen but we shall see if it will be affected in tonights game. Bubba Starling seems to be fitting fun nicely and is refreshing to watch him do well on the big stage. Lindor is almost a pen in for a hit.

CLE: Lindor, Kipnis

KCR: Merrifield, Starling, Gordon, Dozier

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Updated Results

Hits: Lindor, Starling, Gordon, Dozier, Semien (5)

No Hits: Kipnis, Merrifield, Davis (3)

No AB’s/NIL: Gallo, Pence, Piscotty. (3)