Major League Baseball has been all systems go as we enter the second weekend of action. We split our picks in the last edition, we hold a 3-1 record heading into today’s action. On the docket today is a couple of familiar divional matchups. Let’s tackle the slate and try to make some dough, it’s time for Diamond Picks.
New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays
In Two of the games veteran pitchers will take to the hill, no pun intended Friday afternoon for Tampa Bays’ home opener. Rich Hill has been around the block and then some over his 17-year career. He didn’t have the most ideal start to the season as he was tagged for four earned over just four innings against the light-hitting Miami Marlins last time out. Hill and current Yankees don’t have much of a history against each other to build analysis off. Combined they are 8-for-25 with DJ LeMahieu having four of those hits. The Rays are looking to getting back on track after getting swept in Bean town to bring their consecutive loss total to four.
The Yanks heavy-hitting lineup surprisingly has fairly average numbers across the board when it comes to hitting left-handed pitching based on last season. Over the 71 plate appearances this season they are hitting .303 versus southpaws. All toll Yankee hitters are slugging just .378 but hitting a respectable. 254 in the very early going.
Former Cy Young winner Corey Kluber is showing promise to start the campaign. He held the Toronto Blue Jays to five hits and no runs over four-plus innings in his debut in pinstripes. It will be interesting to see if Aaron Boone allows the Klub bot to work more in this outing. Active Rays are hitting .231 over 26 at-bats all-time versus Kluber. Right now the Yankees staff has been dominant pitching to a league-best 1.74 ERA with 73 punchouts over six games. The Rays bats are extremely cold at the moment over their first six games. They rank in the bottom portion of the league in many categories including a .208 average and just a .337 slug.
Diamond Pick: New York Yankees -145
Philadelphia Phillies at Atlanta Braves
Freddie Freeman crushes balls off of Zack Wheeler, 17-for-38, 2 HRs, and a .711 SLG. All toll Braves are hitting. 247 with a .759 OPS. They will look to flip the script from last Saturday where they were shut out over 7 innings and punching out 10 times versus the right-handed flame thrower. The Braves are just 2-4 on the season but have recently got the bats going in a series against the Washington Nationals. Max Scherzer was giving up long balls all over the place, two to Acuna, then one each to Dansby Swanson and Freeman.
On the bump for Atlanta in their home opener will be 37year old Charlie Morton. Morton was uninspiring in his lone start last week versus these Phillies. He surrendered three earned runs while striking out five batters over five innings. The Phillies lineup of current hitters has a lifetime .252 average but just a .351 SLG off the veteran right-hander.
After dropping four straight, the Braves have now build up some positive momentum. They will be playing on home turf after sweeping the doubleheader Wednesday in Washington. To date, Ronald Acuna Jr. has been the teams’ most productive hitter going 7-for-23 with two long balls over six games.
Diamond Pick: Atlanta Braves-135
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