Tyler Chatwood (CHC) - Tyler Chatwood logged another quality start on Sunday after holding the Brewers scoreless over seven innings for the sweep on Milwaukee. Chatwood struck out four while allowing three walks and a pair of hits. Chatwood was been excellent for the Cubs and one of the few bright spots in their rotation to begin the year. Chatwood' s propensity to walk batters remains a legitimate concern (27:22 strikeout-to-walk rate), but as a number five starter, he's been more than serviceable. Chatwood's 4.79 xFIP does suggest regression is coming (this 5.9% HR/FB rate is more than half what his career rate has been), but it's clear that a move out of Coors is just what the doctor ordered.
Evan Longoria (SF) - Evan Longoria connected on a three-run home run on Sunday giving him 6 homeruns, 15 runs batted in and a slash line of .247/.278/.527. The counting stats look solid, but man those rate stats are ugly. Longoria's .288 BABIP does seem like a bit of an outlier considering his career mark is .299 with a 34.8% career hard hit rate, while this season his hard hit rate is up to an impressive 48.4%. He's a nice buy low candidate.
Robbie Ray (AZ) - Arizona's Robbie Ray was forced to leave his start on Sunday with a strained oblique muscle. Oblique strains and starting pitchers are typically a pairing you never want to hear as a fantasy owner and the issue has a tendency to known a pitcher out for months, not weeks. Ray has struggled mightily this season after seeing his draft stock rise on the news of the humidor being installed in Chase Field. That inflation paired with his subpar performance has likely left a sour taste in the mouths of many of his owners. The latest injury news is just piling it on. Hang in there, Ray owners, it'll get better.
Vince Velasquez (PHI) - Vince Velasquez had a day to forget on Sunday as the Braves jumped all over him for six runs over the course of four innings on seven hits and a pair of walks. His velocity is up, his contact rate is down, his swinging strike rate is steady and his hard hit rate is 27%, which is all painting the story of a pitcher who is largely the same, if not slightly better, but is dealing with bad luck. So where do we go to dig into bad luck? His strand rate, of course! At just a 59.5% strand rate for the 2018 season, it's reasonable to say *some*, not all, but some of Velasquez's struggles can be attributed to poor hit sequencing.
Jose Peraza (CIN) - Jose Peraza is finally heating up and continued his hot hitting by going 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored on Sunday against the Twins. On the season, he has raised his slash line to .299/.321/.411 and has 15 hits in his last 34 at-bats. Still, fantasy owners need him to steal more bases because the three steals he has so far isn't cutting it. Nonetheless, it's a positive development for a guy we heard whispers about losing playing time to make room for Nick Senzel.
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