A Yank in Cheap Clothing

For the first time since July 1989, the Orioles and Yankees have completed an in-season trade that didn’t involve international signing money. That last player-for-player deal from 29 years ago sent right-hander John Hayban to New York and outfielder Stan Jefferson to Baltimore.

This one certainly looks a lot more impactful.

Zach Britton is officially a member of the Yankees’ league-best bullpen, with pitching prospects Dillon Tate, Josh Rogers, and Cody Carroll becoming members of the Orioles organization in return.

It’s a pretty nice haul for the rebuilding O’s. Tate is a former top-five pick who has posted strong ERAs in the upper minors, Rogers is a left-hander with good sinking stuff and the ability to become a useful back-end major league starter, and Carroll is one of the more MLB-ready relief prospects in the sport.

But for the here and now, this is all about Britton donning the pinstripes and joining a New York relief corps that already ranks first in the majors in combined ERA (2.75) and strikeouts -- 448 in 349 2/3 innings. He’ll work in a setup role for the Yankees, which obviously torpedoes his fantasy value, but man is that bullpen going to be tough on opposing teams down the stretch and into the postseason.

Britton missed the first 10 weeks of the 2018 campaign after rupturing his right Achilles tendon during an offseason workout and he looked a little shakier than normal upon his return in June, but the 30-year-old left-hander had rattled off eight straight scoreless appearances for the Orioles and he boasts a 1.72 ERA over his last 262 innings dating back to the beginning of the 2014 season.

Brad Brach will reclaim closer duties in Baltimore until he too is inevitably traded.

Sanchez Back On Disabled List

Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez seemed to be loafing it behind the plate and on the basepaths during Monday night’s loss to the Rays and he drew a ton of criticism for that perceived lack of hustle from members of the national and New York media. As it turns out, he’s actually just hurt.

Sanchez officially landed on the 10-day disabled list on Tuesday afternoon after an MRI revealed a reaggravation of the right groin strain that cost him the final three weeks of the first half.

This time the groin injury figures to keep Sanchez sidelined through the middle of August.

It’s been a hugely frustrating 2018 campaign for Sanchez, and for fantasy owners who spent a ton of fantasy capital on him this spring. It seemed like a good bet that he would be the top performer at fantasy baseball’s shallowest position, but right now he ranks eighth among all catchers, behind Evan Gattis, J.T. Realmuto, Yasmani Grandal, Wilson Ramos, Willson Contreras, Yadier Molina, and Buster Posey.

Sanchez has slugged 14 home runs and tallied 42 RBI in 66 games, but the 25-year-old backstop is batting just .188 with a .283 on-base percentage across 279 total plate appearances.

And these lingering groin issues continue to carve into his opportunity to right the ship.

Austin Romine will again fill in behind the plate for the Yankees, with Kyle Higashioka backing him up. Romine has performed well this season in limited action, slashing .264/.322/.473 with six home runs and 26 RBI over 42 games. He probably deserves another look in two-catcher formats.

Rangers Demote DeShields

Delino DeShields opened the 2018 campaign as the Rangers’ everyday center fielder and leadoff man, and he carried quite a bit of preseason fantasy appeal in that role after registering a .714 OPS with 29 stolen bases and 75 runs scored over 120 games in 2017.

But he was dropped to the ninth spot in the Texas lineup by the beginning of June and the Rangers finally decided to option him to Triple-A Round Rock on Tuesday afternoon.

DeShields, 25, has batted just .204/.300/.270 across 322 plate appearances this year, making him one of the least-productive regulars in the major leagues -- at least at the plate. He has played good defense in center and tallied 18 stolen bases in 21 attempts, but the out-of-contention Rangers wanted to shake things up and will hope that a short stay at the Triple-A level might provide a jumpstart for his career.

Carlos Tocci is expected to serve as the Rangers’ primary center fielder in the meantime. He went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored on Tuesday night against the Athletics, but the 22-year-old has batted .143/.234/.190 over his first 48 major league plate appearances -- Tuesday’s numbers included -- and he holds a .265/.317/.337 career slash line in the minors. There’s no fantasy upside here.

National League Quick Hits: Mets placed outfielder Yoenis Cespedes on the 10-day disabled list with dual heel injuries … Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Tuesday that there is no update on Brandon Morrow's biceps injury … Bryce Harper did not start Tuesday night’s game against the Brewers due to a stomach bug … Phillies pitching prospect Ranger Suarez will make his major league debut in a start Thursday against the Reds … Kris Bryant is expected to miss at least two games due to renewed discomfort in his left shoulder … Ozzie Albies (hamstring) was held out of the Braves' lineup again on Tuesday … J.T. Realmuto homered and knocked in four runs as the Marlins topped the Braves on Tuesday afternoon … Carlos Martinez (oblique) could return to the Cardinals' starting rotation on Monday … Jesse Winker was out of the Reds' starting lineup on Tuesday because of a sore right shoulder … Yasiel Puig (oblique) is expected to be activated from the disabled list on Saturday … Austin Gomber took a no-hitter into the seventh inning but had to settle for a no-decision Tuesday in the Cardinals' extra-innings win over the Reds … Yu Darvish (elbow) threw a 16-pitch bullpen session on Tuesday afternoon … Clay Buchholz limited the Cubs to one run over 6 2/3 innings Tuesday in the Diamondbacks’ victory … Hyun-Jin Ryu (groin) is scheduled to begin a minor league rehab assignment next week … Evan Longoria (hand, arm) is now on track to rejoin the Giants over the weekend … Javier Baez was icing his knee following Tuesday night's loss to the Diamondbacks … Todd Frazier (ribs) is expected to begin a minor league rehab assignment soon … Lorenzo Cain went 4-for-5 and scored the winning run on Tyler Saladino's sac fly as the Brewers edged the Nationals in 10 innings Tuesday … Corey Dickerson left Tuesday night's game against the Indians with left hamstring discomfort … Jeff Samardzija (shoulder) remains in shutdown mode … Joe Panik (groin) is scheduled to begin a minor league rehab assignment Thursday with Triple-A Sacramento … J.P. Crawford (hand) will travel to the Phillies' spring training complex in Clearwater, Florida later this week to ramp up his workouts … Derek Holland will start for the Giants on Wednesday against the Mariners … German Marquez (paternity) is due to return to the Rockies' starting rotation Sunday versus the Athletics … Pedro Baez (biceps) will rejoin the Dodgers on Thursday in Atlanta … Dodgers reliever Tom Koehler underwent season-ending surgery on his right shoulder … Jerad Eickhoff (shoulder, wrist) is scheduled to throw live batting practice Saturday in Florida … Marlins placed outfielder Garrett Cooper on the 10-day disabled list with right wrist inflammation … Rockies placed reliever Chris Rusin on the 10-day disabled list with left plantar fasciitis.

American League Quick Hits: Mariners manager Scott Servais expressed optimism Tuesday that James Paxton (back) will be ready in 5-6 days … Masahiro Tanaka pitched a three-hitter for his third career shutout Tuesday against the Rays … Jose Berrios was on point Tuesday, yielding just four hits and a walk while fanning nine over seven shutout innings in the Twins’ win over the Blue Jays … Carlos Correa (back) hit off a tee, ran, and played catch on Tuesday … Roberto Osuna's rehab assignment has been shifted to Triple-A Buffalo … Khris Davis slugged a three-run home run in the 10th inning of the Athletics' big comeback victory over the Rangers on Tuesday … J.D. Martinez smashed a solo home run and a two-run shot Tuesday in Baltimore … Kendall Graveman will undergo Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery on Monday in Dallas … Gleyber Torres (hip) drew a walk and scored two runs in his final minor league rehab game Tuesday with High-A Tampa … Carlos Rodon carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning on Tuesday night against the Angels … Twins activated right-hander Ervin Santana (finger) for his season debut Wednesday in Toronto … Jonathan Schoop homered in his third straight game Tuesday against the Red Sox … Wily Peralta notched his fifth save despite allowing a run in the ninth Tuesday against the Tigers … Jake Faria (oblique) is slated to make at least one more rehab start at Triple-A Durham … Brandon Drury suffered a bruised left hand when he got hit by a pitch in the fifth inning Tuesday night at Tampa Bay … Elvis Andrus ripped his first career grand slam and drove in five runs Tuesday against the Athletics … Brian McCann (knee) played catch and did cardio work on Tuesday … Drew Pomeranz wasn’t sharp in his return from the disabled list Tuesday, permitting four runs over 4 2/3 innings in a loss to the Orioles … Marco Estrada (glute) left his rehab start at Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday due to a right middle finger blister … Burch Smith picked up his first victory since 2013 by allowing two runs and one hit over 6 1/3 innings Tuesday against the Tigers … Willie Calhoun smacked his first home run for the Rangers this season in Tuesday's loss to the Athletics … Addison Reed (elbow) threw live batting practice without issue on Tuesday … Adeiny Hechavarria (oblique) remained out of the Rays' starting lineup on Tuesday … Jonny Venters (hamstring) made a one-inning rehab appearance Tuesday with High-A Charlotte … Indians claimed outfielder Johnny Field off waivers from the Rays; optioned him to Triple-A Columbus … Twins designated utilityman Taylor Motter for assignment.

Poncedeleon finds the secret of youth

Daniel Poncedeleon was going to remember his major league debut regardless of how it went. He made sure others would remember it, too.

Poncedeleon tossed seven no-hit innings against the Reds on Monday in Cincinnati. The right-hander struck out three batters on the night and also walked three and was pulled from the no-no after having thrown 116 pitches.

The 116 pitches were the most the 26-year-old had ever thrown as a pro, and he was slated to lead off in the top of the eighth inning with the Cardinals nursing a 1-0 lead. He also needed 26 pitches to get through the bottom of the seventh. Thus, it wasn’t a surprise to see interim manager Mike Shildt pull the rookie. Unfortunately for Poncedeleon, he was not able to pick up his first major league victory. Bud Norris served up a game-tying solo home run to Eugenio Suarez with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and eventually yielded a walk-off RBI single to Dilson Herrera.

However, while the night didn’t conclude the way Poncedeleon wanted it to, it doesn’t take away the fact that his performance was historic. The young righty became the first pitcher in the last 100 years to toss seven-plus innings of no-hit, no-run ball in his major league debut.

Making the accomplishment even more amazing is that, less than 15 months ago, Poncedeleon didn’t know whether he’d even be able to take the mound again. While pitching for Triple-A Memphis on May 9 of last year, Poncedeleon was struck in the head by a line drive, which resulted in a skull fracture and epidural hematoma that required emergency surgery. The rehab was long and intense, but Poncedeleon completed it and dominated this year at Memphis, posting a 2.15 ERA and 103/48 K/BB ratio over 92 innings to earn a shot in the majors.

As far as Poncedeleon’s fantasy outlook goes, it’s pretty cloudy. He could be optioned back to the minors Tuesday to make room for Austin Gomber, who will also be making his first major league start. Even if Poncedeleon sticks around for another start this weekend against the Cubs, that would probably be it with Carlos Martinez (oblique) tentatively expected back early next week. With that being said, he certainly put himself in good position for future opportunities with how he threw the ball Monday.


Turner to DL, Machado to Third

Earlier this month when he was still an Oriole, Manny Machado indicated that he wouldn’t be interested in moving from shortstop back to third base for his new team. Well, he’s headed back to the hot corner.

Justin Turner returned from a six-game absence due to a right groin injury on Sunday, but he lasted only three innings before aggravating the ailment. He was placed on the disabled list Monday.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts wouldn’t reveal a timetable for Turner’s return, but the veteran infielder is expected to need more than the minimum 10 days.

"Even if we had put him on the DL, he wouldn't have been ready today, tomorrow or the next day," said Roberts. "We tried to play the slice and have him available. It's not that it set him back another week. We played shorthanded, but I don't think it impacted any of the games."

Roberts had a talk with Machado Sunday night and asked him about filling in at third base while Turner was on the shelf. The two-time Gold Glover obliged.

"To replace Turner with Manny and not compromise the defense, that's big for us," said Roberts. "Manny was traded here to be a shortstop, and we understand that. The conversation I had with Manny last night was easy. He wanted to do whatever it was that helps the ballclub win. In this situation, it makes a lot of sense to have him play third. I can't say enough about Manny and his willingness to do whatever asked for the ballclub."

Sliding Machado over to the hot corner makes sense, especially given how shaky Max Muncy has looked defensively there. Muncy played first base Monday in Philadelphia, with Cody Bellinger moving to center field and Chris Taylor shifting back to shortstop. That could be the alignment most days while Turner is sidelined, although Roberts has the ability to mix and match since he has so many versatile players on his roster.

Taking Turner’s spot on the roster was Alex Verdugo. Verdugo did not start Monday’s game but came off the bench to draw a walk. The top prospect has batted .349/.396/.506 with eight homers and four steals at Triple-A Oklahoma City this season and remains an intriguing long-term bat. However, with Yasiel Puig (oblique) due back this weekend, Verdugo’s stay could be short.

Snell Sidelined

Blake Snell has had to hit the pause button on his breakout season.

The Rays placed the young left-hander on the disabled list Monday with fatigue in his pitching shoulder. Snell admitted that his shoulder has "just been fatigued for a little while" and it “did not feel good” during a bullpen session Sunday, necessitating the move. The good news is an MRI has cleared the southpaw of any structural damage.

"It's just been fatigued for a little while," Snell said. "Talked to [manager Kevin] Cash. Talked to the training staff, [pitching coach] Kyle [Snyder], everybody. We did what we thought was best for me moving forward. I got an MRI, that was good. So I'm happy about that. Just, it's been going on for a little bit. So we felt like taking one start off and resting and having this long break would be the best thing for me moving forward."

Snell is currently on pace for 195 innings this season, which would be over 20 more than the career-high 173 1/3 he threw between the majors and minors last year. It’s not a big jump, though, and at this point this looks to simply be a little shoulder inflammation that most every pitcher goes through at one time or another. Manager Kevin Cash said Monday that he’s “very confident” it will be a short-term injury. If all goes well, Snell could miss just the one turn before rejoining Tampa Bay’s rotation next week. Yonny Chirinos will start Tuesday versus the Yankees in Snell’s place.


American League Quick Hits: Jake Bauers went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer, a double, and two runs scored in a victory over the Yankees on Monday night … Giancarlo Stanton went 4-for-4 with two runs scored, two RBI and a walk in the Yankees' loss to the Rays on Monday … Jerry Crasnick of ESPN has reported that the Yankees are among the teams who have inquired on Chris Archer … Heath Fillmyer allowed two runs -- one earned -- over 6 2/3 innings with six strikeouts on Monday in a no decision against the Tigers … Daniel Robertson went 3-for-4 with a solo home run in the Rays victory over the Yankees on Monday … Logan Morrison went 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBI in the Twins' win over the Blue Jays on Monday … Edwin Encarnacion (hand) sat out Monday but is expected back in the Indians' lineup Tuesday … Daniel Gossett (elbow) has been shut down after experiencing a setback … Michael Pineda (elbow) is on track to begin a rehab assignment with the Gulf Coast League Twins on August 6 … Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic has reported that the Rockies are scouting Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy …

National League Quick Hits: Maikel Franco went 3-for-4 with a pair of solo home runs in the Phillies’ loss against the Dodgers on Monday … Patrick Corbin was excellent on Monday, allowing one run over seven innings and striking out nine in a victory over the Cubs … Freddie Freeman went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer, a double, and two runs scored Monday in the Braves' win over the Marlins … Jacob deGrom allowed three runs -- two earned -- over eight innings Monday in a loss to the Padres, fanning 10 along the way … MLB.com's Jon Morosi has reported that the Brewers have considered the possibility of trading for Mike Moustakas and moving Travis Shaw to second base … Ozzie Albies (hamstring) is expected to be held out of the Braves' lineup until Thursday … Jesus Aguilar (hamstrings) remained out of the Brewers' lineup Monday …Max Muncy finished 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Monday’s win over the Phillies … Jhoulys Chacin struck out nine and allowed just two hits and a run over 5 2/3 innings in a victory over the Nationals on Monday … Josh Harrison went 2-for-3 with a three-run homer as the Pirates took down the Indians on Monday … Yoenis Cespedes had an MRI and met with a foot specialist on Monday in regard to his heel condition but the results have not yet been revealed …Trevor Williams whiffed just one but worked six scoreless innings Monday in Cleveland … Brent Suter is expected to have Tommy John surgery after being diagnosed with a torn UCL … Manuel Margot (wrist) returned to action to hit a go-ahead RBI triple Monday in the Padres' defeat of the Mets … Charlie Culberson finished 4-for-6 with three RBI and a run scored Monday in the Braves' rout of the Marlins … Padres shortstop prospect Fernando Tatis Jr. will undergo season-ending surgery Tuesday to repair an avulsion fracture in his left thumb … Arodys Vizcaino (shoulder) is still 2-3 weeks away from beginning a throwing program … The Cardinals placed Kolten Wong on the disabled list with left knee inflammation … According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Phillies are talking to the Blue Jays about outfielder Curtis Granderson … 

Prospects Ahoy

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

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

2018 stats: 60 G, .407/.455/.655, 11 HR, 3 SB, 21 BB, 24 SO at Double-A New Hampshire and short-season Gulf Coast.

Since returning after missing a month with a knee injury, Guerrero has picked up at least a hit in all six games he's played in, and he's hitting .381/.409/.524. He hasn't homered yet, but he's hit three doubles, and the bombs should start showing up again for the 19-year-old superstar prospect. Guerrero still hasn't made his way to Triple-A Buffalo, but it should be happening relatively soon. This is a special offensive prospect, and his capabilities will make him the top prospect on this list until he's promoted.

2. Eloy Jimenez, OF, Chicago White Sox

2018 stats: 73 G, .326/.377/.573, 15 HR, 0 SB, 23 BB, 46 SO at Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte.

Jimenez is absolutely scorching the baseball right now, hitting  .410 over his last 10 games and three homers in his last six. He isn't drawing very many walks right now, but when you make as much hard contact as he does, it's tough to complain. He's also struck out just twice in the last 10 appearances, so it's fair to see Jimenez is seeing the baseball right now. It's nice to see the 21-year-old hit the ball well in the International League. It'd be nicer to see him attempt it in Chicago, because he's ready. 

3. Francisco Mejia, C, San Diego Padres

2018 stats: 79 G, .279/.328/.426, 7 HR, 0 SB, 18 BB, 58 SO at Triple-A Columbus.

Mejia would have moved up anyway -- Willy Adames and Willie Calhoun were both called up last week -- but there's no denying that his trade to the Padres improves his fantasy stock both in the short and long-term. With all due respect to Austin Hedges, Mejia is a much better offensive player, and he can hold his own with the glove. Expect Mejia to be up within the next couple of weeks for the Padres, to be the everyday backstop down the stretch. 

4. Michael Kopech, RHP, Chicago White Sox

2018 stats: 19 G, 94 1/3 IP, 4.29 ERA, 11 HR, 58 BB, 131 SO at Triple-A Charlotte.

Michael Kopech: Strike-throwing machine. In his last two starts, Kopech has walked just two hitters, and he's punched out 20, including nine in his last outing on Thursday against Pawtucket. Put simply: When Kopech gets ahead in the count, he's going to be difficult to hit, and minor league hitters don't stand a chance. The sample size of throwing strikes is small, but as you can see from the strikeout totals, the electric stuff has been there all season.

5. Shane Bieber, RHP, Cleveland Indians

2018 stats: 13 G, 79.2 IP, 1.47 ERA, 4 HR, 7 BB, 77 SO at Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus; 7 G, 43.1 IP, 3.53 ERA, 4 HR, 8 BB, 42 SO at Cleveland.

Amazingly, this is Bieber's first time on the list. He barely qualifies as a prospect, but here's eligible, and he belongs here. There's no prospect in the minors with better command than he has, and there are two plus pitches here that can miss bats, as well. He's been hit-and-miss in his starts with the Indians this year, but there's been more good than bad over those 43 1/3 innings. Expect Bieber back with the Cleveland rotation before the end of the summer, and expect him to pitch well.

6. Peter Alonso, 1B, New York Mets

2018 stats: 95 G, .275/.402/.547, 24 HR, 0 SB, 61 BB, 88 SO at Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Las Vegas.

Welcome to the list, Peter. Alonso has put up some of the best power numbers in minor league baseball, and while he's only hitting .198 since his promotion to Las Vegas with 38 strikeouts in 30 games, he's also hit nine homers and drawn 18 walks in that time frame. He can take the ball out to any part of the park, and his quality patience allows him to draw his fair share of free passes, as well. I have serious doubts about him hitting for a high average at the next level, but the power is legit, and the lowly Mets should give Alonso a chance to hit at the highest level fairly soon.

7. Justus Sheffield, LHP, New York Yankees

2018 stats: 17 G, 85 IP, 2.38 ERA, 3 HR, 39 BB, 99 SO at Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre

Sheffield pitched relatively well in his last start, giving up just one run and striking out four over 5 2/3 innings. It's a more impressive line when you consider he was pitching in the hitting utopia that is Colorado Springs. The 22-year-old southpaw has really picked things up in 2018, and Yankees manager Aaron Boone recently told reporters that Sheffield was "close." What exactly that means, we don't know, but it beats the alternative. Sheffield has the stuff to be an impact fantasy starter, and the Yankees should see if he can help them down the stretch.

8. Austin Riley, 3B, Atlanta Braves

2018 stats: 70 G, .309/.380/.534, 11 HR, 1 SB, 27 BB, 84 SO at Double-A Mississippi and Triple-A Gwinnett.

Riley has made solid contact since he was able to rejoin Triple-A Gwinnett after battling a knee injury, and he's reached base in each game' hitting .333 over his last 10 appearances and drawing five walks in that time frame. Riley can flat out hit, and while the power hasn't shown up as of late, it's definitely there. He's not a lock to get a call-up -- there are very few locks left at this point in the season until September, that's just the way this works -- but Riley's offensive upside could really help the Braves -- and your fantasy team -- over these final two-plus months.

9. Alex Verdugo, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers

2018 stats: 67 G, .349/.396/.506, 8 HR, 4 SB, 21 BB, 38 SO at Triple-A Oklahoma City; 9 G, .265/.306/.352, 0 HR, 0 SB, 2 BB, 6 SO at Los Angeles

Verdugo had a bit of a down week, but only comparatively,  as he was as hot as any hitter at the upper levels for the past two months, and there's reason to believe he'll continue to do so. That reason is that he's good at baseball. The best chance for Verdugo to reach the MLB right now is a trade, but that's not likely to happen as the Dodgers value Verdugo. And they should: he's among the top outfield prospects in the game. I still think he has a chance to help the Dodgers outfield over the final few months, but I do acknowledge it might take an injury or something unforeseen for that to happen. He absolutely should be on your radar in preparation, either way.

10. Luis Urias, 2B, San Diego Padres

2018 stats: 90 G, .278/.392/.417, 7 HR, 2 SB, 59 BB, 82 SO at Triple-A El Paso.

Urias takes the place on this list of Fernando Tatis Jr., who is very likely to miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on his thumb. While Urias doesn't offer the same kind of upside Tatis does, he's a quality prospect who offered a better chance of reaching the show, anyway. His average of .278 is a bit misleading, as he had a downright terrible stretch that saw his average drop into the .250s in May. He makes hard contact to all parts of the field, and he is willing to get on via walk, as well. The power isn't anything to write home about, but the ability to hit for average as a middle infielder makes him fantasy relevant. He should finish the 2018 campaign with the Padres.

Just missed: Brendan Rodgers, SS, Colorado Rockies: Victor Robles, OF, Washington Nationals; Luiz Gohara, LHP, Atlanta Braves; Dakota Hudson, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals

A's going in the Family Way

The Athletics made a bold move on Saturday, deciding to be buyers and making a push for the Wild Card this season. They acquired Mets’ closer Jeurys Familia for a pair of low-level minor league prospects as a way to bolster their bullpen in front of closer Blake Treinen.

That move began paying immediate dividends. Familia debuted with the Athletics on Sunday, taking the hill in a 5-5 game against the Giants in the ninth inning. He allowed a leadoff single to Austin Slater, before striking out Steven Duggar and getting Alen Hanson to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Familia remained on for the 10th inning after the A’s failed to score in the bottom half of the ninth, retiring the top three hitters in the Giants’ lineup in order without issue.

The A’s then rallied in the bottom half of the 10th, with Marcus Semien dashing around to score on an infield single by Matt Chapman to send the home faithful into a frenzy.

The right-hander threw 22 pitches, 15 of them for strikes, over his two innings. He earned his fifth victory of the season for his work, lowering his ERA to 2.74 in the process.

While this was a tremendous addition for the Athletics, it was a death blow to the fantasy value of Familia. With Treinen entrenched as the man in the ninth inning, Familia’s usefulness will be relegated to those that play in leagues which count holds. He’s a useful handcuff for Treinen owners, but not much more.

With the victory, and the Mariners also winning on Sunday, the Athletics remain three games back in the race for the final Wild Card spot in the American League.

They may not be done making additions to their roster either. Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported on Sunday that that A’s have expressed interest in Tigers’ right-hander Mike Fiers.

Fiers has been tremendous over his final 10 outings, registering a 2.47 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 50/14 K/BB ratio over 62 innings. He’s a free agent at season’s end and increasingly likely to be dealt by the Tigers in advance of this month’s non-waiver trade deadline.

Even after acquiring Familia on Saturday, the Athletics’ farm system is loaded. Morosi cautions that the two sides have not begun any serious discussions on the matter yet, but on paper it looks like there could be a match in the works here.

Doolittle Stressed

The Washington Nationals have enough to worry about already, as a club that was supposed to dominate in the National League East finds itself at 49-49 through the team’s first 98 games. That’s good for third place in the National League East and puts the Nationals five games back of the second Wild Card spot in the National League.

This is a point in the season where they need all hands on deck and need to start stringing wins together in bunches. What they don’t need, is an even bigger injury than originally thought for their shutdown closer.

What was expected to be just a minimum stint on the disabled list with a strained toe on his left foot has turned into a multi-week absence with what’s now being called a stress reaction in the bridge of Sean Doolittle’s left foot.

While no clear timetable has been given yet, the good news is that Doolittle was told that it would be “weeks, not months”.

Fortunately for the Nationals, they have a very capable replacement on hand. Kelvin Herrera, acquired from the Royals last month, knows a thing or two about being a force in the ninth inning.

The 28-year-old hurler recorded the final five outs against the Braves on Sunday to earn his 15th save of the season and first as a member of the Nationals. While not quite on Doolittle’s level, Herrera owns a brilliant 1.89 ERA and 1.08 WHIP across his 38 innings on the season.

He needs to be added immediately in all leagues where he may have become available following the trade from the Royals. Even if he only holds onto the job for a couple of weeks while Doolittle is sidelined, he’ll be an elite option during that time.

Healy’s Homers

Ryon Healy had a magnificent afternoon at the plate in Sunday’s victory over the White Sox, blasting a pair of three-run home runs in an 8-2 win.

Healy's first three-run shot came off of White Sox’ starter Reynaldo Lopez and capped off a five-run first inning for the host Mariners. His second one in the bottom of the eighth came off of Hector Santiago and put the game completely out of reach. He also singled in the contest, finishing the afternoon 3-for-4.

Even with this huge game, the month of July hasn’t been kind to the Mariners’ first baseman. He has hit just .214 (12-for-56) with four homers, 13 RBI and a 15/1 K/BB ratio in 15 games.

Healy has an ugly .274 on-base percentage in 82 games this season for Seattle, but he's up to 20 home runs and 53 RBI. That puts him on pace to finish the year with 32 homers and 86 RBI -- both of which would be career highs.

American League Quick Hits: Jon Heyman of Fancred reports that there has been a “bit of interest” in Yankees’ right-hander Sonny Gray… Heyman also notes that the Yankees spoke briefly to the Marlins about Dan Straily, but that the two sides “don’t appear to be close”... Marco Estrada (glute) will make a minor league rehab start at Double-A New Hampshire on Monday, rather than returning right to the Jays’ rotation as originally planned… Ervin Santana (finger) will make his season debut for the Twins on Wednesday against the Blue Jays… Jaime Barria will be recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake to start for the Angels on Monday… Carlos Correa (back) has finally resumed throwing and running drills. There’s still no clear timetable for his return, but this is a step in the right direction… James Paxton (back) is expected to rejoin the Mariners’ rotation on Tuesday against the Giants… Joey Gallo was forced to leave Sunday's game against the Indians with a left ankle sprain… Yangervis Solarte belted a go-ahead two-run home run (his 17th homer of the season) in the eighth inning to beat the Orioles… Andrew Cashner allowed just one run over 5 ⅔ innings in his return from the disabled list… Jake Odorizzi fanned eight over six innings of two-run ball in a no-decision against the Royals… Drew Butera, the fleet-footed 34-year-old backstop with zero career stolen bases, hit a three-run inside-the-park homer to help beat the Twins… Wily Peralta converted his fourth straight save chance and looks to be the guy to own in the Royals’ bullpen at the moment… Daniel Robertson belted a pinch-hit, walk-off grand slam off of Marlins’ closer Kyle Barraclough, propelling the Rays to a dramatic comeback victory… Chris Sale registered nine strikeouts over six shutout innings in a victory over the Tigers… Jackie Bradley clubbed a three-run homer as the Red Sox routed the Tigers… Chris Archer punched out a season-high 13 batters, but had to settle for a no-decision against the Marlins after allowing three runs on eight hits over his six frames… Yovani Gallardo turned back the clock, hurling six shutout innings in a win against the Indians… Rougned Odor went 3-for-3 with a homer as the Rangers beat the Tribe… Marco Gonzales earned his 11th victory, holding the White Sox to two runs over 6 ⅓ innings while striking out six… Khris Davis and Matt Olson each slugged a pair of home runs, leading the A’s to an extra-inning victory over the Giants… Mike Trout homered and stole a base as the Angels walloped the Astros. He now has 26 long balls, 16 swipes and an other-worldly 1.057 OPS on the season…

National League Quick Hits: Jon Heyman of Fancred added the Braves to the growing list of teams that have expressed interest in Orioles’ closer Zach Britton… Meanwhile, Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio hears that the Astros are “all-in” on Britton… Heyman also notes that the Giants and Red Sox are interested in free agent outfielder Austin Jackson… Also from Heyman, Zack Wheeler remains the most likely Mets’ hurler to be traded prior to the trade deadline…Buster Olney of ESPN reported that the Brewers, Indians and Phillies are among the suitors for Mets’ second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera… Ozzie Albies sat out his second straight game with a tight right hamstring. He’s day-to-day, but could be held out of the Braves’ next two games as well to be on the safe side… Josh Harrison (hamstring) missed his third straight game, but is was available to pinch hit. He should return to the Pirates’ lineup early in the week… Walker Buehler will return from Triple-A Albuquerque to start against the Phillies on Wednesday… Rookie phenom Freddy Peralta will rejoin the Brewers’ rotation on Wednesday against the Nationals… Manuel Margot (wrist) was held out of the starting lineup for both games of Sunday’s doubleheader against the Phillies, but he’s expected to return to the lineup on Monday…Justin Turner is expected to head back to the disabled list after aggravating his right groin injury on Sunday… Luke Farrell will make a spot start for the Cubs on Monday against the Diamondbacks…  Brewers manager Craig Counsell said after Sunday's game that he expects Brent Suter to land on the 10-day disabled list after suffering a left forearm strain during Sunday's start against the Dodgers… Todd Frazier (ribs) was able to hit off of a tee on Sunday and will begin "more intense baseball activities" within the next couple of days…Clay Buchholz will rejoin the Diamondbacks’ rotation on Tuesday against the Cubs... Eric Thames will test out his hamstring on Monday and if all goes well could be activated from the disabled list… The Phillies optioned slumping outfielder Aaron Altherr to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Matt Harvey was rocked for eight runs over 3 ⅔ innings in a loss to the Pirates… Chad Bettis was pulled from his minor league rehab start after four innings due to the blister on his right middle finger bothering him again… Zack Greinke piled up 13 strikeouts over eight innings of one-run ball in an impressive victory over the Rockies… Max Scherzer earned his 13th victory of the season, limiting the Braves to two runs on eight hits over his six innings...Matt Kemp went 3-for-5 with a pair of homers as the Dodgers crushed the Brewers… Vince Velasquez punched out seven over seven shutout innings in a dominant victory over the Padres… Rhys Hoskins homered in both games of Sunday’s doubleheader against the Padres.

Buy Low and Sell High

Justus Sheffield - bait

The 10-pack of trade tips this week should have something for those in leagues big or small. We will touch on the trade value of some star players such as Josh Donaldson and Eddie Rosario, while also looking at deep-league options such as Kole Calhoun and Logan Morrison. It is also worth taking a moment to note that while owners can still look for value-based trades during the second half of July, we have reached the point in the season when owners in roto leagues need to focus on players who can make a major impact in their tightest categories.

Buy Low

Josh Donaldson, Third baseman (Blue Jays): Donaldson could be the ultimate buy-low candidate right now. His 2018 season has been a disaster including multiple DL stints and disappointing results (.757 OPS) during 36 games of action. But the slugger is due back in the next couple weeks, and I am optimistic that he can have a strong finish to an otherwise forgettable season. My positive vibes have little to do with the calf injury that he has been rehabbing and are more related to the condition of his right shoulder. Donaldson missed time earlier this season with shoulder inflammation, and he did not have his trademark power stroke upon returning in early May. But a two-month reprieve to rest his calf strain could be just what he needed to regain shoulder strength. Additionally, there is a chance that Donaldson will return just in time for Toronto to deal the slugger to a top-notch lineup on a contending team.

Edwin Encarnacion, First baseman (Indians): Encarnacion has been fine this season (22 homers, 66 RBIs), but he has the potential to be even better down the stretch. His lofty RBI total is mostly the result of hitting behind Jose Ramirez and Francisco Lindor, and the 35-year-old could be driving in runs at an even higher rate if not for his struggles to collect base knocks (.231 average). The good news is that Encarnacion is known as a slow starter who often does his best work later in the year. In fact, from 2013-17, the slugger has posted a .934 OPS after the All-Star break that is 67 points higher than his mark prior to the season’s only multi-day rest period. With a similar late-summer surge this year, Encarnacion could lead the Majors in RBIs from this point forward.

Logan Morrison, First baseman (Twins): Admittedly, this advice is for those in AL-only or 15-team mixed leagues. Morrison has been virtually non-existent as a fantasy asset this year, producing just 11 homers and a .193 average across 264 at-bats. He has been especially bad of late, logging a .578 OPS in June and spending part of July on the disabled list. But Morrison should return soon, and there are reasons to believe he can be better than he has been thus far. According to Statcast, his batting average should be 58 points higher and his slugging percentage ought to be 130 points higher than his current mark of .367. His 2017 results (38 homers, 85 RBIs) show what the 30-year-old can do when things are going right. Overall, Morrison is worth a minimal investment on the deep-league trade market.

Kole Calhoun, Outfielder (Angels): My second tip for deep-league owners this week is to trade for Calhoun, who has terrible stats this season (.187/.237/.319 slash line) but has shown some signs of life of late. The veteran recovered from a miserable start to post a respectable .742 OPS in June before really finding his stride by batting .298 with six homers to this point in July. Calhoun is hardly in the class of star disappointments such as Donaldson and Encarnacion, but he is typically a mixed-league asset. After all, the 30-year-old produced at least 18 homers, 71 RBIs and 77 runs scored in each of the previous three seasons. Calhoun has dealt with extremely poor fortune this season, and Statcast shows that his batting average should be .244. He won’t be a game-changer down the stretch, but Calhoun could be much more valuable than his miserable season-long stats indicate.

Adam Duvall, Outfielder (Reds): Owners who are looking for a low-priced option to empower a move up the RBI standings should make a reasonable offer for Duvall. The slugger has driven in 60 runs across 298 at-bats, and he is only slightly off his 30-homer pace from the previous two seasons. His rate of RBIs could also experience an uptick in the second half if his batted-ball luck (.235 BABIP) normalizes. The potential favorable fortune on batted balls would push his current .201 average to resemble his .249 mark from a year ago.




Sell High

Albert Almora Jr., Outfielder (Cubs): According to Statcast, deep-league owners who are using Almora for a batting average boost are living on borrowed time. The outfielder is hitting .319 but owns an xBA (expected batting average) of just .247. Additionally, his xSLG is nearly 100 points lower than his actual mark. Overall, Almora has shown poor plate discipline (0.34 BB:K ratio) and an inability to produce hard contact (29.2 percent) and line drives (19.0 percent) this season. His batting profile looks nothing like that of a .300 hitter.

Eric Hosmer, First baseman (Padres): The list of players with the lowest average fly-ball distance is full of slap hitters such as Travis Jankowski, Dee Gordon and Jon Jay. But none of those players can match the lowly average fly ball distance of Hosmer (116 feet). In addition to struggling to produce powerful fly balls, the first baseman rarely slugs a fly ball in the first place (17.4 percent). Even rookie fantasy owners will recognize that they don’t want to roster corner infielders who have Hosmer’s limited power potential, especially when those players hit in one of baseball’s worst lineups. Hosmer’s trade value may not be especially high right now, but his owners should get whatever they can for him.

Sean Manaea, Starter (A’s): Although the best sell-high window for Manaea was back in April, there is another opening to trade away his services right now. The left-hander has enjoyed stellar batted-ball luck this year (.223 BABIP) despite giving up his share of line drives (22.0 percent) and hard contact (38.6 percent). His 4.50 FIP gives owners a better picture of someone who should be a marginal ratios asset, and his meager 16.7 strikeout rate shows that Manaea has limited upside. Owners of the 26-year-old should consider trading him away for help at a position of need.

Eddie Rosario, Outfielder (Twins): Rosario is having a special season, easily ranking among the top-10 fantasy outfielders while batting .310 with 19 homers and 61 RBIs. While he should get plenty of credit for making improvements with his fly-ball rate (44.8 percent) and hard-contact rate (38.3 percent), the 26-year-old could be outperforming his skill set at the moment. His plate discipline remains poor (0.32 BB:K ratio), and according to Statcast, his batting average should be a less-impressive mark of .260. Rosario could tail off from a personal perspective down the stretch, and he might also receive less help from a Twins lineup that could lose some key pieces via trade in the coming days.

Scooter Gennett, Second baseman (Reds): Like Rosario, Gennett may not be quite as good as his 2018 numbers indicate. According to Statcast, his outstanding .326 average should be similar to his .285 xBA. His .521 slugging percentage should more closely resemble his less-impressive .468 xSLG. Also, like Rosario, the trade deadline could have a negative impact on Gennett;s fantasy value. But in this case, it would be the 28-year-old himself moving, as he is a prime trade candidate if he does not sign a contract extension by the end of this month. Although he could fare well with a new team, players who are significantly outperforming expectations are usually best left undisturbed.

Somebody called for a carpenter ?

Long-time Cardinal Matt Carpenter got off to a very slow start at the plate this season, prompting many to question whether or not his days of fantasy relevancy were coming to an end.

Through his first 40 games, Carpenter was hitting just .194/.321/.351 with three homers, 16 RBI and a 42/25 K/BB ratio.Since then, he has been making up for lost time.

Over his next 50 games heading into Friday, Carpenter had hit an outstanding .312/.412/.667 with 17 homers, 28 RBI and 48/31 K/BB ratio. He had hit solo home runs in each of the final two games before the All-Star break, then smashed another in the first game back against the Cubs on Thursday.

On Friday, he had something even more memorable in store.

Carpenter led off the game with a solo home run off of Jon Lester. It was his sixth leadoff home run of the season, setting a new Cardinals’ franchise record. It was also the 21st leadoff home run in his career, tying Hall of Fame outfielder Lou Brock for the franchise record there. He was just getting started though.

In his next trip to the plate the following inning, Carpenter tagged Lester for another home run, this time a two-run blast that upped the Cardinals’ early lead to 5-0. That’s pretty impressive considering he entered the game hitting just .222/.356/.472 with four homers against left-handed pitching on the season.

Carpenter got a third look at Lester leading off the fourth inning, but this time he had to settle for a leadoff double. The Cardinals wound up batting around in the frame, with Carpenter adding an RBI double off of James Norwood to an already insanely impressive afternoon.

All eyes were on him as he strode to the plate in the sixth inning against another southpaw, Brian Duensing. Carpenter didn’t disappoint, blasting a high fly ball to right field that just carried over the wall at Wrigley Field for his third home run of the afternoon.

In doing so, Carpenter became the first player in Major League history to tally five extra-base hits before the seventh inning of a ballgame. He also set a big league record with 16 total bases out of the leadoff spot in the lineup, beating the previous record of 15 that had been held by Davey Lopes in 1974.

Carpenter’s 16 total bases matched the Cardinals’ franchise record set by Mark Whiten during his memorable four-homer game in 1993. He’s also just the second player in big league history to have a three-homer, two-double game, joining Cubs’ third baseman Kris Bryant who did so in 2016.

Cardinals’ interim manager Mike Shildt seemed in awe afterwards, telling reporters, "Just a joy to watch and be a part of it… That's a special day.". Carpenter himself admitted that he was at a loss for words to describe the record-setting afternoon, "A day to remember, for sure," Carpenter said afterward. "I'm having a hard time coming up with words to describe a day like this.".

All told, Carpenter finished the day 5-for-5 with four runs scored and seven RBI, raising his season slash to .274/.381/.576 to go along with 23 homers and 51 RBI.

Carpenter became just the 14th player in MLB history to have five extra-base hits in a game, and the first to do so as a member of the Cardinals. He has now homered in four straight games, going 9-for-16 (.563) with six homers, three doubles and 10 RBI in that stretch.

There may not be a hotter hitter on the planet at the moment.

Finalizing a deal for Familia

The Oakland Athletics came into the season as a team that was supposed to be a seller at the trade deadline, not one looking to bolster their bullpen via the trade market.

It’s crazy how a bit of success can completely change those plans. Despite their loss against the Giants on Friday night, the Athletics look like legitimate contenders for a Wild Card spot, sitting with a record of 55-43. They’re in a distant third place, nine games back of the Astros in the American League West, but are just four games out of a Wild Card spot.

Still, it came as a bit of a surprise when ESPN’s Buster Olney announced Friday night that the Athletics were finalizing a deal to acquire Mets’ closer Jeurys Familia.

While nothing is official yet, and there are no indications as to what the Mets will receive as part of a return package, it does sound like Familia will indeed be traded to the Athletics if the two sides can finish the deal.

According to Olney, it sounds like the structure of the deal is in place and the two sides are just hammering out how much money will change hands as part of the trade. The Mets have been adamant that they would be willing to send cash as part of any Familia deal in order to get a better return package.

With a 2.88 ERA and 43 strikeouts over 40 2/3 innings, the 29-year-old right-hander would give Oakland an excellent bridge to Blake Treinen and give the Athletics one of the better bullpens in the American League.

While he would be a major addition to the A’s bullpen, his fantasy value will take a massive hit with this news. Losing his ninth-inning role will make him pretty much irrelevant in most mixed leagues.

As far as the Mets are concerned though, there’s now an opening in the closer’s role. Robert Gsellman recorded the final six outs to earn a save against the Yankees on Friday and he would seemingly be the odds-on favorite to take over the role upon Familia’s departure. Seth Lugo and Anthony Swarzak could factor in as well though.

First to 30

On Friday night in Arlington, Indians’ All-Star third baseman became the first MLB player to reach the 30 home run plateau for the 2018 season.

Ramirez accomplished the feat with a solo shot off of Rangers’ starter Martin Perez in the sixth inning that tied the game at 4-4.

Ramirez has now surpassed the 29 bombs that he swatted in 2017, setting a new career-high. He now sits one home run ahead of J.D. Martinez for the MLB lead in the category.

During his breakout 2017 season, Ramirez tallied 91 extra-base hits, tying Giancarlo Stanton for the top mark in all of baseball. He may very well surpass that total this season, as he has a league-leading 57 on the year.

The 25-year-old has quickly blossomed into one of the best players in baseball and an absolute five-category monster in fantasy leagues. He’s slashing a robust 302/.400/.635 with 30 homers, 71 RBI and 20 stolen bases.

American League Quick Hits: ESPN's Jerry Crasnick reports that the Cubs, Yankees, Red Sox, Giants, Astros, Phillies and Braves are among the teams in the mix for Zach Britton…. MLB.com's TR Sullivan writes that the Rangers are unlikely to trade Adrian Beltre "unless circumstances change drastically."... The Mariners officially signed manager Scott Servais to a multi-year contract extension… The Orioles designated right-hander Chris Tillman for assignment… CC Sabathia announced his intention to play one more season in 2019… Matt Duffy was scratched from the Rays’ lineup on Friday due to back spasms… Nomar Mazara landed on the disabled list with a sprained right thumb… The Rangers recalled top prospect Willie Calhoun to take his spot on the active roster… Marco Estrada (glute) will rejoin the Blue Jays' rotation Sunday versus the Orioles…. Rafael Devers (shoulder) could be activated from the disabled list Saturday…. Tigers’ right-hander Michael Fulmer landed on the disabled list with a left oblique strain. That will severely limit the team’s chances of trading him before the July 31 trade deadline… Bradley Zimmer was scheduled to undergo right shoulder surgery on Friday in Texas…. Indians’ manager Terry Francona gave a vote of confidence to closer Cody Allen after the team acquired Brad Hand, stating that Allen will still see the bulk of save chances going forward. The right-hander then served up back-to-back solo homers with two outs in the ninth inning on Friday to take a blown save against the Rangers… The Twins promoted Miguel Sano to Triple-A Rochester after he mashed to the tune of .328/.443/.453 with two homers, two doubles and 12 RBI in 19 games with High-A Fort Myers… Kevin Kiermaier left Friday's game against the Marlins with right foot discomfort…. Astros manager A.J. Hinch said Friday that Carlos Correa (back) still isn't doing any baseball drills… Angels manager Mike Scioscia said Friday that he expects Shohei Ohtani (elbow) to pitch in a major league game by the end of the season… Aledmys Diaz went 4-for-5 with a homer and a walk-off single in the 10th inning give the Blue Jays an 8-7 win over the Orioles on Friday…. David Price hurled 6 ⅓ shutout innings in a victory over the Tigers… Joey Gallo homered twice, including a game-tying solo shot with two outs in the ninth inning, as the Ragners fell to the Indians in extra innings… Dallas Keuchel pitched 7 2/3 innings of one-run ball in defeating the Angels on Friday… Dee Gordon went 4-for-4 in a victory over the White Sox… Edwin DIaz recorded his league-leading 37th save… Danny Duffy fired seven innings of one-run baseball to beat the Twins…

National League Quick Hits: Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak conceded Thursday that the team could look to trade Jose Martinez to an American League club "at some point.". Martinez sat out his fourth straight game on Friday, and has been on the pine for all three games under interim manager Mike Shildt... Clay Buchholz (oblique) is slated to rejoin the Diamondbacks' rotation on Tuesday against the Cubs…. Padres shortstop prospect Fernando Tatis Jr. is expected to be done for the season after X-rays revealed a fractured left thumb… Justin Turner sat out his fifth straight game with an adductor injury. He’s still considered day-to-day… Brewers manager Craig Counsell told reporters on Friday that Ryan Braun (back) is expected to be activated from the disabled list on Saturday…. Braves manager Brian Snitker told reporters after Friday's game that the team will "stay away" from Ozzie Albies as he deals with a right hamstring injury for a couple of days…. Kyle Barraclough was not available for Friday's game against the Rays due to illness…. Ronald Acuna filled up the box score in Friday’s win over the Nationals by going 3-for-4 with a solo homer, a walk, two stolen bases, and three runs scored… Manuel Margot left Friday's game against the Phillies with a left wrist injury that he sustained while diving for a catch in the outfield… Derek Dietrich went 3-for-4 with two home runs, four RBI, two runs scored, and a stolen base Friday versus the Rays…. DJ LeMahieu left Friday's game against the Diamondbacks with a side/back injury…. Yoenis Cespedes went 2-for-4 with a solo homer, a walk, and two runs scored against the Yankees on Friday in his return from the disabled list…. Noah Syndergaard struck out four over five innings of one-run ball to beat the Yankees… Jesus Agio;ar slugged his 25th homer in a loss to the Dodgers…  Dereck Rodriguez limited the A's to one run in 6 1/3 innings and struck out five to win Friday…. Rich Hill struck out nine batters over six innings of one-run ball in a win over the Brewers on Friday…. Manny Machado went 2-for-3 and walked twice in his Dodgers’ debut on Friday… Starling Marte blasted a grand slam as the Pirates routed the Reds… Sean Rodriguez went 3-for-4 with a homer, four RBI and three runs scored in that win… A.J. Pollock had five hits, three runs scored and a stolen base in a losing effort against the Rockies… Raimel Tapia belted a pinch-hit grand slam, helping to lead the Rockies to victory over the D’Backs…. Nolan Arenado homered twice and drove in four runs in that win.

The second half kicks off

Baseball is back! Welcome to the second half!

As we look toward the last 2.5 months of the regular season, it’s a good time to take inventory of what’s on your roster and ways you can improve. As with MLB organizations, one of the ways of doing that is via trade.

Here are some pitchers worth noting for the drastic differences in their first vs. second half performances for their careers. While looking at this year’s trends should be more important for evaluating this year’s second half performance, these numbers are at least worth noting.

Top 10 Career 2^nd Half ERA Improvement (min. 200 IP)

Player	1stH ERA	2ndH ERA	Diff
Zach Davies	4.66	3.37	-1.29
Marcus Stroman	4.43	3.14	-1.29
Kevin Gausman	4.77	3.58	-1.19
Alex Cobb	4.34	3.16	-1.18
Chad Bettis	5.51	4.40	-1.11
Matt Moore	4.93	3.84	-1.09
Tanner Roark	4.05	2.98	-1.07
Drew Smyly	4.12	3.17	-0.95
Marco Estrada	4.49	3.57	-0.92
Kyle Hendricks	3.52	2.65	-0.87

Top 10 Career 2^nd Half ERA Decline (min. 200 IP)

Player	1stH ERA	2ndH ERA	Diff
Jordan Lyles	4.74	6.22	1.48
Tyler Chatwood	3.97	5.26	1.29
Trevor Bauer	3.64	4.66	1.02
Robbie Ray	3.80	4.66	0.86
Jason Vargas	3.95	4.81	0.86
Jason Hammel	4.29	5.12	0.83
Jordan Zimmermann	3.47	4.30	0.83
Mike Leake	3.72	4.50	0.78
Kyle Gibson	4.19	4.97	0.78
Dallas Keuchel	3.37	4.13	0.76

-Maybe the Orioles finally have reason to be optimistic with Kevin Gausman and Alex Cobb on the list, though keep in mind their first half ERAs have also been inflated by 2018 stats. That said, Gausman has seen drastic second half ERA improvement over the last two seasons. As for Cobb, he’s shown the best velocity of his career this season, and things could hardly get any worse, right?

-Even since returning from a DL stint, Stroman’s results have been up and down for the Jays. Fantasy owners have been burned by his 5.86 ERA in only 12 starts during the first half, but his elite 61 percent groundball rate and 4.33 FIP is still reason for optimism about a bounce back in the second half.

-Tanner Roark was chugging along in the first half until mid-June. Over his last six starts, Roark’s ERA has gone from 3.63 to 4.87. That’s certainly reason to worry, in conjunction with his mediocre 4.50 FIP. Hopefully, the All-Star break has given Roark an opportunity to regroup and eventually continue his career second half improvement trend.

-Did you really need another reason to cut bait on Tyler Chatwood? He leads MLB with 73 walks in only 84 innings, and his ERA went above 5.00 just before the break. He seems likely to lose his rotation spot when Yu Darvish returns, or the Cubs could even add a starter earlier via trade.

-Trevor Bauer finds himself on the bad list, but his current 2.24 ERA is actually higher than his FIP. The league-best 0.4 HR/9 is probably unsustainable, especially considering his career 1.0 rate, but I don’t see his career second half struggles as enough reason to be worried.

-Robbie Ray owners might want to curb their enthusiasm regarding a second half rebound. The lefty had an injury-plagued first half with an ERA above 5.00, and lost velocity at the start of the year. His 4.61 FIP, as a result of an awful 1.9 HR/9 and 5.0 BB/9, is a concern.

Other Notes for the Week Ahead:

-Corey Kluber is returning from a right knee injection, which was hopefully the culprit for a couple rough starts at the end of the first half. The defending AL Cy Young winner still has a sub-3.00 ERA and the best K/BB and BB/9 of his career, but his FIP is more than a half run higher than his ERA due in large part to a 1.3 HR/9. That’s certainly worth watching.

-Blake Snell has the sixth worst differential in ERA vs. FIP in the first half (2.27 to 3.41). Coming into the year, most fantasy owners would have probably been happy with the first half FIP number as his actual ERA. It’s still something to keep in mind, as Snell’s control has improved this year but not as much as you’d think by looking at the ERA (3.6 BB/9 compared to 4.1 BB/9 last year).

-Jaime Barria has been a revelation for fantasy owners during the first half, but is also on the bad FIP list. His FIP currently stands at 4.83, 1.28 points higher than his current ERA. The 21-year-old has a bright future, but we should temper expectations this year with his mediocre 7.1 K/9 and 1.5 HR/9. His .270 BABIP shows plenty of first half luck.

-The Yankees have inquired about Zack Wheeler’s availability, according to Marc Carig of The Athletic. That seems curious given his mediocre 4.44 ERA, but Wheeler has a solid 3.73 FIP and has shown career-best velocity this season, averaging nearly 96 mph on his fastball. Still available in some mixed leagues, now would be the time to buy.


Note: Probable pitchers as of Friday, July 20, and are subject to change.

American League

Luis Severino: @TB, KC
Cory Kluber: PIT, @DET
Jose Berrios: @TOR, @BOS
Blake Snell: NYY, @BAL

Rick Porcello: @BAL, MIN
CC Sabathia: @TB, KC
Jaime Barria: CHW, SEA
Carlos Rodon: @LAA, TOR
Kevin Gausman: BOS, TOR 

 
Mike Minor: OAK, @HOU
Marco Estrada: MIN, @CHW
Drew Pomeranz: @BAL, MIN
Daniel Mengden: @TEX, @COL
Brett Anderson: @TEX, @COL
Francisco Liriano: @KC, CLE
Yefry Ramirez: BOS, TB
Felix Pena: CHW, SEA
Yovani Gallardo: OAK, @HOU
Lucas Giolito: @LAA, TOR
Burch Smith: DET, @NYY


National League
 
 
Ross Stripling: @PHI, @ATL
Aaron Nola: LAD, @CIN


Patrick Corbin: @CHC, @SD
Joey Lucchesi: @NYM, ARI
Julio Teheran: @MIA, LAD
Joe Musgrove: @CLE, NYM
Jeremy Hellickson: @MIL, @MIA
Zach Eflin: LAD, @CIN
Jhoulys Chacin: WAS, @SF
Kyle Hendricks: ARI, @STL
Zack Wheeler: SD, @PIT


Jose Urena: ATL, WAS
Trevor Williams: @CLE, NYM
Luis Castillo: STL, PHI
Tanner Roark: @MIL, @MIA
Sal Romano: STL, PHI
Corey Oswalt: SD, @PIT

American League

Tuesday, July 24: Jordan Zimmermann @ KC
The Royals have a .666 OPS vs. right-handers, worst in the AL, and Zimmermann has quietly pitched well since returning from injury in June. Over his last five starts, he has a 2.56 ERA and outstanding 29/2 K/BB in 31.2 innings.

Tuesday, July 24: Ryan Borucki vs. MIN
Borucki finally came down to Earth in his last start at Boston, but Minnesota presents a better play. The Twins are just 20^th in OPS vs. lefties this season.

Friday, July 27: Wade LeBlanc @ LAA
The Angels aren’t faring well vs. lefties this season, with a .676 OPS, third worst in the AL. LeBlanc has been up and down lately, but this is a favorable matchup.

National League

Tuesday, July 24: Eric Lauer @ NYM
The Mets remain dead last in hitting vs. lefties by a wide margin. Lauer is coming off a terrible start vs. the Cubs, but in his previous eight starts he was getting on track with a 2.33 ERA and 36/16 K/BB in 46.1 innings.

Tuesday, July 24: Corey Oswalt vs. SD
Should you spot start pitchers head-to-head? With the matchups of Lauer and Oswalt, it makes sense. Lauer’s counterpart has struggled in the majors so far over 22.1 innings, but the Padres are the worst hitting team in baseball vs. right-handers with a .653 OPS.

Wednesday, July 25: Clayton Richard @ NYM
The Mets will actually have to face lefties back-to-back-to-back with Joey Lucchesi, Lauer, and Richard. Since May 8, Richard has allowed more than three earned runs only three times in 13 starts and has a 3.65 ERA overall.

 The Infirmary

Here’s some injuries to prominent players from the last week, and other players to watch for in the coming week.

Francisco Cervelli: Placed on DL (concussion)
Junior Guerra: Placed on DL (forearm)
Lourdes Gurriel: Placed on DL (concussion)
Josh Harrison: Day-to-day (hamstring)
Corey Kluber: Will return on Monday (knee)
Francisco Liriano: Left last start (back)
Evan Longoria: Could return next week (hand)
Brandon Morrow: Placed on DL (biceps)
James Paxton: Will return on Tuesday (back)
Kevin Pillar: Placed on DL (shoulder)
Albert Pujols: Could return on Monday (knee)
Wilson Ramos: Placed on DL (hamstring)
Eduardo Rodriguez: Out indefinitely (ankle)
Jeff Samardzija: Out indefinitely (shoulder)
Gary Sanchez: Will return on Friday
Scott Schebler: Placed on DL (shoulder)
Eric Thames: Placed on DL (hamstring)
Jonathan Villar: Placed on DL (thumb)
Arodys Vizcaino: Placed on DL (shoulder)