Kershaw-Darvish a key Friday battle
A look at what’s happening around the majors Friday:
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.
DEGROMINATOR: 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.
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 offseason 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: 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) gets the start 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.