MLB viewing guide: Wednesday schedule spotlight
Several enticing pitching matchups highlight the day’s action, including Harvey/Latos and Bumgarner/Gio.
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
22-May | Matt Harvey (5-0), 1.55 ERA, 2.22 FIP | Mat Latos (4-0), 2.91 ERA, 3.49 FIP | 1:05 pm ET | MLB Network, SNY, FOX Sports-Ohio |
Harvey starts are quickly turning into sensations equal to last season’s R.A. Dickey’s starts at Citi Field. Today, he’ll face one of his toughest mound opponents to date. It’s likely about as good a match-up as you’ll see this year of pitchers 25 and younger, and thankfully, MLB Network is giving it national coverage.
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
22-May | Madison Bumgarner (4-2), 3.09 ERA, 2.98 FIP | Gio Gonzalez (3-2), 4.01 ERA, 3.98 FIP | 3:45 pm ET | MASN, CSBA |
If Latos/Harvey is the right-handed matchup of the day, Gio/Bumgarner is the lefties' response. After a strong April, Bumgarner has sandwiched two poor starts around one good one against the Braves. He and the Giants pitching staff are fortunate to be catching Bryce Harper in a slump -- the last time the 20-year-old had a multi-hit game was April 27th.and was hitting a mere .143/.271/.286 since that game entering last night.
Photo credit: USA TODAY Sports
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
22-May | Jason Hammel (5-2), 5.72 ERA, 4.84 FIP | Hiroki Kuroda (6-2), 1.99 ERA, 3.19 FIP | 7:05 pm ET | ESPN, YES Network, MASN2 |
Kuroda has been nothing short of spectacular for the Yankees, as he brought both his ERA and his WHIP under two and one, respectively, in eight innings of two-hit, one-walk shutout dominance against the Blue Jays in his most recent outing. He's stepped in as the de facto ace with CC Sabathia still trying to find his form, and the Yankees will need another fine start to get the road series victory at Camden Yards. Hammel has given the Yankees problems before, though, so the Orioles certainly have more than faint hope in their favor. If the pattern of the first two games stays true, the winning team will have numerous solo homers.
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
22-May | Francisco Liriano (2-0), 1.64 ERA, 1.49 FIP | Jeff Samardzija (2-5), 3.49 ERA, 3.37 FIP | 7:05 pm ET | WGN, ROOT Sports |
Speaking of very brief patterns, Liriano has had two nearly identical starts to begin his season. He went 5-1/3 innings, giving up six hits and a run in his Pirate against the Mets debut, and then went 5-2/3 innings giving up six hits and a run against the Brewers in his second start. Logic would seem to dictate that he will go six innings, giving up six hits and a run to the Cubs tonight until he finally reaches a complete game six-hitter about nine starts from now.
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
22-May | Hector Santiago (1-2), 2.78 ERA. 4.43 FIP | Clay Buchholz (6-0). 1.78 ERA, 2.42 FIP FIP | 8:10 pm ET | NESN, CSN |
The early returns on Santiago's trek to the rotation are mixed -- he was terrific in his first two starts of the year, but then he slumped against the Twins and Angels. He'll have to take a page from Jose Quintana's book when attempting to quiet the Red Sox hitters tonight -- Quintana flirted with a no-hitter before he was chased late in Tuesday's contest, but the White Sox held on.
