Articles

On a wild day of baseball that saw Shohei Ohtani pitch and hit in the same game, Aaron Judge hit two home runs, and the first MLB game in Iowa, many other performances went under the radar. Baseball fans were treated to a wonderful night of oddities and firsts and the following is a breakdown of all of the notable performances from every team and every game that occurred on August 12th.

(50-64) Washington Nationals 1

@ F/7

(58-55) New York Mets 4

Batting

WSH

Victor Robles, CF: 1-3, RBI, 2B

Robles drove in the Nationals only run in the 6th inning when he rocketed his 19th double of the year down the left field line to score catcher Riley Adams. As he did in this one, Robles has batted leadoff in nine of his last ten games, a streak that began July 31st. Since that date, Robles has batted just .216 with three XBH, though he has gone 6-15 across his last four games (not including the second half of the doubleheader).

Carter Kieboom, 3B: 2-3, 2B

Following the massive exodus of talent from D.C. Kieboom has been given the opportunity to realize his potential with a full-time role. He has finally shown some sustained success after struggling in his first few cups of coffee. Since the calendar flipped to August, Carter has revealed the boom in his bat with a .333/.395/.538 slash line (including the second half of the doubleheader). Hopefully, this is the start of a breakout that bleeds into next season.

NYM

Brandon Nimmo, CF: 2-4, R, HR, 4 RBI

Nimmo was responsible for all of the New York offense in this one as his 2nd inning three-run shot and his 4th inning RBI single accounted for all of the runs the Mets scored. The homer, only his 3rd of the year, was a welcome sign considering he has only 17 XBH in 189 AB on the year (not including the second half of the doubleheader). The two-hit performance raised his season-long OPS to .832, which is right in line with his career numbers.

Michael Conforto, RF: 2-3, R

After a career year in 2020, Conforto is having…well, the complete opposite this season. With just a .213 AVG and a .686 OPS, multi-hit games like this one are exactly what he needs to get him back in the groove (he recorded a second multi-hit game in the night-cap). Getting into a groove will be important for Conforto as he will be a free agent following this season. He has been underperforming his xwOBA by a wide margin all year which may point to a return to his career .826 OPS next season, most likely on a new club.

Pitching

WSH

Sean Nolin, (L, 0-1): 3.0 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 51 pitches

Making his Nationals debut after spending many years jumping across different minor league systems, the 31-year old lefty was roughed up by Nimmo and the rest of the Mets lineup. Nolin’s name might sound familiar because he was part of the package the A’s received from the Blue Jays in return for Josh Donaldson. He has pitched to a 3.80 ERA in eleven games (nine starts) for the Nats’ AAA affiliate this year.

NYM

Marcus Stroman, (W, 8-11): 5.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 85 pitches

Wow! A Stroman W? The Mets’ starter has been the victim of the worst run support in the whole league (min. 20 starts) so seeing him come away with a win this season has been surprising. He’s been doing his best deGrom impression (his team must be in on it, too, with this run support) by pitching to a sub-3 ERA while maintaining a losing record. The eight Ks are his most in a start since June 17th. He lines up to face the Giants next Tuesday in a tough matchup against the Majors’ best team.

Aaron Loup, (HLD, 13): 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 15 pitches

Loup continued his breakout season in the first half of the doubleheader Thursday, locking down the 6th after Stroman allowed his first run of the game. He lowered his ERA to a minuscule 1.19 mark to go along with an impressive 42/9 K/BB ratio. The lefty should be available for appearances in the near future as this was just his first appearance since August 6th.

Edwin Diaz, (SV, 25): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 10 pitches

The Mets’ closer made quick work of the Nationals in the 7th, working around a one-out Kieboom double to preserve the lead and keep the team in the playoff race. Diaz has had some blowups this year but he has proven to be a reliable closer and may have deserved better in the ERA department considering his 2.39 FIP entering this game was significantly lower than the 4.03 ERA he showed up with (he exited the outing with a 3.94 ERA). He is not at risk of losing his job again any time soon.

(50-65) Washington Nationals 4

@ F/7

(59-55) New York Mets 5

Batting

WSH

Adrian Sanchez, 2B: 2-3, 2 R, 2B

The second baseman has been in the Nationals’ minor league system since 2007 and is getting his fourth taste of the majors this year. After batting .336 in 37 games at AAA, Sanchez has played in seven games so far this year recording a .300 AVG in 21 PA. He may just be filling in for the time being as the Nats transition to a new era of their franchise.

NYM

Pete Alonso, 1B: 3-4, R, HR, RBI, 2B, SB

Alonso played hero in the second half of the doubleheader by hitting the walk-off dinger in the bottom of the 7th to win it for the Mets following the bullpen implosion. The home run, his 25th of the season, traveled 109 mph off the bat and was paired with his third stolen base of the season to make it a combo meal. Additionally, he notched his 16th double in his first AB against Fedde. Alonso is one of the premier power hitters in all of baseball with a Max Exit Velocity in the top 1% of the league.

Jonathan Villar, SS: 3-3, R, HR, 2 RBI

Villar played the Robin to Alonso’s Batman, crushing his 13th long ball in the 6th off reliever Tanner Rainey to give the Mets a temporary 4-1 lead. Villar has been surprisingly serviceable to his team this year considering he signed for just $3.55 million in the offseason. The 3-hit performance bumped his OPS to .749 but he has been most valuable to the Mets by staying healthy. He’s played in 94 of the Mets’ 114 games making him one of the most consistently available bats on the squad.

Pitching

WSH

Erick Fedde, (ND, 4-8): 4.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 68 pitches

Fedde kept his team in the game but was ultimately unable to last long enough to qualify for the win. He pitched three scoreless before running into trouble in the fourth where he allowed both of his runs. It looks like he’ll pitch against the Blue Jays next.

Kyle Finnegan, (L, 4-4): 0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 11 pitches

Nats manager Dave Martinez brought Finnegan in with the game tied in an effort to keep it that way and send it to extras. He looked on track after getting Jeff McNeil to ground out to first but then gave up the Alonso bomb to send the Mets fans home happy. This performance shouldn’t give Martinez doubts about using him as the closer in the future because this was a non-save situation.

NYM

Trevor Williams, (ND, 4-2): 4.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 52 pitches

The former Cub made his first appearance for the Mets since being traded on the day of the trade deadline in the deal that sent Javier Baez to Queens. Williams made a good impression on his new club and with deGrom being out until September, he might become an integral part of this pitching staff down the stretch.

Trevor May, (H, 10): 0.1 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 28 pitches

May loaded the bases in the 6th before being removed and watching the lead fade away from the bench. He was lucky to record a hold, which came via a strikeout of Josh Bell before he walked Gerardo Parra to load the bases. This bad outing is uncharacteristic of May. He had allowed just two ER across his last 12 appearances before this meltdown.

Jeurys Familia, (W, 6-2): 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 17 pitches

Familia was also lucky on Thursday evening, walking away with the W because of Alonso’s heroics after allowing all of the runners he inherited from May to score. He struggled with his command, unleashing two wild pitches and walking a batter. He left the game with a solid 3.83 ERA to go with his 6th win.

(67-48) Oakland Athletics 17

(55-58) Cleveland Guardians* 0

Batting

OAK

Mitch Moreland, DH: 2-3, 3 R, 2 HR, 2 RBI, HBP

The A’s designated hitter proved why he doesn’t have to play the field belting two homers, his eighth and ninth of the season, in the A’s rout of the Guardians*. He was a bit unlucky to hit both of his dingers with the bases empty considering Oakland recorded 14 hits and ten walks, consistently filling the basepaths with green and gold. Moreland has not had consistent playing time for the A’s but when he has gotten in the lineup he’s performed to the tune of a .705 OPS.

Matt Chapman, 3B: 0-1, 3 R, 5 BB

Fielding may be his strong suit, but Chapman showed off his discipline by coming one walk shy of tying the major league record for walks in a nine-inning game. The hot-corner specialist has struggled with the bat this year batting just .214 with a .676 OPS so maybe taking a different, more patient approach can get him on a hot streak just in time for the playoffs.

CLE

Amed Rosario, SS: 1-4, 2B

Batting second and playing shortstop, Rosario was the lone bright spot in Thursday afternoon’s drubbing. He tallied Cleveland's only XBH against the Oakland pitching staff when he recorded his 19th double in his first AB. He will continue to be a fixture in the Cleveland lineup with his .276 AVG and the pressure that comes with being traded for a franchise icon.

Pitching

OAK

Chris Bassitt, (W, 12-3): 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 81 pitches

Bassitt continued his All-Star season shutting out Cleveland for six innings before turning it over to the bullpen. He has a 3.06 ERA on the year buoyed by the highest K% of his career. He may not be in the Cy Young conversation but he is definitely in consideration for the ace of the A’s. Over his last three starts, Bassitt has pitched 20 innings and only allowed one earned run with a 21/3 K/BB ratio. He’s scheduled to face the White Sox in Chicago next Tuesday.

CLE

Eli Morgan, (L, 1-5): 4.0, 3 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 2 HBP, 1 K, 72 pitches

After impressing with a 6 IP, 2 ER, 9 K outing against Toronto, Morgan supported his efforts with a 7 IP, 2 ER, 3 K, start against the Tigers five days later. This start was much different as he just didn’t have his best control after walking just three batters total across his last four starts. The A’s capitalized on Morgan’s mistakes and made him pay for all of the free baserunners. He should get a respite in the Twins next week.

(58-56) St. Louis Cardinals 7

(41-74) Pittsburgh Pirates 6

Batting

STL

Paul DeJong, SS: 1-5, R, HR, 2 RBI

DeJong launched his 16th homer of the season off Brubaker in the 4th inning following a Matt Carpenter walk. DeJong has struggled to the tune of a below-average 90 wRC+ entering the game and in the process of crushing a bomb against the Pirates, he raised his season-long OPS to .692. He has been much better since the second half started which should help him maintain the grip he has on the starting shortstop role for St. Louis.

Lars Nootbar, PH: 1-1, R, HR, 2 RBI

The man with the incredibly sweet name had himself an incredibly sweet moment when he bashed the first home run of his career shortly after DeJong’s. Nootbar hit his tater in a pinch-hit opportunity which is where most of his future home runs this season will come. With Dylan Carlson, Harrison Bader, and Tyler O’Neill locked into the three outfield spots, Nootbar is going to have to have a lot more exciting nights like this one if he wants to see more than just pinch-hitting opportunities.

PIT

Colin Moran, 1B: 2-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 4 RBI

“Red Beard” Moran has not had much of an impact for the Pirates so far but on Thursday he showed glimpses of his power, blasting two dingers and driving in four runs. These two brought his season total to six across just 54 games so he has obviously struggled with injuries that have held back his counting stats. On a rate basis, he boasts a .795 OPS and will bat in the middle of a middling lineup in Pittsburgh.

Bryan Reynolds, PH/CF: 2-2, R, HR, 2 RBI

Following his first All-Star selection in July, Reynolds has continued to rake and did so here, mashing a 9th inning homer after coming off the bench earlier in the game. The home run was his 20th, four more than his previous career high. With over a month left of the season, he should continue to build upon his breakout season and perform as the best player on the Pirates.

Pitching

STL

Wade LeBlanc, (ND, 0-2): 2.0 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 30 pitches

It was a bullpen game for the Cards and they turned to LeBlanc as the opener. He was followed by T.J. McFarland, Andrew Miller, Luis Garcia, Genesis Cabrera, and Giovanny Gallegos before Reyes shut it down in the 9th. Everyone recorded a hold except McFarland who was rewarded with the W. Miller was the only one to give up a run but he also recorded three strikeouts in his inning of work.

Alex Reyes, (SV, 27): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 24 pitches

Reyes was able to shut the door on the Pirates in the 9th, but not before giving up a home run to Reynolds to reduce the lead to just one. Reyes has shined in his new role as closer after rising the minor league ranks as one of the top starting pitching prospects. He’s experienced a few hiccups along the way because he walks too many batters but his stuff is just too overpowering.

PIT

JT Brubaker, (L, 4-12): 5.0 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, HBP, 4 K, 81 pitches

The 27-year-old right-hander didn’t have his best stuff against the Red Birds. He ruined his outing with a poor 4th inning where he gave up three XBH including both of the Cardinals' homers. He gets an even tougher matchup next time at the Dodgers and if I was a fantasy manager, I would stay away from that one.

(69-46) Los Angeles Dodgers 1

(60-55) Philadelphia Phillies 2

Batting

LAD

AJ Pollock, LF: 1-3, BB, SB

Maybe having one of the most underrated seasons in 2021, Pollock continued it with a solid showing for the Dodgers. The stolen base was his sixth but he pairs his mediocre speed with an OPS at .900 and a 142 wRC+. Both of those marks would be career highs for Pollock whose major problem is staying healthy. He hasn’t appeared in more than 113 games in a season since 2015.

PHI

Bryce Harper, RF: 1-2, 2 R, HR, 1 RBI, 2 BB

Harper continues to absolutely murder baseballs since the All-Star break and has a chance to be in the NL MVP conversation by the end of the season if he can keep up this pace. He’s riding a .981 OPS and 21 home runs after Thursday’s performance but he only has 46 RBI to go along with those impressive numbers. That would be a result of 19 of his 21 home runs being solo shots. Seriously, he has hit 21 homers resulting in just 24 RBI from those hits.

Pitching

LAD

Mitch White, (L, 0-1): 4.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 59 pitches

Despite rostering four former Cy Young Award winners, the Dodgers sometimes have to run mere mortals out to the mound. White is one of those mortals and he pitched well enough to keep the game close. The offense was the bigger problem anyway, so White did the best he could. Kenley Jansen pitched a scoreless 8th with one strikeout to get some work in.

PHI

Ranger Suarez, (ND, 5-3): 4.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 82 pitches

Starting is suiting Suarez superbly and as a result, he has only given up one ER in ten innings since moving to the rotation. The lefty took down the mighty Dodgers and increased his pitch count for the third straight start. As he gets stretched out, it will be interesting to see if Suarez can continue to pitch this well. He’s recorded a mediocre 9/6 K/BB ratio since leaving the pen. He gets a wonderful matchup with the Diamondbacks next.

Archie Bradley, (W, 7-1): 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 22 pitches

Bradley has been one of the most consistently good relievers in the cursed Philadelphia bullpen pitching to a 2.52 ERA. The biggest concern with Bradley this year is that he is striking out less than 14% of the batters he faces after being above 24% the past four seasons. Bradley was preceded by Hector Neris who recorded his fourth hold.

Ian Kennedy, (SV, 19): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, HBP, 0 K, 26 pitches

The new Phillies closer did his job by shutting down the dangerous Dodgers in the 9th. He made it interesting by loading the bases but escaped the jam by getting Billy McKinney to fly out. Kennedy obviously didn’t have his best control Thursday but he met the challenge of pitching against a juggernaut and maintained the Phillies grasp on first place in the NL East.

(70-46) Milwaukee Brewers 17

(52-65) Chicago Cubs 4

Batting

MIL

Luis Urias, 3B: 5-6, 5 R, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 3 2B

Holy moly! Urias had himself a day with a monstrous performance tallying 14 total bases across the contest. The multi-homer game brought his total up to 16 putting him on pace to break the 20-homer threshold. The utility infielder is finally acting on some of the promise he showed as a minor leaguer in the Padres organization. He is slashing .249/.342/.453 on the season, good for an above-average 113 wRC+.

Jace Peterson, RF: 5-5, 3 R, HR, 4 RBI, 2B, BB

Being a career-long journeyman can have its perks. You get to travel the country and see how other organizations are run. You get to learn from all different kinds of people. Sometimes, you even get to have a night like this. Peterson is having a career year for the Brewers and this performance was his best yet. The home run was just his fifth of the year but he boasts an .821 OPS alongside those moonshots.

Manny Pina, C: 3-6, 3 R, 2 HR, 6 RBI

The long-time backup catcher joined the home run derby occurring at Wrigley on Thursday with two blasts of his own, the first of which was a grand slam. Pina will consistently sit in favor of the lefty-hitting Omar Narvaez but nights like these will surely make the Brewers consider him more often as the playoffs approach. His .160 AVG is hard to look at but he’s up to nine homers on the season, tying his career high.

CHC

Frank Schwindel, PH/1B: 2-2, 2 R, HR, RBI, 2B

The newly acquired Schwindel replaced Matt Duffy once this game got out of hand and tried his best to get his team back in it. He has performed well in the minors across three different organizations and is hoping to catch on with the new-look Cubs. The home run, his third of the season and second since joining Chicago, traveled 382 feet off the bat.

Patrick Wisdom, 1B/3B: 1-5, R, HR, RBI

Wisdom continued his season-long power surge Thursday with his 18th long ball of the year. His power has been impressive and is supported by multiple 30-HR AAA campaigns, though he has struggled with the Ks. In 200 AB, he has struck out over 37% of the time and his AVG has been carried by an abnormally high .354 BABIP. Next year may be tough for Wisdom unless he can make some adjustments to his approach.

Pitching

MIL

Brandon Woodruff, (ND, 7-6): 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 74 pitches

Sadly, Woodruff was removed early from this one with an injury, forcing the Brewers to turn to the bullpen earlier than expected. Woodruff has been a Cy Young contender all season so hopefully, this injury isn’t significant. The Brew Crew are going to need him for the playoffs. Hunter Strickland walked away with the win after picking up where Woodruff left off. Josh Hader pitched a maintenance inning in the 8th. He allowed one hit and struck out three batters.

CHC

Kyle Hendricks, (L, 13-5): 4.0 IP, 11 H, 9 ER, 1 BB, HBP, 3 K, 97 pitches

Oof. Hendricks got rocked by the Milwaukee bats but was forced to eat up innings so as to not overly tax the bullpen in a game that was out of reach by the 5th inning. Hendricks was one of the few Chicago stars to stay put at the deadline so he’ll be counted on to mentor the young pitchers coming up from the minors. Here he was showing those pitchers what not to do. He should pitch against the Reds next Tuesday.

(57-60) Detroit Tigers 6

(38-75) Baltimore Orioles 4

Batting

DET

Robbie Grossman, RF: 2-5, R, HR, RBI

RoBBie Goatman, as I like to refer to him, rocketed his career-high 18th dinger of the season during Thursday’s contest against the O’s. I call him RoBBie because he sports a 15.1% BB rate, one of the highest in the league, and he showed why I call him Goatman by being the main cog in the Tigers win.

Renato Nunez, 1B: 2-4, R, HR, 2 RBI

Nunez was just giving the legend, Miguel Cabrera, a day off by spelling him at first base, but no one told him he had to hit like him too! He launched a ball to left off Means for his third dinger in just eight games for the Tigers. I guess he wanted to show his old team what they were missing after not tendering him a contract last offseason.

BAL

Cedric Mullins, CF: 3-5, R, SB

The Orioles' sole representative at the 2021 All-Star Game continued to stay scorching hot on the season. Mullins totes one of the highest batting averages in the AL and this three-hit performance boosted his season-long line to a robust .322/.387/.549. All it took was for Mullins to stop switch-hitting and just focus on batting lefty for his star to shine. His numbers this year dwarf anything he’s done in the past, even in the minors. He’s already recorded a 20-20 season and has a good shot at 30-30 after swiping his 22nd bag with Manning on the mound.

DJ Stewart, RF: 2-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 2 RBI

Watch out, DJ Stewart is getting hot. We’ve seen him hit home runs in bunches before and he’s doing it again. After swatting his eighth homer of the season on Wednesday, the bulky right fielder followed up that performance with two more on Thursday. It may be a good time to grab him in fantasy leagues or to stream him in DFS while he’s hot because he could stay hot for a while.

Pitching

DET

Matt Manning, (W, 3-5): 6.0 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 83 pitches

The rookie right-hander pitched well against the Orioles after a tough outing against Cleveland his last time out. The quality start didn’t dent his ERA much as it still sits at a staggering 6.10 mark. His peripherals suggest he’s been slightly unlucky but when you strike out less than 12% of the batters you face, it’s hard to believe in the peripherals. He gets to face Shohei Ohtani and the Angels next time out.

Michael Fulmer, (SV, 7): 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, HBP, 0 K, 26 pitches

Fulmer may not have a lock on the closer role because of All-Star Gregory Soto pitching well this year but he has been valuable at the back end of the Detroit bullpen. He came up as a starter, winning the Rookie of the Year award in his first taste of the Majors, but he’s fought injuries in the years since then. The move to the bullpen this season has not kept Fulmer healthier but it has allowed him to find the form he had during his rookie season.

BAL

John Means, (L, 5-4): 4.1 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 79 pitches

Means became one of my favorite pitchers after I watched him throw a no-hitter against the Mariners a couple of months ago. It was the culmination of an incredible start to the season for the lefty and made me feel so good owning him in ⅔ of my fantasy leagues. Since then, it’s been almost completely downhill. He suffered a shoulder injury a couple of starts after the no-hitter and only recently returned and has performed to mixed results. That could be because he returned to a sticky-less pitching landscape. It might take him a couple more starts to get in a groove again but I hope that we might see a repeat of that wonderful game against Seattle in the future. He faces the Rays next after going 5 IP, 1 ER, 5 K against them in his last start.

(70-45) Tampa Bay Rays 8

(66-51) Boston Red Sox 1

Batting

TBR

Wander Franco, SS: 1-5, 1 R, HR, 2 RBI

Wander the wunderkind has started to pick up the pace recently, tallying at least one run and one rbi in six straight contests. He struggled after an amazing debut in which he launched a ball over the fence. He seems to have finally started to make much-needed adjustments to succeed against Major League pitching. Over those aforementioned six games, Franco has gone 6-26 (.230) with six runs, eight RBI, and two of his five home runs on the season. He sports a 98 wRC+, revealing his league average batting line thus far.

Mike Zunino, C: 1-4, R, HR, 3 RBI

With his 8th inning blast, Zunino put the Rays up 8-1 to give his team the breathing room it needed heading into the final two innings. The tater was his 23rd of the year, giving him a great chance to break his previous career high of 25 set in 2017 with Seattle. He currently maintains a career high 127 wRC+. Zunino was the third overall draft pick in the 2012 first year player draft, so he came into the league with lofty expectations. Whacking lots of dingers while calling great games behind the plate is a good way to live up to them.

BOS

Rafael Devers, 3B: 1-4, R, 2B

After a breakout 2019 season in which Devers recorded 90 XBH, he took a small step back in 2020. Fantasy managers and Red Sox fans that didn’t doubt his potential have been rewarded with a season that might be even better than his ‘19 breakout. So far, the third baseman is up to 60 XBH with more than a month to go and he has made improvements in other facets of his game. Not only has he raised his BB rate 3% compared to ‘19, but he has also hit for a higher percentage of extra bases with a .283 2021 ISO compared to a .244 mark in ‘19. The new Devers is a legitimate MVP candidate.

Pitching

TBR

Drew Rasmussen, (ND, 1-1): 4.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 50 pitches

Rasmussen intrigues if not for the sole fact that the Rays went out and acquired him. Any pitcher the Rays have their sights on interests me a lot because they seem to know what they’re doing when it comes to finding guys who can throw baseballs. This was just Rasmussen’s third career start as the Rays have been attempting to stretch him out. He’s pitched to a 3.81 ERA and a 2.99 FIP since joining Tampa Bay.

Colin McHugh, (W, 4-1): 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 29 pitches

Prior to JT Chargois, Louis Head, and Ryan Sherriff shutting down the final three innings of the game, McHugh was called upon as the bridge from Rasmussen to the rest of the pen. He succeeded in his task and was rewarded with a W for his efforts. This was McHugh’s second appearance since coming off the IL and he should remain a key component of the Rays bullpen corps as a swingman.

BOS

Tanner Houck, (L, 0-3): 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 8 K, 89 pitches

Being a starter in the AL East is tough, especially when you’re a rookie. Going against that notion, Houck hasn’t had any trouble with the juggernauts on the East Coast. He’s performed admirably to the tune of a 2.93 ERA, but even more impressively he sports a 1.84 FIP, suggesting his sub-three ERA is unlucky. The young righty has struck out 44 batters to just seven walks across 30.2 IP and appears to be the next in line to be crowned the ace of the Red Sox.

(40-75) Texas Rangers 1

(61-55) Seattle Mariners 3

Batting

TEX

Charlie Culberson, LF: 1-3, R, HR, RBI

Dansby Swanson’s ex-teammate produced all of the offense for the Rangers on Thursday with his fourth home run driving in their only run. The Texas lineup managed just one other hit off Gonzales, so Culberson’s dinger was one of the few good at-bats put up against the Seattle southpaw. Culberson should continue to play a super-utility role for the Rangers going forward because he can play almost every position and is good enough with his bat.

SEA

J.P. Crawford, SS: 2-4, R, HR, RBI, 2B

Setting the table has been Crawford’s job all year and with six DRS so far this year, he has also succeeded in his job holding down one half of the double-play combination. On top of his superb defense, Crawford has been a league-average batter with a 101 wRC+. He has never finished a season with a wRC+ above the league average mark of 100. The home run was his sixth of the season while the double he tallied was his 25th.

Jake Fraley, RF: 1-3, R, HR, RBI

Fraley belted his eighth dinger in the bottom of the 7th to push the Mariners’ lead to 3-1, a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Fraley has been a welcome sight for the Mariners who have struggled to find consistency in their outfield from anyone not named Mitch Haniger. When healthy, Fraley has performed to an .807 OPS and while his .227 AVG is uninspiring, he has found a way to get on base at a 39% clip with the help of his crazy 20.6% BB%. He should continue to receive nearly every day at-bats in the Seattle outfield as long as he maintains his amazing discipline.

Pitching

TEX

Mike Foltynewicz, (L, 2-11): 7.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, 98 pitches

Foltynewicz has had a very up and down season and it has shown with his recent performances. Following back-to-back disasters in which he combined to give up 16 ER in just 5.2 innings against the Blue Jays and Tigers, the right-hander has looked much better across his last three starts. Including this outing, Foltynewicz has combined for 18 IP and just six ER but this was his first outing with more than four Ks since mid-July. He should get a rematch against the Mariners in his next start.

SEA

Marco Gonzales, (W, 4-5): 9.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K, 108 pitches

Gonzales has not looked like the Mariners ace he was the past couple of years but this performance was a throwback to that era. The nine-inning performance was his first CG of the year and dropped his ERA to 4.35 to go with a 1.26 WHIP. He took advantage of a depleted and inexperienced Texas squad and had his best outing. This was the first time all year that Gonzales has struck out more than six batters in a game. Like Folty, he should get a rematch next time out as he’s tentatively scheduled to take on the Rangers again next Wednesday.

(62-54) Cincinnati Reds 12

(59-56) Atlanta Braves 3

Batting

CIN

Jesse Winker, LF: 3-4, 2 R, HR, 4 RBI, 2B

As one of the biggest breakouts of the 2021 season, Winker has become one of the league’s best hitters. Despite his heavy platoon splits where he sports a .176 AVG vs lefties and a .351 AVG vs righties, Winker launched a grand slam off lefty Kyle Muller in the 2nd inning. The homer was his 24th and the double his 32nd giving him 57 XBH this year including his lone triple. He is the team leader in OPS at .959 and if he can keep up his hot second half where he has hit .333 with five dingers, he may have a chance to get himself in the running for the NL MVP award.

Tyler Naquin, CF: 2-5, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI

This dinger was Naquin’s first since July 3rd revealing how much he has cooled off since his crazy start to the campaign. The long ball traveled just 361 feet with an exit velocity of 105 mph and was Naquin’s 14th of the season. With players like Mike Moustakas having returned and others, such as Nick Senzel, on the mend, Naquin might have to fight for his playing time going forward.

ATL

Ozzie Albies, 2B: 1-5, R, HR, RBI

2020 was a lost season for the young Braves second baseman as he struggled to stay on the field, appearing in only 29 of the Braves' 60 games. That might be the outlier as he played in 158 and 160 games respectively in 2018 and 2019 and has appeared in 114 of the Braves’ 116 games in 2021. Not only has he played a lot, but he has played well too. The homer was his 20th of the season and brought his RBI total to 76 to go along with an OPS above .800. Albies is clearly one of the premier second basemen in the league.

Pitching

CIN

Vladimir Gutierrez, (W, 8-3): 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 102 pitches

Gutierrez didn’t have to stress too much in this one considering he was staked to a 9-1 lead by the 3rd inning. The Reds hit five homers as a team to back their starter. The run support allowed him to cruise through six frames against an offense that can be dangerous at times. The right-hander worked around seven base runners to record the quality start and, in the process, lowered his ERA below the four mark. He lines up to face the mediocre Cubs next week.

ATL

Kyle Muller, (L, 2-4): 2.1 IP, 5 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 72 pitches

The young southpaw struggled early and often in this one. He allowed too many baserunners in the first few innings which led to him getting touched up by the Winker grand slam. Muller had been really solid across his previous appearances, not allowing more than three ER in any of them. Whether it be because of this performance or something else entirely, Muller was optioned back to AAA following this disaster.

(63-52) New York Yankees 8

(68-48) Chicago White Sox 9

Batting

NYY

Aaron Judge, RF: 2-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 5 RBI, BB

The outfielder as tall as the corn stalks at the Field of Dreams, mashed two homers over the wall in the first Major League game played in the state of Iowa. The setting made Judge’s bombs even more dramatic and it was wonderful watching the balls disappear into the green cornfields. After the two home run night, Judge sits with 25 on the season. The homer total may be a far cry from the 52 he hit as a rookie but his 143 wRC+ is his highest since his sophomore season.

Giancarlo Stanton, DH: 1-5, R, HR, 2 RBI

Stanton was the hero for the Yankees for a short amount of time following his go-ahead home run in the top of the 9th off of All-Star closer, Liam Hendricks. The blast was his 18th and would give the Yanks a one-run lead heading into the bottom of the 9th. Stanton hasn’t reached the 25 games played threshold since 2018, so seeing him play in 94 of the Yankees 115 games so far is a good sign. Other than that, Stanton has struggled with a wRC+ that is his lowest since 2016. Let’s all hope for a Stantonian power surge in the final month as he can be one of the most exciting players in the game when he’s hot.

CWS

Tim Anderson, SS: 2-5, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI, 2B

Watching Stanton give his team the lead in the 9th must have given Anderson some ideas of his own. The star shortstop hit his own go-ahead home run in the 9th, but this one ended the game altogether. It was Anderson’s 13th dinger of the year and he pairs those with a .300/.330/.457 slash line. Following a couple of seasons in which his BABIP was above .380, Anderson’s batted ball luck has subsided a bit but he has maintained the ability to hit .300 because of his bat-to-ball skills and his speed.

Eloy Jimenez, LF: 2-4, R, HR, 3 RBI

Eloy is back from the dead and hitting like the original ghosts that played at the Field of Dreams. Since returning from a torn pectoral a couple of weeks ago, Jimenez has been on a tear. He’s already tallied six homers in just 13 games with a 1.088 OPS. It seems as though he may be trying to make up for lost time, so a massive surge to end this season wouldn’t be surprising. Especially considering the left fielder is a mere 24 years old and has nothing but time to morph into one of the league’s most dangerous offensive threats.

Pitching

NYY

Andrew Heaney, (ND, 7-8): 5.0 IP, 5 H, 7 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 77 pitches

The southpaw struggled with the long ball once again, giving up three of the White Sox's four total homers on the night. In three starts since coming over to the Yankees from the Angels at the trade deadline, Heaney has recorded a 4.80 HR/9 compared to a 1.53 mark before the trade. That number is misleading as it is boosted by a 30.8% HR/FB% but because Heaney will be facing tougher offenses and be pitching in smaller parks in the AL East, he will probably continue to struggle with home runs. He’s scheduled to face the rival Red Sox in his next turn through the rotation.

Zack Britton