Every day, we will be taking a quick look at the best and worst fantasy baseball performers from yesterday's games. If you rolled a pitcher out there on Tuesday, it was a lot like juggling hand grenades. Sure, the event may have went off without a hitch with no casualties to report, but it just as easily could have ended with you blind, drinking one too many Jack Daniels, and threatening to burn down a building with a flamethrower.

Here's a quick look at those who impressed on Tuesday, 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.

 

Studs and Duds in Fantasy Baseball from 5/31/16

STUDS

Todd Frazier (CHW, 3B) – Say what you will about the man’s batting average, but he can flat out crush. Frazier launched his MLB-leading 16th HR on the season and seems to have taken quite a liking to hitting in the middle of the White Sox lineup.

Noah Syndergaard (NYM, SP) – Three days after his ridiculous ejection for throwing behind Chase Utley, Syndergaard enters stage right to toss a quick scoreless inning in true Thor-like fashion, striking out two and throwing 14 of 17 pitches for a strike. Oh, and he managed to grab a hold for owners playing in leagues that feature the stat.

Jake Peavy (SF, SP) – Jake, is that really you? The final line was terrific - 7 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K – but it came against the Braves, so let’s take a step back, not get too excited, and call it what it was; a great outing against a team that lacks the ability to hit itself out of a wet paper bag.

Jose Fernandez (MIA, SP) – Speaking of great outings, Fernandez’s final line was quite similar to Peavy’s line (7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K), but performances like this are the norm for Fernandez, not the exception to the rule.

Joe Ross (WAS, SP) – Our third straight pitcher listed, and our third straight excellent seven inning performance. But unlike the previous two gentlemen listed, Ross did cough up a run. The sub-1.00 WHIP makes up for it, but don’t let it happen again, Joe.

Mookie Betts (BOS, OF) – Mookie, would you save some of the glory for your teammates? Alas, Mookie would not. Of course, hitting three home runs allows you free range to do whatever you so desire. The man has 40 RBI from the leadoff position. Just amazing.

Jurickson Profar (TEX, 2B) – The Rangers certainly may send Profar back down to the minors when Odor returns from suspension, but he’s not going down without a fight. With hits in all five games played and his first homerun of the season on Tuesday, it’s nice to see this injury-riddled former top prospect get back on track.

George Springer (HOU, OF) - Springer played like a man possessed on Tuesday, recording three hits, including a homer and four runs driven in. With his third three-hit game in the past four games, perhaps Springer is, in fact, possessed.

Kyle Seager (SEA, 3B) - Did somebody say three hits, four runs batted in and a homer? Yes. Yes, we did Kyle.

Lorenzo Cain (KC, OF) - While we're on the subject of four RBI days...the kid's heating up.

Charlie Blackmon (COL, OF) - Who needs four RBI when you can have five? Blackmon even outdid his teammate, Nolan Arenado, who drove in four himself. Both guys clubbed two home runs and were well deserving members of Tuesday's stud club.

Scott Kazmir (LAD, SP) vs. Jake Arrieta (CHC, SP) - In the pitching duel of the day, these two combined for 13 IP, 3 H, and 15 K. Enjoy reading that last line as from here on out it gets ugly for pitchers.

 

DUDS

Jung Ho Kang (PIT, 3B) – After three days without a HR and just one in his last ten, the perfectly reasonable expectation that Kang was going to launch somewhere between 60 and 90 home runs appears to be diminishing. But just slightly! Sure, it’s an 0-for-4 with two strikeouts but have no fear; the man is stud in every sense of the word, in the, ah, baseball realm of course.

Dellin Betances (NYY, RP) – Two ER in one inning pitched was not how Betances wanted to finish his month of May. The two runs double the amount that he had previously allowed in the entire month. These things happen, let’s just avert our attention and pretend we saw nothing.

Kevin Gausman (BAL, SP) – One can already envision the headlines in Baltimore tomorrow: Gausman Gets Got. OK, they’ll likely think of something much cleverer than that, but nobody can deny that Gausman’s goose did, in fact, “get got” on Tuesday. The eight strikeouts were nice, but five earned in six innings will leave a mark on the way in and the way out.

Patrick Corbin (ARI, SP) - At this point, if you're rolling out Corbin in your starting lineup, you're doing something wrong...something very wrong. Nonetheless, for owners stashing him and hoping for better days ahead, seven earned runs in 3.1 innings is not the hope that you were looking for. But remember, hope is a good thing, perhaps the best of things, and no good thing ever dies. Except maybe the prospects of Corbin's 2016 season turning around.

Tyler Duffey (MINN, SP) - Ten hits and five earned in just over four innings pitched. Toss him on the pile of flaming pitcher corpses and move on.

Drew Smyly (TB, SP) - Not to be outdone by Duffey's numbers listed above, Smyly managed just four innings and was tagged for eight runs on 12 hits. For those of you counting at home, that's 23 runs allowed in his last 26 innings.

James Shields (SD, SP) - We save the biggest dud for last, and it's yet another pitcher. Here is the final line, presented without additional commentary or distraction. Make sure to hit the showers right after this to remove the reeking stench of fire, ash, and cinder. (2.2 IP, 8 H, 10 ER, 4 BB, 1 K)

 

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