Major League Baseball

LEADING OFF: Bumgarner vs Kershaw again, Porcello vs O's

Published Sep. 19, 2016 6:30 a.m. ET

foxsports

A look at what's happening all around the majors today:

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HELLO AGAIN

Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner (14-9, 2.66 ERA) faces three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw (11-3, 1.81) in what will be the 11th matchup between the two southpaws, including the third this season. The Dodgers won the previous two matchups, even when Bumgarner homered off Kershaw on April 9. Kershaw is making his third start since returning from the disabled list. He's 0-1 with a 2.25 ERA over eight innings since coming back, averaging 65 pitches in two starts.

KINGS OF THE HILL

Rick Porcello (20-4, 3.12) looks to strengthen his Cy Young Award case in a pivotal start against Baltimore. AL East-leading Boston likely ended the Yankees' hopes of winning the division over the weekend, and it has a chance to do the same in a four-game series with the O's this week. Porcello pitched eight dominant innings last time out against Baltimore, but the Red Sox lost to Kevin Gausman and the O's 1-0. Dylan Bundy (9-5, 3.88) opposes Porcello in this series opener.

THOR TO THE RESCUE

Noah Syndergaard (13-8, 2.43) tries to cover some innings for the well-worn Mets bullpen in a game against Atlanta. Including the 4 2/3 innings Gabriel Ynoa pitched Sunday in a spot start for scratched Jacob deGrom, New York's bullpen has worked 18 innings over New York's past two games. Syndergaard already has a career-high 174 innings pitched this season for the Mets, who lead the NL wild-card race by one game over the Giants.

DRIVE FOR 100

The Cubs open a series against Cincinnati hoping not just to edge closer to home-field advantage, but also their 100th victory. Chicago has 94 wins. ''It's a pretty neat number. I've never done that before,'' said manager Joe Maddon, who won 97 in 2008 with Tampa and last year with Chicago.

TESTY AND TESTED

The Tigers hope for good news after Ian Kinsler was sent for concussion tests Sunday. Kinsler got his helmet knocked off by a pitch from Trevor Bauer in a 9-5 victory over Cleveland. He grabbed the side of his head after being struck, was examined and went to first. Kinsler later yelled at Bauer when the pitcher plunked Victor Martinez, and then was ejected a couple innings later. Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said Kinsler, who committed a fielding error at second base in the fifth, showed symptoms later in the game.