You will hear me grunt and groan about this, but I have just two weeks until I return to my day job.
The summer is quickly leaving us, which for heat and temperature sake, I am glad. But that also means school is starting soon.
It also means football is upon us. It also means there is about one month left of normalcy in the major leagues. Once the trade deadline and September roll around, the MLB landscape changes.
But for now, things are quiet, so let’s dive into today’s 13-game slate.
There are some rain concerns in a couple of games, specifically Boston at Baltimore and Pittsburgh at Cleveland.
Now, I love both the Red Sox and Indians today, but I am leaving them off of today’s Stacks because we don’t know exactly how the weather is going to pan out. Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez are two of the top plays for me if that game looks good to go.
Let’s check out today’s Stacks. Good luck tonight!
GAME STACK – Oakland Athletics @ Texas Rangers
Athletics
1. Chad Pinder
2. Josh Phegley
3. Khris Davis
Rangers
1. Adrian Beltre
2. Elvis Andrus
3. Jurickson Profar
4. Robinson Chirinos
Analysis: Speaking of weather, it’s balls hot in Texas. Temperatures have been well over 100 degrees this past week and today won’t be any better. The Rangers, who are sellers at the deadline, are still trying to piece something together this season. They draw lefty Brett Anderson, who has allowed a .422 wOBA and 1.50 HR/9 rate this season against RH bats. Beltre and Andrus have BvP against Anderson, going a combined 13-for-38 with a double, 2 HRs, and 9 walks. Andrus is on a tear with 6 hits in his past four. Profar is the top bat against LH pitching on this team. Chirinos a lefty killer. As for the A’s, we get the ultimate BvP against Cole Hamels – Chad Pinder, assuming he’s in the lineup, is 7-for-8 with 3 doubles, 3 home runs and 2 walks. That is pure ownage. K-Davis has 3 bombs in 16 Abs to go with 5 walks. Phegley is my boy and a cheaper catcher option even if he comes in at $3,400 today.
