RADIO
Every day, we will be taking a quick look at the best and worst fantasy baseball performers from yesterday's games. As usual, Thursday's limited slate of games didn't want for notable performances.
Here's a quick rundown of those who impressed on Thursday, and those who want to pretend the day never happened.
Editor’s Note: To read about even more waiver wire options, be sure to check out our famous waiver wire pickups list which is a running list that is updated daily. Prefer using your phone? Our free waiver wire app is available for download in the Apple Store.
Fantasy Baseball Studs
Robinson Cano (2B, SEA): Cano doubled and hit two solo homers, but it wasn’t enough for the Mariners to take the final game of their four-game series with the Indians. Cano continues to show that rumors of his demise were greatly exaggerated. He’s been easily the best second baseman in baseball outside of Jose Altuve.
DJ Lemahieu (2B, COL): LeMahieu's been pretty good himself. He filled up the box score in yesterday’s blowout of the Pirates, going 2-for-3 with a homer, three runs scored, and three RBI. He also walked twice. LeMahieu has built upon his breakout from last season, improving his plate discipline and hitting for more power.
Nolan Arenado (3B, COL): Arenado collected three hits, driving in two runs and coming around to score himself. Like his teammate LeMahieu, the Rockies’ star third baseman has only gotten better since last year, thanks in large part to an improved eye at the plate.
Brett Gardner (OF, NYY): Gardner went 3-for-4 with a walk and scored twice, helping the Yankees climb back to .500 with a four-game sweep of the Angels. After closing out the month of May mired in an 0-for-23 funk, Gardner has a seven-game hitting streak. He’s collected multiple hits in five of those seven contests, lifting his average 50 points in the process.
Chris Davis (1B/OF, BAL): Davis knocked in both the game-tying and game-winning runs against the Blue Jays yesterday. He finished the game 2-for-3 with a homer and three RBI. It’s been a down year for Crush, but he does have three dingers in his last six.
Pedro Alvarez (1B, BAL): Alvarez went 2-for-4 with a solo homer. After a rough start to his Orioles career, he has three homers and a 1.061 OPS so far in June.
Jose Bautista (OF, TOR): Bautista reached base in all four of his plate appearances yesterday with a single, double, and a pair of walks. He scored twice and also knocked in a run.
Yadier Molina (C, STL): Molina had three hits and drove home the game-winning run for the Cardinals.
Adam Wainwright (SP, STL): Wainwright needed only 78 pitches to get through six innings against the Reds. He struck out nine and allowed only three runners to reach base, though two of them managed to score. Wainwright appears to have recovered from his early-season woes, posting a 3.03 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 4.83 K/BB in his last five starts.
Brandon Finnegan (SP, CIN): Finnegan came away with a no-decision last night despite pitching arguably his best game of the season. He went seven strong innings, allowing two runs on five hits and a walk and striking out seven. He’s been inconsistent, but Thursday’s effort was his third quality start in his last four outings.
Curtis Granderson (OF, NYM): Granderson led off the game with a homer and added a double later in the game, helping the Mets take the opener of their four-game set with the Brewers.
Scooter Gennett (2B, MIL): Gennett singled on all four of his trips to the plate and knocked in one of Milwaukee’s two runs on the evening. He’s 8-for-13 in his last three games.
Marcell Ozuna (OF, MIA): Ozuna went 4-for-5 with a run scored and three RBI, helping the Marlins avoid a sweep at the hands of the lowly Twins.
Ichiro Suzuki (OF, MIA): Ichiro had his third straight multi-hit game and scored twice. He’s bearing down on 3,000 hits in his final season and has even swiped four bases in his last seven games. It's always been a joy to watch him play, and the game will be poorer for his absence.
Fantasy Baseball Duds
Jeff Locke (SP, PIT): It's doubtful that anyone was dumb enough to start Locke at Coors, but if they did, they got what was coming to them. Locke gave up 11 runs and couldn’t make it out of the fifth inning.
Gregory Polanco (OF, PIT): Polanco went hitless in his four at-bats, striking out twice. He still has more multi-hit games (17) on the year than hitless games (13), though.
Marcus Stroman (SP, TOR): Stroman gave up four runs and eight hits in five innings of work. He’s got nearly twice as many runs allowed (17) as strikeouts (9) in his last three games and sports an ugly 4.94 ERA.
Todd Frazier (3B, CHW): Frazier struck out three times in four at-bats. He’s hitting just .213 on the year, though he’s second in the league with 19 home runs.
Michael Conforto (OF, NYM): Conforto went hitless in four at-bats, leaving four teammates on base. He’s been pretty terrible after a hot start, slashing just .159/.224/.327 since the end of April.
Trevor Plouffe (3B, MIN): Plouffe went 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts and stranded three runners. Since returning from a brief DL stint at the end of April, he’s hitting just .222/.248/.315.
Giancarlo Stanton (OF, MIA): Stanton's struggles continued as he struck out in four of his five at-bats. His average has dipped below the Mendoza line and he has just one home run since May 15.
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