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In the following MLB weekly preview, we have a game breakdown for all 30 teams, pitching rankings and latest IL info to dominate Fantasy Baseball…
Ahh, the smell of the fresh-cut grass. Chalk lines are being drawn, and the pine tar can. . . You know what, screw this long-winded introduction, with the only purpose being to pad my word count so homie can get paid. If you followed my column last season, did you even read about Mans, Ray and I around the metaphorical campfire? Maybe the first time you read my MLB Weekly Preview, but no, you did not. That’s not what YOU paid for when you subscribed to FantasyGuru. So, no more long-winded intros; just the meat and potatoes. Come to the table, fam; dinner is served!
In the following weekly preview, you will find a game breakdown for all 30 MLB teams (including Interleague play), two-start and overall pitching rankings and the latest IL information to help you dominate this week’s matchup and through the entirety of your seasonal league. Plus, new this season: PITCH OR DITCH!
Scroll right to the part of the MLB Weekly Preview you need in just one click!
Below, you will find an interactive table of contents. Simply click on the section of the article you wanna read and boom.. presto… alakazam.
Who Will Hit .400 in 2020?
Are you a glass-half-empty kind of person, or do you ride on the sunnier side of life? For all of us who are not quite sure, we will surely find out this fantasy baseball season. Missing is the 102 games the pandemic has cost us, and with it, the chance for Pete Alonso to best his rookie home run record, Gerrit Cole’s opportunity to reach 20+ wins for the second time in consecutive seasons, and Ronald Acuña’s attempt to capture what alluded him in 2019, 40/40 or even 50/50. All of those marks and counting stats are safe… for now. However, stats based on averages are in play, most notably, batting average. These types of stats are what we care for when it comes to fantasy (the others too – don’t get it twisted – but predictive measures are more desirable).
If someone were to, let’s say, finish the 60-game 2020 season with an above .400 average, it would certainly carry an asterisk like a record being broken under unusual pretenses. Still, a special feat; the likes of which we haven’t seen since 1941 (Ted Williams, .406). That is if you are of the glass-half-full mentality. We are in fantasy baseball, for having a .400 hitter in our lineups will highly strengthen our chances at a fantasy championship in this truncated season. So, who are the candidates? Let’s have a look, shall we?
Top 5 xBA in 2019:
- Cody Bellinger (.323)
- DJ LeMahieu (.322)
- Anthony Rendon (.319)
- Christian Yelich (.313)
- Mike Trout (.311)
Cody Bellinger, Dodgers
Why he could: Leader in xBA, Bellinger cut down his strikeout percentage 7.5% (23.9% – 16.4%), which was a strong contributing factor. Last season, ‘Cody Love’ had the longest run at .400 since Chipper Jones in 2008. For 49 games, Bellinger kept the BA at .400 or above, and his highest 60-game BA was .370. If he maintains a lower K% or even decreases it further, he has a legit shot, especially with the addition of Mookie Betts to an already stacked lineup.
Why he won’t: As stated above, Cody once carried a 23.9% strikeout percentage. As a matter of fact, the mark was 26.6% in his rookie season of 2017, and he averaged 23.3% in five minor league seasons. If the 26.8% O-Swing% (percentage of pitches a batter swings at outside the strike zone) doesn’t lower, or worse yet rises, .400 will be tough.
DJ LeMahieu, Yankees
Why he could: DJ hit .348 in 2016, and his highest 60-game BA was .379 (also in ’16). He hasn’t waned since leaving Coors, posting his second-highest BA in 2019 (.327). His mark of .322 xBA resembled his actual performance, which is a great sign for a baseline. The strikeout rate was top-20 in MLB as well (13.7%). The numbers show he can easily up the average .073 from last year in the games that remain. Also, it remains to be seen if Yankees will be asked to make up the games missed last week. This reduces the game requirement, furthering his chances. Doesn’t help us out though!
Why he won’t: LeMahieu reported to Summer Camp late due to testing positive for COVID-19. He is still behind the eight ball, as evident by his early removal on 7/25 after only five innings. I would imagine the stamina increases, and Aaron Boone did state he removed DJ so he would be fresh for 7/26’s daytime start. However, in this unsure world with a hard-to-predict virus, it’s hard to place your money on .400. To give you an idea, Steamer has DJ at a .285 projected BA for 2020.
Anthony Rendon, Angels
Why he could: Speaking of a solid baseline, Rendon’s xBA in 2019 was the same number as his BA (.319), making him the only batter to do that last season. Could just be a weird coincidence, but what it does show is luck was little involved. He doesn’t strike out much, can take the ball to all fields, and his eye at the plate is second to none. On top of this, he now calls LA his home, which has much better weather than east coast Washington. Further, hitting between Mike Trout (more on him in a bit) and Shohei Ohtani will let the good times roll – ur, em – good pitches continue… apologies, I was having a Cars moment.
Why he won’t: Steamer’s projected 2020 BA – .284; besides that, I have nothing. Stay off the IL, I guess? But he’s been a trooper since coming into the league. He only played 80 games in 2015, but otherwise, he’s averaged 147.6 games/season. Fatigue in the 60-game sprint? Don’t bet on it!
Christian Yelich, Brewers
Why he could: Back-to-back batting titles (.326 & .329), 60-game BA of .365 in 2018, his name is Yelich. He may be the most likely candidate on this list despite having the fourth-highest xBA in 2019. What set him apart in ’19 was his non-discriminatory ability to crush both fastballs (.347) and breaking balls (.380). If he stays healthy over the entirety of the season, he has a real shot.
Why he won’t: Yelich began the season with a stinky 1/22, which dug a bit of a hole. Still early, but unlike normal seasons, that term will quickly lose meaning. The culprit: 9 K, or 39.1% strikeout percentage. This will normalize towards his average of 20.7%, yet, positive regression has less time to take effect this season. Yeli has been reaching for more pitches as his career has progressed, posting a 30.6% O-Swing% in 2019 despite winning the batting title.
Mike Trout, Angels
Why he could: He should have hit for a higher average last season (.291 BA – .311 xBA). Unlike Yelich, Trout doesn’t go fishing much – see what I did there? Damn, I just got booed out da room, haha! For those rumors of him slowing down as he gets older, Trout proved those reports are greatly exaggerated by posting a 17.9% chase rate in 2019, lowest of his career and fourth-lowest in the league. He mixes an excellent cocktail for .400: Doesn’t swing at bad pitches – Crushes the good ones – Makes quality contact. These are the means to hit well over a sustained period of time.
Why he won’t: Trout did bat .291, second-lowest in his career. He also missed an average of 32.7 games over the last three seasons due to injury. He will miss more time with the birth of his first child. While fewer at-bats can be good for the average, time missed can also thwart hot streaks and kill momentum, which is required to hit .400.
DARK HORSE: Luis Arraez, Twins
Why he could: Elite bat-to-ball skills, current batting average (as of 7/29) is .417, 93.3% contact rate (2019), 7.9% strikeout percentage (2019). Shall I go on? He batted .334 in 2019 (326 AB) and had a 60-game stretch of .340. Moved up to seventh in the batting order after starting the previous two in the nine-hole. There is even talk – in both directions – of Arraez batting leadoff. If the Twins were to make this move (update, they did on 7/29), Arraez would see so many more quality pitches, as well as more at-bats, due to the superior lineup behind him.
Why he won’t: His .312 projected batting average for 2020, while highest according to Steamer, is far from .400. However, if he falls between .312 and .417, a batting title is attainable. And to the lineup position point above, a move to leadoff puts undue pressure on the 23-year-old second baseman, and more ABs is not necessarily a good thing when hunting .400 or a batting title. Keeping him at nine, batting before Max Kepler, would be better for his chances. While his swing reminds me of a young Tony Gwynn, at 23, Mr. Padre only batted .309.
As always, if there are any requests for information I can provide or a player/team you would like me to cover in this section of the MLB Weekly Preview, drop a line in our VIP Chat Room or hit me up on Twitter, @Rob_Povia.
MLB GAME BREAKDOWN GRID
![MLB Game Breakdown Grid for the week of August 3 – 9, 2020 | MLB Weekly Preview](https://www.fantasyguru.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/MLB-GAME-BREAKDOWN-GRID-8-1.jpg)
As you can see in the grid above, 13 of the 30 teams play fewer than seven games. It’s imperative to pay attention to the schedule when setting your weekly lineups.
Ladies and gentlemen, we will get to see our Phillies and Marlins players play baseball this week! Orioles will host the return of Miami for a rescheduled series beginning Tuesday at Camden Yards. Marlins’ healthy players will come to Baltimore to begin a run of four games in three days — one of which will be a seven-inning doubleheader. Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun discusses the details and concerns (or lack thereof). Philadelphia will resume their play with the original home-and-home series versus the New York Yankees, which was postponed last week due to the outbreak. The four games run from 8/3 – 8/6 and begin with a two-game set in the Bronx. Yankees were scheduled to play Tampa Bay on 8/6, and this game is being shifted to 8/8 as part of a seven-inning doubleheader.
The result: Yankees get eight games this week! You know what to do. Jam those Damn Yankees into your lineup. After a slow start, Gio Urshela has been warming up recently (3/17, 4 R, 2B, HR, 3 BB, 1 K – last 7). Good week to swoop him up in case an impatient owner dropped him due to short season. He is down to 89% (-2.4% from prev. week) owned on Fantrax.
WEEKLY INTERLEAGUE OUTLOOK
![A table of MLB interleague games for the week of August 3 – 9, 2020 | MLB Weekly Preview](https://www.fantasyguru.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/INTERLEAGUE-OUTLOOK-8-1.jpg)
For (at least) the 2020 season, every game will see a designated hitter with the universal DH rule. As a result, this section of the MLB Weekly Preview loses its regular functionality, but I felt compelled to continue documenting interleague series for informative purposes. #KnowledgeIsPower
What are your thoughts about the new universal DH rule? Should MLB consider adopting it on a permanent basis? Or is it merely fodder for the unusual 2020 season? Let us know your thoughts in the chat room or on Twitter, @FantasyGuruSite.
*Rivalry Series: Battle of the Beltways (BAL@WSH), Battle of Ohio (home-and-home) – Will Trevor Bauer face his old tribe? The rainout over the weekend may have made it happen! Update: Bauer will start Game 2 of doubleheader against the Tigers and miss his old tribe. His assignment for Week 3 should be @MIL. And Columbus may have dreams of the Stanley Cup, but all these teams care about is the Ohio Cup. Fiercely fought over, Cleveland is in current possession. Trea Turner, Victor Robles and potentially Juan Soto (see IL Report) owners are excited to get three games against the Baltimore bullpen. TIME TO EAT!
TOP TWO-START PITCHERS
IN ORDER OF PREFERENCE
- Jacob deGrom (@ATL, MIA)
- Gerrit Cole (PHI, @TB)
- Shane Bieber (@CIN, @CHW)
- Jack Flaherty (@DET, CHC)
- Walker Buehler (@SD, SF)
- Charlie Morton (BOS, NYY)
- Chris Paddack (LAD, ARI)
- Jose Berrios (PIT, @KC)
- Lucas Giolito (@MIL, CLE)
- Aaron Nola (@NYY, ATL)
- Brandon Woodruff (CWS, CIN)
- Sonny Gray (CLE, @MIL)
- Kyle Hendricks (KC, @STL)
- Madison Bumgarner (HOU, @SD)
- Lance Lynn (@OAK, LAA)
Mike Soroka (NYM, @PHI)- German Marquez (SF, @SEA)
- Jesus Luzardo (TEX, HOU)!
*An Absolute Two Step Ace Bonanza this week!!!
For a detailed breakdown of more two-start pitchers who may be available on your waiver wire, check out Vlad’s FAAB Values!
STARTING PITCHER RANKINGS FOR AUGUST 3 – 9
![Starting Pitcher Rankings 1 | MLB Weekly Preview](https://www.fantasyguru.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/STARTING-PITCHER-RANKINGS-1-8-1.jpg)
![Starting Pitcher Rankings 2 | MLB Weekly Preview](https://www.fantasyguru.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/STARTING-PITCHER-RANKINGS-2-8-1.jpg)
Pitcher Spotlight
Nate Pearson
Pearson lived up to the hype in his 1st start vs. Washington. His slider is straight filth, and with a fastball topping out at 99 MPH, on the black, at the knees, he definitely ‘belongs here’! With a four-pitch arsenal, Pearson has the makeup to baffle lineups for years to come. If available, swoop up or unload the FAAB truck! But let me not get ahead of myself after one tremendous, five-inning start of two-hit ball. The Nationals, after all, are not the same lineup we once knew with Bryce Harper now in Philly, Rendon in LA, and Juan Soto on his way back, trying to link two consecutive positive COVID tests. Again, I’m going to put a pitcher to the test utilizing Ray Flowers’ ABA (TBA + BB / IP) & SWIP (K-BB/IP) stats.
Ray wrote about Nate Pearson and shares my initial assessment of urgency to own him. He wrote about how you should have drafted him in our Draft Guide for those deeper leagues and dynasties. Pearson was drafted three spots ahead of me in my dynasty league, but I grabbed him two weeks ago in NFBC so I can Save Dat Money. Let’s see if this was a wise decision by examining his minor league statistics:
2019 (A+, AA & AAA): 25 GS, 101.2 IP, 109 TBA, 27 BB, 1.34 ABA, 119 K, .91 SWIP
Verdict: ELITE / Hall of Fame level
2018 (A+): 1 GS, 1.2 IP – season lost to various injuries – oblique, struck by a line drive, broken ulna, struck by lightning; ok, I made that last one up but was just seeing if you were still with me!
2017 (R & A-): 8 GS, 20 IP, 9 TBA, 5 BB, .70 ABA, 26 K, 1.05 SWIP
Verdict: Too small of a sample but further supports 2019 numbers
Yeah, as we expected, the stats support the hype. No surprise. They do bring up an interesting point in terms of our expectations. As I discussed, he has the makeup, pitch arsenal and numbers to be a fantasy star. However, take note of the innings pitched and at what levels. He just topped the century mark in innings last season with three starts for AAA Buffalo, 16 for AA New Hampshire and six for A+ Dunedin. So, that’s only 18 innings of AAA baseball. In a truncated season, inning limits kinda go out the window but a concern, and more concerning for 2021 as he builds up to the 200+ inning pitcher he will become.
Wet behind the ears, he is. Growing pains, there will be. No matter how lights out this kid is! The pains will just be smaller than normal.
Shane Bieber
Cleveland Indians ace pitcher fanned 13 Twins on 7/30, which gave him 27 strikeouts in 2020 – tying Karl Spooner (Dodgers, 1954) for most in the first two starts of a season. Furthermore, the Tribe became the first team since 1901 to have four 10-plus strikeout outings from their pitchers in the first seven games of a season (Bieber x2, Carlos Carrasco (10 K), Zach Plesac (11) and not Mike Clevinger (6) or Aaron Civale (9). Much like Trout’s youth (see Who Will Hit .400 in 2020? above), the reports of the Indians pitching staff’s demise are greatly exaggerated. Civale is most likely owned in your league, but Plesac or even Adam Plutko as a spot starter stream is interesting.
Back to Bieber. He is taking the next step this season and cementing his spot with Max Scherzer, Jacob deGrom and the aforementioned Gerrit Cole. Seven hits in his 14 innings, along with a 27:1 K:BB, will have him in the CY Young conversation if maintained… only 60 games, hmmm. And he’s 25. I would trade the farm for him in dynasty leagues or even in redraft and keeper leagues. Obvious statement? Still, I thought it bears mentioning.
Author’s Note: You may have noticed, either last season or in last week’s article, I spend little to no time on closers or relievers. I’ll explain this as such: In today’s game, due to the way managers handle their bullpen, the RP slot is full of cLOSERS & reLIEverS. I don’t ignore them, but I don’t spend a lot of time on them either. I rely on Ray & Vlad for them haha. I’m a proponent for Ray’s suggestions of SOLDS or have Team Bullpens similar to Team Defenses in football.
MLB WEEKLY PREVIEW | INJURED LIST REPORT
Besides names that may already be listed, here is the latest injury news on a few of your fantasy studs. I will update you early in the week. Initially, there was NO MORE 10-DAY IL FOR PITCHERS, but then COVID-19 hit, and we are back to the 10-day for pitchers… understandably.
Update (8/3, 8:00 PM ET): Mike Soroka had to be helped off the field in the top of the third after coming up lame reacting to a sharp groundball. I watched it live, and it did NOT look good. His right cleat dug into the mound as he reared back to sprint, got caught as he went running forward, and his right leg immediately went limp and drug across the dirt as he tripped and went to the ground. Best case scenario, he strained or even tore a calf muscle. Worst case (and what I think happened), he ruptured his Achilles tendon. Stay tuned for medical word… Confirmed (10:50 PM) Soroka is out for the season with a torn right Achilles tendon. It sucks being right.
As I was typing this, in the same game, Amed Rosario left in the bottom of the third with left quad tightness. He may have pulled something in the top half as he sprinted to third on a base hit that was extended by a two-base error. Jeff McNeil was scratched after BP just prior to the game with back tightness. This game was a bloodbath!
Latest on Ohtani: MRI revealed a strain of the flexor-pronator mass. He will not throw for 4-6 weeks and is day-to-day as DH. This means he will not pitch again in 2020.
Update (8/2, 9:29 PM ET): Shohei Ohtani had another difficult start on 8/2, falling prone again to wildness (5 BB in 1.2 IP). After the game, the young Japanese phenom experienced arm discomfort and was sent for an MRI. Could this be what is wrong with Ohtani? I may examine in next week’s article after we learn more and watching film.
Clayton Kershaw (Back) returned from the IL on 8/2 after being a surprise scratch on Opening Night. All is now right in the world. He’s been steadily progressing and threw 60 pitches in his first of several bullpens while recovering. Dodgers were being cautious and intended on getting Big Kersh right for the sprint of this season. He should be fine moving forward, fingers crossed!
Corey Kluber (Grade 2 Tear of the Teres Major – Right Shoulder) will spend at least a month resting the injury before attempting to resume throwing. He has been placed on the 45-day injured list. While Kluber can be stashed if an IL/deep bench spot is available or an option in your league, his fantasy baseball season is over and can be safely dropped in redraft leagues. That didn’t take long… Cleveland may be the smartest organization in baseball (see Pitcher Spotlight above).
Blue Jays don’t feel closer Ken Giles will miss an extended period of time with his mild forearm strain. GM Ross Atkins said, “We’ll have a much better understanding of his timeline in less than two weeks.” Ten days is 17% of the season – so time is of the essence – and hopefully, the Platelet-Rich Plasma injection can return the closer soon. In the meantime, Anthony Bass is the guy to own for saves in Toronto Buffalo.
Here’s the latest on Howie Kendrick.
Alex Wood (Shoulder Inflammation) was placed on the 10-day injured list back on 7/28. Rest rather than procedure seems to be the course of action by Wood and the ballclub. With a minimum stay on the IL unlikely, expect Dustin May to continue seeing starts in Wood’s absence. He will not resume baseball activities for a week and reevaluate from there.
Juan Soto (Illness) – Soto was cleared 7/29 by MLB to rejoin the team. He needed to finish a 10-day quarantine period mandated by the city of Washington before he could return to the field. That ended Saturday. Immediately jumping in on a sim game while Washington remained idle, he could return to live game action as soon as 8/4 versus the Mets. All depends on how he feels today.
Stras scratched again – Stephen Strasburg remains pain-free in his hand and can toss on flat ground. The 32-year-old has thrown on flat ground twice in the past three days. Manager Dave Martinez said (in reference to lack of an appearance at a sim game), “He threw a little bit today (throwing program). He’s scheduled to throw a bullpen. I don’t know if it’s going to be tomorrow (8/2) or even possibly Tuesday (8/4). So, we will wait and see. He threw the ball again today. It was nice to see. He said he felt nothing. He’s right on schedule to come back here real soon.” Clock’s ticking.
Nick Markakis opts back in for the 2020 season! WTF? Never leave a man behind. . .
Tim Anderson’s (Groin Strain) placement on the 10-day injured list Saturday creates a path to regular starts for rookie second baseman, Nick Madrigal, as Leury Garcia will slide over to short in the meantime. I don’t want to act excited over an injury, but gotta admit, I am. Madrigal is something special and will be a great contributor to our batting average, steals and point totals for years to come! White Sox have yet to provide a concrete timetable for Anderson’s return.
Eduardo Rodriguez (Illness) – Rodriguez and the Red Sox announced his season is over so the 27-year-old can focus on his recovery from myocarditis.
Mitch Keller’s 8/1 start against Chicago was cut short by discomfort on his left side. Keller delivered an awkward curveball where you could plainly see he was dealing with an issue, which prompted the athletic trainer to come out for an examination. Reports state he is day-to-day. Aren’t we all?!
POV SPECIAL – TOP SP STREAM OF THE WEEK
→ Michael Wacha, RH NYM (MIA) – Now a part of the Mets pitching staff, Wacha was building momentum in his career resurrection with a strong Spring Training, Summer Camp and opening start versus Boston (5 IP, 5 H, 1 ER (HR), 1 BB, 4 K, W). However on 8/1, Braves shouted at Wacha, “Fuck yo couch” (4 IP, 7 H, 5 ER (HR), 2 BB, 5 K, L). Makes sense, as Braves could stack a bunch of LHHs against Wacha.
Yet, it wasn’t the lefties who hurt him. Last year, lefties had a sick .232 xISO against Wacha, while the 29-year-old (not as old as you think) only had an 18.7% K rate in rebuttal. However, rediscovering his circle change with pitching coach Jeremy Hefner has helped him regain early-career success against LHHs. Righties Acuña, Ozuna, Swanson and Flowers did the damage, as Wacha’s 89mph Cutter wasn’t moving at all on the night and was virtually placed on a tee in the Atlanta heat. After laboring through the first two innings, where all the runs were scored with two outs and he had trouble closing out frames, the latter two innings were strong, leaving a nice taste in the month despite the early shelling. People won’t see this in the box score, which is why I elaborated.
Going back to the change, the pitch is generating a high number of swings & misses again, especially with the lefties. Wacha currently carries an 11.7% swinging-strike rate (SwStr%), which is similar to his first two years in the league. He will take the balance between his change (87mph) and fourseamer (avg. velo: 94mph; max velo: 97.5mph) against a sadly decimated Miami Marlins. Can you say, bounce-back start?
For more streaming options on the mound AND at the plate, visit Vlad’s FAAB Values!
BvP KING
Top Hitter BvP for the Week (minimum 30 ABs)
- Mookie Betts vs. Kevin Gausman – 8/9 (15/35, 4 XBH, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 4:4 BB:K, .429/.487/.714/1.201)
- Michael Conforto vs. Max Scherzer – 8/4 (10/31, 5 XBH, 4 HR, 5 RBI, .323/.400/.742/1.142)
- Ender Inciarte vs. Tanner Roark – 8/6 (13/31, 4 XBH, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2:3 BB:K, .419/.455/.645/1.100)
- Corey Seager vs. Johnny Cueto – 8/8 (12/34, 4 XBH, 3 HR, 6 RBI, .353/.361/.647/1.008)
- Freddie Freeman vs. Jacob deGrom – 8/3 (15/54, 5 XBH, 3 HR, 6 RBI, .278/.361/.481/.842)
- Elvis Andrus vs. Mike Fiers – 8/6 (9/32, 4 XBH, 3 HR, 6 RBI, .281/.324/.594/.917)
- Charlie Blackmon vs. Johnny Cueto – 8/3 (12/37, 5 XBH, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .324/.342/.514/.856)
- Francisco Lindor vs. Carlos Rodon – 8/8 (9/30, 4 XBH, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .300/.344/.567/.910)
- Yadier Molina vs. Jon Lester – 8/7 (13/39, 4 XBH, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 6:5 BB:K, .300/.344/.567/.910)
PITCH OR DITCH
The key to winning in daily fantasy baseball leagues is determining which starting pitcher should start in your lineup and who should sit on your bench. Or worse yet, which MLB hurler belongs in the land of The Walking Dead (aka waiver wire). Every day, I will update the article with the daily slate of men toeing the rubber. Recommended starts will be marked in Bold Green – sits will be marked in Bold Red – and the “fool’s gold” will be marked in Bold Yellow and should be cast to the waiver wire. Of course, the size of your league matters… that’s what she said! Come back on each day when pitchers are set in stone. If you play in leagues with daily roster locks, you’re going to wanna check back with the MLB Weekly Preview …on the daily!
Sunday, August 9, 2020
(Record, ERA / xFIP / SIERA)
Super Sunday… Lots of green today!!!
Asher Wojciechowski (0-2, 5.40 / 4.21 / 3.89) @ Stephen Strasburg (0-0, -.– / -.– / -.–)
~Stras will have a pitch limit today.
Max Fried (2-0, 2.04 / 3.34 / 3.57) @ Vince Velasquez (0-0, 12.00 / 5.73 / 4.39)
Huascar Ynoa – BP Game (0-0, -.– / -.– / -.–) @ Spencer Howard (0-0, -.– / -.– / -.–)
~Starting the kid from jump street, even against the Braves… he’s that good!
Pablo López (1-0, 0.00 / 0.92 / 0.92) @ Jacob deGrom (1-0, 2.12 / 2.74 / 2.43)
James Paxton (0-1, 13.50 / 4.84 / 4.04) @ Charlie Morton (1-1, 5.52 / 3.76 / 3.45)
Spencer Turnbull (1-0, 2.45 / 3.29 / 3.50) @ Steven Brault (0-0, 7.20 / 5.08 / 6.04)
Matt Shoemaker (0-1, 5.91 / 5.47 / 5.53) @ Nathan Eovaldi (1-1, 3.94 / 3.98 / 3.87)
Jose Berrios (1-1, 4.80 / 4.46 / 4.48) @ Brady Singer (0-1, 4.80 / 3.23 / 3.52)
Sonny Gray (3-0, 0.96 / 1.64 / 2.07) @ Brandon Woodruff (1-1, 2.08 / 2.41 / 2.42)
Andrew Heaney (1-0, 2.35 / 3.54 / 3.79) @ Lance Lynn (1-0, 0.49 / 3.52 / 3.50)
Cristian Javier (1-0, 1.42 / 3.86 / 3.60) @ Jesus Luzardo (0-0, 2.31 / 3.00 / 3.52)
~Houston may be minus George Springer.
Madison Bumgarner (0-2, 7.04 / 6.68 / 5.45) @ Dinelson Lamet (1-0, 1.72 / 4.69 / 4.19)
~MadBum is benched until further notice and until the velo increases (-3 mph).
German Marquez (2-1, 1.89 / 2.69 / 2.96) @ Justus Sheffield (0-0, 5.40 / 3.80 / 3.41)
Kevin Gausman (0-1, 5.27 / 2.79 / 2.91) @ Walker Buehler (0-0, 5.19 / 5.07 / 5.13)
~Buehler’s been behind since Summer Camp and still is, getting by on raw talent while struggling with command. SF tagged Kershaw for seven hits and four earned. Playing it safe, aka Anti-Kenny Rogers play, but if you’re behind coming into Sunday, you kind of have to start Buehler.
Shane Bieber (3-0, 0.83 / 1.23 / 1.52) @ Lucas Giolito (1-1, 5.17 / 3.61 / 4.02)
A socially distanced walk-off celebration for the ages…