Pittsburgh-St Louis Open; Nova v Flaherty, Lineup & Notes

Today: First pitch at Busch Stadium is at 8:15. The game will be on AT&T SportsNet & 93.7 The Fan.

Pitchers: RHP Ivan Nova (7-8, 4.20) v RHP Jack Flaherty (7-6, 2.97). Nova hasn't allowed more than two earned runs in his last three starts and given up more than three just once over his last eight, so he's been rolling along. But he hasn't fared well against the Birds. He gave up four runs on eight hits in four innings during his only 2018 start on 8/4 and is 1-2/4.88 in five career starts.The 22-year-old Flaherty features a wipe-out slider and has 11+ strikeouts/nine innings & 1.05 WHIP to show for it. He's rollin' too, having given up just three runs in his last four starts covering 25 IP. This will be his fifth start already against the Buccos; he's 2-1/2.86 against them, tossing six shutout innings in his last outing in early August.

Ivan on the bump (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Lineup: Starling Marte CF, Adam Frazier 2B, Gregory Polanco RF, Fran Cervelli C, Corey Dickerson LF, Josh Bell 1B, Colin Moran 3B, Adeiny Hechavarria & Nova P. Clint just can't resist moving his guys around in the order.

Notes:

• Most teams are mum on who clears August trade waivers (and it is half the league), but it's been reported that Josh Harrison is one of the Pirates who have, which would make him trade-eligible across the board. Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic confirmed and believes a trade will happen. We're not so sure; that contract is why no one claimed him, and he's likely to be a FA after the season. They won't get much for him as a rental.
• Jordy is doing some baserunning now; he could be back for September 1st, if not sooner.
• Bob Nightengale of USA Today has a survey/feature on manager salaries; Clint does pretty well, making $3M. He's way behind Joe Maddon ($6M) but comfortably ahead of the rest of the division's skippers.
• Tyler Glasnow told David Laurila of Fangraphs that actually, not much has changed with his pitching; it's mostly a carry-over of things he and the staff had been working on in Pittsburgh, with more use of the slider. Amazing what a little confidence and getting the ball every five days will do for a guy...
• The most average team in the history of baseball? Per David Paine of FiveThirtyEight, it's the Buccos. 

Kevin Kramer...see you in September (photo Bradenton Marauders/MLB Pipeline)

• 2B Kevin Newman (.302) and SS Kevin Kramer (.303, 14 HR) of Indy were named International League Season All-Stars. Newman is on the big team; Kramer will join sometime in September, depending on whether the Tribe makes the playoffs or not (they're currently tied for first).
• Indy 1B Jose Osuna was named the International League Player of the Week. The 25-year-old went 11-for-23 with three home runs, nine RBI, four runs scored and a 1.370 OPS in six games.
• SS Oneil Cruz (.286, 14 HR) and OF Calvin Mitchell (.279, nine HR) of the WV Power were named to South Atlantic League Season All-Star Team.
• Altoona's in the Eastern League playoffs for the fourth straight year. But it's not all roses and cream; RHP's Luis Escobar and Yeudy Garcia were both suspended for "violation of club policies." Escobar started the year as the Pirates #11 prospect per MLB.com. Garcia's star has dimmed somewhat in AA.
• The Cards are expected to announce Mike Shildt as their full-time manager, with a three-year contract extension.