LEADING OFF: Scherzer vs. deGrom, Hamels faces Phillies
A look at what's happening around the majors today:
CURTAIN UP! LIGHT THE LIGHTS!
Max Scherzer, the 2016 and '17 NL Cy Young Award winner, starts for Washington and Jacob deGrom, the 2018 NL Cy Young winner, starts for the New York Mets in a rematch of opening-day starters. The Mets won the opener 2-0 as deGrom struck out 10 and walked one in six innings, allowing six hits. Scherzer gave up two runs and two hits in 7 2/3 innings, striking out 12 and walking three. Robinson Canó homered in the first and added an RBI single in the eighth against reliever Matt Grace.
YOU'RE A MAN WHO GOES TRAVELING
Cole Hamels (4-0) starts for the Chicago Cubs in his first career start against the Philadelphia Phillies, the team that signed him as a first-round pick in the 2002 amateur draft. Hamels was 114-90 for the Phillies from 2006-15, helping Philadelphia win the 2008 World Series and the 2009 NL pennant. He was traded to Texas in July 2015 and to the Cubs last July. Rookie Cole Irvin (2-0) starts for the Phillies.
WE HAVE SO MUCH IN COMMON
Milwaukee's Zach Davies (5-0) takes a 1.54 ERA, second in the major leagues behind the 1.52 for Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Hyun-jin Ryu, into his start against Cincinnati. Before this year, Davies had won his first decision just once, as a rookie in September 2015. Reds starter Luis Castillo (5-1) is third in the NL with a 1.90 ERA.
I'M ELECTRIFYING
The Dodgers' Cody Bellinger hit 17 homers in the Los Angeles Dodgers' first 48 games, one shy of the team record set by Gil Hodges in 1951 and matched by Raúl Mondesi in 1999. Roy Campanella had 17 through 48 games in 1953 and 1955, and Duke Snider also reached that figure in 1955.