MLB on Sling TV: Cubs at Dodgers on TBS, Royals at Red Sox on ESPN, Sunday’s Action on FOX Sports Regional Networks
(all times Eastern, starters subject to change)
Chicago Cubs (Lester 14-4, 2.81) at Los Angeles Dodgers (Maeda 13-7, 3.37) 4pm ET on TBS Jon Lester has been dealing of late. The Cubs have won each of his last 7 starts, as he’s pitched 43 ⅓ innings with a 2.28 ERA, and 46 strikeouts vs. 15 walks, and just 3 home runs. And the Cubs? They’re looking downright scary, leading the Majors in wins by 7 and run differential by 77.
And the Dodgers should be scaring people, too, with their ability to catch and pass the Giants while Clayton Kershaw has been on the DL for over a month. Kenta Maeda has gone 7-2 since Kershaw went down, despite an ERA of 4.09, as the Dodgers averaged 7 runs a game in support. The Dodgers’ team OPS has been higher each month this year, and in August it’s been .825, with Adrian Gonzalez, Justin Turner, Yasmani Grandal and presumptive NL Rookie of the Year Corey Seager all over 1.000 for the month. If they can hit anywhere near .825 come October, and Kershaw, Maeda and Hill are healthy, this team will be tough to beat.
Kansas City Royals (Ventura 9-9, 4.27) at Boston Red Sox (Rodriguez 2-5, 5.11)
8pm ET on ESPN
Yordano Ventura’s strikeout, walk and home run rates have all moved against him in 2016, leading to what is shaping up to be the least productive of his three big league seasons. Clay Buchholz wishes he had Ventura’s problems.
Eduardo Rodriguez may be the key to Boston’s success down the stretch and into the playoffs. After a promising rookie campaign, E-Rod miss the first 2 months of the season, only to then get slapped around for a month, posting an 8.59 ERA in 29 ⅓ innings over 6 starts. When it was determined that he was again tipping his pitches, he was sent to the minors to work it out, and came back with a vengeance, with a 2.52 ERA in 39 ⅓ innings over 7 starts, but had to leave his last start after just 4 innings, despite having giving up 0 hits and striking out 7, with a cranky hamstring. If he can get back to his post-tipping self, the Sox rotation could be good enough to make them the team to beat in the American League playoffs.
Watch the Chicago Cubs vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers at 4pm ET on TBS by subscribing to Sling Orange or Sling Blue, and then catch the Kansas City Royals vs. the Boston Red Sox at 8pm ET Sunday on ESPN by subscribing to the Sling Orange.
And here’s the action from the FOX Sports regional networks across the land…
Baltimore Orioles (Gausman 5-10, 3.92) at New York Yankees (Pineda 6-10, 5.02)
1pm ET on YES
Minnesota Twins (Gibson 5-8, 5.09) at Toronto Blue Jays (Dickey 9-13, 4.43)
1:07pm ET on FOX Sports North
Los Angeles Angels (Skaggs 1-3, 5.70) at Detroit Tigers (Sanchez 7-12, 5.83)
1:10pm ET on FOX Sports Detroit
San Diego Padres (Perdomo 6-7, 6.24) at Miami Marlins (Cashner 4-10, 4.72)
1:10pm ET on FOX Sports Florida & FOX Sports San Diego
Pittsburgh Pirates (Nova 10-6, 4.55) at Milwaukee Brewers (Anderson 7-10, 4.99)
2:10pm ET on FOX Sports Wisconsin
Tampa Bay Rays (Archer 7-17, 4.11) at Houston Astros (Fister 12-8, 3.59)
2:10pm ET on Fox Sports Sun
Oakland Athletics (Triggs 0-1, 4.38) at St. Louis Cardinals (Garcia 10-9, 4.37)
2:15pm ET on FOX Sports Midwest
Cleveland Indians (Salazar 11-5, 3.90) at Texas Rangers (Holland 5-6, 4.92)
3:05pm ET on FOX Sports Southwest & SportsTime Ohio
Atlanta Braves (Whalen 1-2, 6.57) at San Francisco Giants (Bumgarner 12-8, 2.44)
4:05pm ET on FOX Sports South
Cincinnati Reds (Bailey 3-1, 6.40) at Arizona Diamondbacks (Bradley 4-8, 5.06)
4:10pm ET on FOX Sports Arizona & FOX Sports Cincinnati
Watch baseball on FOX and FOX Sports Regional Networks by subscribing to the Sling Blue.
All stats courtesy of ESPN and Baseball Reference