Tim Elko Drives In Three on Thursday
Tim Elko went 1-for-5 with a double and three RBI on Thursday against Triple-A Toledo. Elko has gone 10-for-42 with two homers since returning to Triple-A Charlotte on June 14. The slugging first baseman struggled to make consistent contact in his 18-game stint with the White Sox, striking out 38 percent of the time. He has flashed his massive power all season at Triple-A, however, with a 116.7 mph maximum exit velocity and 49.6 percent hard-hit rate. His power upside makes him intriguing enough to consider as a deep-league waiver-wire addition if he were to return to the majors.Source: MiLB.com
Chicago White Sox first base prospect Kyle Harrison Allows Four Runs in Four Innings
Kyle Harrison allowed four runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out four in four innings against Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre. Harrison took the loss in his Triple-A Worcester debut and first outing since June 10. He relied heavily on his fastball throwing it nearly 60 percent of the time. He picked up 12 whiffs on 38 swings overall and was able to work up to 76 pitches. Harrison was looking improved this year in San Francisco working in between the rotation and bullpen, with a career best 25 percent strikeout rate. It remains to be seen how Boston will utilize him with the major league club.Source: MiLB.com
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Colson Montgomery Homers Twice on Thursday
Colson Montgomery went 3-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI in Thursday's 12-9 win against Triple-A Toledo. Montgomery's last homer came on June 5 when he also slugged two home runs with three RBI. It's been an underwhelming year at Triple-A for the 23-year-old, as he is hitting just .200/.283/.390 with a 18:77 BB:K in 219 plate appearances. Given his struggles at the upper levels of the minor leagues, the shortstop prospect is unlikely to be a summer call up. He is still ranked as the number five prospect in the White Sox system, and could turn things around at some point.Source: MiLB.com
Chicago White Sox shortstop prospect Rafael Devers Homers in Three-Hit Game
Rafael Devers posted his best performance as a member of the team in a 12-5 loss to the Miami Marlins on Thursday. Devers, playing his ninth game since the Giants acquired him from the Boston Red Sox, finished 3-for-4 with a two-run home run, a double, and a walk. It was the second homer as a Giant for Devers, who has gone a so-so 9-for-35 with five RBI during his brief time in a San Francisco uniform. While he has gotten off to a mediocre start in new surroundings, Devers is still slashing a strong .270/.396/.502 with 17 HRs, 63 RBI, 50 runs, and a career-high 16.3% walk rate over 374 plate appearances. He'll face Chicago White Sox right-hander Aaron Civale on Friday. Devers is 2-for-10 with four strikeouts and three walks against Civale.Source: ESPN
San Francisco Giants designated hitter Shohei Ohtani Swats 28th Home Run
Shohei Ohtani clubbed his National League-leading 28th home run in a 3-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Thursday. Ohtani gave the Dodgers some late insurance in a close game with a 419-foot solo blast in the top of the seventh inning against right-hander Tyler Kinley. That was Ohtani's only hit, but he also drew a walk in a 1-for-3 showing. Having homered in three of his past four games, the 30-year-old superstar is slashing an exemplary .291/.392/.633 with 52 RBI, a league-best 80 runs, and 11 steals through 373 plate appearances.Source: ESPN
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Clayton Kershaw Wins Again, Nears 3,000 Strikeouts
Clayton Kershaw improved to 4-0 on Thursday in a 3-1 win over the Colorado Rockies. Kershaw spun six innings of one-run, two-hit ball with five strikeouts and one walk to collect the 216th victory of his career. The 37-year-old has been on a roll over his past four starts, having given up a total of four runs on 16 hits with 21:4 K:BB across 23 innings. As a result, his ERA has dropped to 3.03 with 29 strikeouts and 13 walks in 38 2/3 frames this season. The future Hall of Famer is now sitting on 2,997 strikeouts and is on the cusp of becoming the 20th member of the 3,000-K club. He should reach that milestone in an appealing home matchup against the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday.Source: ESPN
Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Pete Fairbanks Nabs 15th Save
Pete Fairbanks recorded two outs on just four pitches to collect save No. 15 in a 4-0 win over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday. The Rays called on right-hander Paul Gervase to pitch the ninth inning, but he left with one out after allowing two singles. In came Fairbanks, who got Maikel Garcia to ground into a game-ending double play. Fairbanks has now converted 15 of 17 save opportunities while registering a 2.03 ERA with a 1.10 WHIP and 26:14 K:BB over 31 innings.Source: ESPN
Tampa Bay Rays closer Orion Kerkering Takes Loss on Thursday
Orion Kerkering fell to 5-3 on the season as the team dropped a 2-1 nail-biter against the Houston Astros on Thursday. The right-hander has recently been part of a closer committee for the Phillies, but they summoned him to pitch the bottom of the eighth inning in a 1-1 game. Kerkering allowed two singles, including an RBI knock by Cam Smith, and hit a batter during his inning of work. It was the first time Kerkering yielded an earned run since May 6, ending a 19-game streak. The 24-year-old still owns a quality 2.56 ERA with 29:17 K:BB, 11 holds, and two saves over 31 2/3 innings. Kerkering and Matt Strahm remain the top candidates for saves in the Phillies' bullpen. Jordan Romano has a team-high eight saves, but he hasn't recorded one since May 29.Source: ESPN
Philadelphia Phillies reliever Griffin Canning Feared to Have Achilles Injury
Griffin Canning (ankle/Achilles) exited his start against the Atlanta Braves on Thursday with what was initially described as a left ankle injury. However, after the Mets' 4-0 win, manager Carlos Mendoza met with the media and revealed: "We think it's an Achilles. He's getting an MRI, we're waiting for the results, but it looks like it's an Achilles injury." Canning, who threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings in the victory, needed help getting off the field after stepping awkwardly while reacting to a ground ball hit to short. It now appears he'll miss a significant amount of time, perhaps the rest of the season if an MRI confirms the Mets' fears. Canning has been a dependable part of a New York rotation that has dealt with a slew of injuries this season. The 29-year-old has gone 7-3 and logged a 3.77 ERA with 70 strikeouts, 35 walks, and a 1.38 WHIP in 76 1/3 innings.Source: SNY
New York Mets right-hander Kyle Stowers Blasts Three-Run Shot
Kyle Stowers hit a three-run home run and walked twice in Thursday's 12-5 victory over the Giants. He had cooled off after being one of the hottest hitters in the league over the first two months, but it looks like he may be coming around again. This was the 27-year-old's second home run in the past four games, and he was batting .286 over the past two weeks entering the day. He's now slashing .275/.351/.482 with 12 home runs, 38 RBI, 35 runs, and three stolen bases this season. The youngster is worth an add if you need outfielder help, especially in five-outfielder leagues.Source: MLB.com
Miami Marlins outfielder Agustin Ramirez Homers, Drives in Three
Agustin Ramirez went 3-for-5 with a home run, a double, three RBI, and two runs scored in Thursday's 12-5 win against the Giants. This was his second straight multi-hit game, and he's now slashing .247/.294/.466 with 12 home runs through 55 games. That works out to a 35 home run pace over 162 games, which is elite power for a catcher. The 23-year-old starts as the designated hitter nearly every time he isn't catching, which leads to more plate appearances than most other backstops in the league. Ramirez can safely be viewed as a top-10 catcher for the rest of the season.Source: MLB.com
Miami Marlins catcher Harry Ford Joining Big-League Club
Harry Ford will be joining the Mariners in Texas on Friday after catcher Mitch Garver took a foul tip off the jaw in Thursday's game, reports Daniel Kramer of MLB.com. Ford was initially scheduled to play a game in Triple-A on Thursday but was scratched from the lineup so he could make the trip. This doesn't mean that Ford is definitely being promoted, as the plan is to add him to the taxi squad so he's ready to step in if Garver needs to be placed on the injured list. Expect official word sometime on Friday after Garver's medical scan results are available. Ford has been very productive in the minors so far this season, slashing .311/.426/.469 with eight home runs in 60 games. The top prospect could be relevant in two-catcher leagues if he gets enough playing time.Source: Daniel Kramer
Seattle Mariners catcher Mitch Garver Exits with Jaw Injury
Mitch Garver (jaw) left Thursday's game in the bottom of the fifth inning after taking a foul ball off his jaw, reports Adam Jude of The Seattle Times. Cal Raleigh shifted from designated hitter to catcher to take his place. Garver is set to undergo medical scans to determine the extent of his injury and see if a trip to the injured list is necessary. The Mariners are at least somewhat concerned, as Harry Ford is joining the team tomorrow at least as a member of the taxi squad, but will be ready to take Garver's spot on the roster if an injured list stint is required.Source: Adam Jude
Seattle Mariners catcher Griffin Canning Exits with Ankle Injury
Griffin Canning (ankle) left Thursday's start against the Braves in the third inning after throwing only 36 pitches. He stepped awkwardly after a ball was hit into play and collapsed to the ground in what looked to be considerable pain. The Mets confirmed that the 29-year-old is dealing with a left ankle injury, and he will undergo imaging to determine the severity. The right-hander cruised through 2 ⅔ innings before going down, allowing one hit and striking out three. Expect further updates tomorrow on the extent of his ankle injury and if he will require a trip to the injured list.Source: New York Mets
New York Mets starting pitcher Tanner Scott Records 17th Save
Tanner Scott was called upon to hold a two-run lead against the Colorado Rockies on Thursday. It started off a bit rocky with a walk to Tyler Freeman to open the inning. Scott was able to battle back with a strikeout and a double play to earn his 17th save of the season. It hasn't been a great season from Scott who owns a 3.55 ERA and five blown saves to his name. Despite that, Scott has been better lately and is on one of the best teams in baseball, so he should see plenty of chances. Fantasy managers should continue riding with Scott as long as he remains in the closer role.Source: mlb.com
Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher