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Tom Bellucco takes a look around MLB, and analyzes yesterday's fantasy baseball studs and duds for 5/29/16. These players can be sleepers and busts for fantasy baseball owners.
It was a rainy Sunday across many parts of the U.S.A., but that didn't stop teams from getting their games in. It's tough to beat a day filled with 15 MLB games, especially when they're spread out like they were on Sunday.
There was plenty of excitement and depression for MLB players on Sunday, so let's get you caught up on the studs and duds of the day.
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Fantasy Baseball Studs
Hyun Soo Kim (OF, BAL): Kim is finally getting regular playing time in Baltimore, and he blasted his first home run of his MLB career from the two hole on Sunday. Congrats!
Jason Kipnis (2B, CLE): Kipnis hasn't been the consistent hitter we'd grown accustomed to so far this year, but he collected two hits (one a HR) on Sunday.
Jake Odorizzi (SP, TB): What a depressingly great outing for Odorizzi. He pitched six perfect innings before walking a Yankee and serving up an eventual game-winning two-run home run, which ended up being the only hit for New York on the evening. Odorizzi got the loss. Ugh.
Wilson Ramos (C, WAS) and Anthony Rendon (3B, WAS): How about a 3-for-3 day for Ramos! He homered and singled twice from the seven spot in the Nats' lineup. Rendon played well too, and also homered from the spot above Ramos. It's nice when the majority of your runs come from the bottom half of your lineup and a pinch-hit grand slam (Jayson Werth).
Matt Holliday (OF, STL): It seems like Holliday is putting the injury concerns behind him. He collected three hits against Strasburg and company on Sunday.
Jonathan Villar (SS, MIL): Lookout! The shortstop position is getting even deeper in 2016. Villar went 2-for-2 with two walks, three runs, an RBI, and a stolen base. Whatta day for the breakout leadoff man for the Brew Crew.
The late-inning Kansas City Royals: Was the Royals' seven-run walkoff ninth inning on Saturday not enough? How about a three-run bottom of the eighth on Sunday that led to a 5-4 win over the White Sox again. I'm going to leave the White Sox bullpen off the duds list simply because I feel bad for them. Eric Hosmer and Lorenzo Cain led the charge with five hits, three runs, and three RBI combined.
Adam Eaton (OF, CWS): Classic Adam Eaton game. He went 3-for-4 and almost added a stolen base to his mediocre total of five for the year.
The Cubs Offense: I couldn't pick just one or two, so I'll just mention that every Cub in the top seven of the lineup had a hit. Bryant, Rizzo, and Montero had two hits. Zobrist and Montero went yard. Get used to this.
Starling Marte (OF, PIT): Marte doing Marte things. He collected a couple hits and stole a base. He's a fantasy beast even with the absent power so far this season. Imagine if that finds its way back.
Jose Altuve (2B, HOU): Altuve says, "What slump?" The stud second baseman went 3-for-4 with an RBI. I'm not sure if that power surge we saw in the beginning of the year is coming back, but he's awesome with or without it.
Kole Calhoun (OF, LAA): Calhoun isn't completely tapping into his potential, as Sunday's homer was just his fourth this year, but the two walks are encouraging. Maybe he'll go on a tear come June.
Robinson Cano (2B, SEA): Hey look, Cano homered again. He also notched another multi-hit game. He probably should've been a second round pick at the latest. Oh well.
Miguel Sano (OF, MIN): Don't look now, but Sano homered again too. He's heating up... fast.
Marcell Ozuna (OF, MIA): The breakout continues! Ozuna went 2-for-4 with a walk, a home run, an RBI, and three runs. He's playing out of his mind right now, sporting a .344 BA.
Carlos Correa (SS, HOU): The young stud wasn't in the starting lineup on Sunday, but he hit a pinch hit game-winning three-run blast to left field in the top of the 13th inning. Hopefully this instills the confidence needed for him to break out of his slump.
Clayton Kershaw (SP, LOS): Stud as usual. Kershaw went 7.2 innings, striking out 10, allowing four hits, and keeping the Mets to two runs. He also set a record by becoming the first pitcher to reach 100 strikeouts in a season while walking as few as five batters. Wow he's good.
San Francisco Giants Hitters: Denard Span, Buster Posey, Hunter Pence, and Gregor Blanco all recorded three hits on Sunday. Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford added two-hit games. This offense can be very, very good at times. With improved pitching the rest of the way, this could be a very tough team to beat.
Fantasy Baseball Duds
Vincent Velasquez (SP, PHI): It was the Cubs, so this may be a skewed result, but Velasquez struggled again. He got through just 4.2 innings and allowed seven runs on nine hits and two walks. The six strikeouts were typical, but with an innings limitation coming, things look bleak for the Phillies' fire-baller.
Francisco Liriano (SP, PIT): The walk bug followed Liriano to Arlington. The southpaw walked four batters and allowed six hits resulting in five earned runs in six innings of work. Liriano will have to really fix his control if he wants to be reliable in fantasy again.
Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner (OF, NYY): The two table setters in New York combined for an 0-for-7 day. While Gardner did draw the lone walk in the game, scoring the tying run on a home run, the Yanks need more from these guys.
Matt Carpenter (3B, STL): Carpenter also failed to set the table for St. Louis. He went 0-for-5 in a shootout that became one-sided fast.
Joey Votto (1B, CIN): Votto had another 0-for-4 day. The hard hits will turn into something soon, I promise.
Chicago White Sox middle of the order: While the bullpen is clearly to blame for the last two losses, Todd Frazier, Melky Cabrera, and Jose Abreu combined for one hit. The guys who they needed to step up and add some insurance didn't do so, and another heart-wrenching loss ensued.
Odubel Herrera (OF, PHI): Herrera's good looks great, but his bad looks awful. An 0-for-4 day with two strikeouts is more so what we expected coming into 2016.
Freddie Freeman (1B, ATL): Oh, poor Freddie. Another 0-for-3 game for the first baseman. He just needs an inkling of a supporting cast.
Yoenis Cespedes (OF, NYM): It was Clayton Kershaw, so we can give Cespedes a break, but 0-for-4 with three strikeouts is the price you pay for the incredibly easy power stroke.
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