Headstart On Weekend Matchups: Rockies Host Giants, Rays at Orioles, Twins at White Sox
GIANTS (75-71) at ROCKIES (53-92)
● The Giants are 22-6 (.786) against the Rockies since the start of the 2022 season, their second best against any single opponent over that span (5-1 vs. Guardians) and their best against any NL foe.
● The Rockies have hit 142 home runs in 2023, tied for the third fewest in the league; and allowed the second most homers (212). It would be the first time in franchise history that they are among the three worst squads in each category.
● Since the start of the 2016 season, only three pitchers have allowed more home runs per nine innings (HR/9) than Chase Anderson’s 1.60: Andrew Heaney (1.72), Jordan Lyles (1.63), and Dylan Bundy (1.61; min. 700 IP).
● Just four pitchers have a lower Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) than Logan Webb’s 3.04 since 2021: Kevin Gausman (2.75), Zack Wheeler (2.87), Corbin Burnes (2.94), and Max Fried (3.04; min. 350 IP).
● Alex Cobb has a 5.26 ERA on the road, compared to a 1.95 ERA at home. The 3.31 differential is the largest in baseball among qualified pitchers with a higher road ERA.
● Since August 1, the Giants have scored 151 runs, the fewest in the National League and tied for third fewest in MLB.
RAYS (90-57) at ORIOLES (91-54)
● This is the fourth and final series between Baltimore and Tampa Bay. The Orioles have won two out of three in all three previous series this season. Baltimore is the only AL East team against whom Tampa Bay has a losing record.
● Since the All-Star break, batters facing Tyler Glasnow have a .537 OPS, the second-lowest OPS allowed by any AL pitcher (minimum 50 IP, Cole Ragans – .500). His last start versus Baltimore on July 20 was one of two starts this season where Glasnow didn’t give up a walk or home run.
● Brandon Lowe leads the AL with a .500 batting average with runners in scoring position since the start of August (minimum 25 PA). Dating back to August 15, Lowe has reached base in 21 of his last 22 games, only failing to reach on September 8 versus Seattle.
● The Rays’ 90 wins are their second most in team history through 147 games (2021 – 91). This is the sixth time Tampa Bay has been in first or second place in the division after 147 games. They were in first place in 2008 and 2021 and second place in 2010, 2013 and 2019.
● Gunnar Henderson leads AL rookies with eight triples this season. The last time an AL rookie had more than eight triples in a season was 2015 when three players did so (Eddie Rosario - 15, Delino DeShields - 10, Billy Burns - 9). The last time an Oriole rookie recorded more than eight triples was in 1973 when Al Bumbry hit 11 and Rich Coggins hit nine.
● Since returning from the IL on September 3, Aaron Hicks is batting .419, tied for the highest average in the AL among qualifying players (Edward Olivares). Since playing his first game with the Orioles on May 31, Hicks has an .849 OPS, the second highest on the team (Gunnar Henderson - .874) and .325 higher than he had in his 28 games with the Yankees.
TWINS (76-70) at WHITE SOX (56-90)
● The White Sox have a 19-10 record (.655) record against the Twins while playing at home since 2020. It’s their second-best record against any single opponent at Guaranteed Rate Field over that span (min. 5 games).
● José Ureña has a 5.57 ERA since the start of the 2019 season. That’s the fourth highest in MLB over that span after Jorge López (5.60), Chad Kuhl (5.60) and Chase Anderson (5.58; min. 300 IP).
● Luis Robert has 71 extra-base hits in 2023. The last White Sox player to hit 70 or more in a single season was José Abreu in 2019 (72).
● Pablo López, Sonny Gray and Joe Ryan have combined for 554 strikeouts this season, the most by a trio of pitchers in the American League and second in MLB behind Spencer Strider, Charlie Morton and Bryce Elder of the Braves (556).
● Since returning from the injured list on August 15, Royce Lewis has 29 RBI, the most in the American League over that span and third in MLB behind Cody Bellinger and Trea Turner (both 31).
● Ryan Jeffers has an .825 OPS. Since 1990, the only Twins catchers to finish a season with an .800+ OPS (min. 250 PA) are Mitch Garver (2019), A.J. Pierzynski (2003) and Joe Mauer (eight times).