As part of a new daily feature at MLB.com, we'll be breaking down every matchup on the schedule to help give fantasy players an edge, whether it's in daily contests or season-long leagues. The "Fantasy Daily Dish" will break down every starting pitcher on the slate, as well as all of the notable hitters in that particular game. We'll dive into all the specifics of a given matchup looking for everything from batters who thrive against certain pitch types to hot/cold streaks to platoon splits -- and everything in between.
Sure, Jacob deGrom is taking the mound Friday, but you don't need us to tell you that he's a solid fantasy option. The problem is, not only does everyone already know that, but it also becomes tough to fill out a formidable lineup of hitters if you're going big on deGrom.
As far as alternatives go, there's also a pretty decent pitchers' duel on the West Coast on Friday night, with Yu Darvish and Clayton Kershaw set to square off for the second time in less than a week after each turned in a gem opposite one another on Saturday.
Here's a closer look at every matchup Friday:
Brewers (Anderson) at Cubs (Hendricks), 2:20 p.m. ET
Brewers SP: Brett Anderson, LHP
Key stat(s): 59.1% ground-ball rate since 2015 (third-highest in MLB)
2021 stats: 2-1, 2.65 ERA, 11.6 K%
Breakdown: Anderson has never been a strikeout pitcher -- and this year is no different. He's struck out only 11.6% of the batters he's faced, but he's been dominant over his last two starts. After serving up three homers in his 2021 debut, he's allowed only one earned run over 12 innings in his last two starts. Anderson has been one of the best ground-ball pitchers in the Majors since 2015 (59.1% ground-ball rate), and that trend has certainly continued through three starts this season (63.2%).
Notable Cubs hitters
Javier Báez: Leads MLB in strikeouts (34) and swings and misses (77).
Anthony Rizzo: .779 career OPS vs. LHP (.886 vs. RHP).
Kris Bryant: 7-for-18 (.389) with six RBIs during five-game hitting streak after hitting .220 in first 12 games; .996 career OPS vs. LHP (.860 OPS vs. RHP).
Cubs SP: Kyle Hendricks, RHP
Key stat(s): Five home runs, seven walks allowed this season
2021 stats: 0-2, 6.92 ERA, 19.4 K%
Breakdown: Hendricks was hit hard in his last outing, serving up four home runs in just four innings against the Braves. Overall, he's allowed an NL-high five homers this season, while also walking seven batters in 13 innings -- just one shy of his total from all of last season, when he walked only eight batters over 81 1/3 frames. The one encouraging sign is that Hendricks' xSLG is .485 -- more than 100 points lower than his actual .596 SLG.
Notable Brewers hitters
Omar Narváez: 0-for-11 with three K's in his career vs. Hendricks.
Daniel Vogelbach: 5-for-13 (.385) with two homers over last three games after going 2-for-19 (.105) over first 13 appearances; has a .797 career OPS vs. RHP (.539 OPS vs. LHP).
Keston Hiura: One multi-hit effort in 16 games this season; has struck out at least once in each of his 15 starts. Hitting .118 with 22 strikeouts and a .466 OPS.
Athletics (Irvin) at Orioles (López), 7:05 p.m. ET
Athletics SP: Cole Irvin, LHP
Key stat(s): .339 opponents' xBA (third-highest in MLB)
2021 stats: 1-2, 4.60 ERA, 16.2 K%
Breakdown: Irvin has allowed an average exit velocity of 93.3 mph on his 52 batted balls this season -- well above the league average of 88.2 mph. Opponents are hitting .321 against his sinker and .300 against his four-seamer, the two pitches he uses most frequently.
Notable Orioles hitters
Cedric Mullins: .515 career OPS vs. LHP (.724 vs. RHP).
Trey Mancini: Hitting .194, but seven of 13 hits have gone for extra bases (four homers, three doubles).
Orioles SP: Jorge López, RHP
Key stat(s): Opponents are 5-for-26 (.192) vs. sinker this season
2021 stats: 1-2, 8.56 ERA, 28.8 K%
Breakdown: López ranked near the bottom of the league last season in terms of opponents' average exit velocity (92.8 mph) and hard-hit percentage (49.6%). A big part of that was his sinker (his most-used pitch), against which opponents hit .329 with a 95.0 mph average exit velocity. It's been a much-improved offering to this point in 2021, with batters hitting just .192 (5-for-26) with an 89.1 mph average exit velocity against his sinker.
Notable A's hitters
Matt Chapman: 6-for-45 (.133) with zero homers and 11 K's vs. sinkers since start of last season; hitting .179 overall this season.
Matt Olson: Hitting .423 with five homers and nine RBIs during seven-game hitting streak (hit .226 in first nine games).
Royals (Minor) at Tigers (Mize), 7:10 p.m. ET
Royals SP: Mike Minor, LHP
Key stat(s): 5.47 ERA since 2020 (fourth-highest among pitchers with 70 IP)
2021 stats: 1-1, 5.17 ERA, 17.7 K%
Breakdown: Minor earned his first All-Star selection and even garnered a share of AL Cy Young Award votes in 2019 with the Rangers, but he's put up a 5.47 ERA over 15 combined outings with the Rangers, A's and Royals in 2020-21. That's the fourth-highest ERA among any pitcher with at least 70 innings since the start of last season.
Notable Tigers hitters
Wilson Ramos: 7-for-14 in his career vs. Minor.
Jeimer Candelario: Though he's a switch-hitter, Candelario has an .800 career OPS vs. LHP compared to a .695 OPS vs. RHP.
Akil Baddoo: Has not been in starting lineup vs. left-handed pitchers this season (0-for-6 with four K's vs. LHP).
Tigers SP: Casey Mize, RHP
Key stat(s): Opponents are 3-for-19 (.158) vs. slider
2021 stats: 1-1, 3.38 ERA, 18.8 K%
Breakdown: Mize's slider isn't really a "new" pitch -- just a revamped version of what was previously classified as a cutter. Though the pitch still has the same velocity -- sitting at 88.3 mph -- it now has four inches of horizontal break. It had only 1.2 inches of break last season, essentially making it a flat cut fastball. With its new look, the slider is holding opposing batters to just 3-for-19 with four strikeouts and a 25.8% whiff rate.
Notable Royals hitters
Whit Merrifield: 5-for-31 (.161) over last eight games; hitting .210 (70-for-333) with 97 K's vs. sliders since 2018.
Salvador Perez: Hitting .180 (30-for-167) with 47 strikeouts against sliders since 2018.
Nationals (Fedde) at Mets (deGrom), 7:10 p.m. ET
Nationals SP: Erick Fedde, RHP
Key stat(s): Opponents are 9-for-21 vs. his sinker and four-seamer
2021 stats: 1-1, 5.56 ERA, 28.3 K%
Breakdown: Fedde has had trouble keeping opponents off his fastball this season, with batters going 8-for-19 (.421) against his sinker (44.2% usage rate) and 1-for-2 against his four-seasmer -- a pitch he's thrown only five times. His 2.3% four-seamer usage is down drastically from last season when he threw it 11.6% of the time. With the sinker being his primary pitch, Fedde has relied heavily on inducing ground balls -- he entered the season with a 54.5% ground-ball rate -- but his ground-ball rate this season is just 40.6%.
Notable Mets hitters
Pete Alonso: Homered in back-to-back games; 100.3 mph average exit velocity is best in MLB among players with at least 25 batted balls.
Michael Conforto: Has not homered in 14 games this season; hitting .182 with a .571 OPS.
Mets SP: Jacob deGrom, RHP
Key stat(s): 41.3% whiff rate since 2020 (best among SP)
2021 stats: 1-1, 0.45 ERA, 48.6 K%
Breakdown: deGrom has come out of the gate throwing a steady diet of fastballs -- and why not? Opponents are hitting .178 with 21 strikeouts vs. his four-seamer, which he's throwing 68.6% of the time (up from 44.9% last season). His average fastball velocity is 98.9 mph, and he's already thrown 27 pitches of at least 100 mph after having thrown just 35 such pitches in his entire career entering this season. Overall, he's struck out a jaw-dropping 48.6% of the batters he's faced.
Notable Nationals hitters
Trea Turner: Hitting .375 with two homers and four stolen bases over last eight games (hit .226 over first eight games).
Ryan Zimmerman: 5-for-27 (.185) with nine K's vs. deGrom.
Andrew Stevenson: 3-for-7 (.429) with two homers and a double in his career vs. deGrom; hitting .219 with a .622 OPS this season.
Mariners (Kikuchi) at Red Sox (Pérez), 7:10 p.m. ET
Mariners SP: Yusei Kikuchi, LHP
Key stat(s): Three home runs allowed
2021 stats: 0-0, 4.74 ERA, 24.1 K%
Breakdown: Though allowing three homers through three starts is far from concerning in and of itself, it's worth noting in Kikuchi's case. Those three homers match his total from all of last season, when he allowed just three over 47 innings while seemingly putting his home run troubles from 2019 (36 homers, third-most in MLB) behind him. With a 3.8% home run rate through three starts, it's something to watch moving forward.
Notable Red Sox hitters
J.D. Martinez: Has reached base in 17 of 18 games this season; leads MLB with 20 RBIs.
Rafael Devers: 11 barrels this season (tied for most in MLB); .732 career OPS, 2.7 HR% vs. left-handed pitchers (.875 OPS, 5.2 HR% vs. RHP).
Xander Bogaerts: Hitting .375 with a 1.012 OPS vs. LHP since start of last season.
Red Sox SP: Martín Pérez, LHP
Key stat(s): 28.8% hard-hit rate since 2019 (fifth-best among SP)
2021 stats: 0-1, 5.93 ERA, 18.5 K%
Breakdown: Despite his 5.00 ERA since 2019, Pérez has actually been among the league leaders in limiting hard contact. His 28.8% hard-hit rate in that span ranks fifth among starting pitchers, and his cutter has been a big reason for that. Developed in 2019, his cutter has held opponents to a .215 average, with more K's (72) than hits (64) -- and an average exit velocity of just 84.7 mph. With its success, the cutter has become his most-used pitch (thrown 36.6% of the time).
Notable Mariners hitters
Kyle Seager: 18-for-81 (.222) with four homers and 15 K's vs. cutters since 2017.
Mitch Haniger: 4-for-22 (.182) with six strikeouts vs. cutters since 2019.
Kyle Lewis: Though he's a right-handed hitter, Lewis has a .203 career average and .728 OPS vs. LHP (.284 BA, .853 OPS vs. RHP).
Blue Jays (Matz) at Rays (Glasnow), 7:10 p.m. ET
Blue Jays SP: Steven Matz, LHP
Key stat(s): .128 opponents' BA vs. sinker
2021 stats: 3-0, 1.47 ERA, 26.5 K%
Breakdown: Matz had a rocky 2020 season with the Mets, allowing 14 homers in just 30 2/3 innings on his way to finishing with a 9.68 ERA. He ranked near the bottom of the league in average exit velocity, hard-hit percentage, xBA and xSLG. A key reason for his struggles was his sinker -- a pitch he threw 53.7% of the time -- as opponents hit .322 with six home runs and a .678 SLG against the offering. It's been a different story so far with the Blue Jays, with opposing batters going just 5-for-29 with nine K's and zero homers against the pitch.
Notable Rays hitters
Randy Arozarena: 15-for-31 (.484) with six home runs in his career vs. sinkers (including postseason).
Joey Wendle: .649 career OPS and zero homers vs. LHP (.774 OPS, 19 homers vs. RHP).
Rays SP: Tyler Glasnow, RHP
Key stat(s): 36.4 K% since 2019
2021 stats: 2-0, 0.73 ERA, 40.0 K%
Breakdown: Glasnow has been one of the top strikeout pitchers in the Majors since joining the Rays. Since 2019, his 36.4 K% ranks second among pitchers with at least 130 innings, trailing only Gerrit Cole (38.3%). Opponents are hitting just .109 with 74 K's against his curveball since the start of last season -- and they're just 3-for-37 with 16 K's against his four-seamer so far this season. Not to mention, Glasnow has added a slider for 2021 -- a pitch that he's throwing 29.1% of the time compared to just 12.3% for his curveball. Opposing batters are 3-for-17 vs. the new offering.
Notable Blue Jays hitters
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Has reached base in all 18 games this season; hitting .383 with a 1.163 OPS this season. He has 14 walks in 76 plate appearances this season (20 walks in 243 PAs in 2020).
Randal Grichuk: 2-for-13 (.154) with seven K's vs. Glasnow, though both hits were home runs.
Yankees (Montgomery) at Indians (Allen), 7:10 p.m. ET
Yankees SP: Jordan Montgomery, LHP
Key stat(s): 84.8 mph average exit velocity since 2020 (third-best among SP)
2021 stats: 1-1, 4.24 ERA, 26.9 K%
Breakdown: Montgomery ranked among the league leaders in limiting hard contact last season, allowing an average exit velocity of just 84.6 mph. The result, however, was a 5.11 ERA -- much higher than his 3.87 xERA. Through three starts this season, his 4.24 ERA is much closer to that expected mark from 2020 -- and he's posted a 0.88 WHIP, a significant improvement from his 1.30 WHIP last year.
Notable Indians hitters
José Ramírez: 5-for-40 (.125) with zero multi-hit games over his last 11 games after starting 9-for-24 (.375) with three multi-hit efforts in first six games this season.
Jordan Luplow: Three homers in last five games; has a .981 career OPS and a 7.0 HR% vs. left-handed pitchers (.627 OPS, 2.5 HR% vs. RHP)
Indians SP: Logan Allen, LHP
Key stat(s): 14.9 career K%
2021 stats: 1-2, 4.50 ERA, 19.2 K%
Breakdown: Allen isn't going to miss many bats (21.5% career whiff rate, 14.9% strikeout rate), but he's done two things well this season: Limit hard contact (86.7 mph average exit velocity) and induce ground balls (57.1% ground-ball rate). The Yankees will likely be sitting on Allen's fastball, as opponents are hitting .349 vs. his four-seamer since the start of last season and just .163 against his other pitches (slider, changeup and curveball).
Notable Yankees hitters
Aaron Judge: 97.8 mph average exit velocity (best in MLB).
DJ LeMahieu: Hitting .373 against four-seamers since start of last season. Has a .324 career average and .852 OPS vs. left-handers (.297 BA, .762 OPS vs. RHP).
Giancarlo Stanton: 95.8 mph average exit velocity (third in MLB); 3-for-28 (.107) with 14 K's in last eight games. He has a 1.012 career OPS vs. LHP (.867 vs. RHP).
D-backs (Weaver) at Braves (Ynoa), 7:20 p.m. ET
D-backs SP: Luke Weaver, RHP
Key stat(s): 94.0 mph average exit velocity this season
2021 stats: 1-1, 3.78 ERA, 21.2 K%
Breakdown: Weaver was brilliant in his April 11 outing against the Reds, allowing only one hit over seven scoreless innings while striking out eight. In his other two starts, however, he's allowed seven runs off 12 hits in just 4 2/3 innings. Overall, he's serving up an average exit velocity of 94.0 mph -- tied for the second-highest among all pitchers.
Notable Braves hitters
Freddie Freeman: Hitting .321 with a .513 OBP and 1.013 OPS over last eight games; 93.6 mph average exit velocity (third-highest among players with at least 50 batted balls).
Marcell Ozuna: One extra-base hit in 79 plate appearances this season.
Ronald Acuña Jr.: Day to day with abdominal strain; hoping to return to lineup Friday.
Braves SP: Huascar Ynoa, RHP
Key stat(s): Opponents are 5-for-31 (.161) vs. his slider
2021 stats: 0-1, 3.94 ERA, 31.8 K%
Breakdown: Ynoa's slider has stifled opposing hitters this season -- but his four-seamer has not. Batters are just 5-for-31 (.161) with 15 K's against his slider, but they're hitting .350 with five extra-base hits and an .800 slugging percentage vs. his four-seamer. It's a continuation of last season, when opponents hit just .200 with 14 K's vs. his slider and .342 against his fastball.
Notable D-backs hitters
David Peralta: 10-for-20 (.500) with three extra-base hits during five-game hitting streak, including 5-for-6 effort on Thursday.
Carson Kelly: 13-for-35 (.371) with two homers and a .657 SLG vs. sliders since the start of last season.
Angels (Heaney) at Astros (Greinke), 8:10 p.m. ET
Angels SP: Andrew Heaney, LHP
Key stat(s): .200 opponents' BA
2021 stats: 1-1, 5.65 ERA, 33.3 K%
Breakdown: After a forgettable season debut, Heaney's potential has been on full display in his last two outings. The southpaw has allowed just two runs off five hits while striking out 15 over 11 1/3 innings against a pair of potent lineups in the Blue Jays and Twins. That came after he allowed seven runs on five hits and a pair of walks in just three innings in his 2021 debut vs. the White Sox. Consistency has always been the key for Heaney, who's capable of racking up strikeouts and spinning a gem on any given night -- but also prone to giving up crooked numbers.
Notable Astros hitters
Alex Bregman: 1.012 career OPS vs. LHP (.856 OPS vs. RHP).
Carlos Correa: Hitting .303 with an .806 OPS vs. LHP since start of last season (.246 BA, .691 OPS vs. RHP).
Yordan Alvarez: Though he's a left-handed hitter, Alvarez has similar splits vs. LHP (.310/.383/.634) and RHP (.307/.408/.636).
Astros SP: Zack Greinke, RHP
Key stat(s): Zero sliders in last start
2021 stats: 2-1, 2.81 ERA, 16.2 K%
Breakdown: After giving up six runs off 10 hits (including three homers) in an ugly April 12 outing, Greinke proclaimed that he was done throwing his ineffective slider. It turns out, he wasn't kidding. Greinke threw zero sliders on Saturday -- his first sliderless start since 2013 -- on his way to blanking the Mariners over eight innings. He struck out six and walked none while allowing only four hits. Opponents are 5-for-13 (.385) with two homers against his slider this season after hitting .298 against it in 2020. We'll see if he's actually done with the pitch for good.
Notable Angels hitters
Mike Trout: 7-for-22 (.318) with four extra-base hits in his career vs. Greinke; ranks among top 5 in average exit velocity, hard-hit percentage and barrel percentage.
Shohei Ohtani: 11 barrels this season (tied for most in MLB).
Pirates (Brubaker) at Twins (Happ), 8:10 p.m. ET
Pirates SP: JT Brubaker, RHP
Key stat(s): Opponents are 1-for-17 vs. his sinker
2021 stats: 2-0, 1.76 ERA, 27.3 K%
Breakdown: Brubaker has been dominant in 2021, allowing just one run in each of his three starts. The most recent came on April 16, when he struck out eight over a season-high six innings of work. Opponents are just 1-for-17 (.059) against his sinker, and 0-for-6 against both his four-seamer and his curveball.
Notable Twins hitters
Nelson Cruz: 20-for-40 (.500) with six homers and only five K's vs. sinkers since start of last season.
Josh Donaldson: 30-for-71 (.423) with seven homers and a .775 SLG vs. sinkers since 2019.
Byron Buxton: Has at least one hit in 11 of his 12 games this season; hitting .432 with a 1.456 OPS.
Twins SP: J.A. Happ, LHP
Key stat(s): .145 opponents' BA vs. sinker since 2020
2021 stats: 0-0, 3.12 ERA, 19.4 K%
Breakdown: Happ has thrown 89 and 87 pitches, respectively, in his first two outings, but he's yet to complete five innings. He's allowed just three runs off seven hits over 8 2/3 innings, but he'll need to be more efficient with his pitches if he's going to put himself in position for his first win of 2021.
Notable Pirates hitters
Colin Moran: .648 career OPS vs. LHP (.790 vs. RHP).
Bryan Reynolds: Hitting .368 with a .489 OBP over last 11 games; he's 7-for-15 with three extra-base hits vs. left-handers this season.
Rangers (Dunning) at White Sox (TBD), 8:10 p.m. ET
Rangers SP: Dane Dunning, RHP
Key stat(s): .191 career opponents' BA
2021 stats: 1-0, 0.60 ERA, 27.6 K%
Breakdown: Acquired from the White Sox in the Lance Lynn trade in December, Dunning has more than lived up to they hype through three starts with the Rangers -- and now he'll look to keep it going against his former club. He's allowed just one run over 15 innings while striking out 16 and putting up a 0.80 WHIP. He's throwing his sinker 65.3% of the time, and it's easy to see why: Opponents are 6-for-38 (.158) with eight K's against it. They haven't been any better against his slider (19.4% usage), going just 1-for-11 (.091) with six K's.
Notable White Sox hitters
Tim Anderson: 10-for-23 (.435) with two homers and three stolen bases in five games since returning from hamstring injury.
José Abreu: Hitting .341 (57-for-167) with 10 homers and a .593 slugging percentage vs. sinkers since 2019.
White Sox SP: TBD
Reds (Gray) at Cardinals (Kim), 8:15 p.m. ET
Reds SP: Sonny Gray, RHP
Key stat(s): .158 opponents' BA vs. curveball since 2019
2021 stats: 0-0, 4.15 ERA, 28.6 K%
Breakdown: Gray will be making just his second start of the season after his 2021 debut was delayed by a back injury. The veteran right-hander will rely mostly on a four-pitch mix, headlined by his curveball -- a pitch that has been key to his resurgence with the Reds. Opponents are hitting just .158 against the offering since 2019. It's also made his other pitches more effective, as opposing batters were just 11-for-76 (.145) with 33 K's against his sinker last season.
Notable Cardinals hitters
Nolan Arenado: Hitting .330 (37-for-112) with 11 homers and a .679 SLG vs. curveballs since 2018.
Paul Goldschmidt: 0-for-12 with five K's in his career vs. Gray.
Yadier Molina: 9-for-44 (.205) with zero homers and seven K's vs. curveballs since 2019.
Cardinals SP: Kwang Hyun Kim, LHP
Key stat(s): 68 pitches in 2021 debut in last outing
2021 stats: 0-0, 9.00 ERA, 25.0 K%
Breakdown: Like Gray, Kim's 2021 debut was delayed by a back injury. The left-hander made his first start of the season on Saturday, allowing three runs over three innings against the Phillies. He tossed 68 pitches in the process, so while he is relatively stretched out, the Cards will likely be careful with Kim given the back tightness he experienced Spring Training. He relies primarily on two pitches, throwing his four-seamer 48.7% (.182 opponents' BA) of the time last year and his slider 31.2% (.228 BA).
Notable Reds hitters
Nick Castellanos: .301 career hitter with an .884 OPS vs. LHP (.266 BA, .773 OPS vs. RHP).
Joey Votto: .660 OPS vs. left-handers since 2019 (.813 OPS vs. RHP).
Phillies (Velasquez) at Rockies (Márquez), 8:40 p.m. ET
Phillies SP: Vince Velasquez, RHP
Key stat(s): 9 K's, 8 walks in 4 IP
2021 stats: 0-0, 9.00 ERA, 40.9 K%
Breakdown: Velasquez will step into the rotation in place of Matt Moore, who is trying to clear COVID-19 protocols. The right-hander began the year in the bullpen after competing for a starting gig in Spring Training, and he's flashed the same inconsistencies that have led to his bouncing in and out of the rotation over the past few seasons. He's racked up nine strikeouts in only four innings -- but he's also walked eight batters. He's thrown only 51% of his pitches for strikes in his three relief outings, but with a 16-strikeout game to his name, Velasquez has always been capable of racking up big strikeout totals if he can find his command. Of course, pitching at hitter-friendly Coors Field is not the ideal scenario for Velasquez to step into.
Notable Rockies hitters
Trevor Story: Has not homered in 29 straight games dating to last season (longest streak of career; previous long was 17 games).
Rockies SP: Germán Márquez, RHP
Key stat(s): 43.6% whiff rate with his curveball
2021 stats: 1-1, 3.57 ERA, 20.6 K%
Breakdown: Márquez has had some control issues this season, walking at least two batters in all four outings -- and issuing a total of 13 free passes over 22 2/3 innings. Still, he's yet to allow more than three runs in any start, and he's coming off a seven-inning complete game in which he allowed only two runs off two hits against the Mets. His curveball continues to baffle opposing hitters, who are just 3-for-20 with 12 strikeouts and a 43.6% whiff rate against the pitch. That should come as no surprise given the season-by-season opponents' BA against his curveall: .143 in 2016, .182 in '17, .148 in '18, .157 in '19 and .108 in '20.
Notable Phillies hitters
Bryce Harper: 11-for-17 (.647) with two homers, five walks (.727 OBP) and a 1.845 OPS over last five games; has a .376 average and .624 SLG in 24 career games at Coors Field.
Rhys Hoskins: Hitting .149 with 19 strikeouts over last 12 games after hitting .417 with a .792 SLG in first six games.
Marlins (Alcantara) at Giants (Wood), 9:45 p.m. ET
Marlins SP: Sandy Alcantara, RHP
Key stat(s): 1.81 xERA
2021 stats: 0-1, 3.28 ERA, 28.0 K%
Breakdown: Alcantara was lights out in his first two starts, allowing just two earned runs over 12 innings (1.50 ERA) while racking up 17 strikeouts. Though he's allowed seven runs over 12 2/3 frames (4.97 ERA) in his two starts since, the numbers suggest a lot of that may just be bad luck. He ranks among the league leaders in xBA (.168) and xSLG (.244), which helps explain his 1.81 xERA. Opponents are hitting .179 (5-for-28) with 12 K's vs. his four-seam fastball, which is averaging 97.6 mph. They're also just 2-for-20 (.100) vs. his changeup and 2-for-18 vs. his slider.
Notable Giants hitters
Evan Longoria: Leads MLB with 68.3% hard-hit rate;
Mike Yastrzemski: 6-for-26 (.231) in his career against pitches 97 mph or faster.
Buster Posey: 5-for-10 with two homers in last three games.
Giants SP: Alex Wood, LHP
Key stat(s): 5 scoreless innings vs. Marlins on Sunday
2021 stats: 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 23.5 K%
Breakdown: Wood made his 2021 debut on Sunday against this same Marlins club, allowing only three hits over five scoreless innings. He had missed the first few weeks of the season with a lower back strain, and he was lifted after just 61 pitches in his first start. He had stretched back out with a pair of starts at the club's alternate training site before his debut, so he should have a longer leash in this one.
Notable Marlins hitters
Jazz Chisholm: Though he's a left-handed hitter, Chisholm is 11-for-31 (.355) in his young career vs. LHP compared to hitting just .183 vs. RHP.
Adam Duvall: 4-for-14 with two homers vs. LHP this season (9-for-44 with two homers vs. RHP).
Padres (Darvish) at Dodgers (Kershaw), 10:10 p.m. ET
Padres SP: Yu Darvish, RHP
Key stat(s): .082 opponents' BA vs. slider since 2020
2021 stats: 1-1, 2.55 ERA, 29.8 K%
Breakdown: After a rocky performance in his Padres debut (four runs off eight hits in 4 2/3 innings), Darvish has returned to his dominant self over his last three outings. He's allowed just one run in each of those starts, while striking out 22 over 20 innings. That includes an absolute gem his last time out, when he allowed only one hit while striking out nine over seven innings against this same Dodgers team.
Notable Dodgers hitters
Max Muncy: 1-for-9 (.111) with four K's in career vs. Darvish.
Mookie Betts: 0-for-6 with two K's vs. Darvish.
Justin Turner: 0-for-6 with four K's vs. Darvish.
Dodgers SP: Clayton Kershaw, LHP
Key stat(s): 19 of 24 K's this season with slider
2021 stats: 3-1, 2.19 ERA, 24.5 K%
Breakdown: Similar to Darvish, Kershaw has settled in after a disappointing season debut. Kershaw was tagged for six runs (five earned) off 10 hits on Opening Day, but he's allowed only one run over 19 innings in his three starts since. He's racked 22 strikeouts in those outings, including eight over six scoreless frames opposite Darvish on Saturday.
Notable Padres hitters
Fernando Tatis Jr.: 4-for-25 (.160) with one home run and nine strikeouts since returning from left shoulder injury, though he does have a hit in three straight games and a stolen base in each of the last two.
Manny Machado: 64.3% hard-hit rate (second-best in MLB).
Wil Myers: 5-for-42 (.119, all singles) with 14 K's in his career vs. Kershaw.