REMARKABLE MLB TODAY – THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2017

Just 11 days left in the MLB regular season. Wild Card races are tight with Milwaukee trailing Colorado by one game and the Angels trailing the Twins by one and a half games. The Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs are clinging to leads in the division. We look to Remarkable! to fill us in on these important matchups on this 11-game slate…

Los Angeles @ Philadelphia

• No luck for right-handed batters. Kenta Maeda  has struck out 43.4% (43/99) of right-handed batters he faced since the All-Star Break (Rank: 1st of 179 qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: 21.3%).

• Homecoming for Utley. Chase Utley is batting .393 (11-for-28) with the bases empty over the last 30 days (Rank: 3rd of 120 part-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .251)
• No contact for Curtis. Curtis Granderson is batting just .108 (8-for-74)  over the last 30 days (Rank: 168th of 168 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .255)

• Hammerin’ Hoskins. Rhys Hoskins is slugging .769 (70 total bases in 91 ABs) over the last 30 days (Rank: 4th of 168 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .424).
• You can’t walk this way. As a starter, Mark Leiter has walked 5 of 122 batters (4.1%) over the last 30 days (Rank: 18th of 169 qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: 8.0%).

Cleveland @ Los Angeles

• Lovin’ the road. Indians hitters are slugging .572 (279 total bases in 488 ABs) on the road over the last 30 days (Rank: 1st of 30 in MLB; League Avg: .406).

• Can’t handle the heat. Danny Salazar has recorded 20 of his 29 strikeouts (69.0%) with his fastball as a starter vs right-handed batters since the All-Star Break (Rank: 9th of 106 qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: 43.7%).
• Trouble with them on. Parker Bridwell has allowed an OPS of 1.544 (20 PAs) with RISP over the last 30 days (Rank: 139th of 139 qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: .780).

• Cruisin’ Cron at home. C.J. Cron has an OPS of 1.059 (113 PAs) at home since the All-Star Break (Rank: 13th of 168 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .776).
• Trade perfection. Justin Upton is slugging 1.188 (19 total bases in 16 ABs) over the past 7 days (Rank: 2nd of 174 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .403).

Tampa Bay @ Baltimore

• Defensive dominance. Kevin Kiermaier has made 10 non-routine plays* out of 21 chances (47.6%) this season (Rank: 6th of 251 in MLB; League Avg: 22.4%).
• Attack Andriese. As a starter, Matt Andriese has allowed a slugging percentage of .933 (28 Total Bases / 30 ABs) on the first pitch of at-bats this season (Rank: 135th of 137 qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: .596).

• Can’t crush. Chris Davis is slugging just .183 (48 total bases in 262 ABs) with two strikes this season (Rank: 147th of 148 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .281).
• Missing the zone. Orioles pitchers have a strike rate of just 57.9% (582/1,006)  over the past 7 days (Rank: 30th of 30 in MLB; League Avg: 63.5%).

*A non-routine play is any defensive play that was rate “Even Chance”, “Unlikely Chance”, or “Remote Chance” of being made

Kansas City @ Toronto

• Inside issue. Jason Vargas has allowed a slugging percentage of 1.065 (33 Total Bases / 31 ABs) on inside fastballs since the All-Star Break (Rank: 127th of 127 qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: .451).

• Swingin’ early. Royals hitters have put 44.8% of their swings in play (142/317) on the first pitch of at-bats over the last 30 days (Rank: 1st of 30 in MLB; League Avg: 35.7%).
• Sluggin’ at third. Josh Donaldson is slugging 1.238 (26 total bases in 21 ABs)  over the past 7 days (Rank: 1st of 174 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .403).

• Strong with runners on. J.A. Happ has allowed an OBP of .261 (73/280) with RISP since the start of 2016 (Rank: 3rd of 103 qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: .339).
• Switchin’ it up. Kendrys Morales is batting .467 (14-for-30) against left-handed relievers this season (Rank: 3rd of 131 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .245)

Minnesota @ Detroit

• Getting it started. Eddie Rosario is batting .328 (94-for-287) with the bases empty this season (Rank: 5th of 148 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .250)
• Patient Joe. 8.3% of Joe Mauer’s plate appearances have lasted eight or more pitches (21/254 PAs)  since the All-Star Break (Rank: 1st of 168 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: 3.3%).

• Trouble with the curve. 52 of Max Kepler’s 196 strikeouts (26.5%) have come on curveballs since the start of 2016 (Rank: 132nd of 132 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: 15.0%).
• Divisional disaster. Division opponents are hitting .355 against Jordan Zimmermann (75-for-211) this season (Rank: 155th of 157 qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: .259)
• Castellanos crush. Nicholas Castellanos is slugging 1.100 (33 total bases in 30 ABs) on the first pitch of at-bats since the All-Star Break (Rank: 1st of 89 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .577).

St. Louis @ Cincinnati

• Determined Dexter. Dexter Fowler has an OPS of 1.704 (19 PAs)  over the past 7 days (Rank: 3rd of 184 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .714).
• Keeping it on the gound. Opponents have a groundball rate of 70.0% (21/30) against Carlos Martinez on changeups since the All-Star Break (Rank: 3rd of 57 qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: 48.2%).
• Votto never quits. Joey Votto has an OBP of .418 (297 PAs) with two strikes this season (Rank: 1st of 148 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .250).

• Cool Cozart. Zack Cozart has an OPS of .946 (475 PAs) this season (Rank: 11th of 148 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .752).
• Keeping it in the park. Homer Bailey has allowed a slugging percentage of .262 (11 Total Bases / 42 ABs) vs left-handed batters over the last 30 days (Rank: 15th of 114 qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: .437).

Washington @ Atlanta

• On a line. Michael A. Taylor has a line drive rate of 31.8% (21/66)  over the last 30 days (Rank: 7th of 168 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: 21.6%).
• Running rampant. Trea Turner has attempted 74 stolen bases versus RHP since the start of 2016 (Rank: 4th of 266 in MLB).
• No road woes. Daniel Murphy is batting .345 (90-for-261) on the road this season (Rank: 2nd of 148 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .250)

• Fastball surprise. R.A. Dickey has allowed a slugging percentage of .279 (17 Total Bases / 61 ABs) on fastballs since the All-Star Break (Rank: 4th of 180 qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: .485).
• Hot on base. Ender Inciarte is batting .429 (15-for-35) with runners on base over the last 30 days (Rank: Tied for 8th of 163 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .260)

Chicago @ Milwaukee

• Rough on righties. Right-handed batters are hitting .128 against Jake Arrieta (15-for-117) since the All-Star Break (Rank: 1st of 175 qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: .260).

• Tough on starters. Cubs hitters have an OBP of .370 versus starting pitchers over the last 30 days (Rank: 1st of 30 in MLB; League Avg: .323).
• Chasin’ the change. Hitters have chased 305 of Zach Davies‘ 626 changeups out of the zone (chase rate of 48.7%) since the start of 2016 (Rank: 3rd of 92 qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: 37.3%).
• Late surge. Eric Thames is slugging .651 (28 total bases in 43 ABs) versus RHP over the last 30 days (Rank: 5th of 135 part-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .423).
• Dominant Domingo. Domingo Santana is slugging 1.143 (32 total bases in 28 ABs) when the pitcher is behind in the count since the All-Star Break (Rank: 4th of 161 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .652).

Chicago @ Houston

• Best against lefties. Avisail Garcia is batting .435 (54-for-124) versus LHP this season (Rank: 1st of 148 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .255)

• Road warrior. Jose Abreu has an OBP of .424 (118 PAs) on the road since the All-Star Break (Rank: 8th of 168 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .318).
• Groundball king. Opponents have a groundball rate of 66.7% (254/381) against Dallas Keuchel  this season (Rank: 1st of 162 qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: 45.3%).
• Opportunities a plenty. Carlos Correa has come to the plate with runners in scoring position in 354 of his 1,101 plate appearances (32.2%)  since the start of 2016 (Rank: 1st of 132 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: 25.0%).

• Can’t barrel the curve. George Springer has a line drive rate of just 0.0% (0/25) on curves and sliders over the last 30 days (Rank: 37th of 37 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: 20.6%).

Colorado @ San Diego

• Lefties beware. Nolan Arenado is slugging .836 (117 total bases in 140 ABs) versus LHP this season (Rank: 1st of 148 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .420).

• Offspeed first. As a starter, Tyler Anderson has thrown his changeup 26.2% of the time (78/298) on the first pitch of at-bats this season (Rank: 2nd of 66 qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: 12.6%).
• Story finding his stroke. Trevor Story is slugging .808 (21 total bases in 26 ABs) versus LHP over the last 30 days (Rank: 3rd of 72 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .426).
• No luck. Clayton Richard has allowed a BABIP of .481 vs left-handed batters since the All-Star Break (Rank: 160th of 162 qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: .303)

• Sluggin’ the soft stuff. Padres hitters are slugging .459 (28 total bases in 61 ABs) on curves and sliders over the past 7 days (Rank: 5th of 30 in MLB; League Avg: .354).

Texas @ Seattle

• No luck for lefties. Left-handed batters are hitting .195 against Cole Hamels (50-for-256) since the start of 2016 (Rank: 5th of 103 qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: .261)
• Remarkable Robinson. Robinson Chirinos has an OPS of 1.934 (19 PAs) versus LHP over the last 30 days (Rank: 1st of 82 part-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .758).
• Jumping on the first pitch. Mike Zunino is slugging 1.225 (49 total bases in 40 ABs) on the first pitch of at-bats this season (Rank: 1st of 136 part-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .584).

• No Cruz control. Nelson Cruz is batting just .077 (2-for-26) versus LHP over the last 30 days (Rank: 71st of 72 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .261)
• Cano comin’ through. Robinson Cano is batting .385 (37-for-96) with runners on base since the All-Star Break (Rank: 3rd of 168 full-time hitters in MLB; League Avg: .263)

 

 

 

 

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