Sign In $
MLB

Wednesday’s Diamond Notes

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
6 minute read
Editor's Note: Kevin Rogers has racked up +1,111 units this season and is currently on a 5-2 run. He is locked and loaded with a pair of Wednesday games. Click to win!

Hottest team: Yankees (8-2 last 10)

New York started the season by losing six times as a heavy home favorite to Baltimore, Detroit, and Chicago. However, the Yankees pulled off a two-game home sweep of the rival Red Sox to get back on track as the Bronx Bombers are currently riding a five-game hot streak. The Yankees edged the Angels in 14 innings in the series opener, 4-3, in spite of playing without plenty of its stars, including Aaron Judge, who was injured last weekend.

New York won in Anaheim again last night, 7-5 as Luke Voit drilled a pair of home runs and Brett Gardner picked up four hits in the third spot. CC Sabathia takes the mound for the Yankees tonight as the veteran southpaw has not allowed an earned run in two starts this season. The Yankees are 2-0 in Sabathia’s two outings in 2019, while the former Cy Young winner beat the Angels last season, 2-1 as a short road underdog by tossing seven innings.

Coldest team: Phillies (1-5 last six)

This is a road trip from hell for Philadelphia, who has won once in six games at Colorado and New York as the only victory came last Saturday at Coors Field, 8-5. In the last three losses, the Phillies’ offense has produced two runs, while getting outscored 14-1 in two defeats at Citi Field to the Mets.

Vince Velasquez tries to stop the bleeding for Philadelphia as the right-hander has given up five earned runs in three starts this season. Velasquez hasn’t received a decision in those three starts, but the Phillies are 2-1 in those outings. Last season, the Phillies went 0-2 in Velasquez’s two starts against the Mets, while Philadelphia is 2-11 in his past 13 road outings since 2018.

Hottest pitcher: Jordan Lyles, Pirates (2-0, 0.53 ERA)

Pittsburgh has dropped each of the first two games to Arizona in its four-game set at PNC Park. The Pirates will try to snap a three-game skid as Lyles seeks his third win of the season. Lyles has put together incredible numbers through three outings by yielding only one run in 17 innings of work, while outdueling Madison Bumgarner in a 4-1 win over the Giants last Friday. The Pirates have hit the UNDER in all three of Lyles’ starts, while Pittsburgh is 2-0 this season after scoring one run or less.

Coldest pitcher: Tyson Ross, Tigers (1-2, 3.38 ERA)

Detroit stunned Boston with a doubleheader sweep at Fenway Park on Tuesday as the Tigers look to beat the stumbling Sox once again. Ross started the season with a pair of solid outings against the Yankees and Royals by allowing four runs (three earned) in 12 innings or work. However, the veteran right-hander has yielded nine runs (six earned) in his last 12 innings on the mound, although the Tigers rallied past the White Sox, 9-7 in his last outing. The Tigers are 0-2 in Ross’ two road starts this season, while his teams (Padres and Cardinals) won eight of his 13 away starts in 2018.

Biggest OVER run: Braves (7-2 last nine)

Atlanta’s offense continues to stay hot in spite of dropping a 7-6 decision at Cincinnati on Tuesday. The Braves posted 19 runs in the final 14 innings of their series win at Cleveland, while scoring their seven runs from the fifth to the eighth inning in last night’s one-run defeat. Mike Soroka makes his second start for Atlanta as he pitched well in a 4-1 home loss to Arizona last Thursday. Soroka allowed four hits and one earned run in five innings, but the Braves’ offense couldn’t get going as the right-hander easily cashed a pair of OVERS in his previous two road starts in 2018.

Biggest UNDER run: Nationals (4-2 last six)

Washington took care of Colorado last night, 6-3 to even up their three-game series at 1-1 heading into the rubber match this afternoon at Coors Field. Following an OVER on an 11 total in the series opener, the oddsmakers posted another 11 on Tuesday night, but the Nationals were able to limit an opponent to three runs or less for the fourth time in six games. Anibal Sanchez heads to the mound today as the Nationals are 3-0 to the UNDER in his previous three starts, while Washington has not scored more than three runs in any of his past three outings.

Matchup to watch: Dodgers vs. Cubs

These two powerhouses have hooked up in two of the last three National League Championship Series as they continue their series at Wrigley Field. The Cubs jumped out to an early 6-0 lead after two innings in Tuesday’s 7-2 rout of the Dodgers to improved to 8-2 in the last 10 games. Jose Quintana shut down the Dodgers’ bats by tossing seven innings and allowing two earned runs to pick up his third victory of the season.


The Cubs turn to another southpaw tonight as Cole Hamels seeks his fourth win after a shaky start against Texas to begin the season. Hamels hasn’t walked a batter in his last three starts, while giving up only three earned runs in 21 innings of work, including seven scoreless innings against the Marlins last Wednesday in a 6-0 victory.

Wade Buehler counters for Los Angeles seeking consistency as the young right-hander has given up five earned runs in two starts, but has allowed one run in two other outings. Buehler pitched into the seventh inning of last Wednesday’s 3-2 home victory over the Reds as he struck out eight and allowed three hits and one unearned run. The Dodgers’ offense has scored a total of seven runs in the last four games at Wrigley Field, while three of those games have gone UNDER the total.

Betcha didn’t know: Justin Verlander is making his second home start of the season as the Astros finish off their series with the Twins. Last season, the Astros lost nine times as a favorite of -200 or more at Minute Maid Park when Verlander took the mound. The former Cy Young winner and MVP faces a Minnesota team that is 6-1 off a loss this season, while Twins’ right-hander Kohl Stewart returns to his hometown of Houston for his first start of 2019.

You can reach Kevin Rogers via e-mail at rogers@vegasinsider.com

Kevin Rogers can be followed on Twitter at virogers.

Mlb News

VegasInsider Staff

VegasInsider Staff

More from VegasInsider Staff
•