The Top 3 MLB Games On Monday, May 16

With no NBA or NHL playoff action to bet on, take a look at these three games

PITCHER’S DUEL INCOMING?

The Dodgers are arguably the best team in baseball and they’re eight games above .500 without fully clicking offensively. Tony Gonsolin (3-0, 1.33 ERA) has been simply sensational for Los Angeles, allowing just 16 hits and 4 earned runs in 27.0 innings pitched to this point (1.09 WHIP). While Gonsolin usually doesn’t pitch deep into games (between 62-84 pitches in each of his 6 outings), he’s allowed 2 or fewer earned runs in every start and 0 earned in 3 of them. Current Diamondbacks hitters have a terrible slash line of .141/.210/.188 against Gonsolin in 79 at-bats and they’ve collectively had five extra-base hits against him (no HR).

Madison Bumgarner (2-1, 1.78 ERA) has been brilliant for the D-Backs this year. The 32-year-old lefty has allowed 2 or fewer runs in all 7 of his starts (0 or 1 runs in 6 of the 7). He’s allowed 22 hits and 6 earned runs in 30.1 innings pitched. Active Dodgers hitters have managed a .187/.288/.392 slash line against Bumgarner, but have hit 12 home runs in 212 at-bats against him, including 4 from Justin Turner. While Los Angeles’ lineup can explode on any given night, it’s difficult to project a high total with these two guys on the mound right now.

WILL SENZATELA’S BAD LUCK CONTINUE?

Colorado Rockies starter Antonio Senzatela is 2-2 with a 4.88 ERA. However, those numbers don't tell the complete story of how he's performed so far. In 27.2 innings pitched, he’s given up 47 hits. That’s right: 47. Not a typo. With just 8 strikeouts and 7 walks, Senzatela pitches to contact (ineffectively), and is tied with teammate Kyle Freeland for the MLB’s worst mark. Despite his extremely low 6.2% strikeout rate, Senzatela has allowed an absurd .405 BABIP (batting average against on balls in play), which indicates he’s been extremely unlucky, especially since other batted ball metrics against him have looked similar to his previous seasons. This essentially means that opposing hitters are finding holes consistently and at some point, some positive regression will occur for the right-hander.

Good luck may have to wait for Senzatela, though, since this matchup against the Giants will be at hitter-friendly Coors Field. Giants sluggers Brandon Belt and Joc Pederson will be licking their chops to step up to the plate in Colorado’s thin air.

CAN THE BOMBERS KEEP IT GOING?

The Yankees have won 18 of their last 21 games and have outscored their opponents 128-61 in that span. They swept their last three-game set against the Orioles at the beginning of that run and won each game by at least three runs, but Baltimore won two out of three against them in a previous three-game set in April.

The Yankees have won all six games that Luis Severino (2-0, 4.08 ERA) has started this season, including one against this Orioles team back on April 26th, but it’s clear that he still has some work to do before returning to the type of ace he was before his injury. He’s allowed 10 ER in his last 15.2 innings (3 starts). Regardless, he’s been getting plenty of support from this dominant Bronx Bombers lineup.