Tuesday 8/4/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Royals (62-42) at Tigers (51-54)

Game: 5
Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Date: August 04, 2015 7:08 PM EDT

Justin Verlander lost his status as the unquestioned ace of the Detroit Tigers through a combination of Max Scherzer's emergence, the arrival of David Price and his own regression.

Scherzer and Price are now gone, and Verlander's last two outings have given the Tigers hope that he's rediscovering his past form.

The right-hander seeks his 20th win over the AL-best Kansas City Royals in the opener of a three-game series Tuesday night in Detroit.

Verlander (1-3, 4.86 ERA) won the AL MVP and Cy Young awards in 2011 and finished second for the pitchers' top honor the next year. However, his ERA shot up nearly a full run in 2013 before he went 15-12 with a 4.54 ERA last season.

Scherzer became Detroit's top pitcher over those two years, winning 39 games and a Cy Young of his own before signing with Washington in the offseason.

Price, acquired at last year's trade deadline, entered this season as the ace while Verlander sat out with a triceps injury that delayed his debut until mid-June.

Verlander then began pitching like his old self just before the Tigers dealt Price to Toronto on Thursday. He has given up one run over eight innings in back-to-back starts, beating Tampa Bay 2-1 on Wednesday.

Verlander's 10 strikeouts against the Rays were four more than he had in any of his previous seven outings, all of which the Tigers lost.

'I've been telling you guys I've been feeling better on the mound, and it was nice to pitch well two starts in a row,' said Verlander, who allowed at least six runs three times in his first six outings. "Right right from the get-go (Wednesday), everything was pretty good.'

Verlander now faces a Kansas City team he's beaten more than any other opponent. He gave up one run in 7 1-3 innings of a 10-1 win in his last matchup Sept. 19.

Kansas City (62-42) has reversed roles with the four-time defending AL Central champion Tigers (51-54), entering with an 8 1/2-game division lead over Minnesota and the second-best record in baseball.

The Royals bolstered their chances of returning to the World Series by acquiring Johnny Cueto and Ben Zobrist, while Detroit dealt Price, Joakim Soria and Yoenis Cespedes at the deadline with an eye on the future.

Zobrist made an impact in his first series with the Royals, hitting three homers - including a two-run shot in Sunday's 5-2 loss - while driving in six runs in a four-game set at Toronto.

"Solid pickup for us," manager Ned Yost said. "Just gives you a solid, professional at-bat."

Kansas City dropped three to the Blue Jays, though, and fell to 3-4 during a 10-game road trip. Danny Duffy (4-5, 4.28) started the first game against Toronto on Thursday, allowing five runs in six innings of a 5-2 loss.

Duffy had gone 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA over his previous three starts. He's 2-3 with a 1.83 ERA in his last six against Detroit after allowing one run in seven innings of an 8-1 victory April 30.

The left-hander faces a Detroit club coming off a 6-1 win over Baltimore on Sunday. J.D. Martinez hit a three-run homer, his 29th that ranks him among baseball's leaders.

Ian Kinsler went 12 for 17 in the four-game series after going 2 for 19 over his previous five.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Twins (54-51) at Blue Jays (55-52)

Game: 2
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: August 04, 2015 7:07 PM EDT

Although a lack of scoring has led to their recent slump, the Minnesota Twins have unsurprisingly found a way to break through offensively when Phil Hughes is pitching.

The right-hander looks to win a career-high seventh straight decision as the visiting Twins try to keep the surging Toronto Blue Jays from moving past them in the wild-card chase Tuesday night.

Minnesota (54-51) led the wild-card race July 17 before dropping 11 of 15 to fall into a virtual tie for the second wild-card spot. It's 8 1/2 games back in the AL Central.

The Twins have scored six runs in the last four games overall and nine while dropping five of six on the road.

Torii Hunter hit a second-inning home run Monday but Minnesota managed three hits off David Price - who was making his debut for Toronto (55-52) - in a 5-1 loss.

"One solo home run is not going to do it," Hunter told MLB's official website. "Those guys know how to hit over there. Josh Donaldson is as hot as a firecracker."

Offense hasn't been a problem for the Twins whenever Hughes has taken the ball - just as it wasn't for the New York Yankees, his first team. The right-hander's run-support average of 5.65 is the sixth highest in baseball among active players since his debut April 26, 2007.

The Twins have given him 7.3 runs per game in his last eight starts, during which he's gone 6-0 with a 3.06 ERA to tie for the longest active winning streak in the majors.

Hughes (10-6, 4.11 ERA) particularly benefited from that perpetual offensive largesse Thursday when he gave up a season high-tying five runs and 10 hits - two home runs - over five innings of a 9-5 home win over Seattle.

After going 0-2 with a 9.18 ERA in his previous four starts at Toronto, Hughes didn't allow a run while striking out nine over seven innings of a 7-2 win at Rogers Centre last June 11. He's gone 6-7 with a 4.69 ERA against the Blue Jays in 29 appearances - his most versus any team.

Hughes has done a nice job against Donaldson, who is 2 for 11 with four strikeouts in the matchup. Donaldson hit a tiebreaking home run in the fifth inning Monday and is 10 for 25 with three home runs, four doubles and nine RBIs over his last six games.

The two-time All-Star is also batting .405 with five home runs, 12 doubles and 19 RBIs in a 21-game hitting streak against the Twins. It's the longest active hit streak in the majors against an opponent.

Toronto is batting .302 with 10 homers while averaging 6.0 runs during its 5-1 stretch. The Blue Jays are also the highest-scoring team in baseball at home, averaging 5.6 runs.

Marco Estrada (8-6, 3.53) has also thrived at home recently, going 4-1 with a 2.40 ERA in his last five such outings. He's posted a 2.66 ERA in his last eight starts overall.

After allowing a season high-tying five runs over four innings of a 5-2 loss at Seattle on July 24, Estrada bounced back by allowing two over 5 2-3 in Thursday's 5-2 home win over Kansas City.

He's struggled against Minnesota, going 0-2 with a 6.00 ERA in four career starts.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Red Sox (47-59) at Yankees (59-45)

Game: 1
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: August 04, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

The New York Yankees' big bats allowed them to post a winning record on a grueling road trip and maintain a solid lead in the AL East.

That might be bad news for the Boston Red Sox, who will send a rookie to the mound for his major league debut as these archrivals open a three-game series at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night.

New York (59-45) completed a season high-tying 10-game trip with a 12-3 win over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday, giving it a 6-4 mark in that stretch. The Yankees have scored 77 runs in the last nine games.

The Nos. 7-9 hitters in the lineup - Chase Headley, Didi Gregorius and Stephen Drew - went 7 for 12 with eight runs and six RBIs on Sunday.

"When the bottom of the order is as productive as it's been the last week or so, it just makes our entire team better," first baseman Mark Teixeira, who homered for the fifth time in four games, told MLB's official website. "You can score a lot of runs that way."

Gregorius has gone 12 for his last 25 and was 14 for 32 (.438) with 12 RBIs on the trip. Headley is batting .439 with 13 runs and 11 RBIs in an 11-game hitting streak while Drew finished a home run short of the cycle Sunday.

'This whole road trip, from top to bottom, everybody was doing their job,' Gregorius said. 'Everybody's getting on base. Everybody's scoring, so that's what we want.'

Masahiro Tanaka (7-4, 3.80 ERA) looks to be the latest pitcher to benefit from the offensive largesse. The right-hander struggled in a four-run, six-inning performance in a 5-2 loss to Texas on Wednesday.

While generally solid over the past six weeks, Tanaka hasn't rediscovered the form of his first seven starts in which he posted a 2.49 ERA. Though he didn't allow a home run his last time out, he's given up 15 in 14 starts this season - matching his total in 20 starts last year - and 11 in the past seven outings.

He faced Boston once this season, going five innings and giving up three earned runs in a 14-4 home victory April 12.

That was the first loss in a 1-6 stretch in the season series for the Red Sox (47-59), who had won three in a row before falling 4-3 to Tampa Bay at home Sunday. The Rays' two-run, eighth-inning rally spoiled Boston's bid for its first sweep of a series of three or more games since early June.

The Red Sox had given up 43 runs in the previous seven games, and their 4.52 ERA is among the worst in the major leagues.

Rick Porcello had struggled to a 5.81 ERA before heading to the disabled list with soreness in his triceps Sunday. Taking his spot in the rotation Tuesday will be Henry Owens, a 23-year-old left-hander who posted a 3.16 ERA at Triple-A Pawtucket.

He's struggled with location at times, averaging 4.1 walks per nine innings. The Yankees are drawing 3.3 per game, among the most in the majors, and 5.3 in the past six contests.

"One, we wanted to insert another starter and not move guys up," manager John Farrell said of Owens taking Porcello's spot. "We wanted to provide an extra day of rest. So Tuesday is Henry's day. It's going to be probably the biggest stage he's going to make his debut on, (as) the schedule has it. But ideally having another left-hander go against that lineup in that ballpark (would give us an edge)."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Giants (57-48) at Braves (48-58)

Game: 2
Venue: Turner Field
Date: August 04, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

After suffering perhaps their most disappointing defeat of the season in the series opener in Atlanta, the San Francisco Giants have a chance to bounce back against the pitcher with the most losses on the Braves' staff.

Shelby Miller, however, hasn't pitched like someone with a losing record and has been the victim of some of the worst luck in the last century.

Losers of two in a row for the first time in a month, the Giants try to get back on track Tuesday night against Miller, who is seeking his first win in 2 1/2 months.

San Francisco (57-48) looked as if it would easily gain ground on the idle Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday, leading 6-0 after five innings and ahead by two in the ninth.

With two outs in the ninth, though, A.J. Pierzynski hit a two-run homer to tie things up, and after the Giants took the lead in the 12th, 30-year-old rookie Adonis Garcia hit a walkoff two-run shot to hand San Francisco a 9-8 loss.

"To get out to a big lead and let it go to waste and then to battle back in extras and still end up losing, it's definitely disappointing," Brandon Crawford said.

The Giants dropped back-to-back games for the first time since a seven-game skid June 30-July 6 to fall three behind the Dodgers.

The Braves (48-58), meanwhile, won their second in a row following a 1-9 stretch.

"To be down 6-0, it speaks highly of this team," said Jace Peterson, who is 6 for 9 with two homers and six RBIs in the last two games. " ... Hopefully we can keep it going."

San Francisco wasted a two-homer game from Crawford and a home run and three RBIs from Buster Posey.

Crawford is batting .423 with four home runs in his last seven games against the Braves, while Posey is hitting .437 with 16 RBIs in his last 17 contests overall. Crawford is 3 for 8 against Miller (5-8, 2.44 ERA) and Posey 1 for 9 in their matchups.

Miller's record is an anomaly for a pitcher with such a low ERA. His .385 winning percentage is the worst by a pitcher with a sub-2.50 ERA in at least 15 starts since 1917, when Larry Cheney went 7-12 with a 2.38 mark in 24 starts for the Brooklyn Robins and Joe Bush was 10-17 with a 2.42 in 31 starts for the Philadelphia Athletics.

Miller has received zero runs of support in six of his last eight starts and was backed by a total of four in the other two. That's left him with an 0-6 record despite a respectable 3.17 ERA. The All-Star hasn't won since May 17, with the Braves losing 11 of those 13 starts.

The second start of the winless stretch came in San Francisco on May 28, when he permitted a run over seven innings in a 7-0 loss.

Although the lineup hasn't been producing, it isn't entirely to blame. The right-hander has allowed career highs of 11 hits in two of his last four starts - both on the road - and also gave up four runs over six innings in Thursday's 4-1 loss to Philadelphia.

Returning to Turner Field may help given his 1.89 home ERA - ninth-best in the majors.

Jake Peavy (2-4, 4.12) takes the hill at Turner Field for the first time since April 2006 looking to build on his best outing of the season.

Peavy gave up four hits and walked none in six innings of Wednesday's 5-0 win over Milwaukee. The righty has a 2.84 ERA in five starts since coming off the disabled list.

Peavy's former batterymate with the Chicago White Sox has been on a tear at the plate. Pierzynski finished with four hits Monday and is batting .459 in his last nine games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mets (56-50) at Marlins (43-63)

Game: 2
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: August 04, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

The young pitching trio of Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard has gotten much of the credit for the New York Mets' climb atop the NL East.

The suddenly productive offense has also been a factor, something that's certainly come as a relief to Jonathon Niese.

Niese is looking for some help as he tries to extend his road shutout streak and lead the Mets to a fifth straight win Tuesday night against the Miami Marlins.

New York (56-50) holds the division lead this late in a season for the first time since Sept. 19, 2008, with a one-game edge on Washington.

"It's always nice to be there, but we've got a lot of games to play," manager Terry Collins said.

While the club's staff is among baseball's best with a 3.22 ERA, Harvey, deGrom and Syndergaard have a collective 1.57 mark and 14-6 record over the last 28 combined starts.

Niese (5-9, 3.63 ERA), though, has been no slouch with a 2.78 ERA over his last nine starts, but he's gone 2-3 while receiving no runs of support in four of those outings.

The bats weren't the problem Thursday when the left-hander allowed one run in six innings and departed with a six-run lead before the bullpen blew it in an 8-7 loss to San Diego.

Niese now takes the mound on the road, where he's assembled a career-best streak of 15 2-3 consecutive scoreless innings - 4 1-3 shy of deGrom's team high from last month.

He's won his last two starts in Miami (43-63) despite a 6.75 ERA after tossing 13 shutout innings and not getting a decision in his previous two - both New York defeats.

Confidence in the offense seems to be growing for the Mets, who are averaging 6.0 runs and batting .265 with 18 homers during a 7-2 stretch. Their .236 season average and 3.63 runs per game are still among the worst in the majors.

They pounded out 15 hits, including six doubles, in Monday's 12-1 win over Miami. Yoenis Cespedes doubled on all three of his hits and added four RBIs in his best performance since being acquired from Detroit prior to Friday's trade deadline.

"He was really close to hitting the ball out of the ballpark a couple times," Curtis Granderson said. "It's very impressive to get a chance to watch him swing the bat."

Cespedes is 8 for 20 with seven runs in four career games in Miami.

Granderson also had three hits with two RBIs on Monday, giving him a .351 average while plating nine runs in the past nine games.

Lucas Duda, however, continued to struggle away from Citi Field, striking out in all four at-bats in the opener of this three-game set. He is batting .190 with three homers and nine RBIs on the road compared to .393 with nine homers and 12 RBIs in his last eight home games. Duda, though, is 5 for 14 with a homer and two doubles off Brad Hand.

Another trade has Hand (1-2, 5.12) changing roles again. The left-hander is getting a chance to earn a spot in the rotation after Dan Haren was dealt to the Chicago Cubs prior to the deadline. This comes a week after he was moved into the setup role after Steve Cishek was traded to St. Louis.

Hand is 1-1 with a 6.17 ERA in three starts this season. He gave up six runs and was pulled with two outs in the first of an 11-3 loss at Toronto in his most recent June 8.

He's 0-3 with a 4.35 ERA in four career starts against the Mets.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cardinals (67-38) at Reds (47-56)

Game: 1
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: August 04, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

After showing signs of an offensive breakout in their most recent series, the St. Louis Cardinals get another shot at a pitcher who played a part in the team's previous slump.

The Cardinals begin a six-game road trip Tuesday night with a three-game set against the Cincinnati Reds, with Anthony DeSclafani taking mound looking to duplicate last week's gem against the Cardinals.

St. Louis (67-38) mustered seven runs over a five-game stretch that culminated in back-to-back home shutouts by the Reds, the second of which was a 1-0 loss Wednesday in which DeSclafani yielded three hits and three walks over seven innings.

The Cardinals got back on track by hitting .326 with six home runs in taking three of four from Colorado over the weekend, with Matt Carpenter accounting for three of the homers.

Carpenter was 7 for 17 with five runs for the series, while Jason Heyward and rookie Stephen Piscotty each went 7 for 14. Piscotty, filling in for injured All-Star Matt Holliday, is batting .462 in an eight-game hitting streak.

Though DeSclafani (6-7, 3.75 ERA) silenced St. Louis' bats in his last start, the rookie has had his problems in hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park this season. The right-hander has lost three straight home outings and gave up six runs in each of his last two, covering 11 2-3 innings, to raise his home ERA to 5.69 to go with a 2-5 record in nine starts.

The Reds are seeking better results from the most experienced member of a rotation that's become very young following the deadline trades of Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake. Cincinnati (47-56) will be starting a rookie for a franchise-record sixth consecutive game, with DeSclafani's 25 starts topping a group that includes Michael Lorenzen, Raisel Iglesias, David Holmberg and Keyvius Sampson.

"After the trades with Johnny and Leake, we are in a situation where one rookie is watching a rookie ahead of him who is watching a rookie ahead of him, so it's a unique dynamic," manager Bryan Price told MLB's official website.

The Reds managed six hits in a 3-0 loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday, giving them a four-game split of the series.

New Cardinal Brandon Moss delivered a pinch-hit walkoff single in the ninth inning of Sunday's 3-2 victory over Colorado. Moss is 3 for 6 against DeSclafani and hit a two-run homer off him July 18 in Cincinnati while with Cleveland.

John Lackey (9-6, 2.78) was the hard-luck loser while matched up against DeSclafani last week, striking out eight over eight innings and surrendering two hits, one of them a solo home run to Jay Bruce.

It was the latest in a run of strong efforts from Lackey, who's gone 5-2 with a 1.71 ERA in his last nine starts and pitched at least 6 2-3 innings in all of them.

"It's not my first time, but yeah I've been throwing the ball pretty good," Lackey told MLB's official website.

Lackey wasn't as effective in his season debut at Great American Ball Park on April 10, allowing four runs on a pair of two-run homers to Joey Votto in six innings of a 5-4 loss. He didn't get the decision and is 2-1 with a 2.78 ERA in six career starts against the Reds.

The Cardinals took two of three in that series and are 6-3 against the Reds this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Astros (60-47) at Rangers (52-53)

Game: 2
Venue: Globe Life Park in Arlington
Date: August 04, 2015 8:05 PM EDT

The Houston Astros didn't get much out of a pair of starting pitchers, including a recently acquired one, in a series-opening loss to Texas.

The Astros will seek to bounce back by extending Rangers right-hander Yovani Gallardo's recent woes Tuesday night.

Lance McCullers recorded just one out while giving up six runs in the first inning and that forced Mike Fiers to make his Houston debut in relief instead of starting Tuesday's game as scheduled. Fiers, acquired from Milwaukee, gave up five of his six runs in the first of his five innings in a 12-9 loss.

Fiers served up a solo homer to Adrian Beltre that allowed the third baseman to become the first player in 82 years to hit for the cycle three times. Behind Beltre's 4-for-5 night, the Rangers (52-53) finished with 15 hits and are batting .325 while averaging 6.5 runs in a 5-1 stretch, all at home.

"(Beltre) has a presence in our lineup," manager Jeff Banister told MLB's official website. "When he is in the middle of our lineup, it gives our guys confidence."

The Astros (60-47) are 11-5 since the All-Star break and started by taking two of three from Texas on July 17-19, but they've dropped nine of 10 on the road. Houston was batting .183 with 13 runs in its prior nine away from home until making Tuesday's game a little more competitive en route to finishing with 13 hits.

"We kept plugging away and we didn't give in, and that's been a big part of our mentality this year - no matter what the deficit, there's always a shot we can come back," catcher Jason Castro said after hitting his third career grand slam.

The Astros, batting .310 with an average of 6.4 runs in their last seven overall contests, limited Gallardo (7-9, 3.39 ERA) to four-plus innings in a 10-0 rout July 19. He was charged with five runs and that started a three-game stretch in which he's gone 0-1 with a 9.64 ERA.

Gallardo, winless in his last six starts, gave up five runs in six innings Thursday in a 7-6 win over the New York Yankees and remained with the Rangers after Friday's trade deadline.

"Now I feel like I am a part of this ballclub and they have shown confidence in me that I can help this ballclub," he said.

Gallardo yielded two runs in 5 2-3 innings in his only start in Arlington against the Astros on April 11. In this one, he's expected to pitch opposite Dan Straily (0-0, 5.06).

The right-hander is being recalled from the minors to make his third start this season, and first since July 8.

Straily is 3-1 with a 4.23 ERA in seven starts against the Rangers with his most recent April 21, 2014.

Beltre is 6 for 17 (.353) lifetime against him. Castro, batting .385 with three homers and 10 RBIs in a seven-game hit streak, is 7 for 18 versus Gallardo with three extra-base hits.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Padres (52-54) at Brewers (44-63)

Game: 2
Venue: Miller Park
Date: August 04, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

The San Diego Padres are surging behind on offense finally showing signs of life.

Now, they'll try to end the best stretch of Jimmy Nelson's career.

Yangervis Solarte looks to build on one of his best performances as the Padres go for a ninth win in 11 tries Tuesday night against Nelson and the Milwaukee Brewers.

San Diego (52-54) is in the NL wild-card chase despite a .240 average that ranks third-worst in the majors. The Padres, though, are batting 40 points higher while connecting for 12 homers with 5.2 runs per game during an 8-2 stretch.

They collected 13 hits and scored six times in the seventh to pull away in Monday's 13-5 win at Milwaukee in the opener of a four-game set.

"Having balance up and down the lineup is huge. When we're all clicking everyone saw what we are capable of," said Jedd Gyorko, who had a homer among his three hits Monday and is batting .458 in the past six games.

Solarte is going for a career-high 10-game hitting streak after connecting for a career-high two homers and matching his personal-best with four RBIs on Monday. He's batting .421 with seven extra-base hits during his run.

"His energy and the spirit about him is just wonderful," manager Pat Murphy said. "You can never estimate how much that means to a club."

Solarte has a .417 average with three homers and nine RBIs while getting at least one hit in each of his seven career meetings with Milwaukee (44-63).

He's 0 for 3 against Nelson (8-9, 3.76 ERA), who is 2-1 with a 0.99 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 27 1-3 innings over his last four starts. The right-hander hasn't allowed a run for 14 straight innings after striking out eight and yielding two hits in seven while not figuring in the decision of Thursday's 5-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs.

"It was nice to string together some good outings and be more consistent," Nelson told MLB's official website. "I was able to get ahead, for the most part. Times when I went 1-0, I was able to make a quality pitch."

Nelson allowed four runs - two earned - with seven strikeouts in five innings of a 4-1 loss at San Diego in his only career start against the Padres on Aug. 26.

He enters this one trying to keep the Brewers from losing a seventh straight game for the first time since May 23-30.

The Padres are turning to Andrew Cashner (4-10, 4.13), who is 0-2 with a 5.60 ERA over his last six road starts, giving up a career-high seven runs three times.

The right-hander was hammered for that many in 5 1-3 innings Thursday, but the offense got him off the hook by scoring seven times in the final three innings of an 8-7 win over the New York Mets.

Cashner is 2-1 with a 3.43 ERA in nine games against the Brewers. However, all three of his starts have come at Miller Park, where he's 1-1 with a 5.02 ERA.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rays (53-54) at White Sox (50-54)

Game: 2
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: August 04, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

While Chicago is known as the Windy City, the breeze on the South Side on Tuesday night figures to be coming from major league hitters.

Chris Sale and Chris Archer lead the AL in strikeouts per nine innings, and these nine-game winners figure to present major problems for the lineups of the Tampa Bay Rays and White Sox in the middle game of this series.

Chicago (50-54) and Tampa Bay (53-54) are fighting to stay in the tightly-packed AL wild-card race and their hitters figure to be fighting just to make contact in this contest. Sale (9-6, 3.20 ERA) averages 11.57 strikeouts per nine innings and Archer (9-8, 2.54) averages 10.99.

"You're going to see two elite pitchers from the American League," Rays manager Kevin Cash told MLB's official website. "Two very special pitchers, both do it with big fastballs. Big breaking balls. So it should be a really good matchup."

Sale has an AL-best 177 strikeouts and Archer is third with 173. Of the 35 games in the AL in which a pitcher has struck out 10 or more, Sale has 10 of them and Archer six.

"When I'm out there pitching, I'm not thinking about strikeouts," Archer said. "And neither is Chris Sale. When you get to two strikes and the opportunity presents itself, you make a pitch and go for it if you can."

These starters turned in vastly different performances in their previous outings.

Sale was charged with seven runs over five-plus innings Thursday as Chicago's seven-game win streak ended with an 8-2 loss at Boston. His ERA was 2.41 over his five previous outings.

One day earlier, Archer retired the first 19 Detroit hitters in Tampa Bay's longest bid for a perfect game before he was charged with two runs while striking out 11 in seven innings of a 2-1 defeat.

Archer is 0-4 with a 3.96 ERA in his last six outings and 1-0 with a 3.26 ERA in three career starts versus the White Sox. Jose Abreu is 5 for 9 with a homer against him, while Melky Cabrera is 5 for 20.

Sale is 2-3 with a 3.45 ERA in five starts versus the Rays with 50 strikeouts in 31 1-3 innings. Evan Longoria is 1 for 11 with six strikeouts in the matchup.

Tampa Bay improved to a major league-best 19-11 when facing lefty starters with Monday's 5-4 victory. Mikie Mahtook's RBI single in the ninth inning was the difference.

Chicago has lost four of five after rallying to tie the game in the sixth inning on Abreu's two-run homer and erasing a one-run deficit to take the lead in the seventh.

"We didn't get it done tonight but we still fought back and had a chance," manager Robin Ventura said.

Abreu went 2 for 3 and extended his hitting streak to 14 games, a run in which he is batting .385 with five homers and 18 RBIs. Adam Eaton was 0 for 4 with three strikeouts to snap an 11-game hitting streak on which he batted .455.

The White Sox may debut outfielder Trayce Thompson, who was recalled Monday from Triple-A Charlotte and is the brother of Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mariners (49-58) at Rockies (44-60)

Game: 2
Venue: Coors Field
Date: August 04, 2015 8:40 PM EDT

(AP) - The Colorado Rockies are about to introduce a top prospect a week after trading the face of the franchise.

Eight days after dealing All-Star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, top pitching prospect Jon Gray is set to make his major league debut Tuesday night against the Seattle Mariners.

Gray arrived in Denver on Monday after getting word late Sunday that he was being called up from Triple-A Albuquerque.

"It kind of hit me when I got to the ballpark," Gray said. "It's just now coming into effect what it feels like. It was an awesome high."

The 23-year-old was the third overall pick in the 2013 draft. A hard-throwing right-hander, he was 6-6 with a 4.33 ERA in 21 games - 20 starts - for Albuquerque this season. In his last six outings, he's gone 3-1 with a 2.70 ERA and 38 strikeouts.

The Rockies were being patient with Gray, but his performance over the last month pushed up his timetable - which surprised him.

"I wasn't expecting it, especially on this homestand," he said. "They told me, 'Here is your plane ticket, you're heading out and going to the big team.'"

The Rockies (44-60) dealt Tulowitzki since they're on their way to a fifth straight losing season, and Gray is considered one of the cornerstone pieces of the future.

"I guess it is ironic that the face of the franchise has moved on and we've got one of our young kids that we've been anticipating pitching for us making his debut right after it," manager Walt Weiss said. "We felt like we'd see him at some point this year. And that day has arrived."

Gray has moved quickly through the Rockies' system. He was 4-0 with a 1.93 ERA in nine minor league starts in 2013 and was 10-5 with a 3.91 ERA in 24 starts with Double-A Tulsa in 2014.

He struggled early this season with high pitch counts, which didn't allow him to go deep into games. He had only one start that went beyond the seventh inning, but he's shown steady improvement since late June.

Still, the Rockies weren't ready to bring him up before Tuesday.

"He wasn't going to be up here until everybody felt that he was ready," Weiss said. "That trumped the need of where we are at as a team. We wanted to make sure that he is ready to go out there and he is equipped for a major league game. We feel that he is."

Gray will face Nelson Cruz, who is batting .429 with nine homers and 13 RBIs during a 14-game hitting streak. He's homered in four straight games after hitting his 30th of the season in Monday's 8-7 win over Seattle (49-58).

Cruz is 8 for 14 with three homers and six RBIs in four career games against Colorado.

The Mariners are giving Vidal Nuno (0-0, 2.11 ERA) a spot start after trading J.A. Happ to Pittsburgh before Friday's deadline.

All 21 of Nuno's appearances this season have come out of the bullpen. Over the last two years, the left-hander has gone 3-13 with a 4.08 ERA in 31 career starts with the New York Yankees and Arizona.

Nuno, though, allowed four runs in 13 1-3 innings over two starts against Colorado last year, losing his only decision.

"I think he's certainly capable of giving us five innings," manager Lloyd McClendon told MLB's official website. "He's got a rubber arm, he's started before this year. It's nothing foreign to him. We'll go with him as long as we can go. If he's not in trouble, he'll pitch."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Orioles (54-51) at Athletics (47-60)

Game: 2
Venue: O.co Coliseum
Date: August 04, 2015 10:05 PM EDT

Chris Davis is still striking out plenty since the All-Star break. When he's making contact, however, the Baltimore Orioles are very happy with the results.

Davis seeks to continue his hot hitting Tuesday night when he and the visiting Orioles look to add to the woes of winless Oakland Athletics starter Chris Bassitt in the middle game of this series.

The slugger leads the majors with 132 strikeouts, including 22 since the break to tie for eighth in baseball. He's also tied for third in the majors with eight homers in that span after his three-run shot Monday helped the Orioles (54-51) post a 9-2 rout for their eighth win in 10 games.

Davis is hitting .292 in his last 17 games to raise his average to .245.

"Chris got us off to a good start there," manager Buck Showalter said. "He's been a force for us for awhile, he always is."

Davis and the Orioles will get their first look at the luckless Bassitt (0-4, 3.10 ERA), who has posted a 3.00 ERA in his five starts with Oakland (47-60) - a run in which the right-hander has received five runs of total support.

Bassitt went 1-1 with a 3.77 ERA in five starts last year with the Chicago White Sox.

He may have trouble getting much support Tuesday since Baltimore starter Miguel Gonzalez (9-7, 4.28) has posted a 3.04 ERA in winning four straight road starts for the first time.

Gonzalez turned in a 5.68 ERA over one start and one relief appearance against Oakland in 2013. Brett Lawrie is 2 for 18 against him and Billy Butler has a double in eight at-bats.

Those hitters are among several slumping for the Athletics, losers of eight of 11. Lawrie is in a 1-for-13 slide, Butler a 3-for-22 skid and rookie Billy Burns a 4-for-28 slump.

Stephen Vogt, who has a team-high 59 RBIs, doubled off the wall in right in the sixth to snap an 0-for-28 funk, his second-longest hitless stretch.

The A's played without right fielder Josh Reddick, who left a 2-1 win over Cleveland the day before with lower back tightness but could return Tuesday.

Help is on the way since utility man Danny Valencia was claimed off waivers from Toronto and was expected to join the club for this game. Valencia batted .296 with an .838 OPS for the Blue Jays, though he is 0 for 4 against Gonzalez.

Coco Crisp went 2 for 4 in his return from the 60-day disabled list after a neck injury sidelined him since May 19.

"I haven't had that many at-bats from the end of last year, no at-bats really in spring training, so when I came back the first time from elbow surgery I didn't really have the appropriate time," Crisp said. "I wanted to wait and make sure I was myself, and I was able to do that."

The Orioles have committed the majors' fewest errors with 41, going 14 straight road games without one after some stellar defensive plays Monday. The A's have a major league-worst 92 errors after committing five in their last five games.

"Our infield guys put on a clinic," Showalter said. "There are probably four or five plays that are too smooth to get noticed."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Indians (48-57) at Angels (56-49)

Game: 2
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: August 04, 2015 10:05 PM EDT

Matt Shoemaker had an impressive string of performances in late August last season and has gotten an earlier start this year.

He'll try to provide another scoreless outing Tuesday night for the Los Angeles Angels and take advantage of Jason Kipnis' absence for the Cleveland Indians.

Shoemaker (5-7, 4.24 ERA) was the first Angels pitcher to register three scoreless starts of seven innings or longer since Nolan Ryan in 1976 and 1977 with a stretch that lasted Aug. 21-31. He also produced the second-longest scoreless streak by a Los Angeles rookie at 23 1-3 innings en route to finishing second in the AL rookie of the year vote.

Shoemaker is working on another such streak after back-to-back scoreless starts and didn't get a decision while the Angels lost 3-0 in Houston on Thursday. The right-hander went seven innings for the first time in nine outings since May 26.

"I think he's found some stuff," manager Mike Scioscia told MLB's official website. "He's much closer to what we saw last year than he was at the beginning of the season."

Shoemaker produced those performances knowing full well he may have lost his rotation spot whenever Jered Weaver returned from an ailing left hip - which reportedly could come as early as next week - but C.J. Wilson possibly being lost for the season to an elbow injury may have helped solidify his spot on the staff.

"As soon as (Weaver is) ready, we want him back more than anybody," Shoemaker said. "We know what he can do on the field, and that can really help us."

For now, Shoemaker will try to help the Angels (56-49) regain their momentum following a six-game skid, their longest in two years. Los Angeles snapped that slide by rallying from an early three-run deficit for a 5-4 victory in Monday's series opener.

Conor Gillaspie hit the go-ahead, two-run homer in the sixth in his club's sixth win in the last eight games versus Cleveland (48-57) and fourth in a row in Anaheim. The Indians have lost nine of 12 and three in a row on a seven-game trip that ends Wednesday.

Cleveland, batting .204 with 11 runs so far on the trek, had to put Kipnis on the disabled list Friday because of nagging inflammation in his right shoulder. His career-best .326 average ranked third in the AL.

Carlos Carrasco (11-8, 4.03) will try to make up for his absence in his first start since remaining with the team after Friday's trade deadline. The right-hander, thought to have the interest of at least three clubs, earned his first win in five starts Thursday with a two-hitter in Oakland.

Carrasco was 0-2 with a 6.00 ERA in his four starts before that 3-1 victory.

"It looked like it was bothering him a little bit," manager Terry Francona said. "So I just said, 'Hey, man, teams call, because you're coveted. That's a good thing.' But, we're not dying to let our pitching go away, and they know that."

Carrasco will make his first start against the Angels since April 13, 2011, and third overall. He had no record and a 3.46 ERA in the other two.

Shoemaker picked up a 9-3 win in his only start against Cleveland on June 17, 2014, yielding two runs in eight innings while fanning a career-high 10 - a mark he's matched three times since.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Kipnis' injury may be worse than Indians thought
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

OAKLAND -- Jason Kipnis sore right shoulder might be more serious than originally thought. And the Cleveland Indians might have a decision to make about his playing status.

Before Sunday's game in Oakland, Kipnis underwent an MRI, which revealed enough to convince Cleveland manager Terry Francona to sit the All-Star second baseman and replace his bat at the top of the order with right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall.

"We'll talk to (Cleveland's head team physician Dr. Mark Schickendantz) and the trainers," said Francona. "We'll put our heads together and see what we want to do about it."

Aware Kipnis was nursing the injury, Francona had the All-Star in the lineup Friday and Saturday as the designated hitter. Kipnis was 1-for-12 in the three games against the Athletics before sitting Sunday.

Asked if Kipnis could be a candidate for the disabled list, Francona said, "It could be a DL, but we'll see. We want to put our heads together on this. We want to do what's right and we want to give him some time to digest it."

Indians general manager Chris Antonetti was scheduled to join the team in Anaheim on Monday for the start of a three-game series at Angel Stadium.

Bothered on and off by the shoulder all season, Kipnis has been the Indians best hitter all season. Kipnis is hitting .326 (132-for-405) with 31 doubles, six triples, six homers and 39 RBIs.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Red Sox LHP Owens to debut at Yankee Stadium
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox will take another peek into their future when left-hander Henry Owens makes his major league debut in the opener of a three-game series against the New York Yankees in the Bronx on Tuesday night.

Yes, at Yankee Stadium.

"One, we wanted to insert another starter and not move guys up," manager John Farrell said after struggling right-hander Rick Porcello was placed on the disabled list with a right triceps strain. "We wanted to provide an extra day of rest. So Tuesday is Henry's day.

"It's going to be probably the biggest stage he's going to make his debut on, (as) the schedule has it. But ideally having another left-hander go against that lineup in that ballpark (would give us an edge)."

Fellow left-hander Brian Johnson made his debut for the Red Sox on their last road trip and will likely get another look soon.

Owens, the organization's No. 5 prospect, is another crafty lefty. He hasn't been great in Triple-A, going 3-8 with a decent 3.16 ERA, but has been better lately.

"A lot more strikes. Repeating his delivery," Farrell said. "Coming out of spring training, there was some work needed with just commanding his body as well as the baseball. And that's been the case over the last four weeks or more. In a nutshell, it's more quality strikes throughout the entire time he's on the mound."

By blowing a late one-run lead and falling to the Tamps Bay Ray on Sunday, the Red Sox saw their three-game winning streak snapped and dropped into a tie for the worst record in the American League.

So why not look toward the future?

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Yankees set to promote RHP Severino
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

CHICAGO -- New York Yankees fans are anxious to see top prospect Luis Severino make his major league debut, and so is manager Joe Girardi.

The team is not only leading the American League East, but also is undergoing a youth movement. Severino, however, is a different breed of prospect than the 13 other rookies who already made their major league debuts for New York this season.

The right-hander throws hard, has great movement on his off-speed pitches and rocketed through the Yankees' developmental system. Now, he will take the mound Wednesday wearing the famed pinstripes at Yankee Stadium against the rival Boston Red Sox.

"I'm excited to see Severino," Girardi said Sunday prior to the Yankees' 12-3 win that decided a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox. "There's been a lot of talk about him. I don't want to put too much pressure on him. I'm not going to make too much of one start, two starts, three starts. I know the kid is talented, and I know at some point he's really going to help us. I think we're all interested to see how he handles it."

Severino, 21, is handling Triple-A with little trouble, just as he handled the lower levels of the minors.

Through 11 starts for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, he is 7-0 with a 1.91 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 50 strikeouts in 61 1/3 innings.

Combined with what he did at Double-A Trenton in eight starts, Severino is 9-2 with a 2.45 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 99 1/3 innings in 19 minor league starts this season.

"The thing is, we haven't really seen a lot of him, so it's really hard to know what to expect," Girardi said. "When you have those expectations of a young player, sometimes it can be difficult. That's why when I see him, I tell him, 'Just be yourself, do the best you can (and) give the best you've got."

If the outing goes well for Severino, it could be a needed shot in the arm for the Yankees' pitching staff. The team is down a starter after right-hander Michael Pineda was placed on the 15-day disabled list last week, and it lost another arm to the DL on Sunday, when right-handed rookie Diego Moreno was sidelined by right elbow inflammation.

If Severino impresses in his first taste of the majors, Girardi will be hard pressed to contain enthusiasm of fans and media, not to mention his own.

"This kid rose through the ranks pretty quickly," Girardi said. "He's fairly young, so I think people are pretty excited."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

A's don't plan in easing Crisp back in
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

OAKLAND -- Coco Crisp was in the Oakland Athletics clubhouse on Sunday even if he wasn't on the roster just yet.

That activation is to come soon, Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. And when it happens, there will be no babying Crisp.

"It's not like make sure he's healthy here in August and make sure he's ready for next season," Melvin said. "We're looking to get something out of him now."

To date, the Athletics have got all of 13 games out of the 35-year-old outfielder, who has been disabled since May 20. Crisp had a rough go in 45 official at-bats, collecting only two hits -- a single and a double.

"I feel fine, that's really all I've got to say," Crisp said. "We'll see how it goes."

Melvin envisions Crisp batting second in the order behind leadoff man Billy Burns.

"I like the intensity and dynamic he adds," Melvin said. "When Billy is on base there's a lot of attention on him. Coco is a pretty good situational guy. He can pull the ball in the hole and he'll get more fastballs."

Basically, everyone is interested to see if Crisp can return to be the kind of productive sparkplug who appeared in between 120-136 games in each of the previous four seasons in Oakland.

"I don't know that we'll ease him back in," Melvin said. "We gave him multiple games, we played him nine innings back-to-back. I wouldn't run him out there 10 days in a row right away.

"The plan all along was to make sure he was healthy to come back, play multiple games in a row and now play 6-7 innings and have to take him out," the manager added. "He'll be a full-go once he's activated."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Cubs' Haren hoping for two memorable months
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

MILWAUKEE -- After 13 years in the major leagues, right-hander Dan Haren knows his arm doesn't have too much left, so he's hoping these next two months with the Chicago Cubs send him out on a high note.

"Chances are this would be it, but I'm not going to say this is it and then pull a Brett Favre," Haren said Sunday.

Chicago sent the Miami Marlins two minor league prospects to land Haren in an effort to bolster a rotation for a potential playoff run.

Traded to Miami last winter, Haren was 7-7 with a 3.42 ERA in 21 starts for the Marlins, who spent most of the season near the bottom of the NL East.

"It was a rough situation," Haren said. "It definitely wasn't what we all planned. But I feel bad for a lot of the players there, especially a lot of the older players.

"Going into the year with so many expectations and the last few days it blew up with a lot of veterans gone and a few left has got to be rough. I'm definitely happy to be here."

Haren will make his first start with the Cubs on Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Both teams are battling for a National League wild card spot and the Cubs trail the Pirates by four games in the National League Central.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Pirates RHP Burnett expected to miss four weeks
The Sports Xchange

Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander A.J. Burnett has been diagnosed with a flexor strain in his pitching elbow and is expected to miss four weeks.

The Pirates announced the diagnosis on Monday and said the 38-year-old received a platelet-rich plasma injection.

The right-hander was placed on the disabled list Friday after complaining of right elbow soreness after allowing seven earned runs in a 15-5 loss at Cincinnati on Thursday.

"It is difficult," Burnett said Friday. "I'm prepared for (anything) ... if I just need some rest or something more. In my mind, surgery is not an option."

Burnett is 8-5 with a 3.06 ERA this season in 21 starts.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

A's activate OF Crisp, claim OF Valencia
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

The Oakland A's activated outfielder Coco Crisp off the disabled list on Monday after he had spent two months recovering from a neck injury.

The A's also claimed outfielder Danny Valencia off waivers, recalled right-hander Arnold Leon from Triple-A Nashville and demoted reliever Dan Otero and outfielder Jake Smolinski to Nashville.

Crisp, 35, has played in just 13 games his season. He had two hits in 45 at-bats before going on the DL on May 20.

Manager Bob Melvin expects Crisp to step in and play full time, batting second behind Billy Burns. Crisp was set to be in the lineup Monday against the Baltimore Orioles.

"The plan all along was to make sure he was healthy to come back, play multiple games in a row and now play 6-7 innings and have to take him out," Melvin said Sunday. "He'll be a full go once he's activated."

Velencia had been designated for assignment Saturday by the Toronto Blue Jays, who had had acquired outfielder Ben Revere from the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday.

Valencia was hitting .296 with seven home runs and 29 RBIs in a part-time role over 58 games with the Blue Jays this season.

Leon has been recalled from Nashville five times this year. He has a 3.72 ERA in 9 2/3 innings with Oakland, striking out 10 and walking one. He last pitched for the A's on July 23, allowing one run in 3 1/3 innings against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Otero is back at Nashville for the second time this season. After struggling with a 6.29 ERA with Oakland early in the season, he was sent down to correct his problems. From June 13 to July 6, he tallied a 0.59 ERA in 15 1/3 innings with Nashville, striking out 13 and walking just two. But, he had allowed four runs in 8 1/3 innings during his latest stint with the A's.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Red Sox not getting it done vs. good teams
Stephen Campbell

It's been a disappointing season for the Boston Red Sox, which is most evident recently in their inability to beat good teams.

The BoSox are winless in their last eight games against teams with winning records. Henry Owens and the Sox face Masahiro Tanaka and the New York Yankees (59-45) Tuesday in the Bronx.

Sportsbooks have opened the Beantowners as -183 moneyline pups for the AL East tilt.