Raisel Iglesias (SP-CIN): While Chase Anderson picked up the win, Raisel Iglesias stole the show, striking out 13 and allowing 1 earned run in 7 strong innings against the Diamondbacks. Iglesias, who has posted 5 straight quality-starts, is demonstrating better command and control of his deep arsenal. He has lifted his groundball rate up to 44% and his K-rate to 23% while lowering his BB-rate to 6.5%. His xFIP suggests more positive regression is in store as well.
Aaron Nola (SP-PHI): Aaron Nola struck out 6 across 8 scoreless innings against the Marlins, picking up his 4th win. While Nola has been impressive thus far, fantasy leaguers should temper expectations for 2016 and beyond. While he has the control and the makeup to be a quality major leaguer, Nola doesn't possess ace-level stuff--his 8.6% swinging strike rate and 28% chase-rate, to go along with his 90 MPH average fastball, tell a big part of the story.
Logan Verrett (SP-NYM): Logan Verrett tamed the thin air of Coors, striking out 8 and allowing only 1 earned run across 8 innings to pick up the W in what was the first of several starts now that he has joined a 6-man rotation. Verrett put up solid numbers in the PCL this season with a 45:17 K:BB ratio and only 3 homers allowed in 53 innings, and his work out of the pen with the big club has been impressive as well. He has been fortunate with a 2.37 ERA/3.97 xFIP, but with an 11% swinging-strike rate, a 39% chase-rate, and a 51% ground-ball rate, I see Verrett as a must add in 14-team+ mixed leagues.
Pedro Alvarez (1B-PIT): Alvarez hit his 20th homer of the season to lead the scorching Pirates past the Giants. I'll vote for Pedro as having one of the quietest comeback seasons in MLB, as he has moved his slash line to .251/.311/.468. He is impressively using the entire field, posting a 105.8 MPH AVG speed off bat on his homers with an AVG distance of 415 feet. Perhaps most importantly, he has improved against lefties, carrying a .306 wOBA against them heading into today's action. He's going to make for a great pick in the middle rounds in 2016.
Marcell Ozuna (OF-FLA): Banished to AAA by the Marlins for the better part of the summer, Marcel Ozuna is back and better than ever. He has also been hitting lefties well all season and the venerable J.A. Happ rolls into Miami at the perfect time for the powerful Ozuna. Happ has allowed 12 homers to righties this season, and while the ballpark doesn't do Ozuna any favors today, he is certainly worth the $3100 price tag at DraftKings.
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