PREMIUM
**EARLY** >> Rogers' 10* Afternoon ANNIHILATION!
(MLB) St. Louis vs. Minnesota,
Money Line: -111.00 St. Louis (Away)
Result: Win
Money Line: -111.00 St. Louis (Away)
Result: Win
The set-up: The Minnesota Twins are a sub-.500 team at 18-20, while the St. Louis Cardinals check in at 22-17 as teams close in on the 40-game mark (about 25% of the 162-game schedule). However, when the two teams wrap up a two-game interleague set on Wednesday afternoon in Minnesota at Target Field, the Twins have a chance to complete a season sweep of the Cardinals. Minnesota won 4-1 on Tuesday and has now held St. Louis to a total of just two runs while winning the first three meetings. Minnesota has now won eight of its last 11 after Tuesday's victory, pulling them within a half-game of AL Central leader Cleveland. The Twins snapped out of a brief offensive funk in the series opener after scoring only one run in each of their previous two games (both losses). As for the Cardinals, they have totaled five runs during a three-game skid and managed only two hits in Tuesday's series opener.
The pitching matchup: Miles Mikolas (5-0, 2.51 ERA) gets the start for the Cards and the Twins sill send former Cardinal Lance Lynn (1-3, 7.34 ERA( to the mound to face his ex-teammates. The 29-year-old Mikolas spent the previous three seasons in Japan but is proving he can be an effective big-league starter (that's an understatement). Mikolas allowed one run over 6 2/3 innings of a win at San Diego last time out for his fifth consecutive quality start, after he allowed four ERs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings in his 2018 debut back on April 2. Mikolas has 35 strikeouts and only three walks in 46 2/3 innings in 2018, helping him to an 0.96 WHIP. Lynn spent his last six seasons with the Cardinals, going 72-47 with a 3.38 ERA. Lynn turned down a $17.4 million qualifying offer from St. Louis but didn't land with the Twins, who signed him to a one-year deal, until late in spring training. Lynn has shown better control over his last two starts, walking only two batters after issuing 23 free passes over his first five outings. However, he has only one quality start among his seven outings of 2018 (Twins are 2-5 in his starts).
The pick: Mikolas takes the mound with a 2.51 ERA, an 0.96 WHIP with opponents hitting .233 against him. In stark contrast, Lynn owns a 7.34 ERA, 1.98 WHIP and opponents are batting .312 against him. That hardly seems like a fair fight. Matt Carpenter returned to the St. Louis Cardinals' lineup Tuesday night after getting a few days off to regroup. Now, it's Dexter Fowler's turn to get back on track. Fowler is expected back among St. Louis' starting nine Wednesday. Both he and Carpenter have gotten off to the worst offensive starts of their careers in 2018 but both are "players!" Their return IS good news. Make the Cards a 10* play.
The pitching matchup: Miles Mikolas (5-0, 2.51 ERA) gets the start for the Cards and the Twins sill send former Cardinal Lance Lynn (1-3, 7.34 ERA( to the mound to face his ex-teammates. The 29-year-old Mikolas spent the previous three seasons in Japan but is proving he can be an effective big-league starter (that's an understatement). Mikolas allowed one run over 6 2/3 innings of a win at San Diego last time out for his fifth consecutive quality start, after he allowed four ERs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings in his 2018 debut back on April 2. Mikolas has 35 strikeouts and only three walks in 46 2/3 innings in 2018, helping him to an 0.96 WHIP. Lynn spent his last six seasons with the Cardinals, going 72-47 with a 3.38 ERA. Lynn turned down a $17.4 million qualifying offer from St. Louis but didn't land with the Twins, who signed him to a one-year deal, until late in spring training. Lynn has shown better control over his last two starts, walking only two batters after issuing 23 free passes over his first five outings. However, he has only one quality start among his seven outings of 2018 (Twins are 2-5 in his starts).
The pick: Mikolas takes the mound with a 2.51 ERA, an 0.96 WHIP with opponents hitting .233 against him. In stark contrast, Lynn owns a 7.34 ERA, 1.98 WHIP and opponents are batting .312 against him. That hardly seems like a fair fight. Matt Carpenter returned to the St. Louis Cardinals' lineup Tuesday night after getting a few days off to regroup. Now, it's Dexter Fowler's turn to get back on track. Fowler is expected back among St. Louis' starting nine Wednesday. Both he and Carpenter have gotten off to the worst offensive starts of their careers in 2018 but both are "players!" Their return IS good news. Make the Cards a 10* play.
