Five To Follow MLB Betting: Tuesday, May 19, 2015 Opening Line Report

by Alan Matthews - 5/18/2015

Pretty gutsy move, one that I don't understand why ownership would approve of, in Marlins general manager Dan Jennings naming himself to replace Manager Mike Redmond, whom Jennings fired on Sunday. The Marlins were only 16-22 under Redmond. If it sounds familiar that the franchise would can a manager after only 38 games, it should. In 2003, the Marlins fired Jeff Torborg after 38 games. The team won the World Series that season under replacement Jack McKeon. Jennings has no big-league coaching experience. He did coach at Davidson High School in Mobile, Ala. I coached Little League for a while. Maybe I should have applied.

Yankees at Nationals (-146, 7.5)

Potential World Series preview here as the Yankees lead the AL East and the Nationals are right behind the Mets in the NL East. Washington will win that division unless the Mets add a big bat. Will the Nats have Jayson Werth for this game or series? He hasn't played since May 15 due to a wrist injury and was to have an MRI on Monday. Werth is hitting .208 with two homers and 12 RBIs. It's Nathan Eovaldi (3-1, 4.14) for New York. The Bombers had won four straight of his starts, but they lost his most recent one when Eovaldi allowed four runs and six hits over 7.1 innings at the Rays. Werth is 6-for-16 with three RBIs off him. Ryan Zimmerman is 3-for-8 with two homers and eight RBIs. Lefty Gio Gonzalez (3-2, 4.25) starts for Washington. He is 1-5 with a 6.75 ERA against the Yanks in his career. Mark Teixeira is 5-for-16 with two doubles and a homer off Gonzalez.

Key trends: New York is 5-1 in its past six against lefties. It is 1-5 in its past six against teams with a winning record. The Nats are 5-0 in Gonzalez's past five vs. teams with a winning record. The "over/under" hasn't gone over in his past seven Tuesday starts.

Early lean: Nationals and under. Presumably no A-Rod in the lineup for Yankees with no DH.

Rangers at Red Sox (-134, 8.5)

Texas manager Jeff Banister has said there are no more clearly defined roles in his bullpen, presumably meaning that closer Neftali Feliz has been demoted. He is 1-2 with a six saves but three blown saves and a 5.51 ERA. So we will have to see who might pitch the bottom of the ninth here if Yovani Gallardo (3-5, 3.94) can get Texas the lead. The Rangers had lost his past four starts before Gallardo allowed two runs over seven innings on May 13 vs. the Royals. Pablo Sandoval is only 4-for-21 with five strikeouts against him. It's lefty Wade Miley (2-4, 5.60) for Boston. He had his best outing as a Red Sox last time out, shutting out Oakland on five hits over 6.2 innings. Not many Rangers have faced him. Adrian Beltre is 0-for-3 with three strikeouts.

Key trends: Texas is 0-4 in its past four road games vs. teams with a losing record. The Sox are 2-5 in their past seven after an off day. The under is 4-1 in Miley's past five starts.

Early lean: Red Sox and over.

Brewers at Tigers (-160, 8)

Just about nothing has gone right for Milwaukee this season, but the team appeared to avoid disaster on Sunday when Carlos Gomez left after getting hit in the head with a 97-mph fastball against the Mets. Gomez was able to walk off the field under his own power and doesn't have a concussion. Minor miracle. Anibal Sanchez (3-4, 4.76) starts for the Tigers. He was very good last time out, allowing a run and five hits over eight innings vs. the Twins. Gerardo Parra is 8-for-14 with two doubles and two RBIs off him. Gomez, if he plays, is 2-for-3. Young Jimmy Nelson (1-4, 4.22) of the Brewers has really struggled on the road this season, going 0-2 with a 7.07 ERA in three starts. In his past two starts overall, he has allowed five homers. Nelson has never faced the Tigers.

Key trends: The Brewers are 2-10 in Nelson's past 12 overall. The Tigers are 2-5 in Sanchez's past seven following a quality start. The under is 12-1 in Detroit's past 13 on Tuesday.

Early lean: Tigers on runline and over.

Phillies at Rockies (-116, 10.5)

Colorado may have to put outfielder Corey Dickerson on the disabled list. He is dealing with plantar fasciitis. He aggravated the problem in his left foot while running in the outfield Saturday night. Dickerson is hitting .312 with five home runs and 16 RBIs in 109 at-bats. So that's possibly one fewer good bat for Phillies starter Aaron Harang (4-3, 2.03) to deal with on Tuesday. He shut out Pittsburgh over eight innings on five hits last time out. Troy Tulowitzki has faced him more than any other Rockies batter, going 6-for-23 with a homer and 10 RBIs. Chad Bettis starts for Colorado. He made his season debut on May 14 at the Dodgers and allowed four runs and seven hits over five innings. The Phillies' Carlos Ruiz is 3-for-3 off him career, all singles.

Key trends: The Phillies are 1-6 in their past seven Tuesday games. Colorado is 1-10 in its past 11 in Game 2 of a series. The under is 3-0-2 in Harang's past five starts.

Early lean: Phillies and over.

Cubs at Padres (-123, 6.5)

The Cubs expect to have rookie star Kris Bryant back in the lineup after he left Sunday's game with an illness. He has a hit in seven straight games. The Padres believe that outfielder/first baseman Wil Myers will be back on Tuesday. He hasn't played since May 10 with wrist tendinitis. Myers is hitting .291 with five homers and 19 RBIs. Jason Hammel (3-1, 3.11) gets the start for the Cubs. He held the Mets to a run and five hits over eight innings in his last start. He lost to the Padres on April 17, allowing four runs in 6.1 innings. Justin Upton is 8-for-32 with two homers and eight RBIs against Hammel. Will Venable only 1-for-17. James Shields (5-0, 3.91) became the first Padres pitcher to start a season with a 5-0 record since 2007 when he defeated Seattle his last time out. He won at the Cubs opposite Hammel on April 17, allowing three earned over six innings. Bryant was 0-for-3 with three strikeouts off him.

Key trends: The Cubs are 7-1 in its past eight series openers. They are 6-1 in Hammel's past seven series openers. the over is 8-1 in San Diego's past nine vs. teams with a winning record.

Early lean: Padres and over.

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