Andrew Abbott (CIN) vs TBD (CHC)
Andrew Abbott is in NL Cy Young calculations to start the year, posting a tidy 1.77 ERA through eight starts with 45 strikeouts to go with it.
The left-hander allowed only one earned run through 5.2 frames against the Cubs last week at Great American Ball Park, but this is an entirely different challenge at Wrigley Field with Pete Crow-Armstrong swinging a hot bat alongside Dansby Swanson.
Abbott hasn’t pitched at Wrigley since 2023, and with the Cubs ranking top five in runs scored against lefties, there’s a compelling case to be made for the home side.
Kyle Freeland (COL) vs David Peterson (NYM)
We’ve got a lefty on lefty matchup here on the rubber, and it’s one that could favour the Mets quite heavily if David Peterson brings his best stuff.
The 29-year-old has put together two solid outings against the Yankees and Dodgers in succession, allowing a combined three earned runs and six walks, alongside 11 strikeouts.
After the White Sox did it last year, the Rockies are on a warpath to post the worst record in baseball history, and their numbers against lefties (second in strikeout percentage) doesn’t suggest a rare win is about to happen here on Saturday.
Ryan Pepiot (TB) vs Framber Valdez (HOU)
Quality matchup on the mound here with Pepiot coming off a seven-inning shutout against the Blue Jays, and Valdez looking to build on last week’s six-inning, one-run game against the Mariners.
Offensively, these two sides have been among the hottest in baseball over the last week, both ranking Top 10 in runs scored, while it’s worth noting their respective strikeout rates both sit in the bottom five in the league.
Whether those two factors cancel eachother out remains to be seen, but with two quality arms throwing, I’m leaning towards a low-scoring game.