Pitching matchups for Thursday’s MLB games

Thursday might not be a day for big-name pitchers across the board, but there are some pitching battles worth keeping an eye on ahead of the 12-game main NBA slate. Several promising, young arms are looking to build consistency. Let’s take a look at what some of the best matchups to watch could be.

Update: Thursday’s game between the Phillies and Mets was postponed due to rain.

Best Matchup: Trevor Rogers vs. Ian Anderson

This battle between young guns could be a fun one. Both pitchers are under 24 and have shown plenty of promise early in the 2021 season. The Miami Marlins’ Rogers held the Mets scoreless through six innings in his second start of the year and dialed up 10 strikeouts. The 23-year-old lefty has only given up two earned runs in 10 innings. The Atlanta Braves’ Anderson got ROY hype last year and is looking to bounce back after forking up two home runs to the Philadelphia Phillies. The righty remains one of the top up-and-coming arms in baseball and could be poised for his best performance of the year.

Sleeper Matchup: Austin Gomber vs. Julio Urias

The Colorado Rockies’ Gomber is far from being a big name, but has only forked up two hits through 9.1 innings of work this season. The 27-year-old will be challenged by the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lineup. LA scored three runs on Gomber earlier this season, but only managed to tally one hit in three innings. If Gomber doesn’t walk a ton of batters, things could get interesting. Urias might be the fourth-best pitcher in the Dodgers’ ridiculous rotation, but is one of MLB’s most exciting prospects. The 24-year-old hasn’t lost since 2019 and struck out six Rockies in seven innings while only giving up one run earlier this month. Will round two get even better for Urias?

Here’s a look at the pitching matchups for Thursday’s 11-game MLB slate on April 15th.

Phillies vs. Mets: Zach Eflin vs. Jacob deGrom
Marlins vs. Braves: Trevor Rogers vs. Ian Anderson
Padres vs. Pirates: Chris Paddack vs. Mitch Keller
Mariners vs. Orioles: Marco Gonzales vs. Bruce Zimmermann
Red Sox vs. Twins: Garrett Richards vs. Michael Pineda
Indians vs. White Sox: Aaron Civale vs. Lance Lynn
Diamondbacks vs. Nationals: Merrill Kelly vs. Patrick Corbin
Rangers vs. Rays: Jordan Lyles vs. Rich Hill
Blue Jays vs. Royals: TBD vs. Jakob Junis
Tigers vs. Athletics: Tarik Skubal vs. Cole Irvin
Rockies vs. Dodgers: Austin Gomber vs. Julio Urias