Las Vegas 51s @ Tacoma Rainiers, 10:00pm EST
Zack Wheeler (4-1, 3.86 ERA) vs. TBD
Las Vegas turns to Wheeler to be their stopper after dropping the series opener against Tacoma, their fifth loss in a row to the Rainiers. After struggling in his first two appearances back from the disabled list, Wheeler put together a nice start against Fresno on June 1st. He threw six innings and allowed one run on three hits, one walk, and six strikeouts. Wheeler is one the the leading vote-getters for the Triple-A All-Star game, but this could be one of his last starts before getting promoted to the big leagues.
Binghamton Mets @ Altoona Curve, 7:00pm EST
Logan Verrett (6-2, 3.86 ERA) vs. David Bromberg (2-5, 3.83 ERA)
Verrett got roughed up on May 31st against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. He threw five innings and allowed eight runs on 11 hits, one walk and three strikeouts. The innings pitched mark matched a season-low, while the runs and hits allowed were both season-highs. His only other bad start in 2013 came on May 2nd against Erie (6 ER on 8 H), and he showed the ability to bounce back (8.2 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 9 Ks). We’ll see if he’s able to get right back on track tonight in Altoona.
St. Lucie Mets @ Jupiter Hammerheads, 6:35pm EST
Domingo Tapia (2-4, 3.58 ERA) vs. TBD
Following his worst start of the season in his return from the disabled list on May 24th (0.1 IP, six runs, two hits, four walks, no strikeouts), Tapia bounced back on June 1st. The young hurler threw five innings, allowing one run on five hits, two walks, and four strikeouts. He will try to get his control, well, under control in tonight’s start. In his first six starts this season, Tapia walked 10 hitters, while striking out 24. Through his last three starts, the right-hander has walked nine hitters and struck out eight.
Savannah Sand Gnats @ Rome Braves, 7:00pm EST
Matt Koch (3-2, 4.91 ERA) vs. Mauricio Cabrera (1-3, 4.48 ERA)
The one thing Matt Koch knows how to do is to throw the ball in the strike zone to challenge hitters. Through his first 40.1 innings pitched this season, the righty has allowed only one free pass to opposing hitters. Once he began starting ballgames, he went three starts before allowing his first walk of the season against Augusta. He’s re-started that streak, putting a goose egg in the “BB” column of his stat sheet in his last two starts. While that’s awesome, he’s allowed 49 hits on the season, but only 34 in 30.2 innings pitched as a starter. That’s an improvement on the 15 knocks he allowed in 9.2 innings as a reliever.
Do you know where Koch prokects? Closer, starter or middle reliever? The talk last draft was that he was drafted so high to be a reliver and would move quickly like Leatherrocket.
With his fastball-slider-change, he could become a starter if he gets his secondary pitches under control. He’s struggled as a reliever since last year, so I would think the Mets want to give him a look as a starter as well, since he started while in college until his senior year. I think his ultimate role on the mound is still up for discussion. He’s performed much better as a starter this season than he has as a reliever.