Monday Night Baseball: Tyler Anderson v Miguel Diaz in Series Opener; Feliz Back

Today’s Game: The series opens at 10:10 at Petco Park and will be aired on AT&T SportsNet & 93.7 The Fan. The two teams split a mid-April four-game set at PNC Park, but more recently the Pirates have dropped four in a row while the Friars have won six-of-nine. But there is a home disadvantage: the Bucs have taken the last three games & six of their last eight played in San Diego, plus they’ve won their last three road series, so…

Lineup: Adam Frazier 2B; Bryan Reynolds CF; Colin Moran 1B; Erik Gonzalez 3B; Phil Evans LF; Gregory Polanco RF; Kevin Newman SS; Michael Perez C; Tyler Anderson P. Sorta figured Jake would get a blow after being bopped yesterday and Tom takes a seat for Phil. E-Gon is an unlikely cleanup guy, but the roster doesn’t have much of a natural middle-of-the-order baked into it, so…

Pitchers: LHP Tyler Anderson (2-2/3.38) kicks it off against RHP Miguel Diaz. Anderson has been Mr. Steady As She Blows for the Bucs; you can count on five+ innings and three or fewer runs. He’s been good against the Friars, posting a lifetime line of 4-2/2.53 in 10 appearances (nine starts) and Tyler whupped Big Joe Musgrove, 5-1, the last time he met the Beach Boys in April. The 26-year-old Diaz, a former Rule-5 pick, has a 2-1/6.62 slash in 47 big league games, and this is his first MLB start since 2017. He’s replacing Andy Paddack, who was placed on the IL over the weekend for an undisclosed condition (SD had three pitchers that missed their last starts, but hope to have at least one of them back for tomorrow). Diaz has never faced the Pirates.

Notes:

• RHP Michael Feliz (cracked fingernail) has been reinstated from the IL and RHP Sean Poppen was optioned to the alternate camp.
• RHP Ric Rod has retired 25 batters in a row, the most for Pirates reliever since Mark Melancon (26) in 2015. He’s also gone 22 straight outings without allowing a run.
• 1B Colin Moran and SS Kevin Newman have had five “non routine” (ie, defensive robbery) plays made against them so far this year, per Inside Edge. That’s tied for second in MLB.
• The Bucco taxi squad for this road trip: RHP Kyle Keller, RHP James Marvel, RHP Shea Spitzbarth, C Jason Delay, and UT Hunter Owen.
• Pittsburgh signed C Christian Bethancourt, who has suited up for the Braves and Padres, to a minor league contract and assigned him to Indy. The 29-year-old is a utility guy who can also play corner outfield. 

Tomorrow’s Game: Starting time is 10:10 and it’ll be on AT&T SportsNet & 93.7 The Fan. Mitch Keller goes for the Bucs.