Jerad Eickhoff is 2-6 for the Phillies. He also has a league average-ish 3.86 ERA. That’s not good news. There are still some positives, though as I warned folks five weeks ago with Jerad, he’s no ace. Eickhoff has seen his strikeout rate dip as the innings pile up and his 7.21 current mark is league average. The good news is that he’s walking just 1.84 batters per nine, a strong number. To this point, through 17 starts, he owns a very impressive 3.83 K/BB ratio which will help him to maintain his 1.12 career number, though even that is subject to rise a bit given that it’s an elite mark. Like that though. His 1.03 HR/9 mark is league average. Ditto his 1.10 GB/FB ratio. SIERA (3.74) and xFIP (3.69) suggest the level we’re seeing from Jerad right now is legitimate. I still can’t help but think he’s more Mike Leake than Zack Greinke.
Jesse Hahn is back with the Athletics because of injuries to Sonny Gray, Chris Bassitt, Henderson Alvarez and Felix Doubront. Since being recalled Jesse has made three starts during which time he’s allowed five bombs. Yikes. Through 194.1 innings he owns a 3.33 ERA and 1.21 WHIP. It seems unlikely that he will be unable to hold on to both of those marks. Here’s why. First off, the guy has a less than six per nine strikeout rate over his last 20 starts. He’s also totally scrapped his slider to protect his arm as he’s increased the use of his curveball but as of yet it hasn’t impacted his ground ball rate which is at 56.5 percent this season (career 52.4 percent). Still, as you can see of late, he just doesn’t have the stuff to pitch up in the zone. He profiles as a Jon Niese, Mike Leake type which isn’t exciting in mixed leagues.
We were all wrong about Rich Hill, Brandon Finnegan should have a good career, but it may take some time. Vincent Velasquez still can’t go deep into games. Check out the Daily Dive video.
Kyle Hendricks, I profiled him in the preseason as a potential breakout candidate in his Player Profile. Eight starts in that is looking like a good call. Hendricks has a 3.30 ERA and 1.06 WHIP, two impressive numbers. He’s maintained his walk rate at 2.33 per nine, just off his 2.15 rate of last season, and as predicted his K/9 rate has dropped a batter though it’s still at a solid level of 7.38. Hendricks has also, and impressively, upped his ground ball rate from 51 percent to 58 percent. That has pushed his GB/FB ratio to 2.59, an elite mark. You have to think his HR/9 mark will rise, it’s at a mere 0.39 right now (career 0.68), but the bottom line is that he’s pitching really well and needs to be respected for that, even if he’s just 2-4.
How creepy is this? I love animals, but this just might be over the top.
Joe Kelly allowed one hit with seven strikeouts over 6.2 innings in his first start for the Red Sox in a month on May 21st, and with it the questions about adding him to rosters started coming in. Yes, he throws hard, PITCHf/x routinely has him sitting at 95 mph. It’s been that way since the start of the 2014 season as he throws some serious cheddar. That said, he’s never been a big strikeout arm. Last season was the best K/9 of his career at 7.37 but that number was itself well above his 6.57 career mark and very much in line with the mere 7.4 percent swinging strike rate he owns. He also walks too many guys, always has, with that 3.47 BB/9 rate for his career. The end result is a 1.89 K/BB ratio that screams out streamer in mixed leagues, not consistent starter. The grounders are nice, who doesn’t love the 51 percent ground ball rate, but there’s just nothing to really hang your hat on. Finally, check out his 1.40 career WHIP. The mark has never been under 1.35 and I see no reason why that would change this year.
Kenta Maeda has made nine starts in the bigs and they have been wildly successful as Maeda owns a 3.29 ERA and 1.08 WHIP while strikeout out 8.31 batters per nine. So let me ask you, why are you complaining? Perhaps it has to do with the 3-straight outings of four earned runs allowed. I get that. But folks, did you 
think he was going to post a 2.00 ERA this year? If you take the micro approach you panic since his three outings are poor. If you take the macro approach and look at the totality of his work there is little concern. Note that Maeda has only walked five guys his last three outings and that he still has an 8.36 K/9 mark in that time. Those with the team believe Maeda is depending on his slider too much as he has thrown the pitch 35.1 percent of the time, even with batters being unable to square the pitch up effectively (.585). After all, Maeda is throwing the pitch the 4th most in baseball in terms of percentage (Chris Archer 36.3, Joe Ross 36.0 and Michael Pineda 35.8). If Maeda slugs along at his current rate you will be plenty pleased. If you’re expecting more, you will be disappointed. We simply need more data to determine just who he is.
Cheers to these fellas for being heroic and doing a real solid.
Wade Miley questions come in once and a while. My question is – why? Who cares if he is 5-2? What I see in Miley is the consummate innings eater that does nothing to move the needle in the fantasy game. Miley has a 4.50 ERA after seasons of 4.34 and 4.46. Miley has a 6.59 K/9 mark. That would be his second year in a row under his career average of 6.96 per nine. His 1.23 WHIP is solid, but given that the mark is 1.33 for his career and has been over 1.32 the last three years, I’m hardly excited. His 42.4 percent ground ball rate would be a career worst. His 1.14 GB/FB ratio would be a career worst (1.59 career). He’s allowing 1.45 homers per nine. The number will regress of course, but still. I do like the 2.09 BB/9 rate, but given that the mark has been at least 2.93 each of the previous seasons… just not interested am I.
Rick Porcello has a 4.67 ERA, 6.75 K/9 and 1.38 WHIP his last three starts. For his career the numbers are 4.35, 5.93 and 1.35. I know Porcello’s numbers are really good overall, but as I’ve always maintained I’m not buying it with Porcello. Can’t see any way he holds his 8.53 K/9 mark. He has a 1.24 GB/FB ratio which would be a 4th straight year that the number declined as his ground ball rate of 45.3 percent is way below his 51.1 percent career mark. That .269 BABIP, well below his .311 career mark, is also going up. Just how it is.
Ray Flowers can be heard Monday through Friday, 7 PM EDT and Friday on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (Sirius 210, XM 87). You can also hear Ray Sunday nights at 7 PM on the channel talking fantasy sports. Follow Ray’s work at Fantasy Alarm and on Twitter (@baseballguys).
Player News
Daulton Varsho picked up three hits, three RBI and a homer in a win over the Angels on Thursday.
Varsho has only played in seven games this year, but they’ve been seven good ones. He’s homered three times already, and his slugging percentage is a remarkable — and entirely unsustainable — .727 over 22 at-bats. Varsho has been a mediocre offensive player in his two seasons with the Blue Jays, but it’s possible at the age of 28 he’s having a breakout campaign. Far from a guarantee, but possible.
Taylor Ward hit a two-run homer in a loss to the Blue Jays on Thursday.
Ward, 31, gave the Angels a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer off Chris Bassitt in the first inning. He’s now gone deep in two of his last three games, and it ‘improves’ his slash to .181/.224/.391. Ward has been one of the most hot/cold players players in the sport over the last few years, so fantasy managers who can afford to make some roster moves may want to look at Ward while the going is good.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. picked up three hits and scored twice in an 8-5 win over the Angels on Thursday.
Guerrero also drew a walk. It gives the first baseman multiple hits in back-to-back games, and it’s the third time in May that he’s reached that mark. That’s helped raise his average from .268 to .295, and the only thing fantasy managers can be disappointed with is his .432 slugging percentage. That number should continue to climb as the season unfolds, but Vladdy Jr. has had some inconsistent seasons when it comes to power production.
Chad Green picked up his first save of 2025 with a scoreless ninth against the Angels on Thursday.
Green got the save after Jeff Hoffman worked in back-to-back games — and struggled — in the first two contests against the Angels. He struck out two and looked the part while needing just nine pitches to get through the inning. Hoffman should remain the closer, but Green is on his tail if the struggles were to continue.
Chris Bassitt allowed five runs — four earned — while working six-plus innings against the Angels on Thursday while picking up a win.
Bassitt allowed three runs over the first two innings on a pair of homers, but settled down over his next four frames. He came out to work the seventh, but ended up being charged for two more runs after leaving the contest. The 36-year-old veteran has forged a 3.35 ERA and outstanding 49/8 K/BB ratio over the first quarter of the season, but this wasn’t him at his best. He’ll get the Rays next week if the rotation order stays the same for Toronto.
José Soriano allowed three runs over five innings while not factoring in the decision Thursday against the Blue Jays.
Soriano left with a 4-3 lead, but it was erased quickly after his departure. The 26-year-old was not exactly dominant in his outing with eight hits allowed and four free passes, but he did strike out six to help balance things out a smidgen. Soriano takes an even ERA of 4.00 into a scheduled start against the Padres in San Diego on Tuesday. There should be better options for that one.