The Mets travel to Pittsburgh to get their first look at Paul Skenes. Luis Severino takes the mound for the Queens men. Severino gives the Mets some length in his starts, averaging over just six innings per start. He is another pitcher limiting hits without a high K rate. You can’t spell Skenes without the K, and so far he blew away 70 batters in 52 1/3 innings. Note that if hitters can get the bat on the ball they do well, with a .322 BABIP and six home runs. It’s just tough meeting the ball with regularity.

The Red Sox visit the Yankees, Boston in third place, 5 1/2 games behind second place New York in the AL East and the Wild Card race. Since the Yankees slide started on 6/15, Boston stands 12-4, New York 4-13. That is the worst record in the majors, while the Red Sox are second, 1/2 game behind the surging Astros. Tanner Houck takes on Nestor Cortes. Houck surpassed his inning total of last year in four fewer starts. His 2.67 ERA comes from cutting both his walk and home runs rates by more than half from 2023. Cortes is Mr. Home this season, 4-3 with a 1.83 ERA in nine starts. He walked just six batters in 58 2/3 innings.

The Braves have been a great second half team during their run of dominance, and they get a chance to gain on the Phillies this weekend. Aaron Nola visits Max Fried. The two faced each other four times in their career, and Fried usually comes out on top. Nola is 0-3 in those games with a 6.86 ERA, Fried 2-0 with a 3.57 ERA.

Finally, the Orioles visit the Athletics. Oakland just completed their second consecutive shutout, eighteen consecutive scoreless innings. Albert Suarez takes on Hogan Harris. Suarez does a great job limiting power, holding opponents to a .341 slugging percentage. Harris brings a 3.16 ERA into the game, That seems to be a bit low given the batting stats against him, but four of the eighteen runs he allowed were unearned.

Enjoy!