Games of the Day

I was just speaking to a friend, and he wondered why the Yankees selected their worst starter to pitch the first game after the All-Star break. I noted that when I was trying to come up with Games of the Day for Friday, there weren’t that many good pitching match-ups. One would expect a four day break to produce a second opening day. It seems that today is also relatively poor in terms of match-ups.

Atlanta and Washington get the early nod. Sean Newcomb battles Gio Gonzalez. Newcomb made 19 starts this year, and made 19 starts in 2017. His ERA is about 0.8 runs lower, despite a lower strikeout rate, and similar walks and home run rates. It may just be better defense behind him, as his BABIP allowed went from .327 to .255. Gonzalez’s home ERA is over a run lower than when he is on the road, despite nearly identical, despite a somewhat better opposition batting line away. He allows a .152 BA with runners in scoring position at home, .194 on the road.

Clayton Kershaw takes on Chase Anderson as the Dodgers continue their series with the Brewers. Kershaw owns a 3-4 record this season; he’s never had a losing record in his career. He was .500 in each of his first two seasons, and since then is 79 games over .500. Anderson owns the tenth highest HR per 9 IP rate in the majors, 1.63. Fourteen of the 19 homers he allowed were solo shots.

The Giants send Madison Bumgarner against the Athletics and Trevor Cahill. Injuries appear to have taken a toll on Bumgarner’s strikeout rate, 8.0 per 9 IP since the start of the 2017 season. His 3.19 ERA in that time is still excellent, however, as Bumgarner has more than one way to get batters out. Cahill show great control this season, with 50 K and 14 BB in 52 1/3 innings.

Enjoy!

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