Skip to main content

LEADING OFF: Verlander the ring man; Machado moves over

A look at what's happening all around the majors today:

---

HE PUT A RING ON IT

Tigers ace Justin Verlander pitches in Cleveland, one night after his swimsuit-model fiancee Kate Upton revealed the couple got engaged in March. Detroit goes for its sixth straight win. Josh Tomlin (3-0) starts for the Indians, who have lost three in a row.

MANNY MOVES OVER

Gold Glove third baseman Manny Machado is expected to shift back to shortstop, his natural position, when Baltimore hosts the skidding New York Yankees, who have lost five straight and 13 of 17. Machado would make the move to replace injured Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy, who will be sidelined for at least a month with a hairline fracture in his left foot. Machado, the AL player of the month for April, began his pro career as a shortstop and has played four games there this season, including two starts.

EVERYTHING'S JAKE

Jake Arrieta (5-0) looks to extend his remarkable run of dominance when the Chicago Cubs ace faces Jonathon Niese (3-0) and the NL Central rival Pirates. Arrieta returns to Pittsburgh, where he threw a five-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts in the NL wild-card game last year.

RAY MATTER

Scott Kazmir (1-2) starts against his former team when the Los Angeles Dodgers visit Tampa Bay. Matt Moore (1-2) takes the mound for the Rays in a matchup of All-Star lefties.

DUBIOUS RECORD

Cincinnati's bullpen has given up at least one run in 20 consecutive games, matching the major league record since 1900, according to information provided by the Reds from the Elias Sports Bureau. The 2013 Rockies bullpen also did it. The record will be on the line when the Reds play the Giants in the second game of their series.

BACK ON TRACK?

Mets right-hander Matt Harvey (2-3, 4.76 ERA) attempts to win his third straight start when he faces Atlanta. Harvey lost his first three outings this season before beating the Braves at Turner Field on April 22. On the mound for Atlanta is Matt Wisler (0-2, 4.26), who beat the Mets in his big league debut last June with eight sharp innings.

TRY, TRY AGAIN

Hisashi Iwakuma (0-3, 4.65 ERA) tries again for his first victory of the season in the middle game of Seattle's series with the Oakland Athletics, who counter with ace Sonny Gray (3-2, 3.81).

CAN VOTTO DOUBLE UP?

Cincinnati slugger Joey Votto hasn't homered in back-to-back games since Sept. 1-2 last season. He hit his third of the season off Giants newcomer Johnny Cueto on Monday night, a three-run shot. Votto has a chance to make it two games in a row against Jeff Samardzija (3-1).