Getaway Day, Glasnow v Tanner Roark, Lineup, Notes

Today: The getaway day contest starts at 12:35. It will be on Root Sports, 93.7 The Fan and available for out-of-market fans on MLB Network. Philly comes to town tomorrow for a three-game set.

Lineup: Adam Frazier LF, Josh Harrison 3B, Cutch CF, Josh Bell 1B, John Jaso RF, Jordy Mercer SS, Alen Hanson 2B, Chris Stewart C & Tyler Glasnow P. If anyone has discerned a pattern involved in the conjuring up of mad scientist Clint’s lineups, we have yet to meet them.

Pitchers: Tyler Glasnow (1-3, 7.98) closes out the set against Tanner Roark (3-1, 3.88). Ty has had a very bumpy road trying to hone his craft at the MLB level; he’s been plagued by big innings and falling behind on hitters – he still walks 6+ per nine and we presume that falling behind is the reason he’s been serving up so many 2-0 meatballs (Frankie Liriano syndrome). His stuff plays for long stretches, so likely his key is to get aggressive early in the count. He’s faced the Nats once, in 2016, and they rattled his cage fairly hard. Tanner has been workmanlike so far this year, and certainly durable – he’s tossed 100 or more pitches in seven straight outings, and threw 97 during his first start. But for all that, he’s only got into the seventh twice in his eight appearances. He’s been tough on the Pirates – in four games (two starts, two relief calls) he’s 2-0/2.55, including an eight inning, five-hit shutout last season.

Notes:

• Jung Ho Kang’s DUI sentence was upheld by an appeals court, and so where the road goes now is anyone’s guess. The moral of the story: don’t drink & drive and then lie about it.
• Stat guys really earn their money – they dug out that yesterday was the fifth time in Cutch’s career that he recorded at least two stolen bases while also collecting at least two hits and two RBI in the same game.
• J-Bell leads all NL rookies in OBP (.333) and home runs (eight) while hitting safely in five straight games. He’s the first Pirates switch-hitting rookie to hit at least eight home runs in a season since Neil Walker hit 12 in 2010.
• The Bucs and Nats aren’t scheduled to face each other again until they get together in DC for the final four games of the season.