It's getaway day for most teams across the Majors, but there's still a healthy slate of 10 games on MLB.TV, including three matinees.
In the MLB Network Showcase Game, the Mets host the Nationals as Robert Gsellman gets pushed up a day to give Steven Matz an extra breather. In Cleveland, Rich Hill will try to continue keeping his blister at bay as he makes his eighth start of the season. In Oakland, Sonny Gray will look to continue a positive trend this June, and in St. Louis, the Brewers will defend their perch atop the National League Central.
MLB.TV will be offering 50 percent off subscriptions throughout the week leading up to Father's Day. MLB.TV Premium, with nearly two dozen features for subscribers to access and interact with live out-of-market Major League Baseball games at 60 frames per second on any of the more than 400 supported devices, is on sale for just $49.99. MLB.TV Single Team subscriptions are also available, on sale for $39.99.
Here is what to watch for today (all times ET):
G, meet G: WSH@NYM, 7:10 p.m.
In four starts since returning from the bullpen, Gsellman is 3-0 with a 2.16 ERA, keeping the beleaguered Mets afloat as their throng of injured starters continue to work their way back - encapsulating what's been a topsy-turvy for both he and the club.
Gsellman broke camp in the rotation but limped to a 7.07 ERA through eight starts and couldn't before being banished to the bullpen, where he blew a save in his first outing. Yet since returning to the starting staff, he's made a case to stick around, particularly by refining his out-pitch sinker. Since returning to the rotation on May 24, Gsellman is generating an 11.6 percent swing-and-miss rate on the pitch - highest in the Majors in that span (min. 150 sinkers thrown), per Statcast™.
Giovany Gonzalez brings a 2.91 ERA into Thursday's start, second-best on the team to only Max Scherzer, and he's coming off a season-high nine strikeouts in his most recent outing against the Rangers. Gonzalez also leads the Majors with 38 walks (as of Wednesday), which could be due to his first-pitch setup - 58 percent of his first pitches are tracked outside the zone, per Statcast™.
Bring on Bellinger: LAD@CLE, 12:10 p.m.
Hill threw a season-high 98 pitches in his last outing, and extended the Dodgers' win streak to three in starts made by the veteran lefty. He squares off against the most consistent strike-thrower in the game, Josh Tomlin, who leads MLB with a 68.8 percent strike rate (min. 750 pitches thrown), according to Statcast™.
Of course, worth watching will be rookie phenom Cody Bellinger, who on Tuesday became the first to homer off Andrew Miller this year, and is tied with Aaron Judge for the MLB lead in Barrels since June 5, with five.
Spin outta this: NYY@OAK, 10:05 p.m.
The first-place Yankees continue their California excursion in Oakland against Gray, who after his worst outing of the year in Cleveland on May 30, has bounced back nicely in two starts this month. He's still seeking a June decision, however.
Gray boasts one of the highest spin rates on his four-seamer, with an average of 2,492 RPM, which should pose an interesting matchup against Judge, who is averaging an exit velocity of 98.7 mph on four-seamers, per Statcast™, highest in the Majors.
Tables have turned: MIL@STL, 7:15 p.m.
In his last start on Friday, Michael Wacha prevented the Cardinals from dropping to a would-be eighth game in a row, which would've marked the club's longest losing streak since 2007. Wacha has been one of the consistent elicitors of soft contact, ranking among the Statcast™ leaderboards in exit velocity against.
"I can't think of a bigger win," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said after. "That was a tough game and it's been a tough stretch -- a tough stretch of games, a tough stretch of losses, a tough stretch of tough losses."
Part of the reason the Brewers are in first is because their division-best 17-13 record away from home.