In his first game since being called up on Tuesday, Astros rookie Colin Moran had himself a 2017 debut going 2-for-4 with a triple and a home run and driving in two runs Friday night versus the Orioles. You can see how upset his teammates were with his performance here. If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that the Astros desperately need another young, extremely talented infielder, and Colin Moran could be that missing piece. Called up to to play while Carlos Correa misses the next month and a half with an injured thumb, Collin could see time at 3rd base, especially if he keeps having games like this one. Did you miss out on the Astros sweepstakes this year? Did you ignore the prophetic Sports Illustrated article that all but guaranteed a World Series victory for the Houston Astros in the year 2017? Are even the Yulieski Guerriel’s and Marwin Gonzalez’s owned already? Well my over-the-internet friends, this could be your last chance to get in on this action and add Moran. In 79 games (338 ABs) at AAA Fresno this season, Moran slashed .308/.373/.543 with 18 dingers and 63 RBI. With 18 homers and 15 doubles, he was having his best offensive season to date. Although part of that could be the hitter friendly PCL as the 55/31 K/BB rate isn’t really impressing. Still, the 24 year old left-handed rookie could see some serious playing time if he starts hot, and in a stacked line up like the Houston’s a player like Moran can really make some noise. He also has a really cool red beard. If you you missed out on Yoan Moncada and want a rookie with upside it’d be moronic not to take a chance and add Colin Moran in deeper mixed and AL-Only leagues. In shallower league its best to see how his playing time will shake out, but I’ll be watching him closer than the Game of Thrones premiere. Which judging by the ratings, you all watched. (Arya is BAE). So check out Moran, he’s Colin to you!
Here’s what else I saw in fantasy baseball Friday night:
Jerry Blevins – 1.2 IP, 0 ER, 2 K, SV (1). Just when you think the Mets might have a closer, dot ,dot, dot…yeaaaah, not really. Addison Reed was called upon first in the eighth but could not get the job done so Terry Collins went to Jerry Blevins to finish the game for his first save. Grey told you to BUY and it’s very possible Blevins could see more save opportunities going forward. It’s also very possible he could get traded along with any of the other Mets relief pitchers. We’ll just have to wait and see. The anticipation is killing me!
Michael Conforto – 2-for-4, 2 HR (18), 4 RBI. His third homer in the past week! Michael Conforto loves avocado toast and craft cider. He loves coconut milk ice cream, succulents and drinking gatorade out of mason jars. But most of all he loves hitting dingers. He is the hipster’s favorite player and he could care less if you own him or not.
Jake Arrieta – 6.0 IP, 5 hits, 2 ER, 6 K. Jake is rocking a 2.97 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in the past month and looks primed for a strong second half. When the Cubs think they need starting pitching and their bullpen gives up 9 ER. You don’t need Yu Darvish, Theo! This team is good enough, let the other teams have nice things too!
Dexter Fowler – 3-for-4, SB (4). The Cardinals scored 11 runs on 11 hits and as I mentioned above nine of those runs were scored off the bullpen with Carl Edwards, Jr. (3 hits, 3 ER without recording an out) serving as the biggest punching bag.
Ubaldo Jimenez – 5.1 IP, 10 hits, 6 ER, BB, 5 K. I know I said this a few weeks ago but how is he still a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball!? 7.19 ERA and 1.61 WHIP! Yeesh, get some standards, Orioles.
Mike Fiers – 7.0 IP, 6 hits, ER, BB, 9 K, 7th win. Mike is 2-1 in July with 2.25 ERA and 33/9 K/BB rate. He’s still available in about 40% of leagues somehow. You can’t own Michael Fiers unless you pick up Michael [expletive deleted] Fiers!
Yulieski Guerriel – 4-for-5, HR (12), 2 RBI. You go, Guerriel! Yuli has been all up in your Gurriel this year slashing .300/.327/.497 with 12 homers and 49 RBI, and he’s hitting close to .350 with a homer and a steal in the past week. His ownership is a little over 50% so if he’s out there on waivers, grab him while the Astros are making everyone else look bad.
Aaron Nola – 7.0 IP, 5 hits, ER, 2 BB, 9 K, 7th win. Nola has been three times flame emoji hot lately, holding a 1.70 ERA and 0.99 WHIP over the past 30 days. He’s got a 50/13 K/BB and 4 wins in that stretch and he plays for the Phillies, so you know he must be pitching well!
Edwin Encarnacion – 3-for-4, HR (20), 4 RBI. Encarnaci-BOMB is more like it! He’s had a slow power month but now has two jacks in the past week. Dare I say BUY?
Marco Estrada – 4.2 IP, 6 hits, 5 ER, 3 BB, 3 K. Speaking of starting pitchers who shouldn’t be starting pitchers anymore, hey Marco! Maybe you and Ubaldo should check out Clayton Kershaw baseball camp with my little cousin. It couldn’t hurt!
Marcus Semien – 4-for-5, run, 2 RBI, SB (6). It’s hard to recommend a player batting under .200–so I won’t! Moving on…
Yu Darvish – 8.0 IP, 5 hits, 3 ER, BB, 12 K. Can you believe Darvish hasn’t had a win since mid-June. Y Yu mad, bro? Oh, the win thing, right? Yeah, I’d be kind of salty, too. Well, maybe you’ll be a Cub/Yankee/Astro soon!
Elvis Andrus – 3-for-5, HR (12), 2 RBI. The hound dog busted out of a bit of a slump and had the opposing pitchers “All Shook Up” with 3 hits and a jack. Yay, Elvis references (for the kids)!
Alex Claudio – 2.0 IP, hit, 2nd win. Closer-by-committee or not, Claudio is definitely emerging as the most trusted arm in the bullpen and that is not nothing! He’s the closer to own in Arlington at least until Keone Kela returns.
Alex Cobb – 8.0 IP, 5 hits, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 K. Was cruising through eight before giving up a game-tying homer to Shin Soo Choo in the ninth before being pulled. I wonder if Alex could live on Rick & Morty’s Cobb planet, or if his presence there would cause an infinite loop that would cause space and time to fold into itself. Everything is on a Cobb there!
Corey Dickerson – 3-for-4, HR (18). His first home run since June 24! Grey told you to SELL this week! Now sounds like your chance!
Mallex Smith – 1-for-4, HR (2), SB (14). Three steals in the past week, Mallex with the slam & legs! In St. Petersburg, they like their legs soft boiled with warm ginger ale on the side. But really, its too hot to cook, let’s just go to Steak & Shake.
Ervin Santana – 3.1 IP, 7 hits, 5 ER, 2 BB, 3 K. The regression fairies are coming hard for Ervin, and he keeps dodging them like Patches O’Houlihan. Yesterday he was not so lucky, as these particular fairies glowed bright like sunshine and talked like Amy Poehler so he never saw it coming.
Mikie Mahtook – 2-for-3, run. Oh, Mikie you so fine! Your .435 AVG and 2 homers in the past week blows my mind. Hey Mikie! *clap clap clap*
Nick Catellanos – 2-for-4, run. Grey told you to BUY big! He like-a the sauce, huh? Helios, get some more sauce for da man!
Victor Martinez – 2-for-4, 2 HR (8), 3 RBI. I could see the Tigers convincing V-Mart to waive his no-trade clause to go to a contender. I have more trouble seeing the Tigers convincing another team to trade for Victor.
Yoan Moncada – 1-for-4, 4 RBI. OMG HE HIT A TRIPLE AND HE IS THE FUTURE OF BASEBALL AND IF HE IS AVAILABLE WHY AREN’T YOU PICKING HIM UP RIGHT NOW?! He is already better than Aaron Judge, and by Monday he will surpass Mike Trout. By the end of August he will pass Michael Jordan in terms of athlete popularity in Chicago. There is no time to lose. He was a BUY, obviously, and need to be owned all over. This kid’s gonna be a star! Ha-cha-cha!
Whit Merrifield – 1-for-5, 3 RBI, SB (16). Hit a walk off sac fly and also stole a base. I feel like I tell you to pick him up every week yet his ownership remains at 50%. But do not fret, I won’t give up on you all! Same time next week!
Josh Bell – 4-for-6, 4 RBI. The Pirates are…hot? And winning…baseball games? Really? Cool! Andrew McCutchen was 3-for-4 with 3 runs and 3 RBI and Starling Marte was 2-for-5 with 4 runs and 2 SB (4). They are now just 6.5 back for the NL wild-card and Bucs baseball is back!
Nolan Arenado – 2-for-4, HR (22), 2 RBI. He leads the league in RBI with 82, and it’s Coors in the Summer so that number will likely grow quite a bit in the next few weeks. *Fantasy pro tip* own Nolan Arenado.
Daniel Murphy – 3-for-4, run, RBI. What are you doing!? Don’t pitch it to Murphy–he hits everything!
Sean Doolittle – With Ryan Madson called upon to pitch the 8th inning it looks like Doolittle might be the man-to-own in the ninth inning for the Washington Nationals. If you’re like the rest of us and don’t have unlimited roster spots to own both, Sean Doolittle was a BUY and seems like the one to own for now if you need those juicy saves.
David Peralta – 3-for-5, HR (10). Who needs a J.D. Martinez when you have a David Peralta and an A.J. Pollock (3-for-5, 3 runs, HR (4)). Trick question, I can actually name a handful of teams that would happily take JD off their hands, so LMK!
Jackie Bradley, Jr. – 2-for-4, run, RBI. Just a week after robbing Aaron Judge of a home run and his dignity Jackie does it again. If I fall from high above, will you catch me, Jackie? 12/10 would gold glove.
Mookie Betts – 2-for-3, run, RBI. His 30th double. I only mention Mookie here because he gets jealous if I don’t write about him every week. Last time he stopped responding to my texts and I sent him a shruggie bitmoji and he didn’t respond for like FOUR HOURS before sending a simple “Lol” and I wondered if he really L’d out L or if he was ignoring me and was just sending a canned response so I would leave him alone. Man, is he hard to read sometimes!
Chris Sale – 6.0 IP, 4 hits, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 K, 12th win. I thought with the extra day of rest Sale would strike out 16 and give up -2 runs, but this start I will also take.
Freddie Freeman – 2-for-4, HR (18). I may have mentioned this already, but Freeman leads one of my teams in home runs and he missed two months! It’s a first place team, too! How are the Braves so good all of a sudden? Probably Freeman.
Jaime Garcia – 7.0 IP, 7 hits, 3 ER, BB, 4 K, 4th win. Gave up three but also hit a grand slam so that cancels out the three runs so I guess he pitched a shut out. Way to up that pre-deadline trade value, Jaime! Or are the Braves buyers now!?
Alex Wood – 4.2 IP, 9 hits, 7 ER, 4 BB, 4 K. We knew this was coming. Doode was 11-0 with a 1.56 ERA. He’s not Kershaw you guys. Nobody is. Not even Kershaw. Wood surrendered more runs Friday than he had in the previous two months. Yikes. After visiting Ervin Santana, the Regression fairies were primed to hit Wood up too. Why do you mock me, oh gentle fairies? I just named Wood my ace. I got him a red ‘A’ for his chest. Hester Prynne and Emma Stone are so jealous. Regardless, he’s got a nice soft rebound start versus the Giants next week.
Carlos Asuaje – 4-for-7, run, 3 RBI. San Diego sure has a lot of unwhelming fantasy talent on their team right now, and it doesn’t stop at the no-power, no-speed Asuaje. Lead off hitter Jose Pirela (4-for-6, run, 3 RBI) is a strikeout machine. And Matt Szczur went 4-for-5 with 3 runs and an RBI off the bench! He almost hit for the cycle off the bench! That’s kind of cool…I think? If they have players this good coming off the bench, then this line up must be STACKED! Right? Friars baseball, folks! Get HYPE!
Hector Sanchez – 3-for-6, HR (7), 2 RBI. So here’s a Padres hitter I will actually recommend an add for! It’s figures he’s a catcher. Lol. Still, Hector is batting .391 with 4 homers in the past week. I would tell you what my catcher did over the past week, but I’m honestly too afraid to look.
Aaron Judge – 1-for-2, HR (31), 4 RBI. A 440-foot shot as Judge busts out of his mini-slump. I really enjoyed the one week where I could tell everyone that Aaron Judge was officially a bust and I knew it all along, and I’d way rather have Benintendi and I called it and I told you so, etc. etc. #overrated And for a brief second, I think they were actually kind of buying it.
Questions? Problems? Complaints to management? Advice, small gifts or large bribes? Please leave it in the comments below. Join us next Saturday for another Friday recap as fantasy baseball continues next week, all week long!
