The Yanks just stole the Houston Astros lunch money

The Yankees went into Houston and took the Astros’ lunch money. Call it revenge for 2017.

In a rematch of last year’s American League Championship series, the Yankees demoralized the reigning World Champs, taking three of four including a come-from-behind 6-5 win in Thursday’s series finale at Minute Maid Park. The Bronx Bombers were getting lapped by Boston early in the year but they’ve since trimmed the Red Sox’s lead in the American League East to a single game. But before we go patting New York on the back for claiming its 12th win in 13 games, it might be time to finally address the elephant in the room. Shall we?

You already know this, but it’s worth reiterating—the Astros are a legitimate juggernaut with very few shortcomings. The lineup is full of Greek gods like Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa while the rotation features a pair of Cy Young winners (Justin Verlander and Dallas Keuchel), a guy whose CURVEBALL sits in the high 80s (fun fact: any time you type the phrase “spin rate,” it immediately summons Trevor Bauer) and Charlie Morton, who might be the hottest pitcher in all of baseball. There’s a reason Vegas set the over/under for Houston wins at 96.5—they’re phenomenal.

But the Astros aren’t perfect and perfect is about what it takes to beat the Yankees these days. It may have been hard to see amidst all the champagne, confetti and on-field marriage proposals, but Houston’s Achilles heel did show itself during last year’s playoff run. The back end of the Astros’ bullpen was a catastrophe in the postseason and Ken Giles was the worst of the bunch (11.74 ERA in seven games). In fact, Giles was so toxic during the World Series (five runs over 1 2/3 innings) that manager A.J. Hinch benched him for Games 5-7. Imagine that—a flame-throwing closer who the Astros once traded FIVE players for, rotting away on the pine during the most important three-game stretch in the history of the franchise.

As awful as he looked during the postseason, the Astros graciously gave Giles a clean slate in 2018. Then Tuesday happened. Giles came on in a scoreless tie in the ninth inning following another breathtaking performance by Verlander (8 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 14 Ks) and promptly let everything around him fall to pieces. It took all of 16 pitches for Giles to fully implode, allowing hits to four of the five men he faced including Gary Sanchez, who slugged a 423-foot homer to give the Yankees a 3-0 advantage. In total, Giles allowed four runs, raising his ERA from a surprisingly decent 1.80 all the way to 5.23.



It wasn’t technically a blown save for Giles since he never had the lead, but the meltdown was enough for Hinch to rethink his ninth-inning pecking order. When the Astros pulled ahead on Thursday afternoon—Houston’s four-run seventh erased a 28-inning scoreless streak—Giles was nowhere to be found. Instead, Hinch tasked Will Harris with protecting a 5-3 lead in the ninth as the Astros looked to salvage a series split.

The Yankees’ broadcasting crew on YES openly questioned this move, suggesting the Astros should have stuck with Chris Devenski, who struck out the side in relief of Lance McCullers an inning earlier. Devenski, owner of arguably the league’s filthiest change-up, was an All-Star last year and has been nothing short of spectacular in 2018, contributing an electric 0.68 ERA over 13 1/3 stellar innings. Despite his utter dominance, Hinch has preferred to use Devenski in a setup capacity, similar to how Terry Francona employs Andrew Miller in Cleveland.

Naturally, Harris face-planted harder than the Raptors against LeBron James. Mayhem ensued as Harris issued a free pass to Neil Walker to begin the inning. Next came Miguel Andujar, who singled to center, followed by pinch-hitter Aaron Hicks, who loaded the bases by roping another single to left-center. Hinch tried to put out the fire by summoning Brad Peacock from the pen, but that didn’t work either. The Yankees’ shiny new second baseman Gleyber Torres tied the game with a single swing, plopping a base hit into shallow left center. Then for good measure, Torres broke up a double play with a hard slide at second base, allowing Aaron Judge to score the go-ahead run from third. Aroldis Chapman, who went through a mid-career crisis of his own before winning back the closer job for good last year, mowed down Houston in the ninth for his seventh save of 2018.

So where do the Astros go from here? There’s no shame in dropping three of four to a team as hot as New York, and even with a difficult assignment coming up against the Diamondbacks (21-10) this weekend, the Astros will surely bounce back from this. Championships aren’t won on May 4, after all. But did the Yankees’ expose Houston’s greatest flaw? The Astros looked plenty vulnerable in the late innings last season and this series proved that Houston’s bullpen remains fragile. Harris has been a successful reliever throughout his career but as Thursday demonstrated, he’s not closer material. Giles has the make-up of a closer and the Astros gave up a ton to acquire him from Philadelphia, but he’s running dangerously low on confidence right now. Moving Devenski to the closer role seems like the logical next step for Houston but remember, the bullpen is a fragile ecosystem. There’s no guarantee that Devenski’s success as a setup man would translate to the ninth inning.

Maybe Houston will address its bullpen need at the trade deadline. The Astros pursued Baltimore closer Zach Britton last summer and could go back to that well once he’s healthy. We’re not at Defcon Five territory or anywhere close, but if the Astros plan on thwarting the Yankees in October, they’ll need a ninth-inning arm they can count on. I’m not sure that player is on their roster right now.

AL Quick Hits: The biggest story out of baseball on Thursday came from the Mariners, who have decided to transition Ichiro Suzuki into a front office role. While Ichiro won’t play again this season, the 44-year-old was adamant that he’s not retired and left open the possibility of resuming his career, either in MLB (he said he’ll only play for Seattle) or back in his native Japan. If Suzuki doesn’t end up getting another chance in the majors, he’ll finish with 3,089 hits, 117 homers and 509 steals over 2,651 career games for the Mariners, Yankees and Marlins … Albert Pujols moved closer to history by recording his 2,999th career hit in Thursday’s win over Baltimore. Pujols is seeking to become the 32nd player in major league history to reach 3,000 hits … How’d Josh Donaldson make out in his return from a three-week stint on the disabled list? Pretty good! He went 4-for-11 in Thursday’s doubleheader with two doubles and a pair of homers. Donaldson’s teammate, Yangervis Solarte, also fared well, plating seven runs with two round-trippers including a go-ahead grand slam in Game 1 of Thursday’s double-dip … Miguel Cabrera returned to action on Thursday after missing time with a left biceps injury but only lasted six innings before going down with a strained hamstring. The Tigers called up Grayson Greiner from Triple-A Toledo late Thursday night, signaling that Cabrera could be on his way to the disabled list … Here’s something you don’t see every day. Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor homered from both sides of the plate Thursday in the first game of Cleveland’s doubleheader against Toronto. He’s the first player in the major leagues to accomplish that feat this season … All-Star reliever Andrew Miller could be activated from the disabled list as early as Sunday. He’s been nursing a hamstring injury for the past week and a half … Nathan Eovaldi will begin a rehab assignment with High-A Charlotte on Friday. The Rays right-hander is nearing a return from arthroscopic elbow surgery. He hasn’t appeared in a major league game since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2016 … Welington Castillo was scratched from Thursday’s game against the Twins due to lower abdominal pain. Omar Narvaez filled in behind the plate and went 1-for-3 with a double in Chicago’s 6-5 victory. Castillo is day-to-day … Yoan Moncada sat out Thursday’s game due to hamstring tightness but could return to action on Friday. Yolmer Sanchez handled second base in Moncada’s absence and went 1-for-4 with a single and two RBI in a win over Minnesota … Adrian Beltre took batting practice along with teammate Elvis Andrus (elbow) on Thursday. He also took grounders at third base. There’s no word on when Beltre might be back from his hamstring strain, though he’s obviously making good progress.

NL Quick Hits: Despite his recent struggles, the Cubs have no plans to demote Ian Happ. “I’m not even talking about that with Theo or anybody yet,” said manager Joe Maddon. “Of course he’s frustrated, but he’s handling it so well.” Happ has hit just .233 with 36 strikeouts in 73 at-bats this season … Steven Souza made his Diamondbacks debut on Thursday. Souza had been out with a pectoral strain he suffered during spring training. He started in right field and went 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts in Arizona’s loss to the Dodgers … Kris Medlen will make his first major league start in nearly two years when he takes the mound for Arizona Friday against the Astros. The 32-year-old is filling in for Robbie Ray, who was placed on the disabled list with a strained oblique earlier this week … Dodgers left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu is expected to miss the remainder of the first half with a strained left groin. Ryu won’t be easy to replace. He’s 3-0 with a 2.12 ERA this year and has limited opponents to a .154 average with 36 strikeouts in 104 at-bats … Twenty-four hours ago, Jacob deGrom was due to miss significant time with an elbow injury. Now it appears he’ll make his next start Monday against Cincinnati. DeGrom left Wednesday’s outing with a hyperextended elbow, though an MRI cleared him of any structural damage … Matt Harvey endured another disastrous outing on Thursday, allowing three hits and five runs in a two-inning cameo against Atlanta. The right-hander has limped to a 10.50 ERA since losing his spot in the Mets’ starting rotation. Harvey may not be long for New York if his struggles continue … In minor league news, former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow swatted his second home run of the year Thursday in Double-A Binghamton’s win over New Hampshire.

Blue Jays third base prodigy Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (MLB.com’s No. 3 prospect) also homered in that game.

Edward the First, Second and Third

It was a busy day on the Major League Baseball diamond with some amazing performances for fantasy owners. A three-homer game is pretty rare, but we had two players accomplish the feat n Wednesday. There was also a complete game shutout, a pitcher racking up 16 strikeouts and plenty of multi-homer outings, too. Of course, it wasn't all great, as three players earned the unwanted golden sombrero for striking out four times in a single game. Oh, and one legend and future Hall of Famer moved closer to a milestone. Let's get started!




Wednesday's Fantasy Five

The Indians belted the visiting Rangers by a 12-4 count and Edwin Encarnacion accounted for half of the runs. The slugger swatted three home runs with six RBI. He is hitting just .191 overall on the season, but for one afternoon his fantasy owners has something big to smile about. He entered the game just 2-for-16 (.125) over the past four outings, and he hasn't hit over .200 since April 7. This was also his first multi-RBI game in 26 games dating back to April 1 in Seattle when he belted his first two homers of the season. Perhaps Encarnacion should have signed his big contract last offseason with an American League West club, as he has hit seven of his nine homers and 12 of his 16 RBI against AL West squads.

Luis Severino wasn't fazed by a matchup on the road against the defending world champs. He allowed just five hits and a walk with 10 strikeouts in a complete game shutout to run his record to 5-1 and lower his ERA to 2.11, throwing 83 of his 110 pitches for strikes. It was his first-career complete game, and he closed it out in style by also spinning a shutout. Giancarlo Stanton backed him with a 3-for-4 day, posting a double, two home runs and four RBI. Severino will look to carry over the momentum into his next scheduled start on Tuesday at home against the rival Red Sox.

Speaking of the Red Sox, Mookie Betts swatted three solo home runs and he finished 4-for-4 in a narrow 5-4 victory against the visiting Royals. All three homers came off of Danny Duffy, who also gave up a bomb to J.D. Martinez. He has banged out eight home runs over his past 12 games, and he has 10 bombs through 30 outings to put him on track for 54 dingers. He connected for just 24 last season. In addition, he is re-writing the Red Sox history books, and he has belted three homers in a game on four occasions, passing Hall of Famer Ted Williams. His third homer of the game might have been his most impressive, as he absolutely crushed an offering to straightaway centerfield in the seventh.

James Paxton was dealing at Safeco Field on Wednesday, allowing just two doubles, three singles and a walk over seven scoreless innings while recording a career-high 16 strikeouts in a no-decision. He departed with a 2-0 lead but the bullpen coughed up the lead and the game, as Juan Nicasio and Edwin Diaz couldn't finish things off. Even so, Paxton joined an elite group of Mariners hurlers with 16 or more strikeouts in a single game, joining Matt Moore, Mark Langston and Randy Johnson. He is the first M's pitcher since 1997 to accomplish the feat, too. It's surprising that Felix Hernandez hasn't been able to join that club.

Nolan Arenado enjoyed his day at Wrigley Field, finishing 3-for-6 with a double, two home runs and five RBI in an 11-2 rout of the Cubs. His first-inning homer was one of three clouts served up by Yu Darvish, who is off to a dismal 0-3 start with a 6.00 ERA. Arenado is rolling along, slashing .320/.412/.619, and he has three homers and five extra-base hits in the past three games at Wrigley Field. He has also driven in 13 runs over his past 12 games since returning from his five-game suspension.

Fantasy Game of the Night

The Orioles and the Angels combined for 17 runs in a crazy game. You'd think both starting pitchers were beaten up, but that's not the case. Andrew Heaney allowed just one earned run, five hits and a walk with two strikeouts over six innings to nail down his first victory of the season. It was also his first quality start, as he threw 54 of his 86 pitches for strikes. Still, his ERA sits at 5.31, so he has work to do before getting back in the good graces of fantasy owners. Albert Pujols has been in the good graces of owners for years, and now he is about to make history. He belted a solo home run in the first inning off of Dylan Bundy for career hit No. 2,997, and he tacked on a double later on for hit No. 2,998. The milestone is coming soon, and it will be interesting to see what type of hits he gets for No. 3,000. Mike Trout whacked his 11th homer of the season, a solo blast, and he added two runs scored and two walks in the victory. Martin Maldonado also got into the act with a 3-for-4 game, posting a double with a solo homer, three runs scored and two RBI to give him six hits through the first two games of the series. Still, he is hitting just .222 on the season and he has a ways to go before he is worth using outside of the deepest of AL-only fantasy formats.

For the O's, Bundy certainly wasn't posting many donuts. He allowed seven runs - five earned - and seven hits with a walk and four strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings in a loss, dropping his record to 1-4. Despite the poor record, his ERA is still a respectable 3.76. Manny Machado had a strange line, going 0-for-4 with a pair of RBI. One of the runs batted in came on a sacrifice fly, and another on a groundout. Still, fantasy owners aren't complaining, as he is up to 25 RBI. Chris Davis didn't have a great day defensively, committing an error on a grounder to hurt his starting pitcher, but he made up for it by going 2-for-4 with a run scored and RBI. Mark Trumbo also had two hits in four at-bats against his former team, and Jace Peterson had a bases-loaded clearing triple, giving him three of his season's seven RBI.

American League Quick Hits: Jorge Soler went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles to give him four extra-base hits over the past two outings. … Cheslor Cuthbert belted a solo home run, his third long ball of the season. He has three homers and five RBI over the past four contests. … Danny Duffy was serving up batting practice to Betts, and he slipped to 0-4 on the season. … Drew Pomeranz earned his first victory of the 2018 campaign, turning in a quality start in the process. … Craig Kimbrel struck out the side as he nailed down his eighth save. … Marcus Stroman is having a nightmare start, as he slipped to 0-4 despite a quality start. He didn't lose his fourth decision until June 22 last season. … Fernando Romero won his major league debut, allowing just four hits and three walks with five strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings. If you need pitching in AL-only leagues, grab him now. … Matt Moore took one for the team, allowing 10 earned runs and 11 hits over four innings, as the Rangers tried to preserve their bullpen. At least Nick Gardewine and Jesse Chavez did a decent job while logging two innings each. … Corey Kluber is pitching like a Cy Young Award winner, moving to 5-1 while allowing three earned runs over seven innings with six strikeouts. … Francisco Lindor (5) and Jason Kipnis (1) each went deep, too, as the Indians clubbed five total homers. … Blake Snell surprised by allowing just two earned runs, five hits and a walk over 6 2/3 innings in a no-decision in Detroit. He matched pitchers with Michael Fulmer in a well-pitched game. Fulmer allowed just two runs over six innings in a no-decision. … Lucas Giolito slipped to 1-4 despite a quality start in St. Louis. … Dallas Keuchel slipped to 1-5 in a loss against the Yankees despite a quality start. … Remember when the A's cut Mark Canha despite a huge spring? Injuries created a space and he hasn't looked back. He was 3-for-4 with a solo home run and he is slashing .339/.391/.644. … Nelson Cruz took the golden sombrero in the home loss. … Edwin Diaz allowed a run in a non-save situation, serving up the homer to Canha. It was just the third hit he allowed all season, and the first homer.

National League Quick Hits: Carlos Martinez was lights out, allowing just one earned run, five hits and two walks with five strikeouts over 7 1/3 innings in a win against the Pale Hose. He also helped his own cause with a solo home run at the plate. … Bud Norris recorded four outs, including two strikeouts, while picking up his sixth save. … Trevor Story whacked his seventh homer of the season as he continues to be productive for his fantasy owners. … Tyler Anderson allowed just two runs over seven innings with nine strikeouts, improving to 2-0 while lowering his ERA to 3.78 in the 100-pitch quality start at Chicago. … Derek Holland earned his first victory of the season in four decisions, giving up three runs over five frames. He is still nothing but rotation filler in deeper NL formats. … Francisco Cervelli continues to rake, smacking his fifth homer of the season. … Bryce Harper had a double and a homer in Wednesday's 9-3 win over the Bucs. He has just two doubles on the season, but he is now up to 10 home runs. … Matt Adams banged out his sixth bomb of the season. Twos were wild for Adams, as he was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, two RBI and two walks. … Stephen Strasburg evened his record at 3-3 while striking out 11 batters over seven innings. … Max Moroff of the Pirates and Rhys Hoskins of the Phillies were also in the golden sombrero club. … Sean Newcomb was dealing for the Braves at Citi Field, allowing just two hits over seven scoreless frames with eight strikeouts against the Mets. … Wade Miley made his debut for the Brew Crew and he held the Reds down, allowing just one run over six frames. Wait to see him face a major-league caliber hitting group before investing a roster spot on him, however. … Aaron Nola moved to 4-1 with 7 1/3 scoreless innings in Miami. … Jose Urena was on the short end thanks to no run support, as he yielded just one run over seven innings. Still, he slipped to 0-5. … Last, but certainly not least, Hyun-Jin Ryu checked out of his start due to a strained groin. Manager Dave Roberts was reportedly not optimistic about the injury after the game, as things go from bad to worse for the struggling Dodgers.

Shall we dance ?

With a month in the books, it’s time to start assimilating small sample success into the tiers. Quite a few relievers have marched up the rankings. On a sour note, three guys lost their job either via poor performance or injury. A couple more are on the cusp of disaster.

Brad Boxberger checked in with four saves over the last seven days. Five others nabbed three saves apiece including an unbalanced week from Keone Kela. The seasonal leaderboard is headlined by Edwin Diaz. His 12 saves narrowly outpace Wade Davis (11) and Boxberger (10).

Now, shall we go to the tiers?


Tier 1: The Elite (4)

Aroldis Chapman, New York Yankees
Craig Kimbrel, Boston Red Sox
Edwin Diaz, Seattle Mariners Cody Allen, Cleveland Indians

Chapman was one of the guys who recorded three saves along with six strikeouts. The king is back. Kimbrel velocity watch continues. He was working at a season-high 97.1 mph yesterday. That’s still below his 2017 norm. He also allowed a solo home run in the outing. Allen continues to work with reduced velocity. He had a rough week. Both Kimbrel and Allen have maintained elite swinging strike rates. Even if they don’t recover their best heaters, I think they’ll remain elite performers.

It’s time to formally recognize Diaz’s emergence as an elite arm. There’s only one red flag in the profile, a recent bout of walks. Since mid-April, he’s allowed one run, one hit, and eight walks in 8.1 innings. He also has 15 strikeouts over the span. Nobody has made hitters look feebler than Diaz.

Tier 2: Nearly Elite (6)

Kenley Jansen, Los Angeles Dodgers
Felipe Vazquez, Pittsburgh Pirates
Sean Doolittle, Washington Nationals
Roberto Osuna, Toronto Blue Jays
Brad Hand, San Diego Padres
Wade Davis, Colorado Rockies

Jansen remains at a diminished capacity. He allowed a couple more runs last Wednesday. This time they were unearned. It’s increasingly possible he belong in Tier 4. For now, I’ll continue counseling patience.

Vazquez’s numbers are finally recovering from his Opening Day meltdown. Osuna seems to be missing some strikeouts. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – he could really benefit from throwing fewer strikes. Hand had his third rough outing of the season. Don’t worry, his job is very safe.

Doolittle passed a major test last week. He pitched in three consecutive games without ill effect. He’s recorded at least one strikeout in all 13 appearances. Overall, he has 15.23 K/9 backed up by a stout 19.2 percent swinging strike rate. His up-in-the-zone approach is the perfect counter to the air ball revolution.

I keep saying I want to see more of Davis at Coors Field. Thus far, only four of 13 appearances have come at his home park. Two of those outings were shaky. Let’s remain wary.

Tier 3: The Core Performers (6)

Josh Hader, Jacob Barnes, Milwaukee Brewers
Jeurys Familia, New York Mets
Raisel Iglesias, Cincinnati Reds
Brandon Morrow, Chicago Cubs
Kelvin Herrera, Kansas City Royals
Brad Boxberger, Arizona Diamondbacks

The old Tier 4 (named Better Than The Rest) has completely vanished. Two relievers moved up. One moved down. Hader was actually in the old Tier 5 (now Tier 4) due to his multi-inning role and the impending return of Corey Knebel. It’s time to give him a hat tip for absolutely dominating. His latest ludicrous display was an eight-out save against the Reds – all by strikeout. I’ve been known to call Hader a poor man’s Doolittle. Let’s retire that phrase. He’s a stud in his own right. That said, Knebel will definitely recover the ninth inning role when he’s activated.

The Mets have stumbled through the last couple weeks. Familia has been part of the problem, blowing two games. His job looks safe for the moment. Morrow was one of the relievers with three saves in the last week.

Herrera allowed his first run of the season last night – a solo home run in extra innings. The Royals fought back to supply him with the victory. He has a career best swinging strike rate and no walks.

Last season, Alex Colome led all closers in saves despite otherwise tepid numbers. Boxberger could be the 2018 version of Colome. Shaky command will lead to some clunkers. This is a team that survived a full season of Fernando Rodney as their closer. They’ll be patient with the bumps. Unlike Colome, Boxberger will supply over a strikeout per inning.

Tier 4: Maybe Good? (6)

Ken Giles, Chris Devenski, Houston Astros
Blake Treinen, Oakland Athletics
Arodys Vizcaino, Atlanta Braves
Hunter Strickland, San Francisco Giants
Hector Neris, Philadelphia Phillies
Joakim Soria, Nate Jones, Chicago White Sox

After a mini-streak of two successful saves, Giles was tagged for four runs last night. Gary Sanchez did the bulk of the damage via a three-run homer. It’s a bad look, but there’s no shame in failing against the Yankees lineup. Devenski is probably on tap tonight.

Treinen hasn’t pitched for a week after taking a comebacker off his leg. He’ll be fine. We’ve received information about the pecking order in Oakland. Lou Trivino may be Treinen’s backup. He has 12.86 K/9, 2.57 BB/9, and a 1.29 ERA in seven innings. He’s shown a four pitch repertoire headlined by a 97 mph fastball.

Tally three saves for Vizcaino. His owners can breathe a sigh of relief. He’s finally producing some fantasy numbers. Command remains an issue.

Strickland was saddled with the loss yesterday after allowing a solo home run. I continue to extol the virtues of Tony Watson. It’s worth noting Strickland is at least two more bad outings from losing his job. Soria issued a blown save loss via solo homer and a walkoff Yadier Molina single. Jones got a hold earlier in the game.

Tier 5: Unsettled (8)

Keone Kela, Texas Rangers
Darren O’Day, Brad Brach, Baltimore Orioles
Bud Norris, St. Louis Cardinals
Alex Colome, Tampa Bay Rays
Fernando Rodney, Minnesota Twins
Cam Bedrosian, Los Angeles Angels
Shane Greene, Detroit Tigers
Brad Ziegler, Miami Marlins

Kela almost escaped this tier until a disaster appearance yesterday. He allowed four runs on five hits including a home run. It ruined an otherwise flawless three save week. I remain concerned about Kela’s high fly ball rate and diminished velocity.

Technically speaking, O’Day is probably the closer in Baltimore after Brach botched another outing yesterday. O’Day also has the two most recent saves even though Brach was the most recent Baltimore reliever to pitch a high leverage ninth inning. This is a shaky bullpen on a team that doesn’t win many games.

A quote from last week: “the writing is on the wall – Norris is out, Holland is in.” Well, somebody cleaned up the wall graffiti after Holland allowed four more runs. Norris is back for now. He pitched a clean ninth inning yesterday to earn a victory. Long term, this role still goes to somebody other than Norris.

Colome’s latest appearance was a loss. Rodney is walking people despite avoiding damage. I always say, avoid Rodney when he’s issuing walks. Ziegler’s job is imperiled. Kyle Barraclough earned a save on Saturday. Ziegler has since pitched two scoreless ninth innings including a save against the Rockies.

An injury to Middleton has opened the door for Bedrosian’s 38th chance at the Angels closer gig. Don’t hold your breath. He vultured a win yesterday by allowing two runs. Mike Trout and friends bailed him out. Who’s next on the depth chart? Justin Anderson throws 98 mph and has been connected to the ninth inning role via media reports.

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Injured

Mark Melancon, San Francisco Giants (arm)
Zach Britton, Baltimore Orioles (Achilles, forearm)
Corey Knebel, Milwaukee Brewers (hamstring)
Keynan Middleton, Los Angeles Angels (elbow)

Middleton claims he’ll be back after a minimum stint on the disabled list. We’ll see about that. Knebel is headed out for a rehab assignment. He should return by the end of the week. Sorry Hader owners. Melancon is nearing a critical throwing session. Britton may be cleared for a rehab stint soon. Unlike Knebel, he’ll need an extended period in the minors.

The Deposed

Blake Parker, Los Angeles Angels
Dominic Leone, St. Louis Cardinals
Greg Holland, St. Louis Cardinals
Brad Brach, Baltimore Orioles

The deposition of Norris was brief. We’ll see how long he can stay off this list. Brach was also (potentially temporarily) ousted.

The Steals Department

Ender Inciarte had himself a week. He stole six bases, doubling the next best performers. Inciarte was one of the players I recommended last week due to juicy matchups. Six others stole three bags apiece. It’s nice to see Mallex Smith put in an appearance. Inciarte is now the seasonal leader with 13 swipes. Trea Turner and Dee Gordon are tied second with 12 steals.

The catchers you want to pick upon include Robinson Chirinos, Kurt Suzuki, Tyler Flowers, Jorge Alfaro, and Brian McCann.

The Red Sox and Tigers are the latest teams to benefit from facing Chirinos. You might be able to find Jackie Bradley on the waiver wire. Most Bostonian speedsters are heavily owned. Leonys Martin and JaCoby Jones are the guys you want to own from Detroit.

The Braves will host the Giants for a three game set before visiting the Rays. Austin Jackson is your best bet for free steals from the Giants. Andrew McCutchen may run too. The Rays have a slew of options including Smith, Denard Span, Matt Duffy, Joey Wendle, Daniel Robertson, and Carlos Gomez.

The Phillies will need to contain the Nationals and Giants over the next week. We already talked about the paucity of San Franciscan options. The Washington ground assault is heavily dependent on Turner and Michael Taylor. Wilmer Difo and Howie Kendrick could get involved too.

Try Diamondbacks and Athletics against McCann. Jarrod Dyson jumps off the page. Nick Ahmed and Chris Owings have some modest speed too. Obviously A.J. Pollock and Paul Goldschmidt may take off as well. Marcus Semien is the only guy with speed on the A’s.

Tommy John come a calling

The Dodgers are off to a sluggish 12-16 start this season and are already eight games behind the Diamondbacks in the National League West. If they thought things couldn’t get worse, well, they were wrong.

The team announced Monday that Corey Seager will undergo Tommy John surgery on Friday. He is done for the season.

Seager dealt with elbow issues down the stretch of last season and general manager Farhan Zaidi revealed Monday that the club considered Tommy John surgery among a host of options at the time. They obviously wound up choosing the rest and rehab route, but Seager didn’t make his Cactus League debut at shortstop until less than two weeks before Opening Day. In hindsight, this probably should’ve been viewed as a bigger red flag than it was.

The hope is that Seager will be ready for Opening Day next season, but it’s certainly not a given.

There was plenty of immediate speculation that the Dodgers might now make a play for Manny Machado, but it would take some major creativity for them to pull that off and remain under the luxury tax threshold. President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman generally isn’t one to deal top prospects for a rental, although he did it last year when he acquired Yu Darvish.

For now, the Dodgers plan to move Chris Taylor in from center field to be their everyday shortstop. Taylor hadn’t started a game at shortstop this season until Monday, but it’s his natural position.

Enrique Hernandez got the start in center field Monday and should see ample time in the outfield moving forward. Joc Pederson and Alex Verdugo will also see an uptick in playing time, especially while Yasiel Puig (hip, foot) is also sidelined. Andrew Toles could also eventually be an option, but he’s currently sidelined at Triple-A Oklahoma City with a strained hamstring. It’s unclear at this point how long Puig will be out.

Pederson has kind of fallen off the mixed league radar with how he’s played since the beginning of last season, but he has gone 12-for-29 with a homer, eight RBI, a stolen base and 7/6 K/BB ratio over his last 35 plate appearances entering play Monday night. Verdugo has produced modest counting stats in the minors, but he was the youngest regular in the Pacific Coast League last season and is one of the better pure hitting prospects in the game. Both Pederson and Verdugo are worthy of mixed league fliers, and I’d have Toles on my radar, as well.


Morton the Magnificent

The Yankees entered Monday’s game against the Astros having won nine straight games. They lead all of baseball in runs scored by a comfortable margin.

Charlie Morton didn’t care.

Morton carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning and wound up being charged with just one run on two hits and two walks over 7 2/3 dominant innings. The lone run on Morton’s ledger came around to score after he had left the game. He got 14 swings and misses among his 102 pitches and topped out at 99.5 mph on the radar gun.Well, I am approxiamating.

Morton now boasts a 4-0 record this season to go along with a 1.72 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 45/13 K/BB ratio over 36 2/3 innings. His 10-strikeout showing Monday was already his second double-digit punchout outing this season after he totaled three last year.

It’s unusual for a previously nondescript pitcher to peak in his mid-30s, but nothing about what Morton is doing looks fluky. He’s throwing harder than ever and getting more swings and misses than ever with his mid-to-high-90s fastball and devastating curveball. Morton has become a strikeout pitcher while not walking any more batters or sacrificing his groundball-inducing ways. He’s also managed to reverse his career-long issues against left-handed batters by shutting them down over the last two seasons with enhanced stuff and a better pitch mix.

Morton is 34 and the only time he’s ever made 30 starts in a season came back in 2010 when he started 14 games for Triple-A Indianapolis and 17 games for the Pirates. He missed over six weeks of action last season with a strained lat. Injury-prone pitchers are usually going to stay injury-prone in their mid-30s, so Morton is not without risk. However, health might be the only thing to trip him up at this point.

Twins Lose Sano, Gain Romero

Over the weekend, the Twins said Miguel Sano’s left hamstring injury was minor. However, as hamstring ailments can tend to be, it would up being worse than expected.

Sano attempted to do some running on Monday, “and it didn’t go particularly well,” manager Paul Molitor said. It’s now looking like the first baseman could be headed to the disabled list.

“He’s not making a lot of progress,” Molitor said. “I was hoping by Day 3 we’d be seeing [him] a little bit better, being in a better position to get him back in the lineup.”

Complicating matters for the Twins is that with Sano unavailable, they’ve been operating with a two-man bench. It’s a situation that’s untenable, so it seems likely that Sano will be placed on the DL unless he shows significant improvement Tuesday.

Ehire Adrianza has been picking up extra playing time with Sano out, as he’s starting at shortstop with Eduardo Escobar sliding over to third base. Escobar popped his fourth home run of the season Monday and is sporting a .301/.348/.578 batting line. He’s batted cleanup each of the last three contests with Sano sidelined. The 29-year-old slugged 21 longballs in 2017 and has shortstop, second and third base eligibility on Yahoo, where he’s currently available in nearly 70 percent of leagues. He’s not a bad guy to target if you’re looking for a replacement for Seager.

While the Twins might be subtracting Sano, they are about to add their best pitching prospect. Fernando Romero is coming up from Triple-A Rochester to make his major league debut Wednesday against the Blue Jays.

Romero, 23, has emerged as a top prospect since returning from Tommy John surgery that knocked him out for all of 2015. The right-hander has posted a 2.57 ERA and 20/10 K/BB ratio over his first 21 innings at Triple-A Rochester this season and can touch the upper-90s on the radar gun with his heater. He had a dominant spring training for the Twins, throwing eight hitless innings with an 8/1 K/BB ratio.

Romero lacks consistency with his change up and can have control problems at times as the above numbers indicate, but he has an exciting arm that has the potential to miss bats. He has immediate streamer appeal and is worth speculating on in deeper formats. Phil Hughes is headed to the bullpen to accommodate Romero.


American League Quick Hits: Xander Bogaerts went 3-for-5 and hit his second grand slam of the year as the Red Sox topped the Royals on Monday … Jake Faria struck out six across eight shutout innings Monday in Detroit … Trevor Bauer struck out 11 batters over 6 2/3 innings Monday, allowing two runs in a no-decision versus the Rangers … Mookie Betts (hamstring) sat out a second straight game Monday but was available off the bench … Byron Buxton hasn't done any running to test out his injured left big toe yet, as he remains too sore … Miguel Cabrera (biceps) sat out Monday’s game … Mitch Moreland went 3-for-4 with a homer, a double and three runs scored Monday against the Royals … Jordan Zimmermann whiffed five and gave up just two hits over seven scoreless frames Monday against the Rays … Rangers general manager Jon Daniels indicated Monday that Rougned Odor (hamstring) is at least another week away from returning … Mike Moustakas left Monday’s game after being hit on the right forearm by a pitch, but X-rays came back negative … Randal Grichuk landed on the disabled list Monday with a sprained PCL and he’s expected to miss three weeks … Daniel Norris will be sidelined for 8-12 weeks following groin surgery …

National League Quick Hits: A.J. Pollock slugged three solo homers in Monday's victory over the Dodgers ... Robbie Ray was officially placed on the disabled list Monday and has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 right oblique strain … Anthony Rendon (toe) could begin a rehab assignment or potentially be activated as soon as Tuesday … The Rockies activated Carlos Gonzalez (hamstring) from the DL but placed DJ LeMahieu (hamstring) on the DL … Josh Hader struck out eight of the nine hitters he faced for his fourth save Monday against the Reds … Joe Panik will be sidelined for the next six weeks after having surgery Monday to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb … Brian Anderson went 3-for-4 with a homer, four RBI, and two runs scored Monday in the Marlins' victory over the Phillies … Lorenzo Cain hit a two-run homer, walked and stole a base Monday in the Brewers' defeat of the Reds … Eugenio Suarez knocked in four of the Reds' five runs with a double and a single Monday against the Brewers … Nick Kingham will remain in the Pirates' rotation, pushing Steven Brault to the bullpen … Scooter Gennett underwent an MRI on Monday due to a sore right shoulder and won’t start for a few days at minimum … David Peralta left Monday's game against the Dodgers after being hit on the right hand by a pitch … 

Top Prospects for April 2018

Without further ado, here’s the top 10 fantasy prospects for the 2018 season.

1. Nick Senzel, INF, Cincinnati Reds

2018 stats: 18 G, .264/.346/.431, 2 HR, 2 SB, 8 BB, 17 SO at Triple-A Louisville.

And we have a new No. 1. Senzel replaced Ronald Acuna, who is currently tearing the cover off the ball for the Braves. You're welcome. Senzel has crushed Triple-A pitching as of late, hitting .333/.429/.611 over his last five games. He did leave with what is being described as a shoulder injury, but it's considered precautionary and it shouldn't keep him out for long. Assuming that's accurate, Senzel should be back in the lineup soon, and he should continue to crush the International League before receiving a call-up in the middle of the month.

2. Michael Kopech, RHP, Chicago White Sox

2018 stats: 4 G, 21 IP, 14 ERA, 0 HR, 7 BB, 29 SO at Triple-A Charlotte.

Kopech was outstanding on Wednesday against Triple-A Louisville; giving up just one hit while striking out eight. Most importantly, Kopech is throwing a ton of strikes; he's yet to have a start this year where he walked more than two hitters in an outing. Whey you can locate the swing-and-miss stuff that he has -- and he has a lot of it -- you have a chance to be a dominant hurler. The White Sox aren't going to rush a 22-year-old when they're not competitive, but it'd be an upset if he wasn't throwing pitches for them before the end of the summer. The fantasy upside here is worth salivating for.

3. Walker Buehler, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers

2018 stats: 3 G, 13 IP,2.08 ERA, 0 HR, 4 BB, 16 SO at Triple-A Oklahoma City; 2 G, 10 IP, 1.80 ERA, 0 HR, 4 BB, 11 SO at Los Angeles.

Buehler made two starts for the Dodgers this week, and he was impressive in both as you can tell from the numbers above. The Dodgers are going to manipulate the roster because that's what major league clubs do, but it's blatantly obvious that Buehler is ready for a rotation spot -- or at very least a spot in the bullpen. It's rare to have this kind of swing-and-miss arsenal and the ability to locate it as well as he does. Whenever he gets another shot, you should add him to the roster. It could be -- and should be -- soon.

4. Francisco Mejia, C/OF, Cleveland Indians

2018 stats: 20 G, .195/.239/.299, 2 HR, 0 SB, 5 BB, 21 SO at Triple-A Columbus.

Well this isn't the start we were hoping for. Mejia is not only struggling to make hard contact, he's struggling to make contact period. His strikeout total is almost halfway to his total from last year on April 30. Here's the good news: It's April 30. There's lots of time for Mejia to turn things around, and assuming they do, he's going to help Cleveland before the end of the year. Do not panic over a poor April.

5. Willie Calhoun, OF, Texas Rangers

2018 stats: 24 G, .237/.311/.376, 3 HR, 0 SB, 9 BB, 18 SO at Triple-A Round Rock.

Calhoun was also struggling with contact issues like Mejia, but he's been much better as of late, as he has a .278 average and .381 on-base percentage over his last week. Unfortunately, Calhoun isn't driving the ball like we're accustomed to seeing, as he's slugging just .333 in that time frame. Let's keep in mind that (seemingly) everyone is struggling to hit for power right now, and you should expect to see many more bombs over the next month or so. There's still a strong chance that you'll see those homers in Arlington, but Texas wants the former Dodgers prospect to get hot before they make the call.

6. Jack Flaherty, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals

2018 stats: 3 G, 20 IP, 2.25 ERA, 0 HR, 3 BB, 22 SO at Triple-A Memphis; 2 G, 10 IP, 3.60 ERA, 5 BB, 11 SO at St. Louis.

Flaherty wasn't nearly as good in his second start with the Cardinals in 2018 as he was n the first one, as he didn't have command of his arsenal. It was far from a disaster, however, and you have to give the 22-year-old credit for keeping composure even as he was struggling to fill the strike zone. Flaherty will likely come back when St. Louis needs a fifth starter again, and he's worth keeping on your bench in redraft leagues. It will pay off in the long run.

7. Luiz Gohara, LHP, Atlanta Braves

2018 stats: 3 G, 11.1 IP, 4.76 ERA, 3 HR, 3 BB, 8 SO at Double-A Mississippi and Triple-A Gwinnett.

Gohara was rocked in his last start, giving up three homers in four innings against Triple-A Durham. It's important to remember that this is essentially spring training for the 21-year-old southpaw, as he missed the start of the season with an ankle injury. The Braves just recently activated him from the disabled list -- and immediately optioned him to Triple-A -- and reportedly want him to make a few more starts before calling him up.  If he shows the plus-plus fastball and plus slider at his disposal, he'll be back missing bats with the Braves in June.

8. Austin Hays, OF, Baltimore Orioles

2018 stats: 20 G, .222/.289/.370, 3 HR, 1 SB, 8 BB, 22 SO at Double-A Bowie.

Mr. Hays, if you're listening: You get one more week to turn around. It's not so much because he's struggling -- take a look around baseball, there are a lot of prospects that aren't performing to expectations in 2018 -- it's because you're struggling in Double-A. There's a potential plus hit-and-power tool in Hays' right-handed bat, and the long-term value is obviously not going to be ruined by a slow start. If there's any chance he's going to receive a call to Baltimore soon, he's going to have to start making more hard contact in the Eastern League.

9. Willy Adames, SS, Tampa Bay Rays

2018 stats: 20 G, .333/.430/.536, 2 HR, 2 SB, 13 BB, 16 SO at Triple-A Durham.

We have a newcomer. Adames has been sensational for the Bulls in 2018, and he's not doing it with smoke and mirrors. He has a smooth, line-drive swing, and he has excellent pitch-recognition skills that allow him to wait out off-speed pitches and make hard contact. There's also some power in his bat, and he should put up 12-to-15 homer seasons as a regular. He's also gotten better with the glove -- not that he was bad before -- and profiles as an above-average defender at shortstop. Expect to see Adames playing in the middle of the infielder for the Rays soon.

10. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 3B, Toronto Blue Jays

2018 stats: 19 G, .373/.433/.560, 2 HR, 0 SB, 9 BB, 8 SO at Double-A New Hampshire

I'm running out of superlatives for Guerrero, which isn't good, because he's just 19 and I feel like I'm going to have to talk about him a lot over the next few years. He's absolutely scorching the ball for the Fisher Cats, and he still has more extra-base hits (10) than he does strikeouts. Yes, it's only a month. No, Guerrero probably isn't going to come up anytime soon. But it's impossible to not be impressed by what Vladdy Jr. is doing right now. With Acuna up, he's now the best prospect in baseball.

Just missed; Victor Robles, OF, Washington Nationals;  Mitch Keller, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates; Eloy Jimenez, OF, Chicago White Sox; Kyle Tucker, OF, Houston Astros; Franklin Barreto, SS, Oakland Athletics

Didi is out of this world

Air Ball Revolution continues. It’s the job of this column to celebrate all those big flies. Teams have combined to hit 821 home runs through the bulk of April. It’s a pace of 5,320 home runs over the full season. Although a far cry short of the 6,105 homers hit in 2017, the current pace would represent the third highest total since 2006.

It’s also important to remember the effect of weather. This has been a cold spring. As temperatures warm, more balls will leave the park. On a league wide level, pitchers become less effective throughout the season as teams reach farther and farther into their depth to deal with injuries. In other words, we should expect an uptick in home run rate. I know I can’t even count how many almost-home runs I’ve seen that would have left the yard in 95 degree field temperatures.


Week Four Leaders

Didi Gregorius: 5 HR
Joey Votto: 4 HR
Mitch Haniger: 4 HR
C.J. Cron: 4 HR
Matt Davidson: 4 HR
Yonder Alonso: 4 HR

Six players whacked at least four home runs in the last week, led by Gregorius’ five yakkers. Every year, somebody has an insane, unexpected breakout. Gregorius is benefiting from spontaneously improved plate discipline. It’s the kind of thing you hope for but can’t actually see coming. An aggressive hitter for his entire career, he’s trimmed his swing rate on all pitch types, especially those out of the zone. The result has been a LOT more hard contact. Combined with his fly ball, pulled contact rates, and tiny home park, he could become a legitimate 40 home run threat this season. He’s already bopped 10 with five-sixths of the season remaining. This is a case where I’d be willing to buy high.

Oh, hello there Votto. You’re hitting .280/.392/.430 with more walks than strikeouts? I thought I heard you were slumping? We knew the correction was coming. He’s back to standard Votto. I hope you didn’t sell low in a panic.

Haniger! Last week, I introduced a new feature to this column, the Power Spotlight. First under the light was Haniger. How’s that for instant gratification? I mentioned feeling bullish about his power potential, pegging him to reach the 30 home run plateau. At the time, projection systems were expecting no more than 25 home runs. With nine long balls on the season, the projection systems now predict between 28 and 33 home runs. I remain more bullish than them. Mark me down for 35 home runs. Hopefully he stays healthy.

The remaining sluggers to hit four home runs are a trio of volatile veterans. Even with the positive week, Alonso may be available as a buy low target. An uncharacteristic .194 BABIP has held down his batting average. By comparison, Davidson and Cron are playing at their ceilings. Both whiff far too frequently to be viewed as a consistent fantasy asset. That said, they make for a good power source off the waiver wire. Both players will bounce on and off rosters in typical 12-team formats.

My Top 10 Projected Home Run Leaders

Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
Giancarlo Stanton, New York Yankees
Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals
Khris Davis, Oakland Athletics
Joey Gallo, Texas Rangers
J.D. Martinez, Boston Red Sox
Charlie Blackmon, Milwaukee Brewers
 Manny Machado, Baltimore Orioles Didi Gregorius, New York Yankees

With four home runs apiece, Nolan Arenado and Brian Dozier have fallen off the top 10 list. They’re not far beyond the fold – there’s plenty of time to make up ground with a hot week or two. Dozier in particular isn’t having his usual first-half slump. Joining the list in their place are Gregorius and Machado. We discussed Gregorius in some detail above. As for Machado, he’s off to a hot start with nine home runs and a shiny .356/.440/.693 batting line. The Orioles offense is execrable. I worry teams will simply stop pitching to Machado. I know I would.

The other big shake up of the week is the rise of Trout to the top spot. Is this the year he breaks all of baseball? The 26-year-old is already an instant Hall of Famer. His pitch recognition has reached new peaks. He’s attacking mashable pitches while spitting upon anything out of the zone. Like Machado, I’m concerned opponents will give up on throwing anything near the strike zone.

Ryon Healy returned as expected, bumping Dan Vogelbach to Triple-A in the process. Surprisingly, Eugenio Suarez raced back to the majors too. I guess he didn’t want to give Nick Senzel a chance to debut. Donaldson is still on the cusp of return. He’ll begin a rehab assignment today. When he returns, he’ll play designated hitter while he completes a throwing program. That’ll come at the expense of Kendrys Morales. Buxton, Rendon, Trumbo, and Renfroe are likely to return in the next week.

Five new sluggers joined the disabled list. Rendon has a lingering toe contusion. He should be back any day now. Renfroe was battling some elbow inflammation. He’s throwing and eligible to return as soon as tomorrow. Beltre and Gonzalez also aren’t likely to miss much more than the minimum 10 days on the disabled list. The news isn’t as good for Thames. A torn thumb UCL will sideline him another six to eight weeks.

Teams Visiting Launching Pads

For Opening Week, I provided a detailed report on home run park factors (skip to the part titled “Park Factors” on page two). This section will be used to highlight which teams are visiting the most homer happy venues – namely Citizen’s Bank Park, Coors Field, Yankee Stadium, and Great American Ballpark.

The Phillies, Rockies, and Yankees will spend most of the next week on the road. The Yankees return home next Friday to host the Indians. It’s a great time to own players like Yonder Alonso, Michael Brantley, Bradley Zimmer, Jason Kipnis, and even Tyler Naquin.

The one launching pad on full display is Great American Small park. The Reds will host the Brewers and Marlins. Injuries have opened up regular playing time for Domingo Santana. Jesus Aguilar is playing irregularly – basically any time Ryan Braun isn’t up to covering first base. They represent the two best potentially available power hitters on the Brew Crew. Jonathan Villar isn’t a total zero in the power department. As for the Marlins, Martin Prado is back from the grave. Starlin Castro, Brian Anderson, Derek Dietrich, Lewis Brinson, and Cameron Maybin all have some modest pop too.

Power Spotlight

Since we’ve already covered the salient points of Gregorius’ emergence as a power threat, let’s focus on a different player in this week’s Power Spotlight – A.J. Pollock. I’m modestly hopeful that Pollock is in the midst of a meaningful power breakout. Combined with his 20 to 30 steal speed, this has the makings of a monster fantasy season.

Despite spending parts of seven seasons in the majors, Pollock hasn’t fully established himself as a reliable fantasy threat. His superb 2015 performance was followed by an injury marred 2016. When he returned last season, he looked rusty. Entering his age 30 campaign, it was fair to wonder if Pollock lost most of his prime years.

Good news! The early results are extremely promising. He’s doing all the things I look for in a potential power breakout. His 43.9 percent fly ball rate is a career high by a wide margin. Similarly, his 36.4 percent ground ball rate is easily a career low. He’s making frequent pulled contact, and his 43.9 percent hard contact rate is also a career best. If those rates hold steady, we can expect about 40 home runs over a full season. He’s already banked six.

For this added power, Pollock is whiffing more frequently. His current 26 percent strikeout rate is supported by a big uptick in swinging strike rate. It’s not unusual to see this strikeouts-for-power tradeoff any time a hitter changes their approach. If there’s good news, it’s that most of the whiffs are coming on pitches outside of the strike zone. Pollock could conceivably learn to lay off the offerings he can no longer handle.

I suppose somebody has explained regression to you before. Basically, when a veteran has atypical production, we should expect his future numbers to look more like his past performances. In the case of Pollock, that would include fewer flies, more grounders, and fewer whiffs. Instead of 40 home runs, we’d anticipate closer to 25 big flies. Due to the Air Ball Revolution, I’m more inclined to attribute performance like Pollock’s to a change in approach.

Either way, a healthy season should include a career high in home runs to go with valuable five category production. Unlike past seasons when his RBI totals have been constrained by his role, he’s batting cleanup for the Diamondbacks. That’s a lot of opportunities to drive in Paul Goldschmidt. And since the bottom of the Arizona lineup is weak, he’s incentivized to steal bases too. I’m buying high.

Twin Killing

Fernando Rodney's trademark celebration after locking down a save is to shoot a fictional arrow into the sky.

These days, Rodney and the Twins are more prone to shooting themselves in the foot.

Rodney, aided by an error to lead off the frame, blew a two-run lead Thursday -- his third consecutive blown save -- in the Twins' 4-3 loss to the Yankees. The loss was the seventh in a row for the floundering Twins, who fell to 8-11 with the loss.


Thursday's blown save was a joint effort. Rodney induced a ground ball to third base for what should have been the first out of the inning, but Miguel Sano threw a "sinker," as Twins manager Paul Molitor described it, that bounced on first baseman Logan Morrison, skipping into the camera well.

Giancarlo Stanton followed with a swinging bunt, putting two runners on with no outs. Molitor described Rodney as "snake bit" after the game.

But if poor luck put Rodney in the position, it was a poorly placed fastball that Gary Sanchez yanked down the left field line for a three-run, walk-off homer.

"We had trouble making plays that cost us some base runners, and then Sanchez made us pay," Molitor said. "I think he's throwing the ball OK, but the results haven't matched up there."

The Twins have remained steadfast in their belief in the 41-year-old from the moment they signed him in December and installed him as their closer, even after signing the younger and arguably better Addison Reed to a two-year deal. But Rodney now owns a 6.75 ERA and 2.10 WHIP, and with the team in a tailspin that has the team 3.5 games behind the Indians in the AL Central, that faith may be tested.

If the team does make a change, it's likely Reed that will get the first shot at closing games. Reed has a 2.77 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 13/3 K/BB ratio in 13 innings this year. Another potential option, Trevor Hildenberger, was terrific for the Twins in 2017 but is off to a slow start this year.

Neither Molitor nor anyone else on the Twins has indicated they're ready to pull the plug. Owners willing to take a shot on potential saves should snap up Reed in the event they are, though.

Suarez Hurries Back To Reds Lineup

Eugenio Suarez

Eugenio Suarez and Delino DeShields are going to give fans unrealistic expectations about injury return timetables.

A few days after DeShields returned from hamate bone surgery weeks ahead of schedule, Suarez one-upped him Thursday by coming off the disabled list 2 1/2 weeks after suffering a fractured right thumb on April 8. The original timetable, and the standard recovery time for such an injury, anticipated Suarez to be sidelined into early or mid-May.

“I feel so excited to be back this quick," Suarez said before Thursday's game, in which he went hitless in four at-bats. "I feel great right now, a little bit nervous. I think that’s normal. It will be all right. I feel good. My thumb has no pain at all. That’s why I’m here today.”

The 26-year-old enjoyed his best offensive year to date in 2017 batting .260/.367/.461 with 26 homers, 82 RBI and 87 runs scored, and he was off to a .296/.424/.630 start this year before the injury. Back and healthy, at least by his word, fantasy owners should feel confident and equally "so excited" to have Suarez back.

Kang Returns To States, Pirates

In a surprising twist, Jung Ho Kang is back.

Kang, who has been in his home country of South Korea for more than a year after a jail sentence and denial of a visa request, was recently approved for a work visa and has returned to the United States, the Pirates announced Thursday. Whoops ! Donald Trump is slipping up.

“We are encouraged by the steps that Jung Ho has taken to date and are hopeful that having the game he loves taken away from him for more than a year has driven home the reality that he must make better life decisions as we move forward together,” Pirates president Frank Coonelly said in a statement.. "As we have communicated to him throughout this process, we will work to provide Jung Ho with the resources and support necessary for him to meet the high expectations that we have for him as a member of our organization and our community.”

What that means for all parties concerned is still unclear. Kang hasn't played in MLB since the end of the 2016 season, and even if he's kept in shape he'll likely require an extended spring or rehab stint.

The 31-year-old is a speculative add in very deep leagues -- he did hit .255/.354/.513 with 21 homers in 103 games in 2016 -- but most owners can afford to wait and see before investing in Kang's comeback attempt.

National League Quick Hits: Kris Bryant (head) is out of the Cubs' starting lineup again on Thursday versus the Brewers. Bryant has been sidelined since taking a pitch off his helmet on Sunday. He was scheduled to meet with team physician Dr. Stephen Adams on Thursday afternoon in Chicago, presumably for another round of concussion tests ... Tommy Pham (head) returned to the Cardinals' lineup in style Thursday, finishing 4-for-6 with an RBI and two runs scored in an extra-innings win over the Mets. Pham sliced open his forehead on Wednesday night while taking warmup swings with a resistance band, but the cut did not require stitches and he cleared MLB's concussion protocol. He's good to go moving forward ... Asdrubal Cabrera (hamstring) was also back in the Mets' starting lineup Thursday against the Cardinals. Cabrera was held out of Wednesday's game because of a minor hamstring injury. Cabrera's return wasn't as fruitful as Pham's, as Cabrera finished hitless in six at-bats in the loss ... Mets manager Mickey Callaway indicated Thursday that Steven Matz will remain on turn in the starting rotation. "We’re going to get him where he needs to be," Callaway told reporters. Matz allowed seven runs -- three earned -- over just 3 1/3 innings in Wednesday night's loss to the Cardinals and now holds a 4.98 ERA through 21 2/3 total innings (five starts) this season ... Kyle Hendricks was dominant in Thursday's victory over the Brewers, scattering four hits over seven shutout innings. The right-hander punched out five on the night and didn't walk a batter. With the victory, Hendricks improves to 2-1 with a 3.10 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 24/7 K/BB ratio through 29 innings on the season ... Ronald Acuna went 3-for-4 with two RBI, including his first MLB home run, and two runs scored. The future is now in Atlanta.

American League Quick Hits: Indians placed LHP Andrew Miller on the 10-day disabled list with a left hamstring strain. Miller suffered the injury during an appearance Wednesday night against the Cubs. He figures to miss around two weeks. The dominant left-handed setup man leaves behind a 0.00 ERA and 17/4 K/BB ratio in 10 innings ... Joe Kelly began serving his six-game suspension on Thursday night. Kelly was handed the suspension back on April 12 after intentionally hitting Tyler Austin with a pitch and inciting a benches-clearing brawl between the Red Sox and Yankees. Kelly filed an appeal, which is how he's remained active the past two weeks, but that appeal was officially denied by MLB on Thursday afternoon ... J.D. Martinez went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run that gave the Red Sox a 5-4 win over the Blue Jays on Thursday. The 30-year-old is hitting .306/.351/.565 in the early days of his Red Sox tenure. ... Matt Davidson clubbed a pair of home runs on Thursday as the White Sox dispatched of the Royals 6-3. Davidson accounted for two of his team's five total home runs off of Jake Junis in the ballgame ... Wilson Ramos went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI to help the Rays best the Orioles 9-5 on Thursday.  About time he did some hitting.