The MLB Season continues to wind down as teams fight for playoff spots. Our team of writers and handicappers hand out three picks for Wednesday’s games.
Chicago White Sox (86-70) at Minnesota Twins (85-72)
If the Chicago White Sox plan on putting the AL Central out of reach for the Minnesota Twins, they must find a way to win at the Metrodome.
The White Sox, looking to increase the distance between themselves and the second-place Twins, will try for just their second win in eight games in Minnesota on Wednesday in the middle contest of their three-game series.
Chicago (86-70) and Minnesota (85-72) have vied for the top spot in the AL Central for the better part of the season, and it's likely the current showdown could determine the division champion.
Each team has five regular-season games remaining, and the 2008 series is tied at eight games apiece.
Mark Buehrle is 21-12 with a 3.85 ERA in 36 career games against the Twins, boasting an 8-3 mark in his last 11 outings. However, he is just 1-2 with a 5.79 ERA in three games this year, and yielded four earned runs and eight hits over five innings of a 7-0 loss at Minnesota on July 28.
He'll face Nick Blackburn (10-10, 4.15) as he tries to bounce back from a pair of miserable outings.
The right-hander has compiled a 20.25 ERA and opposing batters have hit .536 against him in losing his last two starts. He was tagged for six runs and six hits in 1 1-3 innings of an 11-1 defeat at Tampa Bay on Friday, falling to 1-4 with a 6.00 ERA over his last eight games.
Pick: Chicago - Best line +105 SBG Global
Los Angeles Angels (97-60) at Seattle Mariners (58-99)
Though the Los Angeles Angels own the best road record in the majors, they would very much like to have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
The AL West champions look to bounce back from a rare defeat away from home on Wednesday night as they continue their four-game series against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field.
Since clinching its fifth postseason berth in seven years nearly two weeks ago, Los Angeles (97-60) has won 10 of 13 games. It is two victories shy of matching the franchise mark of 99, set in 2002 en route to the team's lone World Series championship.
The Angels currently boast baseball's best overall record, as well as the top road mark at 49-29, but halted their five-game winning streak at Seattle with Tuesday's 9-6 loss to the Mariners, who ended a 12-game skid overall.
Felix Hernandez (9-11, 3.38) counters for Seattle, looking to become the team's lone 10-game winner. The Mariners have finished without a pitcher in double-digit wins twice in team history (1981, 2004).
Though the right-hander is 0-3 with a 4.05 ERA over his last four starts, he has received just four runs of support in that stretch. He took a tough-luck loss on Friday, despite limiting Oakland to two runs and six hits, while fanning eight over eight innings of a 2-0 decision.
It was the fourth time Seattle was shut out when he starts.
Hernandez is 3-4 with a 4.74 ERA in 11 career starts against the Angels. He gave up three runs and eight hits over seven innings of a 4-3 road defeat on Sept. 14.
Pick: Seattle - Best line -130 SBG Global
New York Yankees (86-70) at Toronto Blue Jays (83-74)
Now that they've officially been eliminated from postseason contention, motivation might be harder to come by for the New York Yankees, who face A.J. Burnett on Wednesday night when they continue their three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Burnett (18-10, 4.18 ERA) could be making his final start for Toronto (83-74) as he has can opt out of his contract at the end of the year. He looks to add to his career high win total Wednesday against a Yankees team that has been eliminated from the playoffs but one that has won six straight and nine of 11, including Tuesday's 3-1 victory over Toronto.
Despite the win, the Yankees were eliminated from the playoff race with Boston's 5-4 victory over Cleveland, making this the first season the Yankees have failed to make the playoffs since 1993, not including the strike-shortened 1994 season.
The Yankees counter with Phil Hughes (0-4, 7.96).
Hughes is 1-1 with a 4.22 ERA in four starts against the Blue Jays. He pitched six innings against them on April 3 and did not receive a decision after allowing two runs and four hits in a 3-2 loss.
Pick: Toronto - Best line -150 SBG Global