Cnotes MLB 2019 Thru the World Series News, Notes, Trends Best Bets and Opinions !

[Cnotes53]

Astros fan putting millions on WS wager
October 2, 2019
By The Associated Press

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) Here???s one Houston Astros fan who???s putting his considerable money where his mouth is.

Jim McIngvale, a 68-year-old mattress store owner from Houston who calls himself "Mattress Mack,??? plans to put down at least $1.5 million on the Astros in New Jersey on Thursday.

That???s after wagering $3.5 million on the ???Stros in Mississippi earlier this week.

The bets could offset potential liability his store might have from a promotion that refunds mattress customers their money if the Astros win the World Series.

???I???m a huge Astros fan, and I have a store promotion where if customers buy a mattress and the Astros win the World Series, they get their money back,??? McIngvale told The Associated Press.

FanDuel, which runs the sports book at the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, just outside New York City, said it will take McIngvale???s bet online.

Earlier this week, he wagered $3.5 million on the Astros at the DraftKings sportsbook at Scarlet Pearl casino in Biloxi, Mississippi.

McIngvale says he???s a huge Astros fan who has bet millions in previous years on his team. And he may not be done yet.

Using at least two intermediaries, he has approached sports books in New Jersey about placing bets as large as $5 million, prompting FanDuel to seek a waiver from state gambling regulators of a rule limiting any single bet to $5 million. FanDuel decided on $1.5 million as the amount it will take from McIngvale at +220 odds, meaning he would win about $3.3 million if the Astros win baseball???s championship.

It is also possible he may place bets with other sports books in New Jersey.

???I???m looking to get down as much as I can,??? he said.

As far as betting an amount that could approach $10 million in three or more states, he said simply, ???If I couldn???t afford to lose it, I wouldn???t do it.???

Many sportsbooks are listing the Astros as favorites to win the World Series, followed by the Dodgers and the Yankees. The Astros are favored in part because of their dominant top three starting pitchers, Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and Zack Greinke.

 

[Cnotes53]

Nats vs Dodgers is star-studded matchup all over the field
October 2, 2019
By The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) Aces galore on the mound. Power hitters in the lineups. Hard-throwing relievers out of the bullpen.

The National League Division Series between the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers is a perfect fit for Hollywood. There are stars all over the field.

Having won a franchise-record 106 games in the regular season, the Dodgers are aiming for a third consecutive World Series appearance after losing to Houston and Boston the last two years.

''Our only goal is to win a championship," manager Dave Roberts said. ''We are equipped to accomplish that goal."

The Nationals have a streak of their own they want to end: four losses in the Division Series since 2012.

The Dodgers haven't played a meaningful game in a couple of months. They cruised to their seventh straight NL West title by 21 games over Arizona.

The Nationals eked their way into this round with a dramatic wild-card victory over Milwaukee, helped by a Brewers error in the eighth inning. They slept in their own beds Wednesday night, flew all day Thursday and arrived at Dodger Stadium early in the evening for a workout ahead of the best-of-five series.

''We're all excited about what happened yesterday," Nationals manager Dave Martinez said, ''but they understand what's ahead of them."

Here are some things to watch for going into Game 1 on Thursday:

BUEHLER?

For the second straight year, Clayton Kershaw won't be opening the postseason for the Dodgers. A year ago, they went with Hyun-Jin Ryu against the Atlanta Braves, ending Kershaw's streak of six consecutive playoff appearances starting Game 1.

This year, right-hander Walker Buehler gets the nod.

''Around here I don't know if one, two or three really matters," Buehler said. ''The order's a little bit less significant than people want to make it out to be."

Buehler worked on his mechanics in his final tuneup last Friday at San Francisco, where he gave up two runs and walked four in five innings. Last season, he debuted a new slider in a start against St. Louis.

''After that one went well, all the kind of doubt went away," he said. ''But I think what I'm doing now and the tinkering is a little bit overblown. I'm just working on things like I have my whole career."

NATS BIG THREE

The Nationals are going with Patrick Corbin in Game 1 for his postseason debut, their so-called third ace among a trio that includes Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg.

''If you look at Corbin, Strasburg, we haven't had a whole lot of success against those two guys," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. ''The success or limited success we have had against Scherzer, it's very limited still."

Corbin has a 3.36 ERA in 21 career games against the Dodgers, having faced them regularly when he was in the NL West with Arizona.

''I'm not trying to fool them. They know what I have," he said. ''Just going to go out there, treat it like any other start and just be myself."

MR. CONSISTENT

Washington third baseman Anthony Rendon is having a huge year. He batted .319 with 34 home runs and 126 RBIs, all career highs that have put him in the MVP conversation.

The 29-year-old All-Star attributes his numbers to mostly luck, joking that he gets a lot of cheap hits.

''I'm getting broken-bat hits, I'm getting flares, I'm trying to pull the ball to left field, and I'll hit it off the end and it will trickle down the right field line, stuff like that," Rendon said. ''We talk about it in the clubhouse or in the dugout, it's like, of course, he has another one that falls."

Martinez has called Rendon ''Mr. Consistent" since before he became manager last year.

''What makes him really good is that he's not afraid to hit with two strikes," Martinez said. ''He'll battle you up there and hit the ball the other way. But when he gets to two strikes, there's no panic."

BELLINGER's MVP BID

Cody Bellinger allowed himself to soak in the chants of ''MVP! MVP!" during the Dodgers' regular-season finale in San Francisco. The slugger didn't have as strong a second half as before the All-Star break, but still ended up hitting .305 with 47 home runs and 115 RBIs.

''Now it's out of my hands, so I'm not going to worry about that right now and put all my focus in on these next games," he said.

The Dodgers aren't letting it go, though.

They're giving away a Bellinger bobblehead at Thursday's game, the team's first ever in the postseason. The first 40,000 fans will receive one with Bellinger doing his home run trot in either his home white uniform or road gray jersey.

KEEPING IT CLOSE

The Nationals haven't announced their starters for Games 2 and 3, which Roberts pointed out while declining to reveal which order Kershaw and Ryu will go in. However, Roberts already said 39-year-old left-hander Rich Hill will start Game 4, if necessary.

HE SAID IT

''You think about your girlfriend that broke up with you like 20 years ago? Probably not, so no." - Rendon on whether he still thinks about losing to the Dodgers in the 2016 NLDS.

 

[Cnotes53]

LEADING OFF: Both NLDS start, Correa feeling better
October 2, 2019
By The Associated Press

A look at what's happening around the majors Thursday:

GLAMOUR GAME

In a star-studded matchup that's a perfect fit for Hollywood, the Nationals and Dodgers begin their best-of-five Division Series in Los Angeles. Walker Buehler (14-4, 3.26 ERA) gets the start for the Dodgers against left-hander Patrick Corbin (14-7, 3.25). That means for the second straight year, Clayton Kershaw won't be opening the postseason for LA. A year ago, the Dodgers went with Hyun-Jin Ryu against Atlanta, ending Kershaw's streak of six consecutive playoff appearances starting Game 1. ''Around here I don't know if one, two or three really matters," Buehler said. ''The order's a little bit less significant than people want to make it out to be."

LET'S GET IT STARTED

The first Division Series game of 2019 features Paul Goldschmidt and the St. Louis Cardinals facing the NL East champion Braves in Atlanta, where Hall of Famer Chipper Jones will throw out the first pitch. Freddie Freeman (right elbow) and Ronald Acuna Jr. (left hip), two keys to Atlanta's lineup who sustained late-season injuries, say they are healthy. Both played in a simulated game Tuesday.

Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said second baseman Kolten Wong, who missed two weeks with a hamstring injury, will start Game 1.

Miles Mikolas (9-14, 4.16 ERA) makes his first playoff start for St. Louis opposite veteran left-hander Dallas Keuchel (8-8, 3.75). The 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner signed a one-year deal with Atlanta on June 7 and is 4-2 with a 3.31 ERA in 10 postseason games with Houston.

''I think when we signed him, we envisioned him making this opening start," Braves manager Brian Snitker said.

SHORT STORY

Houston manager AJ Hinch expects Carlos Correa to play Friday in the team's playoff opener against Tampa Bay.

Correa missed the final week of the regular season because of a sore back, but Hinch said Wednesday the star shortstop has been working out all week and feels great.

The 25-year-old Correa played just 75 games this season after sitting out from May 26 to July 26 with a broken rib. He missed a month with the back problem, which also caused him to sit out last week. He batted .279 with 21 homers and 59 RBIs.

Hinch said Justin Verlander will start Game 1 against the Rays, who beat Oakland in the wild-card game Wednesday night, followed by Gerrit Cole on Saturday in Game 2 and Zack Greinke in the third game. Hinch wouldn't commit to a potential Game 4 starter.

BRONX BATTLE

The Twins and Yankees are scheduled to work out at Yankee Stadium ahead of their playoff opener Friday night.

New York slugger Edwin Encarnacion, who hasn't played since Sept. 12 because of a strained left oblique, appears set to return. The 36-year-old hit in a simulated game for the second straight day Wednesday and homered off left-hander Jordan Montgomery.

''I think yesterday was a little confidence-builder for him as far as the ability to let it go and then coming in today feeling like he's ready,'' manager Aaron Boone said.

Gio Urshela, who grabbed the third base job after Miguel Andujar got hurt, ended the season in a 3-for-28 slide and sprained his left ankle in Sunday's finale. Urshela tested the ankle Wednesday and said he was ready to play.

 

[Cnotes53]

Thursday?s games

National League

Cardinals (91-71) @ Braves (97-65)
Mikolas is 1-1, 3.42 in his last four starts; he is 1-2, 2.62 in four career games (3 starts) vs Atlanta. This is his first playoff appearance.

Keuchel is 0-3, 6.75 in his last three starts; he is 0-2, 10.03 in three games (2 starts) vs St Louis and is 4-2, 3.31 in 10 career playoff games (9 starts).

St Louis is in the playoffs for first time in four years, after making it every year from 2011-15. Cardinals lost four of six games with Atlanta this year, going 1-2 in both ballparks.

Atlanta is in playoffs for 2nd year in a row after a 4-year absence; they lost their last seven appearances in the NLDS, dating back to 2002.


Nationals (94-69) @ Dodgers (106-56)
Corbin is 4-1, 4.59 in his last six starts; he is 5-9, 3.36 in 21 games (19 starts) vs LA, 3-4, 2.97 in 11 starts at Dodger Stadium.

Buehler is 2-1, 3.13 in his last four starts; he is 0-1, 3.38 in three games (2 starts) vs Washington.

Washington won the Wild Card game Tuesday; they?re in playoffs for fifth time in eight years. Nationals lost in NLDS last four times they were in playoffs, three times in a 5th game..

Dodgers are 4-3 vs Washington this year, splitting four games played here; average total in the four games played in LA was 6.0. LA is in playoffs for 7th year in a row, losing the World Series the last two years.

 

[Cnotes53]

915ST LOUIS -916 ATLANTA
ST LOUIS are 13-20 SU (-13.9 Units) in road games vs. excellent power teams - averaging 1.5 or more HR's/game in the current season.

917WASHINGTON -918 LA DODGERS
WASHINGTON is 75-45 SU (26.5 Units) vs. poor baserunning teams - averaging 0.5 or less SB's/game in the current season.




MLB
Dunkel

Thursday, October 3

St. Louis @ Atlanta

Game 915-916
October 3, 2019 @ 5:02 pm

Dunkel Rating:
St. Louis
(Mikolas) 17.006
Atlanta
(Keuchel) 15.504
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
St. Louis
by 1 1/2
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Atlanta
-140
9
Dunkel Pick:
St. Louis
(+120); Under

Washington @ LA Dodgers

Game 917-918
October 3, 2019 @ 8:37 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Washington
(Corbin) 17.390
LA Dodgers
(Buehler) 18.314
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA Dodgers
by 1
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Dodgers
-165
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
LA Dodgers
(-165); Under




MLB
Long Sheet

Thursday, October 3

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

ST LOUIS (91 - 71) at ATLANTA (97 - 65) - 5:02 PM
MILES MIKOLAS (R) vs. DALLAS KEUCHEL (L)
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 12-21 (-16.4 Units) against the money line after shutting out their opponent over the last 3 seasons.
ATLANTA is 97-65 (+17.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ATLANTA is 29-11 (+11.9 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -125 to -175 this season.
ATLANTA is 74-49 (+14.2 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
ATLANTA is 74-51 (+13.3 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
ATLANTA is 17-7 (+12.9 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 45-33 (+11.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ST LOUIS is 91-71 (+4.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ST LOUIS is 28-21 (+8.5 Units) against the money line on the road when the money line is +125 to -125 this season.
MIKOLAS is 41-23 (+13.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
ATLANTA is 31-44 (-25.3 Units) against the money line in playoff games since 1997.
KEUCHEL is 17-20 (-14.0 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
KEUCHEL is 3-9 (-10.7 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 4-2 (+2.8 Units) against ST LOUIS this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.8 Units)

MILES MIKOLAS vs. ATLANTA since 1997
MIKOLAS is 1-2 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 2.95 and a WHIP of 1.091.
His team's record is 1-2 (-1.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-1. (+0.8 units)

DALLAS KEUCHEL vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
KEUCHEL is 0-2 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 11.00 and a WHIP of 1.444.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-2. (-2.3 units)

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

WASHINGTON (94 - 69) at LA DODGERS (106 - 56) - 8:37 PM
PAT CORBIN (L) vs. CLAYTON KERSHAW (L)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA DODGERS is 4-3 (+0.2 Units) against WASHINGTON this season
4 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.9 Units)

PAT CORBIN vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
CORBIN is 5-9 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 3.47 and a WHIP of 1.399.
His team's record is 7-12 (-4.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-11. (-4.3 units)

CLAYTON KERSHAW vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
KERSHAW is 13-3 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 2.65 and a WHIP of 0.986.
His team's record is 15-3 (+9.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 9-9. (+0.1 units)

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




MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, October 3


Cardinals (91-71) @ Braves (97-65)
Mikolas is 1-1, 3.42 in his last four starts; he is 1-2, 2.62 in four career games (3 starts) vs Atlanta. This is his first playoff appearance.

Keuchel is 0-3, 6.75 in his last three starts; he is 0-2, 10.03 in three games (2 starts) vs St Louis and is 4-2, 3.31 in 10 career playoff games (9 starts).

St Louis is in the playoffs for first time in four years, after making it every year from 2011-15. Cardinals lost four of six games with Atlanta this year, going 1-2 in both ballparks.

Atlanta is in playoffs for 2nd year in a row after a 4-year absence; they lost their last seven appearances in the NLDS, dating back to 2002.

Nationals (94-69) @ Dodgers (106-56)
Corbin is 4-1, 4.59 in his last six starts; he is 5-9, 3.36 in 21 games (19 starts) vs LA, 3-4, 2.97 in 11 starts at Dodger Stadium.

Buehler is 2-1, 3.13 in his last four starts; he is 0-1, 3.38 in three games (2 starts) vs Washington.

Washington won the Wild Card game Tuesday; they?re in playoffs for fifth time in eight years. Nationals lost in NLDS last four times they were in playoffs, three times in a 5th game..

Dodgers are 4-3 vs Washington this year, splitting four games played here; average total in the four games played in LA was 6.0. LA is in playoffs for 7th year in a row, losing the World Series the last two years.




MLB

Thursday, October 3

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

Atlanta Braves
Atlanta is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Atlanta is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Atlanta is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games at home
Atlanta is 16-4 SU in its last 20 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Atlanta's last 13 games at home
Atlanta is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing St. Louis
Atlanta is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing St. Louis
The total has gone OVER in 17 of Atlanta's last 24 games when playing St. Louis
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games when playing St. Louis
Atlanta is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 games when playing at home against St. Louis
Atlanta is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against St. Louis
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Atlanta's last 7 games when playing at home against St. Louis
St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
St. Louis is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of St. Louis's last 6 games
St. Louis is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
St. Louis is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games on the road
St. Louis is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Atlanta
St. Louis is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 17 of St. Louis's last 24 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of St. Louis's last 5 games when playing Atlanta
St. Louis is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
St. Louis is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 6 of St. Louis's last 7 games when playing on the road against Atlanta

Los Angeles Dodgers
LA Dodgers is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games
LA Dodgers is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
LA Dodgers is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games at home
LA Dodgers is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Dodgers's last 5 games at home
LA Dodgers is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Washington
LA Dodgers is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games when playing Washington
LA Dodgers is 4-10 ATS in its last 14 games when playing at home against Washington
LA Dodgers is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of LA Dodgers's last 6 games when playing at home against Washington
Washington Nationals
Washington is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Washington is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Washington is 15-7 ATS in its last 22 games on the road
Washington is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing LA Dodgers
Washington is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games when playing LA Dodgers
Washington is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 games when playing on the road against LA Dodgers
Washington is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against LA Dodgers
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington's last 6 games when playing on the road against LA Dodgers

 

[Cnotes53]

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

STL at ATL 05:02 PM
STL +127
U 9.0

WAS at LAD 08:37 PM
WAS +153
O 7.0

 

[Cnotes53]

Braves teammates bemoan Acuña???s lack of hustle in NLDS loss
October 3, 2019
By The Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) In a one-run playoff loss, Ronald Acuña Jr.???s lack of hustle was the obvious mistake the Atlanta Braves couldn???t afford.

Acuña failed to run out a long flyball to right field in the seventh inning of the Braves??? 7-6 loss to St. Louis in Game 1 of the NL Division Series on Thursday night. He admired his drive as he carried his bat with him on his slow jog down the first-base line.

The bad news for Acuña and the Braves: It was not a homer. The ball hit off the wall, and he had to settle for a single instead of a double.

After showing lack of hustle in an almost identical play on Aug. 18, Acuña was pulled out of a 5-3 win over the Dodgers by manager Brian Snitker. Acuña was contrite after that first mistake, and Snitker seemed convinced the 21-year-old All-Star learned his lesson.

No one was as quick to forgive Acuña after the gaffe was repeated in the spotlight of the postseason opener.

???It is frustrating,??? star teammate Freddie Freeman said. ???... You've got to know you can't have that mistake. That can't happen in the playoffs. That can't happen in the regular season. Unfortunately, that happened.???

Acuña???s close friend, second baseman Ozzie Albies, said the lollygagging could have cost Atlanta a win. Albies said ???a couple guys??? spoke up in the clubhouse after the game to tell Acuña ???just run out of the box.???

???He had a chance to kill the inning,??? Albies said. ???We probably score in that inning if he's at second base. It was a big chance in a tight ballgame.???

Speaking through a translator, Acuña insisted, ???I always try to give my best effort. Those things just kind of get away from me. So obviously I would love to have a double.???

Acuña described his mistakes as ???things only happen to guys who are on the bench. You get benched for that.???

This time, however, Snitker was running out of players and couldn???t afford to remove Acuña from the game as a disciplinary measure.

???He should have been on second,??? Snitker said. ???And we're kind of short-handed to do anything about it right there. You hate to see that happen.???

Acuña hit a two-run homer in the ninth and also admired the blast before flipping his bat. Freeman also homered as the Braves tried to rally from a 7-3 deficit.

The fact the Braves needed one more run to complete the comeback added more attention to Acuña???s mistake in the seventh.

Freeman said players shouldn???t have to be told more than once to run out of the box.

???I think you have that conversation once,??? Freeman said. ???You're going to beat a dead horse after you keep having that same conversation over and over again.???

Snitker said he had not yet had the opportunity to speak with his young star. Albies said it???s crucial that Acuña understands the message.

???It's a big deal,??? Albies said. ???He needs to do better there.???

 

[Cnotes53]

Dodgers blank Nats in NLDS opener
October 3, 2019
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LOS ANGELES (AP) Walker Buehler allowed one hit over six innings, Max Muncy drove in three runs and the Los Angeles Dodgers capitalized on mistakes to beat the Washington Nationals 6-0 in Game 1 of their NL Division Series on Thursday night.

Buehler struck out eight, walked three and retired his final seven batters after earning the start over veterans Clayton Kershaw and Hyun-Jin Ryu, whose 2.32 ERA was lowest in the majors this season.

''He set the tone for us," Muncy said about Buehler. ''He was pounding the zone."

Dodgers rookie Gavin Lux and Joc Pederson slugged pinch-hit solo homers in the eighth.

Nationals first baseman Howie Kendrick had two grounders roll under his glove, the second leading to the Dodgers' second run in the fifth.

Washington's Patrick Corbin stumbled through a rocky first inning. He issued four walks, joining Art Reinhart of the St. Louis Cardinals as the only pitchers to walk that many in the first inning they ever pitched in the postseason.

Reinhart walked four - including Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig - in the fifth inning of Game 4 of the 1926 World Series against the Yankees.

''That first inning was the game," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. ''That really set the tone."

Corbin walked three in a row with two outs in the 31-pitch inning. Yan Gomes was charged with a passed ball, too, and Muncy drew a free pass with the bases loaded to put the Dodgers in front.

''Walked a lot of guys, chased a lot of bad pitches," Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. ''When you're walking guys and not hitting, it's tough to win ballgames."

Corbin gave up two runs - one earned - and three hits in six innings. The left-hander struck out nine and finished with five walks.

Cody Bellinger walked with two outs and scored on an error by Kendrick in the fifth that made it 2-0. Third baseman Anthony Rendon made a diving stop on Chris Taylor's single down the line, but his throw to first wasn't in time and Bellinger went to third.

Muncy's grounder rolled through Kendrick's legs for an error, scoring Bellinger, and Taylor got thrown out at the plate to end the inning.

In the fourth, Muncy singled leading off. Corey Seager followed with a hit that got past a diving Kendrick at first and rolled into right, sending Muncy to third. But then Corbin settled down and retired the next three batters to end the inning.

The Nationals loaded the bases in the fourth on three walks by Buehler. He escaped when Asdrubal Cabrera tapped the ball back to the mound and Buehler flipped to first to end the inning.

''From that first throw, he was on point," Roberts said of Buehler. ''That's a really good lineup over there and for him to go six, we needed that."

Juan Soto, who had the key hit in the wild-card win over Milwaukee, singled in the second and Trea Turner singled in the ninth off Joe Kelly for the Nationals' only hits.

It was a quiet offensive night for each team's MVP contender. Rendon, who hit .319 in the regular season, went 0 for 2 with two strikeouts and a walk. Bellinger, a .305 hitter, struck out twice and walked twice.

It was the fourth shutout in eight games between the teams this season, third by the Dodgers.

Los Angeles won its eighth in a row dating to the regular season. Washington's nine-game winning streak, including the wild-card victory, ended.

IN THE CROWD

Magic Johnson and Billie Jean King, part of the Dodgers' ownership group, shared a box with principal owner Mark Walter, Sandy Koufax and Tom Lasorda. ... Hall of Famer Dave Winfield, former Dodger Matt Kemp, former Dodgers manager Joe Torre and actor Jason Bateman attended.

UP NEXT

Coming off the first relief appearance of his career, Washington RHP Stephen Strasburg will start Game 2 against Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw on Friday. Strasburg tossed three shutout innings Tuesday night in a dramatic wild-card victory over Milwaukee. He's under no limitations returning two days later. ''My arm's felt great all year," Strasburg said. He would be available to return on normal rest for a potential Game 5 next Wednesday in Los Angeles. By starting Kershaw in Game 2, the Dodgers could possibly use him out of the bullpen if Game 5 is necessary.

 

[Cnotes53]

SCHEDULE FOR FRIDAY OCTOBER 4, 2019
Time (ET) Away Home Site
2:05 PM Tampa Bay Rays Houston Astros Minute Maid Park
4:37 PM St. Louis Cardinals Atlanta Braves SunTrust Park
7:07 PM Minnesota Twins New York Yankees Yankee Stadium
9:37 PM Washington Nationals Los Angeles Dodgers Dodger Stadium


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


MLB PLAYOFF'S OPINIONS AND BEST BETS: ALL BASED ON 5 UNITS

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD.

10/03/2019.......1-3-0.........25.00%........-9.65
10/02/2019.......1-1-0.........50.00%........-1.35
10/01/2019...... 0-2-0........ 0.00%....... -10.50


Totals...............2-6-0........ 25.00%...... -21.00


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


BEST BETS:

DATE........................ATS.............UNITS. ............O/U...............UNITS.............TOTALS

10/03/2019.............1 - 1.............+1.35..............0 - 2.............-11.00..............-9.65
10/02/2019.............0 - 1..............-6.35..............1 - 0.............+5.00...............-1.35
10/01/2019.............0 - 1..............-5.00..............0 - 1..............-5.50...............-10.50


Totals.....................1 - 3..............-10.00.............1 - 3.............-11.50..............-21.00

 

[Cnotes53]

Friday?s 6-pack

Odds to make the Stanley Cup playoffs this season:

? St Louis Blues Yes -$240, Yes +$190

? Chicago Blackhawks No -$210, No +$175

? Washington Capitals Yes -$300, Yes +$240

? Calgary Flames Yes -$220, No -$180

? Florida Panthers Yes -$220, No -$180

? Minnesota Wild No -$260, Yes +$210

Quote of the Day
?It?s kind of like going to recess and they have the first 85 picks.?
Miami OH football coach Chuck Martin, talking about playing Ohio State

Friday?s quiz
In all of MINOR league baseball this season, how many no-hitters were thrown?

Thursday?s quiz
Lions and Cowboys always host NFL games on Thanksgiving Day.

Wednesday?s quiz
Giants beat Detroit in 2012, the last time the World Series was a sweep.

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

Friday?s Den: Writeup on 13 other college football games??

Boston College beat Louisville the last two years, 38-20/45-42; favorites are 3-3 SU in last six series games. Eagles lost two of last three visits to Louisville; last two were both decided by 3 points. Under Addazio, BC is 12-4-1 ATS as a road underdog; they lost two of last three games overall. Over last decade, Louisville is 19-32 ATS when laying points at home; they they split first two games, with losses by 18-11 points.

Trap game for North Carolina after an emotional 21-20 loss at Clemson; UNC lost its last three games, last two by total of 4 points. Tar Heels are 6-3 ATS in last nine games as a road favorite. Georgia Tech is 16-5 in its last 21 games with UNC, winning 38-28/33-7 the last two years; Tar Heels lost nine of last ten visits to Atlanta (4-5-1 ATS). Tech lost 24-2 to Temple LW; they?re off to a 1-3 start, with a loss to a I-AA team.

Tulane/Army split their last eight meetings; Green Wave won last two meetings, 21-17/34-31. Underdogs covered five of last seven series games; dogs are 6-2 ATS in Tulane?s last eight trips to West Point. Tulane came from behind to beat Houston last game; they?re 3-2 ATS in last five games as a road favorite. Under Monken, Army is 3-4 ATS when getting points at home; they beat three stiffs and lost 24-21 (+22.5) at Michigan.

Underdogs covered last four Central Michigan-Eastern Michigan games; Eagles lost last three visits to CMU, by 12-7-32 points, with an average total of 62.3. Eastern is 3-2 ATS in last five games as a road favorite; they blocked punt for TD with 0:10 left to nip a I-AA team in their last game. CMU is 5-13 ATS in last 18 games as a home dog; they threw for 330+ yards in two of their last three games.

Miami won four of last five games with Virginia Tech, winning last two 28-10/38-14; Hokies lost last two trips to Miami, 30-20/28-10. Favorites covered four of last five series games. Tech is 8-4 ATS in last dozen games as a road underdog; they?re 3-3 in last six games asa double digit underdog. Miami lost its first two games by total of 7 points, then snuck by CMU 17-12 in last game; Hurricanes are 5-8 ATS in last 13 games as a home favorite.

UCLA won four of last five games with Oregon State, winning last two 41-0/38-24; teams split last four meetings played here. Beavers are 0-3 vs I-A teams, with last two losses by 3 points each; they?re 10-16-1 ATS in last 27 games asa a road underdog. UCLA lost four of first five games and trailed 49-17 in its one win; they gave up 1,782 TY in last three games. Bruins are 8-15 ATS in last 23 games as a home favorite.

Favorites covered last seven California-Oregon games; Golden Bears lost their last five visits to Eugene (0-5 ATS). Ducks ran ball for 588 yards in last two meetings. Cal was 4-0 but lost at home to ASU LW; Golden Bears have wins at Washington, Ole Miss, are 8-3 as road underdogs under Wilcox. Oregon won its last two I-A games, allowing 6-6 points; Ducks are 7-4 ATS in last 11 games as a home favorite.

Home side won seven of last eight Washington-Stanford games; Huskies lost their last five trips to The Farm (1-4 ATS). Washington won its last three games, beating USC LW; under Petersen, Huskies are 10-9 ATS as a road fave- they won 45-19 at BYU in their only road game. Stanford lost three of last four games; over last decade, they?re 5-1 as a home underdog (1-0 this year). Cardinal allowed 330+ PY in three of its last four games.

Underdogs covered 10 of last 13 Toledo-Western Michigan games; Broncos lost four of last five visits to Toledo (4-2 ATS in last six). WMU gave up 103 points in losing its two road games, at Michigan St/Syracuse; under Lester, Broncos are 2-5 as road underdogs. Under Candle, Toledo is 10-7 ATS when a home favorite; they won last two games over Colorado St/BYU, despite giving up a total of 1,149 yards.

Home side won last nine Buffalo-Ohio games; Bobcats lost their last four visits to western NY (0-4 ATS). Ohio Is 0-3 vs I-A teams, giving up 481 TY in all three games; Bobcats are 5-4 ATS in last nine games as a road favorite.- they gave up 33-45 points in last two games. Buffalo lost three of last four games, with all three losses by 14+ points; under Leipold, Bulls are 9-3 ATS when getting points at home.

Home side won last four Ole Miss-Vanderbilt games; Commodores lost 27-16/57-35 in last two visits to Oxford. Favorites covered four of last six series games. Vandy lost three of first four games; they?re 18-14 ATS in its last 32 games as a road underdog- ?dores lost 42-24 at Purdue in their only road game this year. Ole Miss gave up 1,006 yards in losing its last two games; they gave up 309 PY to a I-AA team. Rebels are 12-10 ATS in last 22 games as a home favorite.

Western Kentucky (-4) lost 37-34 to Old Dominion LY, their first loss in five games with ODU (3-2 ATS). Hilltoppers won 35-31/55-30 in their two visits to ODU. WKU split its first four games, losing to a I-AA team, running ball for only 58 ypg vs I-A teams- over last 2+ years, they?re 0-5 ATS when laying points on road. ODU is 0-3 vs I-A teams; since moving to I-A, they?re 5-8 ATS when getting points at home.

Tennessee is 0-3 vs I-A teams, losing SEC opener 34-3 at Florida; Vols covered once in their last seven games as a home underdog. Georgia had LW off after beating Notre Dame; they?re 8-4 ATS in last dozen games as a road favorite. Underdogs covered five of last seven Georgia-Tennessee games; Dawgs won last two meetings, 38-12/41-0- they?ve won three of last four visits to Knoxville.

 

[Cnotes53]

ALDS - Twins at Yankees
October 4, 2019
By Kevin Rogers

2019 Head-to-Head Matchups (New York 4-2, Over 5-1)

New York vs. Minnesota (Yankee Stadium)
May 3 - Yankees 6, Twins 3 (Favorite -150, Over 7 ?)
May 4 - Twins 7, Yankees 3 (Underdog +104, Over 9)
May 5 - Yankees 4, Twins 1 (Favorite -134, Under 8 ?)

Minnesota vs. New York (Target Field)
July 22 - Twins 8 Yankees 6 (Underdog +106, Over 11)
July 23 - Yankees 14 Twins 12 (Favorite -116, Over 10)
July 24 - Yankees 10 Twins 7 (Favorite -117, Over 11)

The only divisional series involving a pair of 100-win teams from the regular season takes place between the Yankees and Twins. New York (103-59) claimed its first American League East title since 2012 and its first 100-victory season since 2009, the last time the Bronx Bombers won a world championship.

The Yankees, Astros, and Dodgers all struggled to start the season and still finished with over 100 wins as New York actually began 8-10 before winning nine of 10 to sit at 17-11. New York began to separate itself from the rest of the pack in the division starting June 17 as the Yankees pulled off a 16-2 run and finished the first half at 57-31.

James Paxton (15-6, 3.82 ERA) will get the ball in the series opener for the Yankees as the southpaw has caught fire at the right time. New York has won each of Paxton?s last 11 starts dating back to the beginning of August, while the Yankees have scored at least five runs in each of his past 10 appearances. Paxton faced the Twins at home in early May, as he lasted only three innings in a 6-3 win, while leaving early due to knee soreness.

Masahiro Tanaka (11-9, 4.45 ERA) put together the most uneven season of his career, which included New York winning 11 of 12 starts from June through August. In that lone loss during that stretch, Tanaka was tagged for 12 runs in less than four innings of a 19-3 drubbing at Boston. The Yankees lost five of Tanaka?s first seven starts of the season, while New York alternated wins and losses in his final seven starts. Tanaka didn?t face the Twins this season, as the Yankees are looking to improve on a 3-1 record in his past four playoff appearances.

The Twins (101-61) were in control of the AL Central from May through the end of the season for their first division championship since 2010. Minnesota last won over 100 games way back in 1965, as that Twins? squad lost in the World Series to Los Angeles. This year?s team notched 307 home runs, which set a Major League record for most long balls hit in a season. The next highest total belonged to the Yankees, who drilled 306 homers.

Five Twins? sluggers went deep at least 30 times this season, led by Nelson Cruz?s 41 dingers. Right fielder Max Kepler (36), third baseman Miguel Sano (34), left fielder Eddie Rosario (32), and catcher Mitch Garver (31) round out the list, but Rosario and Cruz were the only two Twins to drive in more than 100 runs.

In 2018, the Twins won their 40th game on July 9 to improve to 40-48. In 2019, Minnesota grabbed its 40th victory on June 2 to move to 40-18. The Indians trimmed the Twins? deficit to three games in late August, but Minnesota pulled away over the final month. The Twins went 13-4 to close out the season, while the Indians flamed out by losing their last five games to end a three-year playoff run.

Jose Berrios (14-8, 3.68 ERA) makes his first career playoff start for Minnesota as the Twins posted a 12-5 record in his 17 outings on the road. The Twins lost three of Berrios? five starts in the role of an away underdog, as the right-hander didn?t square off against the Yankees this season. In 2018, New York tagged Berrios for five runs in four innings of an 8-3 victory in the Bronx, as he looks to give the Twins their first playoff win since 2004.

Dating back to 2003, the Twins have appeared in the playoffs six times. During this stretch, the Yankees have eliminated Minnesota on five occasions, including in back-to-back ALDS sweeps in 2009 and 2010. New York knocked out Minnesota in the 2017 Wild Card in the Bronx, 8-4, as the Twins seek their first playoff series victory since outlasting the Athletics in five games of the 2002 ALDS.

The season series was won by the Yankees, 4-2, as New York captured each of the two series. In probably the game of the year in Major League Baseball on July 23 at Target Field, the Twins built an 8-2 lead before the Yankees rallied back for a 10-9 advantage in the 8th inning. Minnesota scored two in the bottom of the 8th before New York grabbed back the lead in the top of the 9th with two runs. The Twins scratched a run across in the bottom of the 9th to force extra innings tied at 12-12, but the Yankees posted two runs in the top of the 10th for the dramatic 14-12 triumph.

New York has lost its past three playoff series openers (not including the Wild Card round) since 2017, but all three defeats came away from the Bronx. The Yankees are listed at -240 to win this series at the Westgate Superbook (Bet $240 to win $100), while the Twins sit at +190 to move forward to the ALCS.

 

[Cnotes53]

ALDS - Rays at Astros
October 3, 2019
By Kevin Rogers

2019 Head-to-Head Matchups (Tampa Bay 4-3, Under 4-3)

Houston vs. Tampa Bay (Tropicana Field)
Mar. 28 - Astros 5, Rays 1 (Favorite -128, Under 6 ?)
Mar. 29 - Rays 4, Astros 2 (Underdog +128, Under 7)
Mar. 30 - Rays 3, Astros 1 (Underdog +108, Under 8)
Mar. 31 - Rays 3, Astros 1 (Underdog +103, Under 9 ?)

Tampa Bay vs. Houston (Minute Maid Park)
Aug. 27 - Astros 15, Rays 1 (Favorite -200, Over 7 ?)
Aug. 28 - Astros 8, Rays 6 (Favorite -230, Over 8)
Aug. 29 - Rays 9, Astros 8 (Underdog +200, Over 9)

The Astros (107-55) won a combined 106 games in 2012 and 2013, but Houston set a franchise record with 107 victories this season, while coming off a third consecutive American League West title. Houston captured its first World Series title in 2017 by defeating Los Angeles in seven games, but the Astros fell to the Red Sox in the American League Championship Series in five games in 2018.

Houston actually lost five of its first seven games this season, including dropping three of four at Tropicana Field to Tampa Bay to open 2019. The Astros bounced back to win 10 consecutive games, which included home sweeps of the Athletics and Yankees, while putting together another 10-game hot streak in May to open up at 31-15.

After finishing the first half at 57-33, the Astros went on an 18-3 run from mid-July through mid-August to own an incredible 77-40 mark, capped off by a 23-2 rout of the Orioles on August 10. Houston closed the season on a 12-2 spurt to set the franchise mark for wins in a season, but the bigger story is its three-headed monster in the starting rotation.

There are solid arguments to make for both Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole to take home the American League Cy Young award. Verlander (21-6, 2.58 ERA) will start the series opener, as he finished with 300 strikeouts, including 14 in a no-hitter at Toronto on September 1. The Astros won 12 of his 17 starts at Minute Maid Park, although three of those losses came as a favorite of -230 or higher. Verlander defeated the Rays twice this season, including in a 15-1 home rout on August 27 as a -190 favorite.

Cole (20-5, 2.50 ERA) put together a career season as the right-hander is 35-10 in two years with the Astros since getting dealt by the Pirates. The Astros won Cole?s final 13 starts of the season, while the ace last lost a decision on May 22 against the White Sox. Houston owns a 12-0 record in Cole?s past 12 home outings, as nine of those wins came by two runs or more. Cole wasn?t sharp against the Rays in two starts this season by allowing four runs each time, including in an 8-6 home win on August 28 in which he struck out 14 batters in 6.2 innings.

The third ace in this rotation has a Cy Young in his career and joined the team in late July as Zack Greinke (18-5, 3.06 ERA) is seeking his first career championship. The Astros won eight of Greinke?s 10 starts following his trade from Arizona on July 31, as seven of the eight victories came by two runs or more. Greinke struggled in his lone outing against Tampa Bay this season by yielding five runs in 5.2 innings of a 9-8 home defeat on August 29 as a hefty -220 favorite.

The Rays (97-66) are the near bottom of the league in payroll, but Tampa Bay posted the second-most wins in franchise history this season with 96 victories. The 97th win came in Wednesday?s impressive 5-1 triumph over Oakland in the American League Wild Card game to advance to the ALDS for the first time since 2013.

Tampa Bay started strong this season with a 14-4 mark, while dipping below the .500 mark only once after losing the opener as the Rays finished the first half at 52-39 following a pair of one-run home wins over the Yankees. The Rays? longest losing streak was five games, which came in July, but a 14-3 run in late July through mid-August vaulted Tampa Bay to 71-50.

Tyler Glasnow (6-1, 1.78 ERA) joins Cole as another former Pirates? pitcher that was traded and excelled in his next stop. Glasnow began 2019 on fire by winning six of his first seven decisions before sustaining a right forearm strain that landed him on the 60-day injured list. The right-hander didn?t pitch past the fifth inning in any of his four starts off the IL, as Glasnow receives the call for Game 1. Glasnow saw success against the Astros back in March 30 by yielding one earned run in five innings of work of a 3-1 victory at Tropicana Field.

Blake Snell (6-8, 4.29 ERA) is the third Cy Young winner to take the mound in this series, as the Rays? left-hander tries to avoid the ?one-hit wonder? moniker. Snell put together a 21-5 record along with a miniscule 1.89 ERA in 2018, but injuries derailed the southpaw, including missing two months due to an elbow injury. Snell began the season by allowing five earned runs and three home runs in a 5-1 defeat to the Astros, while the Rays went 4-8 in his 12 road starts.

Tampa Bay owned identical 48-33 records at both home and on the road this season, but went 7-15 away from Tropicana Field against playoff teams. That number improved to 8-15 after winning at Oakland, but the Rays lost two of three games at Houston in late August, including a 15-1 drubbing in the opener.

Houston put together the best home record in baseball at 60-21, as the Astros posted a 27-6 mark at Minute Maid Park after the All-Star break. The Astros have won five of their last six playoff series openers since 2015, including a perfect 3-0 mark at home. Houston and Tampa Bay have never met in the postseason, while the Rays are seeking their first trip to the ALCS since winning the pennant back in 2008.

 

[Cnotes53]

Paxton to start ALDS opener for Yankees
October 3, 2019
By The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) James Paxton will start the New York Yankees??? AL Division Series opener against the Minnesota Twins on Friday night, and 39-year-old left-hander CC Sabathia will not be included on the roster because of a sore pitching shoulder.

Paxton (15-6, 3.82 ERA), a 30-year-old left-hander in his first season with the Yankees, will be followed by Masahiro Tanaka (11-9, 4.45) for Game 2 on Saturday and Luis Severino (1-1, 1.50) for Game 3 at Minnesota on Monday.

???I???ve been talking to teammates, asking them what it???s been like pitching in the postseason,??? Paxton said

Paxton won a career-best 10 straight starts before leaving his final regular-season start after one inning last Friday because of a tight glute muscle in the left buttocks.

???It???s good. It will be a non-issue,??? he said.

He struggled in the first inning, allowing 12 of his 23 home runs, but he gave up just six homers in his final 11 starts.

???I threw a few more pitches in the bullpen second half of the season,??? Paxton said, ???so I could kind of get the first few hitters out of the way in the bullpen just so to try and sharpen myself up, and that seemed to help a little bit - and also trying to be really aggressive from pitch one.???

Masahiro Tanaka (11-9, 4.45) starts Game 2 for the Yankees on Saturday and Luis Severino (1-1, 1.50) for Game 3 at Minnesota on Monday.

José Berr?*os will start for Game 1 for the Twins after going 14-8 with a 3.68 ERA and 195 strikeouts in 200 1/3 innings. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli did not announce a Game 2 starter. Right-hander Jake Odorizzi (15-7, 3.51) is the most likely candidate.

Sabathia, who is retiring after the postseason, made his first regular-season relief appearance on Sept. 24 at Tampa Bay.

???It's been something that we've been trying to deal with the past couple months. Thought that we had a pretty good handle on it,??? Sabathia said. ???I threw in that game in Tampa, and it felt pretty good, but I woke up a couple days later, and it was pretty sore.???

Sabathia hopes to be able to pitch in the AL Championship Series if the Yankees advance.

???He ended up getting a cortisone shot, was able to go out and throw in a sim game Tuesday and, frankly, threw the ball pretty well,??? manager Aaron Boone said, ???but just not quite where it needs to be, to be in the kind of role we're going to ask him to be in where he's potentially getting up on the spot and then maybe having to get up later in the game.???

Sabathia was 5-8 with a 4.95 ERA, leaving his career record at 251-161 with 3,093 strikeouts in 19 major league seasons.

???It's tough, obviously, being here and not being able to participate in playoffs,??? he said. ???I didn't want to put the team in jeopardy. I want the best opportunity for this team to win a championship. I feel like we have a good opportunity. I didn't want to be selfish and go out there hurt and put the team in a bad spot.???

Left-hander J.A. Happ (12-8, 4.91) will start the series in the bullpen but could be an option to start Game 4.

???We'll try and have him prepared for a lot of different roles, but he'll certainly, in some way, shape, or form, be in play the first two games,??? Boone said.

Boone anticipates Edwin Encarnación will be on the roster. Encarnación, who hasn't played since Sept. 12 because of a strained left oblique, hit in a pair of simulated games this week.

 

[Cnotes53]

Divisional Series Odds
October 3, 2019
By VI News

Home Team listed first - Best of 5 Games (2-2-1)
(Opening Odds in parentheses)

National League Divisional Series

Atlanta vs. St. Louis
Braves (-120)
Cardinals (+100)

Los Angeles vs. Washington
Dodgers (-240)
Nationals (+190)

American League Divisional Series

New York vs. Minnesota
Yankees (-245)
Minnesota (+210)

Houston vs. Tampa Bay
Astros (-250)
Rays (+200)

(Odds per Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook)
Exact Game Prices
Atlanta vs. St. Louis
Cardinals Win in 3 Games +750
Cardinals Win in 4 Games +350
Cardinals Win in 5 Games +390
Braves Win in 3 Games +550
Braves Win in 4 Games +400
Braves Win in 5 Games +370

Los Angeles vs. Washington
Nationals Win in 3 Games +950
Nationals Win in 4 Games +540
Nationals Win in 5 Games +545
Dodgers Win in 3 Games +440
Dodgers Win in 4 Games +275
Dodgers Win in 5 Games +295

New York vs. Minnesota

Houston vs. Tampa Bay

(Odds per Circa Las Vegas)

 

[Cnotes53]

Friday?s games

American League

Rays (97-66) @ Astros (107-55)
Glasnow is 0-0, 1.46 in four starts (12.1 IP) since coming off the IL; he stretched out to 66 pitches in his last start. Glasnow is 1-0, 1.80 in one start vs Houston- this is his first playoff start.

Verlander is 6-2, 1.94 in his last nine starts; he is 10-4, 3.17 in 20 starts vs Tampa Bay, and is 13-7, 3.19 in 25 playoff games (24 starts), 6-2, 2.83 in eight playoff starts for Houston.

Rays won the Wild Card game Wednesday; they?re in playoffs for first time since 2013. Tampa Bay is 1-3 in the ALCS, winning their first one in 2008, losing the last three.

Houston is in playoffs for 4th time in five years; they won 2017 World Series, lost ALCS LY. Astros are 3-4 vs Tampa Bay this year; home side won five of the seven games.

Twins (101-61) @ New York (103-59)
Berrios is 3-0, 2.08 in his last four starts; he is 1-2, 5.79 in three starts vs NYY, 0-2, 9.82 in two starts in the Bronx (allowed 8 runs in 7.1 IP). Berrios gave up three runs in three IP in his only postseason start, which was here two years ago.

Paxton is 10-1, 2.51 in his last 11 starts; he is 3-1, 2.27 in six starts vs Minnesota. Paxton missed his last start with a pulled glute muscle; this is his first playoff start.

Minnesota lost Wild Card game here in 2017, their only playoff appearance since 2010; they?re 2-4 vs NYY this year, with road team winning four of the six games. Average total in those six games was 13.5.

New York is in playoffs for 4th time in last seven years, after making it 17 of 18 years before that; they won three of last five trips to the ALDS.

National League

Cardinals (1-0) @ Braves
Flaherty is 4-2, 1.13 in his last eight starts; he is 1-1, 4.32 in three starts vs Atlanta. This is his first playoff appearance.

Foltynewicz is 4-1, 1.50 in his last five starts; he is 3-4, 7.64 in seven starts vs St Louis and is 0-1, 7.50 in two playoff starts.

St Louis is in the playoffs for first time in four years, after making it every year from 2011-15. Cardinals are 3-4 in seven games with Atlanta this year, 2-2 in this ballpark- they scored six runs in last two innings yesterday.

Atlanta is in playoffs for 2nd year in a row after a 4-year absence; they lost their last seven appearances in the NLDS, dating back to 2002. Atlanta?s seven relievers allowed six runs in Game 1, while getting only 14 outs.

Nationals @ Dodgers (1-0)
Strasburg threw three scoreless innings in relief Tuesday; he is 2-0, 1.88 in his last four starts, and is 3-5, 2.54 in 11 starts vs LA, 0-3, 2.08 in four starts at Dodger Stadium. Strasburg is 2-2, 0.41 in four career playoff games (3 starts).

Kershaw is 3-0, 2.79 in his last four games; he is 12-3, 2.23 in 17 games (16 starts) vs Washington, and is 9-10, 4.32 in 30 career playoff games (24 starts).

Washington won the Wild Card game Tuesday, then got shut out last night; they?re in playoffs for fifth time in eight years. Nationals lost in NLDS last four times they were in playoffs, three times in a 5th game..

Dodgers are 5-3 vs Washington this year, 3-2 in games games played here; average total in the four games played in LA is 6.0. LA is in playoffs for 7th year in a row, losing the World Series the last two years.

 

[Cnotes53]

919ST LOUIS -920 ATLANTA
ST LOUIS are 14-20 SU (-13.9 Units) in road games vs. excellent power teams - averaging 1.5 or more HR's/game in the current season.

921WASHINGTON -922 LA DODGERS
WASHINGTON is 75-45 SU (26.5 Units) vs. poor baserunning teams - averaging 0.5 or less SB's/game in the current season.

923MINNESOTA -924 NY YANKEES
NY YANKEES are 44-19 SU (27 Units) vs. a starting pitcher with good control (less than 1.75 BB's/start) in the current season.

925TAMPA BAY -926 HOUSTON
TAMPA BAY is 12-1 SU (10.9 Units) in road games when playing on Friday in the current season.




MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, October 4

American League
Rays (97-66) @ Astros (107-55)
Glasnow is 0-0, 1.46 in four starts (12.1 IP) since coming off the IL; he stretched out to 66 pitches in his last start. Glasnow is 1-0, 1.80 in one start vs Houston- this is his first playoff start.

Verlander is 6-2, 1.94 in his last nine starts; he is 10-4, 3.17 in 20 starts vs Tampa Bay, and is 13-7, 3.19 in 25 playoff games (24 starts), 6-2, 2.83 in eight playoff starts for Houston.

Rays won the Wild Card game Wednesday; they?re in playoffs for first time since 2013. Tampa Bay is 1-3 in the ALCS, winning their first one in 2008, losing the last three.

Houston is in playoffs for 4th time in five years; they won 2017 World Series, lost ALCS LY. Astros are 3-4 vs Tampa Bay this year; home side won five of the seven games.

Twins (101-61) @ New York (103-59)
Berrios is 3-0, 2.08 in his last four starts; he is 1-2, 5.79 in three starts vs NYY, 0-2, 9.82 in two starts in the Bronx (allowed 8 runs in 7.1 IP). Berrios gave up three runs in three IP in his only postseason start, which was here two years ago.

Paxton is 10-1, 2.51 in his last 11 starts; he is 3-1, 2.27 in six starts vs Minnesota. Paxton missed his last start with a pulled glute muscle; this is his first playoff start.

Minnesota lost Wild Card game here in 2017, their only playoff appearance since 2010; they?re 2-4 vs NYY this year, with road team winning four of the six games. Average total in those six games was 13.5.

New York is in playoffs for 4th time in last seven years, after making it 17 of 18 years before that; they won three of last five trips to the ALDS.

National League
Cardinals (1-0) @ Braves
Flaherty is 4-2, 1.13 in his last eight starts; he is 1-1, 4.32 in three starts vs Atlanta. This is his first playoff appearance.

Foltynewicz is 4-1, 1.50 in his last five starts; he is 3-4, 7.64 in seven starts vs St Louis and is 0-1, 7.50 in two playoff starts.

St Louis is in the playoffs for first time in four years, after making it every year from 2011-15. Cardinals are 3-4 in seven games with Atlanta this year, 2-2 in this ballpark- they scored six runs in last two innings yesterday.

Atlanta is in playoffs for 2nd year in a row after a 4-year absence; they lost their last seven appearances in the NLDS, dating back to 2002. Atlanta?s seven relievers allowed six runs in Game 1, while getting only 14 outs.

Nationals @ Dodgers (1-0)
Strasburg threw three scoreless innings in relief Tuesday; he is 2-0, 1.88 in his last four starts, and is 3-5, 2.54 in 11 starts vs LA, 0-3, 2.08 in four starts at Dodger Stadium. Strasburg is 2-2, 0.41 in four career playoff games (3 starts).

Kershaw is 3-0, 2.79 in his last four games; he is 12-3, 2.23 in 17 games (16 starts) vs Washington, and is 9-10, 4.32 in 30 career playoff games (24 starts).

Washington won the Wild Card game Tuesday, then got shut out last night; they?re in playoffs for fifth time in eight years. Nationals lost in NLDS last four times they were in playoffs, three times in a 5th game..

Dodgers are 5-3 vs Washington this year, 3-2 in games games played here; average total in the four games played in LA is 6.0. LA is in playoffs for 7th year in a row, losing the World Series the last two years.




MLB

Friday, October 4

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Trend Report
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Houston Astros
Houston is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games
Houston is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Houston's last 6 games
Houston is 4-13 ATS in its last 17 games when playing Tampa Bay
Houston is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing Tampa Bay
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Houston's last 13 games when playing Tampa Bay
Houston is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay
Houston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Houston's last 13 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Tampa Bay's last 6 games
Tampa Bay is 13-4 ATS in its last 17 games when playing Houston
Tampa Bay is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Tampa Bay's last 13 games when playing Houston
Tampa Bay is 6-3 ATS in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Houston
Tampa Bay is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Houston
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Tampa Bay's last 13 games when playing on the road against Houston

Atlanta Braves
Atlanta is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Atlanta is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Atlanta is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing St. Louis
Atlanta is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing St. Louis
The total has gone OVER in 17 of Atlanta's last 24 games when playing St. Louis
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games when playing St. Louis
Atlanta is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 games when playing at home against St. Louis
Atlanta is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against St. Louis
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Atlanta's last 7 games when playing at home against St. Louis
St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
St. Louis is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of St. Louis's last 6 games
St. Louis is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
St. Louis is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games on the road
St. Louis is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Atlanta
St. Louis is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 17 of St. Louis's last 24 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of St. Louis's last 5 games when playing Atlanta
St. Louis is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
St. Louis is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 6 of St. Louis's last 7 games when playing on the road against Atlanta

New York Yankees
NY Yankees is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
NY Yankees is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games at home
NY Yankees is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of NY Yankees's last 12 games at home
NY Yankees is 11-5 ATS in its last 16 games when playing Minnesota
NY Yankees is 13-4 SU in its last 17 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 5 of NY Yankees's last 6 games when playing Minnesota
NY Yankees is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games when playing at home against Minnesota
NY Yankees is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 7 of NY Yankees's last 9 games when playing at home against Minnesota
Minnesota Twins
Minnesota is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games
Minnesota is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Minnesota's last 6 games
Minnesota is 19-6 ATS in its last 25 games on the road
Minnesota is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Minnesota's last 6 games on the road
Minnesota is 5-11 ATS in its last 16 games when playing NY Yankees
Minnesota is 4-13 SU in its last 17 games when playing NY Yankees
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Minnesota's last 6 games when playing NY Yankees
Minnesota is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games when playing on the road against NY Yankees
Minnesota is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against NY Yankees
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Minnesota's last 9 games when playing on the road against NY Yankees

Los Angeles Dodgers
LA Dodgers is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games
LA Dodgers is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
LA Dodgers is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games at home
LA Dodgers is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Dodgers's last 6 games at home
LA Dodgers is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Washington
LA Dodgers is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Washington
LA Dodgers is 5-10 ATS in its last 15 games when playing at home against Washington
LA Dodgers is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of LA Dodgers's last 7 games when playing at home against Washington
Washington Nationals
Washington is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games
Washington is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games
Washington is 15-8 ATS in its last 23 games on the road
Washington is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing LA Dodgers
Washington is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing LA Dodgers
Washington is 10-5 ATS in its last 15 games when playing on the road against LA Dodgers
Washington is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against LA Dodgers
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Washington's last 7 games when playing on the road against LA Dodgers

 

[Cnotes53]

MLB
Dunkel

Friday, October 4


Tampa Bay @ Houston

Game 925-926
October 4, 2019 @ 2:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Tampa Bay
(Glasnow) 15.414
Houston
(Verlander) 17.843
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Houston
by 2 1/2
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
-220
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Houston
(-220); Under

St. Louis @ Atlanta

Game 919-920
October 4, 2019 @ 4:37 pm

Dunkel Rating:
St. Louis
(Flaherty) 16.888
Atlanta
(Fltynwcz) 15.623
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
St. Louis
by 1
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
St. Louis
-125
8
Dunkel Pick:
St. Louis
(-125); Under

Minnesota @ NY Yankees

Game 923-924
October 4, 2019 @ 7:07 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota
(Berrios) 14.818
NY Yankees
(Paxton) 16.345
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
NY Yankees
by 1 1/2
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
NY Yankees
-185
8 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
NY Yankees
(-185); Under

Washington @ LA Dodgers

Game 921-922
October 4, 2019 @ 9:37 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Washington
(Strasburg) 16.653
LA Dodgers
(Kershaw) 19.051
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA Dodgers
by 2 1/2
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Dodgers
-145
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
LA Dodgers
(-145); Under

 

[Cnotes53]

MLB
Long Sheet

Friday, October 4

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

ST LOUIS (92 - 71) at ATLANTA (97 - 66) - 4:37 PM
JACK FLAHERTY (R) vs. MIKE FOLTYNEWICZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
FLAHERTY is 28-33 (-15.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
FLAHERTY is 14-18 (-12.0 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
ATLANTA is 97-66 (+16.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ATLANTA is 18-7 (+10.7 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday this season.
ATLANTA is 74-52 (+11.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
ATLANTA is 17-8 (+11.4 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 45-34 (+10.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ST LOUIS is 92-71 (+5.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ST LOUIS is 28-21 (+8.5 Units) against the money line on the road when the money line is +125 to -125 this season.
ST LOUIS is 86-75 (+10.3 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 36-21 (+12.2 Units) against the money line in day games this season.
ST LOUIS is 73-55 (+5.5 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
ST LOUIS is 25-19 (+10.9 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 46-60 (-31.6 Units) against the money line in October games since 1997.
ATLANTA is 31-45 (-26.8 Units) against the money line in playoff games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 4-3 (+1.3 Units) against ST LOUIS this season
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.3 Units, Under=-0.4 Units)

JACK FLAHERTY vs. ATLANTA since 1997
FLAHERTY is 1-1 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 4.32 and a WHIP of 1.080.
His team's record is 1-2 (-1.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-2. (-1.2 units)

MIKE FOLTYNEWICZ vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
FOLTYNEWICZ is 3-4 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 7.63 and a WHIP of 1.757.
His team's record is 3-4 (-0.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-6. (-5.7 units)

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

WASHINGTON (94 - 70) at LA DODGERS (107 - 56) - 9:37 PM
STEPHEN STRASBURG (R) vs. CLAYTON KERSHAW (L)
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 176-150 (-20.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 20-28 (-17.6 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 107-95 (-13.5 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 42-45 (-17.8 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 28-11 (+11.5 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -125 to -175 this season.
LA DODGERS are 60-22 (+18.8 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
LA DODGERS are 76-34 (+23.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
LA DODGERS are 146-105 (-19.5 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 38-33 (-18.7 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA DODGERS is 5-3 (+1.2 Units) against WASHINGTON this season
5 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.9 Units)

STEPHEN STRASBURG vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
STRASBURG is 3-5 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 2.66 and a WHIP of 0.930.
His team's record is 3-8 (-7.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-5. (-1.0 units)

CLAYTON KERSHAW vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
KERSHAW is 13-3 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 2.65 and a WHIP of 0.986.
His team's record is 15-3 (+9.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 9-9. (+0.1 units)

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

MINNESOTA (101 - 61) at NY YANKEES (103 - 59) - 7:07 PM
JOSE BERRIOS (R) vs. JAMES PAXTON (L)
Top Trends for this game.
NY YANKEES are 40-12 (+16.8 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters this season.
NY YANKEES are 21-3 (+14.5 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss this season.
NY YANKEES are 45-27 (+17.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
MINNESOTA is 101-61 (+22.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MINNESOTA is 55-26 (+28.5 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
MINNESOTA is 24-13 (+13.8 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Friday over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 67-37 (+19.4 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
MINNESOTA is 44-18 (+22.7 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY YANKEES is 4-2 (+1.7 Units) against MINNESOTA this season
5 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+3.9 Units)

JOSE BERRIOS vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
BERRIOS is 1-2 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 5.79 and a WHIP of 1.786.
His team's record is 1-2 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-1. (+1.0 units)

JAMES PAXTON vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
PAXTON is 3-1 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 2.27 and a WHIP of 1.074.
His team's record is 4-2 (+1.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-2. (+2.0 units)

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

TAMPA BAY (97 - 66) at HOUSTON (107 - 55) - 2:05 PM
TYLER GLASNOW (R) vs. JUSTIN VERLANDER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TAMPA BAY is 187-138 (+24.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 88-75 (+7.6 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 116-69 (+29.8 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 77-70 (+20.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 39-23 (+24.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 69-44 (-7.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
HOUSTON is 37-35 (-22.1 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 18-20 (-19.3 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
VERLANDER is 21-17 (-21.4 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
TAMPA BAY is 4-3 (+2.3 Units) against HOUSTON this season
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.9 Units)

TYLER GLASNOW vs. HOUSTON since 1997
GLASNOW is 1-0 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 1.80 and a WHIP of 1.400.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.3 units)

JUSTIN VERLANDER vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
VERLANDER is 10-4 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 3.17 and a WHIP of 1.118.
His team's record is 14-6 (+5.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-13. (-9.1 units)

 

[Cnotes53]

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

TB at HOU 02:05 PM
TB +224
O 7.5

STL at ATL 04:37 PM
U 8.5

MIN at NYY 07:07 PM
MIN +169
O 9.0

WAS at LAD 09:37 PM
O 7.5

 

[Udog]

By: Rohit Ponnaiya



POSTSEASON STARTER STAT OF THE DAY

Justin Verlander, Houston Astros (21-6, 2.58 ERA, $-84): Verlander had another Cy Young caliber year with a WHIP of 0.80, and a batting average allowed of .172, while fanning 300 batters in 223 innings of work. Verlander and the Astros are -230 faves at home against the Tampa Bay Rays this afternoon.

In two starts against the Rays this year, Verlander went 2-0, 0.73 ERA and a BAA of .159. However, as awesome as Verlander is, he isn't perfect. His one Achilles' Heel is his propensity for giving up dingers; his 36 home runs allowed during the regular season was the third-highest mark in the majors.

That said, don't expect Tampa Bay batters to be able to take advantage of that weakness. The Rays ranked just 21st in the majors in home runs and were just 27th in fly ball percentage.


THREE STRIKES

THEY CALLED ME MR. GLASNOW

The other starter in that Astros-Rays matchup is Tampa Bay right-hander Tyler Glasnow. The 26-year-old was having a breakthrough campaign in 2019 before missing almost four months due to a forearm injury. He still finished the year with a 6-1 record, a 1.78 ERA and a WHIP of 0.89.

Since returning to the Rays lineup on September 8, Glasnow has slowly increased his workload pitching 12 1-3 innings over four starts. He seems to be getting back to his pre-injury form however, not allowing a single run and giving up just 4 hits through 10 1-3 innings over his last three outings.

With the O/U set at 7.5 for this contest the Under might be a good bet.


HE MIGHT BE HUMAN AFTER ALL

After a 6-0 blanking of the Nationals in Game 1 of their series, the Dodgers head into Game 2 as -150 favorites. Clayton Kershaw toes the rubber for the Dodgers and L.A. is 46-12 in Kershaw's last 58 home starts and 7-1 in Kershaw's previous eight home starts against the Nats.

That said, there's reason to believe that the Klaw might not dominate the opposition today. The Nationals hit .283 against southpaws during the regular season and are an impressive 13-3 over their last 16 games against a left-handed starter.

Also, playoff Kershaw simply isn't as incredible as regular season Kershaw. From 2016-2018, Kershaw went 39-13 with a 2.26 ERA and 0.91 WHIP during the regular season. But over that same time span he had a 7-4 record with a 4.12 ERA in 17 postseason games.


NO REST FOR THE WICKED GOOD

Stephen Strasburg gets the start for the Nationals, just three days after pitching three innings in relief of Max Scherzer during the NL Wild Card game. Strasburg had a terrific regular season going 18-6 with a 3.32 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP but it will be interesting to see what kind of a workload the Nationals will give him.

Strasburg pitched two games against L.A. this season, giving up just three runs over 13 innings while holding Dodgers hitters to a batting average of .140. The Nats will probably be far more confident with him on the mound than their relievers considering that their bullpen ranked dead-last in the majors in ERA. For what it's worth, Strasburg excelled with minimal rest during the regular season. He had 17 starts on four days of rest and went 9-3 in those games with an ERA of 2.59 and a BAA of .193.