MLB viewing guide: Weekend schedule spotlight
In which aces will likely have to clean up the messes left by their unknown back-of-the-rotation starters.
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
24-May | John Lackey (2-4), 3.31 ERA, 3.10 FIP | Justin Masterson (7-2), 2.83 ERA, 2.93 FIP | 7:10 pm ET | NESN, SportsTime Ohio |
25-May | Jon Lester (6-1), 3.15 ERA, 3.40 FIP | Scott Kazmir (2-2), 6.35 ERA, 5.40 FIP | 1:35 pm ET | NESN, SportsTime Ohio |
26-May | Felix Doubront (3-2), 5.61 ERA, 3.59 FIP | Corey Kluber (3-3), 5.19 ERA, 3.61 FIP | 1:35 pm ET | NESN, SportsTime Ohio |
This series might be the biggest one between the Tribe and the Red Sox since the 2007 ALCS, simply because the Tribe has not really been competitive since. Masterson was a Red Sox back in the day, and Boston might be wishing they held onto him even though Victor Martinez gave them a solid year and a half. Games two and three of the series (shown as one and two above) have obvious favorites in Masterson and Lester, respectively, but the Sunday match-up could be a high-scoring affair with two mediocre starters on the mound facing two of the top three offenses in the league.
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
24-May | Tim Lincecum (3-3), 4.70 ERA, 3.80 FIP | Tyler Chatwood (2-0), 2.55 ERA, 3.03 FIP | 10:15 pm ET | ROOT Sports, KNTV |
25-May | Barry Zito (3-3), 3.91 ERA, 3.59 FIP | Juan Nicasio (4-1), 4.47 ERA, 5.13 FIP | 4:05 pm ET | MLB Network, MLB.tv (free), ROOT Sports, CSBA |
26-May | Matt Cain (3-2), 5.12 ERA, 4.98 FIP | Jon Garland (3-5), 5.19 ERA, 4.71 FIP | 4:05 pm ET | ROOT Sports, CSBA |
The Rockies, Giants, and Diamondbacks are in a three-way tie atop the NL West at 26-21, and the first two teams square off against each other by the bay while the D'backs host the Padres. Colorado's still under .500 on the road, but if Chatwood continues his surprising start by leading them to victory in the opener, the Rockies would only have to take down one of Zito or Cain to capture the series. When their stars Troy Tulowitzki (163 wRC+) and Carlos Gonzalez (154 wRC+) are performing up to snuff while, the Rockies' offense can be a dangerous minefield for an opposing pitcher to navigate.
Photo credit: J. Meric
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
24-May | Roberto Hernandez (2-4), 5.24 ERA, 4.98 FIP | David Phelps (2-2), 3.83 ERA, 3.65 FIP | 7:10 pm ET | MLB Network, My9, Sun Sports |
25-May | Matt Moore (8-0), 2.29 ERA, 4.20 FIP | Vidal Nuno (1-1), 1.13 ERA, 4.53 FIP | 4:10 pm ET | MLB Network, YES Network, Sun Sports |
26-May | Alex Cobb (5-2), 2.73 ERA, 3.78 FIP | CC Sabathia, (4-3), 3.43 ERA, 3.84 FIP | 1:40 pm ET | TBS, YES Network, Sun Sports |
Rays fans are unlikely to be very familiar with the first two members of the Yankees' rotation this weekend. They've never seen Andy Pettitte's sub, Nuno, and they only saw Phelps in about 10 innings as a reliever/starter last year. Both Moore and Cobb mystified the Yankees in their most recent starts against them, so New York will hope to reverse their fortunes now that a healthy Curtis Granderson is back on the team.
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
24-May | Jordan Zimmermann (7-2), 1.62 ERA, 2.76 FIP | Kyle Kendrick (4-2), 2.82 ERA, 3.71 FIP | 7:05 pm ET | MLB Network, CSN, MASN |
25-May | Dan Haren (4-5), 5.54 ERA, 4.90 FIP | Jonathan Pettibone (3-0), 3.00 ERA, 4.84 FIP | 7:15 pm ET | FOX |
26-May | Ross Detwiler (2-4), 2.76 ERA, 3.67 FIP | Cole Hamels (1-7), 4.45 ERA, 4.33 FIP | 1:40 pm ET | CSN, MASN |
The Phils and Nats enter the series both trying to distance themselves from the .500 mark -- the former is a game under and the latter is a game over. The good news for both is that, for as hot as the Braves started, they are unlikely to just run away with the division title. Few players on either team are hot at the moment, so unless several break out, this could be a series dominated by pitching, even though aces Cliff Lee and Stephen Strasburg won't be in it.
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
24-May | Joe Saunders (3-4), 5.64 ERA, 5.12 FIP | Justin Grimm (3-3), 4.02 ERA, 3.99 FIP | 10:10 pm ET | KTXA, ROOT Sports |
25-May | Felix Hernandez (5-3), 2.07 ERA, 2.23 FIP | Derek Holland (3-2), 3.30 ERA, 2.81 FIP | 10:10 pm ET | FOX Sports-Southwest, ROOT Sports |
26-May | Hisashi Iwakuma (5-1), 2.37 ERA, 3.51 FIP | Nick Tepesch (3-4), 3.98 ERA, 4.16 FIP | 4:10 pm ET | FOX Sports-Southwest, ROOT Sports |
The Mariners shook things up on the off-day by demoting Jesus Montero to Triple-A Tacoma, and shuffled other catchers around in their system enough to suggest that the Montero catching experiment is effectively over. Now with Kelly Shoppach firmly established as the team's starter until top prospect Mike Zunino's arrival, the Mariners take on the division leaders, who are already 10 games ahead of them. Since capturing a series victory in New York with back-to-back wins against the Yankees, Seattle has lost six in a row and both Felix and Iwakuma are coming off uncharacteristically terrible starts in Cleveland.
