(*) DAILY MATCHUPS: Framber to duel with Ohtani on Friday Night

Today's Overview/Schedule/Weather: We have a full 15-game slate, starting with a game at 5:10 pmEST. There are rain chances in the Northeast and Minnesota, so watch those games. We have some strong pitching today, and that is reflected in the game totals, as we only have a few at nine runs or higher. 

 

Notable Starts:

Framber Valdez had his quality start streak snapped at seven games with a rough outing versus the Cubs but has bounced back nicely with back-to-back strong starts versus the A’s. In those two starts, Valdez has thrown 15 innings, allowing one run and striking out 12. Valdez now has a 2.38 ERA, 2.65 xFIP, and 21.7% K-BB while forcing a groundball 60.1% of the time. He takes on an Angels team who are striking out 30.4% of the time versus LHP over the last few weeks while hitting .295 with a .232 ISO.

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Shohei Ohtani has put together two strong starts after struggling in early May. Over the last two starts, Ohtani has thrown 12 innings while allowing three runs and striking out 19. Ohtani has a 2.91 ERA, 3.31 xFIP, and 24.1% K-BB over his 11 games started. The Astros are striking out nearly 21% of the time versus RHP over the last three weeks with a .267 batting average and .179 ISO. 

Logan Webb has been outstanding in his five May starts, throwing at least six innings in each start with a 1.30 ERA, 3.08 xFIP, and 33 strikeouts in 34.2 innings pitched. Webb has the second-best overall rating today at 2.4 as he takes on the Orioles at home. The Orioles are striking out 21.5% of the time versus RHP over the last three weeks with a .261 batting average and .168 ISO. They will be without Cedric Mullins, which should only help Webb as he looks to keep his momentum going into May. 

Jon Gray has been outstanding since making a pitch mix change on May 8. Over those four starts, Gray has thrown 27 innings while allowing three earned runs and striking out 27. His 1.00 ERA, 3.73 xFIP, and 22% K-BB are outstanding, and he will look to add to that versus the Mariners, who are striking out nearly 25% of the time over the last three weeks versus RHP while hitting .228 with a .158 ISO. 

Edward Cabrera had a 5.40 ERA in May, but a 3.67 xFIP and 18.9% K-BB suggest he should be better. Walks have always been an issue for Cabrera, but he has walked one or less in three of five May starts. Cabrera has the third-highest overall rating at 2.1 as he takes on the A’s today, who are striking out 27% of the time versus RHP over the last three weeks while hitting .169 with a .073 ISO. 

 

Quick Pitches:

• Luis Castillo is having a great season and is coming off back-to-back starts where he threw six innings without allowing a run and striking out 18. He takes on one of the best offenses in baseball in the Rangers and will look to limit the damage while racking up the strikeouts as he did back on May 10.

• Clayton Kershaw is coming off back-to-back starts where he allowed four earned runs while still striking out 12. He takes on a Yankees team with a .215 ISO versus LHP the past three weeks. 

• Justin Verlander allowed six runs over five innings in his last start; that was the second time he has done that over his last three starts. He has a tough matchup today versus a Jays team hitting .291 with a .159 ISO versus RHP over the previous three weeks. 

• Merrill Kelly is having a solid season, and he has allowed four earned runs while striking out 23 over his last three starts. He faces the powerful Braves lineup as he looks to make it four straight strong starts. 

• Luis Severino will be making his third start off the IL, and in his first two, he threw 11.1 innings with two earned runs and ten strikeouts. He faces the potent Dodgers offense in LA on Friday night in his toughest matchup yet. 

• Tyler Glasnow allowed three runs while striking out eight over 4.1 innings in his first season start. Next, he takes on a struggling Red Sox offense to continue his success.

• Zack Wheeler struck out 12 over eight shutout innings in his last start, which was by far his best start. He will look to keep that momentum going versus a pesky Nationals’ offense today. 

• Corbin Burnes bounced back in his last starts as he allowed one run over seven innings while striking out eight. He takes on the Reds in Great American Small Park today to make it two in a row. 

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