Dylan Cease, SP, SD
Cease threw a no-hitter against the Nationals on Thursday, striking out 9 and walking 3 in the second no-hitter in MLB this season. Cease has been on some kind of roll lately; over his last 3 starts, he has allowed a total of just 2 hits across 22 shutout innings, while striking out 30 in the process. Overall, it's been a nice bounceback season for Cease who now owns a 3.50 ERA, after posting a disappointing 4.58 ERA last season. His strikeout rate has remained elite, but his luck has turned around with his BABIP falling from .330 in 2023 to .253 this season, and most importantly, his current 2.75 BB/9 would be the lowest of his career, nearly a full walk below his previous career best. One could argue that this has actually been Cease's best season yet, as his 3.11 xFIP and 0.98 WHIP are both lower than the marks he posted in 2022 when he recorded a spectacular 2.20 ERA. His walk rate is still too high for him to be included in the top-tier of starting pitching, but his strikeout abilities should allow him to produce strong results more often than not.
Clayton Kershaw, SP, LAD
Kershaw made his long-awaited season debut against the Giants on Thursday and allowed 2 ER's in 4 IP, while giving up 6 hits and 2 BB's and striking out 6. He threw 72 pitches in this one and would figure to be able to stay in the game a little longer in his next outing. Kershaw did allow a bunch of baserunners in this one, but the 6 K's in 4 IP is a good sign. Generally, it's hard to rely on a 36-year-old hurler coming off of a shoulder injury, but Kershaw has earned the benefit of the doubt. In 2022-2023, he was limited to a total of 46 starts, posting a combined 2.37 ERA and 1.00 WHIP along with 274 K's across 258 IP. Until we see otherwise, expect Kershaw to continue performing at a high level while healthy.
Connor Norby, 2B, BAL
With Jorge Mateo (elbow) being placed on the IL on Thursday, Norby has been recalled by the Orioles and is expected to get regular playing time at second base. In his first game back with Baltimore, Norby went 2-4 with a HR against the Marlins, and he is now hitting .278 with 2 HR's in 5 MLB games this season. He has had a tremendous season at AAA this year, posting a .908 OPS with 16 HR's and 13 SB's across 80 games. We will see how this translates at the big-league level, but with the opportunity for every day at bats in a strong lineup, Norby could be worth a flier if you need help at second base.
A.J. Puk, RP, ARI
Puk was traded from the Marlins to the Diamondbacks on Thursday in exchange for minor league prospects Deyvison De Los Santos and Andrew Pintar. Puk has a 4.30 ERA overall this season, but after struggling as a starter to open the campaign, he was moved to the bullpen and has been exceptional there, recording a 2.08 ERA across 30.1 IP. He has been even better recently, not allowing an ER over his last 16.2 IP, while compiling a 25:3 K:BB over that stretch. There had been a thought that Puk could take over as the Marlins closer if Tanner Scott gets traded, but now with Arizona, he's unlikely to see regular save opportunities unless something were to happen to Paul Sewald.
Garrett Crochet, SP, CWS
Reports are now saying that the White Sox do not intend to shut down Crochet this season or move him to the bullpen. The White Sox manager has said that the team would manage Crochet's workload, and over his last 3 starts, Crochet has pitched a total of 10 innings, so it's likely that Crochet will continue to have limited outings going forward. Of course, the ace pitcher could be traded before the trade deadline, in which case the new team may handle his innings differently. For now, Crochet needs to be played in fantasy as long as he's making starts, but make sure to consider how much he will be able to help your team (especially when it comes to wins or quality starts) if he continues to regularly get an early hook.
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