This is the first game against our northern neighbors this year. Former Blue Jay A.J. Burnett goes against southpaw Brett Cecil in the opener.
Vs.
Burnett is having a somewhat strange year. His strikeout rate is the lowest it's been in 10 years, and his hit rate is the highest it's been in five, yet his ERA (3.28) is lower than at any point in his career. The reason seems to be the other peripherals: his walk rate (3/9 ip) is at it's lowest since 2006, while his homerun rate (.5/9) is the lowest it's ever been. He genuinely seems to be throwing strikes (he's pitching to contact) and keeping the ball down in the zone. That said, I do not expect his ERA to remain this low, but rather to reach the high 3.00's by season's end.