Welcome to Ronnie’s 3 Ups and 3 Downs! This column looks at some fascinating matchups and facts that might pique the interest of the reader as that day’s games are reviewed. This is my attempt at creating compelling thought on any given day.
Ups
Brandon Drury
In the last two weeks, Drury ranks second in the Majors with 63.0% HC. Over 42 plate appearances in that span he owns a .450 ISO and has racked up 5.1 wRAA. His opponent today is Los Angeles lefty Tyler Skaggs. The Angel hurler is allowing 45.6% HC on the season that could account for his fairly high 1.8 HR/9. Drury is making 52.6% HC on the year against left handed pitching.
Brandon Lowe
Lowe is leading all of MLB with a massive 50.0% LD since April 19. He’s making just 9.1% SC in his last 36 PA since then and that has lead to a very nice .396 wOBA. Lowe is another hitter facing a lefty today as he will step in against the Royals Danny Duffy. Struggling this season with an outrageously poor 7.10 SIERA, Duffy is primarily a fastball pitcher (58.1%) with a curve mixed in (20.9%) and an occasional slider (12.8%). Durry has a very nice 3.8 wFA on the season and has handled the formidable slider well with a 1.3 wSL.
Eric Sogard
Another Toronto hitter graces this list. Sogard owns the highest ISO (.524) in the American League over the last week. He is also walking at a very good 15.7% rate while striking out just 7.7% of the time. This has lead to the 3rd highest 258 wRC+ in the Majors in that time. As you’ll see later, this is a very Blue Jays v Angeles list, Skaggs is in for a battle tonight.
Downs
Mike Moustakas
Over the last 14 days, Moustakas is making just 21.7% HC while making terrible poor 34.8% SC. In that span he’s popping up quite a bit with a 27.3% IFFB and he’s walking at just a 3.2% clip. He’s been lucky with some of that poor contact as he has a high .381 BABIP. He faces off against Jon Gray of the Rockies in today’s matchup. Gray ranks 5th in the NL with a 52.6% GB.
Wil Myers
Myers is striking out a ton lately. In his last 43 PA Myers has a ridiculous 48.8% K. That K rate leads the Majors over that time period. The San Diego Padre is only walking at 4.7% with zero power (.049 ISO) in that time and is hitting .122/.163/.171. Only 5 hitters in the Majors have a lower wRC+ than Myers’ -11 in the time period of his 43 PA.
Tyler Skaggs
As mentioned earlier, Skaggs has allowed 45.6% HC to opposing hitters on the season while also giving up 1.8 HR/9. He has an ok 4.05 SIERA on the year but that HC is hard to look past especially considering that he induces just 38.2% GB. He faces the hardest hitting offense in the American League right now. Over the last week, the Toronto Blue Jays are making a MLB best 49.3% HC. My Ups list could have been a Toronto trifecta as Rowdy Tellez is leading the Majors over the last 14 days with 72.0% HC, and a fourth Blue Jay, Justin Smoak, is making 52.6% HC in the last 10 days. If those hard hits continue tonight, things could get ugly for Skaggs.
