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    Strahm allows walkoff grand slam to Clemens

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    KC Relief Pitcher #25
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    Matt Strahm allowed a walkoff grand slam to Kody Clemens on Thursday, raising his season ERA to 7.01.

    It is notable that the Royals didn’t turn to nominal closer Alex Lange in a save situation after he blew Tuesday’s game. It didn’t work out very well for Matt Quatraro, who had Lucas Erceg load the bases while getting two outs in a 3-0 game and then had Strahm unload them. It’s hard to be confident about any closer emerging here down the stretch, though it’s a bit surprising they haven’t at least dabbled with Daniel Lynch IV in the role since he’s the only Royals reliever who has been appreciably good this year.
D-backs 'know they have a chance' to make playoffs
The Diamondbacks displayed a level of "fight" that could prove to be their path to the postseason as one of the NL's Wild Card teams, while the Reds look to stay afloat after a tough series loss.

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  • KC Relief Pitcher #60
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    It’s been quite a fall from grace for Erceg, who still leads the Royals with 12 saves despite being removed from the closer’s role two months ago after blowing four saves in five chances. His fastball velocity has fallen in each of the last two seasons and he’ll head to Triple-A Omaha with an ugly 6.23 ERA, 31 strikeouts, and 29 walks across 43 1/3 innings.
  • FA Relief Pitcher #25
    The 34-year-old southpaw had been designated for assignment earlier in the week and passed through waivers unclaimed. A reliable setup option in years past, Strahm struggled to a 7.32 ERA over 41 appearances with the Royals this season. Given the lack of quality left-handed bullpen options around the league, it shouldn’t be hard for Strahm to find another opportunity where a team thinks they can fix what’s causing his struggles this season.
  • KC Relief Pitcher #64
    There were some long at-bats, but Cruz managed to work a clean ninth inning for his third save of the season. All three of those saves have come in the last two weeks and he seems to have unseated Alex Lange for closing duties in Kansas City. Cruz seems up for the task with a 100 mph fastball and cutter that has some serious bite to it.
  • KC Relief Pitcher #25
    The signs were there last year that Strahm was slipping, which is why the Royals were able to get him from the Phillies for Jonathan Bowlan, but the magnitude of his collapse is still stunning. He went from posting a 2.71 ERA the last three years to 7.32 in 41 appearances this season. There will be teams interested in taking a chance on him once he clears waivers, but if anyone was willing to take on the remainder of his $7.5 million salary, that would have happened prior to Monday’s deadline.
  • KC Relief Pitcher #56
    The Royals took a 2-1 lead into the ninth, but that was eliminated when Royce Lewis tripled high off the right-center wall off Lange with a pair on. That’s the third blown save for Lange, and his ERA is now an inflated 6.33 on the season. That’s also the third blown save in five changes for Lange, and it’s possible the Royals could look to make a change in who gets the ninth.
  • KC Relief Pitcher #64
    Cruz’s ERA is 4.62, which isn’t great. Matt Strahm (6.75), Lucas Erceg (5.26) and Alex Lange (6.00) do make it look better by comparison. Lange got the save on Saturday. Cruz struck out two batters Sunday, including winning a battle with Riley Greene to end the game. Cruz has a legitimate claim to being the best closing option for the Royals and at worst he should be considered next in line behind Lange.
  • KC Relief Pitcher #56
    Detroit’s former closer came back to haunt his old club, working around a pair of singles to spin a scoreless frame and protect a one-run advantage. It was his 10th save of the season and his first double-digit save total since recording 26 saves for the Tigers back in 2023.
  • KC Relief Pitcher #56
    Lange issued a one-out walk to bring the go-ahead run to the plate, but there was never any real danger. Lange struck out two in the inning and earned his ninth save of the season. It was a much-needed bounce-back outing after Lange blew his last two saves. The right-hander has command issues and a 6.15 ERA, which makes it tough to trust him in fantasy leagues.
  • KC Relief Pitcher #56
    Lange has had two appearances since the All-Star break and was charged with a blown save both times. In his last outing before the All-Star break, he allowed five runs. His ERA has ballooned to 6.30. Lange’s lack of effectiveness has rendered his status as the Royals’ closer relatively meaningless. He shouldn’t be active in fantasy lineups at this point.
  • KC Relief Pitcher #56
    Lange was one out away from securing this save until Ty France launched a solo home run to tie the game. This came after Lange imploded and allowed five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning against the Mets in his last outing before the All-Star break. It feels like his grasp on this closer role should be tenuous.

Rotoworld

  • CHC Starting Pitcher #18
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    Shota Imanaga went just two innings while allowing two runs — one earned — in a no-decision versus the Mariners.

    Imanaga labored over his two innings, needing a whopping 72 pitches to get his six outs. The southpaw gave up a leadoff homer to Randy Arozarena, and then an error by Carson Kelly in the second allowed the second run to cross. It’s the second time in three starts that Imanaga has scuffled, with a 10-strikeout effort against the White Sox sandwiched between. Imanaga will get the chance to rebound against the Reds on Saturday.
    - Christopher Crawford
  • PIT Relief Pitcher #50
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    Carmen Mlodzinski gave up three runs over three innings in a relief appearance against the Dodgers on Tuesday.

    Lake Bachar got the start and took the loss after giving up one run over his two innings. It’s also worth noting that Khristian Curtis worked the final three innings of this game, and was more effective while allowing no runs and no hits in that action. Mlodzinski will likely work in bulk again versus the Cardinals next weekend, but that hasn’t been made official just yet. You don’t need to wait for that news to not use him.
    - Christopher Crawford
  • LAD Starting Pitcher #7
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    Blake Snell didn’t give up a run over six innings to pick up a win for the Dodgers on Sunday over the Pirates.

    Snell has been outstanding since returning from the injured list, and has given up a total of two runs over those 17 innings with a K/BB of 18/7 in that timeframe. The left-hander whiffed six in this one, and generated a solid 17 swings and misses over 94 pitches — 62 of those for strikes. He’ll have a good chance to keep the good run going against the Tigers next weekend.
    - Christopher Crawford
  • CLE Right Fielder #7
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    Jo Adell went 2-for-5 and drove in two runs in a win for the Guardians over the Rockies on Sunday.

    Adell drove in five runs over the last two days, and that brings his RBI total up to 79 on the season. He would need 21 more over the next 31 games to reach 100, but that’s not out of the question, especially since he’s stinging the baseball as of late.
    - Christopher Crawford
  • CLE Right Fielder #24
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    Chase DeLauter tripled twice while going 3-for-4 in a 7-2 win for the Guardians over the Rockies on Sunday.

    DeLauter showed that the hamstring can’t be bothering him too much with a pair of three-baggers to give him three triples on the campaign. He also singled and walked to push his rookie slash to .288/.363/.450. When he’s been healthy enough to play, DeLauter has looked the part. The question is if he can stay on the field long enough for that to matter, at least in terms of fantasy prospectus.
    - Christopher Crawford
  • COL Starting Pitcher #11
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    Tomoyuki Sugano took a loss while allowing five runs over three innings against the Guardians on Sunday.

    Sugano, 36, kept the ball in the park, but he allowed nine hits and a walk while striking out two. The right-hander has a solid 12-7 record, but he’s not deserving of that mark — for the most part, anyway — with an ERA of 4.96. It would be a considerable mistake in process to stream him against Atlanta this weekend.
    - Christopher Crawford
  • CLE Starting Pitcher #22
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    Foster Griffin held the Rockies two two runs to pick up a win Sunday for the Guardians.

    It’s the 15th win of the season for Griffin. The southpaw dealt with traffic as seen in five hits and three walks, but he was able to limit the damage to the two runs, thanks at least in part to four strikeouts. Griffin has an outside shot at winning 20 games this year, which we all predicted, right? He’ll face the Royals over the weekend.
    - Christopher Crawford
  • ATL Right Fielder #13
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    Ronald Acuña Jr. singled, walked twice and stole a base against the Brewers in the Braves’ 4-2 win Sunday night.

    Acuña is still in a little 2-for-24 slump in his last six games, but some good news is that he’s starting to run again. He didn’t attempt a steal in his first 18 games back from his latest hamstring injury, but he’s 2-for-3 in his last eight games even while struggling to reach base. He’s stolen 17 bases in 79 games on the season.
  • ATL Starting Pitcher #54
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    Tyler Mahle pitched five innings of one-run ball Sunday to pick up a win versus the Brewers.

    He struck out four. It’s Mahle’s shortest outing in four starts for the Braves, but he lowered his ERA for his new club to 1.52. He’ll be a great play at home against the Rockies next weekend.
  • ATL Relief Pitcher #26
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    Raisel Iglesias got a four-out save Sunday versus the Brewers.

    Pitching with a two-run lead, Iglesias walked Brice Turang to start the ninth and then gave up a long fly to William Contreras that Michael Harris II made a jumping catch on at the wall. According to Statcast, it would have been a homer in seven ballparks. After that, Iglesias got a comebacker from Jake Bauers that turned into a game-ending double play, even though he made a bad throw to second to start it off. It’s his 27th save of the season and No. 280 for his career.