A look at what’s happening around baseball Sunday:MAX MATCHUPNationals ace Max Scherzer (15-5
http://www.philliesfanproshop.com/authentic-clay-buchholz-jersey , 2.28 ERA) will try to become the first 16-game winner in the majors when he
starts the Sunday night game at Wrigley Field. Owner of three Cy Young Awards,
he also leads the majors in strikeouts this year with 216 in 161 2/3 innings.
Cole Hamels starts for the Cubs — he’s allowed just one earned run in 11 innings
during the first two starts since being acquired from Texas.SALE SETRed Sox ace
Chris Sale returns from a two-week stint on the disabled list because of
shoulder inflammation. Manager Alex Cora said the lefty could throw 100 pitches
if he’s not too rusty. Sale (11-4) leads the AL with a 2.04 ERA and will try to
pitch Boston to a four-game sweep of the Orioles at Camden Yards.WELCOME
BACKMets third baseman David Wright is set to play in a minor league game, more
than two years since the oft-injured team captain last appeared in the majors.
The 35-year-old Wright has been beset by back, neck and shoulder trouble. He’s
scheduled to start a rehab assignment by playing five innings in the field for
Class A St. Lucie. His last game in the bigs was May 27, 2016 — he had brief
stint in the minors last August before being shut down.WAITINGThe Rockies will
see how third baseman Nolan Arenado is feeling, a day after he was out of the
starting lineup at Coors Field against the Dodgers. The All-Star third baseman
left Friday night’s game with a strained right shoulder. Arenado is hitting .307
with 29 home runs and 82 RBIs
Aaron Altherr Jersey , and Colorado is hoping he can avoid a trip to the disabled list.MISS HIMThe AL Central-leading Indians have put slugger Edwin
Encarnacion on the disabled list because of swelling in his left biceps. The
cleanup man has struggled since being hit on the right hand by Yankees reliever
Chad Green before the All-Star break.SWEET SWINGBlue Jays prospect Vladimir
Guerrero Jr. has hit four home runs in the last four games for Triple-A Buffalo.
The 19-year-old son of a Hall of Famer is batting a combined .406 with 18 home
runs at four levels of the minor leagues. The Bisons host the Toledo Mud Hens to
wrap up the weekend. Justin Verlander has dominated the Los Angeles Angels ever
since he was traded to the Houston Astros toward the end of last season, and he
has been particularly strong against them at Angel Stadium.The 35-year-old
right-hander will try to continue that trend when he takes the mound Saturday
night in the second game of the three-game series in Anaheim.Verlander has won
all five starts against the Angels since he was acquired from the Detroit Tigers
on Sept. 1 of last season, allowing two earned runs in 36 innings.Article
continues below ...He has thrown 23 consecutive scoreless innings over his past
three starts at Angel Stadium.“I like the aesthetic of pitching here,” Verlander
said after shutting out the Angels on five hits over six innings in a 7-0 win on
July 21.The Astros (78-50) enter Saturday with a 1 1/2-game lead over the
Oakland A’s for first place in the American League West.Houston won the series
opener 9-3 on Friday night to maintain that lead over Oakland, which also won on
Friday. The A’s briefly tied the Astros for the AL West lead earlier this month,
but Houston has won three in a row and four of five to regain its advantage.The
Mariners are 5 1/2 games back of the Astros and chasing the A’s for the final
wild-card spot from the AL.The Angels (63-66) welcomed back center fielder Mike
Trout on Friday night after the two-time AL MVP missed the 20 games with a sore
right wrist and then the sudden death of his brother-in-law on Aug. 15. He went
2-for-3 with a triple Friday.Verlander (12-8
http://www.philliesfanproshop.com/authentic-chase-utley-jersey , 2.65 ERA) hasn’t been as sharp in his four starts in August, all against teams
that are also battling for a playoff spot.He allowed four runs and seven hits
over 5 1/3 innings on Sunday against the A’s and earned his 200th career victory
in the 9-4 win. He had lost his previous two starts against the Colorado Rockies
and Mariners.“When you reach a milestone, you look back, understand and relish
what you’ve done,” Verlander told reporters after his latest win. “I look around
from when I started and realized it’s a long journey. From age 21 to now,
mentally
Richie Ashburn Jersey , it’s been a process.”Los Angeles rookie right-hander Jaime Barria is scheduled to oppose Verlander on Saturday.Barria
made the fifth start of his career against the Astros on May 15 and performed
well. He limited them to one run and four hits over seven innings, but the
bullpen blew a 3-1 lead in the 5-3 loss in Anaheim.Barria (8-7, 3.41 ERA) was
5-1 with a 2.48 ERA after beating the Texas Rangers on June 1, but then went
nearly two months without a victory.He has bounced back nicely in August, owning
a 2-0 record in four starts with a 2.18 ERA.Barria faced the Rangers again on
Sunday and limited them to one run and seven hits in five innings, but again did
not get the victory after the bullpen gave up three runs in the seventh inning
of the 4-2 loss.“I always try to locate my pitches and do my job every
game
Chuck Klein Jersey ,” Barria told MLB.com in Spanish following his most recent outing.
