Masahiro Tanaka (SP, NYY) - Tanaka had himself a day on Friday, getting his 13th win as the Yanks topped the Blue Jays 4-0. The veteran went seven innings, allowing no earned runs, just three hits, no walks, and racking up a career high 15 strikeouts. On the season, Tanaka owns a 13-12 record with a 4.74 ERA, a 1.24 WHIP and 194 K's in 178.1 innings. His biggest issue this season has been limiting the long ball, as he averaging 1.84 HR/9 in 2017. His .257 BAA is not terrible, but the 71% strand rate could stand to be a bit higher. It was a rough start to the season, and the ERA is still way too high, but he has come through in leagues with strikeouts and K/9 as categories. He figures to settle into the middle of your rotation, and will be a bit cheaper in 2018, so it could turn into serious value if he can keep the ball in the yard.
Jay Bruce (OF, CLE) - Bruce got in on the action as the Indians beat down the White Sox 10-1 Friday. Bruce went 1 for 3, but he made the one count as it as a two-run home run. On the year, the veteran slugger is slashing .255/.323/.511, with 36 home runs and 99 RBI. He has proven to be a key addition to a surging Indians lineup steaming into the playoffs. The year has been a typical Jay Bruce year. The K% is 22.8%, which is near his career mark. The BABIP of .276 is down a few points from his career average, but the slugging is up a bit. You know he will hit homers, and hit for a mediocre average and strike out a bit. He is a nice option for pop in your mid rounds.
Edwin Encarnacion (DH, CLE) - E5 did not leave the yard Friday, but still chipped in in a big way as the Indians smashed the White Sox 10-1. Encarnacion was 1 for 3 with three RBI on the day. On the season, the veteran is slashing .261//381/.509 on the year with 38 longballs and 107 RBI. Much like teammate Jay Bruce, it has been a typical Encarnacion season. His BB% is up a bit from his career mark and sits at 15.6% and helps the OBP in a big way, while the 20% K% is about what you can expect. The 133 wRC+ is way above league average, and shows he is creating offense for a red-hot Indians team. After a slow start, Encarnacion is giving you a season you expected when he was drafted. He shows no signs of slowing and should be a target in the earlier rounds of your draft.
Trevor Bauer (SP, CLE) - Bauer earned his 17th win Friday, as the Tribe trounced the White Sox 10-1 Friday. Bauer went six innings, allowing just one earned run on four hits with seven strikeouts and zero walks. It has been an up and down year in his age 26 season as he has looked like an ace, but also had his blow ups. Overall, Bauer is sporting a 4.19 ERA, a 1.37 WHIP, and a 17-9 record. The strikeouts have been there with a 196 total, which gives him a K/9 just under 10. He is averaging over three walks per game, and his BABIP is a whopping .341 BABIP, which is the highest of his career. Those things combine to make the WHIP extremely high. He still has plenty of baseball in him, and still has time to figure it out and get the ERA and WHIP down, but even with those numbers being on the high side, he is still a great late round source of strikeouts.
Alex Bregman (3B, HOU) - Bregman provided all of the offense Friday as the Astros topped the Red Sox 3-2. Bregman launched his 19th home run and upped his home run total to 71 on the season. Overall, the youngster has a slash of .287/.355/.480 along with the 19 and 71. Add in the 17 stolen bases and 88 runs scored, and you have a top player at the position. The 8.9% BB% along with the K% of 15% makes him appealing in both OBP and average leagues. Bregman was a hugely hyped player heading into the season, and has hit his stride. He figures to be a top third baseman off the board in 2018 in all formats.
Nick Castellanos (3B, DET) - Castellanos had just one hit in four tries Friday, but drove in two as the Tigers fell to the Wild Card bound Twins 6-3. Castellanos has a .273/.321/.494 with 26 homers and 101 RBI, which translates into his best season as a big leaguer. His overall numbers are up, but his BABIP is down 30 points from 2016, which translates into an OBP that is lacking a bit. He is making hard contact at a nearly 44% clip, so the contact is meaningful. He will climb a bit up draft boards after his 2017 season, but he will still remain a bargain at the position.
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