Table Setter: Trevor Bauer Will Get at Least One More Start in His Roller Coaster First Half
The SI.com Fantasy Baseball Table Setter gets you ready for the week ahead with a focus on the hitters and pitchers who deserve extra attention in the coming days, and all the schedule details you need to get your lineups set for this week’s games.
Pitchers to Watch
Trevor Bauer, Indians
Bauer fanned 12 batters in 6 2/3 innings in his last start, allowing one run on three hits and a walk. He’s been on a bit of a roller coaster this season, surrendering at least five runs in four of his last 11 starts, but still pitching to a 3.55 ERA and 1.14 WHIP with 134 strikeouts in 119 innings. He could get two starts depending on how the Indians deploy their rotation in the final week of the first half, given that they play just five games in seven days. He’ll definitely take the ball against the Royals on Tuesday.
Matt Boyd, Tigers
Every start Boyd makes could be his last with the Tigers, with the lefty among the hottest commodities expected to be available in advance of the trade deadline. He was done in by three homers in his last start, but still struck out 11 batters in seven innings, giving him 129 in 101 2/3 frames on the season. Boyd will take a 3.72 ERA and 1.09 WHIP into his next outing against the White Sox on Tuesday. If he’s still with the Tigers after that, he’ll face the Red Sox on Sunday.
Charlie Morton, Rays
Morton isn’t here because of anything he has done recently, but rather because he hasn’t received any love in the Table Setter this season despite being an AL Cy Young contender. Morton has been excellent all year, amassing a 2.43 ERA and 1.05 WHIP with 120 strikeouts against 34 walks in 100 innings. He’ll get two starts in the final week of the first half, facing the Orioles on Monday and Yankees on Saturday.
Adbert Alzolay, Cubs
Alzolay could stick in the Cubs rotation for the foreseeable future with Cole Hamels going to the IL because of an oblique injury. He's allowed two runs on two hits and six walks in his 8 2/3 innings thus far, striking out nine batters. The 24-year-old will take the ball against the Pirates on Monday and White Sox on Sunday.
David Price, Red Sox
Price has bounced back well after allowing six runs in 1 1/3 innings against the Rangers on June 13, surrendering three earned across 11 innings against the Twins and White Sox in his next two starts. Price has stayed mostly healthy this year, making 14 starts and tossing 72 1/3 innings, totaling a 3.36 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 82 strikeouts against 15 walks. He’ll wrap up the first half with a couple of favorable matchups, facing the Blue Jays on Tuesday and Tigers on Sunday.
Hitters to Watch
Manny Machado, 3B/SS, Padres
At the end of play on June 11, Machado was hitting .238/.326/.397. He goes into play Sunday carrying a .279/.355/.511 slash line. In the interim, he went 28-for-66 with nine homers, six doubles and 21 RBI in 71 plate appearances. It was a bit of a struggle to get to this point, but Machado has apparently turned the corner in San Diego.
DJ LeMahieu, 2B/3B, Yankees
Let’s be honest. LeMahieu’s .342/.390/.528 line with 12 homers, 17 doubles and 59 RBI was pretty much the easiest call to make this winter, right? It’s why we were all saluting Brian Cashman for eschewing a big deal for Bryce Harper or Manny Machado and going after him instead. At least that’s how I remember it. Either way, LeMahieu has made himself an indispensable part of the most dangerous lineup in baseball.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr., 2B/SS/OF, Blue Jays
Gurriel is about to put a bow on a ridiculous June, during which he’s hitting .340/.385/.700 with 10 homers and 20 RBI in 109 plate appearances. He has been even better over the last two weeks, slashing .396/.421/.906. The Blue Jays have a bright future loaded with young position player talent. Gurriel may not be at the top of that list, but he isn’t far off.
Ketel Marte, 2B/SS/OF, Diamondbacks
With one week left in the first half, consider this an appreciation of Marte’s breakout season. The 25-year-old is hitting .313/.361/.578 with 20 homers, 19 doubles and 51 RBI in 357 plate appearances. We’ve longbeen fans of Martein this space, but not even we, among his most optimistic backers, could have seen this coming. He’s rightly in line to not only make his first All-Star Game appearance, but to draw the start at second base.
Ronald Acuña Jr., OF, Braves
Acuña surged to end the first half, hitting .319/.396/.571 with eight homers and 20 RBI in June. At the start of June, the 21-year-old was hitting .274/.361/.465. He goes into play on the final day of the month and last week before the All-Star break with a .290/.373/.503 slash line and 19 homers and 51 RBI in 381 plate appearances.
Pitchers scheduled to make two starts this week (alphabetical order by team)
Dallas Keuchel, Atlanta Braves
Dylan Bundy, Baltimore Orioles
David Price, Boston Red Sox
Adbert Alzolay, Chicago Cubs
Reynaldo Lopez, Chicago White Sox
Tyler Mahle, Cincinnati Reds
Matt Boyd, Detroit Tigers
Glenn Sparkman, Kansas City Royals
Jakob Junis, Kansas City Royals
Jose Suarez, Los Angeles Angels
Griffin Canning, Los Angeles Angels
Ross Stripling, Los Angeles Dodgers
Zac Gallen, Miami Marlins
Adrian Houser, Milwaukee Brewers
Chase Anderson, Milwaukee Brewers
Jake Odorizzi, Minnesota Twins
James Paxton, New York Yankees
Daniel Mengden, Oakland A’s
Nick Pivetta, Philadelphia Phillies
Trevor Williams, Pittsburgh Pirates
Joe Musgrove, Pittsburgh Pirates
Logan Allen, San Diego Padres
Matt Strahm, San Diego Padres
Matt Carasiti, Seattle Mariners
Jeff Samardzija, San Francisco Giants
Jack Flaherty, St. Louis Cardinals
Charlie Morton, Tampa Bay Rays
Mike Minor, Texas Rangers
Ariel Jurado, Texas Rangers
Clayton Richard, Toronto Blue Jays
Trent Thornton, Toronto Blue Jays
Patrick Corbin, Washington Nationals
Teams playing seven games: Tigers, Royals, Angels, Brewers, Pirates, Padres, Rays, Rangers, Blue Jays
Teams playing six games: Braves, Orioles, Red Sox, Cubs, White Sox, Reds, Dodgers, Marlins, Twins, Yankees, A’s, Phillies, Mariners, Giants, Cardinals, Nationals
Teams playing five games: Diamondbacks, Indians, Rockies, Astros, Mets