![]() That can lead to problems for him if hitters are picking up on it because it won’t get as many called strikes. Morton’s breaking ball is really slurvy and has more 2-7 break, often sweeping to finish well below the zone on the lower glove-side corner. He gets elite spin, putting him in the 97th percentile for curves, but the pitch isn’t a big 12-6 looper like Clayton Kershaw‘s. The hook comes in at 82-83 mph, firmer than the MLB average and harder than Morton has ever thrown it before. He sat mostly 92-93 for his first eight years in MLB, then jumped to 94.2 with Philly in 2016 and got up to 96 with an Astros organization famous for maxing out velocity. The juxtapositions don’t stop at the inference of the latter’s surname, as the 39-year-old Morton is still sitting at 95 mph with his fastball seven years after experiencing a big velo bump. They’ll be going up against Charlie Morton, who is truly the elder statesman of the staff, one day after facing the youthful Bryce Elder. This isn’t a lineup anyone would have predicted at the beginning of the season or even a month ago, but it looks pretty darn good. Nick Madrigal is at third and Miguel Amaya rounds things out at catcher. Mike Tauchman once again gets things started in right field, followed by Nico Hoerner at second and Ian Happ in left.Ĭody Bellinger is in center, Dansby Swanson is at short, Jeimer Candelario is at first, and Christopher Morel is the DH. Getting some early offense would put him in a position to pitch free and easy, which was the case yesterday. 371 wOBA against lefties, so Steele is going to have to be at his sharpest in this one. That’s easier said than done against a team that boasts MLB-best marks of a 132 wRC+ and. ![]() Five of those hits have left the yard, which is something he’ll need to avoid this afternoon. He’s also gotten grounders at a 50.4% rate, which is how he’s been able to neutralize the 46 hits opponents have gotten against him. Steele has gone at least six innings in each of his last seven starts, compiling a 5-1 record with a 2.53 ERA and 44 strikeouts to just seven walks over 42.2 innings. The Lucedale native has ascended to the role of staff ace and now gets the chance to test his mettle against a lineup that can make even the best pitchers weak in the knees like SWV. There’s no starter you’d rather have going for the home team than Justin Steele, the man Adbert Alzolay affectionately refers to as Mississippi Fastball. Now they have a chance to take two of three from the best team in baseball, just like they did when the Rays came to town in late May. A big opening frame paved the way to an 8-6 victory that got a little too close for comfort down the stretch before finally being salted away. ![]() The Cubs were dropped unceremoniously in Friday’s series opener, but, unlike Tim Anderson, they were able to get up and deliver a blow of their own to the Braves on Friday afternoon. ![]()
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