Preview Roundups
May 01, 2015
Milwaukee at Chi. Cubs 2:20 PM ET
Big ticket-free agent pitcher Jon Lester goes for his first victory of the season in his fifth opportunity as the Chicago Cubs host the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday to open a three-game set. Lester signed a six-year, $155 million deal with the Cubs in the offseason and has yet to give up fewer than three runs or pitch more than six innings.
Tampa Bay at Baltimore 7:05 PM ET
The Tampa Bay Rays have allowed two or fewer runs in 11 of the first 23 games and could add another when red-hot Chris Archer takes the mound against the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday. Five pitchers limited the offensively-gifted Orioles to four hits in Friday’s 2-0 victory for the Rays in the opener of a three-game series that was moved to Tampa Bay due to public unrest in Baltimore.
Tampa Bay at Baltimore 7:05 PM ET
The Baltimore Orioles look to extend their winning streak to four when they open a three-game series at the Tampa Bay Rays, playing as the home team. The Orioles beat the visiting Chicago White Sox 8-2 in an empty stadium Wednesday and have moved this series due to safety concerns from public unrest in Baltimore that caused cancellation of contests Monday and Tuesday.
NY Yankees at Boston 7:10 PM ET
Alex Rodriguez is chasing Willie Mays on the all-time home run list as the New York Yankees visit the rival Boston Red Sox in the opener of a three-game series on Friday. The Yankees are winners of 10 of their last 13 games and enter the series one game up on the Red Sox in the American League East.
Toronto at Cleveland 7:10 PM ET
The Cleveland Indians’ pitching staff is having some trouble keeping the team in games and the offense is producing only sporadically. The Indians will try to draw even at a game apiece in their four-game series when they host the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday.
Philadelphia at Miami 7:10 PM ET
The Miami Marlins are really showing signs of life following a slow start to the season. The Marlins eye their eighth win in nine games Friday when they continue their nine-game homestand with the first of three against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Washington at NY Mets 7:10 PM ET
A high-octane pitching matchup is on tap as the New York Mets send ace right-hander Matt Harvey to the mound against Max Scherzer and the visiting Washington Nationals on Friday in the second of a four-game series. Harvey looks to win for the fifth time in as many starts and put an end to New York's three-game losing streak.
Cincinnati at Atlanta 7:35 PM ET
Two highly touted young pitchers take the mound Friday as the Atlanta Braves host the Cincinnati Reds in the second of a four-game series. The Reds send right-hander Anthony DeSclafani to the mound for his fifth start of the season while the Braves summon Mike Foltynewicz from the minor leagues for his season debut.
Oakland at Texas 8:05 PM ET
Scott Kazmir looks to stymie the Texas bats for the second time this
season when the Oakland Athletics begin a three-game series against the
host Rangers on Friday. The left-hander struck out 10 and allowed one
hit in seven shutout innings when the Athletics defeated Texas on April
8.
Chi. White Sox at Minnesota 8:10 PM ET
Playing in front of a crowd for the first time in four days had an adverse effect on the Chicago White Sox, who attempt to bounce back from their most lopsided loss of the season in the second of a four-game series at the Minnesota Twins on Friday. Chicago ace Chris Sale was rocked for nine runs in three innings in Thursday's 12-2 romp by the Twins.
Detroit at Kansas City 8:10 PM ET
Chris Young will make his first start for Kansas City when the Royals
host Detroit in the continuation of a big four-game series on Friday.
Young, a career starter before being inserted into the Kansas City
bullpen this year, will be taking the spot of Edinson Volquez, who is
serving a five-game suspension for his role in a brawl with Chicago last
week.
Seattle at Houston 8:10 PM ET
Jose Altuve is swinging a scorching-hot bat and the Houston Astros are
loading up on victories as they enter the second contest of a four-game
set against the Seattle Mariners on Friday. Altuve drove in the winner
in Thursday’s series opener for Houston’s seventh consecutive victory as
he recorded his eighth straight game of two or more hits.
Pittsburgh at St. Louis 8:15 PM ET
St. Louis has a couple pitchers capable of becoming the ace of its starting rotation with Adam Wainwright out for the season, and one will be on display when the first-place Cardinals host the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday in the opener of a three-game series. Lance Lynn said there was no extra pressure after Wainwright went down with an Achilles injury last week and told reporters "we've just got to be ourselves."
Arizona at LA Dodgers 10:10 PM ET
The Los Angeles Dodgers dropped only two of their seven series in April and already got payback for one of them with their most recent effort. The Dodgers look to avenge their other series loss starting on Friday when they host the first of three games against the resurgent Arizona Diamondbacks.
Colorado at San Diego 10:10 PM ET
The Colorado Rockies won their first six road games in 2015 but have since stumbled away from home. The Rockies will try to recover their initial form outside the thin air when they visit the San Diego Padres for the opener of a three-game series on Friday.
LA Angels at San Francisco 10:15 PM ET
The Los Angeles Angels will likely be without clean-up hitter Albert Pujols when they visit the San Francisco Giants for a three-game series beginning Friday, but Kole Calhoun seems right at home in the No. 4 spot. Calhoun went 2-for-5 with three RBIs in Los Angeles' 6-5 victory at Oakland on Thursday while improving to 7-for-16 with seven RBIs in eight career games batting clean-up, and there's a good chance the 27-year-old right fielder will hit there all weekend as it appears Pujols (hamstrin