today:PRIZE FIGHTTop contenders for the NL Cy Young Award square off when Aaron Nola (14-3 http://www.yankeesfanproshop.com/authentic-giancarlo-stanton-jersey , 2.24 ERA) and the Phillies face Max Scherzer (16-5, 2.11) and the Nationals in their series finale. Nola is 2-0 with a 1.98 ERA in two starts this season against Washington, which has won consecutive games against Philadelphia since trading away Daniel Murphy and Matt Adams. The second-place Phillies are three games behind Atlanta in the NL East, while the Nationals are 7½ games back.PAIR OF ACESIn another marquee matchup on the mound, it’s Jacob deGrom (8-7, 1.71 ERA) and the Mets hosting Madison Bumgarner (4-5, 3.05) and the Giants for a Citi Field matinee. Also a leading candidate for the NL Cy Young Brian Roberts Jersey , deGrom is coming off his third career complete game and first this season last Saturday in a 3-1 win at Philadelphia. Bumgarner is 5-0 with a 0.47 ERA in five starts at Citi Field. He last faced New York in the 2016 NL wild-card game, pitching a four-hit shutout that sent San Francisco to the NLDS.E-WING SWINGIN’Boston tries to slow down Edwin Encarnacion and the Indians as the major league-leading Red Sox seek a split of their four-game series between AL division leaders. Encarnacion cleared the Green Monster twice Wednesday night after being sidelined since Aug. 12 with a bruised right wrist, though Boston still beat Cleveland 10-4 to end a three-game skid. Encarnacion has 27 homers and is trying to reach 30 for the seventh straight season, stretching the longest active streak in the majors. Red Sox left-hander David Price (13-6, 3.69) is 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA since the All-Star break.IMMEDIATE DIVIDENDSCole Hamels is 3-0 with a 0.72 ERA in four starts for the NL Central-leading Cubs since they acquired him from Texas in a July 27 trade. Hamels pitches the opener of a four-game series at Wrigley Field against last-place Cincinnati. One day after obtaining Daniel Murphy from Washington to boost their sagging lineup, the Cubs finally broke loose Wednesday night in an 8-2 victory at Detroit. Chicago, which homered three times Thurman Munson Jersey , had scored exactly one run in each of its previous five games. Murphy singled home a run in his first game with the Cubs.TOO HOT CORNERWil Myers’ move to third base got messy Wednesday. The Padres‘ infielder was scratched from a game against Colorado with a cut on his nose after taking a grounder to the face while practicing at his new position. Myers was fielding grounders at third during batting practice when a ball went over his glove and struck him. He left the field holding a towel over his face with a trainer near his side. Myers was scheduled to make his eighth start at the hot corner as San Diego experiments with sliding the veteran outfielder and first baseman across the diamond. The end is near for the Detroit Tigers but it doesn’t appear to be coming soon enough.They’ve lost eight of their last 10 contests heading into a four-game home series against the Kansas City Royals, which begins Thursday night. Detroit was swept at home by Minnesota over the past three days, including an 8-2 thumping Wednesday afternoon.The Tigers fell behind 6-0 in the first four innings and were held scoreless until the ninth. They only banged out four hits.Article continues below ...“We just had a bad day out there,” Detroit manager Ron Gardenhire said. “We didn’t do too much until late. We got a couple of hits but we didn’t swing the bat well.”One positive heading in the Royals series is they’ll have their most consistent starter in the opener.Tigers starter Matthew Boyd (9-12, 4.08 ERA) has a 3.09 ERA since the All-Star break spanning 11 starts, with 68 strikeouts in 67 innings.He held Cleveland scoreless until the sixth inning in his last start Friday. He then gave up back-to-back homers to Edwin Encarnacion and Josh Donaldson and wound up with a no-decision in Detroit’s 5-4 victory.“It’s not dispiriting when we win,” Boyd said to MLB.com. “It’s fine Jorge Posada Jersey , you can live with it. I just fell behind and kicked myself there a little bit.”Boyd was brilliant in his last home start, giving up one run on two hits over seven innings against St. Louis while racking up 11 strikeouts.He’s struggled for the most part against the Royals this season. In four starts, he’s 1-3 with a 4.32 ERA. For his career, Boyd is 3-7 with a 6.50 ERA in 13 starts against Kansas City. Royals leadoff hitter Whit Merrifield has been a big thorn in his side with 10 hits in 23 at-bats.Kansas City’s scheduled starter, Jorge Lopez, was acquired from Milwaukee in the deal that sent third baseman Mike Moustakas to the Brewers. He’s won two of his last three starts, holding Baltimore and Minnesota to one run apiece.In his last start — a rematch with the Twins on Friday http://www.yankeesfanproshop.com/authentic-giancarlo-stanton-jersey , Lopez took a no-decision while giving up three runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings.There’s a lot of uncertainly whether he’ll be able to start Thursday. He’s dealing with a left rib contusion. He suffered the injury during a collision with third baseman Hunter Dozier.“It depends how I feel. Tomorrow’s going to be another day,” Lopez told mlb.com Wednesday. “I think I’m going to make it. It’s nothing that’s really, really bothering me, but I’m still uncomfortable.”Lopez threw 50 pitches Tuesday.“He felt it a little bit, but got through it fine, which is a good sign,” manager Ned Yost said to mlb.com. “Which means that he’s still in line to make the start. … I anticipate him making a start. Which doesn’t mean he’s going to Johnny Damon Jersey , but I think he’s going to.”Yost’s club hit the 100-loss mark Wednesday, dropping a 2-1 decision at Pittsburgh. The Royals have won nine of the first 15 meetings with Detroit this season.