The Bum's Best Bets For Friday May 1st - MLB - NBA -NHL !

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Phillies (8-14) at Marlins (10-12)
Game: 1
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: May 01, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

With a dazzling young core and some veteran leadership, the Miami Marlins' current hot spell is a realization of the success many envisioned heading into 2015.

An ongoing influx of offense can help the Marlins further distance themselves from last place in the NL East, a spot now owned by the offensively challenged Philadelphia Phillies as they head to Miami on Friday night.

Miami (10-12) has won seven of eight to rebound from a rough start to the season that included three losing streaks of three or more games. The Marlins have scored 5.5 runs per game over the hot stretch, up from 3.79 through April 21.

Giancarlo Stanton and Adeiny Hechavarria have paced that effort with nine RBIs and eight runs apiece over the past eight games, while Stanton has three home runs and Hechavarria is 13 for 29 (.448).

This sort of production was expected of Stanton, as evidenced by his 13-year, $325 million contract, but Hechavarria had primarily been known as a defensive standout prior to this offensive outburst.

Hechavarria hit .251 over the past two seasons while totaling 76 RBIs, but he's on pace for 118 this year and is batting .321.

"You're talking about your seven- or eight-hole guy getting better," Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill told MLB's official website. "It makes you have a deeper lineup, which ultimately will help you score more runs and win more games."

The 26-year-old is among Miami's large contingent of budding stars along with the 25-year-old Stanton. Dee Gordon (27) is hitting .409 and on pace for 58 stolen bases, Marcell Ozuna (24) is hitting .342 in his last 11 games and J.T. Realmuto (24) - Miami's No. 2 rated prospect according to MLB - has assumed full-time catching duties. Christian Yelich (23) remains sidelined with a lower back strain.

On the elder side, the Marlins have enjoyed solid production from 41-year-old Ichiro Suzuki, who hit his first home run in Wednesday's 7-3 win over the New York Mets.

"I just think he's enjoying this atmosphere," manager Mike Redmond said. "It's been great for our guys to see how much fun he has continuing to play the game and how he competes and how he prepares and how he is in huge situations."

The Phillies (8-15) dropped two of three against the Marlins from April 21-23 and enter Friday's contest following three straight losses in St. Louis. They've scored more than three runs only three times in their last nine games and rank last in the majors with 2.74 runs per game.

Chase Utley, who was rested Thursday as the Phillies lost 9-3 to the Cardinals, is batting .114 and has three hits in his last 45 at_bats. Jeff Francoeur is in an 0-for-16 drought.

Philadelphia was held to one run in each loss of the Marlins series after winning the opener 7-3.

Jerome Williams (2-1, 3.80 ERA) won that day by allowing three runs - two earned - in six innings, and he'll look to win a third straight start Friday. He defeated Atlanta with 6 2-3 innings of three-run ball Sunday.

Williams will oppose Tom Koehler (2-2, 4.50), looking to carry momentum from a strong start Saturday, when he pitched 7 1-3 innings in an 8-0 win over Washington. Koehler last faced the Phillies in 2014, going 2-0 with a 2.88 ERA in four starts.

The Marlins starting staff has surrendered 10 earned runs in its last 50 2-3 innings.

Philadelphia's Ben Revere is 8 for 16 against Koehler in his career, and Utley is 5 for 13 with two doubles.

Odubel Herrera continues to be a bright spot in the Phillies lineup. The 23-year-old rookie is batting .412 with five RBIs in his last four games.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Reds (10-11) at Braves (10-11)
Game: 2
Venue: Turner Field
Date: May 01, 2015 7:35 PM EDT

Cincinnati's lineup is driving the ball out of the park, and Joey Votto's bat might be coming back to life.

Meanwhile, Atlanta could be in more trouble against Anthony DeSclafani after a listless offensive performance in the series opener.

The Reds seek their fourth win in five games Friday night against the Braves at Turner Field.

Cincinnati (11-11) enjoyed a strong all-around showing in Thursday's 5-1 victory, getting eight scoreless innings from Mike Leake, who hit his fifth career home run. Todd Frazier and Tucker Barnhart also went deep for the second straight game and Billy Hamilton supplied a solo shot, giving the Reds 10 homers over their last three games. Their 31 this season rank second in baseball.

Votto, hitting a team-high .317, doubled twice and is 4 for 10 over his last three games after going 0 for 15 with seven strikeouts in his previous four. He also has seven doubles in his last 11 against Atlanta.

The Braves (10-12), losers of eight of 10, were held to four hits and have only four home runs in their last 11 contests.

They've never seen DeSclafani (2-1, 1.04 ERA), who has been one of the NL's toughest pitchers through the first month, though he failed to record a quality start for the first time Sunday against the Chicago Cubs. He gave up five runs over five innings in a 5-2 loss, though only one was earned as Cincinnati committed two errors behind him in the fourth inning.

Regardless of the defensive miscues, DeSclafani wasn't thrilled with his performance.

"I was missing too much over the plate," said the right-hander, who had a 16-inning scoreless streak snapped. "I didn't have a really effective slider."

Opponents are still batting just .154 against him.

With Trevor Cahill demoted to the bullpen, the Braves are giving 23-year-old Mike Foltynewicz a shot in the rotation. Cahill was 0-3 with an 8.03 ERA in his first three starts, then gave up four runs in two innings of relief in Wednesday's 13-4 loss to Washington.

Foltynewicz, one of three players acquired from Houston in January in exchange for Evan Gattis, was 0-1 with a 5.30 ERA in 16 relief appearances for the Astros last year. The 23-year-old struggled in spring training, going 0-2 with a 5.84 ERA, prompting the organization to send him to Triple-A Gwinnett.

He went 0-3 in four starts despite a 2.08 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 21 2-3 innings. The 23-year-old failed to log more than five innings in three of his four outings.

Though Atlanta's pitching wasn't hit hard again like it was in giving up 26 runs and 30 hits over back-to-back defeats to the Nationals, the bullpen struggled again. Braves relievers allowed two of Cincinnati's home runs and have surrendered 18 runs in 12 innings over the last four games.

Chris Johnson will be placed on the disabled list after breaking his hand sliding into second base in the fourth inning, freeing a roster spot for Foltynewicz.

A.J. Pierzynski didn't play Thursday but has hit safely in all 12 games, batting .422 with 14 RBIs.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Reds at Braves
Thu, Apr 30 Final 5 to 1
Boxscores

GAME 2
Reds at Braves
Fri, May 1 - 7:35PM EDT

GAME 3
Reds at Braves
Sat, May 2 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 4
Reds at Braves
Sun, May 3 - 1:35PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Athletics (9-13) at Rangers (7-14)
Game: 1
Venue: Globe Life Park in Arlington
Date: May 01, 2015 8:05 PM EDT

Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin elected to give Scott Kazmir an extra day of rest, and given the lineup he'll now face, he still might not have to overexert himself.

The in-form left-hander takes the mound Friday night as the Athletics open a three-game road series against the Texas Rangers.

Kazmir (2-0, 0.99 ERA) has contributed once already to Texas' futile offense, limiting it to a hit in seven innings of a 10-0 win in his season debut April 8. Prince Fielder was 0 for 2 and fell to 1 for 11 in their matchups, while Adrian Beltre (9 for 40 with 12 strikeouts) and Robinson Chirinos (1 for 10) have also struggled.

Kazmir struck out 10 and improved to 4-1 with a 3.18 ERA in five starts against the Rangers while with Oakland.

He's limiting opponents to a .158 average and has struck out 30 in 27 1-3 innings. The three runs he's allowed have come on the road, but his last four away starts have resulted in a 2-1 record and 1.59 ERA.

In last Friday's 5-4 loss in 11 to visiting Houston, Kazmir allowed five hits in seven innings, and his teammates recognize he probably deserves more than two wins.

"What he's done for us his first four starts has been something special," outfielder Josh Reddick told MLB's official website.

The rotation in general had been pretty special to that point, but the starters posted a 5.86 ERA in the next five games. In Thursday's 6-5 loss to the Los Angeles Angels, the A's (9-14) fell just shy of rallying from four down in the ninth.

Reddick was in on it as part of a 2-for-4 day, and he's 13 for 26 during an eight-game hitting streak. Reddick is also batting .395 with 12 RBIs in his last 12 against the Rangers.

It was Oakland's sixth loss in seven games and eighth in as many day games, during which it has a 4.81 ERA and is averaging 3.50 runs. At night, it's posted a 3.02 ERA and scored 5.47 runs per game. Every other team in the majors has won a day game, though the A's won't have to worry about that in the first two in Texas.

The season-opening series between these clubs in Oakland resulted in a four-game split, and the A's won seven of 10 in Texas last season.

Texas (7-14) is still seeking its first series win, and it wasn't even close in a three-game home sweep at the hands of Seattle. The Rangers fell 5-2 on Wednesday behind five hits, and their .210 April average was the worst in the majors. Over the previous two seasons, excluding two March games, their best month has been May at .277.

"We haven't produced," manager Jeff Banister said. "We're not where we want to be or where we're going to be. The numbers say we need to be better and we're going to be better."

The offensive shortcomings have placed plenty of pressure on Colby Lewis, who has received a 2.63 run-support average in four starts. Lewis (1-2, 3.75) yielded two runs and four hits in five innings of Saturday's 4-1 road loss to the Angels.

His win came 3-1 on April 7 in Oakland, surrendering a run and three hits in six innings. In his last 12 starts against the A's, the right-hander is 7-1 with a 2.86 ERA. Stephen Vogt is 0 for 8 against Lewis and Eric Sogard is 1 for 9.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Pirates (12-10) at Cardinals (14-6)
Game: 1
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: May 01, 2015 8:15 PM EDT

A.J. Burnett considered retirement during his second successful season with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2013, then did so again following one the worst campaigns of his career after bolting in free agency.

What seems to be sure about Burnett, though, is that a Pirates uniform brings out the best in him.

Burnett takes the hill as Pittsburgh seeks a rare victory at Busch Stadium in the series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night.

After going 26-21 with a 3.41 ERA in two years with the Pirates, Burnett opted against retirement and instead moved his family closer to his Maryland home by signing with Philadelphia for 2014.

Burnett, who went back on his word after saying he'd re-sign with Pittsburgh or retire, discussed retirement again while going 8-18 with 4.59 ERA in Philadelphia. He then left more than $4 million on the table by declining a player option and agreeing to a one-year, $8.5 million deal to return to Pittsburgh in the offseason.

That appears to have been a wise decision. Burnett (0-1, 1.80 ERA) has allowed just five runs in four starts after giving up one in seven innings of the Pirates' 2-1 win over Arizona on Saturday.

It's the first time since Aug. 9-19, 2005, while with the Marlins that the right-hander has allowed fewer than two runs in three consecutive starts.

'It's different now than it was a couple of years ago with velocity and stuff,' Burnett said. 'I just pitch and not get stubborn thinking I can sneak some balls by the hitters. Sometimes I can set that up. Just pitch and use the movement to my advantage.'

Burnett's best start with the Phillies came against the Cardinals on June 20, when he pitched his only complete game of the season in a 5-1 victory. That win came in St. Louis, where the Pirates (12-10) have dropped 14 of 17 including the 2013 postseason.

Pittsburgh lost the first two of its series with the Chicago Cubs before salvaging Wednesday's finale. Andrew McCutchen finished April hitting just .194, but he collected his 1,000th career hit and had a two-run triple in the 8-1 victory.

"It's nice to get out of here without getting swept," winning pitcher Gerrit Cole said. "We can relax a little more on the off day, clear our minds and get ready for St. Louis this weekend."

The Cardinals (15-6) improved to 8-2 at home by taking the final three of a four-game set with Philadelphia. Matt Adams hit a two-run homer and finished with three hits in Wednesday's 9-3 victory.

Adams is just 1 for 14 in his career off Burnett, but he enters this contest 8 for 13 over his last three as the Cardinals totaled 25 runs.

'When you get this offense really going, it's one of the best in the majors, and right now everybody it seems is producing,' Adams said. 'It seems like everything is starting to really come around, not just for me but for the offense itself."

Lance Lynn went 1-1 with a 1.56 ERA over his first three outings before giving up six runs and 10 hits in five innings of Sunday's 6-3 loss to Milwaukee. Lynn (1-2, 3.63) has made just one start at home, where he's 7-3 with a 1.83 ERA over his last 13 regular-season starts.

McCutchen is 6 for 38 (.158) with 14 strikeouts lifetime against Lynn, but the right-hander is just 1-3 with a 6.34 ERA in his last seven against the Pirates.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Diamondbacks (10-11) at Dodgers (13-8)
Game: 1
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: May 01, 2015 10:10 PM EDT

The numbers seem to refute Jimmy Rollins' contention that Dodger Stadium is not a hitters' park as Los Angeles continues producing at home.

The Arizona Diamondbacks recently have shown they possess the ability to match any club run for run.

Former Dodger Rubby De La Rosa hopes to cool Los Angeles' bats as the clubs begin a three-game set Friday night.

Rollins hit one of the Dodgers' four home runs to help them improve to 10-2 at home with Wednesday's 7-3 victory over San Francisco. His shot leading off the third inning came after Joc Pederson, Adrian Gonzalez and Andre Ethier went deep in the first.

Los Angeles (13-8) ranks near the top of the majors with 32 homers, with 19 coming at home. The 33 long balls in all hit at Dodger Stadium also rank among the most at any stadium in baseball, and the Dodgers' .290 home average is near the top of the majors.

The most recent power surge came after manager Don Mattingly shuffled his lineup around injuries to Carl Crawford (torn oblique muscle) and Yasiel Puig, who joined Crawford on the disabled list Sunday with a left hamstring injury.

"(Baseballs) seem to go to the outfield and die here very often," Rollins said. "I don't think anybody in here worried about whether we led the major leagues in home runs, as long as we were winning our division. That's the only thing we've focused on and will focus on.'

Arizona (10-11) is hitting .260 on the road and had a .229 mark at home before registering 21 runs and 28 hits to take the final two of a three-game home series with Colorado.

Jordan Pacheco hit a three-run homer and Paul Goldschmidt finished 9 for 14 in the series after recording three hits in Wednesday's 9-1 victory. A.J. Pollock, batting .517 during an eight-game hitting streak against the Dodgers, went hitless for the first time in nine games.

"If there was something easy, we'd probably do it every game," said Goldschmidt, who has homered in his last two at Dodger Stadium. "We'll need to do that a lot more going forward."

The Diamondbacks' offense wasn't able to back De La Rosa (2-1, 4.68 ERA) in one of his best starts Saturday as Arizona fell to Pittsburgh 2-1. The right-hander matched a career best by going seven innings while allowing one run and four hits and striking out a career high-tying eight.

"What I did (Saturday), the rest of my starts I have to do it and try to get more confident and throw more strikes," De La Rosa said.

De La Rosa will be facing his former club for the first time since he was sent to Boston in October 2012 to complete the blockbuster trade that sent Gonzalez and others to the Dodgers.

The Diamondbacks acquired De La Rosa from the Red Sox for Wade Miley in December. De La Rosa will oppose Carlos Frias, who is fighting for a vacant spot in the Dodgers' rotation after Brandon McCarthy had Tommy John surgery.

Frias hasn't allowed a run in 2 1-3 innings over two relief efforts, picking up the victory in Monday's 8-3 win over the Giants. He struck out two in two hitless innings in his lone appearance against the Diamondbacks last season.

The right-hander has made two career starts, and the last one didn't go very well. He gave up eight runs and 10 hits in just two-thirds of an inning of a 16-2 loss to Colorado on Sept. 17.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rockies (11-10) at Padres (11-12)
Game: 1
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: May 01, 2015 10:10 PM EDT

The only time the San Diego Padres flexed some offensive muscle during a dreadful eight-game stretch was squandered by Ian Kennedy's worst outing in nearly two years.

Looking to redeem himself and put the Padres back on track after a string of poor showings, Kennedy will take the hill Friday against a Colorado Rockies team that pushed San Diego into its losing ways.

The Padres (11-12) have dropped seven of their last eight games, scoring more than four runs only once in that span with an 11-8 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday. Kennedy (0-1, 10.80 ERA) allowed eight earned runs over 4 1-3 innings in his least effective start since surrendering 10 runs on June 6, 2013.

Although San Diego followed that defeat with a 3-1 win against the Dodgers, both the team's pitching and hitting have disappeared in the three games since. The Padres scored 3.0 runs per game while allowing 10.0 in a three-game sweep at home against Houston.

Andrew Cashner surrendered only two earned runs through seven innings Wednesday, but San Diego's bullpen fell apart late in a 7-2 loss.

"It's been a tough month," Cashner said. "We've hit when we haven't pitched, we've pitched when we haven't hit. It's a tough first month, but we're one game under .500. Considering the teams I've been on here, it's a positive start.

"This team's better than we've been playing, definitely. You've yet to see us pitch the way we're capable of pitching."

The opponent that sparked San Diego's poor play was Colorado (11-10), which took the last two of a four-game series April 20-23. The Rockies have treaded water since with two wins in five games after being outscored 21-6 in back-to-back losses to Arizona on Tuesday and Wednesday.

"You know, it's the cycles of a season," Rockies manager Walt Weiss told MLB's official website. "We had a period already where we lost five straight. We bounced back from that. It happens to every club. Nobody is exempt from the rough spots of the season."

Troy Tulowitzki continued his solid hitting in spite of the series loss, going 6 for 17 in his last four games with a 1.036 OPS. Charlie Blackmon is 9 for 24 (.375) over his last five. They combined for six hits - four for extra bases - in four games with San Diego but were outshined by Corey Dickerson, who went 4 for 9 with three home runs.

Eddie Butler (2-1, 3.27), who did not pitch in that series, takes the hill for the Rockies to open this three-game set. The 24-year-old tossed six innings and allowed a season-high in hits (nine) and runs (four) on April 24, yet earned the win in a 6-4 victory against San Francisco.

Colorado's bullpen, which worked three scoreless innings in that win, has been shaky in four games since, allowing 10 earned runs in 16 2-3 innings. The absence of closer Adam Ottavino figures into those struggles and he remains on the DL with right triceps inflammation.

San Diego's Wil Myers went 6 for 18 against the Rockies and is 7 for 22 with two home runs and six runs scored in his last five games overall. Justin Upton has only three hits in his last five contests - all home runs.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Angels (10-11) at Giants (9-13)
Game: 1
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: May 01, 2015 10:15 PM EDT

While C.J. Wilson will start five days after having fluid drained from his elbow, he might not have Albert Pujols around to provide any run support.

Not that Pujols' early season struggles have provided much of that, but the Los Angeles Angels' lineup needed all the help it could get in a disappointing April.

The light-hitting Angels showed positive signs in their first game without the slugger and will hope for better as the calendar turns to May on Friday night in San Francisco, as will the low-scoring Giants.

Pujols, who hit .208 in his worst April ever, missed Thursday's 6-5 win at Oakland and is day to day because of a hamstring injury.

As a result, Mike Trout moved to the third spot in the lineup and Kole Calhoun hit cleanup. Both had two hits, and Calhoun backed up manager Mike Scioscia's move with three RBIs.

The right fielder is batting .405 in his last nine games after the Angels (11-11) matched their top run production over a 5-3 span. The 12-hit effort gave Los Angeles a season-high .232 average, but it was the Angels' worst April since batting .231 in 1995.

"Out of all the guys you'd want to hit behind Mike, right now it's Kole," Scioscia told MLB's official website. "... It's a deviation from what we really want to do in our lineup, but I think the circumstances are very clear. Right now, there's a lot of guys trying to find their game. And with Albert out of the lineup, we have to make some adjustments."

It could continue with Trout versus San Francisco (9-13), against which the MVP is 7 for 13. In NL parks, Trout (50 for 125) and Calhoun (10 for 25) are .400 hitters.

Wilson's last start came two days after his scheduled spot in the rotation because of elbow soreness, but he isn't concerned it'll become an ongoing issue after allowing a run and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings of Saturday's 4-1 win over Texas.

"None. There's a formula," said Wilson (1-2, 3.12 ERA), who didn't earn the decision. "I know what to do. We know what the process needs to be. If we just stick to that process, we'll be fine."

The left-hander has labored in his last nine interleague starts despite a 5-2 record, posting a 4.39 ERA dating to a win over the Giants in 2012. It was his only time facing San Francisco and he's never pitched at AT&T Park.

The Giants are opening a 10-game homestand after concluding a trying April with Wednesday's 7-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. San Francisco is scoring 3.00 runs per game, which ranks ahead of only Philadelphia. It's been even worse at home (2.60).

Buster Posey has started to come around with six hits in four games, but he's a .203 career hitter against the AL.

On the mound, Chris Heston needs a bounce-back effort after his worst start in the majors. Heston (2-2, 2.77) limited opponents to a .203 average with two earned runs in his first three outings before allowing six runs and 11 hits in 5 1-3 innings of last Friday's 6-4 loss in Colorado.

"A lot of balls were up," said the right-hander, who has never faced the AL. "Sinker was up tonight and the breaking balls were up. They made me pay when I left them up there."

The Angels have won six of seven in the series and five straight in San Francisco. The clubs haven't played there since 2009.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Nationals (9-13) at Mets (15-7)
Game: 2
Venue: Citi Field
Date: May 01, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Matt Harvey has received generous run support during his return from Tommy John surgery but hasn't usually needed too much help when he's faced the Washington Nationals.

The Nationals, though, have been locked in at the plate and will try to spoil Harvey's attempt to improve to 5-0 in a tantalizing pitching matchup with Max Scherzer on Friday night.

While he's done his part with a 3.04 ERA, Harvey has gotten 26 runs from the Mets (15-8) in his four starts. He finished one out shy of his second career complete game in Saturday's 8-2 win against the New York Yankees, yielding two runs and striking out seven.

"The biggest help was the run support and getting a little bit more comfortable out there," Harvey said.

The right-hander has 31 strikeouts to three walks and fanned nine while issuing one free pass in his highly anticipated season debut April 9 against Washington, a 6-3 win in the nation's capital.

Harvey pitched six scoreless innings and struck out nine to improve to 2-1 with a 0.82 ERA in five starts against the Nationals (10-13). That ERA is his second-lowest versus any NL opponent behind a 0.60 mark in two games against Colorado.

He'll try to become the first in the majors to reach five wins and the first Mets starter to win his first five outings since Pedro Martinez in 2006. Harvey won his first four starts and first five decisions in 2013.

Washington heads into this matchup after scoring 34 runs and batting .350 in three consecutive wins. It had 12 hits in an 8-2 victory Thursday that ended the Mets' 10-0 start at home.

Bryce Harper is 5 for 12 with four doubles in the past three games and drove in three runs Thursday. However, he's 0 for 10 with five strikeouts against Harvey.

The Nationals hit .189 and scored 14 runs while dropping their previous six.

"It's just the law of averages, I guess. That's why we play six months," first baseman Ryan Zimmerman said. "I think everyone knew we weren't going to score two runs per game for the whole season. It evens out in the end. We just have to keep working hard like we do every day."

Scherzer (1-2, 1.26) hasn't seen that kind of performance at the plate in most of his four starts. He has gotten 11 runs of support with seven coming in a win against Philadelphia on April 17.

Scherzer yielded two runs in seven innings in his latest start April 23, a 4-1 loss to St. Louis. He was scratched Tuesday because of an ailing right thumb which he hurt while batting, but manager Matt Williams said the right-hander felt good after throwing on flat ground Wednesday.

Scherzer is 2-1 with a 2.22 ERA in four starts against the Mets and was charged with three unearned runs over 7 2-3 innings in a season-opening 3-1 loss.

Nationals center fielder Denard Span, 7 for 14 with two homers and four doubles in the last three games, might sit out Friday because of general soreness. He was lifted after five innings Thursday.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Nationals at Mets 8 - 2
Thu, Apr 30 - 7:10PM EDT

Boxscores • Recaps
GAME 2
Nationals at Mets
Fri, May 1 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Nationals at Mets
Sat, May 2 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 4
Nationals at Mets
Sun, May 3 - 1:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Wild (46-28) at Blackhawks (48-28)

Date: May 01, 2015 9:30 PM EDT

CHICAGO (AP) - Five games in 2013, a small speed bump in Chicago's run to the Stanley Cup title. Six games in 2014, a more difficult challenge for the Blackhawks.

Now the Minnesota Wild are in the second round for the second straight postseason, and standing in the way is their usual playoff roadblock. And even they are interested to see how they respond, beginning with Game 1 on Friday night in Chicago.

'We think we're in a better place, but we won't know until after,' coach Mike Yeo said. 'All we have is an opportunity to keep pushing and prove that we are better and that we're up to the task of knocking off a great hockey team.'

Minnesota was in a bad spot during a six-game slide in January that dropped the Wild to 18-19-5. But a trade for goaltender Devan Dubnyk fueled a resurgence that continued with a six-game victory over St. Louis in the first round of the playoffs.

With a deep group of forwards and Dubnyk on the best run of his career, the Wild are looking forward to measuring their progress against one of the league's traditional powers.

'They've been the team to beat, them and L.A., in the Western Conference, they've been the teams to beat the last couple of years,' winger Zach Parise said. 'When you get a chance, yeah, you see where you're at. If you want to get out of the West, you have to beat them.'

Chicago is going for its third Stanley Cup championship since 2010. It made it all the way to the conference finals a year ago, but its title defense ended with an epic seven-game loss to the eventual champion Kings.

Fast forward to this season, and the Blackhawks stumbled into the playoffs on a four-game losing streak. But they got Patrick Kane back from a broken collarbone in time for the series opener against Nashville, and their best players rose to the occasion once again in a six-game victory over the Predators.

Jonathan Toews is tied for the NHL lead with eight points in the playoffs, and defensemen Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook each made a couple of big plays in the first round. Mix in more brilliance from Marian Hossa and Kane's offensive presence, and the Blackhawks had enough to overcome a small goaltender controversy that concluded with starter Corey Crawford back in the net.

'In the Nashville series, I think we snuck out some games there, but for the most part we improved in a lot of areas and I think that's good news for us, but we're excited for the challenge,' Toews said.

Here are a few more things to watch when the Wild and Blackhawks meet:

THOSE SPECIAL, SPECIAL TEAMS: Minnesota leads the NHL in power-play percentage through the first round of the postseason, converting four of its 12 tries against St. Louis. Chicago allowed a league-worst six power-play goals against Nashville. Special teams, always a crucial part of the playoffs, could take on added importance in this series between familiar foes.

STOPPING BRYAN BICKELL: For all the talk about Toews, Kane and the rest of Chicago's biggest stars, Bryan Bickell has really hurt the Wild over the years. The rugged winger had four goals and two assists in last year's playoff series against Minnesota, and then collected four goals and an assist in five games versus the Wild this season.

When Bickell is playing well, he gives Chicago a physical presence in front of the net. If Dubnyk has any difficulty with rebound control, Bickell could present a problem for Minnesota.

'With Dubnyk in the net, he's a 6-foot-5-plus goalie who can see over - you name it,' Bickell said. 'We need to get traffic and hopefully we get opportunities that way.'

HOME SWEET HOME: The Blackhawks are 22-4 in their last 26 home playoff games, outscoring their opponents 88-54 in that stretch. The Wild are winless in six postseason games at Chicago, managing just eight goals in those losses.

Minnesota, which won at St. Louis in Game 2 of the first round, will need at least one road win to move on. The good news for the Wild is they were successful on their last trip to the Windy City, with Dubnyk making 32 saves in a 2-1 victory on April 7.

'It's not a secret, we haven't had any success there in the playoffs the last couple of years,' Parise said. 'It is a hard building. But like we've said the last little while and the last round, we've been playing well on the road. That's a good sign for us.'

MISSING VANEK: Thomas Vanek helped Montreal make it to the Eastern Conference finals a year ago, finishing with five goals and five assists in 17 playoff games. The winger then signed a $19.5 million, three-year deal with Minnesota, but managed just two assists in the first round against the Blues. Getting the veteran scorer untracked against the Blackhawks would provide a big lift for the Wild.

Notes: The Blackhawks said forward Kris Versteeg was out day-to-day with a lower-body injury that is 'not serious,' coach Joel Quenneville said following Thursday's practice. ... Chicago forward Daniel Carcillo, who had a concussion, was cleared to play. He skated in only three of the final 25 regular-season games, and didn't play against Nashville.

[StarDust Bum]

May Pitchers Report

April 29, 2015

For baseball purists, May is simply the 2nd month of the 2015 MLB season. But for die-hard baseball fans, namely those who enjoy handicapping America’s pastime, it signals our annual May Good Month/Bad Month pitchers report.

Listed below are hurlers that have enjoyed a two-to-one or better success ratio in team-starts over the course of the last three seasons during the month of May. On the flip side, we've also listed pitchers that struggle in April, winning 33% percent or less of their team-start efforts. To qualify pitchers must have made a minimum of 10 starts, with at least one start each April over the last three years. And for your convenience alongside each record we break down each pitcher’s greatest success or greatest failure rate either home (H) or away (A) within his good or bad month.

Note: * designates a categorical repeat appearance by this pitcher, maintaining status quo from last season’s May list.

GOOD MONTH PITCHERS:

Bailey, Homer - 12-6 (7-0 H)

The Reds right-hander will start the month on the DL with a with a right elbow ligament sprain. This is coming off September surgery that repaired a torn flexor mass tendon in the same elbow. When right, Bailey has two good fastballs he can work either corner and go up or down the ladder. His splitter is one hitter’s will chase with two strikes.

*Buehrle, Mark - 15-2 (8-1 H)

The Toronto lefty continues to pitch well early in the season when he’s at his strongest now that he’s 35 years old. Buehrle has never thrown hard and his best fastball today might reach 85 MPH on a hot day, but he’s a craftsman working both sides of the plate.

*Cain, Matt - 12-2 (6-1 A)

The former ace of the San Francisco staff began playing catch on April 28th as he works his way back from a flexor tendon strain in his throwing arm. Cain has not pitched since spring training, and had an injury-plagued 2014 season come to an end with August elbow surgery to remove bone chips. His return is unknown.

*Cobb, Alex - 7-3 (3-1 A)

The 27-year-old right-hander has been sidelined with forearm tendinitis since March 17 and late in April tossed 21 pitches with no problem. He will continue rehab and if all goes well could be back later in May.

Lynn, Lance - 12-5 (8-2 H)

Lynn has inconspicuously become one of the best No. 2 starters in the National League. His trade skill is pounding the strike zone and he cuts his fastball to RH hitters. His big looping curveball will freeze opposing batters.

Sale, Chris - 10-1 (5-0 A)

Only 25, the White Sox left-hander has a herky-jerky delivery, hides the ball expertly and dives towards batters at the end of his delivery. His low to mid-90’s fastball commands both sides of the dish and varies the speed of his slider. A tough customer to face.

*Scherzer, Max - 13-4 (8-2 A)

The high-priced Washington ace has not been quite as advertised just yet, but has been known to heat up like the weather. In today’s world Scherzer is a workhorse and intelligently uses his variety of pitches to be able to confound opposing hitters even their third or fourth time at bat.

* Vogelsong, Ryan (12-4 (5-1 A)

At 37, Vogelsong’s best days are behind him, but with the Giants scrambling for starting pitching, he will again fit nicely in the back of the rotation. As long as the Charlotte native keeps the ball low, a quality start is possible.

Weaver, Jered - 10-2 (5-1 A)

Like Buehrle, Weaver lacks the big fastball, but survives on guile and knowing how to pitch, which is actually his best trait. When spots the fastball all his off-speed pitches are that much more effective.

BAD MONTH PITCHERS:

*Chacin, Jhoulys - 1-10 (0-5 A)

Was surprisingly cut by Colorado in April and signed a minor league deal with Cleveland on April 24th. Could be brought up in May or June if Indians need a warm body to start.

Correia, Kevin 5-11 - (2-5 H)

With San Francisco starting pitching woes, signed minor league deal in early April and could be called up if effective or if the Giants need a fifth starter.

Haren, Dan 6-12 - (3-8 A)

Haren used to throw low 90’s, not anymore and his off-speed breaking pitches and splitter are flatter compared to years gone by. They are all among the reasons his May record is terrible and his career is heading south at 34.

*Jackson, Edwin - 3-12 (1-8 A)

Moved to the Cubs bullpen and will be available as a spot starter. Would have been traded but current contract is unworkable for suitors.

Kennedy, Ian - 5-11 (2-6 A)

For Kennedy to be effective his mechanics have to be right or he tends to keep everything up in the zone. With already one trip to the DL this campaign, it is hard to imagine when the righty will rediscover his ability to keep the ball down.

Lincecum, Tim - 6-12 (4-8 H)

The two-time Cy Young winner has lost five MPH on his fastball and breaking pitches since 2011, which is precisely why he’s not the same pitcher he used to be. Unfortunately, getting your haircut does not make you throw harder.

*Lohse, Kyle - 5-11 (3-7 A)

Lohse is more of a feel pitcher and past May’s have shown he has not felt well. It has been even worse this season to date with gargantuan 7.28 ERA to start this month. Rest assured, playing for this Milwaukee bunch will not lead to more success.

*Nolasco, Ricky - 6-12 (3-7 A)

Been on the DL since April 9 with right elbow inflammation but pitched five innings, giving up one unearned run on three hits with five strikeouts on April 27th. The Twins management will decide the plan for Nolasco going forward and if he'll need another rehab start. Should be with Minnesota soon but not near the pitcher he was in Miami.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Phillies (8-14) at Marlins (10-12)
Game: 1
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: May 01, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

With a dazzling young core and some veteran leadership, the Miami Marlins' current hot spell is a realization of the success many envisioned heading into 2015.

An ongoing influx of offense can help the Marlins further distance themselves from last place in the NL East, a spot now owned by the offensively challenged Philadelphia Phillies as they head to Miami on Friday night.

Miami (10-12) has won seven of eight to rebound from a rough start to the season that included three losing streaks of three or more games. The Marlins have scored 5.5 runs per game over the hot stretch, up from 3.79 through April 21.

Giancarlo Stanton and Adeiny Hechavarria have paced that effort with nine RBIs and eight runs apiece over the past eight games, while Stanton has three home runs and Hechavarria is 13 for 29 (.448).

This sort of production was expected of Stanton, as evidenced by his 13-year, $325 million contract, but Hechavarria had primarily been known as a defensive standout prior to this offensive outburst.

Hechavarria hit .251 over the past two seasons while totaling 76 RBIs, but he's on pace for 118 this year and is batting .321.

"You're talking about your seven- or eight-hole guy getting better," Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill told MLB's official website. "It makes you have a deeper lineup, which ultimately will help you score more runs and win more games."

The 26-year-old is among Miami's large contingent of budding stars along with the 25-year-old Stanton. Dee Gordon (27) is hitting .409 and on pace for 58 stolen bases, Marcell Ozuna (24) is hitting .342 in his last 11 games and J.T. Realmuto (24) - Miami's No. 2 rated prospect according to MLB - has assumed full-time catching duties. Christian Yelich (23) remains sidelined with a lower back strain.

On the elder side, the Marlins have enjoyed solid production from 41-year-old Ichiro Suzuki, who hit his first home run in Wednesday's 7-3 win over the New York Mets.

"I just think he's enjoying this atmosphere," manager Mike Redmond said. "It's been great for our guys to see how much fun he has continuing to play the game and how he competes and how he prepares and how he is in huge situations."

The Phillies (8-15) dropped two of three against the Marlins from April 21-23 and enter Friday's contest following three straight losses in St. Louis. They've scored more than three runs only three times in their last nine games and rank last in the majors with 2.74 runs per game.

Chase Utley, who was rested Thursday as the Phillies lost 9-3 to the Cardinals, is batting .114 and has three hits in his last 45 at_bats. Jeff Francoeur is in an 0-for-16 drought.

Philadelphia was held to one run in each loss of the Marlins series after winning the opener 7-3.

Jerome Williams (2-1, 3.80 ERA) won that day by allowing three runs - two earned - in six innings, and he'll look to win a third straight start Friday. He defeated Atlanta with 6 2-3 innings of three-run ball Sunday.

Williams will oppose Tom Koehler (2-2, 4.50), looking to carry momentum from a strong start Saturday, when he pitched 7 1-3 innings in an 8-0 win over Washington. Koehler last faced the Phillies in 2014, going 2-0 with a 2.88 ERA in four starts.

The Marlins starting staff has surrendered 10 earned runs in its last 50 2-3 innings.

Philadelphia's Ben Revere is 8 for 16 against Koehler in his career, and Utley is 5 for 13 with two doubles.

Odubel Herrera continues to be a bright spot in the Phillies lineup. The 23-year-old rookie is batting .412 with five RBIs in his last four games.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Reds (10-11) at Braves (10-11)
Game: 2
Venue: Turner Field
Date: May 01, 2015 7:35 PM EDT

Cincinnati's lineup is driving the ball out of the park, and Joey Votto's bat might be coming back to life.

Meanwhile, Atlanta could be in more trouble against Anthony DeSclafani after a listless offensive performance in the series opener.

The Reds seek their fourth win in five games Friday night against the Braves at Turner Field.

Cincinnati (11-11) enjoyed a strong all-around showing in Thursday's 5-1 victory, getting eight scoreless innings from Mike Leake, who hit his fifth career home run. Todd Frazier and Tucker Barnhart also went deep for the second straight game and Billy Hamilton supplied a solo shot, giving the Reds 10 homers over their last three games. Their 31 this season rank second in baseball.

Votto, hitting a team-high .317, doubled twice and is 4 for 10 over his last three games after going 0 for 15 with seven strikeouts in his previous four. He also has seven doubles in his last 11 against Atlanta.

The Braves (10-12), losers of eight of 10, were held to four hits and have only four home runs in their last 11 contests.

They've never seen DeSclafani (2-1, 1.04 ERA), who has been one of the NL's toughest pitchers through the first month, though he failed to record a quality start for the first time Sunday against the Chicago Cubs. He gave up five runs over five innings in a 5-2 loss, though only one was earned as Cincinnati committed two errors behind him in the fourth inning.

Regardless of the defensive miscues, DeSclafani wasn't thrilled with his performance.

"I was missing too much over the plate," said the right-hander, who had a 16-inning scoreless streak snapped. "I didn't have a really effective slider."

Opponents are still batting just .154 against him.

With Trevor Cahill demoted to the bullpen, the Braves are giving 23-year-old Mike Foltynewicz a shot in the rotation. Cahill was 0-3 with an 8.03 ERA in his first three starts, then gave up four runs in two innings of relief in Wednesday's 13-4 loss to Washington.

Foltynewicz, one of three players acquired from Houston in January in exchange for Evan Gattis, was 0-1 with a 5.30 ERA in 16 relief appearances for the Astros last year. The 23-year-old struggled in spring training, going 0-2 with a 5.84 ERA, prompting the organization to send him to Triple-A Gwinnett.

He went 0-3 in four starts despite a 2.08 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 21 2-3 innings. The 23-year-old failed to log more than five innings in three of his four outings.

Though Atlanta's pitching wasn't hit hard again like it was in giving up 26 runs and 30 hits over back-to-back defeats to the Nationals, the bullpen struggled again. Braves relievers allowed two of Cincinnati's home runs and have surrendered 18 runs in 12 innings over the last four games.

Chris Johnson will be placed on the disabled list after breaking his hand sliding into second base in the fourth inning, freeing a roster spot for Foltynewicz.

A.J. Pierzynski didn't play Thursday but has hit safely in all 12 games, batting .422 with 14 RBIs.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Reds at Braves
Thu, Apr 30 Final 5 to 1
Boxscores

GAME 2
Reds at Braves
Fri, May 1 - 7:35PM EDT

GAME 3
Reds at Braves
Sat, May 2 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 4
Reds at Braves
Sun, May 3 - 1:35PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Athletics (9-13) at Rangers (7-14)
Game: 1
Venue: Globe Life Park in Arlington
Date: May 01, 2015 8:05 PM EDT

Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin elected to give Scott Kazmir an extra day of rest, and given the lineup he'll now face, he still might not have to overexert himself.

The in-form left-hander takes the mound Friday night as the Athletics open a three-game road series against the Texas Rangers.

Kazmir (2-0, 0.99 ERA) has contributed once already to Texas' futile offense, limiting it to a hit in seven innings of a 10-0 win in his season debut April 8. Prince Fielder was 0 for 2 and fell to 1 for 11 in their matchups, while Adrian Beltre (9 for 40 with 12 strikeouts) and Robinson Chirinos (1 for 10) have also struggled.

Kazmir struck out 10 and improved to 4-1 with a 3.18 ERA in five starts against the Rangers while with Oakland.

He's limiting opponents to a .158 average and has struck out 30 in 27 1-3 innings. The three runs he's allowed have come on the road, but his last four away starts have resulted in a 2-1 record and 1.59 ERA.

In last Friday's 5-4 loss in 11 to visiting Houston, Kazmir allowed five hits in seven innings, and his teammates recognize he probably deserves more than two wins.

"What he's done for us his first four starts has been something special," outfielder Josh Reddick told MLB's official website.

The rotation in general had been pretty special to that point, but the starters posted a 5.86 ERA in the next five games. In Thursday's 6-5 loss to the Los Angeles Angels, the A's (9-14) fell just shy of rallying from four down in the ninth.

Reddick was in on it as part of a 2-for-4 day, and he's 13 for 26 during an eight-game hitting streak. Reddick is also batting .395 with 12 RBIs in his last 12 against the Rangers.

It was Oakland's sixth loss in seven games and eighth in as many day games, during which it has a 4.81 ERA and is averaging 3.50 runs. At night, it's posted a 3.02 ERA and scored 5.47 runs per game. Every other team in the majors has won a day game, though the A's won't have to worry about that in the first two in Texas.

The season-opening series between these clubs in Oakland resulted in a four-game split, and the A's won seven of 10 in Texas last season.

Texas (7-14) is still seeking its first series win, and it wasn't even close in a three-game home sweep at the hands of Seattle. The Rangers fell 5-2 on Wednesday behind five hits, and their .210 April average was the worst in the majors. Over the previous two seasons, excluding two March games, their best month has been May at .277.

"We haven't produced," manager Jeff Banister said. "We're not where we want to be or where we're going to be. The numbers say we need to be better and we're going to be better."

The offensive shortcomings have placed plenty of pressure on Colby Lewis, who has received a 2.63 run-support average in four starts. Lewis (1-2, 3.75) yielded two runs and four hits in five innings of Saturday's 4-1 road loss to the Angels.

His win came 3-1 on April 7 in Oakland, surrendering a run and three hits in six innings. In his last 12 starts against the A's, the right-hander is 7-1 with a 2.86 ERA. Stephen Vogt is 0 for 8 against Lewis and Eric Sogard is 1 for 9.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Pirates (12-10) at Cardinals (14-6)
Game: 1
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: May 01, 2015 8:15 PM EDT

A.J. Burnett considered retirement during his second successful season with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2013, then did so again following one the worst campaigns of his career after bolting in free agency.

What seems to be sure about Burnett, though, is that a Pirates uniform brings out the best in him.

Burnett takes the hill as Pittsburgh seeks a rare victory at Busch Stadium in the series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night.

After going 26-21 with a 3.41 ERA in two years with the Pirates, Burnett opted against retirement and instead moved his family closer to his Maryland home by signing with Philadelphia for 2014.

Burnett, who went back on his word after saying he'd re-sign with Pittsburgh or retire, discussed retirement again while going 8-18 with 4.59 ERA in Philadelphia. He then left more than $4 million on the table by declining a player option and agreeing to a one-year, $8.5 million deal to return to Pittsburgh in the offseason.

That appears to have been a wise decision. Burnett (0-1, 1.80 ERA) has allowed just five runs in four starts after giving up one in seven innings of the Pirates' 2-1 win over Arizona on Saturday.

It's the first time since Aug. 9-19, 2005, while with the Marlins that the right-hander has allowed fewer than two runs in three consecutive starts.

'It's different now than it was a couple of years ago with velocity and stuff,' Burnett said. 'I just pitch and not get stubborn thinking I can sneak some balls by the hitters. Sometimes I can set that up. Just pitch and use the movement to my advantage.'

Burnett's best start with the Phillies came against the Cardinals on June 20, when he pitched his only complete game of the season in a 5-1 victory. That win came in St. Louis, where the Pirates (12-10) have dropped 14 of 17 including the 2013 postseason.

Pittsburgh lost the first two of its series with the Chicago Cubs before salvaging Wednesday's finale. Andrew McCutchen finished April hitting just .194, but he collected his 1,000th career hit and had a two-run triple in the 8-1 victory.

"It's nice to get out of here without getting swept," winning pitcher Gerrit Cole said. "We can relax a little more on the off day, clear our minds and get ready for St. Louis this weekend."

The Cardinals (15-6) improved to 8-2 at home by taking the final three of a four-game set with Philadelphia. Matt Adams hit a two-run homer and finished with three hits in Wednesday's 9-3 victory.

Adams is just 1 for 14 in his career off Burnett, but he enters this contest 8 for 13 over his last three as the Cardinals totaled 25 runs.

'When you get this offense really going, it's one of the best in the majors, and right now everybody it seems is producing,' Adams said. 'It seems like everything is starting to really come around, not just for me but for the offense itself."

Lance Lynn went 1-1 with a 1.56 ERA over his first three outings before giving up six runs and 10 hits in five innings of Sunday's 6-3 loss to Milwaukee. Lynn (1-2, 3.63) has made just one start at home, where he's 7-3 with a 1.83 ERA over his last 13 regular-season starts.

McCutchen is 6 for 38 (.158) with 14 strikeouts lifetime against Lynn, but the right-hander is just 1-3 with a 6.34 ERA in his last seven against the Pirates.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Diamondbacks (10-11) at Dodgers (13-8)
Game: 1
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: May 01, 2015 10:10 PM EDT

The numbers seem to refute Jimmy Rollins' contention that Dodger Stadium is not a hitters' park as Los Angeles continues producing at home.

The Arizona Diamondbacks recently have shown they possess the ability to match any club run for run.

Former Dodger Rubby De La Rosa hopes to cool Los Angeles' bats as the clubs begin a three-game set Friday night.

Rollins hit one of the Dodgers' four home runs to help them improve to 10-2 at home with Wednesday's 7-3 victory over San Francisco. His shot leading off the third inning came after Joc Pederson, Adrian Gonzalez and Andre Ethier went deep in the first.

Los Angeles (13-8) ranks near the top of the majors with 32 homers, with 19 coming at home. The 33 long balls in all hit at Dodger Stadium also rank among the most at any stadium in baseball, and the Dodgers' .290 home average is near the top of the majors.

The most recent power surge came after manager Don Mattingly shuffled his lineup around injuries to Carl Crawford (torn oblique muscle) and Yasiel Puig, who joined Crawford on the disabled list Sunday with a left hamstring injury.

"(Baseballs) seem to go to the outfield and die here very often," Rollins said. "I don't think anybody in here worried about whether we led the major leagues in home runs, as long as we were winning our division. That's the only thing we've focused on and will focus on.'

Arizona (10-11) is hitting .260 on the road and had a .229 mark at home before registering 21 runs and 28 hits to take the final two of a three-game home series with Colorado.

Jordan Pacheco hit a three-run homer and Paul Goldschmidt finished 9 for 14 in the series after recording three hits in Wednesday's 9-1 victory. A.J. Pollock, batting .517 during an eight-game hitting streak against the Dodgers, went hitless for the first time in nine games.

"If there was something easy, we'd probably do it every game," said Goldschmidt, who has homered in his last two at Dodger Stadium. "We'll need to do that a lot more going forward."

The Diamondbacks' offense wasn't able to back De La Rosa (2-1, 4.68 ERA) in one of his best starts Saturday as Arizona fell to Pittsburgh 2-1. The right-hander matched a career best by going seven innings while allowing one run and four hits and striking out a career high-tying eight.

"What I did (Saturday), the rest of my starts I have to do it and try to get more confident and throw more strikes," De La Rosa said.

De La Rosa will be facing his former club for the first time since he was sent to Boston in October 2012 to complete the blockbuster trade that sent Gonzalez and others to the Dodgers.

The Diamondbacks acquired De La Rosa from the Red Sox for Wade Miley in December. De La Rosa will oppose Carlos Frias, who is fighting for a vacant spot in the Dodgers' rotation after Brandon McCarthy had Tommy John surgery.

Frias hasn't allowed a run in 2 1-3 innings over two relief efforts, picking up the victory in Monday's 8-3 win over the Giants. He struck out two in two hitless innings in his lone appearance against the Diamondbacks last season.

The right-hander has made two career starts, and the last one didn't go very well. He gave up eight runs and 10 hits in just two-thirds of an inning of a 16-2 loss to Colorado on Sept. 17.