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These next two days are the only days of the year where all three Cleveland pro teams are in action on the same day. The Indians and Cavs have games and the Browns are drafting. Not much yard work getting done this weekend.
The Indians are in Chicago to take on the 14-10 White Sox, who have won 8 of their last 10. The Sox are 5-1 against the Tigers (8-18) and Rangers (11-15) and 9-9 against their other opponents, including 3-2 against the Indians. The Sox have outscored the 11-12 Tribe by 22-14 in those five games. It's been a pretty low scoring matchup so far.
For the season the Sox have a run differential of +31 to -3 for the Indians. The two Indians' wins over the Sox were by scores of 2-0 and 4-2 in games started by Bieber and Civale.
The Sox lead the A.L. in scoring at 5.17 runs per game. They are 1st in batting average, 1st in OBP, and 3rd in slugging. Pretty impressive, especially since Eloy is out and Abreu hasn't started hitting yet. They're first in BABIP at .325. The major league average is .284 so they have either been very, very lucky or they're hitting the ball consistently hard.
FanGraphs has the White Sox 12th in the majors in hard hit percentage (the Indians are 3rd!). The Sox are 24th in home runs (the Indians are tied for 11th). But the White Sox lead the A.L. in runs scored while the Indians are 11th. The Sox utilize their #1 ranking in OBP and their #1 ranking at BABIP to score a lot of runs without that many long balls.
The big shocker has been Yermin Mercedes, who after 78 AB's is still raking at .423/1.144. He could win ROY without getting another hit this season.
Tim Anderson is hitting .306, Nick Madrigal .319, Luis Robert .302, and Moncada .272.
Getting to the matchups, Bieber goes tonight against soft-tossing lefty Dallas Keuchel, 1-0, 4.32. In five starts Keuchel has pitched 25 innings, so he's a five-and-fly guy. Only 12 K's in those 25 innings - he pitches to contact, teases the corners with breaking stuff, and induces weak contact and tons of ground balls. In his first start against the Tribe he went five innings, allowing three earned runs, and got 10 ground balls. In his last start against the Rangers he went six innings for the first time, inducing 13 ground balls. Gotta be patient, don't chase low breaking balls, and get it in the air against this guy.
In Bieber's start against the Sox he shut them out for nine innings, allowing three hits and striking out 11. It will be interesting to see what adjustments they make this time around.
On Saturday it's Lance Lynn (1-0, 0.92) against McKenzie. Lynn has three starts and has not pitched since April 15 with a back problem. In that game, against the Indians, he went six innings, allowing two runs, and striking out 10 with no walks. For the season he's allowed two earned runs in 19 innings. He's a power pitcher - the opposite of Keuchel. In McKenzie's start against the Sox he allowed three runs in four innings and was removed after 76 pitches. His only mistake was giving up a three-run homer to Adam Eaton.
On Sunday Plesac goes against Lucas Giolito (1-2, 5.68). Giolito had one start where he gave up 8 runs in 1 inning to Boston, which ruined his ERA. Other than that start his ERA is 3.33. He dominated the Tribe, going 7 shutout innings while allowing only 3 hits. He's been a victim of non-support. The Sox have lost four of his five starts but scored 0, 2, 3, and 4 runs in those losses.
The Indians' bats are showing signs of emerging from their April sleep as the Tribe has scored 21 runs in their last four games. Bieber is Bieber. Plesac is coming off a pretty good start where he pitched into the 8th against the Twins. McKenzie allowed 2 hits in 4 innings to the White Sox but made one bad pitch to Eaton that cost him three runs.
Franmil Reyes has been killing it at home (.400/1.313) but not so much on the road (.125/.421). With important road series coming up against Chicago and KC there's no question Franmil needs to get his rest or whatever so he can start hitting on the road. He's 3-for-17 against the Sox, all singles. The Indians need him and Hosey to punish opposing pitchers if they want to have any chance.
The Indians are in Chicago to take on the 14-10 White Sox, who have won 8 of their last 10. The Sox are 5-1 against the Tigers (8-18) and Rangers (11-15) and 9-9 against their other opponents, including 3-2 against the Indians. The Sox have outscored the 11-12 Tribe by 22-14 in those five games. It's been a pretty low scoring matchup so far.
For the season the Sox have a run differential of +31 to -3 for the Indians. The two Indians' wins over the Sox were by scores of 2-0 and 4-2 in games started by Bieber and Civale.
The Sox lead the A.L. in scoring at 5.17 runs per game. They are 1st in batting average, 1st in OBP, and 3rd in slugging. Pretty impressive, especially since Eloy is out and Abreu hasn't started hitting yet. They're first in BABIP at .325. The major league average is .284 so they have either been very, very lucky or they're hitting the ball consistently hard.
FanGraphs has the White Sox 12th in the majors in hard hit percentage (the Indians are 3rd!). The Sox are 24th in home runs (the Indians are tied for 11th). But the White Sox lead the A.L. in runs scored while the Indians are 11th. The Sox utilize their #1 ranking in OBP and their #1 ranking at BABIP to score a lot of runs without that many long balls.
The big shocker has been Yermin Mercedes, who after 78 AB's is still raking at .423/1.144. He could win ROY without getting another hit this season.
Tim Anderson is hitting .306, Nick Madrigal .319, Luis Robert .302, and Moncada .272.
Getting to the matchups, Bieber goes tonight against soft-tossing lefty Dallas Keuchel, 1-0, 4.32. In five starts Keuchel has pitched 25 innings, so he's a five-and-fly guy. Only 12 K's in those 25 innings - he pitches to contact, teases the corners with breaking stuff, and induces weak contact and tons of ground balls. In his first start against the Tribe he went five innings, allowing three earned runs, and got 10 ground balls. In his last start against the Rangers he went six innings for the first time, inducing 13 ground balls. Gotta be patient, don't chase low breaking balls, and get it in the air against this guy.
In Bieber's start against the Sox he shut them out for nine innings, allowing three hits and striking out 11. It will be interesting to see what adjustments they make this time around.
On Saturday it's Lance Lynn (1-0, 0.92) against McKenzie. Lynn has three starts and has not pitched since April 15 with a back problem. In that game, against the Indians, he went six innings, allowing two runs, and striking out 10 with no walks. For the season he's allowed two earned runs in 19 innings. He's a power pitcher - the opposite of Keuchel. In McKenzie's start against the Sox he allowed three runs in four innings and was removed after 76 pitches. His only mistake was giving up a three-run homer to Adam Eaton.
On Sunday Plesac goes against Lucas Giolito (1-2, 5.68). Giolito had one start where he gave up 8 runs in 1 inning to Boston, which ruined his ERA. Other than that start his ERA is 3.33. He dominated the Tribe, going 7 shutout innings while allowing only 3 hits. He's been a victim of non-support. The Sox have lost four of his five starts but scored 0, 2, 3, and 4 runs in those losses.
The Indians' bats are showing signs of emerging from their April sleep as the Tribe has scored 21 runs in their last four games. Bieber is Bieber. Plesac is coming off a pretty good start where he pitched into the 8th against the Twins. McKenzie allowed 2 hits in 4 innings to the White Sox but made one bad pitch to Eaton that cost him three runs.
Franmil Reyes has been killing it at home (.400/1.313) but not so much on the road (.125/.421). With important road series coming up against Chicago and KC there's no question Franmil needs to get his rest or whatever so he can start hitting on the road. He's 3-for-17 against the Sox, all singles. The Indians need him and Hosey to punish opposing pitchers if they want to have any chance.
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