12 Lefties go to the hill today
Perez-Rangers
Happ-Blue Jays
Pomeranz-Red Sox
Miley-Mariners
Santiago-Angels
Overton-A's
Milone-Twins
Smyly-Rays
Kazmir-Dodgers
Friedrich-Padres
De LaRosa-Rockies
Garcia-Cards
Perez
Both pitchers are having months they'd rather forget as their teams have struggled to the month. At least they have that in common.
Kennedy, the subject of trade rumors, is 0-3 in July and 6.9 with a 4.41 ERA in a disappointing season for the right-hander. At least Perez (7-7) knows how Kennedy is feeling. Like Kennedy, Perez has suffered through a 0-3 July and has seen his ERA jump from 3.39 to 4.38 over his last four starts.
While Kennedy may be pitching for his rotation spot and a chance to impress a possible trade partner, Perez is just trying to get back on track after having a stretch in which he went 6-0 over eight starts from May 24 until July 1.
Saturday he'll have a chance to give their Rangers three-consecutive wins from the rotation for the first time since he was part of a four-game rotation winning streak June 14-17.
He knows what has to happen.
"I need to be more aggressive," said Perez, who allowed five runs (three earned) in his last start. "My curveball is back. I need to try and get hitters early and start being aggressive early in the game. I need to make the hitters uncomfortable."
Even though Perez is struggling this month, he has reached some milestones. Saturday's start will be his 22nd of the season, two more than he's made in any other year. He's also thrown 125 1/3 innings, a new career high. He pitched 124 1/3 in 2013.
Perez is also still tied for second on the team in quality starts with 13 in his first full season back since having Tommy John surgery in 2014. He knows how important going deep into games is for a rotation that's struggled.
Garcia
Jaime Garcia, who will make his 21st start of the season, the most he has had since getting 32 starts in 2011.
Garcia leads the National League in ground-ball percentage (58.7). He has also induced 16 double plays, which ranks fourth in the NL. He has fared well in five career starts against the Marlins, going 2-0 with a 1.99 ERA. That's the sixth-best ERA against the Marlins among active pitchers.
Kazmir
The Diamondbacks will start Braden Shipley (0-1, 10.13 ERA) against Los Angeles lefty Scott Kazmir (9-3, 4.35 ERA). The Milwaukee Brewers tagged Shipley for six runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings in his major league debut and a 7-2 romp on July 25.
In his last outing, Kazmir won his seventh straight decision in a in a 9-6 Dodgers' decision over the St. Louis Cardinals on July 24. Kazmir allowed three runs on six hits in five innings. He struck out three and walked none.
Kazmir hasn't faced the Diamondbacks since June 22, 2007 when he was with the Tampa Bay Rays. In that contest, Kazmir struck out eight, walked two and limited Arizona to a run on three hits in 7 2/3 innings and claimed the win in the Rays' 4-1 victory.
Happ
J.A. Happ (13-3, 3.27 ERA), who has already set a career best for victories in a season. He held the Seattle Mariners to one hit and four walks while striking out six in six innings of a 2-0 victory Sunday. He is 3-3 with a 3.76 ERA in 10 career games (nine starts) against the Orioles.
Toronto leads the season series 6-5 and six of the games have been decided by one run.
The Orioles have lost four in a row overall and 11 of their past 16 road games. They are 1-4 this season at Rogers Centre.
Pomeranz vs Santiago
Pomeranz, who was traded from Oakland to San Diego during the offseason, developed a much-needed third pitch that propelled him into the Padres' starting rotation and eventually to the National League All-Star team before he was traded to Boston on July 14.
He was 8-7 with a 2.47 ERA in 17 starts for the Padres, and a significant part of his success can be attributed to the cutter he learned just before the start of spring training.
While learning a new pitch is not all that unusual, what was unusual was who Pomeranz learned that pitch from.
Pomeranz was working out a couple weeks before spring training, playing catch with minor league catcher Travis Higgs, when Pomeranz noticed how Higgs' ball would move.
"I noticed his ball would cut, so I asked him about it," Pomeranz told The Huffington Post. "He showed me how to throw it. At first, maybe one out of 10 (of his pitches) would cut. I kept doing it every day, and guys were missing it. No one was squaring it up, so I was like, 'I guess this thing works.'"
It has been a good pitch to complement his exceptional curveball and a 92-mph fastball.
Pomeranz, though, is 0-1 with a 7.00 ERA in two starts for Boston, and will go up against one of the hottest pitchers in baseball. Angels starter Hector Santiago hasn't lost a decision since June 10, winning six consecutive decisions and five straight starts.
He is 5-0 with a 1.48 ERA in July, and is 9-4 with a 4.28 ERA overall in 21 starts. And he is doing it despite rumors he could be traded before the non-waiver trading deadline Aug. 1.
"Honestly, I have no control over that," Santiago told the Orange County Register. "I can't come in and tell them to trade me or not trade me. I just try to come in and have fun and be happy every day. If this is my last game here I just enjoy it and have fun with the guys and see what happens from there."
Santiago is 2-3 with a 2.97 ERA in seven career games (six starts) against Boston. His last start against the Red Sox came July 2 at Fenway, and Santiago earned the win after giving up just one unearned run and four hits in six innings.
Santiago has had success against most of the Red Sox's top hitters, holding David Ortiz to a .214 average and Mookie Betts to .222. However, Xander Bogaerts has had Santiago's number, hitting .556 (5 for 9) against him.
