Free MLB Picks for Wednesday, June 19, 2019

The New York Yankees have some major question marks in the rotation due to injuries, yet allowed the Atlanta Braves to outbid them for Dallas Keuchel. Maybe the Yankees have decided to just try and bash opponents into submission with their power-laden lineup. Over the weekend, the team traded for Mariners slugger Edwin Encarnacion, the American League home run leader, and now will be able to slot him into a lineup with Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, which is just ridiculous. Judge remains out with an oblique injury but has been rehabbing in the minors and should return sometime this week. Stanton, meanwhile, was activated from the injured list and returned Tuesday (if that game was played with some lousy weather in the area). Manager Aaron Boone plans to use Encarnacion largely as the DH but occasionally at first if Boone wants Stanton to DH - the more Stanton plays the field, the more likely he's going to get injured. Encarnacion has seven consecutive 30-homer seasons entering this year, the longest active streak in the majors.

Rays at Yankees (-+103, 8.5)

MLB Network game at 1:05 p.m. ET and matchup of former Cy Young-winning southpaws. It's Blake Snell (4-5, 3.70) for Tampa Bay. He was a bit wild last time out, allowing four runs and five hits while walking four in just 3.1 innings vs. the Angels, although the Rays would rally to win. Snell is 0-1 with a 2.31 ERA in two starts this year against New York. Stanton is 2-for-10 with a homer off him. Gary Sanchez has three bombs in 14 at-bats. The Yankees' CC Sabathia (3-4, 4.42) tries a fourth time for career win No. 250 - the Bombers have lost his past three with Sabathia giving up 13 runs and 24 hits. He doesn't have a decision in two starts this year vs. Tampa Bay with a 2.45 ERA. Kevin Kiermaier is 5-for-16 with two homers against him.

Key trends: The Yankees are 5-1 in Sabathia's past six at home vs. Tampa Bay. The "over/under" has gone under in four of Snell's past six in the Bronx.

Early lean: Yankees and under.

Mets at Braves (-137, 10)

MLB Network game at 7:20 p.m. ET. New York lefty Steven Matz (5-4, 3.93) took a no-decision Friday against the Cardinals in allowing three earned over six - Matz's fifth straight start going exactly six innings (3.90 ERA in that stretch). Matz won in Atlanta on April 11 (6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER). Ronald Acuna Jr. is 2-for-3 with a triple and RBI off him. Braves lefty Max Fried (7-3, 4.11) gets some of the best run support in MLB at an average of 7.14 per game this year. He has had three straight no-decisions, all Atlanta wins. Fried has a 7.52 ERA over his past four outings and hasn't seen the Mets in 2019. Juan Lagares is 2-for-4 off him.

Key trends: The Mets are 6-2 in Matz's past eight vs. the Braves. The over is 5-1-1 in Fried's past seven at home.

Early lean: Mets and over.

Orioles at A's (-260, 9.5)

A 3:37 p.m. ET first pitch. The Orioles have made a change to their rotation, demoting David Hess, who has been one of the worst pitchers in the majors this year, to the bullpen and shifting 24-year-old lefty Josh Rogers to a starting role. He was one of three pitchers acquired last year from the Yankees in the Zach Britton trade. Rogers made three big-league starts last year with Baltimore and was 1-2 with an 8.49 ERA. He has made two relief appearances in 2019 and has a 7.88 ERA. Maybe he's just not very good considering Rogers had a 2-6 record and 8.51 ERA in 11 Triple-A starts earlier this year. Oakland's Khris Davis is 2-for-2 off him with two homers. The A's go with Chris Bassitt (3-3, 3.68). He has lost back-to-back starts and failed to last six innings in either. Bassitt is 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA in two career starts against Baltimore.

Key trends: The A's are 2-7 in Bassitt's past nine at home vs. teams with a losing record. The over is 4-1 in his previous five against clubs with a losing record.

Early lean: A's on runline and over.

White Sox at Cubs (-130, TBA)

The Pale Hose lose the DH for this interleague matchup. Young White Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito (10-1, 2.22) was the AL Pitcher of the Month for May and he might be on the way to winning the award again for June. He allowed a run over six innings in beating the Yankees last time out, his only run allowed in three June starts. Giolito has a 0.94 ERA during an eight-start win streak. The Cubs' Javier Baez is 2-for-6 with a homer off him. Cubs lefty Jon Lester (5-5, 4.08) was spotted an early 3-0 lead Thursday at the Dodgers but couldn't hold it as he allowed six runs and nine hits (three homers) over five innings. In 17 career games against the White Sox, Lester is 9-6 with a 4.13 ERA. Jose Abreu is 6-for-15 with a homer off Lester.

Key trends: The Cubs are 6-1 in Lester's past seven vs. the AL. The under is 7-1 in Giolito's past eight.

Early lean: Cubs (and probably under barring the wind blowing out).

Giants at Dodgers (-215, 8.5)

ESPN late-night game. Giants lefty Drew Pomeranz (2-6, 6.43) won for the first time since April 24 on Friday, allowing two unearned runs over five innings vs. the Brewers - his second straight outing not allowing an earned run. Pomeranz credits a mechanical adjustment. He has pitched 14 innings this year against the Dodgers and is 0-1 with a 3.21 ERA. Cody Bellinger is 2-for-5 off him with a walk. L.A. lefty Rich Hill (4-1, 2.60) won his third straight start Friday, allowing three earned over seven vs. the Cubs. Hill won in San Francisco on June 8 (5 IP, 2 ER). Buster Posey is 9-for-19 off him with a homer. Brandon Belt 6-for-14 with two doubles and a homer.

Key trends: The Dodgers are 4-1 in Hill's past five at home vs. the Giants and the under is 4-1 in those.

Early lean: Dodgers on runline and under.

Read more articles by Alan Matthews