Every day, we will be taking a quick look at the best and worst fantasy baseball performers from yesterday's games. There was a good mix of high-scoring affairs and dominant pitching performances.
Here's a quick rundown of those who impressed on Thursday, and those who want to pretend the day never happened.
Editor’s Note: To read about even more waiver wire options, be sure to check out our famous waiver wire pickups list which is a running list that is updated daily. Prefer using your phone? Our free waiver wire app is available for download in the Apple Store.
Fantasy Baseball Studs
Jonathan Villar (3B/SS, MIL): Villar, a former Phillies prospect, went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer to help the Brewers extend the Phillies’ losing streak to seven games.
Evan Longoria (3B, TAM): Longo went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBI, but the Rays’ losing streak continued as they dropped a close one to the Twins.
Byung Ho Park (1B, MIN): Park didn’t go deep, but he did go a perfect 3-for-3 with two doubles, a walk, and two runs scored. That’s almost as many hits as he had in the previous two weeks (four).
Zack Greinke (SP, ARI): Greinke was magnificent in helping the Diamondbacks avoid a sweep at the hands of the Astros. He struck out 11 batters and allowed only four singles in seven innings…
Madison Bumgarner (SP, SFG): …but the most impressive performance by a pitcher last night was Bumgarner’s. He also struck out 11 and got the Giants’ six-run fifth inning started with a two-run homer.
Javier Baez (2B/3B/SS, CHC): Baez went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBI to help the Cubs take three of four from the Dodgers…
Kyle Hendricks (SP, CHC): …Which was all the support Hendricks needed. He tossed eight strong innings, striking out six and allowing only four runners to reach base.
Adam Jones (OF, BAL): Jones homered twice and drove in three runs as the Orioles crushed the Red Sox…
Mark Trumbo (1B/OF, BAL): …Thanks in part to Trumbo, who also homered twice to give himself a share of the MLB lead (17)…
Manny Machado (3B/SS, BAL): …And Machado, who jacked a three-run homer as well. He leads all shortstops with 14 bombs on the season. Friendly reminder that he’s batting .318/.386/.616…at age 22. Ridiculous.
Xander Bogaerts (SS, BOS): Bogaerts went 2-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored. He’s up to .348/.397/.507 on the year, with six homers and seven steals.
Francisco Lindor (SS, CLE): Viva la shortstop revolución! Lindor wasn’t quite as impressive as his fellow phenoms, but he did manage to go 2-for-5 with a game-tying triple and scored the game-winning run.
Miguel Cabrera (1B, DET): Miggy went 3-for-4 with a walk and scored twice, but the Tigers couldn’t complete their comeback against the Yankees.
Michael Pineda (SP, NYY): Pineda wasn’t perfect – he didn’t finish the sixth inning and allowed seven hitters – but he struck out eight and gave up only one run. It’s an encouraging performance given his struggles so far this year.
Adam Duvall (OF, CIN): Duvall hit his 14th homer of the year, scored twice, and drove in two runs as the Reds took three of four from the Rockies. They had won only four road games all season prior to this series.
Zack Cozart (SS, CIN): Cozart homered and doubled, driving in a pair…
Eugenio Suarez (3B/SS, CIN): …But Suarez was the real star of the night. He hit two homers, knocking in four runs and scoring three himself. After an 0-for-25 stretch that included 15 strikeouts, Suarez went 6-for-15 with three bombs in the Rockies series.
Kyle Seager (3B, SEA): Seager was instrumental to the Mariners’ 10-run comeback against the Padres, getting rallies started in both the fifth and sixth innings. He finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored and five RBI…
Dae Ho Lee (1B, SEA): …And both times it was Lee who drove him in. Lee entered the game as a pinch-hitter and went 3-for-3 with a homer, two runs, and four RBI.
Jon Jay (OF, SDP): Jay collected five hits in six at-bats, scoring twice and driving in two runs.
Fantasy Baseball Duds
Brandon Guyer (OF, TAM): Guyer went 0-for-5 for the third time in four games, and the Rays have lost eight of nine. Tough to win games when you’re getting nothing from the leadoff guy.
Aaron Blair (SP, ATL): Blair cruised through the first four innings, but allowed three homers in the fifth (including one to the opposing pitcher) without recording an out. He wound up being charged with six runs in his four innings, with just three strikeouts against four walks. The rookie carries an unsightly 7.55 ERA and 1.81 WHIP into his next start.
Jean Segura (2B/SS, ARI): Segura struck out three times in four at-bats and added a fielding error. Fortunately for he and the Diamondbacks, Greinke was dealing, so it didn’t matter much.
Evan Gattis (C/OF, HOU): Gattis celebrated his newfound catcher eligibility in Yahoo leagues by going 0-for-4 with two whiffs.
Julio Urias (SP, LAD): So far, Urias’ debut hasn’t gone as fantasy owners hoped. There’s no shame in a 19 year old getting knocked around by the best team in baseball, of course, but Urias has a 9.39 ERA and 2.35 (!) WHIP in his first two big-league games.
Travis Shaw (1B/3B, BOS): Shaw went 0-for-4 and was the only Red Sox hitter to not reach base last night.
Rick Porcello (SP, BOS): Porcello failed to record a quality start for the fourth consecutive outing, allowing five runs in six innings. All of the damage came on the three homers he surrendered.
Carlos Carrasco (SP, CLE): Carrasco’ was noticeably rusty in his return from a hamstring injury. He allowed 10 batters to reach in his five innings of work and was fortunate that only three of them came around to score.
Starling Marte (OF, PIT): Marte was 0-for-5 with two strikeouts, making him just 1-for-13 with seven whiffs in his last three games.
Martin Prado (2B/3B, MIA): Prado went hitless in six at-bats, striking out three times and stranding four runners.
Nick Castellanos (3B, DET): Castellanos wore the Golden Sombrero last night, striking out in all four of his trips to the plate. He’s cooled off recently but still boasts a .321/.350/.558 line.
Eddie Butler (SP, COL): DFS players who rolled the dice on Butler were sorely disappointed. He was torched for eight runs on 11 hits in four innings of work, and also walked two batters…
Wade Miley (SP, SEA): …But Miley was the goat of the night. Going against the hapless Padres in Petco Park, Miley gave up a dozen hits and nine runs, failing to escape the fifth inning. Fortunately for him, his teammates were able to bail him out.
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