NERD Game Scores for June 26, 2017

Devised originally in response to a challenge issued by sabermetric forefather Rob Neyer, and expanded at the request of nobody, NERD scores represent an attempt to summarize in one number (and on a scale of 0-10) the likely aesthetic appeal or watchability, for the learned fan, of a player or team or game.

How are they calculated? Haphazardly, is how. An explanation of the components and formulae which produce these NERD scores is available here. All objections to the numbers here are probably justified, on account of how this entire endeavor is absurd.

Most Highly Rated Game
Minnesota at Boston | 19:10 ET
Berrios (54.0 IP, 98 xFIP-) vs. Sale (107.1 IP, 60 xFIP-)
The author’s haphazardly constructed algorithm has identified this game as the day’s most promising largely due to the appeal of the probable starters. Left-hander Chris Sale has been excellent, leading all qualifiers in strikeout- and walk-rate differential (K-BB%), park-adjusted xFIP (xFIP-), and WAR — by some margin, in the case of that last metric. As for Berrios, he’s finally begun experiencing the sort of success that both his stuff and minor-league numbers would suggest. Between his command and contact suppression, he’s managed to prevent runs at a slightly better rate than Sale himself, recording a park-adjusted ERA that would place him third among qualifiers.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Boston Radio.

Another Brief Note
Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game features Cincinnati at St. Louis, starts at 16:15 ET, and can be accessed by means of this hyperlinked text.

Complete Schedule
Here’s the complete and also sortable table for all of today’s games. Pitching probables and game times aggregated from MLB.com and the rest of the internet. Note that calculations both for team and game NERD scores feature adjustment for postseason odds that increases as season progresses. Read more about those adjustments here and here.