MLB viewing guide: Weekend schedule spotlight
Aces and battles with western division teams highlight the weekend schedule.
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
May 3 | CC Sabathia (4-2), 3.35 ERA, 3.92 FIP | A.J. Griffin (2-2), 4.65 ERA, 4.69 FIP | CSCA, YES Network | |
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May 4 | Phil Hughes (0-2), 4.67 ERA, 4.13 FIP | Bartolo Colon (3-0), 3.38 ERA, 2.67 FIP | 1:05 pm ET | CSCA, YES Network |
May 5 | Andy Pettitte (3-2), 3.86 ERA, 3.51 FIP | Dan Straily (1-0), 6.35 ERA, 2.84 FIP | 1:05 pm ET | CSCA, YES Network |
The Yankees somehow have a better record than all but one other team (the Red Sox), and they're still hanging in there. They put their 10th player on the DL yesterday, as Joba Chamberlain was sidelined with an oblique injury and just for good measure, David Robertson was listed as day-to-day with a hamstring issue. Despite the injury bug, the Yankees should be considered favorites for this prime interdivision series. All three of Oakland's pitchers are righties, whom they have handled quite nicely thus far. The A's lead baseball with 5.6 runs per game, but the Yankees almost always have a great chance to win when they get to put CC or Pettitte on the mound
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
May 3 | A.J. Burnett (2-2), 2.83 ERA, 2.56 FIP | Ross Detwiler (1-2), 2.03 ERA, 2.18 FIP | 7:05 pm ET | MASN, ROOT Sports |
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May 4 | Jeff Locke (3-1), 2.83 ERA, 5.28 FIP | Stephen Strasburg (1-4), 3.13 ERA, 3.18 FIP | 4:05 pm ET | FOX |
May 5 | Wandy Rodriguez (2-1), 3.91 ERA, 5.23 FIP | Gio Gonzalez (2-2), 5.34 ERA, 4.08 FIP | 1:35 pm ET | MASN, ROOT Sports |
The Nats and Bucs are still figuring themselves out as they collide for a weekend series. After a slow 1-5 start, the Pirates have won 15 of 22 to make up for it, but after their second-half collapses the last two years, they surely understand how quickly it can all fall apart. Will an offense and pitching staff that only ranks around league average be enough against the best team in baseball last year? Of course, that was last year -- the Nats are only a game over .500 entering this series.
Photo credit: USA TODAY Sports
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
May 3 | Ricky Romero (2013 debut) | Felix Hernandez (3-2), 1.90 ERA, 2.36 FIP | 7:05 pm ET | ROOT Sports, RSN |
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May 4 | R.A. Dickey (2-4), 4.50 ERA, 4.60 FIP | Joe Saunders (2-3), 5.25 ERA, 4.85 FIP | 1:07 pm ET | ROOT Sports, RSN |
May 5 | Brandon Morrow (0-2), 5.29 ERA, 5.03 FIP | Hisashi Iwakuma (2-1), 1.67 ERA, 3,25 FIP | 1:07 pm ET | ROOT Sports, RSN |
After a Roy Halladay-esque banishment to A-ball to work on his mechanics, Romero is back in the Jays’ rotation, hoping to erase memories of an awful 2012 and spring. He gets a tough draw in King Felix, but the Mariners are as poor a team as any to build up confidence. They might help the Blue Jays as a whole as well, as they are stuck in the AL East cellar after dropping eight of their last 10 games.
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
May 3 | Kyle Lohse (1-2), 2.53 ERA, 3.11 FIP | Shelby Miller (3-2), 2.05 ERA, 3.21 FIP | 8:10 pm ET | MLB Network, FOX Sports-Midwest, FOX Sports-Wisconsin |
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May 4 | Yovani Gallardo (3-1), 4.25 ERA, 3.52 FIP | Adam Wainwright (4-2), 2.03 ERA, 1.28 FIP | 4:05 pm ET | FOX |
May 5 | Marco Estrada (2-1), 4.58 ERA, 5.45 FIP | Jaime Garcia (3-1), 2.50 ERA, 3.18 FIP | 2:10 pm ET | FOX Sports-Midwest, FOX Sports-Wisconsin |
The last time he faced the Cardinals, Lohse was outdueled in St. Louis by the rookie who took his rotation spot. It's early, but it appears the Cardinals made a fine decision, as Miller has been one of the best rookies in baseball. Can Miller, Wainwright, and Garcia shut down the red-hot Carlos Gomez, though? He has a nine-game hitting streak, and is batting .515 with 30 total bases in that span.
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
May 3 | Derek Holland (1-2), 3.38 ERA, 2.93 FIP | Felix Doubront (3-0), 4.24 ERA, 2.89 FIP | 8:05 pm ET | MLB Network, NESN, KTXA |
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May 4 | Alexi Ogando (2-2), 3.38 ERA, 4.17 FIP | John Lackey (1-1), 2.61 ERA, 2.82 FIP | 8:05 pm ET | NESN, FOX Sports-Southwest |
May 5 | Yu Darvish (5-1), 2.33 ERA, 1.59 FIP | Jon Lester (4-0), 3.11 ERA, 3.07 FIP | 3:05 pm ET | NESN, FOX Sports-Southwest |
The hottest team in baseball takes on the Rangers in what is probably the best series of the weekend. Mike Napoli returns to Texas for the first time, and will hope to punish the Rangers for letting him go just as he did with the Angels while in a Ranger uniform. Though it's reasonable to favor Holland over Doubront, none of the games have a clear-cut favorite in the pitching match-up. Fans should hold high expectations for the Sunday matinee, a duel of aces that could go either way.
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
May 3 | Barry Zito (3-1), 3.29 ERA, 3.42 FIP | Clayton Kershaw (3-2), 1.73 ERA, 2.56 FIP | 10:15 pm ET | PRIME, KNTV |
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May 4 | Ryan Vogelsong (1-2), 6.23 ERA, 5.39 FIP | Ted Lilly (0-1), 5.63 ERA, 5.52 FIP | 9:05 pm ET | MLB Network, PRIME, CSBA |
May 5 | Matt Cain (0-2), 6.49 ERA, 5.58 FIP | Hyun-Jin Ryu (3-1), 3.35 ERA, 2.75 FIP | 8:05 pm ET | ESPN |
It doesn’t get much better than Dodgers/Giants for classic baseball series, and fortunately, we are in a time when both teams are very competitive. Kershaw beat the Giants himself on Opening Day in Los Angeles with a shutout and a solo homer, so the Giants will be looking to avenge that loss while desperately hoping that Vogelsong and Cain can shake off their early-season struggles.
