Preview Roundups
April 04, 2014
Atlanta at Washington 1:05 PM ET
The Washington Nationals entered last season as the favorites in the National League East, but their inability to solve the Atlanta Braves contributed greatly to their inability to challenge for a division crown. The Nationals will get their first crack at challenging the reigning NL East champions on Friday when they host the opener of a three-game set against the Braves. Although Washington finished second in the division in 2013, it went 6-13 against Atlanta to finish 10 games off the pace.
Baltimore at Detroit 1:08 PM ET
Ian Kinsler is paying immediate dividends for the Detroit Tigers but the bullpen is still an area of concern. The Tigers will try to overcome that issue once again when they host the Baltimore Orioles in the opener of a three-game set on Friday. Joe Nathan was brought in to secure the closer spot that proved to be an issue the last few postseasons and blew his first save opportunity on Wednesday before Kinsler came through with the game-winning hit in the 10th.
Milwaukee at Boston 2:05 PM ET
The Boston Red Sox will hold an on-field ceremony to receive their World Series rings for the third time in the last 10 years when they open their home schedule by hosting the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday. The Red Sox began their title defense by taking two of three from Baltimore and went 53-28 at home en route to the championship last season. The Brewers started out by dropping two of three at home to the Atlanta Braves.
Philadelphia at Chi. Cubs 2:20 PM ET
The Chicago Cubs begin their 100th season at Wrigley Field against an old friend as the Philadelphia Phillies pay a visit to start a three-game set Friday afternoon. Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg, who played 15 years with the Cubs, returns as manager of the Phillies after losing two of three games in Texas to open the season. The Cubs matched that start at Pittsburgh while receiving a sizzling performance from outfielder Emilio Bonifacio, who went 11-of-16 with four stolen bases in the series.
Minnesota at Cleveland 3:05 PM ET
The Minnesota Twins avoided a three-game sweep in their season-opening series in Chicago thanks to some timely hitting and a surprise explosion from Chris Colabello. The Twins will look for back-to-back wins when they open a three-game series at the Cleveland Indians on Friday. The Indians took two of three in a rain-interrupted series at Oakland to begin the campaign and got strong work from the bullpen in the set.
Arizona at Colorado 4:10 PM ET
The Colorado Rockies play their home opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday, with both teams reeling from slow starts. The Diamondbacks fell to 1-5 following their 8-5 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Thursday when they allowed five runs in the eighth inning while the Rockies limp home 1-3 after they yielded four runs in the eighth of an 8-5 setback to the Marlins in Miami. "It's definitely not how you write it up," said Colorado's Michael Cuddyer of the Rockies' slow start.
Chi. White Sox at Kansas City 4:10 PM ET
Jeremy Guthrie won a career-best 15 games last season and looks to get his 2014 campaign off to a good start when the Kansas City Royals open a three-game home set against the Chicago White Sox on Friday. One of Guthrie’s top outings of his career came against Chicago last season when he tossed a four-hitter on May 4 for his first career shutout. Kansas City is looking for its first win after consecutive walkoff losses to Detroit prior to Thursday’s finale being rained out.
San Francisco at LA Dodgers 4:10 PM ET
The Los Angeles Dodgers won’t have ace Clayton Kershaw for their three-game series against the visiting San Francisco Giants, but are expected to have outfielder Matt Kemp back in the lineup for the opener Friday night. Kemp, the National League home run and RBI leader in 2011, underwent surgery on his left ankle in late October and has been slowly working his way up to speed.
St. Louis at Pittsburgh 7:05 PM ET
The Pittsburgh Pirates look to get their offense in gear against a solid pitching staff when they host the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday to start a three-game series. The Pirates won two of three against the Cubs to begin the season, but managed only seven runs in 35 innings and are hitting .175. The Cardinals try to follow up their victory over Pittsburgh in the National League Division Series last year after winning two of three against Cincinnati to open their campaign.
NY Yankees at Toronto 7:07 PM ET
Masahiro Tanaka makes his New York Yankees debut as they visit Toronto on Friday in the first of three games with the Blue Jays. Tanaka went 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA last year with Tohoku Rakuten of Japan's Pacific League before being signed by the Yankees to a seven-year, $155 million contract in January. Tanaka will not have the pressure of helping to deliver the team's first win of the season, as New York managed to take the finale of a sluggish three-game set in Houston on Thursday.
Cincinnati at NY Mets 7:10 PM ET
The Cincinnati Reds have three relievers on the 15-day disabled list, but their injury woes pale in comparison to the early ineptitude of the New York Mets’ bullpen. The Reds, who hit the road for the first of three games against the Mets on Friday, lost closer Aroldis Chapman indefinitely in spring training after he was hit in the face with a line drive. He joined Jonathan Broxton and Sean Marshall on the DL, each of whom is making their way back from a serious injury in 2013.
San Diego at Miami 7:10 PM ET
The Miami Marlins looked like a team that could surprise some people with a strong opening series against the Colorado Rockies. The Marlins will attempt to keep things streaking in their favor when they welcome another National League West foe in the San Diego Padres on Friday. Miami took three of four in the season-opening series and benefited from timely hitting and a bullpen that allowed one run in the four contests.
Texas at Tampa Bay 7:10 PM ET
The Texas Rangers' pitching rotation remains the hot-button topic among experts deciding whether the team can challenge for the American League West title. A key member of the back end of that rotation makes his Rangers debut Friday night as left-hander Joe Saunders leads Texas into Tropicana Field for the opener of a three-game set against Tampa Bay. The Rangers are coming off a series victory over the visiting Philadelphia Phillies in interleague play.
LA Angels at Houston 8:10 PM ET
The Los Angeles Angels continue to pursue their first win of the season when they begin a four-game series at Houston on Friday. The Angels were throttled by a combined score of 26-8 in dropping three straight at home to Seattle to begin the season. Their bullpen posted a 10.80 ERA in the series and the staff as a whole has allowed 34 hits and 15 walks in 27 innings as Los Angeles is 0-3 for the first time since 1992.
Seattle at Oakland 10:05 PM ET
Coco Crisp and the Oakland Athletics picked a unique way to end Seattle’s unbeaten start and attempt to defeat the visiting Mariners again in Friday’s second contest of a four-game set. Crisp isn’t known for his power but he delivered the first walk-off homer of his career when he led off the 12th inning with the decisive blast in Oakland’s 3-2 victory. Seattle was vying for the second 4-0 start in franchise history until Crisp's heroics.