I know I wrote about the Indians last week, but they've won 13 in a row so I can't help myself. Let's take a look at some more of the Tribe players who have been playing well recently.
Cody Allen, RP, CLE
After an April that saw his ERA sit at a bloated 6.97, Allen has been as solid as they come with a 1.48 ERA and 33 K's in 24.1 IP since the start of May. He is on pace for his 4th consecutive season with a K/9 over 10.00 and is as locked into the closer role as just about any other closer in the game. While his high BB-rate prevents him from having an elite WHIP, Allen has been a great find for those who bought him low after his rocky April.
Carlos Carrasco, SP, CLE
Carrasco was stupendous on Thursday against the Blue Jays, striking out 14 in 7.1 IP while only allowing 1 ER on 3 hits. Over his past 5 starts, Carrasco has put together a 2.23 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and a 41:9 K:BB ratio across 36.1 IP. It's safe to say that he has gotten past the injury that sidelined him for over a month earlier in the season. His K% had been lagging from where it was the past two seasons - until now. It looks like Carrasco can be put back into the group of the premiere pitchers in the American League.
Corey Kluber, SP, CLE
Kluber, along with several other Indians players, had an excellent June in which he posted a 2.19 ERA, 0.70 WHIP, and an opponent slash line of .146/.194/.205. He has stuck out at least 6 in each of his last 9 outings and has a 65:13 K:BB ratio during that time. Kluber's traditional stats aren't eye-popping; he is 8-7 with a 3.50 ERA. The advanced metrics on the other hand tell a different story, as Kluber leads all AL pitchers in WAR, FIP, and xFIP. He entered the season as a top ten pitcher overall and he remains that way.
Tyler Naquin, OF, CLE
Since rejoining the Tribe at the beginning of June, Naquin has been playing nearly every day and he's been making the most of it. He has a .338/.434/.785 slash line this month with 6 homeruns in 23 games played. The homerun output is especially astonishing considering he only hit 23 HR's in about 3 and ½ minor league seasons, and now he has 6 in a month in the big leagues. Of more concern though is that his .328 BA is based off of a .462 BABIP and while Naquin has had a history of high BABIP's in the minors, there's just no way this can last. Unless he improves on his 30.8% K%, we should see some regression coming.
Jose Ramirez, 2B, SS, 3B, OF, CLE
Coming into the season, it didn't look like Ramirez would be able to find regular playing time as the backup to starting SS Francisco Lindor, but here we are three months later and Ramirez has been starting for the Tribe on pretty much a daily basis. That's what happens when you hit close to .300 and have the versatility to play OF and 3B in addition 2B and SS. Ramirez has finally been able to translate his excellent contact rate into a good BA and hitting in the middle of the Indians' lineup has helped him become a solid contributor in RBI and runs scored. He also has already reached 10 SB's for the 3rd consecutive year, and is one of only three 3B-eligble players to have reached the 10 steal mark thus far in 2016. With the ability to contribute in 4 categories and eligibility at almost every position, Ramirez has surprisingly become a legitimate mixed-league fantasy player.
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