10 Important Stories From 08/24/17 Box Scores: Ray Returns In Style, Yandy Diaz Erupts & More

by Ray Kuhn

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse for the New York Mets, or anyone associated with the Mets, Michael Conforto dislocates his shoulder yesterday. Now, it didn’t happen like you would assume; as a contact injury. That would make two much sense if Conforto had collided with a wall, the ground, or another player. Instead, it happened while he was at bat. We also had a busy afternoon in Detroit as bean balls and punches were thrown between the Tigers and Yankees. Unfortunately for fantasy owners, that will likely result in some suspensions. With that being said, let’s take a look at some of the performances that stood out from the actual action on the field:

1) It’s Like He Never Left…

A few weeks ago, it was a very scary site when Robbie Ray took a 108 mile per hour line drive to the head. However, after spending a short time on the disabled list with a concussion, the southpaw returned on Thursday without incident. While Ray did need 94 pitches to get through five innings, he really didn’t show any ill effects from the concussion. Ray held the Mets to one run, a Yoenis Cespedes homer, on two hits and a walk as he struck out nine batters. It was the 10th victory of the season for Ray who continues to be a valuable fantasy pitcher as he lowered his ERA to 3.06 on the season.

2) A Power Show in Philadelphia…

Alright, I know, it’s real shocking. Giancarlo Stanton hit another home run on Thursday (47) as did Rhys Hoskins (8). At this point, we can just take notes from a previous day and update them with the current home run total, and that would be all. Both players are seeing the ball really well, and are true power threats who can carry a fantasy team. By playing Hoskins in left field, the Phillies have avoided, for now, displacing Tommy Joseph. The first baseman continues to bat in the middle of the order, behind Hoskins in fact, and while he isn’t going to hit for average, the power is there. On Thursday, Joseph didn’t want to feel left out, as he went deep for the 19th time this season; a three run shot. Joseph also added his 26th double of the season as part of his three hit day that saw his RBI total rise to 63. Just be aware, that his .243 batting average is going to be a liability.

3) Hit in the Head, Who Cares…

Yes, there was an actual game played in Detroit a well yesterday even if you might have missed it. After being hit in the head and starting another round of ejections, James McCann bounced back in a big way. The catcher let everyone know he was fine by belting a home run. That was the only hit of the game for McCann (he did score three runs), who is batting a respectable (for a catcher) .259, but it was a good sign. A reoccurring theme this season is the dearth of options behind the plate, that is especially blatant in two catcher leagues, but McCann has been a nice surprise. With 12 home runs and 38 RBI, along with regular playing time and a batting average that won’t drag you down too much, there aren’t many better options. This is also taking into account the original cost of acquiring McCann; practically free.

4) Taylor Has a Perfect Day…

The Dodgers won on Thursday, and their lead-off hitter reached base all four times he came to the plate. It is odd then, that Chris Taylor didn’t score one of the Dodgers’ five runs. Taylor, who did have one RBI (62 on the season) picked up his 31st double of the season while singling twice and walking. The utility player, who is batting .313, is clearly having a career season for the Dodgers, and it also doesn’t appear he is slowing down. That fact that he can play almost anywhere defensively has helped to keep on the field and atop Los Angeles’ batting order, and his positional eligibility has also proved to be a positive for fantasy owners. While we ride this hot streak, we also have to ask, how long will he maintain his .401 BABIP?

5) A Home Run Shy of the Cycle in Cleveland…

With Chris Sale pitching for Boston, who expected that to happen? Also who expected the Indians to put up 13 runs on Thursday, seven of those coming against Sale? Entering the season, there was a level of intrigue around Yandy Diaz and his skills at the plate. Thanks to injuries, Diaz started the season with the Indians and hit .236 in 55 at bats. After that, he was up for three games in May, and yesterday was the third game in his most recent stint. All together, the sample size has been small, and after yesterday, Diaz has just 21 games and 74 at bats under his belt. After hitting .318 in the minor leagues last season, Diaz is hitting .350 in 85 games at Triple-A this season with five home runs and 33 RBI. Perhaps his stint last night will start a hot streak, as Diaz went 4 for 4 with two doubles, a walk, two RBI, and four runs scored. If you have the roster space, he is worth a speculative add to see if he gets hot down the stretch.

6) Margot Reaches Base Four Times…

Had Manuel Margot not missed a month of time due to injury or gotten off to a slow start (after all he is a rookie), perhaps he would be receiving more buzz. After hitting .257 in the first two months of the season, Margot then missed a month of action, and he returned to hit .310 in July. That is down to .244 in August, but he did help himself last night by going 3 for 4 with a walk and two runs scored. Overall, Margot is batting .273 on the season while showing potential as a keeper option moving forward. He has 12 home runs and 12 stolen bases on the season, with the tools for both of those categories, especially the stolen bases, to improve. Margot doesn’t require a substantial investment (it’s different in dynasty leagues), but he is just 22 years old and is an ascending stock. If you aren’t in a dynasty league, it’s easy to lose sight of Margot over the next month of the season since he plays in San Diego.

7) Holland Gets the Win…

Alright, we get it, the White Sox need pitching. I mean, why else would they continue to roll Derek Holland out there? But that doesn’t mean you need to. Aside from the fact that he does have name recognition, there really isn’t anything good to say about Holland. The southpaw picked up his seventh victory of the season on Thursday with six innings of one run ball, but I’m still staying away. Holland scattered three hits and four walks while striking out five, but his ERA still sits at 6.05. So far in August, he has a 9.00 ERA, and his 6.40 FIP on the season doesn’t make anything any better. Regardless of what happened last night, keep on targeting hitters who face Holland. Just because it didn’t work on Thursday, it doesn’t mean it won’t work for the rest of the season.

8) Strasburg Loses a Win…

Perhaps if the game meant a little more to Washington and Stephen Strasburg wasn’t so injury prone, he would have gone out for another inning. Instead, Dusty Baker lifted his right-hander after six innings and 90 pitches only to see his bullpen blow the lead in the eighth and ninth innings. Washington still went on to win the game, but Strasburg got nothing for his efforts. The right-hander kept a tough Houston lineup off the scoreboard for six innings while limiting them to just three hits and a walk. Strasburg, who struck out seven, saw his ERA drop to 3.10, but this might continue to be a problem all season. Even if the Nationals don’t shut Strasburg down, they will exercise caution with him, and you might see more strong outings without the victory.

9) Perez is Victorious…

We had another Derek Holland situation last night in Los Angeles. Just like targeting Holland, a prudent strategy generally is to attack Martin Perez. And with perhaps the best player in the game having a platoon advantage in Mike Trout, it certainly appeared to be a wise decision. Instead, while proving anything can happen, Trout went 0 for 3 with a walk, and Perez walked away victorious. The southpaw shut the Angels out over seven innings while scattering seven hits and not walking a batter. Perez, who struck out three, now sports a 5.00 ERA after picking up his ninth victory of the season, but that doesn’t mean you should target him as a fantasy option despite the fact that his 4.57 FIP offers up a little room for optimism; his 1.54 WHIP does not. Instead, trust the process and target hitters facing Perez.

10) Don’t Forget About Ryu…

With all of the pitchers the Dodgers have, it’s actually quite easy to forget about Hyun-Jin Ryu. The southpaw has battled durability issues in the past, and thanks to the Dodgers’ depth he most likely won’t crack their postseason rotation, but that doesn’t mean Ryu can’t help you over the next month. As the Dodgers look to get all their studs ready for the postseason, they will continue to exercise caution, and that means starts for Ryu. Yesterday in Pittsburgh, he picked up his fifth victory of the season with six innings of one run ball. Ryu only struck out two batters, but he limited the Pirates to just four hits and two walks while lowering his ERA to 3.34. Their isn’t much upside with Ryu, but there is the chance at a win, and not too much risk either.

Make sure to check out our Mid-Season Top 50 Prospects by clicking here!