HITTERS

If you’re looking for a late boost down the stretch… here are some guys ripping it up the last seven days.

Scooter Gennett has hit .412 with two homers, seven RBI and seven runs scored.

Mitch Haniger has hit two homers with seven RBI. He’s also posted a .490 wOBA.

J.J. Hardy is healthy and finally doing his thing with the bat. He’s hitting .455 with a homer and seven RBI.

Ryon Healy is batting .433 with three homers, six RBI and 10 runs scored.

James Loney has no runs and just one RBI but he is batting .412. Hey, it’s something.

Andrew McCutchen is showing up, big time, right when it matters most to those of you in the fantasy playoffs. McC is batting .367/.429/.733 with three homers, 10 RBI and seven runs scored.

Whit Merrifield is batting .379/.419/.517 with two steals.

Kevin Pillar has three steals, the same total as Abraham Almonte.

T.J. Rivera has been offering the Mets a ton at second base since Neil Walker went down with injury. The last six games he’s hit .417 with three homers and six RBI.

Sean Rodriguez has hit .423-5-11-6. He also qualifies, literally, all over the field.

Domingo Santana has a .466 wOBA with two homers, four runs scored and four RBI. He’s been really solid at getting on base this season even if injuries have ruined his campaign.

Scott Schebler has a .346 average with a .577 SLG. He’s hit a homer and driven in five.

Seth Smith has three homers and nine runs batted in.

PITCHERS

Jharel Cotton came to the Athletics in the Rich Hill deal, and it seemed like he was destined for the bullpen. He’s changing opinions though with his efforts on the bump in Oakland. In three starts the man with the dynamic changeup has allowed a total of three earned runs over 18 innings (he’s also allowed two unearned runs). Through three outings Cotton has thrown 18 innings with a 1.50 ERA and 0.78 WHIP. He’s not allowing homers, two, or walks, three. He’s also been rather fortunate given that he’s only striking out 5.50 batters per nine. He’s also been very fortunate with a .173 BABIP and 80.4 left on base percentage. Those numbers are insanely good, but obviously nowhere near sustainable. Cotton just might carve out a starting role next season with this hot finish.

Jose Fernandez is at 174.1 innings this season as he’s rapidly approaching the soft limit of 180-innings this season, his first full season back from Tommy John surgery. Sounds like Fernandez might make one, possibly two more starts this season before being shut down. "We talked about the 180 range, and talking with Jose the last few days, he feels great," manager Don Mattingly said. "Obviously, we don't want him to throw innings that we don't need him to throw. But I think we're still paying close attention to him. I know he has his mind set on three more starts, but we have to be mindful of depending on how it goes and where it goes with what we do with him." The Marlins are behind three other teams for a Wild Card spot, so if things go the wrong direction the next week Fernandez might not even make that second start. Again, as I’ve been noting of late, he’s really not pitching that well anyway. Over his last 13 starts Fernandez is 5-5 with a 3.84 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. Massive strikeouts though (11.64 per nine).

Steven Matz hopes to be able to take the hill Friday for the Mets. Matz last started August as he has been on the shelf for more than a month with a shoulder issue. Of course, Matz also missed time earlier this season with an elbow issue. Matz has made just 22 starts this season and is a medical mess. Can’t plan on starting Matz can you as he might be limited to 50 or so pitches in his first start back.

Clayton Richard allowed two runs against the D’backs Monday. Over his last seven starts, the dude has been nails with a 1.71 ERA – or so it seems. Richard also owns a 1.43 WHIP, 3.21 walks per nine, and just 6.21 strikeouts per nine in those seven starts. Still, some credit is certainly due Richard who has allowed three or fewer runs in each of those seven outings. He’s giving the Padres a chance to win every time he takes the hill.  

DFS DIAMONDS

*The following list of players are guys that Ray recommends as daily plays.

CATCHER: Salvador Perez has produced 14 hits in 23 at-bats against Josh Tomlin. That’s a .609 batting average that has helped him to a 1.652 OPS. Tomlin has a 9.64 ERA and 1.74 WHIP over his last eight outings.  

FIRST BASE: Chris Davis has eight homers his last 21 games. Lefties are batting .293 with a .369 OBP against Eduardo Rodriguez who has allowed 12 hits and seven runs his last 8.1 innings making Davis a solid play despite his struggles against lefties (ERod has a 1.49 HR/9 mark).

SECOND BASE: Jedd Gyorko has hit 19 homers his last 59 games. He’s also posting an absurd, off the charts line, of .636/.714/.100 over 28 plate appearances against Jorge De La Rosa (one homer). Wowzahs.    

THIRD BASE: Martin Prado has ripped up Tanner Roark with 10 hits in 21 at-bats (.476/.500/.619). Play the BvP game though fair to note he’s only at .246/.324/.328 in September.

SHORTSTOP: Freddy Galvis has 20 homers. Did you realize that? Over his last eight games he’s gone deep four times to get to that level. James Shields has an absurdly high 2.04 HR/9 mark this season.   
  
OUTFIELD: Lonnie Chisenhall is just back from injury, but two points. (1) Chisenhall has a .307/.345/.470 line versus righties this season. (2) Edinson Volquez is terrible. He’s allowed 21 runs his last 18.1 innings. Brutally bad.  

OUTFIELD: Corey Dickerson has three homers and seven RBI his last eight games. Dickerson has 19 homers and a .496 SLG over 371 at-bats against righties. Dickerson is also 6-for-10 with a homer against Pineda.   

OUTFIELD: J.D. Martinez has hit .321/.355/.545 against lefties. He’s hit .400/.400/.867 with two homers against Hector Santiago (15 PAs). Santiago is in a nice run, but he’s allowed 11 homers his last 10 starts and 29 this season in 30 starts.

 

Ray Flowers can be heard Monday/Tuesday and Thursday/Friday, 8 PM EDT, Wednesday 7 PM EDT on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (Sirius 210, XM 87). You can also hear Ray Sunday nights at 9 PM EDT PM on the channel talking fantasy sports. Follow Ray’s work at Fantasy Alarm and on Twitter (@baseballguys).