Albert Almora, Jr. went 3-for-4 with 2 RBI Friday night and the rookie outfielder has now hit safely in his past three games and is slashing .429/.455/.619 since his call up June 7. Oh, hello there, AAJ. Have we met? This isn’t just any prospect we’re talking about here. This is a Cubs prospect. Alert the media! Oh wait, that’s us? Grey covered him a week or so ago, and I’ve been telling you to pick him up as well. Grey said, “Albert Almora also anagrams to Barrel T. Alamo, who’d be great as a San Antonian oil man villain.” Sound advice as always, boss. I will summarize in case you no read good. Almora had 3 homers and 10 steals in 55 games at AAA and he likely won’t play every day, so expectations can be tempered. I added him everywhere I needed runs and average, but I also drafted Giancarlo Stanton and Justin Upton, so I’m not so sure you should be listening to me anymore. Regardless, he’s definitely a player to keep your eye on, especially if you have a third eye, and the other two are busy trying to watch the NBA Finals and the most-hyped episode of Game of Thrones ever simultaneously. If you’re a sucker for the rookies like me, Almora has looked good so far at the plate and bats in a stacked Chicago line up and could certainly be worth an add for his upside alone.
Here’s what else I saw Friday night in fantasy baseball:
David Ortiz – 1-for-4, HR (18), 2 RBI. When you lied about your age wrong and ended up saying you were way older than you are and now everyone expects you to retire but you’re still hitting dingers. Big Papi is slashing .344/.424/.723 with 18 homers and 59 RBI. Sure looks to me like its time for this geezer to hang up the cleats for good.
Franklin Gutierrez – 3-for-5, 2 HR (7), 6 RBI. The Big Fragu is hot like a nice ragu with spicy meatball-sa. Mam mia! He kills lefties, so if you need a little marinara in your life, Franklin says relax and pick him up.
John Lamb – 5.1 IP, 3 hits, ER, 4 BB, 8 K. Lamb has shown some flashes of some fantasy stardom, and has allowed just one earned run in three of his last four starts. Not baaaad! Ewe see what I did there? lol zing. Dude scares me because of his team and his bullpen and his home park and his crazy hair, but mostly because I am trippin’ hard right now and every little thing scares me. I’d give him a shot next week versus San Diego if I was feeling brave.
Carlos Gomez – 3-for-5, RBI, SB (8). Dare I tell you to buy low on Carlos Gomez now? No. I wouldn’t dare.
Jeff Samardzija – 9.0 IP, 4 hits, ER, 4 K, W. Shark is rocking a 3.14 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 75/20 K/BB rate, and seems to be loving SF. Must be all the sharks in the Bay. Or maybe it’s the abundance of rainbow flags. Most likely it’s just the burritos and Philz coffee. Jeff’s got an iron stomach.
Brandon Belt – 2-for-3, HR (9). Belted it!
Jon Gray – 6.0 IP, 6 hits, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K. Hmm. Everyone is so concerned about owning Jon Gray because he pitches at Coors, but I’m more concerned about the Rox scoring for him on the road. At least Gray is guaranteed run support in Colorado! Not to mention other herbal pitching aids ifyouknowwhatImean. Grey told you to BUY and I’m even more all in on Gray than Grey. Wow, many Grays, much confusion! Pick him up before he sucks again!
Freddie Freeman – 3-for-5, RBI, SB (3). Freddie is hitting .452 with 3 homers, 7 RBI and 2 SB in the past week. Freddie is every pitcher’s nightmare!
Jon Gant – 6.2 IP, 2 hits, ER, 2 BB, 5 K, W. Gant stop, won’t stop!
Mallex Smith – 0-for-4, run, SB (14). He leads off! He steals bases! He…err, has a strange first name that looks like his parents compromised on some version of Mark and Alex! He’s a BUY and he’s a SAGNOF through and through.
Yasmany Tomas – 2-for-5, 2 HR (9). The Snakes were killin’ it last night, with six home runs! Paul Goldschmidt was 3-for-5, HR (13). So I’m hoping this is more the Zona bats coming to life rather than the Phillies pitching looking like death.
Peter O’Brien – 2-for-5, 2 HR (3), 4 RBI. Pete has three hits in 20 ABs since being called up, but what hits they have been! All or nothing, that’s how O’Brien do. I don’t know if he can keep this up, but if you need some pop he’s worth a look.
Robbie Ray – 6.0 IP, 7 hits, 2 ER, BB, 7 K, W. Rob-Ray has now won back-to-back starts, allowing just 2 ER with a 13/2 K/BB rate in 13.2 IP. He’s got a tough assignment in Toronto next week but if he excels there I could see possibly considering maybe picking him up.
Michael Saunders – 3-for-5, 3 HR (15), 8 RBI. Saunders actually had a shot at 4 homers in this one, coming up with the bases loaded in the 8th, but he wasn’t feelin’ it. Three is plenty, you guys. He’s hitting .383 with 6 homers, 9 runs and 13 RBI in the past two weeks. If he’s available in your league, you and your league mates really need to start reading more razzball.
Jake Arrieta – 6.0 IP, 2 hits, 0 ER, 3 BB, 11 K, W. When your 1.74 ERA and 0.95 WHIP is lit. Did I mention the 101/31 K/BB ratio? I don’t own him anywhere and I’m totally fine with that. Totally fine with that. No more questions!
Francisco Liriano – 5.2 IP, 6 hits, 4 ER, 5 BB, 6 K. This is a such a classic Liriano pitching line. Is he streamer status again? Not really based on his ownership numbers but yes? Regardless, I would stream him next week versus SF, but I wouldn’t feel great about it.
Rougned Odor – 1-for-4, HR (13). Four homers in the past week! Face punch!
Masahiro Tanaka – 8.0 IP, 7 hits, ER, 5 K, W. Probably the best game Tanaka’s pitched also season. Also. probably the worst team he’s faced, but he gets to face them again next week so huzzah!
Whit Merrifield – 2-for-5, run. Lloyd Christmas would say he has a rapist’s whit! I’m telling you Whit is leading off with a six game hitting streak, and is hitting .344 with 2 homers and 8 runs in the past week. Grey told you to BUY, don’t be dumb or dumber, pick him up!
Justin Upton – 1-for-4, HR (5). If I don’t say anything, maybe it will keep happening?
Yordano Ventura – 6.1 IP, 6 hits, 0 ER, 5 K, W. Yordy has been three times flame emoji since his little temper tantrum slash brawl in Baltimore, giving up just one earned run in his past two starts, going 13.1 IP, with a 14/1 K/BB rate. Here’s hoping the suspension won’t screw all this up!
Matt Shoemaker – 6.0 IP, 6 hits, ER, BB, 7 K. Matt has a 1.88 ERA and a 55/2 K/BB in his past six starts! How he is not owned in more leagues is beyond me. I don’t know what more you want him to do, people! Do you want him to make your shoes, because he will make your shoes!
Khris Davis – 2-for-4, HR (16). Does anyone else want to pronounce his name Kish Davish? Just me? I don’t know that “H” is really messing with my head. The “HR”s though, I love.
Zach Davies – 7.0 IP, 5 hits, ER, BB, 6 K. Zach has been on fire over the past month, collecting four wins and holding a 2.08 ERA and 0.79 WHIP over 39.0 IP. He’s also got a 36/7 K/BB which is preeettttttaaaay good. He gets the Nationals next Friday and if I was desperate I might go with Zach. For the record, I am quite desperate.
Julio Urias – 5.0 IP, 5 hits, 0 ER, BB, 8 K. Outside the one start at Wrigley, I think Urias has been pretty OK. He definitely has that stinky stinky cheese we all love to see from our rookie pitchers. Unfortunately his days in the majors are likely numbered for now, but I’d go with him next Wednesday versus the Nats because I love me some strikeouts and Julio seems to do that very well.
Justin Turner – 3-for-5, 2 HR (8), 3 RBI. He’s hitting .306 with 5 homers, 7 runs and 11 RBI in the past two weeks. I guess this is what Justin Turner Overdrive looks like! Hopefully we ain’t seen nothing yet!
Daniel Murphy – 2-for-4, HR (12), 3 RBI. Murph is batting .361 and his 1.010 OPS is second only to David Ortiz in the league. Sigh. I give up. I don’t even. I can’t even.
Michael Martinez – 2-for-3, run. Hard to say if Mi-Mart can find the playing time to make him worthy of a look but he is 5-for-6 with a homer and 2 RBI in his past two games which is not nothing. In fact, it’s something!
Tim Anderson – 1-for-5, SB (1). Pretty sure Grey told you to BUY for some of that sweet, sweet SAGNOF. YES, in fact, he was the lede in this weeks BUY/SELL! See, I can still memory good! Well, he’s leading off and stealing bases and you should probably grab him before I do.
Trevor Bauer – 7.0 IP, 4 hits, ER, 3 BB, 9 K. Yung Trev is rocking a sweet 1.59 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 22/5 K/BB in the past two weeks! Did you know I can’t seem to quit Trevor Bauer? Did you know he also raps. Does that make you like him more or less? Not so sure? Fair. Maybe you should listen and judge for yourself. He rhymes, “From gutter to grail, we rise up to win it/Wahoos on first with his eyes on the pennant.” Dope. He’s now pitched five straight quality starts and gets the Rays and Braves next, and if he continues to throw as much hot fire as he spits he’s worth an add in all leagues, from gutter to grail.
Thanks for reading! 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!
