MLB viewing guide: Thursday schedule spotlight
Division battles and a potentially Royal sweep in the works.
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
2-May | Ervin Santana (3-1), 2.00 ERA, 3.25 FIP | Roberto Hernandez (1-4), 5.28 ERA, 4.56 FIP | 2:10 pm ET | Sun Sports, FOX Sports-Kansas City |
Just a few years ago, a pitching showdown between Santana and then-Fausto Carmona might have been the best of the day. Alas, it is 2013, and neither pitcher has actually been good in awhile. Santana’s off to a great start in Kansas City, however, where he has limited batters to four homers in 36 innings after giving up an ugly 39 last year. His career HR/9 rate of 1.2 is far below last year’s two per nine, so Santana hopes to prove that his 2012 numbers were an anomaly. The Royals have a chance to sweep the Rays out of town with a victory today, leaving them atop the AL Central and knocking Tampa Bay to four games under .500.
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
2-May | J.A. Happ (2-1), 3.86 ERA, 3.99 FIP | Ryan Dempster (1-2), 3.30 ERA, 3.29 FIP | 7:07 pm ET | NESN, RSN |
The Red Sox are off toa 19-8 start with a +47 run differential, the best in the majors by far -- they’re hoping for more of the same as they look to win another series against the Jays. Desperate for a series win in a season that hasn’t started off like they’d hoped, the Jays call on Happ, who has surprisingly pitched better than anyone on Toronto’s pitching staff.
Photo credit: Leon Halip
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
2-May | Kris Medlen (1-3), 3.26 ERA, 4.21 FIP | Dan Haren (2-3), 6.29 ERA, 5.45 FIP | 7:10 pm ET | MLB Network, MASN, Sports South |
The Nats narrowly avoided falling under .500 again thanks to Jordan Zimmermann's shutout ball yesterday, and they will be hoping for more of the same from Dan Haren. The right-hander has fared poorly in his first few starts with the Nats, but a decent effort against the Reds last time out offers hope. Either way, the Nats need to find a way to win these games against the biggest threat to their division title defense.
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
2-May | Wily Peralta (2-1), 5.02 ERA, 4.60 FIP | Jake Westbrook (1-1), 0.98 ERA, 3.64 FIP | 8:10 pm ET | FOX Sports-Midwest, FOX Sports-Wisconsin |
Westbrook has typically been a slow starter throughout his career, but this is the second straight year he finished April with an ERA below 1.50. He followed up his stellar April last year with a clunker 5.94 ERA and 1.68 WHIP in May, so he’s hoping the calendar turn hasn’t once again drained him of his powers. Peralta’s five April starts this year paled in comparison to the first five of his career last year, as he actually gave up homers and his strikeout rate dipped from 7.1 to 4.7. The Brewers remain confident that the 23-year-old top 100 Prospect will turn it around.
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
2-May | Joe Blanton (0-4), 7.09 ERA, 6.48 FIP | Chris Tillman (1-1), 4.73 ERA, 4.08 FIP | 10:05 pm ET | MASN2, FOX Sports-West |
The Orioles continue their 11-game west coast swing by kicking off a four-game set in Anaheim. It started off so well with three wins in a row at the O.co in Oakland, but three losses in four games to the A's and struggling Mariners will kill any optimism in a hurry. The Angels are in more dire straits than the O's, but a narrow one-run victory last night in Oakland could be the boost that they need to move on from their miserable 9-17 April. Blanton's terrible, so the pitching match-up favors Baltimore, but if the Angels' lineup is clicking as it should, the offense should be able to beat anyone.
