MLB Daily Picks – FREE pick for September 9th is Cleveland

MLB Daily Picks FREE pick of the day is Cleveland:

Fixture: Kansas City @ Cleveland
Time/Date: 7:05 PM ET, September 9, 2013
Pick: Cleveland
Odds: -101 (1.99 in decimal odds) @ Pinnacle

This will be the first game of 3 game series played in Cleveland. Cleveland is leading the season series 8-5, outscoring Kansas City 64-51.

Cleveland is second in American League Central with 76-66 record. They are currently 2 games behind second wild card spot. Kansas City is 3rd in the same division, 1.5 games behind Cleveland.

Kansas City is American League best team with 32-19 record since the All-Star break, but they are 2-8 in their last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning record.

Ervin Santana will be starting for Kansas City tonight. He is 8-8, 3.33 ERA after 28 starts in 2013. Santana is winless in his last 6 starts, going 0-2, 4.96 ERA during that period. In his last start, 5 days ago in Seattle, he has recorded a no-decision allowing 4 earned runs and not striking out anybody in 3.1 innings of work. Santana is 3-8, 4.10 ERA in 17 career starts against Cleveland. Kansas City is 1-4 in Santana's last 5 starts as a favorite and 1-4 in Santana's last 5 starts.

Cleveland’s pitching staff is ranked 6th in MLB in September with 3.00 ERA, while Kansas City is ranked 20th with 4.38 ERA. Cleveland’s starting rotation has 2.20 ERA in September.

Cleveland is sending out Ubaldo Jimenez, who is 10-9, 3.79 ERA in 27 starts this year. He recorded a win in his last start 6 days ago in Baltimore throwing 6 scoreless innings, while striking out 4. Jiminez had 2 consecutive losses before that despite striking out 10 in both outings. Jimenez settled for a no-decision in a July 4 start against Kansas City He is 3-2, 4.09 ERA in 8 career starts against them. Cleveland is 4-0 in Jimenez's last 4 starts as a home underdog, 5-1 in Jimenez's last 6 starts vs. a team with a winning record, 4-1 in Jimenez's last 5 home starts vs. a team with a winning record and 6-2 in Jimenez's last 8 home starts.

Cleveland is 4-1 in their last 5 overall.

This will be a close game, but Cleveland is 5-0 in last 5 home games against Kansas City and I expect them to win tonight.