Baseball Probable Pitchers

Mets @ Cubs

(36-40)

final • Fri, Jun 21

At Wrigley Field

(41-34)

Jason Vargas

LHP

3-3, 3.75 ERA, 47 SO

Vargas departed his last start after four innings due to a left calf cramp, but the Mets believe he should be fine to start Friday in Chicago. He owns a 2.39 ERA in his last nine games dating to April 19, and he is 2-0 lifetime at Wrigley Field.

Yu Darvish

RHP

2-3, 4.75 ERA, 97 SO

In his previous start, Darvish returned to Dodger Stadium for the first time since his poor outing in Game 7 of the 2017 World Series, and he enjoyed his best start as a Cub, tossing seven innings and allowing one run while striking out 10.

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Braves @ Nationals

(44-32)

final • Fri, Jun 21

At Nationals Park

(37-38)

Dallas Keuchel

LHP

0-1, 5.40 ERA, 3 SO

Keuchel, who spent eight months on the free-agent market before signing a one-year, $13 million deal with the Braves on June 7, will make his debut. The 2015 American League Cy Young Award winner has made two Minor League starts since signing. But he spent the past couple months training and throwing simulated games in California.

Stephen Strasburg

RHP

8-4, 3.79 ERA, 120 SO

Strasburg will be aiming to turn the page from a clunker in his last outing, when he allowed four homers (matching a career high) and six earned runs. He allowed two runs over seven innings vs. the Braves on May 28, while matching a season high with 11 strikeouts.

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Padres @ Pirates

(38-38)

final • Fri, Jun 21

At PNC Park

(34-40)

Eric Lauer

LHP

5-7, 4.32 ERA, 63 SO

Save for his Coors Field struggles, Lauer has been excellent of late. In his last 10 starts, he's held the opposition to two earned runs or fewer seven times. But he also had starts in Colorado where he coughed up five runs and eight runs during that stretch.

Joe Musgrove

RHP

5-7, 4.57 ERA, 69 SO

The Bucs gave Musgrove extra rest after he started twice during their four-game series against the Braves in Atlanta. He pitched well for four innings last Thursday, but he wound up allowing six runs on nine hits without recording an out in the fifth.

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Marlins @ Phillies

(28-46)

final • Fri, Jun 21

At Citizens Bank Park

(39-36)

Sandy Alcantara

RHP

4-6, 3.51 ERA, 64 SO

Alcantara looks for a better result at the Phillies than he had on April 12 in a loss to them at home. That day, he was tagged for six runs in five innings. On the road, Alcantara has a 4.26 ERA, and opponents away are batting .265 off him.

Aaron Nola

RHP

6-2, 4.55 ERA, 100 SO

Nola cannot seem to get on track. He allowed five runs in 4 1/3 innings against the Braves on Saturday. He has a 7.71 ERA in his past three starts. The reason? He is throwing fewer strikes than at any point in his career.

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Astros @ Yankees

(48-29)

final • Fri, Jun 21

At Yankee Stadium

(48-27)

Brad Peacock

RHP

6-5, 3.62 ERA, 87 SO

Peacock is 4-2 with a 2.58 ERA in his past eight starts, allowing 33 hits and striking out 50 in 45 1/3 innings in that stretch. He has allowed four runs in each of his past two starts, allowing 12 hits (four homers) in 11 1/3 innings.

James Paxton

LHP

5-3, 3.75 ERA, 78 SO

Paxton was sharp in his last outing, limiting the White Sox to two runs and eight hits over six innings, marking his first win since returning from the injured list. He lost to the Astros on April 10 in Houston.

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Blue Jays @ Red Sox

(27-49)

final • Fri, Jun 21

At Fenway Park

(42-35)

Trent Thornton

RHP

2-5, 4.25 ERA, 87 SO

Thornton will take the hill to open the series against the reigning World Series champ. The 25-year-old right-hander will look to follow up on one of his best starts of the season on Sunday in Houston, when he threw 6 2/3 shutout innings and struck out seven.

Chris Sale

LHP

3-7, 3.59 ERA, 138 SO

The ace will try to earn his first win at Fenway Park this season when he opens a six-game homestand. In 13 career starts against the Jays, Sale is 7-3 with a 2.62 ERA. Opponents are hitting .202 against Sale this season.

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Tigers @ Guardians

(26-46)

final • Fri, Jun 21

At Progressive Field

(40-35)

Matthew Boyd

LHP

5-5, 3.61 ERA, 118 SO

Boyd has broken out this season, and the underlying metrics confirm it, as evidenced by his 3.00 FIP. But Boyd has struggled in June, posting a 5.63 ERA across three starts, due in part to allowing four homers in 16 innings.

Trevor Bauer

RHP

5-6, 3.69 ERA, 122 SO

Bauer is coming off a gem in Detroit last time out, when he tossed a four-hit shutout and struck out eight. Over his last two starts, Bauer has a 0.45 ERA (1 ER/16 2/3 IP), 14 strikeouts and a .175 opponents' batting average.

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White Sox @ Rangers

(36-37)

final • Fri, Jun 21

At Globe Life Park in Arlington

(40-36)

Reynaldo López

RHP

4-7, 6.23 ERA, 80 SO

Lopez is 1-3 with an 8.88 ERA, .330 average against, eight home runs allowed and a 1.78 WHIP over his last five starts. He has surrendered five runs or more in four of the outings, and his ERA has increased from 5.14 to 6.31.

Ariel Jurado

RHP

4-3, 4.44 ERA, 37 SO

Jurado is 3-1 with a 5.40 ERA in his last six outings after giving up seven runs in three innings in a loss to the Reds on Sunday. He made his Major League debut against the White Sox on May 19 last season, and he allowed four runs in 3 1/3 innings.

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Reds @ Brewers

(36-38)

final • Fri, Jun 21

At Miller Park

(40-36)

Sonny Gray

RHP

3-5, 4.03 ERA, 85 SO

Gray had one of his best starts of 2019 at Miller Park on May 21, allowing five hits in six innings for a 3-0 win. Gray walked four but struck out nine, as he worked his way out of jams.

Chase Anderson

RHP

3-2, 4.70 ERA, 55 SO

After going 2-0 with a 2.78 ERA in his first five 2019 starts, Anderson is 0-1 with a 5.79 ERA in three starts in June. He is throwing the curve a career-low 10.9 percent of the time while allowing a .471 opponents’ batting average on the pitch.

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Twins @ Royals

(49-26)

final • Fri, Jun 21

At Kauffman Stadium

(26-50)

Martín Pérez

LHP

7-3, 4.28 ERA, 76 SO

Perez was unlucky in his last start, when he saw several weakly hit balls find holes and got shaky defense behind him as he allowed five runs (four earned) in 6 2/3 innings. He has still posted the best strikeout and hit rates of his career in 2019.

Jakob Junis

RHP

4-6, 5.18 ERA, 84 SO

Junis faces the Twins again after pitching in Minnesota last Sunday. In that outing, an early elevated pitch count kept him from going beyond the fourth inning, though he limited the damage to two runs in an eventual Royals win.

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Angels @ Cardinals

(38-39)

final • Fri, Jun 21

At Busch Stadium

(39-36)

Griffin Canning

RHP

2-4, 3.88 ERA, 57 SO

Canning has gone exactly six innings in each of his three June starts, but has a 5.50 ERA in those outings. He gave up four runs, including two homers, in a loss to the Rays last time out.

Michael Wacha

RHP

5-3, 5.59 ERA, 60 SO

Wacha has made two starts since returning from a bullpen stint, and the results were quite contrasting. After throwing six shutout innings against Miami, Wacha was knocked for six runs (five earned) in a four-inning start versus the Mets last week.

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Giants @ D-backs

(32-42)

final • Fri, Jun 21

At Chase Field

(38-39)

Jeff Samardzija

RHP

4-6, 4.23 ERA, 66 SO

Samardzija took the loss in his last outing after allowing four runs on a season-high nine hits over five innings against the Brewers. He is 3-5 with a 4.18 ERA in 18 career appearances (13 starts) against the D-backs.

Taylor Clarke

RHP

1-3, 6.48 ERA, 28 SO

Clarke picked up his first career victory against the Giants on May 25 in San Francisco. This will be the first time he has faced a team for the second time. Over his past four starts he is 0-1 with an 8.40 ERA.

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Rays @ Athletics

(44-32)

final • Fri, Jun 21

At Oakland Coliseum

(41-37)

Andrew Kittredge

RHP

0-0, 2.45 ERA, 6 SO

This marks the 24th time this season the Rays will use an opener to start the game. They’re 13-10 so far when employing that strategy. This will be Kittrerdge’s first time in that role, though it’s also the fourth start of his Major League career.

Tanner Anderson

RHP

0-2, 4.20 ERA, 12 SO

Anderson faces the Rays for the second time this month. He fared well against them on June 10 -- his first Major League start -- holding Tampa Bay to two runs over 5 2/3 innings.

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Rockies @ Dodgers

(40-35)

final • Fri, Jun 21

At Dodger Stadium

(52-25)

Germán Márquez

RHP

7-3, 4.32 ERA, 111 SO

After posting a 3.48 ERA in the first two months of the season, Marquez has a 10.06 ERA through three June starts. This will be the righty's first start vs. the Dodgers this season. He is 2-1 with a 3.28 ERA in six career starts vs. Los Angeles.

Walker Buehler

RHP

8-1, 2.96 ERA, 100 SO

Buehler has allowed one run in June and is coming off seven scoreless innings against the Cubs. He beat the Rockies at Coors Field on April 6. He will be getting an extra day of rest, but his stats show little difference between pitching on four or five days' rest.

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Orioles @ Mariners

(21-55)

final • Fri, Jun 21

At T-Mobile Park

(34-46)

Sean Gilmartin

LHP

0-1, 19.29 ERA, 1 SO

The Orioles will go with a bullpen day in place of the injured John Means, who hit the injured list Thursday with a left shoulder strain. Gilmartin, who has yet to appear in the Majors this season, will make the start.

Mike Leake

RHP

7-6, 4.54 ERA, 71 SO

The 31-year-old right-hander has been outstanding in his last four starts, going 3-0 with a 2.40 ERA with 20 strikeouts and two walks in 30 innings. He's 1-0 with a 4.76 ERA in three career outings vs. Baltimore.

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