HOU • C
about 1 month ago
Diaz really needed a game like this. Hit-less in seven of his nine games this season, he teed off on the Angels bullpen in this one. His fifth inning grand slam broke the game open and his sixth inning double was tattooed as well. Hopefully he can build on this because he’s had one of the worst starts for any hitter in the league and he still has a lowly .432 OPS even after this huge performance. In the end, the Astros pulverized the Angels and reminded them who the top dogs still are in the AL West.
HOU •
about 1 month ago
This was Blanco’s best start of the season results wise by far, but he still faced some of the same challenges that have caused him to start slow. The Angels had plenty of traffic on the bases as Blanco struggled to spot his slider against this right-handed heavy lineup. However, he worked his curveball well as a pitch he could consistently throw in the zone and stole seven called strikes with it and then mixed his pitches well when ahead in the count to set down what was a red-hot Angels lineup. This was a huge step in the right direction and he’ll look to build on it in his next scheduled start against the Cardinals.
LAA • DH
about 1 month ago
Don’t look now, but Trout tied the major league lead with this blast. At the time, it pulled the Angels to a 1-1 tie early in this game before the Astros unleashed their wrath on Jack Kochanowicz and the Angels bullpen. Nevertheless, it’s amazing to see Trout healthy and mashing for the time being. Fingers crossed he can stay on the field and we get one more vintage season from Trout.
LAA •
about 1 month ago
After reducing his sinker usage significantly in his first two starts, Kochanowicz must have heard it calling to him like the Green Goblin mask because he threw it a season-high 69% of the time in this one. It did its job early, forcing 14 ground balls on the 19 total balls in play by the Astros, but they wound up getting around on it during their third time around the order and chased Kochanowicz after five straight batters reached base with two outs in the fifth inning. Then, Yainer Diaz blasted a grand slam and added three more runs to Kochanowicz’s ledger. He will probably need to find a way to throw slightly fewer sinkers if he wants to succeed at the major league level. He’s scheduled to face the Rangers in his next start.
STL •
about 1 month ago
Pallante worked around loads of hard contact to keep the Phillies off the board in this one. They had 10 hard-hit balls in total, but just two of those 10 were hit in the air. Half of their 18 balls in play were hit on ground, which is exactly what Pallante is out there trying to accomplish. Sometimes those balls find holes, and sometimes they practically all find a glove like they did in this game. He’s scheduled to face the Astros in another tough matchup next time out.
STL •
about 1 month ago
There may not be a more trusted closer in the game right now than Helsley. Despite a lead-off single by Trea Turner that put the tying run to the plate, it took him just six pitches to retire Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and Nick Castellanos to end this game. He pumped his regular 100 mph fastballs and the Phillies had no chance. He is solid as a rock at the back of the Cardinals’ bullpen.
STL • LF
about 1 month ago
Nootbaar set the table beautifully in this one, reaching safely in all three of his plate appearances against Aaron Nola. He is totally locked in right now in terms of pitch selection and has a .403 on-base percentage in what’s now been two straight weeks atop the Cardinals’ lineup. It was nice to see him steal his first two bases of the season too.
PHI •
about 1 month ago
This was one of those frustrating Nola games where there was constant traffic on the bases and he couldn’t get the Cardinals hitters to chase much of anything outside the strike zone. His fifth inning was especially frustrating as Thomas Saggese reached on an infield single – aided by a poor throw by Alec Bohm – to start the inning and scored on a double from Yohel Pozo to break the scoreless tie. Then, Nola seemed to tighten up and walked Nolan Arenado and Brendan Donovan back-to-back to force in another run. Again, more of a frustrating start than a bad one per se. He’s scheduled to face the Giants in his next start.
CIN • 3B
about 1 month ago
Candelario got on the board with his first-inning blast off Bailey Falter. He had just one previous extra-base hit while batting .140/.208/.162 in 12 games. A corner infielder playing 81 games per year in GABP wouldn’t need to be very good in order to generate some mixed-league value, but Candelario has still fallen short of the standard since lancing a three-year, $45 million deal prior to last season. He’s probably not hopeless, but nothing so far this year has been very encouraging.
CIN •
about 1 month ago
Singer allowed only two hits, but they were a double and a homer that came back-to-back and after a one-out walk in the fifth. The homer, hit by Adam Frazier, was a 347-foot fly down the right field line, and it was the first surrendered by Singer this season. He’s 3-0 with a 3.18 ERA as he prepares to face the Mariners next week.
CIN •
about 1 month ago
Pagán gave up a walkoff homer in extra innings Friday, but he was still the choice tonight after Graham Ashcraft pitched scoreless seventh and eighth innings. Tony Santillan, seemingly the primary alternative to Pagán, went unused.
PIT •
about 1 month ago
Falter, who averages 1.3 walks per start over the course of his career, issued free passes to the first three batters he faced tonight. He was then fortunate enough to get a double play ball before a two-run homer from Jeimer Candelario. He had more issues in the third, when he walked two and gave up two runs, both unearned, without the benefit of a hit. He avoided any additional walks, but the five made for a new career high. He had walked as many as four batters just once previously. Falter will take an 0-2 record and a 7.20 ERA into his next start against the Nationals.
NYY • C
about 1 month ago
Wells smacked a run-scoring double into left field off of Robbie Ray in the second inning that pulled the Yankees to within four runs at 5-1. His production at the plate has slowed considerably since the first two games of the season, as Wells is hitting just .205/.289/.462 to go with a pair of home runs and six RBI.
NYY •
about 1 month ago
Oof. Stroman also issued three walks in the abbreviated outing while recording one of his two outs via the strikeout. Before he could blink the Giants had tagged him for three runs as he allowed a double, walk and then a three-run homer to Jung Hoo Lee. Stroman then walked each of the next two hitters before allowing a two-run double to LaMonte Wade Jr. He then got a couple of outs before allowing a single to Tyler Fitzgerald and being lifted from the game. With the way Stroman is throwing the ball, and this disastrous outing, there’s no guarantee that he keeps his spot in the rotation when Clarke Schmidt is ready to return. He now holds an 11.57 ERA, 2.04 WHIP and a 7/7 K/BB ratio over 9 1/3 innings through his first three starts. Fantasy managers should want absolutely no part of this.
