News - Sports Gaming Journal - Sports Betting News, Gaming Industry News

MLB Preview: Miami Marlins (24-25) at Colorado Rockies (21-28)

Baseball
MLB

May 24, 2023

MLB Preview: Miami Marlins (24-25) at Colorado Rockies (21-28)

MIAMI MARLINS NOTES:

MARLINS MINUTE
The Marlins today play the third of four games at the Rockies. Continues a three-city, 10-game road trip that started with three at San Francisco, where Miami took one of three, and wraps up back in California with three games at Los Angeles (AL). • Miami is in a current stretch of 13 straight days with games until their next off day on Memorial Day (May 29).

Are looking to avoid their fourth straight series loss at Coors Field.

YESTERDAY’S RECAP
Miami dropped game two at Colorado, 5-4. RHP Eury Perez allowed 4 runs (3 earned) over 4.1 innings with 3 walks and 3 strikeouts, taking the first loss of his young career. RF Jorge Soler (2×5, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI) put the Marlins ahead early with his team-leading 13th home run. DH Garrett Cooper (1×5, 1 HR, 2 RBI) added a home run of his own, his first since April 9 at NYM. Miami went 0x7 with runners in scoring position and left 9 runners on base.

SANDY STOPPER
In 2022, Sandy Alcantara started 11 games following at least 3 straight Marlins losses. He went 6-3 with a 2.95 ERA (73.2 IP/24 ER) in the 11 outings last year, with the Marlins winning eight of the contests to stop the skids.

Has had three such starts in 2023: April 4 vs. the Twins – tossed a 3-hit shutout to end a Marlins three-game losing streak, April 26 at Braves – went 5.2 innings and allowed 2 runs, and May 7 at Cubs – tossed a shutout into the ninth inning before surrendering 2 runs in the bottom of the ninth to send the game to extra innings. Miami has gone 2-1 in these starts with Sandy boasting a 1.56 ERA (23.0 IP/4 ER).

DE LA CRUZIN’
OF Bryan De La Cruz on Monday recorded his second-career 4-hit game (other, Sept. 24, 2022 vs. WSH). Has hit safely in 18 of 20 gms played in May, batting .366 (26×71) with 11 runs scored, 5 doubles, 3 HR, 9 RBI, and a .963 OPS. Has raised his batting avg. from .253 entering May to .302 for the season.

De La Cruz’s 12 multi-hit games rank 2nd on the team. Ranks t-4th in MLB with 6 games of 3+ hits (6-way tie, with also Arraez)
DLC and Arraez make the Marlins 1 of 3 teams in MLB (only NL club) to have at least 2 qualified hitters batting over .300.
In his last 15 gms (May 6-22), has posted a .393 avg (22×56), the highest mark among qualified hitters in this span.

WHAT IS ALL THIS TRAFFIC FOR?
The Marlins have put together three consecutive 10+ hit games, totaling 35 hits dating back to Sunday’s game at San Francisco (13, 11, 11). Have scored a total of 12 runs in this span.

Marks the 14th time in club history the club has recorded at least 35 hits and scored no more than 12 runs in any 3-game span. Is the eighth time that this span also coincided with three losses.

HE’S HERE AND HE’S PERFECT
RHP Eury Perez made his third Major League start yesterday at Colorado, becoming the youngest starting pitcher in Coors Field history and third-youngest pitcher (TOR’s Elvis Luciano at 19 yrs, 105 days on May 31, 2019 and LAD’s Julio Urias at 19 yrs, 357 days on Aug. 3, 2016).

Made his Major League debut on May 12 at 20 years and 27 days, becoming the youngest pitcher in Marlins history. The previous youngest pitcher was Jose Fernandez, who debuted at 20 years and 250 days.
Became the second youngest player (position / pitcher) to debut with the Marlins in club history, behind only INF Edgar Renteria who debuted at 19 years and 277 days.
Became the youngest Dominican-born starting pitcher to debut in MLB, and the third-youngest DR-born pitcher (reliever / starter) at the time of his debut behind Elvis Luciano (TOR, 2019, (19 yrs, 44 days) and Jose Rijo (CIN, 194, 18 yrs, 328 days).

GOOD FIRST IMPRESSIONS
2B Luis Arraez leads MLB with his .371 batting avg. (62×167) and ranks 4th with a .424 OBP and 2 hits. Is tied for 4th with 18 multi-hit gms. Has struck out 9 times in 186 PA (.048 K/PA), the lowest mark in MLB among qualified batters.

Is the highest avg. through a player’s first 45 gms to start a season since Cody Bellinger’s .409 avg. through his first 45 gms with the Dodgers in 2019.
Only Dee Strange-Gordon (72) has more hits for a Marlins player through his first 45 games of a season.
Is batting a National League-best .383 (31×81) on the road this season. Has hit safely in 17 of 21 games away from Miami. Only NYY’s Aaron Judge has a higher road avg. (.386).
Marks the best start to a stint with a new ballclub through 45 gms since Daniel Murphy’s .392 avg. with the Nationals in 2016 after they signed him as a free agent.
With two hits last Wednesday, reached the 500-hit plateau, becoming the seventh active player to reach 500 hits within their first 428 career gms. Joined Bo Bichette (407), Mookie Betts (408), Mike Trout (423), Jose Altuve (426), Whit Merrifield (426), and Jose Abreu (428).

CLOSE CALLS
The Marlins have had each of their last nine games decided by two runs or less. Overall, Miami is 15-3 (.833) in games decided by one run, the best such win pct. in the Majors. The second-best mark is Milwaukee (11-8, .727). The 18 one-run contests are tied for the fourth-most among Major League teams. Miami went 24-40 in one-run games in 2022.

Miami started the year with a 12-0 record in one-run games, surpassing the 1972 New York Mets 11-0 stretch of one-run games to mark the most in MLB history.

DANCING ON A THIN LINE
Thus far in 2023, Miami is 23-3 when limiting opponents to 4 runs or less and has gone 1-22 when allowing 5 or more runs.

PODER SOLER
DH/OF Jorge Soler has hit safely in 13 of his last 18 games, including 6 multi-hit efforts. Has collected 8 home runs and 19 RBI and is slashing .310/.380/.676 with a 1.056 OPS in this span. Is now tied for 5th in MLB with 13 HR (T-3rd in NL).

Leads MLB with 8 HR, 1.111 slugging, and 1.599 OPS vs. left-handed pitching this season.
With Monday’s home run, Soler has now homered in 7 of Luzardo’s 10 starts this season, including 2 multi-HR games. Owns a .500 batting avg. (20×40) in these starts with 9 HR and 21 RBI.
8 of his 12 home runs this season have tied the game or given the Marlins the lead.
Recorded fourth career 4-hit game Sunday and first since Sept. 11, 2019 at Chicago-AL.

GREAT WHEN LATE
The Marlins’ offense ranks third in MLB with a .275 avg. in the seventh inning or later, behind only Arizona (.282) and Houston (.278).

In this string of 3 losses, Miami has gone 12×38 (.316) in the seventh or later, the third-best mark in MLB during this span.

HEATING UP
C Nick Fortes has hit safely in his last 5 starts, including 2 multi-hit games, going 7×20 (.350) with 1 walk and 3 strikeouts in this span.

COLORADO ROCKIES NOTES:

BRING IT IN

The Colorado Rockies play the third game tonight of a seven-game homestand against the Miami Marlins (2-0) and New York Mets (May 26-28) … coming off a brief three-game trip to Texas, where they were swept by the Rangers for the first time.
The Rockies are in the midst of a stretch of 17 straight games without an off-day from May 19-June 4, their longest stretch without an off day this season.
Colorado has won four of their last six series since May 2 and five of their last eight series since April 24 … had lost or split each of their first seven series of the season prior to this stretch.
The Rockies are 13-8 over their last 21 and 15-11 through their last 25 since April 24, a .577 winning percentage that is the tied for the fourth-best mark in the NL over that span behind three fellow NL West clubs: Los Angeles (19-8, .704), Arizona (17-9, .654), San Francisco (16-11, .593).

BRING ON MIAMI

The Rockies have won 13 of their past 16 home games over the Marlins since Sept. 26, 2017, and 10 of the last 11 since 2019 … overall, the Rockies are 108-117 against their fellow expansion team, 69-44 at home.
In 20 career games against the Fish, Elias Díaz is slashing .375/.453/.786 with six doubles, one triple, five home runs and 12 RBI … Charlie Blackmon is slashing .305/418/.607 with 11 doubles, one triple seven home runs and 28 RBI in 60 career games against Miami.

BLUE ARROW

Outfielder Jurickson Profar holds an active 31-game on-base streak since April 15, the longest active streak in the Majors and the second-longest streak this season, trailing Yordan Álvarez (36 games) … slashing .268/.359/.423 through the streak with 18 walks.
Since May 7, Profar is batting .340 (18-for-53) with seven doubles, two home runs, nine RBI and eight multi-hit games over this span … has multiple hits in four of his last five games (9-for-22).

SOMBOR SHUFFLE

Despite playing in only 24 games, Brenton Doyle’s four home runs are tied for seventh-most among NL rookies.
Has stolen a club-best seven bases, tied for the third-most among all NL rookies and tied for the 12th-most among all NL players … is one of seven Major Leaguers with at least seven stolen bases and no caught stealings.

MAXIE THE MINER

Catcher Elias Díaz ranks second in the Majors with a .345 batting average and is tied for fourth with a .463 batting average (19-for-41) with runners in scoring position.
Díaz is hitting a Major League leading .405 (3-for-74) at home … has gone 14-for-23 (.609) with 14 RBI with runners in scoring position at Coors Field.
Has appeared in 41 games at catcher, the second-most in the Majors … his 10 catcher caught stealing are third in the Majors, while his 44.0 caught stealing percentage ranks second (min. 20 games).

BALL ARENA

Jake Bird ranks second among Major League relievers with 32.2 innings pitched … his 34 strikeouts are tied for second among NL relief pitchers … has posted a 0.67 ERA (27.0 IP, 2 ER) with nine walks and 30 strikeouts over his last 18 appearances since April 11.
Brent Suter’s 30.2 innings of relief are third in the Majors and are second in the NL behind Bird … his 0.88 ERA (30.2 IP, 3 ER) is the fourth-lowest in the Majors among relievers and the lowest by any Rockies reliever through their first 20 appearances of a season in franchise history (min. 20 IP).

SOME NUGGETS

The Rockies are the only team in the Majors to have an undefeated record (19-0) when leading after seven innings, while going 20-0 when leading after eight … alternatively, the Rockies are 0-24 when trailing after seven innings, one of three teams without a win when trailing after seven (also: New York NL and Texas).
Last night’s victory was the Rockies’ fourth of the season, and second in a row, when getting out-hit by their opponent.

ROCKIES STARTING PITCHER – #51 KARL KAUFFMANN RHP
KAUFFMANN, KARL KAUFFMANN

Bloomfield Hills, Mich. native makes his second Major League start today and first at home after making his Major League debut on May 20 at Texas.
Originally selected in the Competitive Balance Round B of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Michigan.

THERE’S ONLY ONE 22,935th

Became the 22,935th player in Major League Baseball history when he made his debut on Friday in Texas.
Also became the first starting pitcher to debut for the Rockies since Ryan Feltner on Sept. 5, 2021 … is the 10th starting pitcher used by the Rockies this season.
Took the loss after allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits over 4.1 innings, striking out four and walking two.
Struck out Marcus Semien, the first batter he faced, for his first Major League strikeout … would go on to also strike out Adolis Garcia, Leody Taveras and Jonah Heim.
Tossed three clean innings before allowing two runs in the fourth on a Garcia home run … allowed three more runs in the fifth before exiting
the game with one out.

HERE’S THE LATEST

Has made eight starts this season with Triple-A Albuquerque, going 2-3 with a 7.78 ERA (37.0 IP, 32 ER) with 12 walks and 26 strikeouts …
tossed his second quality start of the year last time out at Las Vegas on May 10, allowing two runs on seven hits over 6.0 innings, walking none and striking out five.
Holds a combined 6.68 ERA (101.0 IP, 75 ER) over 21 starts in two seasons of Triple-A ball, walking 57 and striking out 86 while opponents have hit .298 against him (124-for-416).

MLB Preview: New York Mets (25-24) at Chicago Cubs (21-26)

Baseball
MLB

MLB Editor

May 24, 2023

MLB Preview: New York Mets (25-24) at Chicago Cubs (21-26)

NEW YORK METS NOTES:

METSCELLANEOUS: The Mets returned to action on Tuesday night and fell to the Chicago Cubs, 7-2…The defeat snapped a five-game winning streak…The Mets have won six of their last nine games…New York continues a six-game road trip (0-1) to Chicago-NL (0-1) and Colorado (three games).

HOMER HAPPY: After the Mets went five straight games without a home run, the Mets have homered in season-high seven straight contests, hitting 14 home runs in that span…The Mets are 20-10 when hitting a home run this season and 9-5 when hitting multiple homers.

18, I JUST DON’T KNOW WHAT I WANT: Pete Alonso has homered in five of his last seven games…Overall, he has hit 18 home runs this year, which leads the majors leagues…His 43 RBI are fourth in The Show and lead the National League…Alonso ranks 12th in franchise history with 423 career RBI…Next up is Kevin McReynolds (456) and Keith Hernandez (468)…Alonso has appeared in 49 games this year…See the chart below for the fastest Met to reach 20 home runs in a season and the fastest to 50 RBI…Courtesy of Elias.

NAME YEAR GAMES
Dave Kingman 1976 51
Mike Piazza 2000 59
Pete Alonso 2019 59
Darryly Strawberry 1987 63
Carlson Beltran 2006 65
Courtesy of Elias

NAME YEAR GAMES
Carlos Beltran 2006 53
Pete Alonso 2022 55
Todd Hundley 1996 57
Mike Piazza 2000 57
Gary Carter 1986 61
Bernard Gilkey 1996 61
FASTEST METS TO 2O HOME RUNS – FASTEST TO 50 RBI

DROVE TO CHICAGO ALL THINGS KNOW: According to Sportsradar, Pete Alonso has homered in seven career games at Wrigley Field…It ties him with Mark McGwire and Prince Fielder for the secondmost HR all-time in a player’s first 12 games at the ballpark, trailing only Carlos Beltran’s eight home runs…Beltran’s eight homers are the most through a players first 13 games at the yard.

FOGO POWER: Eduardo Escobar is 12-32 (.375) with a triple, three home runs, six RBI, five runs scored and a 1.147 OPS over his last 14 games…

ROAD WARRIOR: Brandon Nimmo collected three hits last night… He is now batting .355 (39-110) with 13 runs, eight doubles, two home runs, 15 RBI, 11 walks with a .413 OBP and .482 SLG in 28 games on the road this season…His .355 road average ranks fourth in the majors…He has safely hit in seven straight road games, batting .448 (13-29) with three runs, two doubles, four RBI, two walks with a .986 OPS in that span.

SENGA GENESIS: Kodai Senga struck out career-high 12 in his last start…It was the first double-digit-strikeout game by a Mets pitcher this season…It was the most strikeouts by a Japanese-born pitcher in Mets history and the first double-digit strikeout game by a Mets rookie since Tylor Megill struck out 10 vs. the Yankees on September 10, 2021…The right has 55 strikeouts through his first eight games of his career, the third-most by a Met…Only Nolan Ryan (64) and Dwight Gooden (59) have recorded more…Senga’s 55 strikeouts ranks fourth among Japanese born pitchers, behind Masahiro Tanaka (66), Hideo Nomo (59) and Yu Darvish (58) through a players first eight games.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: New York has played 28 games on the road this year, the most in the majors…New York is 13-15 with a 4.73 ERA away from Citi Field in 2023…The team’s 238 strikeouts on the road is the most in the National League and tied with the Twins for the most in the majors.

THE FRIENDLY CONFINES: The Mets continue a three-game set at Wrigley Field tonight…New York took three of four in the Windy City in 2022…Franciso Lindor is a lifetime .333 (18-54) hitter with nine runs, four doubles, two home runs, eight RBI and 12 walks with a .455 OBP and a .519 SLG in 14 games at the ballpark…Brandon Nimmo has hit .333/.378/.476 in 11 career games at the ballpark… In 67 career contests, Starling Marte has hit .269/.322/.454 with 44 runs, 12 doubles, four triples, 10 home runs, 34 RBI and 17 walks.

THREE NIGHTS IN CHICAGO: The Mets are set to play three consecutive night games in Chicago…The last did that from April 20- 23, 2021…Prior to that, the team played three straight night games at Wrigley Field from September 12-14, 2017.

THE HATEFUL EIGHT: Jeff McNeil has hit safely in each of his last eight starts, batting .400 (12-30) in that span with five runs, two walks and three RBI…He has 178 multi-hit games in his career, which is 19th all-time in Mets history…Wally Backman is next with 179 multi-hit contests.

ATTABOY ALVAREZ: Francisco Alvarez is batting .271 (16-59) with four doubles, five home runs, 10 RBI, five walks with a .338 OBP and a .593 SLG against right-handed pitching this year…In 16 games in May, Alvarez is batting .271 (13-48) with seven runs, four doubles, four home runs, nine RBI, six walks with a .968 OPS.

EIGHT IS GREAT: The Mets are 22-0 when leading after eight innings this season…The last time the Mets lost a game when they were ahead after eight innings was on September 6, 2021 at Washington… The Mets were up 3-2 and lost 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth…Since then the Mets have won their last 117 games when ahead after eight, the longest active streak in MLB…It’s the tied for the longest streak in franchise history….From October 1, 1990- September 2, 1992, the Mets also won 117 straight games when ahead after eight innings.

D-FENCE: The Mets have committed 17 errors in 49 games this year… That gives the team a .990 fielding percentage….Their .990 fielding percentage ranks fifth in the majors and third in the NL…Their 17 errors are the second-fewest committed in the Senior Circuit…Only the Padres (12) have committed fewer.

TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER – KODAI SENGA RHP #34
2023 STATS: 4-2, 3.77 ERA

SENGA’S PITCH ARSENAL
Pitch Type Usage Rate vs. LHB vs. RHB Avg. Velocity
Four-Seam Fastball 41.3% 41.5% 41.1% 95.9 mph
Forkball 21.8% 24.4% 18.9% 83.7 mph
Sweeper 14.5% 6.6% 23.1% 81.8 mph
Cutter 21.2% 25.7% 16.4% 90.2 mph
Curveball 0.9% 1.3% 0.6% 70.9 mph
Slider 0.3% 0.5% – 82.2 mph

LAST TIME OUT: Set a career-high with 12 strikeouts on May 17 in the Mets 8-7 win against Tampa Bay…Threw 6.0 innings, allowing one run on three hits with three walks…His 12 strikeouts marked the most strikeouts by a Japanese-born pitcher in Mets history…Senga was the first Met this season to record double-digit strikeouts in an outing.

STRIKE ‘EM OUT: Senga has 55 strikeouts through his first eight career major league games, the third-most in franchise history behind Nolan Ryan (64) and Dwight Gooden (59).

PUTTING THE K IN FORK: Senga’s “ghost fork” has accounted for 30 of his 55 strikeouts through eight starts…The pitch has a 58.8 percent whiff rate and a 27.8 percent putaway rate…Opponents have managed just five hits in 44 at-bats ending with the forkball, a .114 batting average.

ALL I DO IS WIN: Senga became the only Japanese-born pitchers to start their career 3-0 and is the fourth player in franchise history to earn the win in their first two career major league starts, joining Steven Matz, Mike Pelfrey and Gary Gentry…Additionally, he joins Kazuhisa Ishii, Hideki Irabu and Koji Uehara as the only Japanese-born pitchers to win each of their first two career major league starts…Senga fell just shy of becoming the second Mets starting pitcher ever to begin his career 4-0, a record held by Steven Matz.

CHICAGO CUBS NOTES:

The Cubs and Mets play six games spanning two series … following this three-game set at Wrigley Field the teams will meet for three games at
Citi Field, Aug. 7-9 … Chicago has won the last five season series against the Mets dating to 2017.

AN ALL AROUND GOOD EVENING: Drew Smyly improved to 5-1 with two runs in 5.0 innings, four relievers (Jeremiah Estrada, Julian Merryweather, Mark Leiter Jr., and Michael Fulmer) combined for 4.0 shutout innings and the team received home runs from Seiya Suzuki, Matt Mervis and Christopher Morel as the Cubs last night defeated the New York Mets 7-2 in the series opener of this three-game set.

Dating to May 9 vs. the Cardinals, the Cubs have hit seven home runs and scored 21 runs in their last three games at Wrigley Field … in 23 games at the Friendly Confines, Chicago has averaged 4.91 runs (113 runs scored) – that’s the fifth-best home average among N.L. clubs.

Cubs pitching has posted a 3.59 ERA (85 ER/213.0 IP) in its 23 home games, the third-best mark in the N.L. (Dodgers, 2.92 and Phillies (3.44) and ninth in the majors.

‘STRO SHOW AT HOME: Tonight’s Cubs starter Marcus Stroman has posted a 2.02 ERA (11 ER/49.0 IP) in his last eight starts at Wrigley Field dating to Sept. 16 of last season, recording quality starts in seven of those outings … he’s walked 15, struck out 49 and recorded a 0.96 WHIP in that span at Wrigley Field. CURRENT EVENTS AND LOOKING AHEAD: Tonight marks the second contest of a nine-game homestand that continues Friday with the first of three games against the Reds before Chicago hosts the Rays beginning Monday.

Following play on April 21, Chicago was 12-7 and 1.5 games behind the division lead … since, the club is 9-19 and enters tonight 4.5 games behind the division-leading Brewers, sitting at 26-22.

Once this homestand concludes on May 31, the Cubs then play 15 of 21 games on the road through June 25, culminating with the two-game series in London against the Cardinals, June 24-25.

I MEAN, WHAT CAN YOU SAY?: Christopher Morel has hit safely and scored a run in each of his first 12 games since he made his season debut May 9 following his recall from Triple-A Iowa … he’s hit .367 (18-for-49) with three doubles, nine homers, 15 RBI and 17 runs scored with Chicago, and has homered in each of his last five games.

Morel is just the second Cub since 1901 to record a hit and score a run in at least 12-straight games in a single season, joining Hank Sauer (12 games in 1954).

Morel’s stretch of 12-straight games with a run scored is second-longest in franchise history since 1900, joining Hank Sauer (13 games in 1954).

Morel is one of four players who have hit nine or more homers within their first 12 games of the season, joining Luis Gonzalez (9 HR in 2001), Larry Walker (9 HR in 1997) and Mike Schmidt (11 HR in 1976).

IN CASE YOU NEED IT: Christopher Morel has homered in each of his last five games, tying a franchise mark done by Sammy Sosa (June 3-8, 1998), Ryne Sandberg (Aug. 7-11, 1989) and Hack Wilson (July 3-7, 1928) … the last MLB player to homer in at least six-consecutive games is the Angels Mike Trout, who went deep in seven-straight games just last season, Sept. 4-12 … the last N.L. player to homer in more than five-consecutive games? … Cincinnati’s Joey Votto had a seven-game run in July of 2021.

CROSSING THE PLATE: The Cubs have scored at least one run in each of their first 47 games in 2023, and in 57-straight games dating to Sept. 25 of last season … this 57-game run is the club’s longest since scoring in 70-consecutive contests from Aug. 12, 2021-May 4 of last year.

The team has scored in each of its first 47 games to start a season for just the second time in the modern era as the 1995 club scored in each of its first 47 games … prior to 1995, the team opened a campaign with a longer run-scoring streak in 1898, plating a run in each of its first 91 contests that year.

IN THE FIELD: Dansby Swanson has gone 30-straight games since April 20 without committing an error (100 TC) and his seven defensive runs saved lead major league shortstops, just ahead of Tampa Bay’s Wander Franco (6), according to Fangraphs.

Seiya Suzuki on Sunday threw out Nick Castellanos at third base on a fly ball to right field … Statcast tracked the throw at 95.4 mph, Suzuki’s second-fastest throw of the season … he used a 97.4 mph toss to the plate May 8 vs. St. Louis to keep Willson Contreras from tagging from third base.

AT THE PLATE: The Cubs rank third in the majors in OBP (.339), sixth in walks drawn (179), seventh in OPS (.768) and eighth in average .262 (424-for-1,620) and slugging (.430).

Ian Happ’s .407 OBP is fifth in the N.L. and seventh in the majors … his 35 walks are tied for third-most in baseball.

Nico Hoerner’s .296 batting average is 19th in the N.L. while his 12 stolen bases are tied for fifth in the Senior Circuit.

Seiya Suzuki has a .400 average (14-for-35) with a 1.004 OPS against lefthanded pitching … Suzuki has hit .326 (15-for-46) with four doubles, five homers, nine walks, a .429 OBP and a .739 slugging mark in his last 13 games since May 8.

ABOUT SOME ARMS: Lefty Justin Steele ranks third in the N.L. with a 2.20 season ERA and his six victories are tied for the most … Drew Smyly leads the N.L. with a 0.96 WHIP and is tied for third with a .202 batting average against.

Including a scoreless inning last night, Jeremiah Estrada has spun 8.0 shutout frames in seven outings spanning two stints with Chicago … he has allowed three hits, walked five and struck out 12 with a 1.00 WHIP.

Julian Merryweather has posted a 1.42 ERA (2 ER/12.2 IP) in his last 13 relief appearances since April 17 … he has averaged 12.08 strikeouts per 9.0 innings in that stretch (17 SO in 12.2 IP).

Starting Pitcher – #0 RHP Marcus Stroman (3-4, 3.05)
Last Time Out
Marcus earned his fourth win of the season, tossing 6.0 innings of one-run ball while allowing three hits and two walks … was his fifth outing of the year tossing at least 6.0 innings while allowing one earned run or fewer … has allowed two or fewer earned runs in four of his last five starts … recorded his MLB-high-tying eighth quality start.

Date Opp. Result IP H R ER BB SO PC-S Left
5/19 @PHI W, 10-1 6.0 3 1 1 2 4 88-53 8-1
2023 Splits and Season Notes
W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO
Home 2-3 2.79 5 5 29.0 20 9 9 10 31
Road 1-1 3.33 5 5 27.0 23 10 10 11 20
AVG vs. LHB: .208 (21-for-101) / AVG vs. RHB: .214 (22-for-103)

Marcus is scheduled to make his team-high 11th start of the 2023 season tonight, his sixth at home … dating to Aug. 30, 2022, has allowed two runs or fewer in 13 of his last 17 starts, pitching to a 2.66 ERA (29 ER/98.0 IP), the fourth-lowest ERA in the majors during that span (min. 17 GS) … his eight quality starts are tied for the major league lead this season and his 17 such outings since the All-Star break oflast season are tied for fourth-most in the MLB.

Recorded his 1,000th career strikeout April 23 vs. Los Angeles (N.L.), retiring Freddie Freeman looking in the third inning.

Became the second Cubs starting pitcher since 1901 (also Jake Arrieta, 2016) with three outings of at least 6.0 scoreless innings in the team’s first 16 games.

Became the third Cubs starting pitcher since 1901 to allow two or fewer combined runs over his first four starts of a season (also Steve Stone, 1976; Jason Hammel, 2016).

Posted a 14.0-inning scoreless streak to begin the season, the fourth-longest by a Cubs pitcher since 1901.

Made his third career Opening Day start March 30 vs. Milwaukee (0 ER/6.0 IP), earning the win … improved to 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA (3 ER/21.0 IP) in his three career Opening Day starts.

Made two starts for Team Puerto Rico in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, posting a 3.00 ERA (3 ER/9.0 IP).

MLB Preview: Detroit Tigers (21-25) at Kansas City Royals (15-35)

Baseball
MLB

MLB Editor

May 24, 2023

MLB Preview: Detroit Tigers (21-25) at Kansas City Royals (15-35)

DETROIT TIGERS NOTES:

TIGERS DROP MIDDLE GAME IN KC: The Tigers lost to the Royals 4-1 on Tuesday night. Javier Báez had a pair of hits and drove in a run, while Akil Baddoo, Miguel Cabrera, Riley Greene, Nick Maton, Zach McKinstry and Matt Vierling each had one hit. Eduardo Rodriguez started for Detroit and took the loss, giving up four runs, two earned, on eight hits with two walks and nine strikeouts in 5.0 innings. Tyler Holton pitched 3.0 shutout innings in relief with three hits allowed, one walk and one strikeout.

WHAT A RELIEF: Tyler Holton threw 3.0 shutout innings in last night’s game, continuing the solid performance from Detroit’s bullpen. Tigers relievers have not allowed a run in the last three games, throwing 13.1 consecutive scoreless frames. Since April 15, Detroit’s relief corps have combined for a Major League best 2.55 ERA (120.0IP/34ER), while also leading the American League and ranking second in the Majors with a
1.10 WHIP.

RILEY AGAINST THE ROYALS: Riley Greene went 1×3 with a walk in last night’s game and has now hit safely in all 17 games he’s played in his career against Kansas City, batting .314/.392/.429 with three doubles, a triple, a home run and four RBI. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Greene’s 17-game hitting streak against the Royals is tied with Josh Bell (17-game hitting streak vs. New York (NL)) for the third-longest current hitting streak vs. one team among active players, trailing only Freddie Freeman (20-game hitting streak vs. Boston) and Starling Marte (18-game hitting streak vs. Texas).

TIGERS AND ROYALS: The Tigers and Royals conclude their first series of the season tonight. After tonight, the two teams will next meet at Comerica Park for a three-game series from June 19-21. Detroit went 10-9 against Kansas City last season with the two teams splitting 10 meetings at Kauffman Stadium. The Tigers have won the season series over the Royals just twice since 2015.

AGAINST THE AL CENTRAL: The Tigers continue divisional play tonight against the Royals. Detroit is 5-3 against American League Central teams so far this season, going 4-2 vs. Cleveland and 1-1 vs. Kansas City. The Tigers have finished below .500 against AL Central foes in each of the last five 162-game seasons, including a 34-42 record last season.

ON THE ROAD: The Tigers are 2-3 on their six-game road trip, which includes three games at Washington (1-2) and three games at Kansas City (1-1). Detroit has an 11-15 record away from Comerica Park this season. As a team, the Tigers are hitting .223/.297/.339 on the road, while the
pitching staff has a 4.46 ERA (226.0IP/112ER).

ON DECK: Following tonight’s game, the Tigers return home to begin a seven-game homestand, which opens with four against the White Sox, the first series of the season between the two teams. Detroit went 7-12 against Chicago (AL) last season, including a 2-7 record at Comerica Park.

TIGERS ON THE IL:

RHP Beau Brieske (right upper arm discomfort, 60-day IL on March 30, retroactive to March 27)
OF Kerry Carpenter (right shoulder sprain, 10-day IL on April 29, retroactive to April 28)
RHP Matt Manning (right foot fracture, 60-day IL on April 12)
OF Austin Meadows (anxiety, 60-day IL on April 8, retroactive to April 7)
RHP Casey Mize (right elbow sprain, 60-day IL on February 17)
RHP Freddy Pacheco (right elbow sprain, 60-day IL on March 27)
LHP Tarik Skubal (left elbow strain, 60-day IL on March 14)
RHP Spencer Turnbull (neck discomfort, 15-day IL on May 12, retroactive to May 7)
RHP Trey Wingenter (right biceps tendinitis, 15-day IL on April 22, retroactive to April 19)

TONIGHT’S TIGERS STARTING PITCHER – #48 Matthew Boyd • 3-3, 6.21 ERA (37.2IP/26ER)

Boyd will make his ninth start of the season tonight in the series finale at Kansas City.
Picked up his third win of the season on Friday at Washington, giving up three runs on four hits with a walk and four strikeouts in 5.2 innings.
Has made 27 career appearances, including 26 starts, against the Royals, posting a 7-11 record with a 5.44 ERA (130.2IP/79ER) and 103 strikeouts…in 14 career outings, including 13 starts, at Kauffman Stadium, Boyd has a 4-6 record with a 6.68 ERA (66.0IP/49ER) and 53 strikeouts.
Missed most of the 2022 season while rehabbing from an injury, but returned in September to pitch in 10 games and help Seattle to the playoffs…went 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA (13.1IP/2ER) and 13 strikeouts in his 10 outings with the Mariners.
Is in his second stint with the Tigers…was with the organization from 2015-21, appearing in 147 games, including 143 starts, and compiling a 37-60 record with a 4.87 ERA (777.2IP/421ER) and 752 strikeouts.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS NOTES:

MAGIC MIKE: The Royals evened the series with a 4-1 win over the Tigers last night at Kauffman Stadium, thanks in part to starter Mike Mayers, who allowed just 1 run on 6 hits over 4.2 innings…Mayers, who was making his 200th career appearance but just his 7th start, recorded a career-high 8 strikeouts and issued only 1 walk…he retired 10 of the first 11 batters and escaped a bases-loaded jam in the 4th…he exited after back-to-back 2-out singles in the 5th and fell 1 out shy of qualifying for the win…Jose Cuas allowed 1 of Mayer’s inherited runners to score, but the bullpen combined for 4.1 scoreless innings, capped by a scoreless 9th from Aroldis Chapman, who recorded his 317th career save and 2nd with the Royals…the offense stranded 11 baserunners and went just 2-for-11 in scoring situations, but five straight reached vs. Eduardo Rodriguez in the 4th, including RBI hits by Michael Massey and Maikel Garcia, who had a team-high 3 knocks.

Mayers was the Royals 10th different starting pitcher this season, 1 shy of the Rays for the Majors lead.

WHAT A RELIEF!: The bullpen combined for 4.1 scoreless innings in last night’s 4-1 win, continuing its run of excellence over the last two-plus weeks…in the Royals last 17 games (since May 6), their relievers lead Major League Baseball with 84 strikeouts and rank among the American League leaders in opponents’ average (.214, 2nd), innings pitched (71.1, 3rd) and ERA (2.78, 4th)…the bullpen has averaged more than 4.0 innings per game during this stretch, and that’s including Jordan Lyles’ complete game on May 9 vs. the White Sox.

Royals relievers lead the Majors this season with 229 strikeouts, rank 2nd with 10.7 K/9 and 4th with a 26.9 K%, all of which mark big improvements over last season, when their bullpen ranked 21st with an 8.5 K/9, 25th with 552 strikeouts and 26th with a 21.2 K%…their current rates would be single-season club records.

Josh Staumont pitched a scoreless 7th inning last night to mark his 13th scoreless appearance in 16 outings since his April 14 recall…he’s held opponents to a .173 average (9-for-52) with 19 strikeouts (11.1 K/9).

Taylor Clarke pitched a scoreless 8th inning last night, extending his scoreless streak to 9.2 innings over 9 appearances, during which he’s held opponents to a .182 average (6-for-33) with 11 strikeouts…this run is just 1 out shy of his career-best scoreless streak of 10.0 innings, done last season from June 28-July 16.

Aroldis Chapman pitched a scoreless 9th last night to earn his 317th career save, and is now 1 shy of Rick Aguilera (318) for 23rd on the all-time saves list, and is only 2 saves shy of Todd Jones (319) for 22nd.

Carlos Hernández retired all six batters he faced while serving as the opener in Sunday’s 5-2 loss in Chicago…it was his 9th scoreless outing in his last 11, a stretch in which he owns a 1.15 ERA (2 ER in 15.2 IP), has held opponents to a .148 average (8-for-54) and 4 walks (2.3 BB/9) with 23 strikeouts (13.2 K/9).

WHEN RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD: After splitting the 1st 2 games of this series, the Royals will play their 5th rubber game of the season tonight vs. the Tigers…all 5 of those series-deciding games have come in the Royals last eight 3-game sets, after each of their first six series of the season were decided before the final game.

The Royals lost their 1st 3 series-deciding games, but won their most recent on May 17 in San Diego.

Kansas City has won its last 5 rubber games vs. the Tigers since their last loss on May 5, 2019 at Detroit.

The Royals are 3-12 in series this year, but with a win tonight, they would improve to 3-2 in their last five.

The Royals will visit Detroit for the first time this season for a 3-game set next month from June 19-21.

SALVY SPLASHES: Royals Captain Salvador Perez hit his team-leading 11th home run in the 1st inning Monday night, which are tied for 6th most in the American League, just 3 HR behind league leaders Aaron Judge and Adolis García (14 each)…of his team-best 11 home runs, 6 have either tied the game or given the Royals a lead.

Salvy has hit 8 home runs in 19 games this month, 1 behind Christopher Morel for the Major League lead…his 8 HR are 1 shy of the single-season club record for the month of May, set by Gary Gaetti in 1995.

In his last 24 games since April 24, Perez is tied for the Majors lead with 9 HR, ranks 3rd with a .677 slugging percentage, 5th with a 1.052 OPS and is tied for 7th with a .333 batting average (31-for-104).

Royals catchers have hit 13 HR this season—including 9 by Perez—which are the most of any position on the team and the highest total at the catcher position in the Majors, 2 more than the Braves catchers (11).

His 27 HR and 90 RBI vs. Detroit are his 2nd most vs. any opponent, trailing 32 HR and 109 RBI vs. the Twins.

SOUTHPAW STORY: The Royals faced a left-handed starting pitcher in Eduardo Rodriguez last night for the first time since May 6, when they lost to Oakland’s Ken Waldichuck…that snapped a run of 15 consecutive games vs. right-handed starting pitchers, and last night’s win was their 1st in a game vs. an opposing southpaw since April 22 against the Angels Tyler Anderson…the Royals will keep the southpaw story alive tonight with their second straight matchup vs. a lefty in Detroit’s Matthew Boyd…the Royals are 12-14 in Boyd’s 26 career starts against them, but he hasn’t beaten the Royals since 2020, and went he 0-2 in 4 starts vs. them in 2021.

Maikel Garcia is 6-for-16 (.375) vs. left-handed pitchers since his May 2 recall, including 3 hits last night.

Left-handed batters Michael Massey and Nick Pratto have fared well vs. left-handed pitching, batting .360 (9-for-25) and .316 (6-for-19), respectively…in fact, Massey’s .360 average vs. southpaws is the 2nd best among all left-handed batters (min. 25 AB), trailing only Anthony Rizzo, who’s batting .405 (17-for-42).

Nicky Lopez hit his 1st career HR off Boyd four years ago on June 13, 2019 in a game that took place at Omaha’s Charles Schwab Field (formerly TD Ameritrade Park), where he played collegiately with Creighton.

GETTING AHEAD: The Royals have held a lead in 16 of their 21 games in the month of May, but they’re only 8-13 this month with 8 blown lead losses…the only games this month in which they haven’t held a lead were May 5 vs. Baltimore, when they trailed 9-2, cut the deficit to 9-8, but lost 12-8; May 12 at Milwaukee, a 5-1 loss; May 15 in San Diego, a 4-0 loss; last Friday night in Chicago, where they were blanked in a 2-0 loss and Monday night vs. Detroit, a game in which they forced extra innings but lost, 8-5…for the season, the Royals 16 blown lead losses are tied for the 3rd most in the Majors, trailing only the Athletics (18) and Guardians (17).

The Royals 8 wins in 21 games in May are more than the 7 wins they had in 29 games in March/April.

HOME: The Royals continue a 6-game homestand tonight with the last of 3 games vs. the Tigers, before hosting the Nationals for 3 games this weekend for the first time since 2016…Monday night began a stretch in which the Royals are playing 9 of 11 games at home, with the only exceptions being a 2-game set in St. Louis next week… that will continue a run of four consecutive series vs. National League opponents, including a 3-game stay vs. the Rockies next weekend and 3 games in Miami as part of a 6-game trip to begin the first week of June.

The Royals are 7-18 at Kauffman Stadium this season, but have won 5 of their last 7 after starting 2-16.

Tomorrow’s off day will be the second of four off days in a 15-day stretch, a run that began last Thursday and also includes back-to-back off days next Wednesday and Thursday, following a 2-game set in St. Louis

TONIGHT’S STARTERS: RHP ZACK GREINKE (1-5, 4.82)
ZACK GREINKE is making his 11th start of the season and 525th of his career tonight vs. the Tigers, and is 2 starts behind Jerry Koosman and Hall of Famer Jack Morris for 37th on the all-time starts list…it’s his 33rd career appearance (30th start) vs. the Tigers and 3rd since returning to Kansas City last year…Greinke, now in his 20th season in the Majors, is a six-time All-Star, a six-time Rawlings Gold Glove Award Winner and was named the American League Cy Young Award winner in 2009 with the Royals.

He is one of three pitchers in Major League history with at least six Rawlings Gold Gloves and six All-Star selections, along with Greg Maddux and Bob Gibson.

Among active pitchers, Greinke ranks 1st in starts (524) and innings (3299.1), 2nd in wins (224) and 3rd in strikeouts (2,918)…he is one of three pitchers in Major League history to win a Cy Young Award, a Rawlings Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger Award, along with Fernando Valenzuela and Orel Hershiser.

LAST START: Greinke suffered his 5th loss of the season in last Friday night’s 2-0 defeat on the South Side of Chicago, in which he was charged with 2 runs on 5 hits and no walks in 5.2 innings, with 4 strikeouts…the game’s only runs came in the 2nd, when the White Sox started the inning with 4 straight hits off Zack, including an RBI single by Gavin Sheets…on the following play, a single by Jake Burger, Greinke threw out Sheets, who overran second base, but Romy González drove in another run on a sacrifice fly…that began a stretch in which he retired 13 of 15 but the damage was done, and Michael Kopech (8.0 IP) and Kendal Graveman (1.0 IP) combined to allow just 1 hit and faced the minimum as the Royals were blanked for the eighth time.

Zack has completed at least 5.0 innings in 9 of his 10 starts this season.

GRE1NKE: Zack’s May 13 start in Milwaukee ended on a called third strike of Milwaukee’s Joey Wiemer in the 5th inning, which marked the 1,000th different batter Zack has struck out in his 20-year career…he’s the fifth pitcher in Major League history, according to Kenny Jackelen of Baseball Reference, to fan 1,000 different batters, joining Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux and Roger Clemens…he’s since added 1 more victim to run his total to 1,001 players struck out.

Among the 1,001 batters he’s struck out includes Hall of Famers Chipper Jones, Frank Thomas, Scott Rolen, Derek Jeter, Iván Rodríguez, David Ortiz and Jim Thome…he’s fanned 10 sets of brothers, one father/son duo—Vladimir Guerrero Sr. and Jr.—and six current big league Managers, including Rocco Baldelli, Aaron Boone, Craig Counsell, Mark Kotsay, Phil Nevin & Skip Schumaker.

Greinke is 82 strikeouts shy of becoming the 20th pitcher to reach 3,000.

WALKING ON WATER: Zack’s pinpoint control has been on full display this season, his 20th in the Majors…the 39-year-old has issued only 7 walks to the 216 batters he’s faced through 10 starts (52.1 IP) 1.2 BB/9 and 3.2 BB%, both of which rank 3rd in the Majors behind George Kirby and Anthony DeSclafani…Zack has faced 50 batters since his last walk to Gavin Sheets in the 3rd inning on May 8 in Kansas City.

Greinke has had 4 starts this season in which he did not issue a walk over at least 5.0 innings, which tails only Framber Valdez and Patrick Corbin (5 each).

The Royals have had 11 starts this year in which their pitcher recorded 5.0 innings without allowing a walk, which is tied with the Phillies, Dodgers and Mariners for the most starts in the Majors…they had only 23 such starts in 2022.

BACK IN BLUE: Zack returned in 2023 for the second straight year to Kansas City, where he spent the first seven seasons of his Major League career, after being selected by the Royals 6th overall in the 2002 Draft…Greinke is the 33rd player to play for the Royals, leave the organization and later return…he missed time due to two stints on the Injured List in 2022, limiting him to only 137.0 innings, the 4th fewest in his career behind the shortened 2020 season (67.0 IP), 2006 (6.1 IP) and 2007 (122.0 IP)…he did, however, rank 2nd among Royals starters with a 3.68 ERA (56 ER in 137.0 IP). Tonight marks Zack’s 206th start with the Royals, which ranks 7th most in club history, trailing Paul Splittorff (392), Mark Gubicza (327), Dennis Leonard (302), Kevin Appier (275), Bret Saberhagen (226) and Larry Gura (219).…his 1,040 strikeouts with the Royals rank 7th, 8 shy of Duffy.

VS. TIGERS: In 32 career appearances (29 starts) vs. the Tigers, Zack is 13-8 with a 2.84 ERA (56 ER in 177.2 IP), but it’s been more than 10 years since he last beat Detroit on Sept. 9, 2012 with the Angels…he’s faced the Tigers only 5 times since and is 0-2 despite a 3.34 ERA (11 ER in 29.2 IP), including 7.0 scoreless innings in his last start in Detroit on Sept. 27, 2022, and he did not factor into the decision of Kansas City’s 4-3 loss.

CROWN VISION: Tonight marks Zack’s 112th career start at Kauffman Stadium, 3 shy of Bret Saberhagen for the 5th-most starts in the 51-season history of the ballpark…he’s 5-4 with a 2.30 ERA (24 ER in 94.0 IP) in 17 home starts since returning to the Royals in 2022, including 1-2 in 5 starts in 2023.

Zack has allowed 2 earned runs or fewer in 20 of his last 24 starts at Kauffman Stadium dating back to Sept. 30, 2010, a stretch in which he owns a 2.41 ERA (37 ER in 138.0 IP), including 6 starts as a visitor from 2012-21…Zack has allowed just 3 HR in his last 19 starts at Kauffman Stadium, dating back to 2019, including a HR by Ozzie Albies on April 16 vs. Atlanta, which snapped his streak of 44.2 homerless innings here.

MLB Preview: Los Angeles Dodgers (31-19) at Atlanta Braves (29-19)

Baseball
MLB

MLB Editor

May 24, 2023

MLB Preview: Los Angeles Dodgers (31-19) at Atlanta Braves (29-19)

LOS ANGELES DODGERS NOTES:

TONIGHT’S STARTER at BRAVES: RHP TONY GONSOLIN (2-1, 1.13 ERA in 5 GS)
2023 SEASON NOTES:

Got his second win of the season in his last start against St. Louis, tossing five scoreless innings on just one hit, three walks and punching out three…has wins in back-to-back starts
2022 All-Star tossed his first win of the season on Sunday against San Diego after firing five scoreless innings and giving up two hits, one walk, and tying a season-high six strikeouts
In his rehab start with Triple-A Oklahoma City on April 20th, he hurled three innings, allowing one hit, two earned runs, two walks while sitting down seven
Made one Spring Training start, tossing 2.1 innings, allowing no runs on three hits, while walking two and striking out two

VS. BRAVES:

Last faced Atlanta on June 26, 2022, spinning 5.2 innings and giving up five hits, one run, two walks and five strikeouts in the no decision
He is 1-0 with a 1.15 ERA (2 ER/15.2 IP) and 10 strikeouts in three career games against the Braves

ATLANTA BRAVES NOTES:

TONIGHT’S GAME: The Braves and Dodgers tonight conclude a three-game series in what is the third of seven scheduled meetings between the clubs this season…Atlanta will travel to Los Angeles, August 31 to September 3, for a four-game set at Dodger Stadium.

Los Angeles beat Atlanta, 8-1, last night and has won the first two games of this series.
The Braves and Dodgers played six times last season, with Atlanta going 2-4 in these games…Los Angeles won two-of-three at both Dodger
Stadium and here at Truist Park.
Atlanta has not won the season set against Los Angeles since 2013, when it went 5-2 over seven games…Since the 2014 season, the Braves are just 16-37 (.302) in 53 regular season games versus the Dodgers, and have been outscored 256-175 (-81).
The Braves and Dodgers have played 18 total games here at Truist Park since the facility opened in 2017, with Atlanta going 7-11 (.412) against Los Angeles in that span.
Since the 2018 season, Los Angeles (489-270, .644) and Atlanta (440-314, .584) are the two winningest teams in the N.L…The two clubs have met in three of the last five postseasons, including twice in the NLCS, with Atlanta going 8-9 in 17 playoff games against Los Angeles…The clubs enter tonight with the two best records in the N.L. this season.
RH Bryce Elder has never faced Los Angeles, and has pitched against just one active Dodger (Miguel Rojas; 1-for-5) in his career…The 6-foot-2, 225- pound right-hander has made nine starts for Atlanta this season, going a perfect 3-0 with a 2.06 ERA (12 ER/52.1 IP)…He has allowed no more than two runs in seven of his nine starts.
RH Tony Gonsolin tonight makes his fourth career start against Atlanta, and is 1-0 with a 1.15 ERA (2 ER/15.2 IP) in his career versus the Braves… The 6-foot-3, 205-pound native of Vacaville, CA is 18-2 since the start of last season, compiling a 1.98 ERA (34 ER/154.1 IP) and pitching the Dodgers to a 22-7 record in his 29 starts.

LOSS: Atlanta dropped its second consecutive game last night, falling to Los Angeles, 8-1…It was just the fifth game this season in which the Braves have failed to score multiple runs.

The Braves did not homer last night, snapping a streak of nine consecutive games with at least one home run that dated to May 13 at Toronto…
Atlanta had been tied with Minnesota for the longest active streak in MLB.
Atlanta has just one win this season in a game it has not homered, Opening Day vs. Washington…The Braves beat the Nationals, 7-2, but failed to leave the ballpark…Since that game, the Braves have lost all nine games in which they do not homer.
The Braves fell to just 4-8 in their last 12 games, the worst 12-game stretch for the club this season.

BULLPEN: The Atlanta bullpen combined to allow four runs in 3.0 innings last night, and has a 4.17 ERA (38 ER/82.0 IP) and a 4.15 FIP this month…In 26 games over March and April, Braves relievers pitched to a 3.88 ERA (41 ER/95.0 IP) and a 3.13 FIP.

Atlanta’s relievers have allowed a home run in four consecutive games dating to May 20 vs. Seattle, the longest active streak by a bullpen in the majors.
Only four longer such streaks have occurred in 2023: Chicago-AL (7 games), Tampa Bay (5), Milwaukee (5) and Detroit (5).

Tonight’s Starting Pitcher – #55 Bryce Elder RHP
2023 Record: 3-0, 2.06 ERA • 2022 Record: 2-4, 3.17 ERA
vs. RHB: .255 (28-110), 1 HR • vs. LHB: .205 (17-82), 2 HR
Home: 0-0, 2.17 ERA (7 ER/29.0 IP) • Away: 3-0, 1.93 ERA (5 ER/23.1 IP)

Tonight’s Game

Set to make his first career start against Los Angeles (NL) and 10th on the season.
Enters play with 14 consecutive outings of at least 5.0 innings pitched.
His 2.06 ERA on the season is the lowest in the National League and third lowest in the majors among qualified starters.
Trails only Minnesota’s Sonny Gray (1.64) and TB’s Shane McClanahan (2.05).
Elder’s 3.24 ERA with runners on base is the lowest in the NL and second in the majors among qualified starters.
Scattered seven hits and one walk over 6.0 innings of two-run ball while fanning six hitters in his last start at Seattle.
His groundball rate of 55.4% of balls put in play is the fifth highest in the majors among qualified starters.
Has recorded an out on 65.0% of those grounders put in play, the fourth highest rate in baseball among qualifiers.
He has five starts in his career of at least 6.0 innings without allowing a run, the most such games in Atlanta franchise history (since 1966) in a player’s first 15 starts…Larry McWilliams (’78) and Ian Anderson (’20-21) both had four such starts.
Is 4-1 with a 1.91 ERA over his last 14 games started after being recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett for the second time, dating to his August 14, 2022.
In that stretch, Elder is averaging 6.0 innings pitched per outing, tied for the fourth highest rate in the National League (min. 10 starts).

2023 Recap

Elder’s 2.39 ERA through 17 career starts is the lowest in Atlanta franchise history to begin a career.
The 98.0 innings pitched through his first 17 games started are the most by an Atlanta player to begin their career since Michael Soroka in 2018-19.
His 26 earned runs allowed are also the fewest during that span.
Elder has held opponents to one run or less in four this season while pitching at least 5.0 frames in every outing.
His nine appearances of at least 5.0 innings pitched while holding opponents to one run or less are tied for the most through a player’s first 17 career games started with Michael Soroka.

MLB Preview: San Diego Padres (22-26) at Washington Nationals (20-28)

Baseball
MLB

MLB Editor

May 24, 2023

MLB Preview: San Diego Padres (22-26) at Washington Nationals (20-28)

SAN DIEGO PADRES NOTES:

Juan Soto goes 3-for-4 with a home run in his homecoming as Padres claim Game 1 of the series in D.C.

Juan Soto reached base safely 4 times with 2 singles, a homer, and a walk…Brandon Dixon, Xander Bogaerts, and Jake Cronenworth also homered, and Trent Grisham added a double…the club went 0-for-9 with RISP, though they walked 3 times with RISP.
Yu Darvish got the win (now 3-3) in his 4th quality start…he went 6.0 innings with 3 earned runs allowed on 6 hits with 4 punchouts.

Padres win consecutive games for 1st time since May 3-5…look for 1st series W since May 1-3 vs. CIN

The Padres win last night in the series opener in D.C. marked their 1st back-to-back wins since May 3-5, and if they win today, it’ll be their 1st 3-game winning streak since April 29-May 1.
San Diego entered this series having lost their last 5 straight series, and they’re poised to claim their 1st series win since they took 2 of 3 from Cincinnati from May 1-3.
Despite their National League-low .267 winning percentage since May 6 (4-11), Padres pitchers since May 6 have the lowest ERA of any NL club (3.25) and the lowest opponent average in MLB (.201).

Padres dig the long ball

Last night in D.C., the Friars combined for 4 home runs, their 2nd most in a game this season behind just their 6 against the Giants on April 29 in Mexico City…when San Diego goes homerless, they are 3-14 in those games, and when they hit at least 1 homer, they are 19-12.

Trouble with runners in scoring position, have gone 1-for-28 in last 4 games

The Padres went hitless again last night with 9 at bats with runners in scoring position, and in their last 4 games since the start of their last series against the Red Sox, they’ve gone just 1-for-28 (.036) with RISP.
The Padres’ .184 average (71-for-385) on the season with RISP is the lowest mark in baseball. Nationals’ 8th inning run snaps Padres ‘pen’s scoreless inning streak at 31.1 innings since May 12
In the 8th inning last night, reliever Nick Martinez allowed a run, snapping the Padres bullpen’s 31.1 inning scoreless inning streak…it fell 32.0 innings shy of the club record 32.0 consecutive scoreless innings they had back in 1978.

Majority WHIP

The Padres ‘pen’s 1.17 WHIP is the best mark in all of baseball so far this year…the lowest WHIP by a Padre bullpen in franchise history is their 1.13 WHIP in 2010.

Juan Soto with a 1.168 OPS in his last 21 games

Juan Soto’s 3-for-4 game last night was his 2nd 3-hit game this year (had a season-high 4 hits on May 9 @ MIN), and his homer was his team-leading 7th…he also leads the club in doubles (13), RBI (22), and walks (42).
In his last 21 games since April 29th, Soto has a 1.168 OPS, the 3rd highest OPS of any qualifying player in that time, trailing just ARI Lourdes Gurriel Jr.’s 1.213 OPS and CWS Luis Robert’s 1.193 OPS…prior to April 29th, Soto had just a .689 OPS in his 1st 27 games to start the season.

STARTING PITCHER – RYAN WEATHERS 40
Weathers set for 5th start of season
23-year-old Ryan Weathers is slated for his 5th start of the season tonight vs. WSH…it will be his 2nd career start/appearance vs. the Nationals, having earned the win in his lone career start vs. WSH at Petco Park on July 6, 2021 (5.1 IP, 7 H, 4 ER)…he was recalled from Triple-A El Paso last Thurs, May 18 with Seth Lugo landing on the 15-day IL (right calf strain)…he was optioned to El Paso on Mon, May 15 after his Sun, May 14 start at LAD.

Weathers works 5.0+ IP for 4th time last Sunday at Dodger Stadium
Weathers was recalled from El Paso prior to his Mother’s Day start last Sunday at Dodger Stadium and allowed 3 hits, walked 4 and was charged with 4 runs in 5.2 IP…he departed with 2 runners on and the Padres down 2-0 before Brent Honeywell surrendered a 2-run double to Miguel Vargas…he’s now tossed 5.0+ IP in all 4 of his starts this season, and has a 3.74 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and .230 AVG against as a starter.

As a reliever
After his 3 starts in SD’s rotation to begin the season, Weathers made 2 relief outings, earning his 1st career hold on April 22 @ ARI in SD’s 5-3 victory, allowing 1 hit while striking out 1…he tossed another scoreless frame on April 25 @ CHC, retiring all 3 batters he faced on 10 pitches.

While in El Paso
Weathers made his 2nd career Opening Day roster (also 2021) before being optioned to ELP April 26…he made 2 starts for the Chihuahuas (May 3 vs. Okla City & May 9 @ Sugar Land), tossing a combined 8.0-shutout innings of 3-hit ball, walking 7 and striking out 8. Hard hit percentage in the top 7 percentile Weeathers is getting hit hard only 27.9% of the time, which ranks in the 94th percentile this season….the MLB average hard hit percentage is 36.0%, while his career avg is 40.2%.

Pickoffs becoming a weapon
Weathers enters today’s tilt as 1 of 15 pitchers with multiple pickoffs this season, with Julio Urias, Brent Suter and Taylor Clarke the only 3 pitchers with 3…he has 11 pickoffs in 122.0 big league innings, and his 9 pickoffs in 2021 led the Majors.

Limiting hitters to a .095 clip with 2 outs
Entering today, Weathers is 1 of 15 pitchers limiting the opposition to a sub-.100 clip with 2 outs (.095) – min. 20 BF…with 0 outs, hitters are .343 (12-35), and with 1 out they are hitting .160 (4-25).

WASHINGTON NATIONALS NOTES:
No release available

MLB Preview: Baltimore Orioles (31-17) at New York Yankees (30-20)

Baseball
MLB

MLB Editor

May 24, 2023

MLB Preview: Baltimore Orioles (31-17) at New York Yankees (30-20)

BALTIMORE ORIOLES NOTES:

YESTERDAY’S NEWS: The Orioles fell to the Yankees last night, 6-5 in 10 innings, in the first game of the three-game set in the Bronx…Marked their first loss in a series opener on the road (now 8-1).

Gunnar Henderson slugged his fifth home run of the season with a solo shot in the fourth inning; at 21 years, 328 days old, became the youngest Oriole to homer on the road against the Yankees in the regular season since Eddie Murray (21-153) on July 27, 1977; Manny Machado did so at 20 years, 96 days old in Game 3 of the 2012 ALDS on October 10, 2012.

Cedric Mullins hit a solo homer in the third inning, his eighth long ball of the year; six of his last nine hits have gone for extra bases (4-2B, 2 HR).

EXTRA, EXTRA!: The O’s have tied the club record since moving to Baltimore in 1954 by playing three extra-inning games in a row, their first time doing so since June 23 (G1)-25, 1991; the St. Louis Browns played four extra-inning games in a row from May 1-5, 1910 and May 31 (G1) to June 2 (G2), 1943…The Birds are the first MLB team to play three straight extra-inning games since the Yankees from July 13-15, 2022…The last MLB team to play four consecutive extra-inning games was the Padres from May 26- 29, 2021…The MLB record since at least 1901 is five extra-inning games in a row by the Tigers from September 9-13, 1908.

CLOSE CALL: Of Baltimore’s 48 games this season, 44 have been decided by four or fewer runs, the most in MLB…The O’s have gone 28-16 in those games, the most wins in MLB and tied for the best winning percentage (.636) with Tampa Bay (21-12).

STEADY CEDDY: Cedric Mullins has hit safely in six straight games, slashing .435/.500/.870 (10-for-23) with four doubles, two home runs, four runs scored, six RBI, three walks, and a stolen base in that span…Has hit safely in 14 of his last 16 starts and 20 of his last 24…Entering today’s games, he ranks tied for fourth in the AL (see box at right) and tied for fifth in MLB with 39 RBI…According to FanGraphs’ ZiPS update, he is on pace for 96 RBI, which would surpass his previous career high of 64 in 2022 and be the most by an O’s batter since Trey Mancini had 97 in 2019; the last O’s batter with 100+ RBI in a single season was Jonathan Schoop in 2017 (105 RBI).

Went 5-for-6 with two doubles, a run scored, three RBI, and a stolen base in Sunday’s win, his third career five-hit game and first since June 5, 2021 vs. Cleveland; two of Mullins’ five hits came in extra innings, making him the first O’s player with multiple hits in extra innings since Chris Davis and Stevie Wilkerson each had two knocks in extras on September 23, 2019 at Toronto (15 innings), per the Elias Sports Bureau.

HE GETS ON BASE: Adam Frazier owns a 16-game on-base streak since May 6, the longest by an O’s batter this season and the second-longest such streak of his career behind a 17-gamer from August 20 to September 7, 2019 with the Pirates…It is the fourth-longest active streak in the AL and the eighth-longest active streak in MLB… Frazier is slashing .281/.349/.474 (16-for-57) with three doubles, one triple, two home runs, six runs scored, 10 RBI, five walks, and a stolen base during his current streak.

WHAT’S TRENDING: The O’s have won 22 of their last 32 games, 25 of 36, and 27 of 39… The 31-17 overall record ranks second in MLB to start the season (see box at right)… The Rays (35-15), Dodgers (31-19), Yankees (30-20), and Rangers (30-18) are the only other teams with 30 wins this season through May 23.

The Orioles are 93-66 since June 1, 2022, a 95-win pace; the .585 winning percentage during that time is the second-best in the AL and fourth-best in MLB, trailing the Braves (.669, 107-53), Dodgers (.669, 109-54), and Astros (.638, 102-58).

AGAINST THE YANKEES: The O’s and Yankees began a three-game set at Yankee Stadium last night, the second meeting between the two teams this season; the O’s dropped two of three to the Yankees in their season-opening homestand from April 7-9, but won their Home Opener on April 7…The Orioles will travel to the Bronx again for four games from July 3-6 and will host the Yanks in Baltimore for three games from July 28-30…The O’s went 7-12 against the Yankees in 2022, 4-6 at home and 3-6 at Yankee Stadium.

ROAD TRIPPIN’: The Orioles began their seven-day, six-game road trip with a three-game sweep of the Jays in Toronto over the weekend…After an off day Monday, the Birds began a three-game set against the Yankees in the Bronx last night…The O’s are off to a 16-9 start on the road…Baltimore currently owns the best road winning percentage (.640) in the AL and second-best in MLB, behind Atlanta (.708, 17-7).

LOOKING AHEAD: After the current road trip, the O’s return to Baltimore for a six-game homestand with three games against the Rangers from May 26-28 and three against the Guardians from May 29-31.

WHAT A RELIEF: The Baltimore bullpen owns a 3.00 ERA (61 ER/183.0 IP), second-best in MLB behind the Yankees (2.80)…O’s relievers have 14 wins this season, tied with Cincinnati, Los Angeles-AL, and Miami for third-most in the majors, trailing Arizona and New York-AL (15)…The O’s are second in MLB with 220 strikeouts from the ‘pen, trailing Kansas City (229).

THE CANO SHOW: Yennier Cano has allowed one earned run in 25.2 innings (0.35 ERA); opened the year with 21.2 scoreless innings over 17 appearances…Opponents are slashing .120/.131/.157 (10-for-83) against him, all of which lead MLB pitchers with at least 20.0 innings pitched.

Has faced 84 batters without issuing a free pass; is the only pitcher to face at least 60 batters without allowing a walk this season and one of two with at least 50 batters faced and no walks allowed, along with Philadelphia’s José Alvarado (52 batters faced).

His streak of 20 straight games without a walk to start the season is the second-longest in O’s history, behind a 22-game streak by Jamie Walker to open the 2009 campaign; Cano has worked 25.2 innings while Walker only threw 12.1 during his streak.

He leads all Major League relievers with 1.5 fWAR, per FanGraphs.

His sinker is worth -11 Run Value, the best pitch by an Oriole and tied for the fourth-best pitch in MLB, per Statcast.

TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER – #68 TYLER WELLS – RHP
QUICK HITS: Scheduled to make his 10th appearance (ninth start) of the season, fifth road start, and 12th career appearance (sixth start) against the Yankees tonight…Went 7-7 with a 4.25 ERA (49 ER/103.2 IP) in 23 starts for the O’s in 2022…Made his first career start on April 10, 2022 at Tampa Bay; dealt the loss after allowing four runs on three hits (1 HR) with two walks and two strikeouts in 1.2 innings…Did not walk a batter in five consecutive starts from April 21 to May 15, 2022, becoming the only Oriole starting pitcher in franchise history (since 1954) to not walk a batter in five consecutive games…Allowed three earned runs-or-fewer in 17 straight starts from April 16 to July 15, 2022…Ended the 2022 season on the 15-day Injured List with right shoulder inflammation…Also spent time on the Injured List with lower left side discomfort in 2022…Originally selected by Minnesota in the 15th round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of Cal State, San Bernardino before being taken by the Orioles in the Rule 5 Draft on December 10, 2020.

LAST TIME OUT: Did not factor in the decision after allowing three runs on six hits (2 HR) with one walk and seven strikeouts in 5.0 innings…Has thrown at least 5.0 innings in all nine appearances (eight starts) to begin the season; had 12 career games of 5.0+ innings (all in 2022) entering 2023… Threw 95 pitches, 59 strikes.

WATCH ME WHIP: Wells enters play today leading MLB with a 0.79 WHIP… Also ranks among qualified pitchers in opponent on-base percentage (1st, .214), batting average (2nd, .168), H/9 (2nd, 5.37), OPS (T-3rd, .560), and BB/9 (T-9th, 1.73)…He posted a 0.72 WHIP in April, tied for the seventh-lowest mark by an O’s pitcher in a calendar month in club history (since 1954) and lowest since Scott McGregor recorded a franchise-record 0.61 WHIP in May 1978…Wells issued just three walks and allowed 18 hits in 29.0 innings through his first five appearances (four starts) in April.

CAREER AGAINST THE YANKEES: Making his 12th career appearance (sixth start) against the Yankees…Owns an 0-4 record with a 4.68 ERA (17 ER/32.2 IP) and one save through his first 11 appearances against New York-AL… Dealt the loss after allowing four runs on six hits (2 HR) with six strikeouts and a balk on April 9 vs. the Yankees…Threw 89 pitches, 61 strikes…Tied his career high at the time with 6.0 innings pitched…Marked the fourth time that Wells has recorded six-or-more strikeouts in a game in his career and the first since July 15, 2022, at Tampa Bay.

CAREER AGAINST THE AL EAST: Making his 35th career appearance (14th start) against the AL East tonight…Owns a 4-7 record with a 4.94 ERA (49
ER/89.1 IP) and one save through his first 34 career outings against the division…Opposing batters slashed .228/.275/.438 (77-for-338) in those games…Last time out, earned the win on April 26 vs. Boston after allowing two runs on four hits (1 HR) with one walk and a then-career-high-tying seven strikeouts…Struck out the side in order for the second time in his career in the top of the fourth inning (also T4, 5/18/21 vs. TB)…Threw a career-high 102 pitches, 68 strikes.

ROAD WARRIOR: In 35 career road appearances (15 starts), Wells has gone 6-5 with a 3.10 ERA (35 ER/101.2 IP) and two saves…Has made four road appearances (three starts) this season, going 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA (8 ER/21.1 IP)…Made 12 starts away from home in 2022, sporting a 5-5 record with a 3.81 ERA (24 ER/56.2 IP) and 41 strikeouts.

NEW YORK YANKEES NOTES:

AT A GLANCE: The Yankees continue their six-game homestand tonight with the second game of a three-game set vs. Baltimore (1-0 thus far)…will also host San Diego for a three-game series this weekend (Fri.-Sun.)…went 6-1 on their seven-game road trip after winning three-of-four games at Toronto and sweeping a three-game series at Cincinnati.

At 30-20 (.600), have the fourth-best record in the AL and the sixth-best record in the Majors.

Have won a season-high five straight games…marks their longest winning streak since a seven-game streak from 9/18-25/22.

Are a season-high 10 games over .500.

Have won seven of their last eight games, nine of their last 11 games and 12 of their last 15 games.

Are 15-5 (.750) in their last 20 games (since 5/2), the best record in the Majors in that span.

Have won or split each of their last four completed series (since 5/8), five of their last six completed series (since 5/1) and 11 of their 15 completed series this season (going 9-4-2).

Each of their last three wins and nine of their last 15 wins have been come-from-behind wins.

Are in a stretch of playing 14-of-20 games (5/5-25) against the AL East…are 7-5 so far.

YESTERDAY’S NEWS: The Yankees recorded their fourth “walkoff” win of the season with a 6-5 victory over the Orioles in 10 innings on Tuesday…RHP Gerrit Cole (5.0IP, 6H, 5ER, 3BB, 2K, 2HR) started and did not record a decision…struck out Jorge Mateo (swinging) in the second inning for his 2,000th career strikeout…SS Anthony Volpe (0-for-4, 1RBI, 1SF) recorded a “walk-off” sac fly in the 10th inning…RF Aaron Judge (1-for-4, 1R, 1HR, 1RBI, 1BB) hit a game-tying solo HR in the ninth inning…CF Harrison Bader (2-for-4, 1R, 1HR, 2RBI) recorded a solo HR in the fourth inning and a game-tying sac fly in the fifth inning…3B DJ LeMahieu (1-for-5, 1RBI) recorded an RBI single in the fifth inning, his 600th career RBI…1B Anthony Rizzo (3-for-5, 1R, 1 double, 1RBI) matched his season high with 3H…also collected an RBI double in the fifth inning…2B Gleyber Torres (2-for-4, 1R, 1BB) reached base three times…PH Jake Bauers (1-for-1, 1 double) hit a pinch-hit double in the eighth inning…RHP Ron Marinaccio (2.0IP, 1H, 1BB, 2K) and LHP Wandy Peralta (1.0IP, 1K) were both scoreless in relief…RHP Michael King (2.0IP, 1BB, 3K) earned his first win of the season after tossing 2.0 scoreless innings.

Marked their first win this season when trailing after the eighth inning.

NEW KID ON THE BLOCK: SS Anthony Volpe recorded a “walkoff” sac fly in the 10th inning on Tuesday…marked his first career “walk-off” plate appearance…according to Elias, was the fourth-youngest Yankee to record a “walk-off” RBI in the Expansion Era (since 1961)…trails only Gleyber Torres (21 years, 144 days with a “walk-off” three-run HR on 5/16/18 vs. Cleveland; 21 years, 167 days with a “walk-off” RBI single on 5/29/18 vs. Houston) and Melky Cabrera (21 years, 341 days with a “walk-off” solo HR on 7/18/06 vs. Seattle).

Has 311RBI in his last 13 games (since 5/10).

BRONX BOMBERS: The Yankees have hit 75HR this season, the second-most home runs in the AL and the fourth-most in the Majors.

Have hit multiple HR in 10 of their last 11 games (since 5/12), 14 of their last 16 games (since 5/7) and 16 of their last 20 games (since 5/2).

Have had a Major League-high 16 different players homer this season.

Have hit 24HR in their last 11G and 33HR in their last 15G.

Have scored 99R in their last 16 games (since 5/7), averaging 6.19 runs per game in that span…scored 133R in their first 34 games of the season from 3/30-5/6 and averaged 3.91 runs per game over that span.

Have scored at least 6R in 12 of their last 16 games (since 5/7).

FOUR SCORE: The Yankees are 26-5 this season when scoring at least 4R…are 25-6 when they hold their opponent to 4R-or-fewer.

GLEYBER DAY: INF Gleyber Torres has batted .306 (11-for-36) with 6R, 1HR, 3RBI, 3BB and 1SF in his last nine games (since 5/14)…has multiple hits in four of his last seven games.

WHAT A RELIEF: Yankees relievers have posted a 2.80 ERA (196.0IP, 61ER) this season, the lowest bullpen ERA in the Majors…also rank second in opponents’ BA (.216, first in AL), third in opponents’ SLG (.342, second in AL) and fourth in opponents’ OPS (.650, third in AL).

Own a 22.1 scoreless inning streak over their last five games (since 5/18)…have held opponents to a .085 BA (6-for71) with 24K…according to Elias, marks their second-longest scoreless streak in the last four seasons (since 2020), trailing only a 23.2 scoreless inning streak from 4/29-5/8/22.

DARTH BADER: OF Harrison Bader hit a solo home run in the fourth inning and recorded a game-tying sac fly in the fifth on Tuesday…his 5HR in 20 games this season already match his 2022 home run total (5HR in 86 games in 2022)…including the postseason, has 10HR in his last 29 games (since 2022 ALDS Game 1 on 10/11/22).

Has homered in consecutive games for the eighth time in his career (first time since a three-game streak from 9/24-G2-26/21).

Has reached base in 16-of-19 games with a PA this season.

TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER: LHP NESTOR CORTES (4-2, 5.21 ERA)
LHP Nestor Cortes will make his 10th start of the season tonight vs. Baltimore…the 28-year-old will make the start on extended five days’ rest due to the team’s off day on Monday…made his last start on Thursday at Toronto, earning his fourth win of the season after allowing just 2ER over 6.0IP (5H, 1BB, 6K, 1HR)…marked his second outing this season allowing 2R-or-fewer over 6.0IP-or-more…according to Elias, his 2.44 ERA in 2022 was the third-lowest by a Yankees pitcher in a single season in the Divisional Era since 1969 (min. 25 games started), trailing only Ron Guidry’s 1.74 ERA in 1978 and Steve Jack Kline’s 2.40 ERA in 1972…was signed by the Yankees as a minor league free agent on 12/10/20…was originally selected by the Yankees in the 36th round of the 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft…was selected by the Baltimore Orioles from the Yankees in the 2017 Rule 5 Draft and returned to the Yankees on 4/13/18…was acquired by the Seattle Mariners from the Yankees in exchange for international bonus pool money on 11/25/19…over parts of five Major League seasons, has played with Baltimore (2018), the Yankees (2019, ’21-22) and Seattle (2020).

LAST TIME OUT: Made his last start on Thursday at Toronto, earning his fourth win of the season after allowing just 2ER over 6.0IP (5H, 1BB, 6K, 1HR)…surrendered a solo HR in the first inning to Bo Bichette…retired 16 of his next 21 batters faced…left the game with a runner on base in the seventh inning that would eventually score.

Has surrendered at least 1BB in six consecutive outings after walking his final batter faced in the seventh inning…his streak of at least 1BB allowed matches his career high (6G from 8/30-9/22/19).

IN A GROOVE: Has tossed at least 5.0IP with 2R-or-fewer allowed in five of his nine starts this season.

Has allowed 2R-or-fewer in 11 of his last 15 starts (since 8/21/22), going 7-2 with a 3.64 ERA (81.2IP, 33ER) and 83K over that stretch.

Has tossed at least 5.0IP with 2R-or-fewer allowed in nine of his last 13 starts (since 9/14/22)…the Yankees are 10-3 in those starts.

Has recorded six-or-more strikeouts in five of his nine starts this season.

Allowed 3ER-or-fewer in 17 consecutive starts from 7/14/22-4/25/23…his 17 start streak was tied with Spud Chandler (17GS from 7/7/43-4/22/44) and Bob Shawkey (17GS from 6/15-9/18/1917) for the fourth-longest by a Yankees pitcher since 1913 (when ER became an official stat)…over his last 21 starts (since 7/14/22), has gone 9-3 with a 3.36 ERA (118.0IP, 44ER) in that span…has allowed 3R-or-fewer in 18 of those starts, 2R-or-fewer in 15 of those starts and 1R-or-fewer in eight of those starts… has tossed at least 7.0IP in four of those starts and 6.0IP-or-more in 10 of those starts.

NASTY NESTOR: Has allowed 3R-or-fewer in 44-of-51 starts since the beginning of 2021 and 2R-or-fewer in 37 of those starts…in 59 appearances (51 starts) since the beginning of 2021, has gone 18-9 with a 3.03 ERA (299.2IP, 101ER), 314K and a .209 (231-for-1,103) opponents’ BA…his 3.03 ERA in that span is the ninth-lowest in the AL (min. 200.0IP)…his 1.03 WHIP in that span is the sixth-lowest in the AL.

Allowed 2R-or-fewer in nine consecutive starts from 8/21/22-4/14/23…matched the longest such streak by a Yankees starting pitcher in franchise history (excludes Chad Green’s 12-start streak as an opener from 6/11/17-8/12/19-G2)…in addition to Cortes’ other nine-start streak from 9/25/21-5/15/22, Luis Severino (9/12/18-4/20/22), Michael Pineda (4/5-9/5/14) and Art Ditmar (7/26-9/9/59) also recorded nine-start streaks…was 5-0 with a 1.78 ERA (50.2IP, 10ER) in that span.

In 52 career starts as a Yankee, is 18-9 with a 3.12 ERA (282.1IP, 98ER) and 288K…his 3.12 ERA as a starter the lowest ERA by a Yankees starting pitcher (min. 50GS) in the last 49 years (since 1975).

Allowed 3R-or-fewer in 16 straight starts from 7/14/22-4/20/23, tied with Luis Severino (16GS from 4/16-7/7/18) for the third-longest such streak in franchise history… trailed only Russ Ford (20GS from 8/9/1910-G2-5/27/1911-G2) and his own 19-start streak (8/15/21-6/2/22-G1)…went 8-1 with a 2.32 ERA (93.0IP, 24ER) in that span… tossed at least 7.0IP in four of those starts and 6.0IP-or-more in nine of those starts.

Allowed 3ER-or-fewer in 17 consecutive starts (7/14/22-4/25/23), tied with Spud Chandler (17GS from 7/7/43-4/22/44) and Bob Shawkey (17GS from 6/15-9/18/1917) for the fourth-longest by a Yankees pitcher since 1913 (when ER became an official stat).

Since the beginning of 2022, has gone 16-6 with a 3.09 ERA (206.2IP, 71ER) and 211K…among Major League pitchers in that span, ranks ninth in opponents’ OBP (.260, sixth in AL)…also ranks sixth in the AL in WHIP (1.01), seventh in opponents’ OPS (.607) and eighth in opponents’ BA (.206).

Over his last 46 starts since 8/15/21, has gone 18-8 with a 3.09 ERA (256.1IP, 88ER), 268K and a .210 (198-for-945) opponents’ BA…has allowed 3R-or-fewer in 40 of those 46 starts, including 2R-or-fewer in 33 of those starts…his 3.09 ERA over that span is the ninth-lowest in the AL (min. 200.0IP).

VS. BALTIMORE: Is 4-0 with a 1.37 ERA (39.1IP, 6ER) and 56K in eight career appearances (six starts) vs. the Orioles…has made one start vs. Baltimore this season, earning the win after tossing 5.1IP (4H, 2ER, 2BB, 5K) at Camden Yards on 4/9.

As a starter, is 3-0 with a 1.01 ERA (35.2IP, 4ER) and 54K against Baltimore.

Has allowed 2R-or-fewer in each of his outings vs. Baltimore, including 1R-or-fewer in six of those outings and four have been scoreless.

Three of his five career double-digit strikeout games have come against Baltimore, including both his career-high totals (12K on 10/1/22 and 4/17/22).

As a Yankee, has made three career appearances (two starts) vs. Baltimore at home, going 1-0 with a 1.88 ERA (14.1IP, 3ER) and 20K.

Was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the first round (ninth overall) of the 2017 Rule 5 Draft…saw his first Major League action with Baltimore in 2018, posting a 7.71 ERA (4.2IP, 10H, 4ER, 4BB, 3K, 2HR) in four relief appearances…was returned to the Yankees on 4/13/18.

HOME SWEET HOME: In 27 career starts at Yankee Stadium, is 9-2 with a 2.74 ERA (151.0IP, 46ER), 150K and a .201 opponents’ BA (109-for-542)…has allowed 3R-or-fewer in 26 of his 27 starts at home as a Yankee…allowed 6R in his last home start, snapping a 26-start streak of allowing 3R-or-fewer from 7/4/21-G2-5/8/23…marked the longest such streak by a Yankees starting pitcher in franchise history (next: Domingo Germán – 16GS from 4/1/19-6/6/21)…was the longest streak in the Majors (excluding openers) since Lance McCullers Jr. recorded a 27-start streak from 5/18/15-6/30/17 (Ryne Stanek had a 30-start streak from 5/26/18-7/3/19)…has allowed 2R-or-fewer in 21 of those 27starts and has tossed at least 5.0IP with 3R-or-fewer in seven of his last eight home starts.

Has gone 9-2 with a 2.57 ERA (161.1IP, 46ER), 166K and a .196 (113-for-576) opponents’ BA in 32 home games (27 starts) since 2021…his 2.57 ERA at Yankee Stadium is the 10th-lowest in the Majors among any pitcher at a single ballpark since 2021 (min. 100.0IP).

LEFT OUT TO DRY: Left-handed batters are hitting .200/.250/.333 (6-for-30) against him this season.
Lefties hit just .110/.180/.159 (9-for-82) against him in 2022…among left-handed pitchers vs. left-handed batters (min. 65BF), owned the lowest OPS (.338), ranked second in opponents’ batting average (second in AL), OBP (first in AL) and third in opponents’ SLG (second in AL).

Has retired 24-of-32 left-handed batters faced this season (6H, 2BB, 7K).

2023: Is 4-2 with a 5.21 ERA (48.1IP, 48H, 29R/28ER, 14BB, 48K, 8HR, 3HP) in nine starts this season.
Has allowed 3R-or-fewer in six of his nine starts, including 2R-or-fewer in five of those starts.

Has recorded at least 7K while tossing 6.0IP-or-more in two of his starts this season.

Has gone 2-0 with a 4.61 ERA (27.1IP, 14ER) and 24K in five home starts compared to a 2-2 record with a 6.00 ERA (21.0IP, 14ER) in four road starts this season.

Has posted a .200/.250/.333 (6-for-30) slash line vs. left-handed batters compared to a .269/.331/.474 (42-for-156) slash line vs. right-handed batters.

Has allowed 0HR in four of his nine starts.

Has received 3R-or-fewer of run support in each of his last five starts.

Boxing Preview: Joseph Parker (32-3, 22 KOs) vs Nikita Tszyu (5-0, 4 KOs)

Fight Editor

May 24, 2023

Boxing Preview: Joseph Parker (32-3, 22 KOs) vs Nikita Tszyu (5-0, 4 KOs)

Former heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker and highly-rated prospect Nikita Tszyu will co-headline a blockbuster double-header in No Limit Boxing’s Melbourne card on Wednesday May 24.

The stacked card will also feature an all-AFL heavyweight clash between former footy-stars Cameron Mooney and Tom Bellchambers and broadcast live on Main Event PPV, available on Foxtel and Kayo Sports.

Parker, Australasia’s most accomplished heavyweight, will feature in his first Australian show for the prestigious Commonwealth heavyweight title against Faiga ‘Django’ Opelu. It will be the biggest heavyweight showdown in Australia since Jack Johnson fought Tommy Burns at Sydney’s Rushcutters Bay in 1908.

Opelu (15-3-2, 11 KO) is a former Australian heavyweight champion who produced the biggest upset in heavyweight boxing last year, with a stoppage of the previously undefeated Hemi Ahio (20-1, 15 KO) in October.

In the co-main event, Nikita Tszyu will face the best kept secret in Australian boxing, Benjamin Bommber, in what is unquestionably the toughest test of the popular super welterweight’s early career.

It also marks more than two-decades since the Tszyu family name has headlined a show in Melbourne. A crowd of around 30,000 witnessed Nikita’s undisputed champion father, Kostya, dispose of Jesse James Leija at Docklands Stadium in January of 2003.

Tszyu (5-0, 4KO) is straight back is straight back into action following his dominant fourth round TKO over Bo Belbin on the undercard of brother Tim Tszyu’s successful interim world title bout in March. In an unprecedented run in the professional ranks, Nikita will take on his fifth undefeated opponent in only his sixth professional bout.

Bommber (5-0, 4 KO), who has been training out of Floyd Mayweather’s gym in Las Vegas, has linked up with undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney’s team to prepare for the fight of his career. As a lifetime Essendon supporter, the proud Melburnian is a bomber by name and nature.

Joseph Parker said: “I’m very excited to be heading to Australia to headline a massive fight. I’ve been to Australia numerous times and the amount of support there is amazing and everyone is always so welcoming.”

“I look forward to the atmosphere from both the Aussie and Kiwi fight fans and I know everyone will be pumped to see two world class heavyweights go at it.”

“The Commonwealth Heavyweight title has been held by some of the biggest names in the sport so I’m looking forward to adding my name to that list on May 24 in Melbourne.”

“He [Opelu] is a great fighter and deserves his shot but there’s levels to this game and I plan to show that. I’m not taking this lightly and I look forward to putting on a great performance for the fight fans. Credit to him for stepping up and taking this fight.”

The winner of Parker-Opelu will become the first fighter from the Pacific to win the prestigious Commonwealth heavyweight title.

No Limit CEO George Rose was thrilled to have secured boxing royalty and a massive heavyweight title shot as the co-main event for No Limit’s Melbourne debut.

“Joseph Parker is one of the greatest athletes to have ever come from this side of the globe. His historic performances over many years is exactly why boxing is back in a big way in Australia and New Zealand,” Rose said.

“Whilst he is a proud Samoan and Kiwi, his performances and personality made it easy for me to always claim him as an Aussie and one of our very own. It’s why we’re so excited to have him headline our Melbourne debut.”

“But he’s in for a tough test in the most meaningful heavyweight fight on Australian shores in more than a century. Django is one of the heaviest hitters Australia has ever produced and is very much here to spoil the party.”

“It’s pretty hard to believe it’s been 20 years since Tszyu has fought in Melbourne,” Rose added.

“The Tszyu family are boxing royalty – Kostya is the King, Tim is the obvious heir to the throne and Nikita is Australia’s very own prince of power.”

“It will be Nikita’s toughest test by a mile. He’s fighting in enemy territory against a proud Melburnian, who is an absolute bomber by name and by nature. I can’t wait!”

MLB Preview: Toronto Blue Jays (26-23) at Tampa Bay Rays (35-15)

Baseball
MLB

MLB Editor

May 24, 2023

MLB Preview: Toronto Blue Jays (26-23) at Tampa Bay Rays (35-15)

TORONTO BLUE JAYS NOTES:

THE LATEST: The Blue Jays blasted their way to a 20-1 win over the Rays last night…The 20 runs were the most scored by any team this season and tied with the 20-11 win in Tampa Bay on June 25, 2002 for 4th most in team history…The 27 hits and +19 run differential last night were both 2nd highest in franchise history, trailing last season’s 29 hits and +23 during a 28-5 win on July 22 at BOS…Their collective .519 (27-for-52) batting average was the highest in a single game in team history (.512 (22-for-43) on June 24, 2008 vs. CIN). Toronto snapped its five-game losing streak with the win…Is now 6-13 in divisional games this season.

AIN’T THAT GRAND: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was a large part of a nine-run 9th inning last night as he belted his 4th career grand slam (last: April 27, 2021 vs. WAS)…Marked his 8th home run of the season, all coming in road contests. The 24-year-old also singled twice for a 3-for-6 night with a total of six RBI, one off his career best (7 on April 27, 2021 vs. WAS)…Among AL batters, is now T-6th in hits (54), T-9th in RBI (33), and T-11th in AVG (.300)…Has also recorded an AL-best 86 hard-hit balls (95+ MPH) this season, four ahead of 2ndplace Bo Bichette (82).

SPRINGER HAS SPRUNG: George Springer finished a double shy of the cycle as he registered his 1st triple and 7th home run of the season…Finished 4-for-5 with three runs and two RBI…Has reached base multiple times in each of his last five games (11-for-21, 4BB)…Has one 18-for-49 (.367) with a double, a triple, three home runs, eight RBI, and seven walks during his last 12 contests (1.059 OPS).

STAT CHAPMAN: Matt Chapman belted a two-run homer in the 9th last night, his 7th of the year…Has two home runs in his last three games after going 28 games without any… Also singled to finish 2-for-5 with a walk and three RBI. The third baseman leads all MLB hitters with 19 doubles this season (2nd: Freddie Freeman – 18) while tied for 2nd with 26 extra-base hits (Freeman – 28)…Among AL batters, ranks 5th in hits (55), 7th in OBP (.382), T-7th in total bases (95), 8th in OPS (.904), and 9th in AVG (.302)…Continues to lead all MLB hitters in hard-hit percentage (62.5) this season (2nd: Aaron Judge – 60.6) while 2nd in barrel rate (15.0%), 5th in hard-hit balls (80), and 7th in average exit velocity (94.4 MPH).

PUTTING IN EXTRAS WORK: Danny Jansen also hit a two-run homer in the 9th last night, capping Toronto’s first three-homer inning June 10, 2022 at DET…Was his 6th blast of the year and 3rd in his last seven games…Also doubled twice to finish 3-for-6 with three runs scored and three RBI…Marked his 5th career game with three extra-base hits, two more than any other catcher in franchise history (2nd: John Buck – 3G).

BO KNOWS BASE HITS: Bo Bichette recorded a trio of singles as he finished 3-for-5 while scoring twice last night…His eight games of 3+ hits this season lead the Majors while his 19 multi-hit games lead all AL hitters and are one back of Freddie Freeman (20) for the MLB lead. The 25-year-old leads all MLB hitters with 68 hits (2nd: Freeman – 65) and leads the AL with 105 total bases (2nd: Luis Robert Jr. – 102)…His .324 batting average now ranks 1st in the AL (2nd: Yandy Díaz – .322).

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: The Blue Jays are on a seven-day, seven-game road trip (1-1 so far)…After this four-game set in Tampa Bay, will head to Minnesota (25-24) for three contests over the weekend…Own a 13-14 road record this year for a .481 win% (8th in the AL). Blue Jays hitters lead the Majors with 263 road hits (2nd: LAA – 236)…Rank 2nd in the AL in road AVG (.271), 3rd in road OBP (.336), 2nd in road SLG
(.444), and 2nd in road OPS (.780)…The pitching staff ranks 12th in the AL in road ERA (4.55), 13th in road opponents’ batting average (.264), and 13th in road WHIP (1.37).

RUN WHIT IT: Whit Merrifield singled twice and picked up his 10th double last night…Finished 3-for-6, scored a season-high three runs, and swiped his 14th base, tied for 2nd most in the AL (1st: Esteury Ruiz – 25)…Has hits in each of his last five games while going 10-for-19 (.526) with two extra-base hits and three RBI.

JOSÉ HAS HIS WAY: José Berríos tossed 7.0 frames of one-run ball last night, allowing five hits to go with two walks and five strikeouts…Has a 2.81 ERA (8 ER/25.2 IP) across his last four starts.

ERNIE-ING IT: Ernie Clement was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo yesterday and made his Blue Jays debut as he took over shortstop in the 8th inning…Assisted on three outs and also singled in his only at-bat.

QUITE A STRETCH: The Blue Jays are in the midst of playing 17 games in 17 days, their most consecutive days with scheduled games this season…Have gone 5-7 so far…Their opponents over this 17-game stretch (ATL, NYY, BAL, TB, MIN) have a combined record of 150-95 (.612).

NO DONUTS DIET: The Blue Jays have notched an MLB-high 458 hits this season…Are currently 3rd in the AL in team AVG (.266), 3rd in OBP (.335), 4th in OPS (.756), and 6th in SLG (.422). The Blue Jays are one of two AL teams who have scored in every game this season (also: LAA)…Have gone 67 straight games without being shut out, the 2nd-longest active streak in the Majors (LAA – 91G).

VS. THE RAYS: All-Time: 203-240
2023: 3-2 Road: 88-134
Road: 1-1 Tropicana Field: 88-131
The Blue Jays handed the Rays their 1st series loss of the season as they took two of three games when the clubs met last month at Rogers Centre…Went 9-10 vs. TB last year, including a 4-5 record at Tropicana Field…Have not bested the Rays in a season series since going 10-9 in 2017.

Bo Bichette went 7-for-13 (.538) with two doubles and two RBI in the three games vs. the Rays in April… Has now hit .270 (61-for-226) with 13 doubles, seven home runs, and 27 RBI in 55 career contests vs. TB.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. picked up a hit in all three meetings with the Rays in April, going 3-for-11 (.273) with two walks and an RBI…Is a lifetime 69-for-262 (.263) across 66 games against the Rays, including 17 doubles, two triples, 12 homers, and 42 RBI (.806 OPS).

Brandon Belt has multiple hits in four of his 12 career games played vs. Tampa Bay…Has now gone a combined 13-for-37 (.351) with one double, one triple, four home runs, eight RBI, and five walks since the 2013 season (1.199 OPS).

STARTING PITCHER – Yusei Kikuchi, LHP #16
TODAY’S GAME: Making his 10th start of the season and his 6th on the road…Took his 1st loss of the year his last time out, on 5/19 vs. BAL, giving up 3 runs on 3 hits and a season-high 4 walks over 4.2 innings with 3 punchouts. Making his 100th career MLB start tonight, becoming the 11th Japanese-born player to reach the century mark…With 7 strikeouts, will become the 9th Japanese-born player to reach 500 career punchouts and 500.0 career innings pitched in the Majors.

2023 HIGHLIGHTS:
Lasted 4.0+ frames on 5/14 vs. ATL, allowing 5R/4ER on 9 hits…Struck out 7 without issuing a walk. Improved to 5-0 his on 5/7 at PIT, tossing 6.1 shutout frames with 4 hits, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts…Marked his longest outing as a Blue Jay, and his 3rd quality start this season. Took a no-decision on 5/2 at BOS, giving up 5 runs on a season-high-tying 9 hits with a pair of strikeouts. Improved to 4-0 on 4/26 vs. CWS, throwing 5.2 frames of shutout ball while scattering four singles and a walk along with eight strikeouts…Has allowed one run or fewer in four of his five starts this year while the Blue Jays have won all five of his outings. Earned his 3rd win of the year on 4/21 at NYY, tossing 6.0 frames of one-run ball with 4 hits, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts…Has back-to-back starts of 6.0+ innings and 0-or-1 runs allowed for the first time since 6/18-25 of his 2021 All-Star campaign. Improved to 2-0 on 4/15 vs. TB, throwing 6.0 innings of one-run ball with 4 hits, a walk, and a season-high 9 strikeouts…Marked his most punchouts in a single game as a Blue Jay…Completed 6.0 frames for the 1st time since 6/30/22 vs. TB. Took a no-decision on 4/9 at LAA, giving up 6 runs on 9 hits and a walk over 4.1 innings with 6 strikeouts…Threw 99 pitches (59 strikes) on the day, his most pitches in a single outing since 7/28/21 vs. HOU (101). Picked up the win in his season debut on 4/4 at KC, tossing 5.0 innings of one-run ball with 3 hits, a walk, and 2 strikeouts…Was his 1st start since 8/15/22 vs. BAL, and his 1st win as a starter since 7/28/22 vs. DET.

TAMPA BAY RAYS NOTES:

WHEN IT RAINS, IT POURS — The Rays fell behind 10-0 in the fifth inning en route to a 20-1 loss to the visiting Blue Jays on Tuesday night at Tropicana Field…3B Isaac Paredes (1-for-4, HR, RBI, R) plated Tampa Bay’s lone run with a fifth-inning solo homer, his seventh long ball of the season…the 19-run loss marked the largest margin of defeat in club history, surpassing an 18-run setback on 7/23/02 at Boston (G1)…the 20 runs allowed were the Rays most since 8/11/21 at Boston (20-8 L).

RHP Taj Bradley (4.0IP, 9H, 4ER, 7SO) took the loss after striking out seven over four innings of work…Bradley (34SO, 4BB) joins Joe Ross (34SO, 3BB) as the only pitchers in MLB history (since 1901) with 30+ strikeouts and four or fewer walks through their first five career starts.

Toronto pushed across nine runs in the ninth inning, the most runs Tampa Bay has allowed a single frame since 7/27/11 at Oakland (9R, 4th inn.).

50-GAME CHECK-IN — Tampa Bay’s 35-15 record marks the best 50-game start in club history, ahead of the 2010 Rays (34-16)…the club’s 297 runs scored and 95 homers are both the most through 50 games in franchise history, ahead of the 2009 Rays (282R) and 2016 Rays (71HR), respectively…Tampa Bay’s .844 OPS is its highest through 50 games, ahead of the 2009 club (.803), while its .500 slugging pct. surpasses the 1999 Rays (.450) for the best mark in franchise history.

Randy Arozarena’s 37 RBI are tied for sixth most by any player through Tampa Bay’s first 50 games and are the most since Evan Longoria (41RBI) in 2006.

Wander Franco’s 14 stolen bases are tied for sixth most by a Rays player through the club’s first 50 games and are the most since Carl Crawford (15SB) and B.J. Upton (14SB) in 2010…Franco’s 15 doubles are tied for fifth most in the same timeframe, including the most since Joey Wendle (15 2B) in 2021.

IT STARTS WITH SHANE — The Rays are 9-1 in games started by Shane McClanahan, tying NYY Gerrit Cole (9-2) for the most team wins in games started by a pitcher…the last Rays pitcher that saw the club win nine of their first 10 starts in a season was Matt Moore in 2013 (9-1)…with a win today, McClanahan will become the third pitcher in Rays history to begin a season 8-0, joining Moore (8-0 in 2013) and Charlie Morton (8-0 in 2019).

McClanahan has received 8.05 runs of support per 9.0 IP, the third-highest mark among qualified pitchers behind only TEX Martín Pérez (10.22) and ATL Charlie Morton (8.08).

The Rays won each of McClanahan’s first seven starts, the second-longest team winning streak in a pitcher’s starts to open a season in Rays history, behind only Matt Moore’s nine-start run in 2013…it also tied the fourth-longest single-season streak in Rays history (longest: Blake Snell, 10GS from 8/10-9/29, 2018).

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE — Tampa Bay’s 22-5 record at Tropicana Field marks MLB’s best 27-game start at home since the 2020 Minnesota Twins (also 22-5)…the Rays are the fourth team in the Wild Card Era (since 1995) to win 22 of their first 27 home games, joining the 2020 Twins, 2008 Boston Red Sox and 1998 New York Yankees (all 22-5).

PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE — The Rays 76 walks during the month of May are second most in the AL, behind only Minnesota (80BB)…Randy Arozarena has drawn a walk in 10 of his last 12 games — his 12 walks in that span (since 5/11) pace the AL, trailing only STL Paul Goldscmidt (15BB) in all of MLB…overall, Arozarena’s 15 walks in May are tied for sixth most in the majors.

BAG BANDITS — The Rays lead the majors in stolen bases (28) and stolen base attempts (35) during the month of May…Wander Franco paces the club with eight steals this month, third most in MLB during May, followed by Josh Lowe, Luke Raley and Taylor Walls (4SB each)…the Rays have been successful on 14 of their last 16 stolen base attempts dating back to 5/14 at New York-AL.

The Rays have an MLB-best three players with 9+ steals (Wander Franco – 14SB, Josh Lowe – 9SB, Taylor Walls – 9SB).

GETTING DEFENSIVE — According to FanGraphs, the Rays 18 defensive runs saved are fourth most in the majors behind Toronto (33), Milwaukee (28) and Arizona (21)…Tampa Bay’s 16 errors are tied for second fewest in the majors while its .991 fielding percentage is second behind San Diego (.993).

Individually, Wander Franco’s six defensive runs saved are second among MLB shortstops behind CHC Dansby Swanson (7), while Taylor Walls’ five are tied for seventh among AL infielders.

GOING STREAKING — Yandy Díaz has a 19-game on-base streak since 4/27, slashing .354/.468/.677 (23-for-65) with 11 extra-base hits, 12 RBI, 12 walks and only 12 strikeouts in that stretch…it marks the second-longest streak of his career behind a 22-game run from 7/24-8/16, 2020…it is the third-longest active run in the AL behind MIN Byron Buxton (23G) and TEX Marcus Semien (21G).

Díaz has reached base safely in 29 of his last 30 games overall, going .352/.453/.620 (38-for-108) at the plate during that span…he leads all qualified major leaguers during that stretch (since 4/15) in batting average, OPS (1.073) and OBP while ranking second in SLG (.620).

THE BAY BOMBERS — The Rays have hit a major league-best 95 home runs, the fourth-most long balls through a club’s first 50 games in MLB history (since 1901), trailing only the 1999 Seattle Mariners (102HR), 2019 Minnesota Twins (101HR) and 2000 St. Louis Cardinals (98HR).

The Rays have an MLB-best 27 multi-HR games, ahead of New York-AL (25G); they are 22-5 in those contests…this includes 16 games with 3+ homers, most in the majors ahead of Los Angeles-NL (14G); they had 13 games with 3+ HR in 2022.

The Rays have an MLB-best 11 players with 5+ home runs this season, ahead of four teams tied at eight players (ATL, BAL, SF, LAD)…per Elias, Tampa Bay is the first team in MLB history to have 10+ players with 5+ HR before reaching the 50-game mark in a season; the Rays accomplished the feat in their 43rd contest (5/16 at NYM).

BATTER UP — Rays hitters lead the majors in OBP (.345), SLG (.500), OPS (.844), homers (95), extra-base hits (194), total bases (846) and at-bats per HR (17.82).

BLUE JAYS FLY SOUTH — Tampa Bay and Toronto continue a four-game series this evening with the sixth of 13 matchups between the two clubs this season…the Rays have fallen in five of their last seven games against the Blue Jays and are 6-5 against Toronto at home since the beginning of 2022.

Randy Arozarena has reached base safely in eight of his last nine games against Toronto, slashing .412/.462/.765 (14-for-34) with six doubles, 2 HR, 12 RBI and five multi-hit games in that span.

TONIGHT’S STARTER: LHP SHANE McCLANAHAN (7-0, 2.05)
SUGAR SHANE — The southpaw makes his 11th start tonight vs. Toronto, including his sixth at Tropicana Field…his 2.05 ERA is sixth-lowest through a pitcher’s first 10 starts of a season in club history…ranks among AL leaders in wins (1st, 7), ERA (2nd) and strikeouts (6th, 68)…is looking to become the third Rays pitcher to begin a season 8-0, including the first since Charlie Morton (8-0) in 2019.

LAST TIME OUT — McClanahan did not factor into the decision on 5/19 vs. Milwaukee…he worked a season-high 7.0 innings, allowing six hits and one walk with seven strikeouts…it marked the second start of his career in which he threw 7.0 scoreless innings (7.0IP, 3H, 1BB, 11SO) on 5/11/22 at LAA…it was his longest start since throwing 7.0 innings of two- run ball on 8/19/22 vs. Kansas City.

FREE BIRD — McClanahan will be making his second start vs. Toronto this season and the eighth of his career…he earned the win on 4/16 after throwing 6.0 innings of one-run ball, allowing four hits and two walks with six strikeouts…McClanahan is 3-2 with a 2.65 ERA (37.1IP, 11ER) in seven career starts opposite the Blue Jays.

In three starts against AL East opponents this season, McClanahan is 3-0 with a 2.57 ERA (21.0IP, 6ER) and 25 strikeouts against 14 walks while holding opponents to a .197 average (15-for-76).

MR. 400 — On 5/19 vs. Milwaukee, McClanahan’s fourth inning strikeout of Willy Adames marked the 400th of his career…he became the fastest pitcher in club history to reach 400 strikeouts by both games (63G) and innings pitched (343.1IP), per Elias…the previous record holders for each respective category were Scott Kazmir (68G) and Blake Snell (373.1IP).

HOME SWEET HOME — McClanahan ranks among AL leaders at home (min. 25.0IP) in several categories this year, including ERA (1st, 1.20) and strikeouts per 9.0 IP (2nd, 12.30)…in 36 career starts at Tropicana Field, McClanahan is 19-8 with a 2.79 ERA (200.0IP, 62ER) and 248 strikeouts against 57 walks…since making his Tropicana Field debut on 4/29/21 vs. Oakland, his 2.79 ERA at home is fourth-lowest in the majors (min. 200.0IP) behind MIA Sandy Alcantara (2.21), PHI Zack Wheeler (2.35) and SEA Luis Castillo (2.61).

COLLECTING W’S — The Rays won each of McClanahan’s first eight starts of the season…McClanahan’s personal seven-game winning streak since 3/30 is the longest of his career, ahead of a six-game streak from 5/5-6/9, 2022…marks the longest streak by a Rays starter since Tyler Glasnow (also 7G) from 8/25/20-4/17/21…with a win today, McClanahan will join Charlie Morton (8-0, 2019) in 2019 and Matt Moore (8-0, 2013) as the only pitchers to begin a season 8-0 in Rays history…no Tampa Bay hurler has started 9-0.

WE’VE GOT YOUR BACK — McClanahan’s 8.05 runs of support per 9.0 IP rank third in the majors behind TEX Martín Pérez (10.22) and ATL Charlie Morton (8.08)…last season, his 3.73 run support average ranked 20th among AL qualifiers.

A MODEL OF CONSISTENCY — McClanahan opened the season with eight straight starts of 5.0+ innings with two or fewer earned runs…it marked the longest such streak to open a season in Rays history, ahead of Tyler Glasnow’s seven-start run to open the 2019 campaign…from 10/1/22- 5/8/23, he strung together nine consecutive such starts, the third-longest streak in club history behind Blake Snell (10GS, 8/10-9/29, 2018) and McClanahan’s own 14-start run from 5/5-7/26, 2022.

His nine starts of 5.0+ IP with two or fewer ER this season are tied with NYY Gerrit Cole for the MLB lead.

CAN’T TOUCH THIS — McClanahan’s 35.1 pct. whiff rate ranks third in the majors behind ATL Spencer Strider (39.9%) and LAA Shohei Ohtani (35.4%)…opponents are swinging at 33.0 pct. of his pitches outside of the strike zone, the 12th-highest chase rate in baseball…McClanahan has also been effective on pitches inside the zone, recording the fourth-highest inzone whiff pct. in MLB (24.8%), trailing only Strider (30.9%), Ohtani (26.1%) and MIN Joe Ryan (25.0%).

MLB Preview: St. Louis Cardinals (22-28) at Cincinnati Reds (20-28)

Baseball
MLB

MLB Editor

May 24, 2023

MLB Preview: St. Louis Cardinals (22-28) at Cincinnati Reds (20-28)

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS NOTES:

RECENT REDBIRDS: The St. Louis Cardinals continue their 7-game tour of the Buckeye State tonight with the 3rd game of a 4-game series against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park…the road-trip will continue this coming weekend with a 3-game set against the Cleveland Guardians…the Cardinals posted an 8-5 win last night, evening the series at 1-1…the Redbirds wrapped up a 7-game homestand (2-1 vs. MIL, 3-1 vs. LAD) on Sunday with a 10-5 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers…this week’s series with the Reds marks the first meeting of the season between the two clubs…it’s the latest in the season the two NL Central rivals have met for their initial series since doing so in June of 2004.

ROAD TRIPPING REDBIRDS: This weeks road-trip began a stretch in which they will be playing 13 of 15 games on the road (May 22-June 7)…their only two home games over that time span are with cross-state rival Kansas City on Memorial Day, May 29, and Tuesday, May 30.

FLIGHT PATTERN: Winners of 12 of their last 16 games (May 7-present), the Cardinals enter today in 3rd place in the NL Central, 5.0 games behind first place Milwaukee… St. Louis is within 5.0 games of the division lead for the first time since April 17 (gaining 5.0 games in the division since May 7) … The Cardinals were in last place for 24 straight days (April 25-May 20) … Tonight’s game is the 13th game of a season-high 19 consecutive without an off-day (9-3 record).

REDBIRD RESURGENCE: Since May 7, the Cardinals are T-1st in MLB in win pct. (.750, 12-4), 1st in runs scored (114), 1st in runs per game (7.1), 1st in slugging (.507), 1st in OPS (.858), 1st in RBI (110), 1st in total bases (282), tied for the MLB lead in wins (12) and rank 2nd in stolen bases (20), homers (32).

50 GAMES IN THE BOOK: The Cardinals played their 50th game of the season last night, and reached a pair of milestones, becoming just the 4th Cardinals team with 70+ HR’s in the first 50 games (98 HR in 2000, 72 in 2001, 70 in 1998, 70 in 2023). They also became the first-ever Cardinals team to reach both 70+ HR & 40+ stolen bases in their first 50 games.

CLOSE CALLS: Monday night’s 6-5 loss was the Cardinals 29th by a one-run margin here at Great American Ball Park…the Cardinals have posted 18 one-run victories at GABP all-time, and hold a slim 86-84 advantage in all-time games played here since the ballpark’s opening in 2003.

BURGER PHONE HOTLINE: The Cardinals are 5th in MLB in home runs this season (70) this season while ranking 3rd in the month of May (38) to the Yankees (41)… The Redbirds sport a 19-14 record in games when they go yard this season, but are 3-14 in homerless games.

REDBIRD RIBEYES: The Cardinals have had six players enjoy 4+ RBI games in the last 10 games, as Andrew Knizner (4), Nolan Gorman (5), Nolan Arenado (4), Willson Contreras (6), Paul DeJong (4, twice) and Óscar Mercado (5) all had games with 4 or more RBI in that span.

GOLDY’S POWER PAIRINGS: For the third time this season, Paul Goldschmidt packed multiple HR’s into his game, hitting a pair of round-trippers last night in his 1st two at-bats…Goldy has had three consecutive multiple homer games when he has gone deep…he’s had two games when he’s homered just once in a game (last 4/18 vs. ARI) and has combined to hit his 9 HR’s in just 5 games, with 7 of the 9 longballs coming in his three multi-HR contests. SOLO ARTIST: Eight of Goldschmidt’s 9 HR’s this season have been solo shots.

BOTTOMS UP: The Cardinals 9th place hitters are leading the NL in HR (8), and rank 2nd in OPS (.821) and T2nd in RBI (25), one behind the Cubs (26) … the Cardinals .663 OPS out of the 9th spot last season was their highest in the modern era as MLB went to full-time DH.

TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER: LHP STEVEN MATZ (0-5, 5.05)
TONIGHT’S GAME
NL Ranks: Losses (5, T-5th), Hits (57, 8th)

Makes his 165th career appearance (155th start) and 19th start as a Cardinal.
With a win as a starting pitcher tonight (had one in relief last year), would be the 5th pitcher to start 3-0 vs. the Reds in his first four starts as a Cardinal joining Ray Sadecki, Jack Harper, Luis Arroyo and Milt Watson
Last win came against the Reds in relief on Sept. 17, 2022 in extra innings and his last win as a starting pitcher came at Great American Ballpark on July 23, 2022.
Prior to the 7/23/22 start at Cincinnati, Matz had missed approx. two months with a left shoulder impingement.
Ranks 10th in MLB in Pitch Tempo with bases empty (12.0 sec/pitch) and 41st with runners on base (16.7 sec/pitch), leading all Cardinals.
Limiting opposing left-handed batters to a .189 BA (7-37) with one home run.
Did not allow a home run in his last two starts, his third start this season without serving up a longball and the twice since allowing one in five starts, one shy of a career-high.
Lifetime 9-8 with 3.31 ERA in May, his lowest ERA in any calendar month.
Since joining the Cardinals in 2022, is 5-8 with a 5.15 ERA in 24 appearances (19 starts) while leading Cardinals starting pitchers in strikeouts/9 IP (9.25).
The Cardinals lost his first six games started this year, before posting a 12-6 win vs. Detroit (5/7).
Missed 102 games on the Injured List with a left shoulder impingement (5/23-7/16) and strained left knee (7/24-9/16). Was activated from his second stint in mid-September and was added to the bullpen where he made five appearances.
Only win as a Cardinals starting pitcher at Busch Stadium came on May 2, 2022, a rescheduled game tossing 6.0 scoreless innings in a 1-0 win.

LAST TIME OUT

Suffered his 5th defeat of the season in a 5-0 Cardinals loss to the Dodgers last Fri. (5/19) at Busch Stadium. Was touched for just one uneared run in his 4.2 innings pitched, before the Dodgers broke the game open with a 4-run 8th inn.

DATE vs. RESULT DEC IP H R ER BB SO HR NP-S
5/19 LAD L 5-0 L-5 4.2 6 1 0 2 5 0 103-66

2023 SEASON

Has pitched 5.0 innings or more in 7-of-8 starts.
Suffered his 4th straight loss on 5/2 vs. LAA. All four of his runs allowed came in the opening frame, including a Taylor Ward 3-run homer.
Surpassed 800 career innings pitched in his start at SEA (4/21).
Surrendered a lead-off home run to Ke’Bryan Hayes, then settled in allowing just one run on two hits over the next 17 outs. Matched his career-high with five walks. Received a no-decision in a 6-3 Cardinals loss in 10 innings vs. PIT (4/15). Threw a season-high 110 pitches, 2nd most in MLB this season at the time (Ohtani, 111).
Allowed a season-high six runs on nine hits in a 7-4 loss at COL (4/10). Allowed only three doubles of his nine hits for extra bases.
Struck out a season-high seven batters over 5.1 innings in a 4-1 loss vs. ATL (4/4). Allowed a career-high 10 hits (6th time) for the first time as a member of the Cardinals. Surrendered two home runs, including a 479-foot blast to Austin Riley, the 2nd-longest opposing HR at Busch Stadium III in the StatCast Era.

CINCINNATI REDS NOTES:
RED HOTS

Today the Reds selected from Louisville the contract of RHP Eduardo Salazar (#81) and designated for assignment RHP Silvino Bracho…when he pitches, Salazar will become the fifth Reds player this season to make his Major League debut (RHP Casey Legumina, RHP Levi Stoudt, IF Matt McLain, LHP Brandon Williamson).
Class AA Chattanooga IF Noelvi Marte has been named Southern League Player of the Week (5/15-5/21)…is his second weekly award (5/1-5/7)…
last week he recorded 3 multi-hit games and collected 5 extra-base hits… for the season ranks fourth in the league in hitting (.292), T2nd in HR (8), T1st in hits (42) and T4th in runs scored (26).

TONIGHT’S GAME

Is Game 3 (1-1) of a 4-game series vs Brian Bartow’s Cardinals and Game 6 (1-4) of a 7-game homestand that included a 3-game series sweep loss to the Yankees.
Following tomorrow afternoon’s game, the Reds hit the road again for 3-game series in the two oldest ballparks in the Major Leagues, Chc’s Wrigley Field (1914) and Bos’ Fenway Park (1912).

SERIES NOTES

The Reds and Cardinals are meeting for the first time this season.
In 2022, the Cardinals won 12 of the 19 games and 5 of the 6 series.
The Cardinals’ .506 winning percentage at Great American Ball Park (86-84) is the highest among NL Central Division opponents and seventh-highest of any National League team.
From 7/15-7/24 and surrounding the 2022 All-Star break, the Reds and Cardinals played 5 straight games for the first time since 9/7-9/11, 1962.
From 9/15-9/18, 2022 at Busch Stadium, the Reds and Cardinals faced off in a 5-game series (3-2 Cardinals series win) for the first time since 7/25-7/27, 1958 (3-2 Reds series win).

CUBS UP NEXT…

The Reds in 2022 went 8-11 vs Cubs, including 5-4 at Great American Ball Park, 3-6 at Wrigley Field and a 4-2 “home” loss on 8/11 in the Field of Dreams game in Dyersville, Iowa.
Since a 4-1 Reds win on 6/25/14 and beginning 9/15/14, the Cubs have won 30 of the last 42 night games vs the Reds at The Friendly Confines.
The teams met in the final 6 games of the 2022 championship season (3g at Wrigley Field, 3g at Great American Ball Park), the longest c continuous stretch of games between the Reds and Cubs since they played 7 straight games from 8/29-9/5, 1931…@EliasSports.
The game scheduled for 4/5 at Great American Ball Park was postponed by threatening weather…it has been rescheduled as part of a day/night doubleheader on Fri, 9/1 (1:10, 6:40).

…FOLLOWED BY THE RED SOX

The Red Sox lead the all-time series, 14-3, including a split of the homeand-home 2-game series last season.
The Sox won 5 of the 7 series, tied the other 2 series and swept 4 series.
The Reds’ 2-1 win on 5/31/22 was their first victory at Fenway Park since Game 7 of the 1975 World Series.
In the June 2005 series at Fenway, the Reds were outscored by the Sox, 23-4, and hit .167 (15-90, 32k) while posting an 8.25era (.340ba)…gametime temperature on 6/13/05 was 91 humid degrees, dropped to a chilly 54 for Game 2 and then plummeted to a frigid 49 for the series finale.
The Red Sox won 8 of 10 games at Great American Ball Park, including an 8-game winning streak (6/14/08-9/20/22), the best winning percentage
of any opposing team (.800).
Before the interleague schedule expanded this season to include games vs all 15 American League teams, from 1997-2022 the Redlegs went 188-
247 vs the American League, at .432 the lowest interleague winning percentage of any Major League team…in 2022 the Reds went 12-8 vs AL teams (0-2 vs Cle, 2-0 at Cle, 1-2 at Tor, 1-1 at Bos, 3-0 vs TB, 2-1 at NYY, 2-1 vs Bal, 1-1 vs Bos)…last season’s was their first winning record vs the AL since 2013 (11-9)…in the 8 seasons between the 2013 & 2022 season series wins, the Reds went 61-99 vs AL teams (.381).

Tonight’s Pitcher – #59 Ben Lively, RHP

Tonight is making his fourth appearance and second start for the Reds…will be his first career appearance vs the Cardinals.
Fri’s start vs the Yankees was his first in the Major Leagues since since 4/26/18 for Phi vs Ari…allowed just 2 hits in 5.2 innings, including a solo HR by Aaron Judge in the first…was charged with a second run scored on Anthony Rizzo’s 2-out, 2-run HR off Ian Gibaut.
Made his Reds debut in the second inning of the 5-0 win on 5/11 vs NYM…relieved spot starter Derek Law and threw 3.0 scoreless innings, still tied for the longest appearance by a Reds reliever this season…was his first Major League appearance since 4/28/19 for KC vs LAA, his only appearance of that season, and his first win since his last appearance of the 2017 season (9/27/19 for Phi vs NYM).

NHL Eastern Conference Finals Game 4 Preview: Carolina Hurricanes (0-3) at Florida Panthers (3-0)

Hockey
NHL

NHL Editor

May 24, 2023

NHL Eastern Conference Finals Game 4 Preview: Carolina Hurricanes (0-3) at Florida Panthers (3-0)

CAROLINA HURRICANES NOTES:

FIRST ROUND
The Hurricanes defeated the New York Islanders in six games, with a 2-1 record at home and on the road. Sebastian Aho (4-3-7) and Brent Burns (0-5—5) led the team in scoring, while Paul Stastny scored three goals in the series, including his third career playoff overtime goal to clinch the series in Game 6. Carolina went 5-for-25 (20.0%) on the power play, as Stefan Noesen paced the team with two goals on the man-advantage, and the team’s league-leading 94.4% penalty kill rate (17-for-18) established a new franchise record for a single playoff series. Antti Raanta (3-2) and Frederik Andersen (1-0) each made appearances in net, as Andersen made his Hurricanes playoff debut in Game 6 and recorded his first series-clinching win since 2015.

SECOND ROUND
Carolina defeated the New Jersey Devils in five games, with a 3-0 record at home and a 1-1 record on the road. Jordan Martinook tallied a team-high 10 points (3g, 7a), tying the franchise record for points in a playoff series and becoming the second player in NHL history to post double-digit points in a series after being held off the scoresheet in his team’s previous round that postseason. Jesper Fast (3-3—6), Jesperi Kotkaniemi (3-2—5) and Martin Necas (3-0—3) matched Martinook for the team lead in goals, as Fast scored the Hurricanes’ second overtime, series-clinching goal of this postseason. Frederik Andersen made all five starts in net, earning a 4-0 record, 2.01 goals-against average and .918 save percentage.

GAME ONE
The Hurricanes suffered a 3-2 loss against the Panthers in quadruple overtime at PNC Arena on Thursday, losing a playoff overtime game for the first time since 2021 in the longest contest in franchise history (139:47). Frederik Andersen set a franchise playoff record with a career-high 57 saves on 60 shots, and 17 of Carolina’s 19 players set new career highs for ice time. Seth Jarvis and Stefan Noesen each scored on the power play, and Jarvis tallied an assist on Noesen’s goal for his fifth career postseason multi-point outing.

GAME TWO
Carolina again fell to Florida in overtime, 2-1, at PNC Arena on Saturday. Jalen Chatfield scored the team’s only goal with assists from Sebastian Aho and Stefan Noesen, and Antti Raanta made his first start since the First Round, stopping 24 of 26 shots faced in defeat.

GAME THREE
The Hurricanes suffered a 1-0 loss against the Panthers at FLA Live Arena on Tuesday, marking their first 1-0 postseason loss since 2009. Frederik Andersen stopped 16 of 17 shots faced in net.

INJURY REPORT
Jake Gardiner, upper-body, missed 96 games (10/12-5/22)
Ondrej Kase, concussion, missed 95 games (10/14-5/22)
Max Pacioretty, torn Achilles, missed 51 games (1/21-5/22)
Andrei Svechnikov, torn ACL, missed 32 games (3/12-5/22)
2022-23 Regular-Season Man-Games Lost Due to Injury: 334
2023 Playoffs Man-Game Lost Due to Injury: 73

HURRICANES vs. PANTHERS SERIES NOTES
— Carolina is facing Florida in the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, marking the 15th different opponent to face the Whalers/Hurricanes in the postseason.

— The Hurricanes and Panthers have met 138 times in their regular-season histories. Carolina holds a 71-46-11-10 overall record, including a 44-17-3-5 home record and a 27-29-8-5 road record.

— The two teams have also previously spent 15 seasons as divisional foes (Southeast Division, 1998-13; Central Division, 2020-21), with Carolina earning a 50-25-9-7 record against Florida during those campaigns (Florida: 32-37-9-13).

— The Hurricanes won the regular-season series 2-1-0 in 2022-23 (Panthers: 1-2-0).

— Carolina suffered a 3-0 loss against Florida at FLA Live Arena on 11/9. Antti Raanta stopped 34 of 36 shots faced in net.

— The Hurricanes posted a 4-0 win over the Panthers at PNC Arena on 12/30. Brent Burns (2a), Seth Jarvis (2a) and Jesperi Kotkaniemi (1g, 1a) recorded two points, while Antti Raanta stopped all 19 shots faced in net for his second shutout of the season.

— Carolina clinched a second straight Metropolitan Division title with a 6-4 win over Florida at FLA Live Arena on 4/13. Sebastian Aho (1g, 1a), Brent Burns (2g), Shayne Gostisbehere (1g, 1a) and Seth Jarvis (2a) all registered two points, while Frederik Andersen made 30 saves in net.

— Shayne Gostisbehere is a native of Pembroke Pines, Fla., and ranks first all-time in points among all NHL players born in Florida. He attended Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland for two years (2007-09) before transferring to South Kent Prep in Connecticut.

— Hurricanes Assistant Coach Jeff Daniels played 10 games with Florida from 1994-95.

— Panthers Assistant GM Paul Krepelka served as the Hurricanes’ Vice President of Hockey Operations for two seasons from 2018-20.

— Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice served in the same capacity with Hartford/Carolina over two stints from 1995-03 and 2008-11. Maurice earned a 384-391-99-46 regular-season record and holds the franchise records for games coached and wins in the regular season. He also added a 25-28 record in the playoffs, leading the Hurricanes to two Conference Finals (2002, 2009) and one Stanley Cup Final (2002).

— Panthers Assistant Coach Tuomo Ruutu registered 216 points (90g, 126a) in 378 games with the Hurricanes from 2008-14. He was acquired from Chicago in exchange for Andrew Ladd on 2/26/08 and traded to New Jersey in exchange for Andrei Loktionov on 3/5/14.

— Zac Dalpe was selected by Carolina in the second round (45th overall) of the 2008 NHL Draft and recorded 10 points (5g, 5a) in 41 NHL games with the Hurricanes from 2010-13. He also played parts of four AHL seasons with Albany/Charlotte from 2010-13, earning 139 points (68g, 71a) in 180 games. Dalpe was traded to Vancouver along with Jeremy Welsh in exchange for Kellan Tochkin and a fourth-round pick in the 2014 NHL Draft (Josh Wesley).

— Gustav Forsling was acquired from Chicago along with Anton Forsberg in exchange for Calvin de Haan and Aleksi Saarela, and he tallied 26 points (8g, 18a) in 57 AHL games with Charlotte in 2019-20. Forsling was claimed on waivers by Florida on 1/9/21.

— Eetu Luostarinen was drafted by the Hurricanes in the second round (42nd overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft and recorded one assist in eight games with Carolina in 2019-20. He was traded to Florida on 2/24/20 along with Erik Haula, Lucas Wallmark and Chase Priskie in exchange for Vincent Trocheck.

— Alex Lyon played in the Hurricanes’ organization in 2021-22. He spent most of the season with Chicago (AHL), posting an 18-7-3 record, 2.16 goals-against average, .912 save percentage and three shutouts in 30 regular-season games before going 9-3-0 with two shutouts in the playoffs to help lead the Wolves to a Calder Cup championship. Lyon also made two appearances with Carolina, earning a 1-0-1 record, 2.93 goals-against average and .908 save percentage.

— Two of Jordan Staal’s brothers, Eric and Marc, play for Florida. Eric previously spent parts of 12 seasons with Carolina (2003-16), helping the Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup in 2006 and captaining the team from 2009-16. He registered 775 points (322g, 453a) in 909 games with Carolina and ranks first in team history (since relocation) in games played, goals, assists, points, power-play goals (105), power-play points (252) and game-winning goals (47). Jordan’s third brother, Jared, also serves as an assistant coach for the Charlotte Checkers, Florida’s AHL affiliate.

NO SUCH LUCK
Carolina has suffered three straight one-goal losses against Florida to open the Conference Final, and according to NHL Stats, the Hurricanes are the 22nd team in league history to lose each of their first three games of a playoff series by one goal. They are looking to avoid becoming the sixth of those teams to be outscored by just four goals in a series sweep, alongside the 1968 Blues (Stanley Cup Final vs. MTL), 1993 Sabres (Adams Division Final vs. MTL), 1999 Oilers (Western Conference Quarterfinal vs. DAL), 2003 Red Wings (Western Conference Quarterfinal vs. ANA) and 2018 Kings (Western Conference First Round vs. VGK).

BACK AGAINST THE WALL
The Hurricanes are down 3-0 in a best-of-seven series for the sixth time in franchise history, and they have earned a 2-3 record in Game 4 after losing each of the first three games. The Whalers/Hurricanes cut series deficits to 3-1 with Game 4 wins in the 1988 Adams Division Semifinal vs. MTL and 2001 Eastern Conference Quarterfinal vs. NJD. Carolina hopes to become the fifth team in NHL history to win a best-of-seven series after trailing 3-0 (4-200 series record all-time), and the first team to accomplish the feat in round before the Stanley Cup Final (0-46 series record all-time). The 2014 Kings (Western Conference First Round vs. SJS) were the last team to overcome a 3-0 series deficit, accomplishing the feat en route to their second Stanley Cup. Carolina has posted a 15-15 record when facing elimination in a best-of-seven series, including a 3-4 record in those contests since 2019.

FLORIDA PANTHERS NOTES:

BAPTIST HEALTH INJURY REPORT

F Patric Hornqvist | Games Missed: 15
Total Playoff Man Games Lost Due to Injury: 26
Total Regular Season Man Games Lost Due to Injury: 239

LAST GAME
Panthers 1, Hurricanes 0 – May 22 – FLA Live Arena
FLA Goals: Reinhart (7-PPG)
CAR Goals: –
FLA Goalie: Bobrovsky (W) – 32 Saves
CAR Goalie: Andersen (L) – 16 Saves
FLA Shots: 17
CAR Shots: 32
Notes: Sergei Bobrovsky stopped all 32 shots he faced for his first career NHL playoff shutout, Florida’s first postseason shutout on home ice since Jose Theodore in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal vs. NJD on April 21, 2012…Bobrovsky has posted above a .960 save percentage in each of his past four games, earning a win in each contest…His shutout marked the fourth postseason shutout in franchise history…Bobrovsky (132 saves) surpassed Johnny Bower (125 saves in 1960 SF vs DET) for the most saves by a goaltender through the first three games of a Conference Final/Semifinals series (since 1955-56)…Sam Reinhart scored his team-leading third power-play goal of the postseason, matching Dave Lowry and Ray Sheppard for the most career PPGs in franchise postseason history (4)…Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett assisted on Reinhart’s tally, with Tkachuk and Bennett having now factored on all three game-winning goals in the series…Florida finished its first 1-0 postseason game since Game 4 of the 1996 Stanley Cup Final vs. COL…The Panthers have now been involved in seven straight games that were decided by one goal…The Cats have won 10 of their past 11 games…FLA PP: 1-4, FLA PK: 1-1

RECENT TRANSACTIONS:

May 8: F Mackie Samoskevich agreed to terms on a three-year, entry-level contract

PANTHERS vs. HURRICANES
ALL-TIME vs. CAR: 56-56-11-15
ALL-TIME HOME vs. CAR: 56-56-11-15
2022-23 vs. CAR: 1-2-0

ROUND 1 – FLA (4) vs. BOS (3)
GAME 1 – FLA 1, BOS 3
GAME 2 – FLA 6, BOS 3
GAME 3 – BOS 4, FLA 2
GAME 4 – BOS 6, FLA 2
GAME 5 – FLA 4, BOS 3 [OT]
GAME 6 – BOS 5, FLA 7
GAME 7 – FLA 4, BOS 3 [OT]

ROUND 2 – FLA (4) vs. TOR (1)
GAME 1 – FLA 4, TOR 2
GAME 2 – FLA 3, TOR 2
GAME 3 – TOR 2, FLA 3 [OT]
GAME 4 – TOR 2, FLA 1
GAME 5 – FLA 3, TOR 2 [OT]

ECF – FLA (3) vs. CAR (0)
GAME 1 – FLA 3, CAR 2 [4OT]
GAME 2 – FLA 2, CAR 1 [OT]
GAME 3 – FLA 1, CAR 0

HOME SWEET HOME
Florida has won three of its past four games at FLA Live Arena. Sam Reinhart leads Florida with five home goals (5-0-5) this postseason, while Matthew Tkachuk has registered a team-high seven points (3-4-7). Brandon Montour paces Cats blueliners with four home points (1-3-4) in the playoffs, and Sergei Bobrovsky owns a 3-2 home record.

ROAD WARRIORS
The Cats have won each of their past eight road playoff games dating back to Game 2 at BOS, the longest playoff road win streak in club history and the second-longest in NHL history, behind only the 2012 LAK’s 10-game streak. Over their eight-game road win streak, the Cats have outscored their opponents 29-18, including overtime wins in Games 5 and 7 at Boston, Game 5 at Toronto, and Games 1 & 2 at Carolina. Sergei Bobrovsky has started and won each of Florida’s past seven road games.

CATS VS. CANES
Florida face off against Carolina in the postseason for the first time. The two clubs share several connections, notably:

The series will be the first to feature three brothers (Eric, Marc and Jordan Staal) since Brent Sutter (CHI) defeated Rich & Ron Sutter (STL) in the 1992 Norris Division Semifinals. Jared Staal serves as an assistant coach for Florida’s AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers.
Eric Staal, a first-round selection (2nd overall) by Carolina in the 2003 NHL Draft, led the Canes to the club’s first Stanley Cup in 2005-06, posting a team-high (and franchise record) 28 playoff points (9-19-28) during their run. The team was captained by current Carolina head coach Rod Brind’Amour. Eric would go on to serve as the Hurricanes captain from 2009-10 to 2015-16.
Florida Head Coach Paul Maurice served as bench boss for the Hurricanes franchise for 13 total seasons (1995-96 to 2003-04, 2008-09 to 2011-12), including their first year in Raleigh after moving from Hartford prior to the 1997-98 season. Maurice coached the franchise to the 2002 Stanley Cup Final and 2009 Eastern Conference Final.
Florida Assistant Coach Tuomo Ruutu skated in 378 games with Carolina from 2007-08 to 2013-14, amassing 216 points (90-126-216).

1...2,6622,6632,664...3,992 Page 2,663 of 3,992

$Sports Gaming Journal - America\'s Premier Sports Betting Publication$ Sports Gaming JournalAmerica\'s Premier Sports Betting Publication

$Sports Gaming Journal - America\'s Premier Sports Betting Publication$ Sports Gaming JournalAmerica\'s Premier Sports Betting Publication

MLB Preview: Miami Marlins (24-25) at Colorado Rockies (21-28)

MLB Preview: New York Mets (25-24) at Chicago Cubs (21-26)

MLB Preview: Detroit Tigers (21-25) at Kansas City Royals (15-35)

MLB Preview: Los Angeles Dodgers (31-19) at Atlanta Braves (29-19)

MLB Preview: San Diego Padres (22-26) at Washington Nationals (20-28)

MLB Preview: Baltimore Orioles (31-17) at New York Yankees (30-20)

Boxing Preview: Joseph Parker (32-3, 22 KOs) vs Nikita Tszyu (5-0, 4 KOs)

MLB Preview: Toronto Blue Jays (26-23) at Tampa Bay Rays (35-15)

MLB Preview: St. Louis Cardinals (22-28) at Cincinnati Reds (20-28)

NHL Eastern Conference Finals Game 4 Preview: Carolina Hurricanes (0-3) at Florida Panthers (3-0)

FOLLOW US

TODAY"S TOP CATEGORIES