Yesterday Francisco Lindor (0-for-4) was activated from the IL for the 2nd game of the doubleheader. Not going to make a mountain out of this (I am). He’s missed two months. If you’re healthy enough to play in the 2nd game, then you’re healthy enough to play in the 1st game. This might be nothing but feels like the Mets’ problem. Their quote-unquote leaders aren’t out there dying for the team. How do you miss two months (!) and return to only sit in the dugout for the 1st game? What kind of message does that send? Get off my lawn! Kidding, it’s astroturf, you can stand on it. Any hoo! Let’s get to early, late and mid fireworks. Francisco Alvarez went 3-for-7 and his 7th and 8th homer and three games with three homers. Hot schmotato alert, if he’s available. I don’t know if he is. I am not omnipresent. Okay? Next up, Jared Young went 1-for-3, 2 RBIs and his 5th homer. If I were Steve Cohen, I’d want someone’s head on a spike for spending $300 million and having Jared Young as their cleanup hitter (in the first game). Then’s we had AJ Ewing (2-for-7, 2 RBIs) hit his 3rd homer. He should start Ewing ranch dressing and sell it to the World Cup visitors, while in a cowboy hat. Next up, Bo Bichette (3-for-8, 2 runs, and 10th homer), and 2nd in two days. I accidentally wrote his name as Bob Bichette and I laughed. Moving on! Across the way, and the real star of the day, Dansby Swanson went 5-for-9, 6 runs, 11 RBIs and a double slam (10, 11) and legs (10), and three homers in two games and four homers in five games. The problem with saying drop a struggling guy like I did with Dansby yesterday in the format “Mention them after they homered” is they just homered, so they’re now hot, so, ya know, don’t drop a guy when they’re hot. Swanson hasn’t stayed hot for longer than a week for a while, so I imagine it will be short-lived. Finally! Michael Busch went 1-for-8, 2 RBIs and his 9th homer, hitting .240. Before yesterday, he was 40th best 1st baseman on the Player Rater. That’s after such stalwarts as Troy Johnston, Willi Castro and non-Rockies like Ezequiel Duran, Kody Clemens and Ildemaro Vargas, who I believed retired after April. Busch has been bad and it’s the halfway point of the season. I still believe, and I just mentioned you shouldn’t drop a guy after they homer, but, if he slips back to doing nothing in a few days, and available options are better, unlike people in attendance at the original Woodstock, I could see finally cutting Busch. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:
Kodai Senga – Moved to the pen. Only because Siberia is currently off the table.
Nolan McLean – 6 IP, 6 ER, ERA at 4.03. Out-pitched by Javier Assad (5 IP, 3 ER, 7 baserunners, 5 Ks, ERA at 4.04) is such a gut punch. McLean has been very mediocre. Though, when you consider he plays for the Mets, he’s basically prime Pedro Martinez pitching this well. Need everything in your power to overcome Mets’ing.
Ben Brown – Hit the IL with a strained neck. They’re getting back Matthew Boyd today and losing Brown. Verrrrrrrry interesting (to me, the Boyd owner).
Tanner Bibee – 6 IP, 0 ER, 4 baserunners, 3 Ks, ERA at 3.78. Streamonator loves his next one, so I won’t put the Hater Hex on him, but I don’t like him, in general.
Cade Smith – 2/3 IP, 2 ER, ERA at 3.22, and 3rd blown save. Now 4 ER in his last two appearances. There’s so many great closers like Mason Miller and, uh, hmm, Louis Varland’s been solid.
Braden Montgomery – 1-for-4, 2 RBIs and his 2nd homer. In the battle of Braden and Carrigg, the K Cup jumped out to the early lead, but Braden’s stepping up his game.
Ryan McMahon – Hit the IL with an ear and throat infection. Oswaldo Cabrera was recalled to replace him or administer Robitussin, not sure which.
Paul Goldschmidt – 2-for-4 and his 13th and 14th homer, hitting .297. Au Shizz x two! Imagining myself accidentally drafting Au Shizz in the top 25 rather than Vlad Jr…[wavy lines]…Oh, wow, I meant to draft Vlad Jr., but I took Goldschmidt instead. Hmm, well, that’s idiotic, guess I’m dropping my 2nd round pick before the season starts. Goodbye, Au Shizz…[wavy lines] NOOOOOOO!!!
Jasson Dominguez – 1-for-4, 2 RBIs and his 3rd homer, as he hits third. I love it. Good that he’s hitting third. It’s also batshizz crazy to have a guy you usually bat at the bottom of the order suddenly shoved into the three-hole. Did Boone think he’s suddenly good? I doubt it. Dominguez is hitting .229. Well, whatever, it’s good for Dominguez.
Ryan Weathers – 6 IP, 1 ER, 8 baserunners, 6 Ks, ERA at 3.95. His ERA ballooned to 4.36 two starts ago, and I thought I might have to drop him (in 15 team mixed leagues), so glad he’s righted the ship a bit, but I he’s still not in the circle of trust.
Tarik Skubal – 6 IP, 4 ER, 4 hits, zero walks, 9 Ks, ERA at 3.32, as he allowed three homers. Okay, but he had a sweet xFIP!
Gage Jump – 5 IP, 0 ER, 4 baserunners, 9 Ks, ERA at 2.04. What an absolute gorgeous pickup he’s been for me that I know will be struck by some of the worst regression known to man in one of his home starts. On a side note, it’s comical how bad the A’s (and Nats) pens are. Unable to hold any lead.
Max Muncy – 1-for-3 and his 5th homer, and 2nd homer in five games. Just wait until he goes home too. Yum.
Tyler Mahle – 5 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 4 baserunners, 4 Ks, ERA at 5.49, as he was activated from the IL. San Fran’s on a mission and they got back their T. Mahle. There’s puns in there, I think.
Rafael Devers – 1-for-4 and his 12th homer. Devers stopped at 1st base and offered to have someone else pinch-run the home run trot, showing what a good teammate he is.
Bryan Woo – 4 IP, 5 ER, ERA at 4.26. Boo!
Braxton Ashcraft – 6 IP, 1 ER, 5 hits, zero walks, 10 Ks, ERA at 3.07. If someone offered you Ashcraft for Woo, you’re not doing it? Are you crazy?
Griffin Jax – 5 IP, 0 ER, 7 baserunners, 7 Ks, ERA at 3.33. Because I was just looking at Weathers, I have to say I trust Jax more than Weathers now. A man has the right to change his mind, so could change in the future, but that’s my feelings right now.
Jorge Soler – 1-for-3, 2 RBIs and his 11th homer, and 2nd homer in two games. Someone came back hot as a Junebug on the back of a bunny rabbit filming a scene from Fatal Attraction.
Samuel Basallo – 2-for-5, 4 RBIs and his 11th and 12th homer, hitting .257. Like he scored a World Cup goal, Basallooooooooooooooo!
Jose Soriano – 3 IP, 5 ER, ERA at 3.41. Would’ve been nice if he announced he was entering his flop era.
Roman Anthony – Still not swinging a normal bat. A bat that says good morning, how ya doing, that sorta bat.
Ranger Suarez – 6 IP, 2 ER, 8 baserunners, 9 Ks, ERA at 2.94. Since I have deGrom, and Suarez in a lot of my leagues, I can’t really comment on either because I could jinx them. All I’m allowed is a [butt pat] Nice job.
Eury Perez – 4 2/3 IP, 1 ER, 3 hits, zero walks, 1 K, ERA at 4.41 as he was activated from the IL. Blink Grey, “Oh, this is good for people who roster him,” then I thought, “Wait, Blink Grey, he was pretty meh in the first two months.” I’m kinda agreeing with Momentarily Reflective Grey and not Blink Grey. Zero walks is encouraging, but one strikeout and only threw 68 pitches is meh, as they say. I is they. Would hold in most leagues, but I can’t say I’m overly thrilled.
Otto Lopez – 2-for-3, 2 runs, 2 RBIs and his 6th homer. He’s really come down since April. PSYCHE! I got you, didn’t I? You can admit it. No shame in it. I did a psyche-a-roo and you got got’d. Lopez is leading the majors in batting average. He’s hitting near-.360 in June with two homers and six steals. He’s having a great season. Near top 25 on the Player Rater.
Winston Santos – Called up by the Rangers. Seems pretty excellent under the hood — 12.3 K/9, 4.5 BB/9, 7.44 ERA — hmm, that wasn’t meant to be sarcastic. He does seem solid, and he’s in Arlington, one of the best parks for a pitcher. He’s a work in progress, likely, so not worth anything outside of AL-Only.
Jacob deGrom – 6 IP, 2 ER, 6 baserunners, 8 Ks, ERA at 3.55. Kinda cool how his team can’t score him any runs no matter what team he’s ever on. The Hard Luck Loser Or No Decisioner, Jacob deGrom.
Wyatt Langford – 2-for-4 and a slam (7) and legs (5). Yes, I’d still be selling. Or you can ride out this hot streak until it inevitably ends up in a quad strain in July.
Joc Pederson – 1-for-4 and his 11th homer, and 2nd homer in two games. Hot schmotato alert!
JP Sears – 5 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 7 baserunners, 5 Ks, as he was called up. I would’ve whiffed if you asked me which team Sears was on now, and it would’ve been the first time Sears generated a whiff. Oddly enough, homering off him was Joey Bart (2-for-4, 2 RBIs), who I also didn’t know which team he was on.
JR Ritchie – Optioned to the minors. Wonder who I have to pray to for Reynaldo Lopez to get another shot in the rotation and to actually pitch well. I’ll pray to whoever, give me their coordinates.
Shane Drohan – 4 1/3 IP, 0 ER, ERA at 3.12. Finally, a Brewers pitcher who only was kinda good!
Jake Bauers – 2-for-4, 2 runs and his 14th homer, hitting .271. Imagine you drafted Bauers and Goldschmidt as your 1B and CI? You’d be King Fantasy. I’d be forced to crown your dopey ass!
William Contreras – 3-for-3, 2 runs, 2 RBIs and his 8th homer, hitting .302. There’s eight catchers in the top 50 on the Player Rater. Contreras is one.
Spencer Steer – 2-for-5, 2 RBIs and his 13th homer, 2nd homer in four games. Ya know what kind of season Steer’s having? On and off waivers in shallower leagues, but we get to the end of the season and realize he was actually pretty valuable.
Mookie Betts – 3-for-4 and his 9th homer, hitting .230. Mookie Best!
Shohei Ohtani – 6 IP, 2 ER, 7 baserunners, 8 Ks, ERA at 1.58, 2-for-5, 1 run, 1 RBI. Ah, merely a Quality Start. What a peasant!
Joe Ryan – 6 IP, 4 ER, 9 baserunners, 9 Ks, ERA at 3.18. Ryan fought the Dodgers and the Dodgers won, but it wasn’t bad. Though, deputy in the eye of the beholder.
Trey Yesavage – 5 2/3 IP, 1 ER, 7 baserunners (5 BBs), 5 Ks, ERA at 3.56. I say this in all earnestness, Yesavage has the underlying numbers of a guy who is either injured or dealing with fudged mechanics. Something’s not right.
Mike Burrows – 6 IP, 1 ER, 3 baserunners, 3 Ks, ERA at 5.48. That’s the exact opposite kinda start that Yesavage had. That’s the kinda start that has me monocle’ing in case Burrows is finally coming out of it. It being a hole, naturally. The velocity is fine; Burrows could click at some point.
LuJames Groover – 1-for-3, 2 runs, 2 RBIs and his 1st homer. Fun fact! Lujames Groover is the name of a serial killer who used to be a sax player in a funk band.
Curtis Mead – 1-for-2, 2 RBIs and his 13th homer, 2nd homer in three games. Usually don’t mention pinch-hit homers, which this was, but I want to say something I think I’ve said before — you try writing 3,000 words a day and not repeat yourself! — but I have Mead in one league and I don’t even remove him from my lineup when he’s not playing because he tends to come in as a pinch-hitter and do well. Speaking of pinch-hits, Jorbit Vivas (1-for-2) hit his 3rd homer, and 2nd in as many games, and was the one Mead replaced. Hey, I just met Vivas, and this is crazy, but call him hot schmotato maybe.
Luis Garcia Jr. – 1-for-3 and his 13th homer, and 3rd homer in three games, 4th homer in a week. Marching around my house in a grass skirt, chanting, “LuGaJu! LuGaJu! LuGaJu!”
Carson Palmquist – 3 1/3 IP, 1 ER as he was called up. Unnecessary update alert! He doesn’t matter for us, but I thought this was funny. The Nats’ beat writer said, “His expected metrics are better than the 6 ERA (in the minors) suggests.” Hahahahahahaha–breathe, Grey, breathe!–hahahahahaha…wheezing, struggling to continue. He had a 6 ERA with a 91 MPH fastball, and a 7.5 K/9, 5.5 BB/9 in the minors. Oh, yeah, that’ll fix the Nats pitching.
