Baseball Daily Dose: Dose: What The Heston?
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Giants starter Chris Heston made history on Tuesday night at Citi Field, driving in the first two runs of his career on a fourth-inning single to left-center field that scored Buster Posey from third base and Brandon Crawford from — you didn’t come here for lame jokes. Apologies.
Heston threw the 288th no-hitter in major league history and the first no-hitter of the 2015 season on Tuesday night against the host Mets, striking out 11 of the 29 batters he faced in a historical 5-0 victory for the Giants. He walked none but did plunk three batters, becoming the first pitcher ever to register three HBPs in a nine-inning no-no. That’s not so much a notable feat as it is a lead-in to what’s going to be a gentle cautioning for fantasy owners.
Heston is sporting an impressive-looking 3.77 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 66/18 K/BB ratio in 74 innings following Tuesday night’s events, but he entered that start with a 4.35 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, and 59/21 K/BB ratio in 70 1/3 career major league frames. This is a 27-year-old former 12th-round pick who got hot for a night with a generous strike zone. He deserves all of the plaudits coming his way for a night of dominance, but don’t go chasing him down in fantasy leagues thinking there’s more of this in the tank.
Heston only cracked the Giants’ season-opening starting rotation because of Matt Cain’s elbow troubles. Heston has obviously done enough to stick around — the same could be said before the no-hitter — though it’s maybe worth noting that both Cain and Jake Peavy are currently making minor league rehab starts. Soon enough there is going to be a crowd for San Francisco’s rotation spots.
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Easy Eduardo Keeps It Working
On the flip side of Heston is Red Sox left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, who looks like the furthest thing from a flash in the pan.
Rodriguez struck out seven batters and yielded just three hits over six innings Tuesday night against the Orioles — the team that traded him last summer for a couple months of lefty reliever Andrew Miller. Rodriguez now owns a 0.44 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, and 21 strikeouts over his first 20 2/3 major league innings (three starts) and he would be 3-0 if the Boston offense gave him even a little help Tuesday in Baltimore.
The 22-year-old Venezuelan throws a very hard fastball — especially for a lefty — and he pairs the 94-96 mph heater with an unfair 86-87 mph changeup and a sharp 85-86 mph power slider. Rodriguez was sporting a 2.98 ERA, 1.097 WHIP, and 44/7 K/BB ratio through 48 1/3 innings at Triple-A Pawtucket when he was promoted to the Red Sox on May 28. The kid is up for good.
The Return Of The Lowercase D
Shortly after scratching catcher Kevin Plawecki from the starting lineup for Tuesday’s game against the Giants because of ongoing symptoms related to a vertigo-like illness, the Mets announced that Travis d’Arnaud has been recalled from his minor league rehab assignment and will be activated from the disabled list on Wednesday. The return comes a bit earlier than anticipated and the 26-year-old catcher wasn’t able to get very many tuneup at-bats on the farm, but it’s exciting news nonetheless for d’Arnaud owners who kept him rostered over these last seven weeks.
The dude was batting .317/.356/.537 with two home runs and 10 RBI in 11 games before fracturing his right pinkie finger and the Mets had an 11-3 record on the day he was deactivated. They are 20-25 since, including Tuesday night’s no-hitter.
National League Quick Hits: Reds first baseman Joey Votto slugged three home runs Tuesday in a rout of the Phillies … Matt Holliday was diagnosed Tuesday with a Grade 2 right quadriceps strain and will likely miss at least a month … $155 million man Jon Lester allowed five runs over 4 1/3 innings Tuesday night against the Tigers and has now been rocked in back-to-back starts … Corey Dickerson (foot) has flown back to Denver and is close to being activated from the disabled list … Howie Kendrick finished 2-for-4 with a two-run single and a solo home run Tuesday in the Dodgers’ defeat of the Diamondbacks … Lance Lynn has been sent back to St. Louis for an MRI on his sore right forearm … Hunter Pence could be headed to the disabled list with lingering tendinitis in his left wrist … Nolan Arenado slugged a two-run game-tying shot in the Rockies’ win over the Cardinals on Tuesday night in Colorado … Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner remains day-to-day with swelling in his left knee … A.J. Ramos blew a save Tuesday in the Marlins’ loss to the Blue Jays … Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips left Tuesday’s game against the Phillies with a strained left groin … Stephen Strasburg (trapezius) threw another successful bullpen session on Tuesday afternoon … Nationals center fielder Denard Span remains day-to-day with a back injury … Brewers closer Francisco Rodriguez threw a perfect ninth inning to earn his 12th save of the season Tuesday against the Pirates … Billy Hamilton is day-to-day with left hand and wrist injuries … Cubs signed veteran reliever Rafael Soriano to a minor league contract … Kelly Johnson (oblique) is expected to rejoin the Braves’ active roster on Wednesday … Braves closer Jason Grilli picked up his 16th save of the season Tuesday against the Padres … Rockies starter Eddie Butler was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque … Carl Crawford (oblique) has resumed running … Nationals right-hander Doug Fister (elbow) will make one more rehab start Friday with Double-A Harrisburg … Padres starter Brandon Morrow (shoulder) has been shut down for the next two weeks.
American League Quick Hits: Rays starter Jake Odorizzi was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday with a left oblique strain … Albert Pujols slugged his 536th career home run Tuesday to tie Mickey Mantle for 16th place on the all-time home run leaderboard … Edwin Encarnacion (shoulder) returned to the Blue Jays’ lineup Tuesday and cranked a walkoff two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning … Justin Verlander (triceps) will make his 2015 debut this Saturday against the Indians … Mariners left-hander Roenis Elias held the Indians to one run over six innings in a win Tuesday … Evan Longoria (wrist) expects to return to the Rays’ starting lineup on Wednesday … Royals right-hander Chris Young took a no-hitter into the seventh inning Tuesday in a win over the Twins … Orioles closer Zach Britton notched his 16th save Tuesday night against the Red Sox … Greg Holland worked a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save Tuesday versus the Twins … Mariners slugger Nelson Cruz had to make an early exit from Tuesday’s game against the Indians due to back spasms … Masahiro Tanaka limited the Nationals to one run over seven innings on Tuesday, lowering his ERA to 2.48 … Adrian Beltre admitted Tuesday that his sprained left thumb is not healing as quickly as hoped … Tigers right-hander Anibal Sanchez fired seven scoreless innings Tuesday in a win over the Cubs … Stephen Drew hit a pair of solo home runs Tuesday in the Yankees’ defeat of the Nationals … Angels third baseman David Freese made an early exit Tuesday with a tight right hamstring … Yankees signed right-handed reliever Sergio Santos to minor league contract … Desmond Jennings will get his knee scoped Wednesday … Tigers catcher Alex Avila has been shut down indefinitely after complaining of renewed discomfort in his left knee … Orioles right-hander Miguel Gonzalez left his start Tuesday night against the Red Sox with a groin strain.
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