Matinees, Gio vs. Gsellman highlight .TV slate

June 15th, 2017
The Nats' Gio Gonzalez brings a 2.91 ERA into Thursday's start, while Robert Gsellman is back in the starter's role.

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 and MLB.TV Free Game of the Day, the Mets host the Nationals as New York's gets pushed up a day to give an extra breather. In Cleveland, Rich Hill will try to keep his blister at bay as he makes his eighth start of the season. In Oakland, will look to continue a positive trend in 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 ride for Gsellman and the club.

Gsellman broke camp in the rotation but limped to a 7.07 ERA through eight starts before being sent 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 May 24, Gsellman is generating an 11.6 percent swing-and-miss rate on the pitch -- highest in the Majors in that span (minimum 150 sinkers thrown), per Statcast™.

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. Going into Wednesday, Gonzalez was tied for the lead in the Majors with 38 walks, 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 (minimum 750 pitches thrown), according to Statcast™.

Of course, worth watching will be rookie phenom , who on Tuesday became the first to homer off this year, and is tied with the Yankees' for the MLB lead in home runs 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.

Gray will be opposed by rookie left-hander (4-4, 3.55 ERA).

Tables have turned: MIL@STL, 7:15 p.m.

In his last start on Friday, prevented the Cardinals from dropping their eighth game in a row, which would've marked the club's longest losing streak since 2007. Wacha has consistently forced soft contact, ranking among the Statcast™ leaderboards in exit velocity against. (7-3, 4.74 ERA) will start for Milwaukee.

"I can't think of a bigger win," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said after the June 9 victory over the Phillies. "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 road record.