TOM STRYKER’S FREE BASEBALL SELECTION TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6TH
#912 SAN DIEGO with Musgrove (-168) over Arizona with Kelly at 9:40 PM EST
Off three consecutive division blemishes including yesterday’s 5-0 beating by the Diamondbacks, the Padres will respond with a solid performance here. San Diego is clinging to the last spot in the hunt for the NL Wild Card and, with Milwaukee just 2.0-games back, the Friars understand the importance of this home victory.
Right-hander Joe Musgrove will toe the rubber for the home team. With 24 starts in the bank this season, No. 44 has been nicked for only 50 earned runs and 124 hits in 149.1 innings of work. Musgrove struck out 149 and walked 31 on his way to a 9-6 record with a solid 3.01 ERA. Joe’s efforts inside Petco Park are worth noting too. In his own backyard, Musgrove has surrendered only 21 earned runs and 53 hits in 68.2 frames. After the math, that adds up to a 3-3 mark with a respectable 2.75 ERA.
Young righty Merrill Kelly will take the mound for the visitors. So far this year, No. 29 has made 27 starts for the D’Backs and been slapped for 52 earned runs and 134 hits in 164.2 innings. Kelly whiffed 142 and walked 48 on his way to a 12-5 tally with a strong 2.84 ERA. Merrill pitched well in a pair of outings in this series earlier this year. With 10.0 frames completed, Kelly surrendered only one earned run and 10 hits. That equates to a 1-0 tally with a powerful 0.90 ERA.
With both arms capable, the following team trends will help bring this investment home. Arizona has dropped 48 of its last 61 on the division road over the past two years, 151 of its last 229 when priced as an underdog, and 106 of its last 158 when matched up against a foe that owns a team won/loss percentage of .501 or better. On the other side of the field, San Diego has won seven of its last nine at home in this series and five of its last seven after allowing five runs or more previously.
With a three-game set at home against the Dodgers on deck followed by a two-game set on the road against the red-hot Mariners, the Padres will make sure they take care of business against the Diamondbacks tonight. Take San Diego with Musgrove. Thanks and best of luck, Tom.
TOM’S 46-18 MLB GRAND SLAM DIAMOND WAGER
Stryker swept the board again last night cashing with Clemson and the Guardians and he’s back with one more Best Bet that will bring home the cash. Solid pitching supports this money-maker along with one highly profitable team trend that holds an elite 46-18 mark. Grab Tom’s MLB Grand Slam Diamond Wager for $30.