I’m not kidding – I’ll never tire of ridiculous Shohei Ohtani-nish things:
Shohei Ohtani, 100mph ⛽️
The MLB HR Leader with his 11th K. pic.twitter.com/V3hiuzPBy0
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 22, 2023
On the Agenda
Happy first Father’s Day, Nolan Arenado:
Dad strength activated. 💪
Nolan Arenado clobbers his second homer of the day. pic.twitter.com/xxQwO1aaZd
— MLB (@MLB) June 18, 2023
On the Agenda:
Good grief, Ronald:
461 feet to dead center! 😳 pic.twitter.com/NeWrriJJeV
— MLB (@MLB) June 14, 2023
With that mammoth blast (his second of the double-header), Ronald Acuña Jr. became just the second player (J.D. Martinez) in the Statcast era to hit a home run over 460 feet to dead center at Comerica Park. Acuña Jr. is now slashing .333/.405/.580 over 311 PA, with 15 HR, 59 R, 44 RBI, and 29(!) SB. Also, it is June.
Just a friendly reminder that he’s somehow still just 25 years old. Read the rest of this entry »
There are few things worse than a big bust with one of the first starting pitchers you drafted. Not only because of the practical value they return (or rather, don’t return) but often so much of draft strategy depends on who you choose as your SP 1/2. And when they go belly up, so too quickly can your entire team.
With that said, let’s take a peek at the pitch mixes of a trio of pitching heartbreakers who were elite fantasy options in 2022 and were drafted as such in 2023 but have come crashing down to earth for the first third of the season, possibly blowing up our chances for championships along with them. But instead of the overall, let’s focus on the worst of the worst. That is, which of their pitches have most been the Fredo to our formerly Sonny rosters. Read the rest of this entry »
Big Wiemer double dong – now with a mullet!
Joey Wiemer crushes his second home run of the game! pic.twitter.com/tWHEVTLfdZ
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 8, 2023
On the Agenda
News and Notes
Two games were postponed yesterday due to the poor air quality from the smoke generated by the Canadian wildfires. Both Detroit at Philadelphia and the White Sox at the Yankees will instead be played today, the latter as part of a doubleheader.
Aaron Judge (toe) was officially placed on the IL. He received an injection and is eligible to return on June 14 but a more concrete timeline won’t be known until late this weekend once they see how he responds to the treatment.
Pete Fairbanks is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment on Friday and it appears likely he could be activated from the IL when first eligible on Monday. During this most recent absence, Jason Adam allowed one run in six innings, picking up three more saves.
Carlos Rodón threw to live hitters on Wednesday and will have another session soon. If all continues well, a return before July is possible. AKA, it’s officially stash season if you haven’t done so already.
Roansy Contreras had his doors blown off by Oakland in the first inning, allowing seven runs and retiring just one batter before being mercifully pulled. In case you were wondering, that’s good for a 189.00 ERA and 24.00 WHIP. Manager Derek Shelton was utterly unimpressed with the performance and said they had yet to decide whether Contreras would make his next start. If so, it will be next Wednesday on the road against the Cubs.
Luis defeated Ramón in the first ever Urías Bowl, but the real stars of Milwaukee’s 10-2 win over Baltimore were Corbin Burnes and Joey Wiemer. Burnes pitched eight shutout innings, allowing just two hits while striking out nine, and Wiemer went 4-for-4 with the aforementioned double dong, along with 5 RBI. Wiemer is on a nice little eight-game hit streak, made double-nice by it having been preceded by one of his worst stretches of the season, in which he went just 3-for-30 with 11 K.
Gunnar Henderson returned to the lineup after missing the previous two games with back discomfort, going 1-for-3. While his back was healthy enough to play, it is still yet unknown whether his performance vs LHP is still suffering from being an absolute calamity.
The ghost of Noah Syndergaard was again dragged around (3 IP, 6 ER) but will now live on forever as the answer to the question, “Who had a baseball murdered by Elly De La Cruz for the first home run of his career?
Elly De La Cruz casually goes 458 feet for his first MLB career home run… pic.twitter.com/diImkK58YP
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) June 7, 2023
TJ Friedl (hamstring) took batting practice on Wednesday and with no further issues is expected to be activated when first eligible on Saturday.
Brandon Lowe has a herniated disc and won’t take part in any baseball activities for two to three weeks before being reevaluated. IE. Returning around the All-Star Break seems a likely best-case scenario. That’s me saying boo not boo-urns.
Load management comes to MLB – Anthony Rendon was pulled in the eighth inning as part of the Angels plan going forward for keeping him healthy. I’m sure it will totally work.
Willy Adames (concussion) made his return to the Milwaukee lineup last night, going 2-for-5 with a solo home run. Rookie Andruw Monasterio performed admirably in his absence, slashing .320/.393/.520 over 28 PA, with 1 HR, two doubles, and 1 SB but will likely return to Triple-A. Nope! Monasterio stays up and Brice Turang was optioned to Triple-A after slashing .198/.247/.297 since the start of May.
Danny Jansen (groin) is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment this weekend and could return to the team by early next week. Jansen has 6 HR and 26 RBI but also a .207 AVG and .273 OBP…And is still more valuable than Alejandro Kirk.
With Hunter Renfroe hitting the paternity list, Jo Adell was recalled from Triple-A. Adell is slashing .278/.365/.593 over 242 PA at Triple-A this season, with 18 HR and 4 SB but is still striking out at a nearly 30% clip, with a 14% SwStr%. He’ll likely last only as long as Renfroe is gone.
Justin Steele (strained forearm) is likely to return from the IL when first eligible on June 17 in a start against the Orioles, according to manager David Ross.
After a good report from his foot specialist, Jazz Chisholm Jr. is set to rejoin the Marlins on their current road trip and can begin baseball activities. If all goes well, a rehab assignment could be in the near(ish) future.
Bumps and Bruises
Pete Alonso left after taking a 96 mph four-seam from Charlie Morton off his left wrist in a loss to Atlanta. Mets fans were able to exhale, though, as the initial X-rays were negative. Consider him day-to-day.
Edward Cabrera exited after five innings due to a blister, after allowing one run over five innings and striking out four batters in what was eventually a 6-1 win over Kansas City. His next start isn’t scheduled until Tuesday (@SEA) but we’ll have to wait for an update from the team.
Jake Fraley was scratched Wednesday with a bruised wrist after getting hit with a pitch on Tuesday. Consider him day-to-day.
Streaming Pitcher
Streamer for Today: None – It’s a short-slate Thursday and there aren’t a whole lot of options to be found on most wires, let alone good ones. Chase Anderson at Coors, Tyler Holton, and Matt Dermody; oh my!
High Risk: Again, not really. When Colin Rea vs BAL seems like the best option, maybe today is not the day you try to do any streaming.
On National Cancer Survivors Day, it was Liam Hendriks getting the W:
Liam Hendriks. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/4HlERsTN8o
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 4, 2023
On the Agenda
News and Notes
Teres, smeres. Triston McKenzie returned in high fashion, striking out 10 batters in five innings, allowing just one single, with zero walks. His four-seamer averaged 93 mph (max 95.1 mph), while his slider and curveball each posted over a 50% CSW%. His next start is scheduled to come against the Astros at home next Saturday.
José Alvarado started a rehab assignment on Saturday (1 IP, 1 H, 1 K) and is scheduled for another outing on Tuesday. If all goes well he could rejoin the Phillies by the weekend but what role he’ll return to remains uncertain. Alvardo had seized things prior to his injury but Craig Kimbrel has been very good in his absence, collecting 5 SV in 1o IP, with 16 K and a 1.80 ERA.
Michael Soroka and the tattered remnants of what used to be considered an Achilles tendon made his return on Sunday, allowing 5 ER on seven hits over 3 2/3 innings. Soroko threw 80 pitches, leading with his slider, but managed just two whiffs total. So, he’s still Mike Soroka. He lines up to make his next start at home against Washington on Saturday. Don’t expect any strikeouts. As in, it might be zero considering how stingy Washington is with their whiffs.
Remember that year Zach Plesac was good? Okay, remember that 1/3 of a season when Zack Plesac was good? Well, virtually nothing has gone right for him since that 202o high and the story came to its conclusion with Cleveland designating him and his 7.59 ERA for assignment.
Tarik Skubal (flexor tendon surgery) began a rehab assignment on Sunday, pitching two innings at High-A (West Michigan). While no clear timeline has been announced, Skubal, who hasn’t pitched in the majors since August 1, will clearly need multiple rehab starts to build up his arm strength.
Marcell Ozuna was pulled for lack of hustle after hitting a 415-foot single due to standing at the plate and just watching the ball. Because of course he did. Consider him dumb-to-day.
Bumps and Bruises
Poor Bane Cook can’t catch a break – Nestor Cortes is headed to the IL with a shoulder injury. While it’s not believed to be something serious, the Yankees say they won’t have a timeline until after he gets imaging done on Tuesday. Jhony Brito will likely be recalled to take fill in the rotation after being sent down in late May with a 5.58 ERA over 40.1 IP. He has a 3.60 ERA over 10 IP in his two starts since the demotion.
Why can’t the Twins have nice things? The perennially injured Byron Buxton hasn’t played since taking a fastball in the ribs last week and on Sunday Royce Lewis, in an attempt to not run over opposing first baseman Gabriel Arias, tried a new type of somersault where you land directly on your head. It looked scary but Lewis eventually walked off on his own and apparently is only dealing with a sore shoulder. Which in Twins-speak, means he might be dealing with the ol’ amputation situation. Consider him day-to-day.
Aaron Judge was held out of Sunday’s win over the Dodgers after hurting his right big toe on Saturday while making a spectacular catch that took him into the wall. It’s not thought to be serious but the Yankees have an off day on Monday to evaluate it further.
Xander Bogaerts has been dealing with a lingering wrist injury for a few weeks but things came more to a head after he was removed in the eighth inning of Saturday’s win before sitting out on Sunday. Consider him day-to-day but I’d have a backup plan in mind.
Jose Siri and Brandon Lowe were both scratched from Sunday’s game, the former with a sore shoulder and the latter with a back that “locked up” according to manager Kevin Cash. Consider them both day-to-day.
Anthony Rendon (groin strain) is expected to be activated early in the week. Gio Urshela’s playing time will likely bear the brunt of his return.
A day after being pulled in the fourth inning with knee soreness, Amed Rosario was held out of the lineup on Sunday. Consider him day-to-day.
Jose Altuve missed his second straight game after straining his oblique during a swing on Saturday. Consider him day-to-day but we all know by now how these side injuries can go. And don’t let that oblique come knockin’ on Mauricio Dubon’s fantasy coffin:
Streaming Pitchers
Streamer for Today: Johan Oviedo, PIT vs OAK – Oviedo has allowed just 1 ER in three of his last four starts but those were also against real, live MLB teams. Oakland, on the other hand? Only technically.
High Risk: Andrew Abbott, CIN vs MIL – Rookie debuts are never a sure thing but Abbott has been very impressive over seven starts at Triple-A, with a 3.05 ERA and 54 K over 38 1/3 IP.
Streamer for Tomorrow: Zack Greinke, KC @MIA, Tommy Henry, ARI @WSN
I’ll never tire of reading ridiculous stats about Shohei Ohtani:
Shohei Ohtani has hit more home runs since 2021 than any other American League player except Aaron Judge.
Shohei Ohtani has struck out more batters since 2021 than any other AL pitcher except Gerrit Cole and Dylan Cease.
It's insane. 🦄pic.twitter.com/avrux8f8F3
— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) May 31, 2023
On the Agenda
Riley Greene will be out indefinitely with a stress fracture in his left fibula. He is set to get a second opinion, after which a firmer timeline should be established but a multiple-week absence is almost a certainty. Jake Marisnick was brought up to take his place but the biggest fantasy ripple could come from Akil Baddoo getting a chance in the two-hole after mostly living near the bottom third of the order. Baddoo is slashing .292/.395/.492 over 76 PA in May, with 3 HR, 3 SB, and matching 15% rates in K% and BB%. Unfortunately, I still wouldn’t expect him to get many, if any, starts vs LHP.
Justin Steele pitched clean three innings against the Rays, striking out one but was then pulled with the ever-dreaded forearm tightness. He’s scheduled to receive an MRI but I’m sure everything will be totally fine. But if any bad news does cometh, Hayden Wesneski would likely take his next turn, currently set for Tuesday against the Angels.
Alec Bohm missed his second game out of the past three with a balky hamstring, and the Phillies are now awaiting the results of an MRI to determine the next steps. Edmundo Sosa has started both games in his absence and is now slashing .261/282/.420 for the season, hitting his fourth home run of the year last night.
Eloy Jiménez was limited to DH on Wednesday with manager Pedro Grifol saying he’d been bothered by a minor leg issue. But considering Jiménez’s snakebitten injury luck, it’ll probably end up being rickets, or something.
News and Notes
Defying every weakened fiber in his poor body, Giancarlo Stanton is set to rejoin New York this weekend after just one rehab game, with Josh Donaldson also making his return. If they both make it, a few fringe Yankees are about the start feeling a playing time pinch. I’m looking at you, Willie Calhoun.
After missing the last three games with a neck issue, Anthony Rizzo will return to the lineup on Friday, according to manager Aaron Boone.
Good news for Michael Conforto, with imaging on his heel coming back clean. After missing Wednesday and the Giants having an off day today, Conforto will look to return over the weekend.
José Alvarado took the next step to returning, throwing a bullpen on Wednesday, and could go out on a rehab assignment over the weekend. Craig Kimbrel has been mostly stellar in his absence, collecting four Saves, with a 2.25 ERA and 16.7 K/9.
After allowing 5 ER in 3 IP during his previous start, James Paxton got back on the horse last night, allowing just one run on four hits in a win over the Reds, striking out eight. Paxton has now allowed 2 ER or less in three of his four starts and has a 12.8 K/9. Just don’t expect more than 5 IP and you won’t be disappointed. Rostered just 33% on Yahoo, Paxton lines up for two starts next week, going on the road against Guardians and Yankees.
The fantasy world continues refusing to put any respect on the name of Braxton Garrett, who currently is 15% rostered on Yahoo, but maybe that changes after yet another excellent performance. Garrett allowed one run over 5.1 IP on two hits and one walk, striking out seven in a no-decision against the Padres. He might still only have a 4.22 ERA but a big chunk of that weight is being carried by one no-good, rotten start against Atlanta, when he allowed 11 ER in 4.1 IP. In his other eight starts, Garrett has a 2.35 ERA and 1.04 WHIP over 46 IP, with 50 K. It’ll be a juicy two-step for him next week, currently scheduled to face the Royals and White Sox.
Ahh, I too remember those glorious three starts when Lance Lynn was back, baby? Lynn was finally excellent in his past three starts (19 IP, 1.89 ERA, 1.11 WHIP), dominating offensive powerhouses, CLE, KC, and DET. And he promptly gave it all back on Wednesday, allowing 8 ER in a loss to the Angels, and now sits with a 6.55 ERA for the season. He’s scheduled to make his next start in New York against the Yankees.
Streaming Pitchers
Streamer for Today: None. Out of the seven games today, only Chase Anderson/Zach Davies would meet our eligibility threshold. No thank you.
What’s Australian for “badass” because Russell Crowe isn’t the only one fightin’ ’round the world:
Liam Hendriks received a standing ovation as he made his way to the bullpen 💚🫶 pic.twitter.com/B6GUH4EXW5
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 30, 2023
On the Agenda:
We’re nearly a third of the way through the season and the fantasy landscape is littered with piles of pitching calamities. With waiver wires already increasingly dry with decent talent, those looking for relief from a stream might more and more have to rely on playing the man, more so the cards when trying to find viable matchups, Adjusting our slider on quality of pitchers in order to pounce on the worst teams, whether overall or against a particular hand. Read the rest of this entry »
Jhoan Duran hit 104.6 mph on Wednesday – NSFW warning:
Jhoan Duran's Obscene Stuff. 😳
-100.3mph Splinker with THAT movement.
-Fastball touching 104.6mph.
-90.2mph Curveball. pic.twitter.com/icOa1OoJ8o— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 24, 2023
On the Agenda:
