Kutter Crawford, SP, BOS
Crawford had another forgettable outing against the Royals on Wednesday, allowing 6 ER's in 3.2 IP, as he gave up 5 hits while striking out 3 and walking 4. That makes four consecutive bad starts for Crawford in which he has allowed at least 5 ER's in each turn. Wednesday's outing was the first time that he struggled with free passes, but he has now allowed a staggering 13 HR's over those 4 starts. He had allowed a total of 14 HR's over his first 20 starts. His elevated 49.6% FB% (entering Wednesday) makes him susceptible to the long ball and he now leads the league with the 27 HR's allowed this season. After such a promising start to the campaign, Crawford has posted a 5.54 ERA over his last 14 starts and now owns a 4.07 ERA and 4.31 xFIP, making him droppable in fantasy leagues. You have to wonder if his rotation spot with the Red Sox is in jeopardy with the team trying to chase down a playoff spot.
Jackson Holliday, 2B, BAL
Holliday went 1-4 with a HR and 2 RBI against the Blue Jays, marking his 3rd straight game with a HR, and 4th HR in 7 games since rejoining the Orioles from AAA. Holliday struck out at a 50% clip during his first stint with the O's back in April, but he has cut that to a more reasonable 25.9% in round 2, while improving his EV from 87.3 to 98.0. There may still be some streakiness form the 20-year-old, but he is quickly putting his early struggles in the rear view mirror, and he has the chance to be a difference for the Orioles and for fantasy owners who were patient enough to hold onto him.
Corbin Carroll, OF, ARI
Carroll went a combined 2-8 with a HR, 2 RBI, 3 runs scored, and a SB across a doubleheader sweep of the Guardians on Wednesday. Carroll has been one of the biggest disappointments in fantasy this year, as the first round pick is hitting just .215 with 9 HR's through 111 games this season. While it's too late for him to make up that first round value that fantasy owners were hoping for, Carroll has picked things up significantly over the past month or so. In his last 24 games, he has posted a .931 OPS with 7 HR's, 18 RBI, 23 runs, and 6 SB's. He can certainly still make an impact over the final two months of the season due to his ability to contribute in all areas, even if he will fall well short of last year's numbers.
Luis Gil, SP, NYY
Gil tossed 5 shutout innings against the Angels on Wednesday, allowing 2 hits and 5 BB's, while striking out 6. It was a typical Gil outing, as he posted a good strikeout total, walked too many batters, and ultimately got the job done. His numbers have taken a step back after a sensational start to the season - over his last 10 starts, he has compiled a 4.84 ERA and 1.39 WHIP - but he has now allowed 1 ER or fewer in 4 of his last 5 turns, and has a shiny 3.06 ERA and 1.11 WHIP for the season. He's still overachieving as his his xFIP sits at 4.10, and his WHIP is especially unsustainable considering his astronomical 4.44 BB/9. It's also worth noting that Gil hasn't been going as deep into games recently; he has completed 6 innings only twice in his last 10 starts following a stretch in which he pitched 6+ innings in 7 straight starts. The strikeouts are there, but everything else is kind of vulnerable.
Zach Neto, SS, LAA
Neto homered in both games of a doubleheader against the Yankees on Wednesday, going a combined 4-9, with the 2 HR's, a double, and 8 RBI across the twin bill. Neto is quietly putting together a fantastic fantasy season with 16 HR's and 20 SB's through 111 games. After slumping a bit in July (2 HR's and 6 XBH's in 24 games), he is starting to heat up again with 5 XBH's and 12 RBI over his last 4 games. His contributions across the board make him a worthwhile option in fantasy leagues.
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