LEADING OFF: Mets’ deGrom faces Nats, Kershaw vs. Darvish

By: The Associated Press Posted: 7:07 PM CDT Thursday, Apr. 22, 2021 Last Modified: 2:10 AM CDT Friday, Apr. 23, 2021

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A look at what’s happening around the majors today:

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/04/2021 (1664 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A look at what’s happening around the majors today:

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DEGROMINATOR

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Steven Matz throws during the first inning in the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Kansas City Royals Saturday, April 17, 2021, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Jacob deGrom of the Mets is 1-1 with a 0.45 ERA, 35 strikeouts and three walks in 20 innings going into a homestand opener against Washington and Erick Fedde (1-1). While deGrom has a 2.03 ERA in 79 starts since the start of the 2018 season, New York is 37-42 in those games.

NL WEST SHOWCASE

Clayton Kershaw (3-1, 2.19) starts for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second game of the big series at Dodger Stadium against the San Diego Padres. Yu Darvish (1-1, 2.55) takes the mound for the Padres, who lost two of three last weekend in San Diego during the first series of the season between the NL West rivals.

SPRING FORWARD

Blue Jays outfielder George Springer will play in an intrasquad game, the next step on his return from two strained muscles that have delayed his Toronto debut. Springer signed a team-record $150 million, six-year deal with the Blue Jays this off-season but missed time in spring training, first because of a strained oblique and later because of a right quadriceps strain.

The World Series MVP when Houston won its first title in 2017, Springer could return in this weekend’s road series against the Tampa Bay Rays, according to general manager Ross Atkins.

ZACK ATTACK

New York Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom watches a throw to Colorado Rockies' C.J. Cron during the fourth inning of the first baseball game game of a doubleheader Saturday, April 17, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Zack Greinke (2-1, 2,81) starts for the Houston Astros after allowing four hits over eight shutout innings to win at Seattle, a game in which he reached 2,700 strikeouts. Andrew Heaney (1-1, 5.65) starts for the visiting Los Angeles Angels.

LONG BALLS

Jorge López (1-2, 8.56) starts for the Baltimore Orioles against Oakland coming off three starts in which he allowed five home runs in 13 2/3 innings. Cole Irvin (1-2, 4.60) starts for the visiting Athletics.

MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS

Cincinnati’s Sonny Gray (0-0, 4.15) seeks his first win at Busch Stadium, where he is 0-1 despite a 2.04 ERA in three starts. Kwang Hyun Kim (0-0, 9.00) starts for the Cardinals.

FAST START

Houston Astros starting pitcher Zack Greinke looks out from the dugout before the team's baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Saturday, April 17, 2021, in Seattle. Greinke threw eight innings of shutout ball, giving up four hits, before Ryan Pressly closed out the game in the ninth. The Astros won 1-0. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Left-hander Steven Matz (3-0, 1.47), coming off wins over Texas, the Los Angeles Angels and Kansas City in the start of his first season with Toronto, starts at the rival Tampa Bay Rays, who go with Tyler Glasnow (2-0, 0.73).

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