MLB Picks and Predictions for Tuesday
Our team of writers and handicappers hand out their MLB picks and predictions for Tuesday, May 12.
San Diego Padres at Chicago Cubs, 8:05PM ET
Despite persistent offseason rumors that he was headed to the Chicago Cubs, Jake Peavy remained with the San Diego Padres.
In his first meeting against the team that attempted to acquire him, Peavy will try to help the Padres avoid a ninth straight road loss as they open a three-game series Tuesday night in Chicago.
Despite a 2.85 ERA that ranked third in the National League, the 2007 NL Cy Young Award winner was 10-11 last season as San Diego finished 63-99 - its worst season since a 101-loss campaign in 1993.
Talk of a trade picked up steam in December with the Padres looking to dump the right-hander's $11 million salary off their 2009 books, and the Cubs coming off another disappointing playoff defeat that extended their world championship drought to 101 years.
Those rumors continued on and off into spring training, but a deal never materialized.
MLB Free Pick: Chicago | Best Line: -140 SPORTSBETTING
New York Yankees at Toronto Blue Jays, 7:07PM ET
Roy Halladay and A.J. Burnett formed a dominant 1-2 punch at the top of Toronto's rotation from 2006-08, but they could never lead the Blue Jays to the playoffs.
With Burnett gone to the Bronx and an unheralded group of starters pitching behind Halladay, the Blue Jays now surprisingly find themselves atop the AL East.
The New York Yankees, meanwhile, will simply be looking to climb back to .500 when Burnett makes his first start against his former team Tuesday night in Toronto, where Halladay will also be on the hill when the clubs open a three-game set.
The two right-handers combined to win 90 games over the past three years for the Blue Jays, but an inconsistent offense and an ultra-competitive division kept Toronto out of the postseason despite three straight winning seasons.
After going 18-10 with a 4.07 ERA and 231 strikeouts in 2008, Burnett opted out of his contract and signed a five-year, $82.5 million deal with the Yankees - a move unlikely to make him very popular at Rogers Centre on Tuesday.
MLB Free Pick: Toronto | Best Line: -135 SPORTSBETTING
St. Louis Cardinals at Pittsburgh Pirates, 7:05PM ET
The excellent pitching that helped the Pittsburgh Pirates get off to a fast start has taken a drastic turn for the worse, and their offense is struggling more and more to score runs.
When Albert Pujols has faced the Pirates, run production hasn't been an issue.
Pujols has feasted on Pittsburgh more than any other team's pitching, a trend he hopes to continue Tuesday night when the St. Louis Cardinals open a three-game set at PNC Park looking to deal the Pirates a ninth straight loss.
With a major league-best 2.97 ERA three weeks into the season, Pittsburgh (12-19) won 11 of its first 18 games to jump out to its best start since 2002. The Pirates, though, have since dropped 12 of 13 to fall from second place in the NL Central - just behind the Cardinals (20-12) - to sole possession of the cellar.
Pittsburgh has averaged 3.0 runs over those 13 games and lost its eighth straight on Sunday, wrapping up a five-game road trip with an 8-4 loss in New York. The Pirates have hit .212 during the losing streak.
MLB Free Pick: Pittsburgh | Best Line: +110 SPORTSBETTING
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