Dylan Bundy finally picked up his first win of the season on Monday after limiting the Royals to two runs on six hits and no walks with two strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings. After losing all six of his decisions this year, Bundy finally got in the win column as the Halos erupted for eight runs. While he exited one out shy of a quality start, Bundy's performance on Monday was a massive improvement over his most recent outings, as he had a 12.33 ERA over his last four starts. The big key for Bundy here was allowing only one home run, as he'd allowed seven in his previous three starts and has surrendered 13 in 11 starts this year. Bundy was pitching well before his recent cold streak, so perhaps Monday's outing will get him back on track. He'll look to build off Monday's outing in his next start against a middling Diamondbacks squad in Arizona this weekend.
Nick Pivetta received a no-decision on Monday against the Marlins after allowing two runs on seven hits and three walks with six strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. Monday marked only the second time in 12 starts this season that Pivetta failed to complete five innings, and his first time since April 17. Pivetta started well with three scoreless frames, only to allow a run in the fourth and another in the fifth before departing after 92 pitches. If he had held on for one more out, he would've earned the win and improved to 7-1 on the season. Even so, he still has a solid 3.78 ERA, a 1.29 WHIP, and a 10.4 K/9 rate, making him a worthy member of fantasy rotations as well as a pleasant surprise for anyone who drafted him or added him off waivers. The 28-year-old righty will look to bounce back in another home start this weekend against the Blue Jays.
Adam Ottavino notched his third save of the year on Monday after allowing one run on three hits with no walks and two strikeouts over 1 1/3 innings vs. the Marlins. Called upon to protect a three-run lead with two outs in the eighth, Ottavino closed out the game to earn his first save of June. The four outs matched his longest appearance of the season and was his first four-out save of the year. While the earned run he allowed in the ninth was harmless, it ended his streak of 11 straight scoreless appearances, raising his ERA to 2.88. Despite a high 6.1 BB/9 rate, Ottavino has remained effective by limiting hits to 5.8 H/9, not allowing any homers, and maintaining a 10.8 K/9 rate. He's also benefitted from a .232 BABIP prior to Monday's outing, suggesting some good fortune on batted balls. While Ottavino isn't Boston's regular closer, his ability to nail down the stray save opportunity gives him added value in deeper leagues.
Jorge Soler went 1-for-3 with a solo homer against the Angels on Monday. Soler connected in the second inning for a solo shot against Dylan Bundy, giving him five homers on the year. It's been a rough season at the plate for Soler, who's batting just .177 with a .586 OPS. Hits have been few and far between, partly due to his .237 BABIP entering Monday. He also hasn't come close to replicating the pop that produced a league-high 48 homers in 2019, as he's slugged just .376 across 2020 and 2021 combined. With little power, no speed, and subpar on-base abilities, Soler isn't worth owning in any fantasy leagues at the moment.
Christian Arroyo went 2-for-3 with a double, two runs, two RBIs, and a walk on Monday vs. the Marlins. Arroyo ignited Boston's 5-3 win from the leadoff spot, scoring or driving in all but one of the team's runs. The pair of hits extended his hitting streak to seven games, raising his average to .301 on the season. The double was also his 10th of the year in only 31 games, as he's shown good gap power despite clearing the fences just once. While he's typically batted towards the bottom of Boston's lineup, the struggles of Kike Hernandez at the top could allow Arroyo to hit there more consistently, which would boost his fantasy value significantly by hitting in front of J.D. Martinez, Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers, and Alex Verdugo. The 26-year-old utility player is currently in the midst of a career year, but it likely won't last much longer based on his .391 BABIP entering play on Monday. If you do own Arroyo for any reason, be prepared to sell high soon.
This is just a small sample our daily analysis, join our member area for over 80 daily player updates sent to your inbox every morning and track your team online. Click here for details: http://www.insiderbaseball.com/baseballsample.htm Click here to register: http://www.fantistics.com/salesbaseball.php3
