MLB Today: Fernandez, Cain, Moore make 1st starts of the year
Here's what's happening in Major League Baseball right now:
THEY'RE BACK
Miami Marlins ace Jose Fernandez will pitch for the first time since May 2014, when he was stopped by Tommy John surgery. The 22-year-old righty was the 2013 NL Rookie of the Year. He'll throw at home against San Francisco Giants star Matt Cain, who makes his first start since last July, having been sidelined by elbow surgery and a strained flexor tendon.
JUST PERFECT
Max Scherzer has taken a perfect game into the sixth inning in each of his last three starts. The Washington Nationals ace threw a one-hitter and struck out 16 versus Milwaukee, lost a perfect game with two outs and two strikes in the ninth versus Pittsburgh before closing out a no-hitter, and then retired the first 16 batters versus Philadelphia. He'll now start at Atlanta.
MOORE FROM MATT
Matt Moore is set to return to the mound for Tampa Bay, 14 months after Tommy John surgery. The lefty won 17 games in his second full big-league season in 2013, but lost his first two starts last year before shutting down. He certainly hopes for more run support than the Rays have been providing. In each of their last three games, they've failed to get a baserunner until at least the sixth inning, and this time they'll be facing Cleveland's AL Cy Young Award winner, Corey Kluber.
DON'T DH HIM
Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki rejoins the lineup when Colorado plays at Arizona. He got the day off in Oakland on Wednesday and manager Walt Weiss didn't figure on using him as the designated hitter. ''I brought it up to him in Houston and he didn't like it,'' Weiss said. ''I didn't bother him this time.''
EASY DOES IT
The Braves are 3-0 this season when their pitchers start for the first time in the majors. Manny Banuelos is expected to be recalled from Triple-A to face the visiting Nationals. Mike Foltynewicz, Williams Perez, and Matt Wisler won in their first starts for Atlanta this year.
HOOPLA
Oakland lefty Scott Kazmir will share the mound with Harrison Barnes of the NBA champion Golden State Warriors, who is scheduled to throw out the first pitch before the Athletics host Seattle.