Daily Dose: Welcome Matz
Ranking 14th in the NL in runs scored, the Mets have desperately needed an offensive spark. That came from a surprise source on Sunday afternoon in top pitching prospect Steven Matz.
Making his major league debut, Matz was terrific on the mound and at the plate. He threw 7.2 innings, allowing two runs on five hits, three walks, and fanning six Reds batters. As a hitter, Matz went 3-for-3 with one double and four RBI in the Mets’ 7-2 victory. In the process, Matz became the first pitcher to drive in four baserunners in his major league debut.
The relevance of Matz’s offense is miniscule for fantasy owners, but his pitching was as advertised. The lefty beat a potent Reds lineup, getting ahead in the count against 22-of-29 batters and averaging better than 95 mph on his fastball.
The debut came after the New York native dominated Triple-A hitters while pitching his home games at a hitter’s mecca in Las Vegas, posting a 2.19 ERA and 94/31 K/BB in 90.1 innings. That success is really just a repeat of what Matz has shown prior to this season, with a career 2.28 ERA in the minors.
The Mets have already shifted back to a six-man rotation upon Matz’s arrival, though FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal has already connected Jon Niese’s name in trade rumors with the Cubs and Dodgers. Regardless, it’s clear that Matz is here to stay.
The velocity he displayed in his debut was even beyond what scouting reports indicated, showing elite giddy up for a southpaw. Matz will be challenged again in his next start when he visits Dodger Stadium next weekend, but he seems more than capable of making the Mets’ biggest team strength even stronger.
Concerns for Hanley
The Red Sox have major reason for concern regarding big-ticket outfielder Hanley Ramirez. He flew back to Boston to undergo an MRI for his ailing left hand.
Ramirez has already undergone an X-ray, which came back negative. However, he remains sore since he was hit by a liner on Wednesday.
The Red Sox could decide to place him on the DL as early as today. Meanwhile, Alejandro De Aza has been tearing the cover off the ball for the Red Sox this week, and Shane Victorino is on the comeback trail. We should know more soon, but Ramirez owners in leagues with weekly lineup changes might want to play this one conservatively.
Duffy Just Misses the Cycle
The Giants expected to fill the void left by Pablo Sandoval’s departure with Casey McGehee. Instead, Matt Duffy has managed to fill that void and then some.
Duffy came just a single short of hitting for the cycle on Sunday, while going 3-for-4 with one RBI and three runs scored. He’s now hitting an impressive .303-8-37 in only 218 at-bats, and has hit homers in consecutive games.
He made a very limited contribution for San Francisco last season in 34 games after skipping Triple-A. Duffy hit .332-3-62 with 20 steals in 97 games at Double-A Richmond last year, and hit .303-9-57 between Low-A and High-A in 393 at-bats during 2013. Judging from his minor league track record, the power has been a surprise for Duffy.
The power is an even bigger surprise considering that Duffy never hit a homer in three seasons at Long Beach State, nor did he hit above .266 in a single season. Duffy’s adjustments in the Giants system since after being drafted in the 18th round of the 2012 draft are a credit to him and the organization. Still, it’s fair to be skeptical of Duffy’s power the rest of the way given his history.
American League Quick Hits: Roberto Osuna recorded his second save of the season on Sunday, and could be the team’s current frontrunner for saves after Brett Cecil’s demotion from the role … The Angels expect Erick Aybar (hamstring) to return on Monday … Alcides Escobar left Sunday’s game with a fingernail issue … Justin Verlander will start on Tuesday after missing his last turn in the rotation with a back issue … Alejandro De Aza continues to earn playing time with the Red Sox after hitting his third home run in four games … Justin Masterson returned to Boston’s rotation to throw five scoreless innings … Eric Hosmer continues to play despite a mild sprain of his left ring finger … Jake Odorizzi (oblique) will begin a rehab assignment at High-A Charlotte on Thursday, and could return to Tampa Bay soon afterwards … Despite Carson Smith’s success as Seattle’s closer, manager Lloyd McClendon said he hopes Fernando Rodney can earn back the role … Carlos Rodon’s next start will be skipped in order to limit his innings … Despite pitching well on Saturday, Matt Andriese was demoted to Triple-A. The demotion clears the way for Matt Moore’s return from Tommy John surgery this week … Yordano Ventura (hand) will make at least one more rehab start with Triple-A Omaha … Kevin Gausman will be recalled to start Thursday’s game for the O’s.
National League Quick Hits: Jorge Soler (ankle) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Monday. He could rejoin the Cubs for Fourth of July weekend … Cubs fifth starter Tsuyoshi Wada was placed on the 15- day DL with deltoid inflammation. Donn Roach struggled filling in on Saturday, and there’s no word on who will replace Wada in his next scheduled turn in the rotation … Derek Norris hit a pair of home runs for the Padres on Sunday, giving him 11 for the season … Brandon Phillips left Sunday’s game with injuries to both of his hands … Nolan Arenado launched two homers on Sunday, giving him 24 for the season … Will Middlebrooks left Sunday’s game early with an ankle injury … Cory Spangenberg was diagnosed with a bone bruise in his left knee, but hopes to avoid the DL … Carl Crawford (oblique) will start a rehab assignment this week. The Dodgers have already said that Crawford will need to earn playing time when he returns … Raisel Iglesias (oblique) will begin a rehab assignment early this week … Ender Inciarte (hamstring) could be activated from the DL next weekend.
