MLB Picks and Predictions for Tuesday
Our team of writers and handicappers hand out their MLB picks and predictions for Tuesday, May 19.
San Francisco Giants at San Diego Padres, 10:05PM ET
The San Diego Padres seek their fourth straight win overall and their fifth in a row at home Tuesday night as they open a three-game series against the NL West rival San Francisco Giants.
The home team has won the first five meetings between these teams this season - a pattern reflective of the Padres' overall performance. San Diego (16-22) has dropped its last 11 road games to fall to a major-league worst 5-16 away from home. Following a winless six-game road trip, the Padres opened their current nine-game homestand with a three-game sweep of Cincinnati to improve to 11-6 at Petco Park.
It was the first sweep for San Diego since taking three games against the visiting Giants from April 10-12.
Kevin Kouzmanoff matched a season high with three hits and hit his second homer of the season Sunday as the Padres finished off their sweep of the Reds with a 3-1 win. Jake Peavy pitched a complete game to give the bullpen some much-needed rest after Saturday night, when San Diego won 6-5 in 16 innings.
MLB Free Pick: San Francisco | Best Line: +125 SPORTSBETTING
Toronto Blue Jays at Boston Red Sox, 8:00PM ET
The Boston Red Sox were bested by upstart Tampa Bay in the AL East race last year.
Early this year, the Red Sox find themselves chasing another surprising front-runner in the Toronto Blue Jays, and the division's top teams meet for the first time Tuesday night in a three-game series at Fenway Park.
Toronto (27-14) boasts the AL's best record and has a 3 1/2-game lead over the Red Sox after a four-game home sweep of Chicago. Alex Rios' go-ahead triple in the eighth inning gave the Blue Jays a 3-2 victory in the series finale Monday.
MLB Free Pick: Toronto | Best Line: +130 SPORTSBETTING
Philadelphia Phillies at Cincinnati Reds, 7:10PM ET
After a tumultuous start to the season, Cole Hamels has begun to pitch like the ace the Philadelphia Phillies expect him to be.
The Cincinnati Reds are starting to count on the same type of production from Johnny Cueto.
Two of the NL's top young pitchers will square off Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game series at Great American Ball Park, where Cueto and the Reds will try to keep Hamels and the Phillies from picking up their fifth straight win.
Hamels' (1-2, 5.04 ERA) injury issues began when he experienced elbow tightness in spring training. They carried over into April, when the World Series MVP suffered a left shoulder contusion followed by a left ankle sprain.
MLB Free Pick: Cincinnati | Best Line: +100 SPORTSBETTING