30 fantasy baseball thoughts from Week 21 of MLB action

AL East

Baltimore Orioles: Jonathan Villar has been arguably the best fantasy player over the last month with 25 runs, 11 stolen bases and .348 AVG.

Boston Red Sox: Brock Holt won either the longest or shortest game ever depending if you put it at 2 weeks and 12 minutes or just 12 minutes. The game was delayed by rain on August 7th. Boston now owns the three league leaders in doubles over the last 30 days (Rafael Devers, Andrew Benintendi and Mookie Betts).

New York Yankees: I keep waiting for Michael Tauchman to slow down but over the last 30 he’s boasting a .352 AVG with six home runs and 22 RBI’s.

Tampa Bay Rays: Travis D’Arnaud leads catchers with RBI’s since the All-Star break with 37.

Toronto Blue Jays: Vlad Guerrero Jr. is batting .356 over the last 30 days to go with five home runs and 23 RBI’s (over 24 games). Some players hit the MLB running, and some need a minute to adjust. Bo Bichette is playing well but he’s been caught stealing four times with two successful steals over his last 22 games.

AL Central

Chicago White Sox: As a team they have a HR/FB rate of 10.4% over the last 30 days, lowest in the league. The big question, lack of talent or just unlucky?

Cleveland Indians: Jose Ramirez has 22 extra base hits, 2^nd most in the league over the last month. Jason Kipnis has the fifth most RBI’s since All-Star break.

Detroit Tigers: Casey Mize threw just shy of 110 innings in the minor leagues this season. He will be shut down for the remainder of the season (not health related). I see this as a good thing from one of the top pitching prospects. He proved what he needed to prove as he moved up the leagues this season.

Kansas City Royals: Billy Hamilton is six steals from reaching 300 career stolen bases.

Minnesota Twins:

AL West

Houston Astros: Likely due to their excellent pitching limiting players on base but the Astros actually have the fewest Double Plays in the league this year (73) 8% less than the next closest team (San Diego), this team also leads the league in defense efficiency ratio.

Los Angeles Angels: Mike Trout is three steals from reaching 200 career stolen bases. Albert Pujols is four doubles from tying Nap Lajoie at 7^th all time.

Oakland Athletics: 2^nd highest hard hit % as a team over the least 30 days (behind the Dodgers). Oakland is hitting hard contact 43.6% of the time.

Seattle Mariners: They are not helping their pitchers much with 112 errors this season, 12% more than the next closest team (Chicago White Sox).

Texas Rangers: Last in the league in Defense Efficiency Ratio, tied with the Pittsburgh Pirates

NL East

Atlanta Braves: They have success rate of .823 SB %, 2^nd best in MLB this year.

Miami Marlins: Brian Anderson can be hot and cold, he now has .330 AVG with 19 RBIs and 16 runs over his last 27 games.

New York Mets: JD David isn’t the only Met helping them on their hot streak, Amed Rosario has a .351 AVG with 15 Runs and 15 RBIs over his last 26 games.

Philadelphia Phillies: Prior to Roman Quinn getting hurt a few days ago, he was a top 100 player over the last month with 11 runs, 9 RBIs, 4 stolen bases and a .321 AVG.

Washington Nationals: Juan Soto, Anthony Rendon, Adam Eaton and Trea Turner give Washington four top 15 batters over the last 30 days!!

NL Central

Chicago Cubs: Ian Happ is playing well but he’s burned me so many times previously that I'm skeptical to even pick him up for a week.

Cincinnati Reds: Jose Iglesias has a .345 AVG, 16 runs and 14 RBIs over the last 24 games. I picked him up in a bunch of deep leagues to help get me through a few weeks.

Milwaukee Brewers: Keston Hiura is only 68% owned. How? How?

Pittsburgh Pirates: Ok that’s it, I'm saying it....Bryan Reynolds is a top 100 dynasty player. Bold enough?

St. Louis Cardinals: The Cardinals are successfully stealing .571% of the time, this is the worst in MLB.

NL West

Arizona Diamondbacks: They have a .271 BABIP over the last 30 days, third lowest in MLB.

Colorado Rockies: Ryan McMahon is only 57% owned. He’s tearing the cover off the ball.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Will Smith has the 2^nd most RBIs among catchers since the All-Star break which includes 11 RBIs over the last seven games.

San Diego Padres: Fernando Tatis Jr...why can’t the Padres have something nice for even half a season. It’s not fair.

San Francisco Giants: Michael Yastrzemski has the fifth most HR and fourth most RBI’s among OF since the All-Star break while batting .317.