MLB viewing guide: Wednesday schedule spotlight
The best of the day’s match-ups from around the league, featuring Max Scherzer, Shelby Miller, and more.
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
15-May | Max Scherzer (5-0), 3.61 ERA, 1.89 FIP | Dallas Keuchel (0-1), 4.43 ERA, 5.65 FIP | 1:08 pm ET | MLB Network, CSN, FOX Sports-Detroit |
In just their 40th game of the season on Tuesday night, the Astros hit the 400-strikeout mark when Carlos Pena took a called strike three to end the 6-2 loss. The record-setting 2010 Diamondbacks had 27 fewer whiffs through 40 games, and with the man who finished second in baseball in strikeouts last year on the mound against them, the Astros will probably put even more distance between themselves and Arizona's '10 pace. Since their last series victory on April 24th, the Astros have gone 3-16, falling to a .250 winning percentage, equal to the infamous 120-loss '62 Mets.
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
15-May | Ramon Ortiz (0-1), 3.24 ERA, 4.45 FIP | Ryan Vogelsong (1-3), 7.78 ERA, 5.40 FIP | 7:07 pm ET | CSBA, RSN |
There is something to be said about Ramon Ortiz's resiliency. It took him until age 26 to reach the majors with the Angels in '99, and even though he gave up a lot of dingers while pitching mediocre-to-poor baseball, he got a World Series ring in '02 and stuck around the pros through the '07 season. Having only started 10 of 38 games in '07, Ortiz moved to Japan for a year, and then tried to return stateside in '08 only to end up on the Giants' Triple-A Fresno team for the duration of '09.
Two-and-a-half years after his last appearance, Ortiz cracked the Dodgers' Opening Day roster in '10, only to be cut due to performance in May. He spent the next two seasons floating around the Mets, Rays, Cubs, and Yankees organizations with only 22 second-half games with the '11 Cubs to show for it. Thanks to Toronto's injuries however, the soon-to-be 40-year-old is back in the bigs after another yearlong hiatus, and tonight he faces another starter with a nomadic backstory in Vogelsong. Ortiz will not go down in the record books for a fantastic career, but his consistent determination to return to the majors and subsequent success (twice) is worth a tip of the hat.
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
15-May | David Price (1-3), 4.78 ERA, 4.02 FIP | Jon Lester (5-0), 2.73 ERA, 3.26 FIP | 7:10 pm ET | ESPN, NESN, Sun Sports |
After one-hitting the Blue Jays in his last start to move to 5-0, Lester takes on the same Rays team that he threw seven innings of one-run ball against at Fenway on April 13th. Price opposed him that day as well, and he allowed one run on four hits in six innings with eight strikeouts, one of his better starts of the young season. Neither pitcher got a decision on April 13th; will this be another pitchers’ duel decided by the bullpens?
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
15-May | Shelby Miller (5-2), 1.58 ERA, 2.42 FIP | Shaun Marcum (0-3), 8.59 ERA, 4.17 FIP | 8:15 pm ET | SNY, FOX Sports-Midwest |
It's too bad that we won't get a Miller vs. Matt Harvey duel anytime soon. Miller starts are proving to be just as exciting as Harvey starts this year: he shut out the Rockies on just one hit with 13 strikeouts in his last outing. What can he do for an encore against a mediocre offense in front of his home fans again? Marcum's .434 BABIP and 59 percent strand rate scream for some kind of improvement to his season numbers, but he won't be doing himself any favors by walking 3.7 men per nine innings.
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
15-May | Zack Greinke (1-0), 1.59 ERA, 1.78 FIP | Ross Detwiler (2-3), 2.53 ERA, 3.55 FIP | 10:10 pm ET | MASN, PRIME |
One thing finally went right for Dodger fans this year -- Greinke returns from his broken collarbone a month ahead of schedule tonight at Dodger Stadium. His team is in last place and in desperate need of strong starting pitching. Will he be healthy enough to deliver against one of the best teams in baseball? Greinke would obviously benefit from another missed game by Bryce Harper, who barreled into the wall on Monday night and felt too nauseous to play on Tuesday.
