No More Moneyball, it's penny pinching

Brad Pitt, are you up for a reprise of your Money ball role again, but this time, playing the stingy Rays GM ?

You get what you pay for, right?

Well, not always. Take the deep-pocketed Red Sox, for instance. After steamrolling the Dodgers (and seemingly every other opponent on their path to World Series glory) en route to their fourth title of the current century, the Red Sox got the band back together for another run at October in 2019. And they spared no expense in doing so, only skimping on relief pitching (why pay Craig Kimbrel but when you can have Matt Barnes walk the bases loaded on 600 pitches every ninth inning?) and Mookie Betts’ still MIA contract extension. And where exactly has it gotten them? Only afterthought status in the AL East and playoff odds bordering on non-existent (7.7 percent as of this writing). Compromised by Chris Sale’s war-ravished elbow and a Gingerbread-house bullpen propped up by stale graham crackers and vanilla frosting, it’s going to take more than electrolytes and Advil to extinguish this World Series hangover.

Maybe the Red Sox, still a premier offensive club by every measure, aren’t quite the baseball Hindenburg I made them out to be, but they’ve still underachieved on a colossal scale relative to their eye-popping $227.4 million payroll (easily the league’s highest). Boston’s failures are especially amplified when compared to the success of division-rival Tampa Bay, the McDonald’s Dollar Menu of MLB franchises. The fiscally-conservative A’s popularized the Moneyball movement in Oakland some 15 years ago and now Tampa Bay, it seems, is taking Billy Beane’s vision a step further. Drawing from a league-low $62.37 million payroll (roughly a quarter of Boston’s bloated budget), the Rays aren’t playing Money-ball—they’re playing Penny-ball. Whether anyone cares or not—and going by the Rays’ meager attendance figures (they’re averaging a smidge over 15,000 fans), not many do—Tampa Bay’s grand experiment is working
.

Maybe it’s an odd time to call attention to the Rays, seeing as how they’ve dropped four out of five with two of those losses coming at the hands of the lowly Orioles, who are so far out of first (43 games behind the division-leading Yankees), driving there would take a full tank of gas. But the fact that the Rays, even after their recent hiccups, are still knocking on October’s door (one game back of Oakland for the second Wild Card spot) is a testament to this team’s endless resiliency. Only one Ray (rare free-agent splurge Charlie Morton) makes eight figures. Boston has eight players earn that much. In fact, the Red Sox are paying Pablo Sandoval—now in his second stint with the Giants—more ($18.45 million) than the Rays are paying Morton ($15 million). So naturally, the Rays, a low-budget indie film only in select theaters, are running circles around the team with James Cameron’s special effects budget.

We’re all acutely aware of the Rays’ financial constraints, a challenge as constant as the scores of empty seats lining their decrepit stadium. But low funds, a nonexistent fan base and a home park worthy of inclusion on an upcoming season of American Horror Story are far from the Rays’ only obstacles. Injuries to Blake Snell (whose follow-up to last year’s Cy Young campaign has been a mixed bag), Tyler Glasnow and Yonny Chirinos have sapped the pitching staff of much of its strength while the abrupt conclusion of Brandon Lowe’s impressive debut season (.276, 16 HR, 49 RBI in 76 games) has also thrown a wrench in Tampa Bay’s postseason agenda.
 
But the Rays always find a way. Whether it’s unearthing a hidden gem like Ji-Man Choi, pulling a Tarantino by reviving the dormant career of Eric Sogard, coaxing newfound power out of ex-Mets lightweight Travis d’Arnaud (more on him in a minute) or pulling the wool over Pittsburgh’s eyes with a blatant trade robbery (the Pirates’ ill-advised Chris Archer swap will continue to haunt them), Tampa always seems to have a trick up its sleeve. Which brings us to Thursday’s events at Minute Maid Park, where the high-powered Astros hosted the Rays in a getaway day matinee.

If you only had the box score to go off of, this didn’t look like a game the Rays had any business winning. Colin Poche, Tampa Bay’s fourth pitcher of the afternoon, issued five walks in the fifth inning alone. The Rays served up a trio of homers, none of them cheapies, including a tape-measure bomb off the bat of mighty mouse Jose Altuve (who established a new career-high with his 25th round-tripper). Worked to the bone by Houston’s relentless lineup, the Rays’ gassed staff burned through its allotted mound visits by the seventh inning. Yet as the Rays so often do when the odds are against them, Tampa Bay prevailed, avoiding what would have been a three-game sweep by handing the Astros a 9-8 defeat in Thursday’s series finale.

Scoring in seven of nine frames would win most days, but not this time as the Rays matched the Astros’ potent offense with an outburst of their own. D’Arnaud’s August hasn’t been as explosive as his blistering July (.342, 8 HR, 25 RBI in 76 at-bats), but he had Zack Greinke’s number Thursday, beating him for three hits including a two-out, two-run jack in the fourth inning to give the Rays a short-lived 4-2 advantage. It’s been a tepid month for the veteran backstop, at least in comparison to his meteoric July, and d’Arnaud’s loosening grip on the starting role has been the collateral damage. D’Arnaud’s August doldrums (.239 AVG in 71 at-bats) have opened the door for defensive whiz and  to see more playing time behind the plate, though Thursday’s four-RBI breakout could be the jolt he needs to stay ahead of Mike Z.

While d’Arnaud, Choi (2-for-4, 2 RBI and a walk) and Austin Meadows—who socked his team-leading 24th homer in the winning effort—did the heavy lifting offensively for Tampa, Emilio Pagan served as a stabilizing force out of the pen, preserving the win by supplying a rare seven-out save. The right-hander logged three strikeouts along the way while fending off a furious ninth-inning rally that dissipated when George Springer’s hard-hit fly to left landed anticlimactically in Tommy Pham’s leather for the final out. Pagan got a major assist from home plate umpire Jordan Baker, who rung up Josh Reddick in the previous at-bat on a pitch that most would agree was ball four. In no mood to debate, Baker sent an irate Reddick to an early shower.

Thursday was just one game, but the Rays need all of them from now on. They’ll have a golden opportunity to climb up the Wild Card latter this weekend against the Indians, who carry a slim 2.5-game edge over Tampa Bay. The Rays are a near lock to better their record from a year ago (90-72), but that’s not the end game here. It’s postseason or bust for the Pennyball Rays.

AL Quick Hits: Matt Chapman (head) didn’t start Thursday’s game but eventually checked in as a defensive replacement in a win over Kansas City. Manager Bob Melvin confirmed the All-Star third baseman will be back in action for the start of Friday’s three-game set against the Yankees, who the A’s swept a week ago in Oakland. … Matt Harvey had considered opting out of his minor-league deal with Oakland, but instead he’ll stick around in hopes of a September call-up. The Athletics don’t have an opening for him in the starting rotation, so if Harvey does crack the major-league roster, it will have to be as a bullpen arm. … Sean Manaea joined the A’s for a bullpen session on Thursday. The left-hander recently wrapped up his minor-league rehab, posting a 4.71 ERA over eight starts between High-A Stockton and Triple-A Las Vegas. Now nearly a year removed from shoulder surgery, Manaea could be activated any day now. … Rougned Odor went 0-for-3 in Thursday’s loss to the Mariners, running his hitless streak to 28 at-bats. The dry spell has dropped his average to an anemic .192, worst in the majors among qualified hitters. Rangers manager Chris Woodward suggested Odor could be in danger of losing his starting job at second base if he doesn’t pick up the pace soon. … Mike Clevinger pulled out all the stops Thursday, continuing his torrid second-half by blanking the Tigers over eight dominant frames as Cleveland ran its winning streak against Detroit to 14 games. The right-hander has been brilliant for the Tribe, contributing a 9-0 record with a stellar 1.86 ERA over his last 11 starts. … The Rays are holding off on placing Kevin Kiermaier on the injured list despite him missing the past three games with a rib contusion. The team is hoping the two-time Gold Glove winner will suit up Friday against the Indians.  

NL Quick Hits: Another day, another homer for rookie phenom Aristides Aquino, who drove in all three Cincinnati runs in Thursday’s 12-inning loss to Miami. The 25-year-old’s 14 long balls this month are the most ever by an NL rookie. … X-rays on Max Muncy’s injured wrist came back negative, though the first-time All-Star is still expected to take a seat for the next handful of games. Utility man Enrique Hernandez spelled Muncy at second base in Thursday night’s loss to the Diamondbacks. … Muncy’s Dodgers teammate Ross Stripling is nearing the finish line in his recovery from a strained neck. Stripling worked three innings in a simulated game in Arizona earlier this week, putting him on track to return Sunday when rosters expand. … Kenley Jansen has had a rough go of it recently, blowing three of his past four save opportunities for the Dodgers. Despite the rough patch, manager Dave Roberts will continue to stand by his All-Star closer, insisting the team will “keep running him out there”. … Willson Contreras will begin a minor-league rehab stint with Triple-A Iowa on Friday. Shelved with a hamstring strain since early August, Contreras will spend roughly a week in the minors before joining the Cubs for their stretch run in September. … Anthony Rizzo accrued another absence Thursday, serving as a spectator for the fourth straight game Thursday as the Cubs claimed a 4-1 victory over the Mets. Still bothered by back stiffness, it’s unlikely we’ll see Rizzo in action Friday against Milwaukee. … Wilson Ramos extended his hitting streak to 22 by going 2-for-4 in Thursday’s 4-1 loss to Chicago. It’s been a glorious month for the veteran catcher, who has hit a mammoth .418 over 91 August at-bats while boosting his season average from a modest .255 to a more respectable .292. … Luke Weaver is slated to throw an “aggressive” bullpen session on Friday using all of his pitches. Sidelined since May with a strained flexor tendon in his throwing elbow, the D’Backs righty could be cleared for a simulated game if all goes well Friday. …

September Awaits

American League notes

If the White Sox were going to promote outfielder Luis Robert, I imagine they would have done it already. The 22-year-old has a crazy .453/.512/.920 line in 19 games since moving up to Triple-A, putting him at .332/.382/.628 for the year. He just got his 30th homer to go along with his 36 steals. He should absolutely be the No. 1 waiver claim in every mixed league if he happens to get the call, but it’s probably not happening.

- Kyle Tucker has also put together a 30/30 season, with 32 homers and 30 steals for Triple-A Round Rock. Still, his .266/.354/.551 line is a tad disappointing; his .905 OPS ranks 27th among Pacific Coast League qualifiers. Last year, he had a .989 OPS in 100 games in a PCL that wasn’t quite as ridiculous for hitters as it’s been this year. The Astros will call him up, but if they wanted to give him a real crack at Josh Reddick’s job, they could have done it a month ago. Reddick, the one weak link in Houston’s lineup, is batting .261/.301/.376 overall and is actually worse than that against righties. Tucker seems like an obvious offensive upgrade, but it would come at the expense of some defense. I’d like to see the Astros give it a try anyway, but if they were planning to go that route, they probably would have done it before Sept. 1. I’d need some assurance that he’s going to play before dropping anyone decent for him in a mixed league.

- Rather than call up Jo Adell, the Angels are going to send him to the Arizona Fall League. That seems like the right call, given that Adell has hit a modest .242/.301/.326 with 34 strikeouts in 21 games since moving up to Triple-A (his line should be a little better than that, but he lost his only two homers to a rainout).

- I wrote about Ryan Mountcastle as recently as last week, and it seems to me that he’s one of the best bets of any potential September callups to amass some mixed-league fantasy value. However, Joe Trezza, who covers the Orioles for MLB.com, thinks it’s “doubtful” that Mountcastle will get the call. The Orioles will probably highlight his lack of plate discipline, but it all comes down to service time. Mountcastle needs to be added to the 40-man roster this winter anyway, so that can’t be used as an excuse for not bringing him up.

Mountcastle’s lack of walks is an issue, and his .308/.340/.528 line for Triple-A Norfolk isn’t all that outstanding given the conditions in the International League this year (though it earned him MVP honors anyway). Still, he seems ready for a shot, and if the Orioles really want him to be more selective at the plate, they’d seem to have an easier time convincing him to do so if he were to struggle in a major league audition.

Ji-Man Choi has remained aggressively mediocre all year long, so the Rays should go back to Nate Lowe at first base next month. Lowe has hit .305/.400/.512 in 22 games since the near criminal act to demote him earlier this month (he was hitting .294/.365/.510 in 115 PA for the Rays). He’s a decent bet to offer fringy mixed-league value.
 Two-way player Brendan McKay should also be back with the Rays, though perhaps not in a major role in light of his recent shoulder fatigue. Fellow two-way player Jake Cronenworth could also debut. Cronenworth, who mostly plays shortstop, has broken through offensively while hitting .336/.427/.530 in Triple-A, and he’s yet to allow an earned run in 7 1/3 innings on the mound, though the eight walks he’s issued suggest he’s not ready for a major league role there. It’s unlikely he’ll move into the Rays’ starting lineup, but he’s become a very interesting player to watch.

 Jesus Luzardo would make for a much more interesting pickup if the A’s didn’t also have Sean Manaea in need of a rotation spot as he returns from shoulder surgery. As is, Luzardo is probably going to pitch in relief. Manaea has some mixed-league potential if he gets a start every week, but it sounds like the A’s currently intend to stick with Homer Bailey, making Manaea more of a spot guy initially.
- Oakland is giving Seth Brown a look after he busted out with a .297/.352/.634 line and 37 homers for Triple-A Nashville. Brown is 26 and he’s never been a big OBP guy, but he does offer pretty good defense in left field to go along with the power. It gives him a chance to stick. However, fantasy value seems unlikely, assuming that Ramon Laureano returns from the IL next week as hoped.

The Yankees just slid top pitching prospect Deivi Garcia into the pen in Triple-A, so it doesn’t look like he’ll be a candidate to start games in September.
 Jays prospect T.J. Zeuch got some attention for throwing a no-hitter for Triple-A Buffalo last week, and he’d seem to be in good position for a callup, given that he missed the first two months of the season and has still thrown just 82 innings on the year. A sinkerballer with a poor strikeout rate, he’s probably not going to make an impact in fantasy leagues, but he could be a solid innings eater for a team that needs one.

National League notes

 If the Dodgers wanted to give infielder Gavin Lux a try, it would have made sense to do it while Chris Taylor and Enrique Hernandez were on the injured list. The team is healthier now, and while Lux continues to dominate PCL pitching -- he’s batting an incredible .400/.486/.735 in 216 PA -- there just isn’t a clear path to playing time for him right now. I expect he’ll get a callup, but I don’t think he’ll play enough to produce much fantasy value

 With Jung-Ho Kang proving to be a bust and Colin Moran still struggling defensively at third base, Pirates fans have been waiting all year for Ke’Bryan Hayes to get hot in Triple-A and turn himself into an option at the hot corner. Unfortunately, it’s never happened. Hayes hasn’t been a disaster in hitting .262/.331/.416 for Indianapolis and he’s still just 22 years old, but there’s nothing to suggest he’s ready to be a quality major leaguer right now. The Pirates might give him a taste of the majors anyway. Moran has continued to provide the team with a steady bat, but since he’s made no gains defensively, he can’t be penciled in as a regular for 2020.

 The Nationals’ Carter Kieboom went just 5-for-39 in his first taste of the majors and also struggled mightily defensively while filling in for an injured Trea Turner earlier this season. He should be better equipped to contribute this time around, but it’ll probably be in a limited role with Brian Dozier, Asdrubal Cabrera and Howie Kendrick all doing fine work at the moment. Maybe if someone ahead of him gets hurt he’ll have some mixed-league value.


 It looked like Mauricio Dubon might take over as the Giants’ second baseman when he was picked up from the Brewers at the trade deadline, but not long after the deal came to fruition, the Giants announced they were getting Scooter Gennett from the Reds. Dubon had since split time between second and short for Triple-A Sacramento, and while he slumped some at first, he’d gotten enough recently to give himself a .323/.391/.485 line for his new team. Gennett, meanwhile, was a liability for the Giants, so instead of waiting until Sept. 1, the Giants made the switch Tuesday. Dubon should be the primary second baseman the rest of the way, but since he’ll probably hit low in a subpar lineup, he doesn’t rate as a very good option in shallow leagues. If he surprises, it will likely involve him doing more basestealing than he’s done this year; he went 38-for-53 in 2017, but after missing most of 2018 with a torn ACL, he’d gone just 10-for-18 in the minors this year.

 The Giants’ other big September “callup” will be Johnny Cueto, who has posted a 4.70 ERA and a 15/1 K/BB ratio in 15 1/3 innings while finishing his Tommy John rehab in the minors. All the reports on his stuff have been encouraging, so he could be a nice sleeper pick in mixed leagues next year. For September, though, even if he’s solid, it’ll probably be mostly in four- and five-inning outings, which shouldn’t result in any wins. Logan Webb, who is already up, rates as the better pickup right now.

 There have been calls for the Phillies to try Spencer Howard in their rotation, even though the 22-year-old has made a total of five starts above A-ball. A 2017 second-round pick, Howard has posted impressive results after returning from a shoulder injury in June, and he’s currently sporting a 2.52 ERA and a 32/6 K/BB ratio in 25 innings since moving up to Double-A Reading. It’d be a whole lot to ask him to contribute now -- I think it’d make more sense just to give Enyel De Los Santos a real try in Drew Smyly’s spot -- but if the hope is to catch lightning in a bottle, he does offer upside.

 The Braves still don’t appear very likely to try either Cristian Pache or Drew Waters in the outfield with Ender Inciarte and Nick Markakis out. Waters has had the better showing of the two offensively since moving up to Triple-A Gwinnett, hitting .309/.374/.407 in 91 PA, though that comes with 30 strikeouts. Pache is at .257/.313/.351 in 80 PA, though there still could be an argument for him because of his defense. It’s just too bad he’s not better on the bases; he went 8-for-19 swiping bases in Double-A this year and he hasn’t so much as tried a steal since his promotion.

 Ideally, Jon Duplantier would make some starts for the Diamondbacks next month. However, he hasn’t thrown more than four innings in any outing since returning from shoulder inflammation in early July. His last five-inning appearance came against the Dodgers on June 4. Since being called up to make one relief appearance for the Diamondbacks on Aug. 15, he’s thrown three and two innings in his two outings for Triple-A Reno. Since he’s not stretched out, he doesn’t figure to be a factor in fantasy leagues.

 The Marlins haven’t had a lot of luck rushing position prospects to the majors, so I’m guessing they won’t add Jesus Sanchez, the outfielder acquired from the Rays for Nick Anderson and Trevor Richards at the deadline. Sanchez has improved to .246/.338/.446 in 17 games for Triple-A New Orleans after hitting just .206/.282/.317 in 18 games for the Rays’ Triple-A affiliate in Durham. Including his Double-A numbers, he’s at .260/.325/.398 for the year, which isn’t bad at all for a 21-year-old. He is already on the 40-man, but he’s not nearly a finished product.

Other options for the Marlins include Monte Harrison and Magneuris Sierra. Harrison, 23, got off to a pretty good start this year before hurting his wrist and requiring surgery. He just returned Sunday, so it’d be really pushing it to promote him to the majors next week. However, he probably has a better shot than Sanchez of getting a starting job in the first half of next year. Sierra has had two very disappointing seasons since being acquired from the Cardinals in the Marcell Ozuna trade, but he has hit .290/.327/.473 with three homers and eight steals for New Orleans this month. It’s doubtful that he’d hit in the majors, but the steals could make him an option in deeper leagues.

Cardinal Way

When last the Cardinals visited the Land of Yelich, lo those many months ago, their stay was decided by who they could not find a way to stop.

They’ve returned to showcase how much they’ve got going.

What began by swamping Milwaukee with offense ended with the Cardinals’ bullpen wringing every out from its 5 1/3 scoreless innings on the way to a 12-2 victory Monday at Miller Park. The first-place Cardinals, having dispatched Pittsburgh from contention last month, shoved Milwaukee 5½ games back in the division race and won against the Brewers for the seventh time in their past eight games.

The Cardinals began the season dumbfounded by Christian Yelich and his 19 RBIs in the first seven games against, and yet showed Monday a new way to contain the reigning National League MVP: Stay too far ahead for him to catch up alone.

The Cardinals scored at least six runs for the fifth consecutive game and scored at least 11 in consecutive games for the first time since August 2017.

“Synched,” shortstop Paul DeJong said. “We’re all on the same page. We’re resonating well with each other, playing well with each other. There is a different hero every night it seems. And there’s multiple heroes every night. That’s a good sign for a group to be able to win a division and make some noise in the postseason.”

Even with the lopsided production at the plate, two of the more telling and more compelling moves came on the mound, including a quick and understandable move on starter Adam Wainwright that he said stung him to his “soul.” The veteran righthander said for 10 or 12 days he has been “fighting himself,” and early in the start Monday he was breaking off from his mechanics, causing his pitches to cast or miss. He held the Brewers to two runs but had to tiptoe around nine baserunners, including six hits, and by the time the he got late into the fourth inning he’d already thrown 90 pitches. The 90th issued a walk to Yasmani Grandal to put two runners on base and bring Yelich to the plate.

The Cardinals had a sub-lease on Miller Park in April, having visited the ballpark twice in the season’s opening weeks. Each time Yelich thundered. He had eight home runs in those seven games at Miller, including a three-homer game.

“Yelich — one swing of the bat could change the complexion of that game,” manager Mike Shildt said. “Felt like (Wainwright) was working a little harder than usual from the beginning. Made some sense to feel like we didn’t have to ride him.”

With the Cardinals leading by seven, the tying run wasn’t even headed to the bat rack for his gloves when Shildt lifted Wainwright after 3 2/3 innings for reliever John Gant. At times in the past, the starter would have had a deed on trying to get through that inning and past the fifth to qualify for the win. Wainwright explained how he had no issue not getting that shot.

“I didn’t earn that,” he said. “As a competitor, of course, I want a chance to go out there and get the job done, get a win for this team, carry them deeper into this game. It’s tough. The toughest part of today is at that point I had a seven-run lead and my manager looked out there and saw, ‘You know what, we better make a change.’ That’s on me. All I can do is keep competing. That hurts. Hurts my soul. It really does. But it’s going to make me compete harder.”

Gant (9-0) walked Yelich to load the bases and then breezed through the next few innings to throw 2 ⅓ scoreless innings and snag the win. The lead mushroomed late, but Shildt stuck to the plan to get lefty Andrew Miller and Carlos Martinez late-game work, as each requested. That drew boos from the Miller Park crowd as Shildt made the move to Martinez, his closer, for the final out of a 10-run game.

Given the Cardinals’ issues with the Brewers’ use of the opener last season for one batter and one batter only, the use of the closer could be read as the Cardinals making a point.

“There was no message,” Shildt insisted. “I wasn’t even thinking that.”

Twice in the first two innings, Brewers starter Gio Gonzalez nibbled around Paul Goldschmidt and gave him first base with a walk, preferring to surrender 90 feet to Goldschmidt and gain an edge at the plate. It didn’t work either time.

In the first inning, Goldschmidt scored on Yadier Molina’s two-run, two-out single to stake Wainwright to an early lead. The RBIs were Molina’s 900th and 901st of his career. In the second, Gonzalez walked Goldschmidt to load the bases, and Marcell Ozuna followed by clearing them with a double into the right-field corner. The swing gave Ozuna 10 RBIs in his past five games. Even after Goldschmidt stopped walking, the Cardinals kept scoring. Ozuna added a single and a run scored in the sixth inning. Molina hit his fifth home run of the season in the fourth, off Gonzalez. In his second at-bat of the second inning, Harrison Bader had a two-run double to punctuate the six-run inning.

And, in the sixth, DeJong turned his attention from shattering ballpark advertisements for food and landed a bruise on a sign for a beverage. His two-run homer to dead center clanged off the scoreboard, near a Miller Lite.

DeJong came inches shy of a second homer to center.

When it was caught near the top of the wall, he settled for a sacrifice fly and his third RBI of the game, all of which came as the Cardinals extended their lead in the late innings. By the end of the second inning, the Cardinals had four at-bats with the bases loaded.

By the end of the game, seven different spots in the order had scored at least a run.

“Good at-bats travel,” Shildt said. “This group is in a good place.”

And it goes where they do.

A new Sonny Day

It’s unusual for a team to sign a player to a contract extension before that player has actually played for them. It’s even more peculiar when that player was coming off a season when he posted a 4.90 ERA.
The Reds have to be pretty happy that they took a bit of a leap of faith on Sonny Gray.

Gray moved to 10-6 with a win over the Marlins on Monday as he held Miami to two runs over six innings of work. He walked five batters but permitted just two hits and struck out six along the way in the Reds’ 6-3 victory.
In 10 starts since the beginning of July, Gray has posted a microscopic 1.59 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 79/26 K/BB ratio over 62 1/3 innings. Yes, he’s walked too many during that stretch, but when you’ve given up a mere 34 hits across 62 1/3 frames you’re able to get away with it.
While Gray’s control hasn’t been great this season, he’s made up for it with a 10.6 K/9 rate that blows anything else he’d previously done out of the water. He has three double-digit strikeout games over his last 10 starts. In the first six seasons of his career he had four double-digit strikeout games.
Gray has thrown his slider more than ever during the aforementioned 10-start stretch, and it’s been a money pitch for him. He’s also getting more swings and misses while yet again boasting one of the better ground ball rates in the league. Yes, it’s a good combination, particularly in this record-pace home run year in baseball.
 Gray will try to keep it going this weekend in St. Louis against the red-hot Cardinals.

Looking for Lux

If a top prospect was going to reach the major leagues this season, chances are he’s already been promoted. However, could we possibly see one of the best prospects in the game when rosters expand?
Ken Rosenthal reported over the weekend for FOX Sports and reiterated on Monday for The Athletic that the Dodgers are not ruling out a promotion of infield prospect Gavin Lux in September.
Yes, Lux would need to be added to the 40-man roster. Yes, his addition would further complicate a roster already filled with moving parts. Yes, the Dodgers are going to cruise to another Nationals League West title, with or without Lux.
However, the only question the Dodgers really need to answer is whether Lux gives them a better chance to win a World Series. The 21-year-old’s performance in the minors this season certainly suggests that the answer to that query is “yes.”
Lux has split his time this season between Double- and Triple-A, and entering Monday he was batting .351/.425/.615 with 25 home runs, 75 RBI and 10 stolen bases between the two stops. In 44 games at Triple-A Oklahoma City going into Monday, Lux had belted 12 homers while sporting a 1.240 OPS. Sure, numbers in the PCL are even crazier this year, but sheesh.
Lux is primarily a shortstop, but he’s played nearly 80 games at second base in his pro career and that’s where the Dodgers would break him in. Interestingly, while he’s started just 16 games at second this season, seven of those starts have come over the last three weeks. He was at second base Monday for the third time in his last four contests.
If the Dodgers did call up Lux, it would mean a lot more of Max Muncy at first base and Cody Bellinger in the outfield. It would also figure to mean a drop in playing time for Chris Taylor and Enrique Hernandez and perhaps a bit for Joc Pederson, Alex Verdugo and A.J. Pollock, too.
Manager Dave Roberts has never shied away from putting roster and lineup puzzle pieces together, though. He should be able to find enough at-bats to go around.

Oakland Obliteration

It was a game so lopsided that the Royals used not one, but two position players to pitch the final three innings.
The A’s got back to 20 games over .500 with a blowout victory Monday in Kansas City, pounding out 22 hits and 19 runs in the laugher. Homer Bailey beat his former team with a quality start, allowing three runs over six innings of work.
Everyone in the Oakland lineup reached base at least two times, and only Robbie Grossman didn’t have at least two hits. Four players had at least three base knocks. Seth Brown had a couple hits, an RBI and scored two runs in his major league debut.
The A’s launched four home runs, as Matt Chapman reached the 30-homer plateau and even the ice-cold Khris Davis went deep (granted, it came off of one of the position players who pitched, Humberto Arteaga). Marcus Semien also had one of the long balls and drove in a career-high seven runs.

With the win, the A’s moved ahead of the Rays for the second Wild Card spot in the American League. They’re just a half-game behind the Indians for the top Wild Card spot.

National League Quick Hits: Rockies manager Bud Black said Monday that German Marquez is dealing with a tired arm and the team is still debating whether he will pitch again this season. … X-rays came back negative after Mike Moustakas exited Monday’s game with a left hand injury, although he’s not expected to play Tuesday. … Freddy Galvis went 3-for-5 with a three-run homer and four RBI as the Reds topped the Marlins on Monday. … Julio Teheran held the Rockies scoreless for six innings Monday at Coors Field but took a no-decision in the Braves’ loss. … Yadier Molina went 2-for-4 with a homer, three RBI and a walk Monday in the Cardinals' drubbing of the Brewers. … Justin Turner went 3-for-5 with a homer in Monday’s loss to the Padres. … Pablo Lopez lost to the Reds after giving up four runs in five innings Monday in his return from the injured list. … Jay Bruce (elbow) is scheduled to play in rehab games on Friday and Saturday before being activated Sunday … Dansby Swanson went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in his return from the IL Monday.

American League Quick Hits: Giancarlo Stanton (knee) could take batting practice on Tuesday, which would be the first time he’s done so since June. … Luis Severino (shoulder) could begin a rehab assignment on Sunday. … Stephen Piscotty (ankle) landed on the IL Monday and Athletics manager Bob Melvin said that the outfielder could be sidelined for "a while". … Adalberto Mondesi (shoulder) is expected to be activated from the injury list on Sunday. … Mike Ford went deep twice in the Yankees’ win over the Mariners on Monday. … Danny Duffy (hamstring) will rejoin the Royals' rotation on Saturday versus the Orioles. … Brendan McKay has been placed on the injured list at Triple-A Durham with left shoulder fatigue.

The dreaded Innings limit

The start of the baseball season is filled with unabashed joy for the return of the game we all love. Still, a small cloud named "service time manipulation" hangs over that part of the schedule, reminding us that we're still not seeing the game in its purest form.
Then, for months, we just get baseball -- no politics, no manipulation, no worries. Every team is just grinding, trying to win as many games as possible with the best lineup it can produce on a given day.
But as we transition to the stretch run, outside concerns creep back in. Namely: innings limits. The bright, young pitchers or brilliant veterans coming off serious injury have now logged a lot of innings, perhaps even more at this point than they did in all of 2018.


We as a baseball community have moved past the belief in things like the Verducci Effect, so surely the men and women running Major League Baseball organizations have as well, but that doesn't mean there still isn't a concern for a pitcher's future. That's doubly true for teams with little left to play for 2019.
So who's at risk of being shut down? Let's try to identify some candidates.


Chris Paddack

Paddack is the poster boy for the innings limit, not only because he's already logged 117 1/3 innings (at the highest level) after throwing 90 innings last year while coming off Tommy John surgery, but also because he's shown a clear decline in the season's second half. Since the All-Star break, the 23-year-old has a 6.17 ERA and 1.28 WHIP in seven starts, and he's been even worse if we narrow that sample size to August only. Paddack's talent is unquestionable, but he sure looks like a guy nearing the end of his time on the mound in 2019. The Padres' position in the standings helps, as they've all but been ruled out of making the postseason this year. Their future is brighter, though, as is that of Paddack, so it makes sense to ensure your best young starter lives to fight another day. Unlike some other players on this list, a shutdown might actually be a blessing in disguise for fantasy players, many of whom likely feel obligated to start a guy with a 3.84 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 121 strikeouts in those 117 1/3 innings to date. The reality is that he hasn't been that guy in a few weeks, and if the decision is made for fantasy players it may be for the best. Keep an eye on his usage as early as next week.

Domingo German

In spring, German was in a fight for a rotation spot with the Yankees and was arguably not even the preferred choice to win a job (depending on your feelings about top prospect Jonathan Loaisiga) out of spring. Thank goodness he did earn a spot, though, as German has been one of the season's biggest revelations at the position, regardless of team. The 27-year-old has posted a 4.15 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 131 strikeouts in 121 1/3 innings to date, and his 16 wins lead the majors. The concern, at least from the outside, would be that he's at 121 1/3 innings -- add in four innings in a minor league start and it's 152 1/3 innings -- after throwing a combined 94 innings in 2018. The good news is that the Yankees don't share that concern for the right-hander. "He already has had a timeout," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said earlier this month, likely referring to the month he missed in June. "I am not going to say what the level of his limitations were or are, but it would be more of a fair assessment issue to be dealt with if he didn’t have that timeout that he has already taken." That explanation surely factors in the fact that the Yanks are in a playoff push, so not only will German keep pitching, he'll probably keep pitching every fifth day for as long as the Yankees have meaningful games left to play. Feel confident rolling German out there until season's end.

Micheal Soroka

Soroka is like the racehorse that starts slow but that turns on the jets down the stretch, catching and surpassing most of the horses as they approach the finish line. The 22-year-old was on plenty of fantasy radars this winter as a top prospect with a shot at cracking the Braves' rotation in spring, but then spring came and Soroka didn't pitch one inning in a spring game due to right shoulder issues. That tanked his fantasy value, but Soroka rounded into form and was pitching for the Braves by mid-April. (He's a great cautionary tale for caring too much about opportunity -- talent almost always finds a way to prevail.) Since then, he's raced to the head of the National League Rookie of the Year conversation, especially with Paddack now struggling and phenom Fernando Tatis Jr. done for the season. In 23 starts, Soroka is 10-2 with a 2.41 ERA and 1.08 WHIP, earning an All-Star bid along the way. Like German, Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos has thought about the issue of innings, but unlike Cashman, Anthopoulos wasn't ready to commit either way. "We're going to put their careers first," Anthopoulos said of Soroka and Max Fried. "If we think the appropriate thing is to scale back or to shut them down, we'll do it. But as we sit here today, we haven't made arrangements to do that. We're just going to play it by ear." The Braves lead the Nationals in the NL East by six games and may actually have the luxury of coasting into the postseason since they're well ahead of the NL Central-leading Cardinals but far enough behind the NL West-best Dodgers that they're likely not going to catch them for the top spot. If that scenario plays out they may try to save a few innings for Soroka by skipping a start or two down the stretch, but it doesn't sound like the club has any plans of doing a hard shutdown. Monitor the situation, but keep him in your fantasy rotation for now.

Dodger Pitching

Just as how the Dodgers have taken a shotgun approach to finding pitching in recent years, so will this author approach the handful of Dodgers pitchers with at least some concern about their workload. The big one is Hyun-Jin Ryu, who's been a Cy Young candidate in 24 starts this year. Ryu has posted a 2.00 ERA while going 12-4; his brilliance was punctuated by receiving the honor of starting the All-Star Game for the National League. The issue, then is that he's now thrown 152 2/3 innings after doing roughly half that number in 2018. Fellow All-Star Walker Buehler could be in a similar boat, having pitched 148 1/3 innings to date after throwing 153 1/3 innings last year -- also a big step up from his prior year -- and Kenta Maeda is at 133 innings, a number around which he's hovered for a few years now. The problem for fantasy players is that the Dodgers are the unchallenged class of the National League, a position they're almost certain to hold down the stretch. That means they'll have the luxury of being selective with when, and if, they deploy their starters. It's highly unlikely any of the three are shut down in any meaningful way, but the odds are good that they'll call on their pitching depth to spell guys they view as possibly being taxed. It's mostly an inconvenience, as fantasy players, especially those in weekly leagues, will have to be vigilant about checking to make sure their Dodgers starters are on schedule and won't be skipped or pushed back. It shouldn't present too much of an issue on the whole, though.

Zac Gallen

If we're mildly surprised to be tracking Soroka's innings in late August, we're shocked to be caring about Gallen's. The young right-hander wasn't on many radars outside of dynasty leagues at the season's outset, a promising pitcher but one who didn't appear on any top prospect lists and who wasn't even able to break into the rotation of a team as bad as the Marlins out of camp. Gallen forced his way to the majors by late June, though, and he showed so well that the Diamondbacks traded top prospect Jazz Chisholm for him at the trade deadline. The 24-year-old has logged 147 2/3 innings between Triple-A, the Marlins and the D'backs, and in the bigs he owns a 2.56 ERA through 11 starts. He's already exceeded his 133 1/3 innings of work in 2018 -- all of which came in the minors, too -- and although the Diamondbacks are 5.5 games out of a Wild Card spot, they're also behind a handful of teams that they'd have to leapfrog to sneak into October. The odds of that are long, and their trade of a prospect like Chisholm speaks to how they view the Gallen acquisition -- one that, while it may provide immediate returns in 2019, is primarily for the long term. With that in mind and with this being Gallen's first go-round in the majors, it wouldn't be surprising to see the D'backs shut him down with a few weeks remaining in the season. Fantasy players should ride Gallen hard until that day comes.

Max Fried

Another Anthopoulos excerpt from the Soroka conversation: "I've said this before, as a young GM, I was pretty militant with innings and things like that, and it didn't work. Even when I was in L.A., and obviously there's as good an organization as you can find, [I was] very cautious with Julio Urias and he still got hurt. You can go through a lot of examples. I think we are very much on top of it." That quote holds interest for both Soroka and Fried, who's been overshadowed by his teammate but who has also been vital in the Braves' NL East contention. Through 136 1/3 innings this year, the southpaw is 14-4 with a 4.03 ERA and 139 strikeouts. He threw 111 1/3 innings in 2018 and has a long history of injury, including Tommy John surgery, so the worry about his workload is real. Anthopoulos is right that it's hard to predict injury and thus an exercise in futility to fret too much about it, but Fried seems like an obvious case where caution might be recommended. As noted, the Braves are in an enviable spot as we approach September, so they will have the opportunity to rest Fried and others without having to shut them down entirely. It's just hard to imagine Fried's usage won't be a guessing game down the stretch.

Aquino, Bass, and Demeritte, no not a law firm

Aristides Aquino

If I'd have written this column a week ago as intended, Aquino's name wouldn't have been on it. The 25-year-old was called up in the wake of the deadline to ostensibly take the place of the departed Yasiel Puig, but few expected that he'd make most of Cincinnati forget Puig's name in a week's time. Aquino has set the world on fire since his promotion, batting an absurd .464/.500/1.250 with seven homers in his first nine games in the majors. That included a three-homer game on Saturday, making him the first player in MLB history to have a three-homer game within the first 10 games of his major league career. The game also marked the fourth straight in which he's homered, another impressive feat. Aquino was a non-prospect entering the year -- to the extent that he was actually removed from the team's 40-man roster last November and was re-signed as a minor league free agent the next day -- but he made a big change to his stance, going from a closed to an extremely open one, so these gains are granted some legitimacy. He's struck out in 30 percent of his plate appearances thus far and was striking out more than one-fourth of the time in the minors against lesser competition, so there are holes to be exploited. The regression will come and he isn't a great bet to hit for even a usable average, but the power seems to be real. If nothing else, he's a wave to be ridden while he's going like this.

Tony Bass

Anthony Bass

When the Mariners traded both Hunter Strickland and Roenis Elias in the same deal with the Nationals, it signaled a change -- mostly because both of the guys most likely to get saves were now gone in one fell swoop. Enter Bass, who has gone from unwanted around baseball to the guy likely to close games for the M's for the next two months. Bass had to settle for a minor league contract this winter and toiled at the Reds' Triple-A affiliate for nearly two months before the Mariners expressed interest in late May. Through 18 appearances he held a 4.43 ERA and 1.21 WHIP, but since then he's posted a 2.00 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 10/3 K/BB ratio over nine appearances. His only blemish was his last time out, a Friday appearance in which he walked three and clearly didn't have it. By Statcast metrics, the 31-year-old has been one of the biggest risers in that span, too, seeing his xwOBA drop more than 200 points in his last 50 plate appearances, from .437 to .234. His success seems to be the result of throwing his hard sinker more frequently, as the rate has risen to a career-high 44.1 percent this year. Sinkers don't correlate positively with strikeouts, and the right-hander is accordingly fanning only 19.8 percent of batters faced, but he walks virtually no one and when the bowling ball is rolling he's hard to hit. It's not a sexy option, but it could be an effective one to amass saves down the stretch.

Trent Grisham

The trade of Jesus Aguilar opened up a spot for Grisham in a roundabout way, sliding Eric Thames to first base in a more long-term role and allowing the Brewers to promote the 2015 first-round pick. Grisham was hitting .300/.407/.603 with 26 homers and 12 steals between Double-A and Triple-A before the call-up, and the big story has been the power outburst. The 22-year-old hit 19 homers through parts of his first four seasons in the minors before jumping up to bash 26 in 97 games this season. He's carried over the strong production since he was promoted, batting .333/.355/.519 with a pair of three-hit games and one homer in eight contests. He's played in all three outfield spots with the Brewers, appearing primarily in left field to both spell Ryan Braun and allow Braun to slide to right field with the ailing Christian Yelich sidelined. What's more notable is that manager Craig Counsell has not hesitated to put the rookie atop the stacked lineup when a right-hander is on the mound, batting leadoff in every game when a righty has been on the bump since he debuted in the nine spot on August 1. On-base skills and a propensity to crush righties are good qualities at the top of a lineup as stout as the Brewers', even sans Yelich for the time being, and as long as Grisham is doing his job it seems to be his role to lose. When Yelich does return there could be a bit of a numbers crunch in the outfield with Braun and Lorenzo Cain also in tow, but the trio of veterans should get enough days off down the stretch to make Grisham a very strong play in daily moves leagues and even in weekly leagues when the schedule is favorable.

Travis traded to the Tigers

Travis Demeritte

This is cheating, since Demeritte was actually traded on deadline day in the deal that sent Shane Greene to the Braves. But since he wasn't traded for the guy who he's replacing in the lineup -- the trade of Nicholas Castellanos to the Cubs opened the door for Demeritte's promotion -- I'll allow it. The former first-round pick of the Rangers in 2013 has had a long, winding road to the majors, complete with another prior trade that sent him to the Braves in 2016 and then a few lean years in the Braves system that dropped him off the prospect radar. The 24-year-old re-established himself this season, though, batting .286/.387/.558 with 20 homers and four steals at Triple-A Gwinnett. He's had a relatively unassuming start to his major league career, batting .235/.357/.471 in 10 games, but he's got a homer and two steals in those 10 games. His sprint speed, per Statcast, ranks in the 80th percentile among major leaguers, and so it's not implausible he continues to run and steal bases at a decent clip -- especially considering the Tigers have no incentives to hold him back -- even though he was never a prolific base-stealer in the minors. It's his pop that will carry him, though, and he's also shown the willingness to take a walk when it's offered. His ceiling is limited, but with a long leash and power that plays at the highest level Demeritte is at least worth a look in AL-only leagues.

Aaron Civale

The Indians likely felt comfortable trading Trevor Bauer because they knew they had Civale and Danny Salazar waiting in the wings, and Corey Kluber on the comeback trail. Well, Kluber is still working his way back and Salazar is back on the injured list after one outing with a right groin strain, leaving Civale as the de facto winner of the Bauer deal. He's certainly earned it after going 7-1 with a 2.35 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 70/15 K/BB ratio across 72 2/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A. The 24-year-old has been even better in a pair of major league starts, allowing a lone run with 13 strikeouts over 12 innings, first against the Tigers in June and more recently against the Rangers this week. His best pitch is a cutter that he can run in on lefties and cut away from righties, and he also utilizes a sinker and a changeup. His calling card is command, though, and his ability to spot pitches will likely ultimately decide his fate in the majors. All his starts won't come against favorable competition -- a Sunday start against the Twins will offer a tougher challenge -- but with a strong offense at his back and a stout bullpen to provide relief, Civale could be a six-inning, three-run quality start-type pitcher as the Indians vie for a spot in October.

Jays caught their Big Fish

 

 

 

 

 

 

Derek Fisher

Like Demeritte, this one is also a bit of a cheat, and for more reasons than one. First, Fisher was also traded on deadline day. Second, the Jays didn't really make a corresponding trade that paved the way for Fisher's promotion. Third, he was actually mentioned in passing in my column last week when talking about Aaron Sanchez. Fisher was the Jays' return for Sanchez, and there was a time, like in 2015 when he hit 22 homers and stole 31 bases, that the return would have been an exciting one for the Jays and their fans. In 2019 the return is less exciting -- he's really struggled in a few major league cameos, and has also had issues staying healthy in recent years -- but still one that has a very high ceiling if he can stay on the field and tap into some of the sky-high potential he's always had. In 60 games at Triple-A before the trade Fisher was hitting .286/.401/.522 with 14 homers and eight steals, and he's hit a pair of homers in nine games since the trade and promotion. The 25-year-old has long been viewed as a toolbox and should be given every opportunity to unlock all those tools with the rebuilding Jays. A lineup so young but so full of promise -- playing everyday alongside Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio and the rest -- could be a good thing for all parties involved, including Fisher. If he's able to gain some traction in his latest stint in the majors and can put to use both his pop and speed, he's a guy who could find his way to double-digit homers and steals over the season's final two months alone. That's a big "if," but if we're throwing darts here, Fisher is as good a target as any.

Alvarez, remember that name

  Yordan Alvarez is changing the game, his game,actually.

Yordan Alvarez was asked what went well for him Saturday night.
“It’s not obvious?” he said in Spanish with a laugh and beaming smile. “The three home runs. Thank goodness.”
With the kind of comically impressive tear he’s been on to start his career, there’s little that hasn’t worked well for Alvarez. His three homers in Saturday’s 23-2 drubbing of the Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards propelled him to 51 RBIs in his brief career. That's the most by any player in his first 45 career games, surpassing Ted Williams mark of 47 in 1939. Since Ted "freaking" Williams.

But now, it’s Alvarez that future rookies will look to top.
“Yordan is special, watching from afar,” said winning pitcher Aaron Sanchez, who tossed five one-run innings in his second start with the Astros. "And now I get to see him every night. … To follow this guy’s career is going to be something special, for sure.”
Alvarez wasn't the only rookie in MLB to hit three homers on Saturday night. The Reds' Aristides Aquino, in just his 10th career game, belted three homers in Cincinnati's win over the Cubs. It's the first time in Major League history that two rookies hit three home runs on the same day.

Alvarez’s career night -- which featured a solo homer in the first, a grand slam in the seventh and a two-run blast off Orioles center fielder Stevie Wilkerson in the ninth -- was just a taste of the history set by the Astros on Saturday. The Astros also:
• Set a franchise record for most runs in a game (23)
• Set a franchise record for most extra-base hits in a game (13)
• Became the first Major League team this season with 20 runs in a game
• Tied the franchise record for most hits in a game (25)
• Tied the franchise record for most homers in a nine-inning game (6)
• Extended their franchise record for grand slams in a season (11)

“It’s really hard to explain what happened today,” said Jose Altuve, who hit his 20th homer of the season in the second inning.
“When something goes well for one of us,” Alvarez added through team interpreter Oz Ozcampo, “it goes well for all of us.”
In all, Houston batted 22 balls with an exit velocity over 95 mph, which is Statcast's threshold for a hard-hit ball. None traveled farther than Carlos Correa's solo homer in the third inning. His 474-foot blast stands as the longest ever tracked at Camden Yards.


But it’s Alvarez, the rookie phenom who’s taken the baseball world by storm, that continues to impress his teammates and fans. Saturday wasn’t Alvarez’s first three-homer game this year -- he hit three with Triple-A Round Rock on April 6, his second game of the season. Especially now, with all the hype and expectations that follow Alvarez, Astros manager AJ Hinch balks at all this talk of records.
“I just don't think we should ever put limitations or even expectations on guys,” he said. “Let’s wait to see how they do. And he’s obviously gotten off to an incredible start to his career, in doing things at a pace that incredible.”

Yordan delivers

Most impressive to Hinch? That this game from Alvarez came only a day after what could be considered, only for him, a lackluster night at the plate Friday: 1-for-4 with an RBI and two strikeouts.
“The way that he puts his at-bats together -- the production, the calmness,” Hinch said. “He’s an intelligent hitter at a young age, and he doesn't miss his pitches that he’s looking for. I like how he responded to a little bit of swing and miss last night. He comes in tonight and [has] good at-bats from the beginning."
He’s slotted seamlessly into a lineup more powerful than ever, and now winners of eight in a row. Altuve said Alvarez belongs squarely in the conversation for the American League Rookie of the Year Award.
“What he’s doing, it’s awesome,” Altuve said. “It’s hard to believe. He’s probably one of the best young hitters in baseball right now. But what I like about him is how humble and how hard he works every day.”

Right now is where he wants to be, right here is where he wants to play, right is might is tight.
 

Stars out tonight

Friday was not a good night to be a pitcher as homers went flying left and right in the summer heat, even in the lowest-scoring game of the night. There were five players with multiple home runs on the day. The Twins lead the major leagues in home runs and set a new franchise record last night when Eddie Rosario clubbed the team's 226th longball of the campaign. They have more than six weeks remaining in the season and should have no problem breaking the league-wide record of 267 home runs set by the 2018 Yankees. This year's version of the Yankees are not far behind the Twins with 206 home runs and the two teams could duel it out down the stretch for the privilege of setting the new standard.

One of the Twins' best sluggers, Nelson Cruz, was placed on the injured list yesterday with a wrist injury. The Yankees have played almost the entire season without Giancarlo Stanton, who has hit just one home run this year. He hit 38 homers last year and 59 in 2017 with the Marlins. The Astros and Dodgers are tied for third in the majors with 192 dongs apiece. The Marlins rank last with just 98 bombs. The Marlins are lead by Brian Anderson with 20 home runs -- he is one of 69 players in the majors with 20 or more longballs already. Last year exactly 100 players hit 20 or more homers, a mark that will surely be obliterated by the time the 2019 season draws to a close.

Two-Homer Hammers

Carson Kelly clobbered a pair home runs to propel the Diamondbacks to a dramatic 3-2 victory over the Dodgers in extra-innings. The game started out as a pitchers' duel between Walker Buehler and Robbie Ray. Buehler fired six shutout innings and appeared poised for a victory when closer Kenly Jansen came on to protect a 2-0 lead in the ninth inning. Kelly had other plans however and ripped a two-run shot off Jansen to tie the game and send it to extras. Kelly won it with a solo blast off Julio Urias in the 11th frame. The young catcher never hit a home run in parts of three seasons with the Cardinals but now has 16 long balls in his first campaign as a Diamondback. He has developed into a solid fantasy catcher with a .268/.354/.553 slash line in 260 plate appearances. Kelly is ranked as the 11th-best catcher on Yahoo and 10th on the ESPN Player Rater.

Oracle Park in San Francisco is the toughest ballpark in the majors for home run hitters but Bryce Harper didn't let that get in his way. He homered twice and collected four RBI to lead the Phillies to a 9-6 victory over the Giants. He now has four homers in his last eight games. He cracked a solo shot against starter Tyler Beede in the fifth inning and then banged a three-run jack to right field in the seventh off reliever Tony Watson. That one sailed right out of the ballpark and into McCovey Cove. Harper is now slashing .252/.371/.478 with 22 home runs, 78 RBI, 69 runs scored and six stolen bases. Those are solid but not spectacular numbers and Harper is certainly capable of more. Fantasy owners were hoping his numbers would improve this year considering he left the Nationals to play in a more hitter-friendly ballpark in Philadelphia. The 26-year-old won't be setting any new career highs this year.
J.D. Martinez went 4-for-5, blasted a pair of homers, scored four runs and drove in four runs, powering the Red Sox to a 16-4 victory over the Angels. He ripped an RBI-double in the first inning, took Jaime Barria yard for a two-run bomb in the fourth and cracked a solo shot in the seventh. The monster game kicked his slash line up to .310/.383/.569 with 27 home runs and 71 RBI on the season. He isn't a Triple Crown threat this year like he was a year ago but his owners are still getting exactly what they paid for on draft day. He is a four-category stud (just one stolen base) and can easily rack up huge RBI and run totals in the heart of the loaded Red Sox lineup.

Acuna Matata

Ronald Acuna Jr. went 3-for-5 with two homers and four RBI in an 8-4 win over the Marlins. He smoked a two-run tater off starter Caleb Smith in the fifth inning and thumped another two-run shot in the ninth off reliever Austin Brice. Acuna has been on an epic streak with seven longballs in his last eight games. He's also been running the bases with reckless abandon and is up to 26 stolen bases on the season. He is bashing to the tune of .298/.377/.535 with 32 home runs, 79 RBI and 96 runs scored. He is proving his Rookie of the Year season was no fluke and currently ranks as the second-best player in fantasy leagues according to both Yahoo and the ESPN Player Rater. Christian Yelich is the only player who has out-performed him.
Teoscar Hernandez went 2-for-3 with two homers, three RBI, and two runs scored in a win over the Yankees. He ripped a solo dong off struggling Yankee starter J.A. Happ in the second inning and banged a two-run dinger off stud reliever Tommy Kahnle in the eighth. Hernandez is a frustrating player to own in fantasy leagues because of his inconsistency. He has great power but too often flails wildly at the plate. He has a .224 batting average with 17 home runs and 43 RBI in 87 games. He hit another five dingers in the minors this year. He is ranked number 193 among all hitters on the ESPN Player Rater, putting him on the fringe of roster-worthiness in fantasy leagues.

Buehler !!

National League Quick Hits: Walker Buehler fired six shutout innings in a no-decision against the Diamondbacks. He has a 3.08 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 160/23 K/BB ratio... Gio Gonzalez fired five innings of one-run ball in a no-decision against the Rangers... Robbie Ray yielded two runs over six innings in a no-decision against the Dodgers... Marcell Ozuna went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer against the Pirates.... Cal Quantrill struck out five and hurled seven scoreless frames in a win over the Rockies. He has a 1.62 ERA  in 33 1/3 innings... Scott Oberg was lit up for a season-high four runs on three hits in a non-save chance appearance against the Padres... Josh Naylor slugged a pinch-hit, three-run homer in the Padres’ win over the Rockies... Luis Urias went 2-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored in the Padres’ lopsided win over the Rockies... Fernando Tatis Jr. drilled a two-run double, stole two bases and also drew a pair of walks to lead the Padres to a 7-1 blowout victory over the Rockies... Drew Smyly was charged with six runs -- four earned -- on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings in a no-decision against the Giants... Corey Dickerson went 3-for-4 with three-run triple and a run scored in the Phillies’ win over the Giants... Stephen Vogt went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer in the Giants’ loss to the Phillies... Marcus Stroman allowed four runs over six innings in a no-decision against the Nationals... Pete Alonso homered in his fourth straight game in a win over the Nationals and is up to 38 bombs for the season... Anthony Rendon went 2-for-5 with a homer, three RBI, a stolen base, and two runs scored against the Mets... Todd Frazier slugged a game-tying three-run homer against Nationals closer Sean Doolittle in the bottom of the ninth inning... Julio Teheran registered seven strikeouts while throwing seven innings of one-run ball in an 8-4 win over the Marlins... Caleb Smith allowed a season-high six runs in 4 2/3 innings in a loss to the Braves... Ozzie Albies stayed red-hot by going 4-for-5 with a solo homer and two runs scored... Starlin Castro went 4-for-4 with a homer and two RBI in a loss to the Braves... Braves' manager Brian Snitker announced Friday that Mark Melancon will function as the team's primary closer for the time being, replacing Shane Greene... Trevor Bauer piled up 11 strikeouts and allowed just one run through seven innings to beat the Cubs. This was his seventh double-digit strikeout game of the season and first with the Reds... Yu Darvish took the loss against the Reds after surrendering four runs over six innings... Ross Stripling has been shut down for an additional week due to continued neck discomfort... Yadier Molina (thumb) is expected to return from the injured list on Tuesday...

Shane , not Justin Bieber

American League Quick Hits: Marco Gonzales gave up two runs on seven hits and matched a season-high with nine strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings in a no-decision against the Rays... Shane Bieber struck out 11 while allowing two runs over seven-plus innings in a win over the Twins. He is 12-4 with a 3.28 ERA and 193/32 K/BB rate over 156 1/3 innings... Devin Smeltzer was tagged for six runs over 4 1/3 innings in a loss to the Indians... Yasiel Puig finished 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored against the Twins... Jose Ramirez went 3-for-5 with an RBI double, a walk, a stolen base, and two runs scored against the Twins... Rafael Devers homered and drove in three runs as the Red Sox slaughtered the Angels... Albert Pujols blasted a three-run homer in a losing effort against the Red Sox... Sean Reid-Foley held the Yankees to a lone run over five innings as part of an 8-2 win... J.A. Happ was knocked around for six runs over five innings in a loss to the Blue Jays... Danny Jansen swatted a three-run homer in a win over the Yankees... Mike Tauchman went 2-for-4 with a solo homer against the Blue Jays. He has five homers in his last five games... Dawel Lugo went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI, leading the Tigers to a 5-2 victory over the Royals... Edwin Jackson dominated in his return to the Tigers, surrendering just one run on four hits over 6 1/3 innings in a victory over the Royals. He has a 9.35 ERA on the season... Matt Chapman crushed his 25th home run of the season, powering the Athletics to a 7-0 victory over the White Sox.. Mike Fiers dominated the White Sox, racking up eight strikeouts over seven shutout innings. He is now 11-3 on the season with an impressive 3.30 ERA and 1.11 WHIP across 147 1/3 innings... Nelson Cruz has been diagnosed with a ruptured ECU tendon in his left wrist and will visit a specialist on Monday. He was placed on the 10-day injured list... Yandy Diaz will be shut down for 6-8 weeks after a CT scan revealed a hairline fracture of the navicular bone in his left foot... Lourdes Gurriel has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 left quad strain and will be placed on the injured list prior to Saturday's game...

Lourdes, not Yuli Gurriel