Preview Roundups
April 20, 2014
Toronto at Cleveland 1:05 PM ET
If Nick Swisher hopes to end his season-long hitting slump, he'll need to do it against a pitcher that has given him all sorts of problems over the course of his career. Swisher and the rest of the Cleveland Indians look to halt their recent offensive woes Sunday afternoon as they entertain the Toronto Blue Jays in the finale of their three-game series. Toronto prevailed 3-2 in Friday's series opener and rode a solid effort from Mark Buehrle to a 5-0 win Saturday.
LA Angels at Detroit 1:08 PM ET
The Detroit Tigers finally ended their 10-game skid against the Los Angeles Angels and now they're after their first series win over the Angels since August 2012. The host Tigers hope to continue the momentum from Saturday's 5-2 victory when they wrap up a three-game series Sunday. Los Angeles looks to get its offense back on track after generating only a pair of solo homers — running its major league-leading total to 29 — in the middle game of the set.
Atlanta at NY Mets 1:10 PM ET
The Atlanta Braves made Freddie Freeman their franchise cornerstone with an eight-year contract extension in the offseason and the first baseman has validated the organization’s commitment through the first 17 games of 2014. Atlanta plays at the New York Mets on Sunday looking for a series sweep, and Freeman enters the series finale hitting .413 with 17 hits in his past 40 at-bats following his three-hit performance Saturday.
Seattle at Miami 1:10 PM ET
The Miami Marlins are beginning to look more like the team that started the season 5-1 and less like the one that lost eight straight earlier this month. They’ll try to maintain their latest upward trend when they host the Seattle Mariners on Sunday with a chance to sweep the three-game series and win for the fourth time in their last five games.
Milwaukee at Pittsburgh 1:35 PM ET
A road start against the Pittsburgh Pirates seems to be the perfect scenario for Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Marco Estrada. Estrada will put some impressive statistics on the line Sunday afternoon when the teams square off in the finale of a four-game set. In addition to terrific career numbers against Pittsburgh, Estrada also has enjoyed plenty of road success of late.
St. Louis at Washington 1:35 PM ET
Eighteen picks after the Washington Nationals made Stephen Strasburg the No. 1 overall choice in the 2009 draft, the St. Louis Cardinals selected a pitcher they felt was capable of anchoring their rotation someday in Shelby Miller. Two of the majors’ brightest young hurlers meet for the first time on Sunday as the Nationals try to split their four-game home series with the Cardinals. Strasburg needed precious little time to establish himself as an ace, rolling to a 15-win season in 2012.
NY Yankees at Tampa Bay 1:40 PM ET
The Tampa Bay Rays look to keep their suddenly hot bats going when they host the New York Yankees in the finale of a four-game set Sunday afternoon. The Rays were a dormant club after dropping the series opener Thursday, having lost four straight and scoring 16 runs over a 10-game span. However, they broke out late in an 11-5 win Friday and pasted four Yankees pitchers in a 16-1 rout Saturday night.
Minnesota at Kansas City 2:10 PM ET
The Minnesota Twins humiliated the Kansas City Royals during a three-game sweep last weekend, but the Royals are in prime position to return the favor when they wrap a three-game set at home on Sunday. Kansas City, which was outscored 21-5 in Minnesota less than a week ago, hasn’t lost since thanks to the work of its pitching staff. During their five-game winning streak, the Royals have posted a 1.91 ERA – a stretch that began when Sunday’s starter, Yordano Ventura, last took the mound.
Cincinnati at Chi. Cubs 2:20 PM ET
Their five-game losing streak is behind them and now the Chicago Cubs have a shot at their first series victory of the season when they host the Cincinnati Reds for the rubber match of a three-game series Sunday. To claim the series, the Cubs will have to win their second straight home game against the Reds after losing 16 of the previous 17 meetings at Wrigley Field. Cincinnati has a chance to claim its first road series win in three tries this season.
Chi. White Sox at Texas 3:05 PM ET
Two pitchers coming off arguably the best start of their careers square off Sunday when the Chicago White Sox visit the Texas Rangers in the finale of a three-game series. Chicago's Erik Johnson gets the nod after striking out a career-high nine hitters against Boston on Tuesday in his eighth career start. Texas' Robbie Ross had never started a game before this season, but the converted reliever has to be feeling good coming off back-to-back outings in which he did not allow an earned run.
Houston at Oakland 4:05 PM ET
The Oakland Athletics, who are 12-5 for the second straight season, try for a three-game sweep when they host the Houston Astros on Sunday. Oakland improved to 22-5 all-time against Houston after rallying for three runs in the ninth inning Saturday as Josh Reddick's walk-off single lifted the Athletics to their sixth victory in the last seven games - and fifth in a row over the Astros. Reddick is 6-for-9 with a home run and three RBIs in the series after starting the season 4-for-41.
Arizona at LA Dodgers 4:10 PM ET
The Los Angeles Dodgers will try to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks for the seventh time in eight games this season when they meet in the rubber game of their three-game series Sunday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers rallied from a four-run deficit to win 8-6 on Saturday night and they’ll face another Arizona right-hander forced into a starting role due to injuries and ineffectiveness. Los Angeles first baseman Adrian Gonzalez has quietly strung together a 14-game hitting streak.
Philadelphia at Colorado 4:10 PM ET
The Colorado Rockies have already secured only their second series victory over Philadelphia since the start of 2008 and will try for the sweep when they host the Phillies on Sunday in the finale of the three-game set. Colorado moved to 2-11-1 in their last 14 series against Philadelphia after its 3-1 victory on Saturday. Rockies first baseman Justin Morneau (.333) has driven in at least one run in four straight games with seven during that span after hitting a two-run homer Saturday.
San Francisco at San Diego 4:10 PM ET
Tim Lincecum is off to a poor start but perhaps the sight of San Diego hitters will help him get on track when the San Francisco Giants wrap up a three-game series with the host Padres on Sunday. Lincecum is 13-6 all-time against the Padres, including a 148-pitch no-hitter against San Diego last July. The Giants will also be trying to avert a sweep as the Padres won the first two games despite scoring only five runs.
Baltimore at Boston 7:05 PM ET
The Boston Red Sox were searching for production from the bottom third of the order and may have found it with Brock Holt. The Red Sox will try to ride Holt’s hot streak to another victory when they host the Baltimore Orioles in the third of a four-game set on Sunday. Holt did not make the team out of spring training but was recalled on Friday after a hot start at Triple-A Pawtucket and is 3-for-7 with a pair of RBIs in two straight starts.