Mason Miller, RP OAK
He's the reddest of the red on StatCast and the baddest of the bad on the hill, Miller's one bad mutha---shut your mouth---I'm taking about Mason Miller! Seriously, five 100th percentiles in pitching metrics, including K%, Whiff % xERA and xOBA, he's slinging cheese like 1990 Dennis Eckersley(look him up). It was Miller time on Friday during an Oakland win over the Orioles. Miller's last 11.1 innings have been just one hit and one walk in his last seven appearances. He's got seven saves, despite pitching for the team formerly known as the Oakland Athletics. He's flashing a 1.46 with a 0.89 WHIP and ungodly 18.24 K/9. This is a reckoning: trade him for something good or trade something good for him. Pop quiz, hotshot: what do you do with the hottest arm in the league?
Garrett Cleavinger RP TAM
In the market for a closer? Not sure if Cleavinger is your man, but he does throw baseballs for the Tampa Rays, so he will get looks in the 9th. If StatCast red gets your blood pumping, take a hack at Cleavinger: his average exit velocity is top tier at 83 MPH and his Whiff% is at a tantalizing 35%. With 2024 Ray closer Pete Fairbanks on the IL with a mysterious "nerve issue" Poche suddenly injured, both with indeterminate returns, Cleavinger and perhaps the pride of Florida, Jason Adam are realistic options to consider if you are fishing for saves. AL-Only players may want to consider Cleavinger like right now and mixed leaguers desperate for saves with a slot to spare should take a stab at Cleavinger.
Brenton Doyle OF COL
After swiping 2 bags, scoring 3 runs and going 3-4 on Thursday, Doyle is sweet-spotting the ball to the tune of 41%, leading to a staggering .330 BA along with 4 SBs and 3 HR over just 90 ABs. He's been sprinting at 94th percentile speed and hard-hitting at 46% thus far in 2024. Doyle previewed some of this speed/power combo in 2023 with 22 SB and 10 HR in just under 400 ABs, so the skills are there, just don't get too thrilled about the BA as his XBA is .255. Playing time is always a question among Rockies, as team braintrust is often not to be trusted to use their brains. Doyle's a nice hot-hand play in NL-Only leagues and could be usefully employed as long as the ABs keep coming.
Seth Lugo SP KC
Lugo (4-1) emerged victorious on Friday in Detroit with 9 Ks, only 3 hits and 2 BBs over 7 scoreless innings. While he generated 13 swinging strikes on 103 pitches, Lugo overall periphery numbers suggest smoke and mirrors at work: his xERA is a wince-inducing 5.15 and his xBA an unsightly .286. It's not all bad news, though, as pitchers are capable of doing well without incredible stuff...wait, no they're not. So while Lugo's 1.66 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 23:9 K:BB over 38 innings is sterling, it might be time to take Seth to the pawn shop in your fantasy league and see what another manager is willing to give for him. If you're able to illicit Mackenzie Gore, say, or even Edward Cabrera, it could be worth cashing in your loot and let go of Lugo.
Gary Sanchez C MIL
Though Scary Gary has yet to qualify, due to his paltry 42 PA in 2024, he has begun to launch the ball here and there, including an opposite field jack off a 103 MPH tailing Aroldis "Big HRs-R-Us" Chapman pitch in Pittsburgh on Thursday. The early StatCast returns on Sanchez reveal a .401 xOBA and a monstrous .657 xSLG. Put that together with a 16% barrel rate and you've got streaming goodness. If you have room for the occasional Sanchez start at C or play in a two-catcher league, Gary could be your huckleberry.
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