Rowdy With A Chance Of Storms

Rowdy Tellez (MIL): 4-6, 1B, 2 HR, 2 R, 8 RBI.

In a game where every member of the starting lineup crossed home plate, it still wasn’t challenging to pick out who made a difference. Rowdy Tellez concluded his brilliant performance by going 4-6, 1 B, 2 HR, 2 R, and 8 RBI. Additionally, in some cases, most players would take that in a week, let alone one evening. The Brewers put up a 16 spot on the scoreboard when the final out was recorded.

Back to Rowdy, heading into the season, there was thought he might only platoon vs. right-handed pitching. However, throughout his career, Rowdy touts a 103 wRC+ vs. southpaws and a 106 wRC+ vs. RHP. Now, that doesn’t suggest platoon hitter to me. So, why should he be in a platoon?

Hmm…Maybe he strikes out too much vs. LHP?

 

 

No, that’s not the answer…well, maybe he isn’t effective vs. LHP?

 

 

Nope, that’s not it either.

It might be time to stop thinking of the 27-year-old first baseman as a platoon player and more like the .41o wOBA, 126 wRC+, and seven HR breakout we see flourishing. Furthermore, the team might also be starting to take notice since he did get the start last Sunday vs. a lefty.

 

Let’s see how the other hitters did Wednesday.

Max Muncy (LAD): 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI.

Muncy’s eighth innings HR was the icing on the cake for the Dodgers, cruising to a 9-1 victory over the Giants. In his season’s underwhelming start, the veteran multi-positional stud is only slashing .151/.319/.315 with a .634 OPS. That slight of production make fantasy managers wonder when to cut bait. Remember, you drafted Muncy at a discount due to the injury concerns, and last night’s performance might be the step in the right direction.

 

Jared Walsh (LAA): 3-5, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI.

The Angels put a massive six-run 10th inning, and Walsh’s three-run HR was the main contributor. Additionally, before he played hero in extra innings, his two-out line drive single was the tying run. At the same time, the season-long stats look OK, and the productivity arrow is firmly pointing in the upward direction. Furthermore, the strikeout rate has dropped over eight points since we flipped to May.

 

Matt Chapman (OAK): 1-2, 1 HR, 1 R, 1 RBI.

Chapman raised his HR total to five after crushing one of Nestor Cortes Jr.’s cutters into the stands. The solo shot was the game’s longest hit ball as it traveled 420 feet but was only the seventh-hardest hit. We know Chapman is a bit of a streaky player due to the 27% K-rate. However, that’s down significantly from the previous two seasons, over 32%. Lastly, if you think someone is looking to trade Chapman, make the trade; third base is a challenging position to find.

 

Connor Joe (COL): 1-2, 1 3B, 1 R, 2 RBI.

Last night, Coors Field was not the haven for scoring as many expected. Although, the catalyst for the Rockies was leadoff hitter Connor Joe. Speaking of such, Joe led off for the 21st time in a row on Wednesday night. Additionally, sometimes he plays first base, sometimes he plays left field, and sometimes he’s even the DH. The point is the Rockies have a leadoff hitter, and that alone is very valuable-let alone when half a player’s games are in one of the best hitters’ parks.

 

Trey Mancini (BAL): 3-3, 1 BB, 2 R.

The Orioles captures their ninth win on the season with the assistance of a solid night from Mancini. He was a pain on the Twins’ side as he reached base in every plate appearance. After a sluggish start, Mancini is starting to see the ball better, and quality contact is improving. The power may not be what anyone anticipated, but he’s raised his batting average over 30 points in the last two weeks and gotten on base more. As the summer heats up, so could Mancini; so, consider stashing him on your bench as he’s available in over 40% of Yahoo leagues.

 

Pavin Smith (ARI): 2-5, 1 HR, 1 R, 3 RBI.

If you’re not buying into Pavin Smith, it might be time. With another sparkling night, Pavin now has a hit in six of his last eight games and showcasing a .805 OPS on the season. While the Arizona offense is not one to start plucking players from, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more productive OF over the last two weeks. My advice, stop what you’re doing and grab Smith off our waiver wire. Yes, he’s probably there because he’s only rostered in 5% of Yahoo leagues.

 

Tyler O’Neill (STL): 2-4, 1 3B, 1 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI.

Falling a single and double shy of the cycle, O’Neill had a much-needed game in the series conclusion against the Royals. Furthermore, when you zoom out and look at the surface stats, O’Neill looks like a bench bat. But it’s early! Don’t forget about last year, where he went 34 HR, 15 SB season, with a .265 batting average. Stay patient; he has upper echelon talent and is off to a rough start(as far too many hitters are).

 

Ben Gamel (PIT): 5-9, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 R, 3 RBI.

Double-check this stat line? There is no need. It’s a combination of last night’s doubleheader action. However, as you can see, Gamel did a little bit of everything and brought the hit stick. He did nearly everything you could ask for(besides an HR or SB). While the Pirates are not the dynamic offense, Gamel might be a diamond in the rough for them. He’s collected 19 hits in 69 ABs, which equates to a .275 batting average. Is he worth starting every game, no? But in a daily transactions league, he’s been getting some run at leadoff and could be a fine depth piece on your bench.

 

José Abreu (CHW): 2-4, 1 HR, 2 R, 1 RBI.

Abreu led off all scoring in the Crosstown Classic (CHW vs. CHC) with a solo shot to left-field. The 96.7-mph shot was Abreu’s third dinger on the season. However, Abreu hit two batted balls with high exit velocities, but the outcomes won’t be so dignified when the launch angles are less than zero. In the last week, Abreu is starting to turn things around, and the timing couldn’t be any more crucial with Eloy Jiménez taking a seat on the IL.

 

Featured image by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter)