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The Rockies were rightly maligned for the Nolan Arenado trade, but it does look like they got a pretty good one back in the deal in Austin Gomber.
Gomber twirled a gem on Monday in Colorado against the Padres, hurling a career-high-tying eight shutout innings in the Rockies’ 3-2 victory. The left-hander gave up just three hits on the night, didn’t walk anyone and struck out four. He needed only 95 pitches to complete his eight brilliant frames.
The superb effort Monday continued an eye-popping trend for Gomber at home in the thin Denver air. In five starts at Coors Field this season, Gomber has given up just three earned runs over 28 2/3 innings, good for a 0.95 ERA. He also boasts a 0.80 WHIP at home and a 24/10 K/BB ratio. Opponents are batting .139 off him at Coors.
It hasn’t been just at home where Gomber has been pitching well, though. Over his last seven starts – four coming on the road and three at home – the left-hander has put up a microscopic 1.28 ERA, 0.76 WHIP and 41/3 K/BB ratio across 42 1/3 innings of work. After issuing 19 walks over 23 innings in April, Gomber has handed out only four free passes in 53 1/3 frame since. Crazy.[[ad:athena]]
Gomber has his overall ERA all the way down to 3.54, and that’s with a 1 2/3-inning, nine-run disaster versus the Giants mixed in back in late April. If you take out that start (yes, I know you can’t really do that, but just placate me), his ERA would be 2.84.
The big question, of course, is whether Gomber can keep this up. The lefty does boast an xFIP of 3.69, which is awfully close to his actual 3.54 ERA. It tells you that Gomber has pretty much earned the numbers he’s put up so far.
That said, common sense tells you he’s not going to sustain this kind of production at Coors Field. It simply just doesn’t happen there, and it’s not as if Gomber is a groundball-heavy pitcher who can keep the ball out of the thin air. His past control problems are a threat to crop back up at any time, as well.
The good news is Gomber is due for some better ERA luck on the road. He holds a 5.06 ERA in nine road outings even as his WHIP (1.19) is more than solid and his K/BB ratio (51/13) is excellent.
Gomber’s next start will come at home against the Brewers this weekend. Heading into action Monday, the Brew Crew had a middle-of-the-pack wRC+ versus lefties but also a 28.3 percent strikeout rate against southpaws which is the highest in the National League.
Starting Pitchers with an EDGE
Nathan Eovaldi vs. TOR – 6 2/3 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 4 K
Eovaldi and rookie Alek Manoah had quite a battle on Monday at Fenway Park, with Eovaldi going 6 2/3 scoreless and Manoah tossing six frames of one-run ball. It was a nice bounce-back effort from Eovaldi after he had his worst outing of the season last week against the Astros.
David Peterson vs. CHC – 6 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 2 BB, 3 K
The Cubs entered Monday’s game having won five straight and Peterson came into the contest having allowed nine runs covering a total of just three innings in his past two outings, so this outcome wasn’t an expected one, to say the least. The left-hander needed just 73 pitches to cruise through his six frames. Peterson did have just the three strikeouts to go along with eight swinging strikes, so it wasn’t all good.
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Hitters with an EDGE
Joey Votto vs. MIL – 2-for-4, HR, BB, 3 RBI
Votto helped to pace the Reds’ 11-hit, 10-run attack on Monday in Milwaukee. After an RBI groundout in his first at-bat, Votto added a walk, a two-run homer and a single and another run scored. The home run was the first baseman’s third in seven games since returning from the injured list, and he’s driven in 12 runs over that span.
Brandon Crawford vs. ARI – 2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI
Another long ball for Crawford, whose two-run shot in the fifth inning on Monday put the Giants ahead what turned out to be for good. The Diamondbacks were handed their 11th straight loss and 20th straight loss on the road. As for Crawford, he now has 15 home runs on the season, which is already the second-highest total of his career.
Priority Pickup
Sammy Long, SP, Giants – available in 97 percent of Yahoo fantasy leagues
Long struck out seven batters while yielding just one hit and one run over four-plus innings in his major league debut last week against the Rangers. Zack Littell served as the opener in that game and tossed a scoreless frame, and the Giants will stick with what worked and have Littell open again ahead of Long on Tuesday versus the Diamondbacks. Arizona has lost 11 straight games and 20 straight contests on the road, setting Long up in good position to pick up his first major league victory.
Closing Time
After J.P. Feyereisen worked two scoreless innings and Diego Castillo worked a scoreless frame ahead of him, Peter Fairbanks had a 1-2-3 ninth inning to notch a save for the Rays on Monday against the White Sox. Fairbanks and Castillo have alternated in converted the last four saves for the Rays, and Feyereisen picked up three of the previous four saves prior to that. The pecking order remains difficult to figure out and will probably continue to change on a nightly and weekly basis.
Lou Trivino picked up his second save in as many days in the A’s win over the Angels on Monday. Each of the team’s last five saves dating back to May 28 have gone to Trivino. Jake Diekman – who pitched a scoreless eighth inning ahead of Trivino on Monday – hasn’t had a save in three weeks.
Emmanuel Clase fanned a pair in a scoreless ninth inning to record a save for the Indians on Monday against the Orioles. James Karinchak preceded Clase with 1 1/3 scoreless frames. Clase leads the Indians with 10 saves this season, but his save on Monday was his first so far this month.
With Kendall Graveman apparently unavailable, Drew Steckenrider and not Rafael Montero picked up a save for the Mariners in Monday’s victory over the Twins. Steckenrider has pitched well for the M’s this season after missing the 2020 campaign while recovering from elbow surgery.
Jake McGee notched his 13th save of the season on Monday as the Giants downed the Diamondbacks. It was the left-hander’s first save this month as manager Gabe Kapler continues to use both McGee and Tyler Rogers for save opportunities. Rogers gave up a couple hits but ultimately tossed a scoreless eighth inning ahead of McGee on Monday.
Tuesday’s Matchup of the Day
Kyle Gibson (TEX) vs. Lance McCullers (HOU)
McCullers will be making his first start in three and a half weeks after missing time with soreness in his pitching shoulder. He appears to only be stretched out for 4-5 innings, so the plan is for Jake Odorizzi to follow him in a piggyback start. Opposing the McCullers/Odorizzi tandem will be Gibson, one of baseball’s hottest pitchers who will carry a 2.13 ERA into a tough matchup against the Astros’ offense.
American League Quick Hits: Shane Bieber was placed on the injured list Monday with a right shoulder strain … Tyler Glasnow will undergo an MRI after leaving Monday’s start against the White Sox due to soreness in his right elbow … George Springer (quad) will begin a rehab assignment on Tuesday … Angels manager Joe Maddon said Monday that Mike Trout (calf) is likely still a month away from a return … Eloy Jimenez (pectoral) has been cleared to resume baseball activities … Anthony Rendon had to be lifted from Monday’s game versus the A’s due to a triceps ailment … Matthew Boyd exited Monday’s start against the Royals with a triceps ailment and is likely headed to the IL … Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a game-tying home run with two outs in the ninth inning of the Blue Jays’ eventual loss to the Red Sox on Monday … Byron Buxton is still battling some residual soreness in his right hip after playing three rehab games and isn’t ready to be activated just yet … Sean Murphy slugged a two-run homer and also reached base on a single and two hit by pitches on Monday against the Angels … Randy Arozarena homered and doubled Monday as the Rays topped the White Sox … Michael Pineda went on IL with right elbow inflammation Monday … Ramon Laureano (hip) will run the bases on Tuesday and could be activated Wednesday … Andrew Benintendi landed on the IL Monday with a fractured rib.
National League Quick Hits: Cody Bellinger (hamstring) worked out Monday and could return to the Dodgers’ lineup as soon as Wednesday. However, a stint on the injured list also has not been ruled out … Jacob deGrom (elbow) threw a bullpen session Monday and remains on track to start Wednesday versus the Cubs … Max Scherzer (groin) will not start Wednesday after feeling soreness during a bullpen session Monday. He could need an IL stint … Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos said Monday that the team is “optimistic” Mike Soroka (Achilles) could return by late August … Alex Wood limited the Diamondbacks to two runs while fanning seven batters over six innings of work on Monday … Carson Kelly homered and doubled as part of a three-hit day for the D-backs on Monday … Vladimir Gutierrez limited the Brewers to two runs over six innings in the Reds’ win Monday … Dominic Smith belted a homer and added a single and a walk on Monday against the Cubs … Kyle Schwarber homered, singled in a run and walked Monday to lead the Nationals to a win over the Pirates … Didi Gregorius (elbow) will resume a rehab assignment on Tuesday … Mike Moustakas (heel) will begin a rehab assignment on Tuesday … Michael Conforto (hamstring) and Jeff McNeil (finger) are nearing rehab assignments.