Late Morris is set to make his Major League debut today when the Athletics right-hander starts against the Astros. Morris will face a Houston roster boosted by the return of Jose Altuvewas taken off the 10-day injured list yesterday and went 1-for-4 in the Astros’ 5-1 win over the A’s in the series opener. A Grade 2 oblique strain went to Altuve in IL on May 18, but the second baseman was able to return in less than three weeks.
1. The San Diego tornado continues
Although it wasn’t the main story of the night in New York sports, the Mets earned a 5-0 victory over the Padres on Friday, led by 5 2/3 shutout innings. Christian Scott. The loss extended the Padres’ losing streak to six games, and San Diego scored just 26 runs in 11 games, sending the club to a dismal 1-10 record. Strong hitting has helped San Diego paper over its offensive woes for most of the season, however the lack of hitting seems to be affecting the team. The Padres are hitting a combined .215/.289/.356, ranking last in the majors in all three slash categories while also scoring a team-low 235 runs.
2. Freeman finishes
Freddie Freeman hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead over the Angels on Friday. Since 1920, only five players have collected more walkoff hits in the regular season and the postseason than Freeman, who now has 20 hits. Perhaps the Dodgers’ biggest import is that Roki Sasaki recorded 10 strikeouts in seven shutout innings, as Sasaki continued to cycle back into form. Sasaki posted a 5.88 ERA over his first 33 2/3 innings and seven starts of the season, but has now posted a 1.48 ERA over his last four starts and 4 1/3 frames.
3. Braxton fights the Braves
A great matchup is on tap today in Atlanta, as Spencer Strider leads the Braves against Braxton Ashcraft and the Pirates. While Paul Skenes getting due recognition as Pittsburgh’s ace, Ashcraft was just a step behind with a 2.77 ERA, 27.3% strikeout rate, and 5.7% walk rate over 74 2/3 innings. The second-year starter faces a big test against the league-leading Braves, who improved to 43-21 after defeating the Pirates 6-3 in Friday’s series opener.
