MLB wrap: Chris Sale, Blake Snell give fan bases something to worry about

Thomas Lott

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MLB wrap: Chris Sale, Blake Snell give fan bases something to worry about image

It's overreaction Thursday! It was MLB Opening Day and there were a lot of fun things about the start of the season:

  • Teams set an Opening Day record by hitting 48 home runs.
  • The Dodgers tied the MLB record for most homers in a game by one team with eight.
  • Astros center fielder George Springer became the first leadoff man in history to hit a home run on three straight Opening Days.

For Rays and Red Sox fans, however, Thursday was a day to panic a bit. Tampa Bay ace Blake Snell got knocked around for five runs in six innings, with three homers allowed, including this three-run dinger to Springer on a hanging curveball.

Snell won the AL Cy Young award last year, but some believe he is a candidate for regression after his FIP and ERA did not line up and his BABIP was hilariously low. This is just one game against a potent Astros lineup, though, so a 5-1 loss isn't anything to panic about — yet.

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Boston fans, on the other hand, absolutely have something about which to panic. Chris Sale just signed a five-year, $145 million extension, but his 92.9 mph average fastball velocity Thursday was the third-lowest in one of his starts since the start of the 2017 season, according to Brooks Baseball.

This was Opening Day. Pitchers are rested and fresh and have had plenty of time to build up their arms for their first starts of the season. Sale showed the same diminished velocity he displayed at the end of 2018. This is cause for concern.

He allowed seven runs, six hits (three of them home runs) and two walks in three innings of work in a 12-4 loss to the Mariners. Thursday was not an encouraging day for Boston and Sale fans.

Studs of the Day

Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong went 2 for 3 with two home runs and three RBIs in a 5-4 loss to the Brewers.

Javier Baez went 2 for 5 with two home runs and four RBIs in the Cubs' 12-4 win over the Rangers.

Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson went 3 for 4 with two home runs and four RBIs in Los Angeles' 12-5 win over the Diamondbacks.

Jacob deGrom tossed six innings of shutout ball with 10 strikeouts in the Mets' 2-0 win over the Nationals.

STEELE: Mets show they could be a threat in NL East

Blue Jays starter Marcus Stroman and Tigers pitcher Jordan Zimmermann both tossed seven shutout innings in Detroit's 2-0, 10-inning win in Toronto.

Duds of the Day

Braves center fielder Ender Inciarte went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts in Atlanta's 10-4 loss to the Phillies.

Orioles first baseman Chris Davis went 0 for 3 with three strikeouts in Baltimore's 7-2 loss to the Yankees.

Highlight

Matt Chapman's gonna Matt Chapman. The Athletics third baseman made a nice catch on a hot shot in Oakland's 4-0 win over the Angels.

What's next

Astros (1-0) at Rays (0-1) 7:10 p.m. ET — Astros World Series hero Charlie Morton makes his first start of the year against his former team. The new Rays starter will take on Gerrit Cole at Tropicana Field.

Thomas Lott