NERD Game Scores: Return Engagement of Rubby de la Rosa
Devised originally in response to a challenge issued by viscount of the internet 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. Read more about the components of and formulae for NERD scores here.
Most Highly Rated Game
Chicago AL at Boston | 19:10 ET
Chris Sale (87.1 IP, 72 xFIP-, 2.9 WAR) faces Rubby de la Rosa (32.1 IP, 75 xFIP-, 0.7 WAR). The former is the best pitcher in the baseball who also resembles a child’s stick-figure portrait of a baseball pitcher. The latter returns to the majors after having compiled a series of five starts in late-May and June over which he recorded strikeout and walk rates of 24.0% and 6.4%, respectively, while also producing an above-average ground-ball rate and while also-also producing one of the league’s highest average fastball velocities.
Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Boston Radio.
Three Brief Notes
Regarding Brandon McCarthy, What He’s Doing Tonight
Acquired from Arizona over the weekend in exchange for Vidal Nuno, right-hander Brandon McCarthy makes his debut for the New York Americans at Cleveland tonight. As illustrated by the table below, McCarthy has thus far recorded the greatest difference between his park-adjusted ERA and xFIP among qualified major-league pitchers.
| # | Name | Team | IP | ERA- | xFIP- | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brandon McCarthy | — | 109.2 | 131 | 78 | 53 |
| 2 | Ricky Nolasco | Twins | 103.2 | 151 | 107 | 44 |
| 3 | Justin Masterson | Indians | 98.0 | 146 | 104 | 42 |
| 4 | Stephen Strasburg | Nationals | 119.1 | 95 | 67 | 28 |
| 5 | Wade Miley | D-backs | 120.0 | 116 | 88 | 28 |
Regarding a Likely and Notable Major-League Debut
Promoted to the parent club in place of Cubs second baseman Darwin Barney (who’s on paternity leave), prospect Arismendy Alcantara is expected to make his major-league debut tonight at Cincinnati. Alcantara was ranked fifth among Cubs prospects this offseason by Marc Hulet and has produced entirely respectable offensive numbers as just a 22-year-old at Triple-A this year.
Regarding Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game features Toronto at Anaheim, starts at 3:35pm ET, and can be accessed by means of this hyperlinked text.
Complete Schedule
Here’s the complete and very sortable table for all of today’s games. Pitching probables and game times aggregated from MLB.com and also the rest of the internet.
| Away | SP | Tm. | Gm. | Tm. | SP | Home | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zack Greinke | LAN | 8 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 8 | DET | Max Scherzer | 13:08 |
| Eric Stults | SD | 3 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 5 | COL | Jair Jurrjens* | 15:10 |
| Marcus Stroman | TOR | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | LAA | C.J. Wilson | 15:35 |
| Nathan Eovaldi | MIA | 7 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 2 | AZ | Josh Collmenter | 15:40 |
| Brand. McCarthy | NYA | 9 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 8 | CLE | Josh Tomlin | 19:05 |
| Doug Fister | WAS | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 3 | BAL | Bud Norris | 19:05 |
| Ervin Santana | ATL | 9 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 2 | NYN | Dillon Gee | 19:10 |
| Dallas Beeler* | CHN | 7 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 5 | CIN | Alfredo Simon | 19:10 |
| Chris Sale | CHA | 10 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 10 | BOS | Rubby de la Rosa | 19:10 |
| Yordano Ventura | KC | 10 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 7 | TB | Alex Cobb | 19:10 |
| Dallas Keuchel | HOU | 8 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 7 | TEX | Yu Darvish | 20:05 |
| Rob. Hernandez | PHI | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 4 | MIL | Kyle Lohse | 20:10 |
| Brand. Cumpton | PIT | 6 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | STL | Lance Lynn | 20:15 |
| Kyle Gibson | MIN | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | SEA | Roenis Elias | 22:10 |
| Jason Hammel | OAK | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | SF | Matt Cain | 22:15 |
To learn how Game NERD Scores are calculated, click here.
* = Fewer than 20 IP, NERD at discretion of very handsome author.
Carson Cistulli has published a book of aphorisms called Spirited Ejaculations of a New Enthusiast.
Regarding an uncommon first name
Today features two starting pitchers named Dallas.