Taking a look around the league, here’s a recap of last night’s action and suggestions for your fantasy baseball team.
Mr. Clutch (pitcher) – Mike Minor shut down the Mets last night, going 7.2 innings and allowing three hits and two walks while striking out 10. If you drafted Mike Minor, you’re getting top-10 pitching results from him this season. However, look for some regression. Mike Minor’s LOB% (84.3) and BABIP (.237) point to Minor being a bit lucky when comparing them to his career numbers (Career LOB% of 72.8 and BABIP of .288). If you are going to sell high on Mike Minor, sell very high.
Mr. Clutch (hitter) – Josh Donaldson has a big game last night going 4-for-4 with a home run, two runs, two RBIs and a walk. At 28, Donaldson is having a career year, putting up unsustainable numbers. Could he be having one of those magical prime-year seasons or just a couple of good months? He’s been a top-10 third baseman, and until the gravy train ends, continue to enjoy his success.
Surprise, surprise! – Jason Castro went 3-for-4 last night with two home runs, two runs and three RBIs. Last night’s big surge made him a top-10 catcher on the season according to ESPN’s player rater. He has as many home runs as he did all of last season in 128 less plate appearances. If you are in need of a catcher, Castro would not be a bad pickup.
Here comes the heat – Pedro Alvarez is a streaky guy, so when he gets going, it’s good to have him on your team. Against the Brewers, Alvarez went 2-for-3 with two home runs, two runs, three RBIs and a walk. If this is the start of him heating up, it’s a good time to jump on the bandwagon and ride it for a week.
Left out in the breeze – Rafael Betancourt blew a save opportunity last night, his first opportunity since having issues with a minor groin injury. This is a bit troubling, and I am definitely monitoring the situation to see if the may put Betancourt on the DL. If you have room, Rex Brothers is the guy to own. He has been nothing short of amazing this season.
Who’s trending? – Domonic Brown continues to put up solid numbers this season. Last night he was 2-for-4 with a home run, a run and two RBIs. According to ESPN’s player rater, he has been the 36th best outfielder on the year ahead of Matt Holliday, Desmond Jennings and Jay Bruce. Is it time to cut bait with some of those guys and take the upstart Brown?
Bench me, please? – Seeing a guy like Jay Bruce so low in the outfield ranking has to make you wonder if it’s time to cut bait. He has a good batting average of .273, but his OBP of .319 and SLG of .455 are down from his career numbers. Maybe his BABIP will show something? Yeah, a .369 BABIP this season is a career high. He’s actually been getting lucky, which explains the batting average. If you look into his swing percentages, they will show a guy who is swinging more and making less contact and it is visible in K% of 29.6, which is a career high. You drafted Bruce for the power and he is not delivering. If he is not giving you those power numbers, then he is mediocre at best.
The Streamer – There are some good streaming options today, but my favorite has to be Julio Teheran against the Mets. His command has been better, only issuing two walks in his last five starts. This young pitcher is really starting to find his groove. Deploy with confidence!
