If I had any Pirates gear, I would be in mid-burn after their bullpen blew a sure runline cover this afternoon. Can't end the day like that. Oakland's Alex Wood has been one of the worst pitchers in the American League at 0-2 with a 7.89 ERA and 2.03 WHIP. Aaron Judge has not faced him, but it sure feels like a guy Judge would take deep (if Judge is healthy that is). New York's Nestor Cortes has not allowed an earned run in two home starts spanning 15 innings.

Nestor Cortes Jr. has logged at least seven innings in two of his last three starts. Both of those games came at home, where he had a 1.18 WHIP last year. On the road, he had a 1.35 WHIP. This is a great spot for him to give the Yankees some length again, given that the Athletics have the third-worst OPS in baseball. The Athletics will also likely be without their best hitter Zack Gelof (oblique), who might land on the injured list.

Beena few days since he hit one to the second deck but Alex Wood will give him a chance to duplicate that tonight. The Bronx crowd is loving on Soto every chance it gets and he has two bombs in 17 career ABs against this struggling starter and I smell a pullside HR over the short porch in left. Lefties have a 1.057 OPS vs Wood who is getting smoked but allowing just 3 HRs thus far ... But he ain't in that huge park in Oakland tonight.

Nestor Cortes looks healthy and is coming off of arguably his best start since the 2022 season after racking up 9 Ks over 7 IP against the Rays. It's been a while since Cortes has put together two quality starts back to back and ultimately I believe this line is an overreaction and should be 6.5.

The A's can be plucky when Sears or Blackburn are starting, but notsomuch against an opponent this good on the road with anyone else. And especially not Alex Wood and his ERA approaching 8.00 while walking 11 in 21 1/3 IP. He can't go more than 5 innings and will have big problems with lefty power bats like Soto.