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Dan Stephens looks at big fantasy baseball stories from the tenth week of the 2024 MLB season: MLB's inclusion of Negro League stats, Jorge Lopez and the Mets' woes, and Jeremiah Estrada's strikeout streak.
Happy Monday, RotoBallers. A new week of fantasy baseball is upon us. Waivers have run, and lineups are locked, so it’s time to take a break from your rosters and catch up on the news from the week that passed. Every Monday, I post a roundup of some of the bigger stories and trends from around the league. Hopefully, this column helps steer you out of the tunnel vision that can come with the grind of micromanaging your fantasy baseball team(s).
The biggest baseball news of the week came Wednesday as Major League Baseball announced it was adding Negro League statistics into its record books. Also on Wednesday, reliever Jorge Lopez went viral for his dramatic exit and ensuing postgame remarks amidst the Mets’ recent backslide. Finally, throughout the week, we were awed by another reliever, Jeremiah Estrada, who set a new consecutive strikeout record.
Fantasy baseball revolves around an expansive league with a six-month-long season. It can be easy for news to get lost in the shuffle, especially if it doesn’t directly relate to players we roster or actively follow. To stay on top of the latest action, bookmark our fantasy baseball news feed, download our mobile app, and check back for the next installment of the Stories of the Week every Monday.
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MLB To Include Negro League Stats
On Wednesday, Major League Baseball merged statistics from the Negro Leagues into its record books. The move was made after a lengthy evaluation process conducted by the Negro Leagues Statistical Review Committee. That group was assembled in 2020 after MLB announced that it would recognize seven Negro Leagues that operated from 1920 to 1948 as “major leagues” and would eventually absorb the leagues’ numbers.
Several Major League records are now held by Josh Gibson as he and other Negro Leagues legends officially join the all-time leaderboards.
The statistics of more than 2,300 Negro Leagues players launch today in a newly integrated https://t.co/Z3s2EpgF39 database that presents… pic.twitter.com/UyvCu0pSzi
— MLB (@MLB) May 29, 2024
The development has made some major changes to several historical leaderboards. Most notable is the entry of the legendary Josh Gibson to the top position in career batting average. His .372 mark beats out former record holder Ty Cobb’s .367. Gibson also now sits atop the leaderboard for career slugging percentage, beating Babe Ruth’s .690 with his own .718, and ranks third in career on-base percentage (.459).
After being barred from MLB due to the color of their skin, over 2,300 Negro League ballplayers will now have their names included in the league’s record books. For many, this was cause for celebration, though it hasn’t been entirely without controversy. The existence of the Negro Leagues was predicated on the exclusionary policies of the American and National Leagues. MLB claiming the statistics as their own decades later misrepresents the history of the league and omits the context of those ballplayers’ accomplishments.
Mets In Free Fall
In my last piece, I touched on the rough patch that closer Edwin Diaz had been going through, blowing three saves in as many chances. Then on Wednesday, May 29, the Mets had to put their two-time All-Star on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder impingement. That same day, first baseman Pete Alonso took a pitch to the hand in his first plate appearance and was removed from the game.
Later in that game, relief pitcher Jorge Lopez was ejected for arguing with third-base umpire Ramon De Jesus over a checked swing call. While departing the field, Lopez tossed his glove over the protective netting and into the stands. As if that wasn’t enough to send him viral, Lopez got there thanks to his postgame comments to the media. Initial reports quoted Lopez as referring to the Mets as the worst team in the league. The pitcher later clarified he meant that he was speaking of himself as the worst teammate in the league. The Mets designated Lopez for assignment on Thursday.
A bizarre ejection, a bizarre (player) reaction to the ejection, and the commentary on from the SNY Mets crew.
"What has been a bad day all the way around has just gotten worse. (Jorge) López responds by tossing his glove up the over netting and into the crowd." ⚾️🎙️ pic.twitter.com/6bWb7fAOga
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 30, 2024
On the plus side, Alonso was able to log a pinch-hit at-bat on Thursday and imaging came back negative. He finished New York’s four-game series against Arizona 5-for-14 with one home run and four RBI. Diaz’s own prognosis offers hope as well, as he is already playing catch and expected to return when first eligible on June 10. Still, the Mets have won just five of their last 20 games and are now 11 games under .500.
Fantasy Impact: Jorge Lopez was not relevant in a fantasy baseball context, so his departure does not really affect anything. Alonso owners dodged a bullet with his injury scare. Those who could benefit from his services should take a stab at buying low. His 13 home runs are tied for 11th-best in the majors, but his other counting stats are lagging and can pick up if the team turns around or if the first baseman is traded to a contender with a better supporting cast.
The Mets were already experimenting with a closer-by-committee approach to give Diaz a chance to climb out of his funk in lower-pressure situations. Now that he is on the IL, the committee of Adam Ottavino, Reed Garrett, and Jake Diekman will continue to see save chances for at least the next week. Each has struggled in their own way over the last week. None represent a long-term solution for those seeking saves, but Garrett carries great strikeout potential.
We’re Going Streaking!
San Diego Padres relief pitcher Jeremiah Estrada set a new major league record last week by recording 13 straight outs via the strikeout. Stretching back to his May 23 appearance against the Reds, Estrada worked two innings, ringing up the last five batters he faced. On May 26, he faced five hitters from the Yankees and sat each of them down on strikes. Then on Tuesday, May 28, he struck out the side while working the ninth. Underscoring the feat is the fact that each of Estrada’s challengers went down swinging and missing (often badly).
Jeremiah Estrada's 13 Consecutive Strikeouts. pic.twitter.com/3DvSmXWpQr
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 29, 2024
Estrada’s arsenal includes a high-90s fastball, a slider, and a splitter-changeup hybrid that is generating a 50% whiff rate. Claimed by the Padres off waivers in November, the 25-year-old quickly gained the confidence of San Diego’s staff, and he now works as the team’s primary set-up man. Through 18 innings pitched, he has 30 strikeouts, a 0.50 ERA, and a .722 WHIP.
Fantasy Impact: Estrada is nothing short of lights out. Robert Suarez is having a breakout of his own and is firmly entrenched as the Padres closer, but it is clear that Estrada has the stuff to take over the ninth if necessary. He is an ideal piece for anyone utilizing the FrankenAce strategy but even those who can’t bring themselves to commit to the bullpen method will benefit from his strikeouts and ratio suppression.
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