The post-season run is at its highest right now and with that pitching match-ups are key to each team’s success.
(Gabe Rodriguez)
August baseball is in full swing as come September 1 Major League clubs will call upon their farm systems to boost their active rosters for that last post-season push. With many division titles still up for grabs there are a few key pitching match-ups on Sunday afternoon that could possible help teams as they seek a Championship.
Match-ups:
Jeff Locke vs. Matt Harvey
Matt Harvey and the New York Mets (63-53) are currently four and a half games above the Washington Nationals in the NL East and are looking to build an even bigger lead throughout August. Harvey is 11-7 on the season with a 2.61 ERA with a 7-2 home record. On Sunday in the series finale at Citi Field, the Mets will square off against Jeff Locke and the Pittsburgh Pirates (67-46) who are currently in possession of the Wild Card spot. Locke is 6-7 on the season and has been struggling lately with a season ERA of 4.43 as he struggles to find the strike zone.
Joe Ross vs. Madison Bumgarner
The Washington Nationals (58-57) and San Francisco Giants (62-53) are both the owners of second place in their respective divisions and are looking to gain some ground and make a post-season run. Rookie Joe Ross will take the mound at AT&T Park on Sunday afternoon for the Nats after coming off his worst start since his promotion against the LA Dodgers where he allowed five runs on six hits in just 4.2 innings. The righty is 3-4 on the season with a 3.44 ERA since joining the Big League club in early June. Ross and the Nats will face off against Giants’ Ace Madison Bumgarner who is 13-6 on the season with a 3.15 ERA and in his last outing against the Houston Astros he became the third Giants’ player to strike out seven consecutive hitters.
Dan Haren vs. Chris Sale
The Chicago Cubs (66-48) are on a hot streak and can taste a playoff spot at this point. On Sunday they will send newby RHP Dan Haren to the mound to take on the Chicago White Sox (54-59) at U. S. Cellular Field. In Haren’s last outing against the Milwaukee Brewers he earned the win, his 150th, as he struck out six batters in 5.1 innings. Haren is 8-7 on the season with a 3.55 ERA. The Sox will send their Ace Chris Sale to face the Cubs. Although Sale is 10-7 on the season with a 3.47 ERA, he has struggled a few times since the All-Star Break but in his last outing went seven and a third innings allowing two runs to the LA Angels.
Luis Severino vs. Drew Hutchison
The New York Yankees (64-51) are back atop the AL East, but just by 1.5 games over the Toronto Blue Jays (64-54) as they hit the series finale on Sunday afternoon. The Yankees will send their right-handed rookie Luis Severino to the mound in just his third start since his promotion earlier this month. He went just five innings in his first start against the Red Sox and then six innings against the Indians, to take pressure off the over used bullpen, the Yankees will need Severino to go at least seven innings. As for the Blue Jays, they will send RHP Drew Hutchison to the mound to try and prevent any further damage in their loss of the AL East Title. Hutchison is currently 11-2 on the season with a 5.26 ERA and in his last outing against the Oakland A’s he went seven innings allowing two runs on four hits; striking out six.
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