Boxscore Bits – April 2nd, 2021

A look around the league for the games of April 1st, 2021

DET 3 v. CLE 2

• Matthew Boyd went 5.7 scoreless, but did have 4 BB and just 2 Ks
• Shane Bieber salvaged his start with 12 Ks (6 IP/3 ER, 3 BB in 95 pit)
• Miguel Cabrera’s snowmer was pretty cool and puts him just 12 away from 500.
• Robbie Grossman was 0-1 w/3 BB and a SB – if they turn him loose, he has the OBP to steal 15+
• Gregory Soto got the first save attempt and converted, but only after a Roberto Perez 2-R HR

TOR 3 at NYY 2 (10)

• Gerrit Cole was perfectly solid going 5.3 IP/2 ER with 8 Ks and 13 swinging strikes on 97 pitches
• Hyun Jin Ryu 류현진 was similarly good also going 5.3 IP/2 ER with 5 Ks and 12 swinging strikes in 92 pitches
• Teoscar Hernández picked up where ’20 left off w/a 3-4 effort including a HR, RBI, and 2 R
• Randal Grichuk drew the Opening Day start in CF in George Springer’s absence (and went 2-4)
• Jordan Romano came out for the 9th inning of a tie game and notched the dub
• Julian Merryweather got the save, but that’s because Romano and Rafael Dolis were used
• Merryweather can have some middle reliever value, but he’s not a major contender for saves
• Gary Sánchez blasted a 2-R shot in a 2-3 day w/2 RBI and a walk
• Mike Tauchman nabbed 2 SBs in a pinch-running appearance helping maybe a few AL-Only teams

MIL 6 v. MIN 5 (10)

• Neither Brandon Woodruff nor Kenta Maeda made it 5 IP, but they weren’t bad, either
• Woodruff went 4 IP/3 ER with 5 Ks and 8 swinging strikes in 78 pitches
• Maeda went 4.3 IP/1 ER (2 R total) with 5 Ks and 11 swinging strikes in 88 pitches
• Freddy Peralta is still the 5th SP, but relieved here as they don’t need a 5th for a while
• Byron Buxton opened the season w/a HR and SB in a 1-3, 2 BB effort
• Mitch Garver went 0-5 w/3 Ks; if he is more ’20 than ’19 early on, Ryan Jeffers will add PT
• Luis Arraez got the start atop the lineup in LF and then shifted to 3B when Josh Donaldson left early
• If there is time missed coming for Donaldson, Arraez will take over the role and allow guys like Jake Cave and Kyle Garlick to find some time in LF
• Bounce back candidate Travis Shaw opened 2-4 with 3 RBI
• Avisaíl García got the start even with Cain and JBJ available and went 2-5; they’re going to play him regularly

PIT 5 at CHC 3

• When I saw it was 3-2 through 6, I thought my Chad Kuhl stream was a good call only to see he went just 3 IP/1 ER (2 total) w/2 Ks in 63 pitches
• Kyle Hendricks actually got hit up by the Pirates a bit, going 3 IP/3 ER thanks to 4 H and a very uncharacteristic 3 BB, but also 4 Ksin 63 pitches
• This game featured 13 relievers and the 7 Cubs RPs tallied 8 BB
• Richard Rodriguez notched the save with a hitless 9th that included 1 BB and 2 Ks
• David Bednar, the spring standout (8.7 scoreless, 18 Ks), threw a perfect 7th w/2 Ks
• Ke’Bryan Hayes ripped his 1st HR of the year going 1-5 w/a BB
• Colin Moran was 0-2 but had 3 of PIT’s 11 total BBs
• Adam Frazier stayed hot after a massive spring (1.372 OPS) going 2-4 w/2 RBIs, 2 BBs, and 1 SB
• The Cubs only had 2 hits (Anthony Rizzo and a pinch-hitting Eric Sogard), both were 2B
• Willson Contreras was 0-3 but had an RBI, 2 R, and the always wonderful SB from a catcher

PHI 3 v. ATL 2 (10)

• Aaron Nola tied for the most IP on the day at 6.7, allowing just 2 ER with 6 Ks and 0 BB in 84 pitches
• Max Fried was quite good, too, at 5 IP/2 ER with 8 Ks, 2 BB, and 19 swinging strikes in 94 pitches
• The PHI closer candidates pitched after Nola in order: Archie Bradley (0.3 to finish the 7th), Jose Alvarado (3 Ks in the 8th), and Hector Neris (has the job and pitched the 9th)
• Neris will have to pitch his way out of the job
• Chris Martin had the 8th (1 IP/0 ER, 1 K) and Will Smith pitched a perfect 9th (1 IP, 3 Ks)
• PHI offense didn’t go off, but the entire starting lineup got on base at least once
• Jean Segura was the fantasy star going 2-5 w/1 SB and 1 RBI
• Pablo Sandoval hit a huge PH game-tying 2-R HR in the 7th for ATL
• Ronald Acuña Jr. went 2-4 w/a BB

HOU 8 at OAK 1

• This game was 1-0 HOU through 5 and 3-1 HOU through 7 but the Astros blew it open late
• Zack Greinke was great with 6 scoreless on 3 H and 0 BB with 4 Ks in 82 pitches
• Chris Bassitt was just meh at 5.3 IP/3 ER with 3 Ks in 68 pitches
• Michael Brantley (3-4, HR, 2 R, RBI) and Alex Bregman (2-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI) led the charge offensively
• Yordan Alvarez ripped a 2-R 2B and had 3 RBIs in all
• Ramon Laureano went 2-4 with an SB
• Chad Pinder went 2-4; he and Laureano had 4 of OAK’s 6 hits

SD 8 v. ARI 7

• Yu Darvish was ripped for 4 ER in 4.7 IP after a rough 5th inning, allowing 8 H and a BB, but did still snag 6 Ks
• Madison Bumgarner gave up runs in the 2nd-3rd-4th en route to a 4 IP/6 ER dud (but 6 Ks?!)
• Emilio Pagan, Drew Pomeranz, and Mark Melancon pitched the 7th-8th-9th w/Melancon getting the save (Pomy had 3 Ks in his inning)
• Eric Hosmer carried over his ’20 surge w/a 3-4, 3 RBI game w/a HR
• Wil Myers also opened with a solo HR, going 1-3 w/2 R
• Jake Cronenworth got on 4 times as he went 2-2 w/2 BB and 3 R
• ARI ripped 4 HRs in the 6-run 5th: Ketel Marte (4-5, 2 R, RBI), Asdrubal Cabrera (2-5, R, 3 RBI), Stephen Vogt (1-4, R, RBI), and Tim Locastro shocked with a 2-R PH shot (1-2, R, 2 RBI)

COL 8 v. LAD 5

• German Marquez (4 IP/1 ER, 6 Ks) outdueled Clayton Kershaw (5.7 IP/5 ER, 2 Ks) despite only going 4
• C.J. Cron opened his Colorado career w/a 2-4, 2 R game
• In the most Rockies thing ever, Chris Owings got the start and went 3-3 w/3 R, RBI, BB, and 2 SBs
• The 29-year-old utilityman is in the prime age range for the Rockies to give him way too much playing time, probably at the expense of Garrett Hampson and Ryan McMahon
• LAD had 6 multi-hit guys including Kershaw as well as Mookie Betts (2-6), Corey Seager (2-3, 2 BB), Cody Bellinger (2-4, R, RBI, BB), Max Muncy (2-4, RBI), and Gavin Lux (2-4, RBI)
• Bellinger had a homer taken from him after a base running snafu by Justin Turner
• In fairness to Turner, it does look like Tapia caught it
• Austin Barnes left early after taking a spike to the hand but Dave Roberts said he should be ready on Saturday

STL 11 at CIN 6

• Luis Castillo suffered the worst ace start (Keller is not an ace) of the day going 3.3 IP/8 ER (10 in all) with 0! Ks
• Jack Flaherty skated a bit on his dud (4.3 IP/6 ER, 4 Ks, 15% SwStr) because Castillo took so much attention
• STL scored all 11 in the first four innings led by Paul Goldschmidt’s 4-5, 3 R, RBI, 2 2B day
• Dylan Carlson hit a big 3-R HR in the 1st inning, going 1-3 w/a BB
• Tyler O’Neill started in left and batted 5th, he went 1-4 with 2 R/RBI and a homer
• Nolan Arenado debuted with a 2-5, R, RBI effort
• There was a deep drive into left by Nick Castellanos as part of a 3-5, 2 R/RBI day
• Eugenio Suárez started at short and had 2 errors, but also went yard with 2 BB

TB 1 and MIA 0

• For a pitching nerd, this was the Game of the Day as it was not only 1-0 but both SPs dealt
• Sandy Alcantara dropped six scoreless with 7 Ks and a 19% SwStr in 83 pitches
• Tyler Glasnow matched him with six scoreless of his own plus 6 Ks and an 18% SwStr in 77 pitches
• The two closer candidates with Nick Anderson out pitched back-to-back with Pete Fairbanks (0 ER/K, 1 H/BB) in the 8th and Diego Castillo in the 9th (0 ER, 2 K, 0 BB)
• Austin Meadows did the scoring with a solo shot in the 8th off Yimi Garcia (after allowing 0 HR in all of ’20)
• Jesus Aguilar was the only 2-hit guy in the game (2-4, 2 1B)
• Jorge Alfaro chipped in with an SB

KC 14 at TEX 10

• The first football score of the year went to a pair of underrated lineups
• Brad Keller somehow didn’t even the worst start of this game at 1.3 IP/6 ER on 9 H and 2 BB… 0 Ks!
• Kyle Gibson was mowed down for 5 ER on 4 H and 3 BB, securing just a single out (but it was a strikeout)
• Whit Merrifield was the fire starter atop the lineup, going 3-5, 2 R/RBI
• Deuces wild for Jorge Soler: 2-2, 2 R/RBI/BB plus a solo HR
• Bottom of the lineup went off, all having multi-hit games:
  • Kyle Isbel (3-5, 2 RBI, 1 R)
  • Michael A. Taylor (3-5, 3 RBI, HR)
  • Nicky Lopez (2-4, R/RBI)
• TEX had 15 hits, 12 of them 1B
• Everyone but Leody Taveras had a hit, he was 0-5 w/4 Ks
• Joey Gallo was the star at 2-3, 2 RBI, 3 BB, R, SB
• Newcomers Nate Lowe (2-6 w/4 RBI, R) and David Dahl (3-5, 2 R, 2B, BB) excelled
• Eli White played DH v. a righty over lefty Ronald Guzman and went 2-4, 2 RBI, BB

LAA 4 v. CWS 3

• A great duel out west between Dylan Bundy (6 IP/3 ER, 6 Ks) and Lucas Giolito (5.3 IP/2 ER, 8 Ks)
• Mike Trout was himself going 1-2, R/RBI, 2 BB
• Max Stassi went yard off Giolito (2-3, R/RBI)
• Adam Eaton batted 2nd and hit a HR (1-4, 2 RBI, R)
• Eaton’s fantasy value could surge to all-formats viability if he continues to bat there
• Luis Robert got an SB while Nick Madrigal was caught attempting one
• Codi Heuer threw a solid 1.7 scoreless IP with a strikeout and could become the next great fantasy middle reliever

SEA 8 v. SF 7 (10)

• Marco Gonzales was knocked around a bit but still lasted six innings (6 IP/5 ER, 2 K, 3 BB, 3 HR)
• Kevin Gausman left up 5-1 after a 6.7 IP/1 ER gem allowing just 2 H/BB and notching 6 Ks
• The SF bullpen melted down with 7 BB in 2.3 IP
• The SF lineup did drop 4 HRs:
  • Austin Slater (1-3, R, RBI, BB) and Alex Dickerson (1-1, R, RBI) hit a pair sharing LF
  • Evan Longoria (2-4, R/RBI)
  • Buster Posey (1-4, R/RBI)
• SEA only had 5 H including a key 2-R 2B by Dylan Moore (1-3, 2B, R, 3 RBI, SF) in the 6-run 8th