Joc Pederson (SF): 3-3, 2B, 2 HR, 3 R, 3 RBI.
Putting the Nationals to bed early was Giants OF Joc Pederson. His 3-3, 2B, 2 HR, 3 R, 3 RBI night was the sweet lullaby needed to push San Francisco to a 12-3 victory and give the ball club its 11th win. His first dinger game was in the game’s first AB, when he sent a 2-1 four-seam fastball to deep center field. Then, in the top of the 7th inning, Joc took Austin Voth’s four-seam fastball into the centerfield bleachers again. The not-so-quiet evening begs the question, what’s going on with Pederson?
He’s typically been thought of as a righty masher, or a platoon OF that wasn’t suited for everyday ABs. In fact, in a little over 2500 ABs, Pederson has only stepped into the batter’s box 446 times against a southpaw. Rightfully so, his BA is 30 points higher vs. RHP, and his wRC+ is nearly double (126 vs. RHP, 66 vs. LHP). Furthermore, the Giants see the benefit of getting his bat in the lineup, and 41 of his 44 ABs have come against an RHP.
By now, we know precisely who Joc Pederson is and when to expect him to light up the boxscore. If lefties are on the mound, sit Joc – however; if a righty is on the mound, make sure you’ve got him in your lineups. He’s capable of producing games like this in bunches, but he will get a few nights off from time to time. Consider him as a must-roster in any daily league format!
Let’s see how the other hitters did Sunday
Nick Ahmed (ARI): 2-3, 2B, RBI.
After starting the season on the IL, the Diamondbacks veteran infielder returned last Friday. Ahmed scorched a line drive to left field with the team needing offense to score Geraldo Perdomo. Known as a defense-first, light-hitting type of player, Arizona will take all the help it can get since the team ranks next to last in runs, batting average, and wRC+. Although, for fantasy purposes, Ahmed is more of a depth piece due to the lack of power.
Michael Brantley (HOU): 2-4, 2B, HR, R, 2 RBI.
Brantley took a 1-0 90.1 mph cutter from Yusei Kikuchi and drove it down the left-field line to give the Astros a three-run lead. That gives Brantley a pair of HRs on the season and seven RBI. The two base hits drive his batting average to .316, significantly higher than the MLB average. The added power is friendly, but we haven’t seen much more than 20 HRs in a single season throughout his career. Instead, expectations should be a high batting average and ample supply of counting stats.
Tim Anderson (CWS): 2-5, HR, 2 R, RBI, SB.
After the White Sox announced Eloy Jiménez to the IL, the White Sox looked for someone to step up. Tim Anderson wasted no time answering the call as he launched the opening pitch into the bleachers. Additionally, he went on to swipe his third stolen base of the season, but due to some late heroics from the Twins, it wasn’t enough. He remains one of the top SS in the league because Anderson can do a little of everything offensively.
Jo Adell (LAA): 1-3, HR, R, 4 RBI.
Uber-hyped prospect Jo Adell gave Los Angeles a massive lead after he destroyed a cutter in the first inning. The dinger was of the grand slam variety as four Angels crossed home plate. While his night was reasonably quiet besides this occurrence, the Angels didn’t need much to claim victory on the evening. For Adell, he’s struggled to make consistent contact, and the 42% K-rate has stifled his batting average (.245). However, he remains an intriguing option at OF and is available in over 50% of Yahoo leagues.
Charlie Blackmon (COL): 4-5, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, SB.
Blackmon showed that age is just a number by swatting four balls into play safely and even swiping his first bag of the season. Last week, the 35-year-old OF was 8-for-18 with a pair of HRs and many counting stats (8 runs, 5 RBI). Heading into the season, many overlooked Blackmon on draft day, mainly pointing to the decline in overall production. Still, the naysayers recognize his talents now as his roster% climbs each week. If you’re light on batting average, he’s a perfect option in even 3 OF formats.
Cody Bellinger (LAD): 2-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI.
Speaking of overlooked, the once first-round fantasy pick looks like a massive bargain after he smashed his third and fourth HRs of the season. Furthermore, we saw his draft-day price drop beyond the 10th round in some cases. Sure, the strikeouts are still prevalent, but that’s part of who he is. After notably re-working his swing in the offseason, Cody Bellinger is making more contact (specifically in the zone), and he’s showcasing nearly a 10% jump in Z-Contact. The only question is, how good will he be now?
Tommy Pham (CIN): 2-3, 2B, 2 R, BB.
After a sluggish start in his new vermillion uniform, Pham is painting the town in hits, including seven in his last 22 AB. In this recent span, Pham has launched four extra-base hits (two 2B, two HR) and helped pick up an offense that was in the dumps. Additionally, Pham is a superb option for someone needing OF help for fantasy purposes. He’s been a steady contributor that will steal 15 bases and hit 15 HRs. Furthermore, we could see a tiny spike in the power category since he’s playing in an HR-friendly park. There is no way he should be rostered in less than 80% of Yahoo leagues. Change that!
Tim Locastro (NYY): 1-1, HR, R, 2 RBI.
Sunday night, the Yankees tossed a ten spot on the board. Aaron Judge was removed late for Locastro’s lone at-bat with the game out of hand. He wasn’t fooled by the 1-0 changeup from Kirk McCarty and knocked in two runs as the shot cleared the left-field fences. Known more as a speed-first, defense-second type of player, Locastro isn’t an everyday player. So, scooping him up in nearly any format isn’t sound advice.
Frank Schwindel (CHC): 2-5, RBI.
Last season, Franky the Swish took the NL Central by storm as he drove in 43 RBI on 14 HRs in only 259 plate appearances. At the age of 29, many wondered if this late-bloomers production was real or if regression was coming? The power and ability seem similar, but the batting average does not match up. Through 15 games, Schwindel has a .241 batting average on a .255 BABIP, whereas last season, he showcased a .326 BA on a .348 BABIP. However, he remains a solid option at corner infielder for deeper leagues, since the position is void of everyday talent.
Byron Buxton (MIN): 2-5, 2 HR, 2 R, 5 RBI, BB.
Last night, the Twins OF broke the hearts of White Sox fans in the 10th inning by hitting the longest projected walk-off HR in the Statcast Era. His mammoth 469-foot projected dinger was his second of the evening. In the seventh inning, the first HR traveled a mere 366 feet. After an injury scare that sent panic throughout the fantasy world, Buxton looks like the bat will be fine, and he’ll continue making his case for AL MVP.
Featured Imaged by Ethan Kaplan (@DJFreddie10 on Twitter)