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Sunday's Diamond Notes
August 27, 2017
Hottest team: Marlins (6-1 last seven, 12-3 last 15)
The Fish have gone from considering trading Giancarlo Stanton to now being a serious contender if the major league's home run leader stays hot enough to fuel a run at the playoffs. Miami hadn't enjoyed a winning record since April 26 prior to Friday's home win over the Padres and can climb three games over .500 for the first time in 2017 if it manages to sweep its second consecutive home series. It already clinched its fifth consecutive series win in Saturday's 11-inning 2-1 win over San Diego and can improve to 10-1 at Marlins Park in August if Dan Straily (8-8, 3.83 ERA) comes through on the mound against lefty Clayton Richard (6-12, 4.89).
Coldest team: Mets (3-10 last 13, 8-19 last 27)
New York has seemingly been cursed this season. Key pitchers went down early, and the injuries epidemic then spread to position players. Just this week, they've put their two most talented hitters, Yoenis Cespedes and Michael Conforto, on the DL. Resigned to their fate, the organization is just playing the kids a little earlier than Sept. 1 and hoping to make the best of an awful situation.
They're stuck in fourth place in the NL East and are now forced to play a day-night doubleheader against a Nationals squad that leads the division by 21.5 games and has won nine of 13 in the season series. Tommy Milone (1-3, 8.12) will pitch the twinbill opener against rookie Erick Fedde (0-1, 10.61). Seth Lugo (5-3, 4.85) throws in the Sunday night game against Tanner Roark (10-8, 4.64).
Hottest pitcher: Patrick Corbin, Diamondbacks (11-11, 4.09 ERA)
The lefty has given up just one run over his last three starts, a span of 23.1 innings. His scoreless run stretched just past 20 frames and he's won three consecutive outings for the first time this season. Outside of an awful May, he's had an ERA under 4.00 in every other month and has really settled in, but it must be noted that he's 0-2 against the Giants, who beat him in his first start back in April and dealt him his last loss before this current run back on Aug. 6.
San Francisco's Chris Stratton belongs in this category too, coming in 2-0 with a 1.02 ERA over his three starts this month. He picked up a no-decision against the Snakes on Aug. 5, surrendering just two runs in five innings.
Coldest pitcher: Nick Pivetta (4-9, 6.73 ERA)
He's back in the bigs after being optione and recalled twice already this month, making it back despite his last start, where he gave up six runs on seven hits against the Marlins at home on Aug. 22. Pivetta has surrendered 23 runs (22 earned) in just 13.2 innings this month and has been rocked in five of his last eight starts, surrendering at least five earned runs. He couldn't have been thrilled watching the Cubs snap out of their funk by scoring 17 runs in last night's rout, banging out 14 hits, six of which were home runs. John Lackey (10-9, 4.90) is hoping to be the better of great run support since falls have been flying out of Citizens Bank Park often of late.
Biggest OVER run: Cardinals (15-3-1 last 19)
Starting with a 13-4 win in Cincinnati on Aug. 6, St. Louis has scored double-digit runs on its own in five of their last 19 contests and there have been at least nine combined tallies in all but two of those games. That number would've been three if it weren't for an unlikely rally that saw them score a pair of run in the bottom of sixth, eighth and ninth, rallying from a 3-0 deficit before Tommy Phan sent everyone home with his first career walk-off blast to avoid a sixth loss in seven games. The comeback prevented the Cards from falling below .500 entering the last of a six-game homestand against the Rays on Sunday. St. Louis departs on a 10-day road trip after this finale against a Tampa offense that is on a run of four of five to the high-side.
Biggest UNDER run: Rockies (6-2 last eight, 15-6 last 21)
Colorado was stuck in a 4-4 tie and in danger of faltering for the sixth time in seven contests before Charlie Blackmon and DJ LeMahieu went deep back-to-back to help produce a 7-6 tourniquet of a win entering Sunday's final game of a six-game trip. The Rockies have managed over four runs in a single game only three times in the last 18 games, so they'll be hoping to pick up where they left off in the ninth inning last night as they try to win a series for the first time since they opened August with victories in four of five. Their cushion for that second NL wild card is down to just 3.5 games over Milwaukee.
Matchup to watch: Royals at Indians
Any hope Kansas City had of fighting back to win the AL Central may have been realistically dashed this weekend. Thus far, things have not gone as the Royals had envisioned. It's not ideal when you fail to score a single run through the first two games of a series that probably defines your season.
In order to keep hope alive -- because a seven-game deficit is far more manageable than a nine-game chasm -- the Royals are obviously going to have to get on the board and will likely need to score a substantial amount given their plight. Lefty Danny Duffy was placed on the disabled list with an elbow injury, which means rookie Eric Skoglund (1-1, 5.59) will take his turn, making his just his fourth career start.
After he debuted with 6.1 scoreless innings where he allowed just two hits and walked none against Detroit, the 24-year-old lefty surrendered six runs on 11 hits in just 3.1 frames. He's been back and forth from Triple-A Omaha since originally being sent down, and will be opposed by righty Carlos Carrasco (12-6, 3.95), who has 12 wins on the season but has given up five runs or more in three of his five August starts. If he proves to be a tough "Cookie," the Royals will fall back under .500, putting even their ability to land that second AL wild card in doubt. They're a substantial underdog with a different southpaw on the mound in Skoglund for Duffy.
Betcha didn't know: Tyler Mahle is making his first major league start, which means there's going to be an added level of excitement to the rubber game of this NL Central series in Cincinnati. The 22-year-old is considered one of the Reds prime prospects, potentially leaving the minors for good after this one after going a combined 10-7 with a 2.06 ERA, an 0.96 WHIP and 138 strikeouts against just 30 walks in 144.1 innings between Double-A and Triple-A. Brother Greg Mahle won his only decision last year when he was up with the Angels. He'll be opposed by Pittsburgh's Jameson Taillon (7-5, 4.85), who Cincy tagged for eight runs on 11 hits to open the month. The Pirates have been outscored 22-5 in losing all three of Taillon's starts against the Reds this season.
Biggest public favorite: Dodgers (-190) vs. Brewers
Biggest public underdog: White Sox (+102) vs. Tigers
Biggest line move: Rays (+110 to -120) at Cardinals
August 27, 2017
Hottest team: Marlins (6-1 last seven, 12-3 last 15)
The Fish have gone from considering trading Giancarlo Stanton to now being a serious contender if the major league's home run leader stays hot enough to fuel a run at the playoffs. Miami hadn't enjoyed a winning record since April 26 prior to Friday's home win over the Padres and can climb three games over .500 for the first time in 2017 if it manages to sweep its second consecutive home series. It already clinched its fifth consecutive series win in Saturday's 11-inning 2-1 win over San Diego and can improve to 10-1 at Marlins Park in August if Dan Straily (8-8, 3.83 ERA) comes through on the mound against lefty Clayton Richard (6-12, 4.89).
Coldest team: Mets (3-10 last 13, 8-19 last 27)
New York has seemingly been cursed this season. Key pitchers went down early, and the injuries epidemic then spread to position players. Just this week, they've put their two most talented hitters, Yoenis Cespedes and Michael Conforto, on the DL. Resigned to their fate, the organization is just playing the kids a little earlier than Sept. 1 and hoping to make the best of an awful situation.
They're stuck in fourth place in the NL East and are now forced to play a day-night doubleheader against a Nationals squad that leads the division by 21.5 games and has won nine of 13 in the season series. Tommy Milone (1-3, 8.12) will pitch the twinbill opener against rookie Erick Fedde (0-1, 10.61). Seth Lugo (5-3, 4.85) throws in the Sunday night game against Tanner Roark (10-8, 4.64).
Hottest pitcher: Patrick Corbin, Diamondbacks (11-11, 4.09 ERA)
The lefty has given up just one run over his last three starts, a span of 23.1 innings. His scoreless run stretched just past 20 frames and he's won three consecutive outings for the first time this season. Outside of an awful May, he's had an ERA under 4.00 in every other month and has really settled in, but it must be noted that he's 0-2 against the Giants, who beat him in his first start back in April and dealt him his last loss before this current run back on Aug. 6.
San Francisco's Chris Stratton belongs in this category too, coming in 2-0 with a 1.02 ERA over his three starts this month. He picked up a no-decision against the Snakes on Aug. 5, surrendering just two runs in five innings.
Coldest pitcher: Nick Pivetta (4-9, 6.73 ERA)
He's back in the bigs after being optione and recalled twice already this month, making it back despite his last start, where he gave up six runs on seven hits against the Marlins at home on Aug. 22. Pivetta has surrendered 23 runs (22 earned) in just 13.2 innings this month and has been rocked in five of his last eight starts, surrendering at least five earned runs. He couldn't have been thrilled watching the Cubs snap out of their funk by scoring 17 runs in last night's rout, banging out 14 hits, six of which were home runs. John Lackey (10-9, 4.90) is hoping to be the better of great run support since falls have been flying out of Citizens Bank Park often of late.
Biggest OVER run: Cardinals (15-3-1 last 19)
Starting with a 13-4 win in Cincinnati on Aug. 6, St. Louis has scored double-digit runs on its own in five of their last 19 contests and there have been at least nine combined tallies in all but two of those games. That number would've been three if it weren't for an unlikely rally that saw them score a pair of run in the bottom of sixth, eighth and ninth, rallying from a 3-0 deficit before Tommy Phan sent everyone home with his first career walk-off blast to avoid a sixth loss in seven games. The comeback prevented the Cards from falling below .500 entering the last of a six-game homestand against the Rays on Sunday. St. Louis departs on a 10-day road trip after this finale against a Tampa offense that is on a run of four of five to the high-side.
Biggest UNDER run: Rockies (6-2 last eight, 15-6 last 21)
Colorado was stuck in a 4-4 tie and in danger of faltering for the sixth time in seven contests before Charlie Blackmon and DJ LeMahieu went deep back-to-back to help produce a 7-6 tourniquet of a win entering Sunday's final game of a six-game trip. The Rockies have managed over four runs in a single game only three times in the last 18 games, so they'll be hoping to pick up where they left off in the ninth inning last night as they try to win a series for the first time since they opened August with victories in four of five. Their cushion for that second NL wild card is down to just 3.5 games over Milwaukee.
Matchup to watch: Royals at Indians
Any hope Kansas City had of fighting back to win the AL Central may have been realistically dashed this weekend. Thus far, things have not gone as the Royals had envisioned. It's not ideal when you fail to score a single run through the first two games of a series that probably defines your season.
In order to keep hope alive -- because a seven-game deficit is far more manageable than a nine-game chasm -- the Royals are obviously going to have to get on the board and will likely need to score a substantial amount given their plight. Lefty Danny Duffy was placed on the disabled list with an elbow injury, which means rookie Eric Skoglund (1-1, 5.59) will take his turn, making his just his fourth career start.
After he debuted with 6.1 scoreless innings where he allowed just two hits and walked none against Detroit, the 24-year-old lefty surrendered six runs on 11 hits in just 3.1 frames. He's been back and forth from Triple-A Omaha since originally being sent down, and will be opposed by righty Carlos Carrasco (12-6, 3.95), who has 12 wins on the season but has given up five runs or more in three of his five August starts. If he proves to be a tough "Cookie," the Royals will fall back under .500, putting even their ability to land that second AL wild card in doubt. They're a substantial underdog with a different southpaw on the mound in Skoglund for Duffy.
Betcha didn't know: Tyler Mahle is making his first major league start, which means there's going to be an added level of excitement to the rubber game of this NL Central series in Cincinnati. The 22-year-old is considered one of the Reds prime prospects, potentially leaving the minors for good after this one after going a combined 10-7 with a 2.06 ERA, an 0.96 WHIP and 138 strikeouts against just 30 walks in 144.1 innings between Double-A and Triple-A. Brother Greg Mahle won his only decision last year when he was up with the Angels. He'll be opposed by Pittsburgh's Jameson Taillon (7-5, 4.85), who Cincy tagged for eight runs on 11 hits to open the month. The Pirates have been outscored 22-5 in losing all three of Taillon's starts against the Reds this season.
Biggest public favorite: Dodgers (-190) vs. Brewers
Biggest public underdog: White Sox (+102) vs. Tigers
Biggest line move: Rays (+110 to -120) at Cardinals
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