MLB on Sling TV: Orioles at Red Sox on ESPN2; regional action on Fox Sports Networks
Baltimore Orioles (Gausman 0-3, 3.45) at Boston Red Sox (Wright 7-4, 2.09) 7pm ET on ESPN2
What to make of Gausman, probably the best winless starter in all of baseball? He pitched 8 shutout innings against the Yankees in a game the O’s won 1-0, and has five other quality starts, four of which Baltimore has won. But he himself? Zero wins, despite a 3.45 ERA, 3.60 SO/BB ratio, and a 1.217 WHIP. Does he give up too many homers? Sure, 1.5/9IP is too many, but not so many that he deserves to be 0-3. On Monday against Toronto he lasted 6 ⅓ innings, giving up 3 runs on 8 hits a 2 walks, while fanning 4 in a 4-3 loss.
For all their offensive firepower, the Boston Red Sox would be lost without Steven Wright, the 31-year-old knuckleballer who leads the American League in ERA and complete games, and is tied for second with 10 quality starts. Wright has averaged 6.8 innings per start, has allowed just 3 home runs, and made just one start that could be called “bad,” when he got touched for 5 runs on 9 hits in 4 ⅓ against the Astros on May 8. His last start was typical of his season as a whole, as he scattered 7 hits and 2 walks over 7 ⅓ innings, while K’ing 6 in an 8-1 win over Minnesota.
Last night the Orioles beat the Red Sox 3-2, as Boston starter David Price struck out 11 over 8 innings, but surrendered a 2-run homer in the first to Manny Machado, and a solo shot to Jonathan Schoop in the 8th. The win broke a first-place tie in the AL East, bringing the Orioles’ record to 37-26, a game ahead of the Sox.
And here’s the action from the FOX Sports regional networks across the land…
New York Yankees (Eovaldi 6-2, 4.42) at Colorado Rockies (Bettis 4-5, 5.85) 3:10pm ET on YES
Los Angeles Dodgers (Kershaw 9-1, 1.52) at Arizona Diamondbacks (Corbin 3-5, 4.81) 3:40pm ET on FOX Sports Arizona
Miami Marlins (Nicolino 2-3, 4.76) at San Diego Padres (Perdomo 1-2, 9.50) 3:40pm ET on FOX Sports Florida & FOX Sports San Diego
Cincinnati Reds (DeSclafani 0-0, 1.50) at Atlanta Braves (Norris 2-7, 4.50) 7:10pm ET on FOX Sports Cincinnati & FOX Sports Southeast
Seattle Mariners (Karns 5-2, 4.09) at Tampa Bay Rays (Smyly 2-7, 4.94) 7:10pm ET on Fox Sports Sun
Houston Astros (McHugh 5-5, 5.22) at St. Louis Cardinals (Wainwright 5-4, 5.21) 7:15pm ET on FOX Sports Midwest
Detroit Tigers (Pelfrey 1-6, 4.68) at Chicago White Sox (Sale 10-2, 2.87) 8:10pm ET on FOX Sports Detroit
Cleveland Indians (Kluber 6-6, 3.65) at Kansas City Royals (Kennedy 4-5, 4.06) 8:15pm ET on FOX Sports Kansas City & SportsTime Ohio
Minnesota Twins (Duffey 2-5, 5.33) at Los Angeles Angels (Santiago 3-4, 5.64) 10:05pm ET on FOX Sports North & FOX Sports West
Texas Rangers (Holland 5-5, 4.87) at Oakland Athletics (Gray 3-6, 5.34) 10:05pm ET on FOX Sports Southwest
All stats courtesy of ESPN and Baseball Reference
(All times Eastern, starters subject to change)