Sandy Alcantara (SP-MIA) dazzled against the Reds on Saturday evening as he tossed 7 innings in which he allowed 1 run on 6 hits and a walk while piling up 12 strikeouts. The 25 year-old righty fired 75 of his 98 pitches for strikes and yielded just one extra-base hit in the outing. Alcantara flashed some promise prior to this season, but he's begun to put it all together in 2021 and now owns a 3.27 ERA, 8.6 K/9, and 2.6 BB/9 over 27 starts (165 innings). His 3.64 xFIP does indicate that he's benefitted for a little bit of good fortune, but he's largely made his own luck by elevating his strikeout rate to a career-best (as a starter) and raising his groundball rate to a career-high 53% and slashing his walk rate to a career low clip. He's also added another full tick to his fastball and is now averaging 98mph with that pitch, but he's also deploying it a career-low 49% of the time while leaning more heavily on his 92mph changeup (26%) than ever before. His swinging-strike rate is up to 13%, in part because he's raised his o-swing% to a career-high 35%. There's a lot to like about what Alcantara has done this season, and there are some things going on under the hood that point to legitimacy. He lines up for a turn at home against the Phillies next week.
Patrick Wisdom (3B-CHC) went 2-4 with a pair of solo homers against the White Sox on Saturday. The 30 year-old has now homered twice in back-to-back games and is now hitting .259 with 25 longballs and 50 RBI across 275 plate appearances. Wisdom's 138 wRC+ attests to his accomplishments to date at the dish, but it's worth noting that his strikeout rate comes in at an absurd 39%. Wisdom does mash the ball to the tune of a 53% hard-hit rate per Statcast, with much of the contact he makes of the flyball variety (49%). A 62% contact rate is concerning, and his 19% swinging-strike rate is a big part of his contact problem. So, fantasy owners who have benefitted from Wisdom's production to date should be aware that there are very real questions about whether he can sustain some level of that. But for the time being he is hot, so enjoy the ride.
Pablo Lopez (SP-MIA) did not make his scheduled rehab start on Thursday as the club chose to proceed with caution. The righty did make a rehab start last weekend as he works his way back from landing on the IL because of a rotator cuff strain, tossing 3 scoreless innings and reportedly not suffering any setbacks. Before going on the shelf, the 25 year-old was performing even better in 2021 than he did in his breakout 2020 campaign, compiling a 3.03 ERA, 9.9 K/9, and 2.2 BB/9 over 19 starts (101 innings). All of those marks are or match his career bests, and a 3.34 xFIP indicates that the improvement is real. The improving strikeout ability paired with stronger control and a propensity for inducing grounders (47% in 2021, 49% career) make Lopez a #2-type SP for fantasy.
Ian Anderson (SP-ATL) will be activated from the IL to start against the Giants at home on Sunday. The 23 year-old righty is recovering from shoulder inflammation. His last rehab start in Triple-A went reasonably well as he allowed 1 run on 3 hits and 2 walks while fanning 9 over 5 innings of work. He is not expected to have his workload significantly limited in his return to MLB action. Anderson's activation will be welcome to his fantasy owners, as he boasts a 3.56 ERA, 9.2 K/9, and 3.7 BB/9 across 18 starts (96 innings) in 2021. His 3.71 xFIP indicates that his ERA is right about where it should be. Overall, Anderson pairs decent strikeout ability (12% swinging-strike rate) with a tendency to induce grounders (50% in 2021), an intriguing combination for fantasy. He's currently a #3ish type for fantasy rotations with the potential to ascend a tier by harnessing the control a bit.
Max Meyer (SP-MIA) has impressed in his first season of professional baseball, recording a 1.97 ERA, 9.6 K/9, and 4 BB/9 across 17 starts (87 IP) in Double-A. The 3rd overall pick in the 2020 draft, the 22 year-old southpaw possesses electric stuff, including a plus heater and slider as well as a developing changeup. His 3.75 xFIP does point to an 85% strand rate and 8% HR/FB suppressing his ERA, but for his part Meyer possesses plus strikeout ability and can induce plenty of grounders (52% in 2021). The #31 overall prospect in baseball per MLB Pipeline, Meyer could arrive in the majors next season, so fantasy owners should be on the lookout for his promotion.
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