Sunday, August 27, 2017

Andrew Albers suffers loss

Andrew Albers (2-1) encountered his first loss in a Seattle uniform Sunday, allowing eight runs (three earned) on 11 hits while walking two and striking out four over five complete innings in the Mariners 10-1 loss to the Yankees.

Fantasy Implications: Albers had virtually no chance of earning a win Sunday after the Mariners' defense committed five errors in the first inning, immediately putting the team behind 6-1. Yet the Yankees had no problems solving the 31-year-old southpaw, as attested by the aforementioned 11 hits he allowed. Albers' 4.20 ERA, 1.80 WHIP and .338 opponents batting average are evidence of his failure to miss bats, and likely will continue to haunt him at the big league level. His next scheduled start is Saturday against the Athletics at Safeco Field.

Carlos Ruiz hits solo shot

Carlos Ruiz deposited a Sonny Gray fastball into the Yankee Stadium left field bleachers for a solo homer in Seattle's 6-3 loss Saturday against New York. He also singled, finishing the day 2-4.

Fantasy Implications: The solo shot and single were Ruiz's only hits in August. The seldom used backstop was 0-15 for the month coming into Saturday's affair. Ruiz has appeared in only 45 games this season, logging a .213 AVG, 2 HR, and 10 RBI over 108 at-bats. Unfortunately, his fantasy value has been long gone since his glory days in Philadelphia.

Robinson Cano in Sunday's lineup

Robinson Cano is in Sunday's lineup against the Yankees, and batting third in the order.

Fantasy Implications: Cano has been nursing a sore hamstring that prevented him from starting the first two contests of the three-game series against New York. However, he was able to come off the bench as a pinch-hitter both Friday and Saturday. The veteran second baseman will look to build on his season's .276 AVG, 19 HR, 78 RBI and 64 R.