LEADING OFF: More All-Star starters in Chisox-Brewers set

By: The Associated Press Posted: 7:37 PM CDT Saturday, Jul. 24, 2021

A look at what's happening around the majors on Sunday:

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A look at what's happening around the majors on Sunday:

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/07/2021 (1579 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A look at what’s happening around the majors on Sunday:

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STAR STARTERS

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Rich Hill throws during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Tuesday, June 29, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The White Sox and Brewers close a weekend full of impressive pitching matchups in Milwaukee with arguably the best of the bunch Sunday night.

Lance Lynn (9-3, 1.94 ERA) starts for the White Sox against Brandon Woodruff (7-4, 2.04) in a duel of All-Star right-handers.

The NL Central-leading Brewers started Freddy Peralta and Corbin Burnes earlier in this series, while the AL Central-leading White Sox turned to Lucas Giolito and Carlos Rodón.

Of those six starting pitchers, Giolito is the only one who didn’t make the All-Star Game this season. According to STATS LLC, this is the first three-game series in major league history to feature five All-Star starting pitchers from the current season.

“It’s exciting,” said injured Chicago catcher Yasmani Grandal, who worked with these Brewers pitchers while playing for Milwaukee in 2019. “That’s what you want to see — having two young teams having high-caliber guys coming in and out every night, doing it at a high level and putting up the numbers they are.”

HILL ON THE HILL

Rich Hill is scheduled to make his debut with the NL East-leading New York Mets when they host Toronto.

The 41-year-old lefty was obtained in a trade with Tampa Bay on Friday for veteran pitcher Tommy Hunter and minor league catcher Matthew Dyer.

Hill bolsters a rotation that has been depleted by injuries, most notably ace Jacob deGrom being on the 10-day injured list with tightness in his right forearm.

Hill went 6-4 with a 3.87 ERA in 19 starts for the Rays this season. He faced Toronto on July 11 and gave up three runs on four hits and three walks in five innings.

MISSING MAX

The Nationals expect ace Max Scherzer to make his next scheduled start after he was scratched with what the team described as mild right triceps discomfort.

Manager Dave Martinez said Scherzer had an MRI and it was “extremely clean.” Jon Lester started in Scherzer’s place Saturday night at Baltimore.

Scherzer is 7-4 with a 2.83 ERA in 18 starts this season. The three-time Cy Young Award winner, who turns 37 on Tuesday, has been the subject of trade speculation as Washington continues to struggle. His absence now is another issue for the Nationals rotation, which has been without Stephen Strasburg since early June because of lingering neck problems.

HUSTLING HARPER

Bryce Harper is 12 for 12 on steal attempts this season after his latest swipe for the Phillies.