MLB on Sling TV: Royals at Yankees on ESPN; regional action on FOX Sports Networks
Kansas City Royals (Ventura 2-2, 4.65) New York Yankees (Pineda 1-3, 5.73) 7pm ET on ESPN (out-of-market only)
To put it simply, Yordano Ventura has had a devil of a time finding the plate this season. In just 31 innings pitched, covering 6 starts, Ventura has already walked 25 batters, more than any other pitcher in all of Major League baseball. After walking 3.3 per 9 innings over the first two full seasons of his career, Ventura’s walk rate has jumped to 7.3 – to put that number into historical context, only one pitcher in more than a century of baseball has done worse over the course of a full season, Tommy Byrne of the 1949 Yankees, who walked 8.22 per 9, on his way to going 15-7 for the World Champs. Ventura should be so lucky. His last start was grim: 4 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 BB, 3 SO in a 7-1 loss to Cleveland.
Michael Pineda has troubles of his own, though he too has seen his walk rate rise. But Pineda’s still walking just 2.5 per 9, a very manageable number, though less so when you’re surrendering 2.2 homers per 9, and a BABIP of .357. Pineda’s given up the 8th-most homers (8), the 5th OPS (.946), the 5th-highest BABIP, the 4th-highest HR/9… Honestly, it’s a miracle that his 5.73 ERA isn’t even higher. Still, he’s striking out better a batter an inning, and the BABIP is apt to come down, as should the home runs, so there’s hope for the big righty, but right now, things are tough. He most recently scattered 8 hits and a walk over 6 innings, allowing just 2 runs to the Red Sox in an 3-2 Yankee victory.
Last night the Royals’ Lorenzo Cain hit 3 home runs and had 5 RBI, but it wasn’t enough as the Bombers pounded out 10 runs on 13 hits for a 10-7 win.
And here’s today’s baseball menu from FOX Sports regional networks across the land…
Baltimore Orioles (Wilson 1-1, 3.04) at Minnesota Twins (Hughes 1-5, 5.85) 1:10pm ET on FOX Sports North
Chicago White Sox (Latos 5-0, 2.62) at Texas Rangers (Hamels 4-0, 2.68) 2:05pm ET on FOX Sports Southwest
Cleveland Indians (Salazar 3-2, 1.91) at Houston Astros (Fister 3-3, 4.54) 2:10pm ET on SportsTime Ohio
Arizona Diamondbacks (Ray 1-2, 4.70) at Colorado Rockies (Bettis 3-2, 4.40) 3:10pm ET on FOX Sports Arizona
Detroit Tigers (Zimmerman 5-1, 1.10) at Washington Nationals (Scherzer 3-2, 4.60) 7:05pm ET on FOX Sports Detroit
Kansas City Royals (Ventura 2-2, 4.65) at New York Yankees (Pineda 1-3, 5.73) 7:05pm ET on FOX Sports Kansas City & YES
Milwaukee Brewers (Anderson 1-4, 6.44) at Miami Marlins (Chen 2-1, 4.66) 7:10pm ET on FOX Sports Florida & FOX Sports Wisconsin
Philadelphia Phillies (Eickhoff 1-4, 4.21) at Atlanta Braves (Chacin 1-2, 5.40) 7:10pm ET on FOX Sports Southeast
Pittsburgh Pirates (Nicasio 3-3, 3.16) at Cincinnati Reds (Simon 1-3, 9.86) 7:10pm ET on FOX Sports Cincinnati
San Diego Padres (Pomeranz 3-3, 2.12) at Chicago Cubs (Lackey 4-1, 4.02) 8:05pm ET on FOX Sports San Diego
St. Louis Cardinals (Garcia 2-2, 3.05) at Los Angeles Angels (Shoemaker 1-4, 9.15) 10:05pm ET on FOX Sports Midwest & FOX Sports West