MLB Today: Semien Streak Watch, McClanahan to the Hill

On National Cancer Survivors Day, Liam Hendriks earns the win. 💚 pic.twitter.com/i0horEeAl1

— MLB (@MLB) June 4, 2023

There are eight games on the schedule on Monday with division leaders Tampa Bay, Milwaukee and Texas in action. When looking at the MLB picks, the game between the Houston Astros and Toronto Blue Jays has a total of 10, the highest among Monday’s games.

When looking at the MLB predictions, the Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers are tied at +600 in the odds to win the World Series.

Will the Streak Continue?

Texas Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien extended his hitting streak to 23 games with a double in his first at-bat in Sunday’s win over visiting Seattle.

It was the 17th time in the 23 games that he finished with one hit. He has six doubles and a home run among his last 10 hits.

Semien has just one hit in seven at-bats against Adam Wainwright, the projected starting pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday.

Here Comes McClanahan

The series between the Rays and Red Sox got extended by a day as the game rained out on Friday will be played on Monday.

Tampa Bay is set to have Shane McClanahan make his 13th start of the season.

McClanahan suffered his first loss of 2023 the last time out despite allowing two runs in 5⅔ innings. The Vegas MLB  odds list McClanahan among the front-runners in the American League Cy Young Award odds.

McClanahan leads the majors with eight wins, is second among qualified pitchers with a 2.07 ERA and his 82 strikeouts are tied for 11th.

This will be McClanahan’s second start of the season against the Red Sox. He allowed two hits and one run with nine strikeouts in five innings in a 7-2 win by the Rays on April 11. He was 2-0 with a 2.01 ERA versus the Red Sox in 2022.

Prospect Gets the Call

The Cincinnati Reds will turn to 24-year-old lefty Andrew Abbott to start in place of Hunter Greene when they play host to National League Central Division-leading Milwaukee on Monday.

Abbott was a second-round pick out of Virginia in 2021.

Abbott made 10 starts between Class AA Chattanooga and AAA Louisville this season. He has a 4-0 record, an ERA of 2.50 and 90 strikeouts in 54 innings.

When Abbott makes his MLB debut, he will become the 12th different Cincinnati pitcher to start a game this season and fourth hurler for the Reds to make their MLB debut this season.

Pirates Streaking Again

Just when it looked like the Pittsburgh Pirates were coming down to earth after a surprising start, they have won five straight games and take the major’s longest active winning streak into the series opener against the Oakland Athletics.

The bullpen allowed two runs in 14⅓ innings in a three-game sweep of St. Louis while Ke’Bryan Hayes is hitting .563 and has a slugging percentage of 1.125 over the last four games.

The MLB betting lines priced the Pirates at +5000 to win the National League Central Division title coming into a season. However, with a win over the A’s and a loss by Milwaukee on Monday, Pittsburgh will move back into first place in the division standings.

Injury Update

Here is a look at the latest on the injury front.

 

Tampa Bay shortstop Wander Franco, who has missed the last two games with a hamstring issue, is questionable for Monday’s matchup with Boston, as is second baseman Brandon Lowe and outfielder Jose Siri. Franco, who is hitting .305 with 21 stolen bases, is among the candidates for the American League Most Valuable Player award according to the sportsbook.

The Red Sox could get outfielder Adam Duvall back later this week. He has been out since April with a fractured wrist.

Milwaukee shortstop Willy Adames isn’t expected to be activated until Thursday as he works his way back from a concussion. Fellow infielders Luis Urias (hamstring) and Andruw Monasterio (head) could return to action on Monday.

San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts is questionable for the game against the Chicago Cubs with a wrist injury while outfielder Rougned Odor is also questionable with a groin injury.

An injury-plagued season continues for Houston second baseman Jose Altuve as he is questionable for Monday’s matchup with Toronto with an oblique injury.

Carlos Hernandez, the probable starter for the Kansas City Royals, is dealing with a thumb injury so keep an eye on his status.

Shortstop Ezequiel Duran and outfielder Leody Tavares are both questionable for the Texas Rangers when they face St. Louis.