Expert Baseball Picks and Previews

Struggling Yankees look to end Red Sox bid for third straight home win The New York Yankees reached the halfway point on pace for 96 victories, but some of their recent showings did not reflect a team holding the best record in the American League. New York attempts to avoid a third straight loss Saturday when they visit the Boston

Reds turn to sizzling RHP Chase Burns against Jared Jones, Pirates A day after the Cincinnati Reds won a game in which they faced reigning National League Cy Young winner Paul Skenes, they’ll send their own Cy Young contender to the mound when Chase Burns takes on the Pirates in Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon. Burns (9-1, 2.00 ERA) enters the

Tigers LHP Framber Valdez gets another shot at former team in Astros Framber Valdez will face his former team for the second time when the host Detroit Tigers face the Houston Astros on Saturday afternoon. Valdez (4-5, 3.91 ERA) spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Astros. The left-hander signed a three-year, $115 million contract with the

Blue Jays RHP Dylan Cease tasked with slowing fast-starting Rangers The Toronto Blue Jays aim to flip the script Saturday afternoon after two similar losses to the visiting Texas Rangers. The Blue Jays fell behind 5-0 on Friday night before coming close with a four-run eighth inning against the bullpen in a 5-4 loss after Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi struck

A’s J.T. Ginn hopes for different result vs. Angels J.T. Ginn will return to the scene of one of the highlights of his starting pitching career on Friday night when the Athletics open a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif. It also was one of the most devastating moments in the 27-year-old right-hander’s career. Ginn went

The Cincinnati Reds visit the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night at PNC Park, with first pitch set for 6:40 PM ET. Cincinnati comes in at 37-42 and fifth in the NL Central, while Pittsburgh is 41-40 and fourth in the division. The Reds have lost three straight, while the Pirates enter on a two-game winning streak after taking control of

The Houston Astros visit the Detroit Tigers on Friday night at Comerica Park, with first pitch set for 6:40 PM ET. Houston comes in at 40-43 and riding a three-game winning streak, while Detroit is 34-47 and has dropped three straight. The Astros are still under .500, but their current form is stronger, and Thursday’s 2-1 win gave them the

The Washington Nationals visit the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, with first pitch set for 7:05 PM ET. Washington comes in at 41-41 and fourth in the NL East, while Baltimore is 38-44 and fourth in the AL East. Both teams enter in poor recent form, but the Nationals have been the better road

The Texas Rangers visit the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night at Rogers Centre, with first pitch set for 7:07 PM ET on CW33. Texas and Toronto both come in at 39-42, which gives this matchup a clear swing-game feel. The Rangers are second in the AL West, while the Blue Jays are third in the AL East and trying