On a day that will feature no shortage of intriguing and impressive starting pitching all around baseball, our first play goes out to Minnesota where an intellectual veteran battles with an emerging youngster. Chris Young takes on Trevor May at Target Field where the posted total sits at 8.5.
Free Pick
Many thought Chris Young’s career was virtually over with his best years in San Diego behind him and arm surgery on the horizon. But the 36-year-old Princeton grad has quietly lengthened his career, pitching effectively for Seattle and now Kansas City. Young has put together a strong start to 2015, posting a 2.56 ERA with a sub-1.00 WHIP. He’s certainly enjoyed pitching at Kauffman Stadium, where his fly ball approach has thrived in the spacious outfield. Young has induced double-digit fly ball outs in his last five starts, three of which came at home and another in Detroit. The ballpark isn’t imperative to Young’s approach, however. He recorded 14 fly balls for outs two weeks ago in Yankee Stadium. He throws in yet another big ballpark within his division tomorrow when he starts his first game against the Twins this season. He did get a win against 
Minnesota in his first outing of the year with two perfect innings out of the bullpen. This time, he hopes to hand the ball over to the bullpen with his team already out in front.
He’s just 25, but Trevor May has shown signs that he could be a good one for years in the Twin Cities, namely in his last outing at Fenway Park. May fired his best start of a young career with seven two-hit innings against Boston, including nine strikeouts and no walks. But really it’s been about a month of momentum building up to this next home start for May. After going six innings just once in his first six starts this year, he’s gone at least that much in his last four. And control seems to be the driving reason behind his success. May has walked just one in those four combined starts, which has kept the pitch count down. If he continues to throw strikes and keeps the Royals’ speed off the bases, there’s no reason he shouldn’t go another six innings on Tuesday. In fact, I like both starters’ chances to pitch well in a game between two teams that prefer to keep the game low scoring.
Free Pick: Under 8.5 (-115)
YTD: 5-4-2 +0.36
2014: 45-28-3 +9.02