Living it up in London

Jolly Old London Town

The inaugural game of the London Series provided plenty of fireworks on Saturday as the Yankees and Red Sox combined for an absurd 30 runs scored and 37 hits as the Yankees held off the Red Sox 17-13.

It was the second highest scoring game in the history of the rivalry between the two clubs.
To say that Saturday’s starting pitchers -- Rick Porcello and Masahiro Tanaka -- struggled, would be a massive understatement. This was a dumpster fire of epic proportions.

Dumpster Fire of Epic Proportions

Porcello took the hill first, and the Yankees went wild against him in the top half of the first inning. After a DJ LeMahieu leadoff single, Porcello got Aaron Judge to fly out to center. That would be the only out that he would record. Gary Sanchez followed with a walk, and then three consecutive run-scoring doubles from Luke Voit, Didi Gregorius and Edwin Encarnacion gave the Yankees a 4-0 lead. Aaron Hicks then crushed a two-run homer, ending Porcello’s miserable afternoon.
Pitching with a six-run lead, Tanaka didn’t fare any better in the bottom half of the first inning. Mookie Betts got the Red Sox started with a single, followed by an RBI double from Rafael Devers. After back-to-back walks to Xander Bogaerts and J.D. Martinez loaded the bases, Tanaka retired Andrew Benintendi on a pop out to the shortstop. That was followed by a sacrifice fly from Christian Vazquez, an RBI single from Brock Holt and a three-run blast by Michael Chavis to tie the game at 6-6 and send Tanaka to the showers.
The Yankees then roared back, with two runs in the third inning on a two-run blast by Brett Gardner. They added six more in the fourth -- capped off by a two-run shot from Aaron Judge -- and another three in the fifth to give them a 17-6 lead.
The Red Sox didn’t quit though. Jackie Bradley homered in the sixth inning to cut the lead to 10 runs, then Michael Chavis smacked his second three-run homer of the day in the seventh to make it 17-10 The Red Sox would push across three more runs in that frame, but that would be as close as they would get.

DJ LeMahieu also had a terrific day at the plate in the ballgame, going 4-for-6 with a double, two runs scored and five RBI.
Overall, everything about the first regular season MLB game played on European soil seemed to be a resounding success -- played in front of a crowd of nearly 60,000 people at Olympic Stadium. The cozy dimensions of the park --385 feet to center field -- certainly played a role in the offensive explosion that we witnessed on Saturday. So naturally -- because baseball -- we’re going to be treated to a 2-1 pitcher’s duel while sports betters around the globe jam the sky-high over/under that’s set at 16.5 runs.

The Yankees also may have lot a key cog to their offense on Saturday, as Luke Voit was removed from the game due to tightness in his lower abdominal region. He’ll likely undergo an MRI on Sunday (or Monday) to determine the extent of the injury, but it would be mildly surprising if he didn’t require a trip to the injured list.

The Red Sox weren’t immune to the injury bug either, as Xander Bogaerts was pulled from the contest with a strained calf. Fortunately for the Red Sox though, his departure appeared to be more of a precautionary measure. He’s considered day-to-day and could return to the lineup on Sunday.

Young Brendan

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Have a Day, McKay

Rays’ fans have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of left-hander Brendan McKay ever since he was selected with the fourth overall selection in the 2017 draft.
He had been absolutely dominant across two minor league levels this season, compiling an absurd 1.22 ERA, 0.795 WHIP and 88/15 K/BB ratio over 66 ⅔ innings in 13 appearances between Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham.
With absolutely nothing left to prove in the minor leagues, the Rays turned him loose on Saturday as he made his big league debut against the Rangers in Tampa Bay. Things couldn’t have gone much better for him.
McKay needed just 11 pitches to set the side down in order in the first inning. Then he retired the Rangers in order in the second inning as well. Then the third. Nothing changed when the lineup flipped over again in the fourth inning, as McKay again mowed down the top of the Rangers’ lineup.
With one out in the fifth inning, he struck out Joey Gallo swinging to record his first big league strikeout. Then he whiffed Logan Forsythe looking.
Finally, after retiring the first 16 batters that he faced in order, Danny Santana broke up the bid for perfection with a single into right field. McKay also allowed a two-out walk to Shin-Soo Choo before striking out Delino DeShields Jr. to end the inning.
All told, he threw just 81 pitches (55 of them for strikes) over six scoreless innings -- allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out three. He also earned his first MLB victory for his efforts. Not bad for a debut.
So what happens now from a fantasy perspective? Obviously, McKay is going to be the big ticket item in FAAB bidding on Sunday, but just how high should you go?
It’s unlikely that there will be a better pitching prospect that will be in a position to make a greater impact over the second half of the season than McKay can do. There’s one possible reason to pump the breaks though before blowing your entire remaining free agent budget here.
It seems highly likely that the Rays are going to limit McKay’s innings this season. He threw a total of just 78 ⅓ innings during the 2018 campaign and is already close to eclipsing that total in 2019 -- sitting at 72 ⅔ innings after Saturday’s brilliant debut. Obviously the Rays are going to extend him beyond that this season, but how far will they go. An increase of 50 innings seems reasonable, putting him around 130 innings total on the season. That would give him around 9-10 starts with the Rays in the second half, which is more than enough to make a significant impact.
They may skip a start here and there, or even move him to the bullpen for a while to keep his innings down, but this kid is the real deal and needs to be owned immediately in all fantasy formats.

Ouch for Ozuna

The Cardinals officially placed Marcell Ozuna on the 10-day injured list on Saturday with a fractured finger.
Ozuna has small fractures at the base of the third and fourth fingers on his right hand. He suffered the injuries while diving headfirst back into first base as he was picked off during Friday’s game against the Padres.
Tyler O’Neill and Lane Thomas were recalled from Triple-A to add outfield depth while Ozuna is sidelined, but his departure is a massive blow to the Cardinals’ lineup -- and to their potential playoff hopes in the National League Central.
The 28-year-old slugger has been a consistent run-producer in the middle of the Cardinals’ lineup this season, slashing .259/.331/.515 with 20 homers, 52 runs scored, 62 RBI and eight stolen bases.

American League Quick Hits: Luis Severino (lat) is still unable to throw off of a mound due to continued soreness. … Byron Buxton (wrist) and Marwin Gonzalez (hamstring) returned from the injured list to rejoin the Twins’ lineup on Saturday. … Yordan Alvarez (knee) remained out of the Astros’ lineup on Saturday. A.J. Hinch is on record as saying he won’t put him back into the lineup until he’s fully healthy… Marcus Stroman was forced to leave Saturday's start against the Royals in the fifth inning due to a left shoulder pectoral cramp. The right-hander is hopeful that he’ll be able to make his next scheduled start. … Hunter Pence (groin) will begin a minor league rehab assignment on Monday. He’s expected to return to the Rangers on Wednesday. … Mariners manager Scott Servais confirmed Saturday that Mitch Haniger (groin) won't return from the injured list until after the All-Star break. … Blake Treinen (shoulder) is on track to return from the injured list when he's first eligible on Wednesday, though it remains to be seen if he’ll immediately return to his closing duties. … Khris Davis (hand) missed another game, as he’s having difficulty gripping a bat. The A’s are hopeful that he’ll be able to return on Sunday. … Dee Gordon left Saturday’s game with a minor quad injury. He’s considered day-to-day. … Stephen Piscotty suffered a right knee sprain in Saturday’s victory over the Angels. He’s expected to undergo an MRI on Sunday, but it’s likely that he’s heading for the injured list… Michael Pineda fanned eight over six innings of one-run baseball in a victory over the White Sox. … Nelson Cruz and Max Kepler each swatted two home runs to power the Twins in that victory. … Miguel Cabrera went 3-for-5 and drove in three runs on Saturday as the Tigers rallied to beat the Nationals. … Cavan Biggio swatted his first career grand slam in a win over the Royals. … Danny Jansen blasted a walk-off two-run homer to seal that one. … Andrew Cashner struck out six over seven shutout innings as the Orioles shut out the Indians for the second consecutive game. … Renato Nunez lead the attack on offense there, with a pair of homers and four RBI in a second straight 13-0 shellacking. … Yuli Gurriel delivered a walk-off RBI double in the 10th inning against the Mariners, the second straight game that he has come through with the walk-off winner. … Brett Anderson fired 7 2/3 innings of shutout baseball in a victory over the Angels.

National League Quick Hits: The Cubs designated veteran outfielder Carlos Gonzalez for assignment. They’re hopeful that he’ll pass through waivers unclaimed and report to Triple-A Iowa. … Cole Hamels (oblique) will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of his strained left oblique.… Ozzie Albies was pulled from Saturday’s game as a precautionary measure after being drilled by a pitch in his elbow. He’s considered day-to-day. … Hunter Renfroe missed his second straight game due to illness. ... Francisco Mejia was pulled from Saturday’s game after being hit on the elbow by a pitch. ... Jose Quintana fired six shutout innings on Saturday as the Cubs topped the Reds. … Javier Baez smashed a grand slam homer to lead the Cubs’ attack in that one. … Luis Castillo fanned six over seven innings of one-run ball in a tough-luck loss. … Nick Markakis and Austin Riley smacked back-to-back game-tying and go-ahead homers in the eight inning on Saturday, leading the Braves past the Mets. … Charlie Blackmon clubbed a go-ahead two-run homer as the Rockies beat the Dodgers. … Eric Thames homered, tripled and drove in two runs as the Brewers topped the Pirates. … Kevin Newman extended his hitting streak to 19 games in a losing effort in that one. … Brandon Woodruff became the first National League hurler to 10 wins, striking out seven over 7 ⅔ innings of one-run baseball against the Pirates… Zack Greinke fanned six over seven shutout innings in a victory over the Giants. … Drew Pomeranz twirled five scoreless innings of his own - while striking out seven - in a no-decision there. … Manny Machado and Franmil Reyes each blasted a pair of home runs as the Padres throttled the Cardinals in San Diego. … Chris Paddack racked up eight strikeouts over six innings of one-run ball in that victory. ... Neil Walker homered and drove in three runs on Saturday, leading the Marlins past the Phillies.

Met Meltdown

Mike Francesa called it a “rocking-chair save.” And that’s what it should have been for the Mets. A can of corn, a layup, a day at the beach, fish in a barrel—whatever tired cliché fits your literary fancy. But nothing’s been easy for Edwin Diaz this year and Thursday’s late-inning stare-down with the Phillies was no exception.
Let’s not mince words here. Calling the Mets a dumpster fire is far too gentle. “Dumpster fire” left the station about five stops ago. In their quest for rock bottom and whatever misery lies underneath that final layer of baseball nothingness, the Mets have blazed a new trail of failure littered with blown leads, bullpen breakdowns, front-office unrest and locker-room blowups. It’s been one nightmare after another in Flushing and Diaz—who New York acquired for an arm and a leg this offseason—has had his fingerprints all over the Mets’ sinking ship.
Coming off four straight losses—a streak that began Sunday at Wrigley Field when Seth Lugo took Jacob deGrom’s six innings of hard work and flushed it down the toilet—the drowning Mets needed a life jacket and Todd Frazier threw them one with a ninth-inning mic drop. Facing a 1-0 deficit in hostile territory, Frazier pounced on a belt-high fastball from Phillies closer Hector Neris and launched it into the left-field seats for a two-run homer, giving the Mets their first lead of the afternoon. After adding an insurance run to go ahead by two, the stage was set for Diaz—a cannon-armed 25-year-old who racked up 57 saves as a Seattle Mariner last season—to finally put a stop to New York’s losing ways.
But what would be the fun in that? When New York fell to the Cubs on Sunday afternoon (a letdown that ended with Jason Vargas having to be separated from one of the team’s beat reporters inside the clubhouse), manager Mickey Callaway was raked over the coals by media and fans alike for hanging an overworked Lugo out to dry while Diaz watched it all unfold from his cushy seat in the Mets’ bullpen. After New York traded what was left of the team’s dwindling prospect base for Diaz and Robinson Cano’s Alcatraz of a contract, the least Callaway could do is actually use his closer in high-leverage situations, or so the thinking went.


That’s a fine working theory but the truth is, Diaz hasn’t been the same pitcher since leaving the Pacific Northwest. He’s still been getting swings and misses (50 Ks over 31 innings this year), but when it came to hitting his spots Thursday, Diaz couldn’t deliver. Tasked with silencing the bottom third of the Phillies’ order, New York’s late-inning gatekeeper began the frame by issuing a leadoff walk to Cesar Hernandez. Maikel Franco, who committed a costly error just minutes earlier, redeemed himself with one mighty swing, cementing his Mets killer status with a towering two-run homer to left center, knotting the game at three. Diaz tried to stop the bleeding but couldn’t, dialing the self-destruct-meter up to a 10 by putting runners on first and second with only one out. That’s when Jean Segura decided to put the Mets out of their misery, capping the Phillies’ four-game sweep with a walk-off homer to left field.
Thursday’s matinee could have been a turning point for the Mets. Frazier’s go-ahead blast (which came courtesy of a similarly flawed Phillies bullpen) had potential to be the perfect rallying cry for the Mets, a symbol of hope and resiliency amid mounting struggles. But Diaz, the ringleader of New York’s bullpen buffoonery, couldn’t rise above the Mets’ aura of hopelessness, wasting Frazier’s heroics the same way New York has squandered breakout seasons from Jeff McNeil (second-highest average in the majors) and Rookie of the Year front-runner Pete Alonso (second-most homers in MLB). Diaz’s seismic fall from grace illustrates the fragile nature and alarmingly short shelf life of even our most trusted ninth-inning arms and why unloading prospects to acquire one (unless his name is Mariano Rivera) is usually a bad idea. The Mets made their bed with Diaz (13.00 ERA, .425 BAA, three blown saves in his last nine outings) and now it’s time for them to lie in it.
Diaz has been an unquestioned bust and another strike against clueless GM Brodie Van Wagenen, but he’s far from the Mets’ only shortcoming. The ex-Mariner is just one ingredient in the Mets’ disaster stew as New York’s bullpen has compiled an inexcusable 7.96 ERA in the month of June, the worst in baseball by a country mile. New York has blown a two-run lead in each of its last five losses and Diaz, who has only logged three appearances in the last 12 days, was only on the mound for one of those. Remarkably, the Mets have actually blown more saves (a league-high 20) than they’ve converted (18). Jeurys Familia, who New York chose to bring back on a ludicrous three-year, $30 million deal this offseason, has been a horror show in setup duty, faltering to a 7.81 ERA over 29 largely disastrous outings.

Must be something in the drinking water in New York.

And that’s just the bullpen! Look around. Disappointment is everywhere. Cano's return to the Big Apple has been a bigger flop than either of The Hangover sequels while Jed Lowrie, an injury-prone 35-year-old inexplicably netting a $10 million salary, has yet to play an inning in Queens. Playing poorly isn’t a crime (or else the Orioles and Tigers would be doing hard time) but there’s a way to handle that frustration with grace. That email must have gone straight to the Mets’ spam folder. As if Sunday’s clubhouse incident at Wrigley wasn’t enough of a fiasco, Callaway somehow made things worse by butchering his first apology (his second try was only a marginal improvement), which was still better than the callous, non-apology issued by Vargas, who, while smacking gum and sporting a backwards cap, said he was only sorry for the “distraction” he created. Heartwarming stuff, Jason.
As bad as this stretch has been, New York isn’t buried yet. The Mets do have talent (Alonso, McNeil, deGrom, Noah Syndergaard) and, even with all their missteps, they remain only 6.5 games back of the Brewers and Phillies in the NL Wild Card. The real question is, do they have any fight left? After seeing Diaz take all the air out of the room Thursday, I’m not so sure.

Big Paul

AL Quick Hits: The people have spoken and Hunter Pence is their choice. He’ll represent the American League as the starting DH at next month’s All-Star Game in Cleveland. For Pence, this will be his fourth All-Star appearance overall and first since 2014. Gary Sanchez, Carlos Santana, DJ LeMahieu, Jorge Polanco, Alex Bregman, Mike Trout, George Springer and Michael Brantley were also voted in as starters in the American League. … Yankees GM Brian Cashman doesn’t anticipate having Giancarlo Stanton back until August. The former MVP landed on the injured list with a sprained PCL earlier this week. Injuries have limited Stanton to just nine games this season. … The White Sox are expected to designate Yonder Alonso for assignment on Friday. The one-time All-Star hasn’t hit a lick this season, batting an ugly .178 with just seven homers and 27 RBI in 219 at-bats for the Pale Hose. Whoever he plays for next will be his sixth team in a five-year span. … Former fourth overall pick Brendan McKay will debut for the Rays Saturday against Texas. Rated as MLB.com’s No. 23 prospect, the former Louisville standout has pitched to a dominant 1.22 ERA in 13 appearances (11 starts) between Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham this season. He’s also been a force offensively, slashing .265/.400/.551 with four homers and 10 RBI over 49 Triple-A at-bats. … Kevin Kiermaier was a spectator for most of Thursday’s win over Minnesota, exiting with right calf tightness just two innings into an 18-inning marathon at Target Field. Despite his injury, the Rays center-fielder is confident he won’t miss more than one game. … Yordan Alvarez made an early departure Thursday versus Pittsburgh, exiting with left knee discomfort in the fourth inning. Manager A.J. Hinch called his removal precautionary, though the rookie is unlikely to suit up Friday when the Astros host the Mariners at Minute Maid Park. … Spencer Turnbull made it through just two innings Thursday, bowing out with shoulder fatigue in a loss to Texas. The right-hander experienced a steep drop-off in velocity, which alerted the Tigers to his injury. Luckily his MRI ruled out any structural damage. … It didn’t take long for Trevor Rosenthal to find a new home. He landed with the Tigers on a minor-league deal just four days after being cut loose by Washington. The former closer has much to prove after posting an embarrassing 22.74 ERA during his brief stint in the nation’s capital … Andrelton Simmons was back in uniform Thursday night, going 1-for-4 with a single as the Angels topped Oakland 8-3. It took the Gold Glove shortstop about five weeks to recover from a sprained ankle. … Blake Treinen completed 20 pitches off flat ground Thursday and hopes to throw a bullpen session later this weekend. A strained shoulder has shelved the A’s closer since last week.

Yelich as in Relish

NL Quick Hits: Reigning NL MVP Christian Yelich was the National League’s leading vote-getter in All-Star voting. He’ll start alongside Willson Contreras, Freddie Freeman, Ketel Marte, Javier Baez, Nolan Arenado, Cody Bellinger and Ronald Acuna in the Mid-Summer Classic slated for July 9 at Progressive Field. … Thursday brought a shakeup to the Brewers’ infield as Milwaukee made room for top prospect Keston Hiura by demoting Travis Shaw to Triple-A. Shaw was hitting just .164 for Milwaukee with six homers and 69 strikeouts in 183 at-bats. The Brewers also pulled the plug on utility man Hernan Perez, designating him for assignment. … Craig Kimbrel got a rousing ovation in his Cubs debut Thursday at Wrigley Field. The All-Star closer looked rusty in his return to the mound (1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 0 R), but still did enough to earn the save as Chicago eked out a 9-7 win over his former club, the Atlanta Braves. … Speaking Thursday, Cubs skipper Joe Maddon didn’t rule out the possibility of Kyle Hendricks returning prior to the All-Star break. A shoulder impingement has sidelined the right-hander for the past couple of weeks. … The Dodgers kept the engine rolling Thursday with another win over the Rockies, beating them for the 12th straight time. Los Angeles slugged six homers in the victory including two by Max Muncy, who went 3-for-4 with three RBI as the Dodgers stretched their lead in the division to a commanding 13 games. … Rockies rookie Peter Lambert continued his torrid start at the plate with another hit Thursday night, running his season average to an even .600 (6-for-10). However, he didn’t fair nearly as well on the mound, surrendering nine hits and five runs over 4 2/3 lackluster innings while seeing his ERA skyrocket from 5.85 to an even bleaker 6.57. … Rockies manager Bud Black confirmed Thursday that Trevor Story won’t be activated when first eligible next week. Story is still nursing a sprained thumb he suffered earlier this month. When the time comes, the ace shortstop will likely need 2-3 rehab games in the minors before he’s summoned to Colorado.

Story

Oh Tani Oh My

All things considered, Shohei Ohtani had himself a pretty solid day on Wednesday. 

Not only did he throw off a mound for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery last October, but he also went 3-for-3 with a walk and a run scored to propel the Angels to a 5-1 victory over the Reds. 

The 24-year-old burgeoning slugger reached base safely in all four of his plate appearances, including a pivotal single to left field off Reds closer Raisel Iglesias in the ninth inning, which advanced the go-ahead run into scoring position with nobody out in the frame. He also drilled a 115.2 mph double, the hardest-hit ball of his career, and swiped his fourth base of the season. Simply put, Ohtani has been one of the hottest hitters in baseball, hitting .333 (26-for-78) with six homers, 18 RBI and four stolen bases in 23 games this month. There’s a legitimate case to be made that he’s somehow the most underrated five-category fantasy superstar in the game right now. 

Not only is Ohtani the most dynamic designated hitter in the big leagues, but he’s on the precipice of returning to the mound as an electrifying starting pitcher next season. According to reports, Ohtani threw 20 pitches from the windup and 20 from the stretch during his pregame bullpen session. He also threw 70 pitches from flat ground. “He looked great,” Angels pitching coach Doug White told reporters after the session. Ohtani, who posted a 3.31 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 63/22 K/BB ratio across 10 starts last year, is scheduled to throw another bullpen on Saturday. While he won’t pitch in a game this season, throwing off a mound is a pivotal milestone towards his return as a dynamic two-way fantasy threat next season. The future is extremely bright in Los Angeles.   

Injuries Piling Up For Twins 

The Twins came from behind to beat the Rays 6-4 on Wednesday night, thanks to a go-ahead, three-run double from Nelson Cruz in the seventh inning and a clutch four-out save by lefty closer Taylor Rogers. Yet, the most significant story line to emerge from Minnesota centered around the health of Eddie Rosario, who exited the contest in the fourth inning after suffering a left ankle sprain while rounding first base on a single in the third inning. The Twins are calling him day-to-day and manager Rocco Baldelli said that an MRI did not show a sprain that was “overly serious.” Rosario may have avoided serious injury, but he’ll likely be sidelined for at least a few days, if not more. Considering the recent rash of injuries to their outfield, which include Byron Buxton, Max Kepler and Marwin Gonzalez, the Twins may not have a choice but to put him on the 10-day injured list. Fantasy owners should stay tuned for more updates and monitor the situation closely over the next few days.

Stanton Sidelined Again

In the words of Ron Burgundy, “Boy, that escalated quickly.” Just a few hours after Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters that an MRI on Giancarlo Stanton’s injured right knee revealed “no new injury,” the 29-year-old slugger was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right knee sprain. There was some initial optimism that Stanton, who has been limited to nine games this season due to a variety of ailments including a biceps strain, shoulder strain and calf strain, would avoid the injured list altogether. However, clearly there was more damage done to his right knee on Tuesday night than originally reported. The Yankees, who have won nine of their last 10 games, will be without Stanton when they kick off a two-game series against the division-rival Red Sox in London, England on Saturday. While there is no official timetable for a potential return, it seems unlikely that Stanton will be ready to return until after the All-Star break in early July. There’s no way to sugarcoat it folks, it’s been a brutal season for Stanton’s fantasy owners, who just can’t seem to catch a break.

Rumor Roundup 

With the major-league trade deadline rapidly approaching, here are a few of the latest rumours regarding several big names who could be on the moving in the next few weeks including Madison Bumgarner, Will Smith and Felipe Vasquez. 

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported Wednesday that the Twins “are showing strong interest” in Madison Bumgarner. ESPN's Jeff Passan reported that the Twins "haven’t engaged" with the Giants in “high-level talks” in recent weeks and “there isn't any traction” for a trade. The report surfaced just a few hours after the 29-year-old southpaw struck out a season-high 11 batters over six innings in a win over the Rockies on Tuesday. It was his first double-digit strikeout performance since April 2, 2017. He owns a pedestrian 4.21 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 104/24 K/BB ratio across 17 starts, but would be a massive upgrade to the Twins postseason rotation given his extensive track record of success in pivotal moments.

Passan also added that Will Smith “is on the Twins’ radar as of now.” Passan indicated that Smith is a bigger priority for the Twins than Bumgarner. The 29-year-old lefty is one of the safest bets to be traded next month, as he's a free agent this offseason and has posted a dominant 1.95 ERA and 49/7 K/BB ratio across 32 1/3 innings. From a fantasy perspective, Minnesota would be an ideal landing spot, as he would likely remain in a closing role. If he’s jettisoned to the Dodgers or another contending team with a previously established stopper, he would be a logical fit as a setup man and lefty matchup specialist. 

Speaking of left-handed closers, Jon Morosi of MLB.com reported Wednesday that the Dodgers have interest in Felipe Vazquez. It makes sense that the Dodgers would want to strengthen the back-end of their bullpen, but this would be about the worst-case scenario for Vazquez's fantasy value since he'd likely be used primarily as a setup man in Los Angeles. While the Pirates are likely to listen to offers for the hard-throwing lefty, they don't need to trade Vazquez unless they get a great offer since he's under team control cheaply through 2023.

AL Quick Hits: Tim Anderson has been diagnosed with a high right ankle sprain. … Corey Kluber (arm) will go through a series of MRIs this week and could be cleared to resume a throwing program. … Carlos Carrasco (illness) played catch on Monday. … Byron Buxton (wrist) took some more swings Tuesday and is progressing towards a rehab assignment. … Andrew Benintendi remained out of the Red Sox' lineup Wednesday. He’s missed two consecutive games after his legs “felt heavy” after Sunday’s game against Toronto. … Yoan Moncada is considered day-to-day after being diagnosed with a right knee contusion. … Max Kepler (elbow) was held out of the Twins’ starting lineup Wednesday against the Rays. He was hit by a pitch in the right elbow on Tuesday. … DJ LeMahieu went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer to power the Yankees past the Blue Jays. … Aaron Judge, Gleyber Torres and Didi Gregorius racked up nine hits combined in the victory. … Lourdes Gurriel homered twice and drove in four runs in the losing effort. … Jose Abreu launched a go-ahead, two-run homer to lift the White Sox to a comeback win over the Red Sox. … J.D. Martinez connected on his 17th homer and Matt Barnes was charged with his sixth blown save in the loss. … Trevor Bauer racked up a season-high 12 strikeouts in the Indians’ win over the Royals. … Liam Hendriks tossed a scoreless frame to record his second save as the Athletics’ edged the Cardinals. … Matt Chapman swatted his 19th long ball in that one. … Mike Minor allowed one run on five hits in a complete-game victory over the Tigers. … Willie Calhoun went 3-for-4 with a solo homer to spearhead the Rangers’ offense in that contest. … J.P. Crawford went 3-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored in the Mariners’ win over the Brewers. … Justin Bour went 2-for-4 with a pair of homers and four RBI in the Angels’ win over the Reds. … Jonathan Villar went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer in the Orioles’ loss to the Padres. … Ryne Stanek will serve as the opener for the Rays on Thursday against the Twins. … Mitch Haniger told reporters on Wednesday that he hopes to take batting practice this weekend. … Andrelton Simmons (ankle) will not be activated off of the 10-day injured list on Wednesday, but could be activated “very soon”. … Danny Salazar (shoulder) is expected to begin a rehab assignment soon. … John Means (shoulder) will rejoin the Orioles' rotation on Friday against the Indians. … Rangers released Drew Smyly. … Royals designated Brad Boxberger for assignment. Poor Brad.

Noah

NL Quick Hits: Noah Syndergaard will come off the injured list and start on Sunday against the Braves. … Craig Kimbrel is likely to be activated on Thursday. … Bryse Wilson will be called up to start for the Braves against the Cubs on Thursday. … Mike Soroka (forearm) is scheduled to start on Friday against the Mets. … David Dahl went 2-for-4 with a grand slam and five RBI to lead the Rockies to a win over the Giants. … Eduardo Escobar went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer in the Diamondbacks’ win over the Dodgers. … Cody Bellinger launched his 26th homer in the loss … Josh Bell went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer, a pair of walks and three runs scored in the Pirates’ blowout win over the Astros. … Kevin Newman went 4-for-6 with a home run, three RBI and a stolen base in that contest. … Kris Bryant went 3-for-5 with a solo home run in the Cubs’ loss to the Braves. … Franmil Reyes homered twice in the Padres’ lopsided win over the Orioles. … Matt Strahm whiffed nine batters over six innings to pick up the win. … Zac Gallen fanned eight over five innings in a loss against the Nationals. … Patrick Corbin allowed one run over seven frames, while striking out nine, to pick up the win in that contest. … Jay Bruce delivered an RBI double in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift the Phillies to a walk-off victory over the Mets. … Jeff McNeil and Dominic Smith went deep in the losing effort. … Raisel Iglesias was charged with a season-high four runs over one inning in a loss to the Angels. … Adam Wainwright struck out nine over 6 2/3 innings of two-run ball in a loss against the Athletics. … Diamondbacks activated Jake Lamb from the 10-day injured list. He’s been out since early April with a left quad strain. … Jeurys Familia (shoulder) is not considering surgery at this time. 

Stanton Sidelined

Giancarlo Stanton can’t catch a break. It's possible that he unwittingly walked under a ladder or accidentally broke a mirror during the offseason because he can't seem to stay healthy right now. The 29-year-old slugger exited Tuesday's game against the Blue Jays in the fourth inning with a right knee bruise. It’s unclear how or when Stanton suffered the injury at this time, but it may have occurred on an awkward headfirst slide into third base in the opening frame. It would be unfair and misleading to characterize Stanton as injury-prone. He’s been extremely durable, playing at least 158 of a possible 162 games in each of the last two seasons. However, he’s certainly been plagued by persistent nagging issues so far this season. He’s missed time due to a variety of ailments including a biceps strain, shoulder strain and a calf strain. Now, he’s dealing with a knee issue. Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters after the game that results of tests on Stanton’s knee, which included an MRI, weren’t yet available. There should be some additional clarity Wednesday regarding the extent of the injury and whether it will result in any missed time. Obviously, fantasy owners will want to monitor this situation closely in the coming days.

Anderson Suffers Sprained Ankle   

Stanton wasn’t the only fantasy superstar to suffer an injury on the East Coast last night. White Sox’ dynamic shortstop Tim Anderson exited Tuesday's game against the Red Sox in Fenway Park after suffering an apparent leg injury. He had to be helped off the field and couldn't put any weight on his right leg. He was injured while making a running throw behind second base. The wet field conditions appear to have played a role in this one as Anderson appeared to roll his right ankle while attempting an off-balanced throw. He was in significant pain before being carried off. The 26-year-old burgeoning fantasy superstar was in the midst of an impressive power-speed combo campaign, hitting .317/.342/.491 with 11 homers and 15 stolen bases across 281 plate appearances. Anderson was diagnosed with a sprained ankle after x-rays came back negative and will be re-evaluated on Wednesday. It appears that Anderson avoided major injury, which is a huge relief for fantasy owners as well. He’ll likely be headed to the 10-day injured list, but should be ready to return after the All-Star break early next month.   

Homecoming Part II

On the heels of an emotional homecoming for ancient slugger Albert Pujols in St. Louis over the weekend, a pair of superstars squarely in the prime of their respective careers, Manny Machado and Gerrit Cole, came back to haunt their former organizations on Tuesday night. 

Machado reached base safely in three of his five plate appearances and clobbered a solo homer in his return to Baltimore, the city he called home for seven seasons before being traded to the Dodgers in a blockbuster deal last July and signing a 10-year, $300 million free agent contract with the Padres in the offseason. He received a standing ovation from the Orioles’ faithful in the opening frame before striking out looking in his first at-bat. Unfortunately, that was pretty much the only time they managed to keep him off the bases in this one. He launched a solo homer to left-center field off Jimmy Yacabonis, increasing the Padres’ lead to 5-1 in the third inning. Ironically, the titanic tater marked Machado’s 100th career home run at Camden Yards. He also tacked on an RBI single in the fourth and walked in the sixth. 

Meanwhile, Cole wasn’t flawless in his first career start against the team that selected him with the top overall selection in the 2011 MLB draft, but still managed to reel off six innings of one-run ball in a win over the Pirates. He struck out three batters and also issued a pair of walks. The 28-year-old righty recorded a 3.50 ERA over 127 starts for the Pirates before being the centerpiece of a massive trade with the Astros prior to last season. He’s managed to unlock his true potential and evolve into a legitimate fantasy ace over the last two years. He currently ranks second in the majors, trailing only Nationals ace Max Scherzer, with 151 strikeouts in 102 2/3 innings this season.

Hicks Headed For Tommy John

Fantasy owners received the official confirmation on Tuesday afternoon that Cardinals closer Jordan Hicks will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery on Wednesday. The 22-year-old fireballer will likely be sidelined until the second half of the 2020 campaign. Prior to the injury, Hicks racked up 14 saves to go along with a 3.14 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 31/11 K/BB ratio in 28 2/3 innings. St. Louis GM John Mozeliak confirmed that Carlos Martinez will serve as the Cardinals' closer moving forward. He needs to be owned in all fantasy formats. The 27-year-old righty has pitched exclusively in relief since making his season debut on May 18, allowing five earned runs on 11 hits and five walks with 14 strikeouts in 15 innings. Martinez has some immediate job security, but there’s a chance that this could devolve into a full-blown committee situation if he struggles, given the presence of circling vultures John Gant and Andrew Miller.  

The official announcement came less than 24 hours after the team revealed that Hicks had a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. The central question for fantasy owners to consider moving forward is whether there was a direct correlation between his triple-digit velocity, a dramatic uptick in usage of his hard-biting slider and this major elbow injury. We’ve witnessed countless pitchers return from Tommy John surgery at (or close to) their previous level at exponentially higher rates than a decade ago. It’s becoming increasingly rare for a highly-touted prospect to reach the big leagues that hasn’t undergone at least one major surgery. So, it’s not unrealistic to believe that Hicks can come back and return to form next season, but he’s unlikely to make a significant fantasy impact until the 2021 campaign. 

If there is one encouraging takeaway, it’s that elbow issues are less worrisome long-term than shoulder problems. However, the fact that he throws so hard and relies heavily on a violent slider as his main secondary offering, has to be a concern moving forward. According to Baseball Savant’s database, the 22-year-old righty has thrown 206 pitches in excess of 100 mph this season, which is 107 more than towering Marlins righty Tayron Guerrero, who is the next closest on that leaderboard. Last year, Hicks threw 659 100-plus mph pitches. Simply put, Hicks is a bit of a historical outlier. Outside of a few peak Aroldis Chapman campaigns in Cincinnati earlier this decade, we haven’t really seen anyone throw this hard, this often. From a long-term, keeper and dynasty league perspective, this injury likely knocks him outside the top 300 overall assets moving forward. There’s simply too much long-term risk from a health and performance standpoint to justify stashing him in shallower formats.  

AL Quick Hits: Shohei Ohtani (elbow) will throw off a mound on Wednesday for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery last October. … Indians manager Terry Francona confirmed Tuesday that Mike Clevinger is “good to go” for Friday's start against the Orioles in Baltimore. … Max Kepler exited Tuesday's game against the Rays after being hit by a pitch on the right elbow. X-rays came back negative and he’ll undergo an MRI on Wednesday. … DJ LeMahieu, Aaron Judge, Gleyber Torres and Edwin Encarnacion launched solo homers as the Yankees’ set a major-league record with 28 straight games with a home run in their narrow victory over the Blue Jays. … Aroldis Chapman notched his 23rd save in that contest. … Brad Hand coughed up five runs and failed to record an out in an ugly blown save against the Royals. It was his first blown save in 23 opportunities this season. … Hunter Dozier blasted a go-ahead grand slam in that one. … Rafael Devers went 4-for-4 with an RBI and a pair of runs scored in the Red Sox’ win over the White Sox. … David Price struck out nine over six innings in that one. … Alex Bregman went 3-for-4 with his 22nd round-tripper of the season in the Astros’ win over the Pirates. … Daniel Vogelbach launched his 19th long ball of the season in the Mariners’ win over the Brewers. … J.P. Crawford stayed hot with a pair of hits and RBI in that one. … Jesse Chavez racked up seven strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings in a win over the Tigers … Eddie Rosario collected four hits and a pair of RBI in the Twins’ blowout win over the Rays. … Blake Snell was tagged for seven runs on 11 hits over 3 1/3 frames in the loss. … George Springer went 1-for-4 in his return to the Astros’ lineup … Joey Gallo went 1-for-4 with an RBI double in his return to the Rangers’ lineup against the Tigers. … Red Sox reinstated Steven Wright from the restricted list. … Daniel Mengden will start for the Athletics against the Cardinals on Wednesday. … Hunter Pence (hamstring) is unlikely to be activated from the 10-day injured list when first eligible on Thursday. … Salvador Perez is catching bullpen sessions, but he isn't yet being allowed to throw as he progresses after Tommy John surgery. … Astros activated Collin McHugh from the 10-day injured list. … Andrelton Simmons (ankle) will resume his minor league rehab assignment Tuesday with Class A Inland Empire. … Trevor Cahill (elbow) will be activated from the injured list on Wednesday. … Zack Cozart's injured left shoulder is not healing well and he might miss the rest of the season. … Yankees designated Kendrys Morales for assignment. … Alex Meyer announced his retirement on Tuesday. 

NL Quick Hits: Mike Soroka (forearm) could miss his next scheduled start after feeling some lingering tightness while playing catch on Tuesday. He'll throw off of a mound on Wednesday, and depending on how he feels, the Braves will make a determination on his status to start over the weekend. … Rockies placed Brendan Rodgers on the 10-day disabled list with a right shoulder impingement. … Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports that the Giants and Dodgers aren't ruling out the possibility of a trade that would send reliever Will Smith to Los Angeles. … Corey Seager (hamstring) took ground balls and was able to do some light running on Monday. … Caleb Smith is slated to make an additional rehab start before rejoining the Marlins big-league rotation … Lorenzo Cain underwent cryotherapy for his injured right thumb in California on Tuesday morning. … Bryan Reynolds was scratched from the Pirates’ lineup on Tuesday because of a bruised shin. … Madison Bumgarner struck out a season-high 11 batters over six innings in a win over the Rockies. … Scott Kingery walloped his 10th long ball of the season out of the Phillies’ leadoff spot against the Mets on Tuesday. … Rhys Hoskins belted his 18th homer in that contest as well. … Jeff McNeil went 4-for-5 with a run scored in the losing effort. … Max Scherzer struck out 10 over eight innings of one-run ball in a win over the Marlins. … Trea Turner belted a three-run homer in the Nationals’ victory. … Fernando Tatis Jr. Francisco Mejia and Manuel Margot left the yard in the Padres’ lopsided win over the Orioles. … Logan Allen allowed two runs over six innings to pick up his second win in that one. … Max Fried struck out eight batters over six innings in a win over the Cubs. … Ronald Acuna and Ozzie Albies left the yard in that one. … Adbert Alzolay allowed one run over 4 2/3 innings in a no-decision against the Braves. … Jack Flaherty was rocked for seven runs on nine hits over 4 2/3 innings in a loss to the Athletics. … Robbie Ray registered nine strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings in a loss against the Dodgers. … Julio Urias fired three scoreless innings to pick up a win in relief, while Kenley Jansen recorded his 23rd save of the season in that contest. … Braves activated Sean Newcomb from the 7-day concussion injured list. … Dinelson Lamet could join the Padres' rotation after one more rehab start this weekend. … Jordan Lyles (hamstring) will likely come off the injured list to face the Brewers on Saturday … Alex Wood (back) will visit a doctor after experiencing renewed soreness in his back. … Alex Reyes will miss two or three minor-league starts with a strained pectoral muscle.

Wounded Bird

Jordan Hicks

Elbows aren’t meant to withstand 100 mph fastballs. Or 105 mph fastballs.
An MRI Monday on Jordan Hicks’ right arm revealed a tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow. Hicks suffered the injury during an appearance Saturday, and although the initial prognosis was triceps tendinitis, tests revealed the bad news.
The Cardinals say that the next course of action for Hicks has yet to be determined, but obviously Tommy John surgery is a distinct possibility. Rest and rehab is another option, but even in that case he will be sidelined for a long time and the odds of a setback are fairly high. If Hicks does wind up having the operation, he probably wouldn’t be ready to pitch until the second half of next season.
It’s obviously a bummer for the game’s hardest thrower. Hicks has had some bumps in the road this season but overall has pitched quite well, posting a 3.14 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 31/11 K/BB ratio over 28 2/3 innings. He blew his first save chance of the season but converted each of his 14 opportunities after that. If Hicks does indeed wind up going under the knife, we can only hope that he’s able to regain his velocity post-op.

So who is likely to assume the closer duties for the Cards with Hicks sidelined? If you ask Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, it’s Carlos Martinez, as he writes that Martinez “is expected to take over most of the closer duties.” However, on Sunday president of baseball operations John Mozeliak indicated in an interview that John Gant would probably get the first crack at the job.
Manager Mike Shildt has not indicated his preferred option for the role but could offer more clarity prior to the team’s next game Tuesday. Both Martinez (two) and Gant (three) have picked up some saves this season and Martinez also notched five saves down the stretch last year. Either pitcher has the potential to be a fine closer if given the shot, and they’re both worth picking up as you speculate for saves.

Ross Stripling

Stripling Slides into Rotation

Ross Stripling didn’t deserve to be demoted to the bullpen when it happened in late April, but many figured he’d eventually get a chance to start again. Two months later, that opportunity has arrived.
The Dodgers announced on Monday that it would be Stripling moving back into the rotation on Tuesday against the Diamondbacks in place of the injured Rich Hill (forearm). It will be the right-hander’s first start since April 25.
Stripling posted a 2.65 ERA and 32/10 K/BB ratio over 34 innings covering six starts at the beginning of the season before shifting to the bullpen, where he held a 4.02 ERA and 16/6 K/BB ratio across 15 2/3 frames. Of course, the 29-year-old was also an All-Star in 2018 following a dominant first half while mostly being used as a starter before he wore down and struggled after the break.
Stripling hasn’t gone more than two innings or thrown more than 45 pitches since April, but manager Dave Roberts thought it was “very fair” for the righty to be able to go four innings and/or 60 pitches Tuesday. While that kind of workload makes him a less than desirable fantasy play Tuesday, Stripling could be in line for home starts versus the D-backs and Padres next week when he’s more stretched out. With Hill likely out until August, Stripling should have a shot to remain in the rotation for a while.
While Stripling is going back into the rotation, Julio Urias will remain in the bullpen, at least for now. Urias fanned five over three scoreless frames last Thursday in a spot start and has flashed dominance at times this season, but he barely pitched last year after coming back from shoulder surgery so the Dodgers want to keep a close eye on his workload. Urias is expected to pitch multiple innings in relief either on Tuesday following Stripling or on Wednesday following Tony Gonsolin, who will make his major league debut.

Caleb Smith

Caleb Cruising to Return

The main thing on Caleb Smith’s agenda during Monday’s rehab start with Double-A Jacksonville was to make sure the hip injury that sent him to the injured list wasn’t an issue. Still, it’s nice to see some positive results, as well, and he certainly got that.
Smith struck out 11 batters over 4 1/3 innings for the Jumbo Shrimp against Pensacola, giving up two runs on a couple solo home runs. The left-hander fanned eight batters in a row at one point, which tied a Southern League record.
And the hip? Smith said that he "didn't feel it at all" during the outing. Check and check.
The Marlins surely will want to see how Smith recovers and also how he feels during his normal between-starts bullpen session, but he would appear to be in line to rejoin the big league rotation this weekend against the Phillies. Smith threw 71 pitches Monday, so he would seemingly be able to handle 85-90 as soon as Saturday.
What’s going to be interesting to see is who the Marlins boot from the rotation to accommodate Smith’s return. Jordan Yamamoto (0.95 ERA, 19/8 K/BB ratio over 19 innings in three starts), Elieser Hernandez (3.78 ERA, 19/3 K/BB ratio over 16 2/3 innings in three starts) and Zac Gallen (1.80 ERA, 6/2 K/BB ratio over five innings in one start) have all pitched well with Smith, Pablo Lopez (shoulder) and Jose Urena (back) sidelined. Perhaps a six-man rotation would make sense for a while since the team needs to monitor the workloads of their young pitchers, anyway? We should have a better idea of how they’ll play things in the coming days.

National League Quick Hits: Noah Syndergaard (hamstring) will make a rehab start with Short-Season Brooklyn on Tuesday before likely rejoining the Mets’ rotation on Sunday against the Braves. ... Jon Lester threw six innings while allowing just two unearned runs and fanning seven in a win over the Braves on Monday. ... Maikel Franco went 3-for-4 with a homer, three RBI and a walk as the Phillies topped the Mets on Monday. ... Bryse Wilson is expected to start for the Braves on Thursday against the Cubs. ... Willson Contreras went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBI in the Cubs' victory over the Braves on Monday. ... A follow-up MRI on Luke Weaver's pitching arm showed improvement, although there’s no timetable for when he might resume throwing. ... Kyle Hendricks (shoulder) threw a light, 15-pitch bullpen session Monday and is scheduled for a regular bullpen session later this week. ... Drew Pomeranz fanned 11 while allowing two runs over five innings versus the Rockies. ... Jon Gray whiffed six over six shutout frames against the Giants on Monday.


American League Quick Hits: Tyler Glasnow will be shut down for the next three weeks after an MRI revealed right flexor inflammation. ... DJ LeMahieu went 4-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored against the Blue Jays on Monday. ... Freddy Galvis, hit a grand slam, singled and stole a base Monday against the Yankees. ... Diego Castillo has been diagnosed with a right shoulder impingement and is expected to be sidelined for about two weeks. ... Jackie Bradley Jr. homered and walked three times Monday as the Red Sox edged the White Sox. ... Yoan Moncada went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer and a walk against the Red Sox on Monday. ... CC Sabathia fanned nine while allowing two runs in six innings Monday in a victory over the Blue Jays. ... The Orioles signed No. 1 overall pick Adley Rutschman to a record $8.1 million bonus. ... Asdrubal Cabrera's suspension has been reduced from four to three games and he will begin serving it Tuesday. ... Rafael Devers (hamstring) doubled and walked in his return to the lineup Monday.