MLB Weekend Preview (Apr. 11-13)

With the working week on its way out, BettingSports.com brings you a preview of this weekend’s Major League Baseball action.

We pick out the best matchups and run the main storylines by you to give you a foot up when it comes to what should be another quality of weekend on the diamond.

Let’s start with baseball’s best rivalry.

Michael Pineda caused a stir in Thursday’s opener between the Red Sox and Yankees.

American League Pick of the Weekend – Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to pick out the must-see matchup of this weekend. Any time the Boston Red Sox (4-6) and New York Yankees (5-5) get together it makes for an explosive series.

The two long-time rivals actually got an early start on their weekend series, with the Yankees earning a 4-1 win at Yankee Stadium on Thursday night. But this morning’s headlines were less about the victory and more about the mysterious ‘dirt’ that could be seen on Yankee pitcher Michael Pineda’s hand through the first four innings. Looks like we’ve got a live one.

The two sides will meet again on Friday night before playing nationally televised games on Saturday (1:05 p.m. ET) and Sunday (8:00 p.m. ET).

Friday night serves up an interesting pitching matchup between C.C. Sabathia (1-1, 7-50 ERA) and Jon Lester (0-2, 2.51 ERA).

Sabathia is looking to bring that ERA down and build on Sunday’s win over the Toronto Blue Jays. Lester is looking to pick up a first win of the season, and hoping for some assistance from his offense, which so far has given him just one run in two games.

All eyes will be on Jacoby Ellsbury, playing against his old club for the first time. He went 1-for-4 with an RBI in Thursday’s game. He’s recorded a hit in six of his last seven games, and his 13 hits on the season are tied for third in the American League.

Chris Johnson and the Atlanta Braves will look to defeat the Washington Nationals.

National League Pick of the Weekend – Washington Nationals at Atlanta Braves

For the second straight weekend the Washington Nationals (7-2) and Atlanta Braves (5-4) will go head-to-head looking to get the better of the other.

The Braves left Nationals Park with a 2-1 advantage last weekend, putting the only two blemishes on Washington’s record as it stands. With action switching to Turner Field, can they do the same this weekend?

With a pitching staff decimated by injury, the Braves are slipping down the baseball futures list and are not expected to compete with the Nationals in the NL East. They proved last weekend though that they can hang with the best.

The Nationals meanwhile will look to build on a three-game sweep of the Miami Marlins, which culminated with a 7-1 victory behind Stephen Strasburg’s 12 strikeouts and Ian Desmond’s grand slam.

Matt Williams’ club has looked sharp so far, but against noticeably weaker opposition (the Marlins and New York Mets). This weekend’s series gives the Nationals are chance to prove they can get it done against a more talented side.

Johnny Cueto will be hoping for a little offensive assistance Friday.

Pitching Matchup of the Weekend – David Price (TB) vs. Johnny Cueto (CIN)

An interleague matchup between the Tampa Bay Rays (5-5) and Cincinnati Reds (3-6) might not have the curb appeal of some of this weekend’s other matchups but Friday’s pitching match should be worth the price of admission.

After earning a win in his first start of the season, David Price (1-0, 4.05 ERA) battled a high fever and allowed four earned runs against the Texas Rangers last Saturday. While the lefty didn’t record a decision, the Rays walked away 5-4 victors. He’ll look to pick up a second ‘W’ and bring that ERA down in the process.

Johnny Cueto (0-1, 1.93 ERA) has been the bright spot on a Reds team that has been disappointing over the first nine games of the season. In two games he’s allowed just three runs on eight hits and has struck out 17 batters. Too bad the Reds offense has given him next to no support. He’ll be hoping that changes this weekend.

Can the Milwaukee Brewers build on their excellent start to the season?

Rapid Roundup

The Milwaukee Brewers (7-2) have been the surprise team through the early part of the season, especially tallying a three-game sweep over the defending champion Red Sox last weekend. The Brew Crew will get a good test this weekend as they host division rivals the Pittsburgh Pirates (6-3), another team that is playing good ball.

After opening the season with the worst start in franchise history, the Arizona Diamondbacks (4-8) have won two straight and are looking to turn the corner. They’ll also look to avenge a pair of losses to the Los Angeles Dodgers (6-4) in Australia when the two rivals meet at Chase Field this weekend.

Another weekend another series between the Oakland Athletics (6-3) and Seattle Mariners (5-3). The two clubs evenly split a four-game set in Oakland last weekend. Now each will look to pick up a majority win over the next three games in Seattle. If current form holds up, these two could be battling all the way into September. The Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels might have something to say about that though.

The Angels (4-5) will host the Mets (4-5) over the weekend in a battle of the two biggest TV markets in the country. It’s a shame they’re not the marquee teams for those markets.

The Rangers (4-5) will host the Houston Astros (4-6). The best thing about this all-Texas matchup should be Friday’s pitching duel between Yu Darvish (1-0, 0.00 ERA) and Scott Feldman (2-0, 0.66 ERA). What’re the odds this turns into a 15-run affair?

Weekend Schedule

American League

Toronto Blue Jays at Baltimore Orioles

Cleveland Indians at Chicago White Sox

Kansas City Royals at Minnesota Twins

Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees

Oakland Athletics at Seattle Mariners

Houston Astros at Texas Rangers

National League

Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks

Washington Nationals at Atlanta Braves

Pittsburgh Pirates at Milwaukee Brewers

Miami Marlins at Philadelphia Phillies

Colorado Rockies at San Francisco Giants

Chicago Cubs at St. Louis Cardinals

Interleague

Tampa Bay Rays at Cincinnati Reds

New York Mets at Los Angeles Angels

Detroit Tigers at San Diego Padres

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