MLB on Sling TV: Giants at Dodger on ESPN, and Wednesday’s Action on FOX Sports Regional Networks
(All times Eastern, starters subject to change)
San Francisco Giants (Cueto 14-3, 2.90) at Los Angeles Dodgers (Hill 9-3, 2.25)
10pm ET on ESPN
Two months ago Johnny Cueto was in the thick of the NL Cy Young race, the Giants enjoyed an 8 game lead over the Dodgers in the NL West race, and Rich Hill was on the DL for the A’s, who were 17 games out of 1st in the AL West. A lot has changed since then.
On June 22, Cueto was 11-1 with a 2.06 ERA, but in 10 starts since then he’s gone 3-2 with a 4.34, thanks in large part to 10 dingers in just 64 ⅓ innings. Hill wouldn’t pitch again until July 2, making just 2 starts (12 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 16 SO), before going back on the DL. The Dodgers’ starting rotation would become so decimated by injuries to Clayton Kershaw among others, that they traded for Hill while he was in the midst of his second DL stint. And somehow, despite needing to trade for a guy that was hurt, the Dodgers beats the Giants 9-5 last night and now find themselves in first place with a 2-game lead. And here comes Rich Hill to join the fray.
Hill is one of the stranger stories in baseball. After a decade of injury-riddled mediocrity that saw him pitch just 471 innings with a 24-22 record, 4.41 ERA, and 1.99 SO/BB, Hill enjoyed one of the great WTF runs in recent history. After missing all season with injuries, Hill joined the Red Sox last September for 4 starts, going 29 innings with a 1.55 ERA, 36 strikeouts and just 5 walks, leading to the question: fluke or late-career turn around? Well, this year he’s pitched 76 innings with a 2.25 ERA, and 90 strikeouts versus 28 walks – not too shabby. Pity he’s missed about 10 starts. Tonight he gets to pitch in a game that really matters since he found his mojo at age 35.
Watch the San Francisco Giants vs. Los Angeles Dodgers at 10pm ET Wednesday on ESPN by subscribing to the Sling Orange.
Here’s Wednesday’s action on FOX Sports regional networks across the land:
Cleveland Indians (Bauer 9-5, 3.88) at Oakland Athletics (Graveman 9-8, 4.09)
3:35pm ET on SportsTime Ohio
Chicago Cubs (Hendricks 11-7, 2.16) at San Diego Padres (Clemens 2-2, 4.82)
3:40pm ET on FOX Sports San Diego
New York Yankees (Tanaka 10-4, 3.24) at Seattle Mariners (Iwakuma 14-8, 3.78)
3:40pm ET on YES
Los Angeles Angels (Shoemaker 7-13, 4.14) at Toronto Blue Jays (Estrada 7-5, 3.20)
7:07pm ET on FOX Sports West
Boston Red Sox (Porcello 17-3, 3.22) at Tampa Bay Rays (Andriese 6-5, 3.66)
7:10pm ET on Fox Sports Sun
Kansas City Royals (Gee 5-6, 4.52) at Miami Marlins (Fernandez 12-7, 3.05)
7:10pm ET on FOX Sports Florida & FOX Sports Kansas City
Texas Rangers (Darvish 4-3, 2.75) at Cincinnati Reds (Adleman 2-1, 2.96)
7:10pm ET on FOX Sports Cincinnati & FOX Sports Southwest
Detroit Tigers (Boyd 4-2, 3.93) at Minnesota Twins (Duffey 8-9, 5.93)
8:10pm ET on FOX Sports Detroit & FOX Sports North
New York Mets (deGrom 7-6, 2.73) at St. Louis Cardinals (Martinez 11-7, 3.24)
8:15pm ET on FOX Sports Midwest
Atlanta Braves (Teheran 3-9, 2.90) at Arizona Diamondbacks (Greinke 11-4, 4.21)
9:40pm ET on FOX Sports Arizona & FOX Sports Southeast
Watch baseball on FOX and FOX Sports Regional Networks by subscribing to the Sling Blue.
All stats courtesy of ESPN and Baseball Reference