Friars-Bucs Open Series, Kuhl v Lauer & Notes - Cervy Back & Hitting Third, Starling's Status Undecided

Today: The Friars come to town to open a four-game series with tonight's first pitch at 7:05. The game will be on AT&T SportsNet and 93.7 The Fan. The weather should be summery with just a 10% chance of sprinkles.

Lineup: Max Moroff 2B, Gregory Polanco RF, Fran Cervelli C, J-Bell 1B, Corey Dickerson LF, David Freese 3B, S-Rod CF, Jordy SS & Chad Kuhl P. It's the LHP lineup, shuffled a bit w/o one of the Bucs better southpaw swatters, Starling, who is still on TBD status.

Cool Chad on the hill tonight (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Pitchers: LHP Eric Lauer (1-2, 8.27) opens the set against RHP Chad Kuhl (4-2, 4.17). Cool Chad is starting to feel it; he's 3-1 in his last five starts. He still needs to fill up the zone more consistently and keep the ball in the yard; his last outing was so-so, marred by two dingers & four walks in six frames after his gem against the Brewers. He's 1-0, 3.18 in two career starts against SD with a no-decision in 3-2 loss last year and the winner by a 6-4 count in 2016. Lauer, a #1 pick in 2016 from Kent State (25th overall), was called up on April 24th. He has a four pitch toolkit and this will be his fifth start; he's been hammered early in two of the outings and tossed some nice ball in the other two, so he's still working on consistency. In his last start, he lasted for seven outs and gave up four homers to the Cards; the prior start saw him throw six innings of shutout ball against the Dodgers, so he's still in the Jekyll and Hyde stage of his development.

Notes:

• Starling has an oblique injury; they're trying to decide if a trip to the DL (he's opposed) is in order. We hope this doesn't become one of those "carry a guy that can't play for a week" or "rush 'em back" scenarios; obliques are notoriously tricky, lingering injuries. They should reach a decision soon; the most time you can go back to retro an injury is three days.

Will he stay or will he go...on the DL? (2015 Stadium Club)

• Colin Moran ranks first among NL rookies in BA (.292) and OBP (.382) while his 21 RBI are tied for second.
• Rolling, rolling, rolling...the Bucs have won 7-of-8. The Padres have been OK lately too, winning 3-of-4 with a split against the Cards. The Pirates have gone 7-2 against the Padres in the last nine games at PNC Park. Prior to 2015, the Friars had their mojo working overtime as the Bucs lost every series played against them at PNC Park.
• Well, so much for J-Hay's rehab timetable; the Curve game was rained out yesterday. He'll try again tonight, batting leadoff and playing second base.