Dan Nachtigal

Growing up I loved Sammy Sosa and the Chicago Cubs. The 1998 Home Run duel between Sosa and Mark McGwire was a highlight of my childhood and was ultimately where my infatuation with baseball and statistics began. That infatuation then grew exponentially a few years later when my father took me to my first Major League game between the Cubs and Rockies at Coors Field. We sat a few rows up behind home plate where I witnessed Slammin' Sammy hit three, 3-run Home Runs, in three consecutive innings. I was elated, it was as if the game was scripted for me. I've personally witnessed a lot of great sports games since then, from Brett Favre at Lambeau to LeBron James in the finals, but nothing compares to the show that my favorite player put on for me at my first baseball game.

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    Preseason Prep - March 13th, 2024

    Rotation in St. Louis This offseason, the Cardinals added three veteran arms, almost completely overhauling their rotation, which was dreadful last season. The St. Louis starters had the 2nd worst K/9 (6.92) and 5th worst ERA (5.08) in 2023. The...

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    Preseason Prep, March 9th, 2024

    Minnesota's Outfield Byron Buxton, CF As has been the case since he arrived in Minnesota in 2015, Buxton has the highest potential in the Twins' outfield. Of course, staying healthy is the key for the 30-year-old. Buxton has only played...

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    Sonny's Sensational Season - September 24th, 2023

    Sonny Gray, SP, MIN Gray tossed 6.0 innings of one-run ball against the Angels on Saturday afternoon. He allowed four hits and struck out eight in the outing. The 33-year-old has enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career...

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    Player Analysis - September 4th, 2023

    Cody Bellinger, 1B/OF, CHC Bellinger went 2 for 5 with a homer and three RBI on Sunday afternoon. He has hit safely in five consecutive contests and has three home runs during that span. The new scenery in Chicago appears...

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    Player Analysis - August 26th, 2023

    Framber Valdez, SP, HOU Valdez was pulled after 7.0 innings of no-hit ball in Detroit. Naturally, the second batter of the 8th inning hit a single off of Astros' reliever Bryan Abreu and the Tigers would eventually win the game...

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    He's Going the Distance! - August 13th, 2023

    Sandy Alcantara, SP, MIA Alcantara went the distance on Saturday night against the Yankees, giving up one run and fanning ten. He now has two complete games in his last four starts and has gone 8+ in three of those...

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    Player Analysis - August 8th, 2023

    Carlos Correa, SS, MIN Correa went 2 for 4 with a homer, a double, and four RBI on Monday night in Detroit. After starting August 0 for 15, Correa has collected at least one hit and one RBI in each...

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    Player Analysis - July 29th, 2023

    Bo Bichette, SS, TOR Bichette went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI on Friday night. The 25-year-old has been on a tear the past three games, going 7 for 15 with three XBH (2 2B, 1 HR)...

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    Yelich is Hitting Again? - July 21st, 2023

    Christian Yelich, OF, MIL Yelich came up a triple shy of the cycle on Thursday afternoon, going 3 for 4 with three RBI. After three years of ineptitude, the 31-year-old is quietly having himself a solid 2023 campaign. He is...

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    Player Analysis - July 15th, 2023

    Corey Seager, SS, TEX Seager went 2 for 4 with a homer, a double, and two RBI on Friday night. The 29-year-old has been scorching at the plate since the start of July, hitting .405 (17-42) with three home runs...

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    Elly De La CYCLE, June 24th, 2023

    Elly De La Cruz, 3B/SS, CIN De La Cruz hit for the cycle on Friday and finished the game with four RBI and three runs. The young Phenom has five multi-hit games during his current six-game hitting streak and is...

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    Player Analysis - June 11th, 2023

    Kodai Senga, SP, NYM Senga bounced back after his rough 2.2-inning outing against the Blue Jays with a 7.0-inning gem against the Pirates. He gave up one unearned run on two hits but did walk four in the outing. Control...

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    Marte's May Turnaround, June 2nd, 2023

    Ketel Marte, 2B, ARI Marte extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a 2 for 4 day against the Rockies. He hit a pair of doubles, walked, collected an RBI, and scored twice in the contest. Marte was scorching...

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    This Gurriel is on Fire! - May 23rd, 2023

    Lourdes Gurriel Jr., OF, ARI Gurriel went 4 for 4 with a homer and a double on Monday evening in Philly. The perfect night at the dish extended his hitting streak to twelve games and raised his average to .321...

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    Powerful Polar Bear, May 20th, 2023

    Pete Alonso, 1B, NYM Alonso hit a Grand Slam on Friday for his only hit in five trips on the night. He now leads the league with 17 dingers while his 41 RBI rank second behind Adolis Garcia's 48. The...

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    Player Analysis - April 29th, 2023

    Aaron Nola, SP, PHI Nola hurled 8.0 innings of one-run ball in Houston on Friday night. He gave up just one hit, walked none, and struck out six in the contest. This was a very encouraging outing for the struggling...

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    Go Get Gorman - April 23rd, 2023

    Nolan Gorman, 2B, STL Gorman went 2 for 4 with a three-run homer on Sunday afternoon in Seattle. The 22-year-old started the 2023 campaign as a fringe starter for the Cardinals but has hit himself into an everyday player (he...

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    Blue Jays With New Ways? - April 7th, 2023

    Matt Chapman, 3B, TOR Chapman went 1 for 4 with a two-run double on Thursday afternoon. He has now hit in six of the seven games this season and produced multi-hit performances in four of those contests. Chapman's offensive production...

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    Player Analysis - April 1st, 2023

    Jazz Chisholm Jr., OF/2B, MIA Chisholm went 1 for 4 with a solo homer in the Marlins' 2-1 victory over the Mets on Friday night. The 25-year-old was 0 for his first 7 with three strikeouts for the season before...

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    Preseason Prep - March 15th, 2023

    Lance Lynn, SP CHWAfter a sensational 2021, Lynn injured his knee in Spring Training last season, causing him to miss more than two months of action. It took him a while to get his footing coming back from the injury...

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    Preseason Prep, March 8th, 2023

    Xander Bogaerts, SS, SDAfter a fantastic decade in Boston, Bogaerts has moved across the country to play shortstop alongside Manny Machado for the Padres. Despite being in the league for TEN years, Bogaerts is still just 30 years of age...

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    Player Commentary - September 30th, 2022

    Triston Casas, 1B, BOS Casas went 2 for 3 with a double, an RBI, and a walk on Thursday night. After starting his big league career off rather slowly, the youngster has vastly improved at the plate over the past...

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    Player Analysis - September 25th, 2022

    Sandy Alcantara, SP, MIA Alcantara tossed 8.0 innings of one-run ball against the Nationals on Saturday night. He gave up three hits, walked one, and struck out 11 in the contest. The impressive 27-year-old has rebounded after a couple of...

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    A Lance Lynn Renaissance Down the Stretch? - August 31st, 2022

    Lance Lynn, SP, CHW Lynn surrendered one run across 7.0 innings in Kansas City on Wednesday night. The surging right-hander gave up four hits and walked none while striking out eight in the contest. After a putrid start to the...

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    The Woes of Castellanos - August 6th, 2022

    Nick Castellanos, OF, PHI Castellanos went 1 for 4 with a two-run homer in the Phillies' win over the Nats on Friday night. The struggling vet now has two homers in his past three contests and seven hits in his...

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    Clase is Class - July 28th, 2022

    Emmanuel Clase, RP, CLE Clase collected his 21st save of the season with a three up three down 9th inning in Boston. The 24-year-old hasn't given up a hit or a run in his last seven outings and has been...

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    Mancini's Due - July 9th, 2022

    Trey Mancini, OF, BAL Mancini hit a walk-off single to complete the Orioles' comeback against the Angels on Friday night. He finished the night 2 for 5 and is now riding a seven-game hitting streak. After a down 2021 season,...

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    Verlander's Still a Stud - June 30th, 2022

    Justin Verlander, SP, HOU Verlander twirled a gem against the NL East-leading Mets on Wednesday night. He didn't surrender a run while striking out six and giving up two hits and one walk. Despite missing virtually all of the 2020...

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    Polar Bear Sighting-June 25th, 2022

    Pete Alonso, 1B, NYM Alonso hit a pair of solo homers in Miami on Sunday evening. The Polar Bear currently leads the majors with 68 RBI, and his two-homer night gives him 22 on the season, which is tied for...

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    Cortes and his Cutter - June 16th, 2022

    Nestor Cortes, SP, NYY Coming off his worst outing of the season (4.1 IP, 7H, 4ER), Cortes bounced back with a solid effort against the Rays. Across 5.1 innings, he gave up just one run on three hits and three...

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    Gary Getting Hot - May 19th, 2022

    Gary Sanchez, C, MIN On Wednesday night in Oakland, Sanchez went 2 for 4 with a double and three RBI. The veteran backstop's tenure in Minnesota didn't start with a bang as he batted .195 with one homer and 25...

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    Whit Finally Starting to Hit? - May 15th, 2022

    Whit Merrifield, 2B/OF, KC Merrifield collected a hit in his fifth consecutive game on Saturday night in Colorado. He finished the night 1 for 4 with a single, an RBI, a run scored, and a stolen base. This isn't a...

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    Grandal and Patience, they go hand in hand - April 21, 2022

    Yamani Grandal, C, CHW Grandal went 0 for 8 between the two games in Cleveland on Wednesday. That makes him 0 for his last 12 and just 4 for 33 (.121) on the season. A low average and high walk...

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    Lindor Has Life - April 16th, 2022

    Fransisco Lindor, SS, NYM Lindor went 2 for 3 with a pair of homers and walks against the Diamondbacks on Friday afternoon. He is now riding a six-game hitting streak, and he has reached base in each of the Mets'...

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    Preseason Prep, March 24th, 2022

    What to make of the Cincinnati Reds' new-look offense With Nick Castellanos, Eugenio Suarez, Jesse Winker, and Tucker Barnhart all finding new teams this offseason, the Reds have 2,032 plate appearances to replace in their lineup. So, who's to benefit?...

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    Preseason Prep, March 19th, 2022

    Justin Verlander, SP, HOU 39-year-old Justin Verlander hurled two hitless innings in his first Big League game since July of 2020. The two-time Cy Young winner has been recovering from Tommy John surgery but is on track to start the...