I have strong leans with Locke,Sale,Hamels, & Price... I might parlay some with Kershaw
Locke
The Pirates (15-9) have averaged 7.2 runs while batting .296 with 15 homers during this 8-1 stretch. Josh Harrison is hitting .406 with 11 RBIs in his last 13 games and fellow infielder Jordy Mercer is batting .413 with eight RBIs in his past 12.
Now they'll try to give Locke plenty of support with designs on closing out their first home sweep of the Reds since April 2013. The left-hander, however, might not need a whole lot of offensive backing if he can replicate Monday's performance.
After giving up 11 runs and 16 hits over 7 2/3 innings in consecutive losses, Locke got on track by allowing five hits and striking out eight over six scoreless innings in a 6-1 victory at Colorado. Manager Clint Hurdle said it was the best he's seen Locke pitch since he threw eight shutout innings against Cleveland on July 4.
"He got in such a strong, aggressive rhythm," Hurdle told the league's official website. "Fastball command, the intent, the conviction, the execution. Used the changeup in offensive counts, sprinkled in some curveballs... Big for us, good for him."
Locke (1-2, 5.03 ERA) has a 3.14 ERA in 12 career starts versus Cincinnati. He gave up one run - a Eugenio Suarez homer - over six innings
Sale
Sale (5-0, 1.66 ERA) became the 10th White Sox pitcher to win his first five starts since 1913 by holding opposing hitters to a .159 batting average in the season's opening month. The left-hander has surrendered just eight hits and one earned run in 24 innings over his last three outings, and he leads the majors with a 0.68 WHIP.
Baltimore (14-9) has already beaten up on two White Sox lefties with a 10-2 rout versus John Danks in Thursday's opener and Friday's 6-3 win over Carlos Rodon, but a repeat performance against Sale seems far-fetched.
He can become the first White Sox pitcher to win his opening six starts since Jon Garland was victorious in his first eight of 2005. Six of the 10 Chicago pitchers to open 5-0 won their sixth start.
Sale's success seems a bit different than in past seasons when he powered past opposing lineups - a prime example his 12-strikeout four-hitter in 7 2/3 innings of a 3-2 win in Baltimore last May. He set a Chicago record with 274 strikeouts in 2015, but drawing more early has allowed him to pitch at least seven innings
Hamels
Hamels (3-0, 2.52 ERA) didn't pitch in Monday's 3-1 home loss to the New York Yankees because of a strained left groin, and the starting staff has a 1.67 ERA in the four games since.
The Rangers have won Hamels' last 14 starts, and the streak might get a little more attention if it weren't for Jake Arrieta's 16-start run for the Chicago Cubs.
The Texas ace has gone 10-0 with a 3.03 ERA on the streak, including limiting Houston to a run and five hits in 6 2/3 innings of a 2-1 home win April 20. It's the longest winning streak of his career, and the only time Texas has won more consecutive starts by one pitcher was 15 straight by Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins from 1978-79.
"It's big to have it for the team," Hamels told MLB's official website. "If it shows up on my record, fine, but we have had some really good wins lately, and that's something to build on. Ultimately, I'm winning games for the team."
Two of the last five starts have come against the Angels with Hamels limiting them to a run and four hits over six innings in a 4-1 win in Los Angeles on April 9. He also tossed a three-hitter against them in a 9-2 victory Oct. 4 to close out 2015.
Price
Price (3-0, 5.76 ERA) doesn't have the ERA to match his record, but the victories have been legit with a 2.57 mark, .218 opponent batting average, and 33 strikeouts in 21 innings. Breaking those wins up, however, are two no-decisions in Boston losses amounting to a 13.50 ERA and .333 OBA.
The latest was on the good side with the left-hander turning in his best start of April with two runs and six hits allowed and 14 strikeouts in eight innings of Tuesday's 11-4 win in Atlanta.
"I want to get 27 outs every five days," said Price, who now needs to level out at home, where he's gone 1-0 with an 8.62 ERA in three starts. "Twenty-four is good."
The AL East veteran has seen plenty of the Yankees, and after giving up a combined 16 runs in 4 1/3 innings of his last 2014 and first '15 start against them, he's gone 3-0 with a 1.71 ERA in his last four. Brian McCann is 10 for 29 (.345) with three home runs, but Price has held Mark Teixeira to 13 for 64 (.203) and Alex Rodriguez