It was another night of surprisingly good performances from some under-the-radar pitchers and surprisingly poor performances from aces. With playoff races heating up and schedules pitting division rivals against each other, there were important games yesterday, with the most pivotal coming in Milwaukee.
Brewers Salvage Series
The Brewers have been in a tailspin, dropping 13 games in August with eight of those losses coming against division rivals (Cubs and Cardinals). Meanwhile, the Cardinals have been hot in August, running to a 16-9 record and building a two-game lead in the NL Central. Yesterday’s game was surprisingly important with the Cardinals hoping to sweep and the Brewers looking to snap a St. Louis six-game winning streak.
Jordan Lyles came up with a big performance, going 5.1 innings and allowing just six hits and a walk while striking out nine. Lyles’ blemish came on a solo home run to Kolten Wong (3-for-4, 1 HR, 1 R, 1 RBI). Keston Hiura led the Brewers’ offense going 2-for-4 with a solo home run, one run, and three RBI. Junior Guerra threw 1.2 clean innings and Josh Hader went two innings to pick up his 26th save of the season. The win trims St. Louis’ lead over Milwaukee to 5.5 games.
Syndergaard Smashed as Cubs Roll
The Cubs sent 11 batters to the plate in the first inning, putting up six runs. They would add two more in the second and two more in the third, hanging 10 runs and pegging Noah Syndergaard with nine earned in his meager three innings. Ian Happ, Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos all hit two-run homers off Syndergaard. The Mets bullpen, conversely, managed to shut down the Cubs through the remaining six innings, and the Mets hitters made the game close, tacking up seven runs. Jeff McNeil went 3-for-6 with a two-run home run and J.D. Davis hit a solo home run. Syndergaard took his seventh loss of the season, running his ERA to 4.14.
Desclafani Dominates
Anthony Desclafani’s only baserunners came on two hits and a walk in his seven innings pitched. Desclafani shutout the Marlins and picked up the win in his most impressive outing of the season. Be sure to check your free agent pool for Desclafani as the Reds have a favorable schedule to end the season as Desclafani lines up (for now) to face Philadelphia, Arizona, Chicago (Cubs), and Milwaukee. Aristides Aquino had another big night at the plate, becoming the first player in modern MLB history to hit 13 home runs in his first 100 plate appearances. He also tied a rookie record for most home runs in a calendar month, with four more games to play (thanks to a double-header on Saturday). He ended up 2-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBI.
AL Central Battle Rages
Cleveland picked up a 4-2 win in Detroit thanks to seven strong innings from Aaron Civale. The rookie has been a key part of Cleveland’s second-half success sporting a 1.96 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP in his six starts. Jason Kipnis hit two solo home runs, and Francisco Lindor went 3-for-5 with a home run, two runs, one RBI, and a stolen base.
In Chicago, Minnesota’s Jake Odorizzi struck out eight White Sox, going six innings and allowing just two runs. Jonathan Schoop hit two home runs of his own (a solo and a three-run) to lead the Twins to a victory. The win keeps Minnesota’s lead in the Central at 3.5 games. Mitch Garver also homered in the game going 3-for-4 with two runs, two RBI, and an HBP.
Houston Topples Rays ‘Pen
The Astros found a way to win despite a strong performance from Rays starter, Ryan Yarborough. Yarborough went six innings allowing just three runs on four hits and a walk. Yuli Gurriel blasted his 27th home run of the season, but Yarborough was in line for the win until the Rays’ bullpen imploded. Diego Castillo allowed three runs (two earned) in his one inning of work, and Oliver Drake was tagged for two earned runs in his inning. Gerrit Cole was pulled before the Houston bats broke out, so he was not a factor in the decision, despite going 6.2 innings and striking out 14 batters. Roberto Osuna surrendered a two-run home run to Willy Adames in a non-save situation in the ninth.
Home Games Away from Home
The Orioles and the Dodgers both played “on the road” but didn’t have to travel very far. The Orioles headed down the highway to Washington to face Max Scherzer. Though staked to an early lead, Scherzer was not at his best, allowing two earned runs on six hits and a walk and was pulled after just 4.1 innings (he did strike out eight). Washington’s bullpen held the lead to split the season’s Beltway Series 2-2. Kurt Suzuki had the game’s standout hitting performance (2-for-4, 1 HR, 1 R, 4 RBI), and Asdrubal Cabrera continued his hot hitting as a Washington National going 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI, bringing his slash line since being picked up off waivers to .346/.426/.577 (61 plate appearance).
Petco Park in San Diego was peppered with Los Angeles gear, as the Dodgers headed down the highway to take on the Padres. San Diego threw out a game from their bullpen, and while they were able to prevent home runs, they weren’t able to contain the powerful Los Angeles hitters who were able to string hits together for a 4-3 lead until Kenley Jansen blew the save with a wild pitch that scored Francisco Mejia. The Dodgers were gifted the go ahead run in the top of the 10th on Luis Urias’ throwing error. Casey Sadler secured the win that Jansen could not.
Transactions
Khris Davis was placed on the paternity list. He will be eligible to return on Saturday. Corban Joseph was the DH in last night’s game, but the Athletics will call up prospect Sheldon Neuse. The infielder has slashed .317/.389/.550 in Triple-A, and may be worth rostering, as he will be added to the 40-man roster and is expected to remain with the team through September.
Carlos Carrasco is expected to be activated on Sunday. Carrasco has missed most of the season after a leukemia diagnosis. Carrasco will be a part of the bullpen, as he builds his strength and manages his workload after his cancer treatment. Carrasco’s return to the team should provide an emotional boost to a club in the middle of a battle for the playoffs. Though his return might not be fantasy relevant, if Carrasco was dropped in a keeper league be sure to pick him up with the hope that this is a stepping-stone to his return to the rotation in 2020.
Brad Keller has been shut down for the remainder of the 2019 season. Keller has thrown a career-high 165.1 innings and is showing signs of arm fatigue. He put up a 4.19 ERA and 1.35 WHIP but was a modest strikeout contributor. In a season known for an offensive explosion, Keller did manage just a 0.82 HR/9. Look for him as a late-round streaming option in 2020.
Injuries
Adam Eaton was hit by a pitch on his right knee. He remained in the game for six pitches, but was limping on the base paths and was replaced by Gerardo Parra. Hopefully, for those who have Eaton on their rosters, today’s off day will provide adequate rest, as the Nationals take on Miami over the weekend.
Gio Urshela left Wednesday afternoon’s game with groin tightness. The Yankees have a travel day today which should give Urshela some time to rest, but it is unclear as to whether he will need additional time off.
Max Muncy was hit by a pitch on his right wrist and was immediately removed from Wednesday’s game. With the Dodgers safely in the playoffs, there was no reason not to give him a rest. It looked as though Muncy was hit squarely and further tests will be performed today. For now, a contusion is the known extent of the injury.
