REMARKABLE MLB Today – Monday, September 18, 2017

The final two weeks of the regular season kick off with a light seven-game Monday evening.  Minnesota travels to New York in a potential AL Wild Card Game preview, the Dodgers and Red Sox look to widdle down their magic numbers, and the Pirates will play spoiler against the Brewers, who try to hang on in two playoff races.  Remarkable! has this to say about tonight’s matchups….

Boston @ Baltimore

• Better as the game goes on. Doug Fister has allowed an OBP of .083 (3/36) when going through the lineup the third time in a game over the last 30 days (Rank: 1st of 86 qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg. .337).
• No double dipping. Dylan Bundy has not induced a double play groundout in 26 opportunities over the last 30 days (Tied for last in MLB).
• Jumping the gun. 36.4% of Manny Machado’s plate appearances have lasted only one pitch (8/22 PAs) over the past 7 days (Rank: 1st of 179 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: 10.8%), a span which has seen him go just 1/20 (.050).
• Tough to strike out. Mookie Betts has put 58.1% of his swings in play (230/396) with two strikes this season (Rank: 1st of 148 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: 37.6%).

 

Los Angeles @ Philadelphia

• Kershaw. That says it all. Clayton Kershaw has allowed the lowest OBP in the Majors since the start of 2016 by nearly 30 points — .223 (255/1,146) – (League Avg: .325).

• More than a citizen at the ‘Bank’. Rhys Hoskins has 10 home runs at home over the last 30 days (most in MLB).

• Is the league catching up? Hoskins is hitless in his last 12 AB’s dating back to September 14th.
• Pounding the off-speed. Cody Bellinger is slugging .648 (116 total bases in 179 ABs) on non-fastballs this season (Rank: 1st of 148 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .375).

 

Milwaukee @ Pittsburgh

• Killing them softly. As a starter, Brent Suter has an average fastball velocity of just 85.5 MPH since the All-Star Break (Rank: 188th of 190 qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: 92.1).
• Lit up by lefties. Left-handed batters are hitting .404 against Jameson Taillon (40-for-99) since the All-Star Break (Rank: 167th of 169 qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: .263).

• Can’t catch up to the heat. Keon Broxton has missed 47.4% (36/76) of swung-on fastballs over the last 30 days (Rank: 156th of 156 part-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: 18.1%).
• Power outage at PNC. Andrew McCutchen has 1 HR in 112 ABs (112.0 AB/HR) at home since the All-Star Break (Rank: 160th of 167 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: 25.5).

 

Minnesota @ New York

• Putting hitters away. Opponents are hitting .039 against Ervin Santana (2-for-51) with two strikes over the last 30 days (Rank: 1st of 150 qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: .175).
• Making them swing the bat. Jaime Garcia has not allowed a walk in his last 60 PA’s against a LHH dating back to June 22nd.
• Very tough on lefties. Chad Green has struck out 52.5% (42/80) of left-handed batters he’s faced as a reliever this season (Rank: 2nd of 234 qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: 22.6%) and Dellin Betances has struck out 45.1% (110/244) of left-handed batters he’s faced since the start of 2016 (Rank: 1st of 172 qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: 22.2%).
• He’ll ambush you. Byron Buxton is batting .509 (28-for-55) on the first pitch of at-bats this season (Rank: 4th of 146 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .346).

 

New York @ Miami

• Not himself. Matt Harvey has allowed the highest OBP in the Majors since the All-Star Break — .491 (27/55) – League Avg: .327).
• Rolling over. Giancarlo Stanton has a groundball rate of 73.3% (11/15) over the past 7 days (Rank: Tied for 2nd of 125 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: 44.6%), a span in which he’s hitting just .167 (3/18).
• Elevation. If Stanton can get the ball back in the air, he’s still a threat to Maris’ mark. He has 27 HRs on 60 flyballs (.05 HR/FLY) at home this season (Rank: 1st of 148 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: 0.2).

• Never giving in. Jose Reyes has an OBP of .450 (40 PAs) with two strikes over the last 30 days (Rank: 1st of 165 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .246).

 

Oakland @ Detroit

• Allowing the long ball. Jharel Cotton has allowed at least one HR in each of his last 7 games dating back to August 9th.
• Not fooling anyone. Opponents have a chase percentage (swings/pitches out of zone) of just 20.5% (15/73) against Buck Farmer with two strikes since the All-Star Break (Rank: Lowest of 182 qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: 40.4%).
• Get ahead, get him out. Miguel Cabrera is batting just .125 (4-for-32) when behind in the count since the All-Star Break (Rank: 154th of 154 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .356).

• Mr. Whiff. Chad Pinder has struck out 9 times in 15 PAs (60.0%) versus RHP over the past 7 days (Rank: 132nd of 132 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: 21.7%).

 

Arizona @ San Diego

• Can’t touch this. Left-handed hitters have a swing and miss rate of 37.9% (50/132) against Patrick Corbin since the All-Star Break (Rank: 2nd of 181 qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: 21.8%).

• Hammer time. Luis Perdomo has recorded 72 of his 108 strikeouts (66.7%) with his curveball this season (Rank: 4th of 147 qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: 17.4%).
• Change of pace. Fernando Rodney has thrown his changeup 41.4% of the time (208/503) on the first pitch of at-bats since the start of 2016 (Rank: most among RPs; League Avg: 13.4%).
• Lefties take your seats. Left-handed batters are hitting .138 against Brad Hand (27-for-196) since the start of 2016 (Rank: 1st of 172 qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: .245).

 

 

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