Pete Alonso (1B-NYM)
Alonso went 1 for 5 with his first career walkoff home run Thursday Night. After hitting 53 home runs a year ago his 2020 full season pace (8) puts him on the 35-home run mark; a steep decline from a year ago. Overall his plate discipline numbers are roughly the same as a year ago but he seemingly isn't able to get hits on fastballs this year, although his whiff rate is minimally different vs them (22.7% last year, 22.5% this year) so he is putting balls in play but the hits haven't fallen. His walk rate of 12% is better than last year, and his K rate of 26.1% is roughly the same but a 5% decrease in both barrels and hard hit rate may be partially to blame. This could be a buy-low opportunity until he wakes up.
Zach Eflin (SP-PHI)
Eflin allowed 4 ER over 6 innings, while striking out 5 Thursday for the Phillies. Eflin was coming off his best start of the season striking out 8 over 7 innings vs the Braves and while the strikeouts were there the Nationals chipped away at him. Eflin has scraped his 4-seam fastball for a sinker this year as he has seen a 30% usage increase in that pitch this year while he throws his 4-seamer just 8% of the time in 2020. While opponents are hitting .298 vs it this year he has yet to allow a HR on it and that pitch may in part be a reason why he has gotten batters to swing at a career high 40% of pitches outside the zone with a 67% O-Contact rate. Eflin's 12.65 K/9 is much higher than his 7.17 career mark and good for 4th in the league. Eflin has also limited home run damage this year with a 1.03 HR/9 - the lowest mark of his career.
J.T. Brubaker (SP-PIT)
Brubaker tossed 5 innings allowing 2 runs (1 ER) on 7 hits while striking out 5 Thursday Afternoon for the Pirates. The 26-year old should continue to get an extended look in the Pirates Rotation as they look for suitable starters going into 2021. Brubaker has a fastball that tops out at 94mph and the effort Thursday dropped his ERA to 3.96, with a key to his success being able to generate groundballs as he did Thursday with 7. Opposing hitters have hit his sinker pretty well (.286 avg/.514 slg%) but his second and third most thrown pitches (slider and curveball) have baffled hitters to the tune of a .100 average (4-40) while racking up a nearly 40% whiff rate on those pitches. He has only worked 25 innings thus far but has been building pitches counts with each start and is at least a somewhat intriguing arm on the Pirates to follow.
Anthony Alford (OF-PIT)
Alford went 0 for 4 Thursday. Alford received a handful of at bats with Toronto before being claimed off Waivers from the Pirates and has despite the 0-fer Thursday, he homered among 2 hits Wednesday. Alford was once a top Prospect with the Blue Jays but has been inconsistent in the minors shuffling between AAA and Toronto from 2017-2020 and only receiving a handful of at bats (76 in 47 games) and not doing much with them (career .171/.212/.303 line). That being said Pittsburgh has some glaring holes in the outfield, especially with infielders routinely picking up outfield starts so its possible if he hits he could get consistent September starts. His 3.8% walk rate and 37% K rate over his limited MLB time limit his value and his career 50% flyball rate could play well to help him finds gaps to grab extra bases. It is worth noting that he has 2 HR and 3 steals over 21 2020 PAs. This is Low Risk, Potential High Reward.
Bryce Harper (OF-PHI)
Harper went 1 for 5 with 3 strikeouts Thursday. Harper was sitting at a cool .367 average after a 2-hit game August 18th, but has struggled over the past several weeks as that was his last multi-hit game over 13 contests which has dropped his average to .276. He has compiled 16 walks vs 16 strikeouts over that time and still has an impressive .50 BB/K ratio. He has been a bit of a mixed bag overall as he has been barreling up balls quite well (15%) but his 10% weak contact rate is well above the league average of 3.1% and much higher than his 3.3% career mark. Regardless Harper is still an elite hitter and his 7 home runs, 21 RBIs and 5 steals through the Phillies halfway mark in the season could lead him to a Top 5 MVP finish if he gets hot again.
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