Preview: Royals at Athletics
Gracenote
Jun 9, 2018
The Oakland Athletics will try to bounce back from a shutout loss and claim another series win over the visiting Kansas City Royals when the teams complete a four-game set Sunday afternoon. Danny Duffy and two relievers combined on a four-hit shutout in the Royals' 2-0 win in the third game of the set Saturday.
It was Kansas City's second win in six matchups with Oakland - all of which have taken place in June. Alex Gordon slugged a solo homer to back Duffy's dominant effort as the Royals snapped a six-game losing streak. They'll aim for their first winning streak of the month behind right-hander Brad Keller, who opposes Sean Manaea for the Athletics. Matt Chapman had three of Oakland's four hits in Saturday's loss and is 10-for-22 in the six matchups with Kansas City this month.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FS Kansas City, NBCS California (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Brad Keller (1-2, 2.12 ERA) vs. Athletics LH Sean Manaea (5-6, 3.59)
Keller is making the most of his opportunity in the rotation, allowing two runs over 7 1/3 innings over back-to-back starts. That comes after 21 relief appearances in which he posted a 2.01 ERA. The 22-year-old, who is facing Oakland for the first time, has allowed two runs on seven hits in 12 2/3 innings during day games.
Manaea failed to get through six innings in each of his last four starts after doing so in seven of his first nine. He is winless during the four-game slump while sporting an ERA of 7.58 and the 26-year-old gave up at least four runs in three consecutive home starts. Manaea threw five innings and combined with three relievers in a four-hit shutout at Kansas City in their only prior matchup in 2016.
WALK-OFFS
1. Royals RF Jorge Soler (toe) was out of the lineup and is day-to-day.
2. Athletics 2B Jed Lowrie is 0-for-12 with five strikeouts over his last three games.
3. Oakland is 25-18 when the opposition starts a right-hander, compared to 8-14 against lefties.
PREDICTION: Athletics 5, Royals 3
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Umpire Trends - Bill Welke
Over is 3-1-1 in Welkes last 5 games behind home plate.
Over is 23-9-2 in Welkes last 34 games behind home plate vs. Kansas City.
Athletics are 1-7 in their last 8 games with Welke behind home plate.
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Preview: Braves at Dodgers
Gracenote
Jun 10, 2018
The Atlanta Braves’ youth movement has been so successful, it’s sometimes easy to overlook the consistency of first baseman Freddie Freeman. The 28-year-old two-time All-Star is putting together another stellar season for the surprising Braves, who face the host Los Angeles Dodgers in the rubber match of their three-game series Sunday.
Freeman had three hits and Tyler Flowers drove in three runs in Saturday’s 5-3 victory as the Braves won for only the fourth time in their last 17 games at Dodger Stadium. Freeman is 9-for-17 with two homers and four RBIs over his last four games and could be accompanied at next month’s All-Star game by several teammates, including right fielder Nick Markakis, who is batting .328 after going 2-for-5 with an RBI on Saturday. The Dodgers are 16-6 over their last 22 games and hoping for good news on rookie pitcher Walker Buehler, who exited Friday’s game with sore ribs and is questionable to make his next start. Third baseman Justin Turner has been held out of the starting lineup in four of the last five games with a sore left wrist but is expected to start Sunday’s series finale.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, FS South (Atlanta), SportsNet Los Angeles
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves LH Sean Newcomb (7-1, 2.49 ERA) vs. Dodgers RH Ross Stripling (4-1, 1.52)
Newcomb won his seventh straight decision Tuesday, when he allowed three hits and three walks with four strikeouts over six scoreless innings against San Diego. “Every time he goes on the mound you feel pretty confident we’re going to get the win that day,” Freeman told reporters. “He's been lights-out for a long time and hopefully that continues.” The 24-year-old is 0-1 with a 5.06 ERA in two career starts against the Dodgers.
Stripling improved to 4-0 with a 0.73 ERA in his last four starts after tossing five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts in a 5-0 win over Pittsburgh on Tuesday. The 28-year-old native Texan owns a stellar 49-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio in seven starts covering 38 innings since moving into the rotation. Stripling has a 4.00 ERA in four career games (one start) against Atlanta.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Braves are looking to clinch their first series victory at Dodger Stadium since 2012.
2. Dodgers RHP Kenta Maeda (hip) will throw a bullpen session Sunday and could rejoin the team’s rotation next week.
3. Atlanta RHP Mike Soroka (right shoulder strain) will be activated from the disabled list to start Wednesday’s game against the New York Mets.
PREDICTION: Braves 5, Dodgers 3
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Umpire Trends - Bill Miller
Under is 5-0 in Millers last 5 games behind home plate.
Under is 4-0 in Millers last 4 Sunday games behind home plate vs. Atlanta.
Under is 5-1 in Millers last 6 Sunday games behind home plate vs. Los Angeles.
Under is 42-14-1 in Millers last 57 Sunday games behind home plate.
Under is 27-9-2 in Millers last 38 games behind home plate vs. Los Angeles.
Road team is 5-2 in Millers last 7 Sunday games behind home plate.
Dodgers are 2-5 in their last 7 games with Miller behind home plate.
Braves are 1-4 in their last 5 games with Miller behind home plate.
Braves are 0-4 in their last 4 Sunday games with Miller behind home plate.
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Preview: Yankees at Mets
Gracenote
Jun 10, 2018
The New York Yankees always take delight in defeating their crosstown rivals, but kicking the New York Mets when they're down is an added bonus. The Yankees attempt to continue sending their opponents in a downward spiral and complete a sweep of the Subway Series when they visit the Mets for the finale of the three-game set on Sunday.
The Yankees pulled out an impressive victory Saturday, overcoming an early three-run deficit to edge the Mets 4-3 for their fourth straight win and ninth in 10 contests. The club used the long ball to battle back, hitting three homers to account for its runs - including a tiebreaking solo shot in the eighth inning by Aaron Judge, who was in the lineup after X-rays on his sore left thumb came back negative. The Mets managed six hits on Saturday - and only three after a three-run first inning that featured homers by former Yankee Todd Frazier and Asdrubal Cabrera. The team has lost eight consecutive contests - including all seven this month, scoring fewer than two runs in six of the setbacks.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, ESPN
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Luis Severino (9-1, 2.20 ERA) vs. Mets RH Seth Lugo (1-1, 2.04)
Severino won his seventh consecutive decision on Monday after allowing two runs - one earned - and four hits while registering 10 strikeouts over eight innings at Detroit. The 24-year-old Dominican has made 10 starts since suffering his lone loss of the season at Boston on April 10, yielding fewer than three runs eight times in that span and three in each of the other two. Severino has made one start and one relief appearance against the Mets in his career, recording 14 strikeouts while giving up two unearned runs and five hits over 10 2/3 innings en route to a pair of victories.
Lugo will make his second start of the season after the Mets announced on Friday that Noah Syndergaard would be unable to pitch due to swelling in his injured right index finger. The 28-year-old Lugo worked four scoreless innings against the Chicago Cubs on May 31 in his first turn of 2018, allowing three hits while striking out three batters. Lugo made his only career appearance against the Yankees in relief on Aug. 1, 2016, when he took the loss after giving up one run on one hit and one walk in one frame.
WALK-OFFS
1. Yankees 3B Miguel Andujar belted a two-run shot on Saturday, giving him three homers and 10 RBIs in seven games this month.
2. Mets OF Yoenis Cespedes (hip) played the second game of his rehab assignment with Double-A Binghamton on Saturday, going 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles.
3. The Yankees placed RHP Masahiro Tanaka (hamstrings), who is expected to miss about a month, on the 10-day disabled list and recalled 2B Ronald Torreyes from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
PREDICTION: Yankees 11, Mets 2
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Umpire Trends - Mike DiMuro
Under is 6-0 in DiMuros last 6 games behind home plate.
Home team is 5-1 in DiMuros last 6 Sunday games behind home plate vs. New York.
Home team is 18-5 in DiMuros last 23 games behind home plate vs. New York.
Over is 7-2 in DiMuros last 9 games behind home plate vs. New York.
Under is 5-2-2 in DiMuros last 9 Sunday games behind home plate.
Under is 7-3 in DiMuros last 10 interleague games behind home plate.
Home team is 35-17 in DiMuros last 52 games behind home plate.
Mets are 1-6 in their last 7 games with DiMuro behind home plate.
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