The Dodgers jumped all over Chris Stratton (who had been pitching really well prior to today) and he was pulled after just 1.1 innings. They didn’t stop there, as of this writing they have already put up a near season-high 12 runs through six innings. Chris Taylor , Chase Utley , and Joc Pederson each already have three hits, while Corey Seager , Cody Bellinger , and Max Muncy have chipped in two hits apiece. That may sound like a lot of hits, well you are not wrong, the Dodgers already have 16 of them as a team. They are currently up 12-2 and it would take a complete meltdown for rookie sensation Walker Buehler to not pick up his first win of the season, after the 23 year-old righty pitched five innings of two-run ball.
Quintana Quiets Brew Crew
José Quintana entered his Saturday start with a 7.78 ERA and 1.78 WHIP; but, none of that mattered as he was able to have his best start of the year against the Brewers at home in Chicago. He pitched seven scoreless innings, scattering just two hits and a walk while striking out seven in a win. Much like Yu Darvish , (as discussed by Nate Miller in today’s Round Up) Quintana has only been successful this season when starting against the Brewers. He has tossed 13 innings of shutout baseball against Milwaukee while totaling 13 strikeouts. In his three starts against other teams, Quintana has pitched 13.2 innings and given up 17 earned runs while striking out 10. Fantasy owners will be hoping for a change in that trend when he takes on the Cardinals in St. Louis in his next scheduled start.
That Just Happened
Patrick Corbin provided another quality outing as his fantastic start to the season continues. He pitched 6.2 innings of three-run ball and struck out seven in a no-decision. Through six starts, Corbin has given up just 10 earned runs through 40 innings pitched and he has punched out 55.
As of writing this, Jean Segura is 3-4 with a home run, 3 runs, 4 RBI, and a stolen base. Talk about having a day. He isn’t the only Mariner doing well, as they are crushing the Indians 10-4 in the seventh inning. Nelson Cruz and Kyle Seager have also added home runs, in a really rough start for Carlos Carrasco .
David Peralta took Jeremy Helickson deep twice and he now has five home runs early in the year. Not bad for a guy with a career high of just 17.
Bartolo Colón cannot be stopped. He delivered another stong start for the Rangers today, hurling seven innings of three-run ball. His ERA now sits at 2.87 and the Rangers have to be thrilled with what he has provided to this point in the season.
Burning Questions
Will veterans Francisco Liriano and Andrew Cashner continue their solid starts to the season in a head-to-head battle in Baltimore?
Will young right-hander Jack Flaherty be as impressive in his second start of the season as he was in his first?
How will Jason Vargas perform in his 2018 debut for the Mets? Will Joey Lucchesi bounce back from a sub-par outing in his last time out?
Mike Trout and Didi Gregorius , the only two players with double-digit home runs, play in the same game tonight; will either of them hit their league-leading eleventh? Will both?
Stay tuned.
Player News
Corey Seager drove in two runs while going 3-for-4 in the Rangers’ 3-1 win over the Angels on Wednesday.
Seager extended the Rangers’ lead to 3-0 with a two-run single in the third inning. The three hits bumps his average to .288, and he’s picked up multiple hits in three of his last four contests. When Seager is hot, there are very few hitters better in the sport of baseball.
Luke Jackson didn’t allow a hit while picking up a save over the Angels on Wednesday.
Jose Soriano was charged for three runs on 10 hits over 5 2/3 innings in a loss Wednesday to the Rangers.
Patrick Corbin held the Angels to one run in 5 1/3 innings to get a win for the Rangers on Wednesday.
Jung Hoo Lee went 2-for-5 with a double, two runs scored, and two RBI in the Giants’ 11-4 win over the Phillies on Wednesday.
Lee opened the scoring off Aaron Nola with a single in the first inning and then put the final run on Nola’s ledger with his sacrifice fly in the sixth. He’s been red-hot to start the season with eight extra-base hits in his last seven games and at least one hit in 12 of his 15 games overall. That’s helped to dampen some concerns about his power potential and he could be in for a very productive year while hitting between Willy Adames and Matt Chapman every day.
Emerson Hancock will start Thursday’s series finale against the Reds.
The move pushes Bryan Woo back to take the ball for Friday’s series opener against the Blue Jays on an extra day of rest. Hancock was lit up for or six runs and recorded only two outs back on March 31 in his lone start this season in the big leagues. He’s not a recommended fantasy option.