Joe Kelly (SP-BOS). Kelly had his first decent outing as a member of the Red Sox, tossing 5 shutout innings while giving up only 1 hit and 3 walks while striking out 5. However, he did not pick up the win, as the usually reliable Koji Uehara coughed up 5 runs to the Mariners in the 9th inning. Despite the solid outing, Kelly is not a recommended add, even for AL-only owners who are desperate for pitching. Kelly had some success in a season and a half with the Cardinals, but it was primarily based on good luck (2.69 ERA, 4.01 FIP in 2013) and his skill set is not one that is going to translate well to the AL East. Kelly is striking out only 5.88 per 9, while at the same time walking 3.98 per nine. He is fortunate that his ERA after tonight's game is only 4.26. Especially given the increased level of competition he is now facing on a regular basis in the American League, Kelly's ERA is likely to increase at least to the level of his 4.58 FIP. Owners should just move along - there is nothing to see here for fantasy purposes.
Yordano Ventura (SP-KC). Ventura picked up his 10th win by shutting down the Rangers. Ventura gave up only 1 run over 6 innings while striking out 6. Ventura seems to have overcome his elbow issues and should continue to provide solid performances for the remainder of the season. Ventura could see some slight increase in his 3.40 ERA, as he is benefiting from some slight good fortune with a .289 BABIP and 76.7% strand rate. Also, Ventura' strikeout numbers, while solid, are slightly disappointing (7.67 K/9) for a pitcher with his stuff. Nonetheless, with a favorable schedule down the stretch, Ventura is a recommended add in any leagues in which he may be available.
Drew Smyly (SP-TB). Maybe that David Price trade wasn't so bad for the Rays after all. Smyly was brilliant in picking up his 8th win of the season on Friday night, tossing a complete game 2 hit shutout against the suddenly feeble Blue Jays. While this would have been more impressive had it occurred against the May version of the Blue Jays' offense, the performance is still noteworthy, especially since it occurred in the generally pitcher-unfriendly confines of the Rogers Centre. Smyly struck out 4 while not walking a batter in lowering his season ERA to 3.42. Smyly should be able to maintain something along the lines of his current performance, given his solid 2.92 K:BB rate and his slightly above average 20.7% K rate. One possible area of concern is that Smyly seems to have lost his ability to generate ground balls in his return to the starting rotation, as his GB% has dropped from 43.4% in 2013 (when he pitched exclusively as a reliever) to 36.6% this year. Nonetheless, given the Rays' track record in developing pitchers, and his favorable home park, Smyly is a recommended add/hold for the remainder of the season.
Wil Myers (OF-TB). Owners who have been patient with Myers finally got some small return on their investment Friday night, as he went 1 for 3 with 2 runs scored, while hitting his 6th HR and stealing his 4th base of the season. Even after the solid performance, Myers is still slashing a hugely disappointing .222/.311/.357 for the season. Myers owners should take heart, however - the numbers should get better. Myers' BA is being negatively impacted by a .278 BABIP, which is low even considering Myers' mediocre 18.1% LD rate. Myers is also suffering from a 9.6% HR/FB rate which should get better. I would expect Myers to produce both a better BA and increased HR production for the rest of the season and if he has been dropped in your league he would be a solid add for those in need of OF help.
Jon Singleton (1B-HOU). Singleton went 1 for 4 with a 3-run HR, to raise his season numbers to a still-frightening .187/.290/.374. The much-hyped Houston prospect has to be considered a disappointment, notwithstanding that he has now hit 12 HR on the season. He has shown little to no plate discipline, as he is striking out at an astonishing 34.8% rate, which is a large part of the explanation for his sub-Mendoza BA. He is suffering from some bad luck, in that his BABIP is .256. However, the combination of his low (14.6%) LD rate and his colossal K rate mean that, even if his luck evens out somewhat, no great improvement in his BA can be expected. Unless he can cut down on the strikeouts, it will be difficult for Singleton to hit much better than .220. If you can stand the BA hit and are desperate for power, you can consider adding Singleton, but otherwise the best advice is to stay away.
