The Opener: Pitchers' Duel, Yankees, Astros, MLBTR Chat

Because the 2024 common season continues, listed here are three issues we’ll be keeping track of across the baseball world all through the day right now:

1. Pitchers’ Duel in Atlanta:

Simply two weeks after Crimson Sox right-hander Kutter Crawford confronted off towards Cubs lefty Shota Imanaga in an early-season pitcher’s duel that pitted the then-best righty and lefty in baseball by ERA towards one another in Boston, Crawford will once more take the mound reverse one of many different finest beginning pitchers within the league so far within the younger 2024 season: Braves right-hander Reynaldo Lopez. Crawford sports activities a superb 1.56 ERA with a 2.52 FIP and a 24.2% strikeout fee by way of seven begins this season. These figures are similar to these posted by Lopez in 5 begins this season: a 1.50 ERA, 2.94 FIP and 27% strikeout fee.

These sizzling begins have left Crawford because the fifth-best starter in baseball by ERA with at the very least 30 innings of labor this season, whereas Lopez ranks fourth. The sturdy outcomes early within the season are all of the extra spectacular given the truth that neither hurler was beginning video games this time final yr; Lopez had pitched nearly completely in aid over the previous two seasons earlier than being stretched out by Atlanta this winter, whereas Crawford was bumped to the bullpen in early April of final yr and didn’t return to the Boston rotation till June. The 2 righties are set to face off this at 7:20pm native time this night in Atlanta.

2. Collection Preview: Astros @ Yankees

A 3-game set that includes one of many extra heated inter-division rivalries in recent times is ready to kick off at 7:05pm native time within the Bronx this night because the Yankees host the Astros. The look of the rivalry could be very totally different six weeks into the common season than it was in 2023, nevertheless. Final season noticed the Astros seize their sixth-consecutive full-season AL West crown and make their seventh-consecutive journey to the ALCS because the Yankees missed the postseason for the primary time since 2016, however this yr the Astros have struggled badly within the early going whereas the Yankees have gotten off to a robust begin on the again of offseason addition Juan Soto.

That’s left the Astros (12-22) with an almost mirror reverse report to the surging Yankees (23-13) headed into this week’s collection. It’s an necessary collection for each golf equipment, with Houston determined to make up floor within the AL West and keep away from falling even additional out of the playoff image whereas the Yankees sit only one recreation again of the AL East-leading Orioles. Tonight’s recreation will see the Astros ship future Corridor of Famer Justin Verlander (2.08 ERA in 2024) to the mound reverse Yankees righty Luis Gil (3.19 ERA). Gil will likely be adopted by left-hander Carlos Rodon (3.68 ERA) on the mound for New York tomorrow, whereas the Astros determine to counter with teen Spencer Arrighetti (8.27 ERA). Proper-handers Ronel Blanco (2.09 ERA) and Marcus Stroman (3.41 ERA) will end off the collection for the Astros and Yankees respectively on Thursday.

3. Latest veterans who’ve opted out:

First baseman Mike Ford, left-hander Chasen Shreve and right-hander Mychal Givens opted out of their respective minor league offers with the Reds, with the Rangers and with the Marlins final week.

Ford, particularly, has had a large begin to the season in Triple-A, hitting .297/.381/.538 with six homers in 105 plate appearances. That adopted an enormous spring coaching efficiency by which he hit .455/.486/.727 in 35 journeys to the plate. Shreve posted a 2.61 ERA in 10 1/3 Triple-A frames and posted a 4.63 ERA in 44 1/3 large league innings final yr. He’s labored to a profession 3.97 ERA in 356 MLB frames. Givens was tagged for 10 runs in 11 1/3 innings with the Marlins’ prime affiliate, however half of these got here in his first look of the season after signing late in spring coaching. Knee and shoulder accidents restricted him to 4 innings final yr, however he has a prolonged monitor report as a profitable late-inning arm. Any of the three may assist out an enormous league membership and may come off the board once more earlier than lengthy.