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Rice Baseball: MLB Owls riding high entering 2019 All-Star break

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Rice Baseball has five active players in the major leagues. Here’s how the current MLB Owls are doing at the 2019 All-Star break.

JT Chargois – Los Angeles Dodgers

Chargois made eight appearances before the All-Star break. He owns a 1-0 record through 8.2 innings pitched with 16 strikeouts and three walks. He struck out seven of the last batters he’s faced across two appearances in the month of July. Those terrific outings lowered his WHIP to a career-best 0.923.

Tyler Duffey – Minnesota Twins

Duffey was used sparingly through the first several weeks of the 2019 season before a May 11 doubleheader thrust him back amongst the bullpen regulars for the Minnesota Twins. Over the course of 25 games, Duffey sports a 3.49 ERA with 35 strikeouts over 28.1 innings. He’s walked only six batters. His 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings is a career best.

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Jon Duplantier – Arizona Diamondbacks

Duplantier made his MLB debut on April 1, earning the save in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ win over the San Diego Padres. His first career start came almost two months later on May 31 against the New York Mets. He went five innings, striking out four with two walks and three runs allowed, earning a no-decision. Following two more appearances, he was placed on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation. His line at the end of the first half of the season is a respectable 4.32 ERA in 25 innings with 24 strikeouts and nine walks.

Brock Holt – Boston Red Sox

A hamstring injury slowed Holt in the latter portion of June, but it couldn’t cool his red-hot start to the summer. Holt is hitting .317 entering the All-Star break, but a blazing .384 since June 1. He’s racked up 28 hits and just 15 strikeouts over that period, collecting 14 RBI in the process. He’s never hit better than .281 over the course of a season, the mark he reached in his first full year in Boston in 2014.

Anthony Rendon – Washington Nationals

Name an All-Star for the first time in his career, Rendon will not play in the Midsummer Classic, opting instead to rest up and nurse some minor injuries before the second half of the season begins. Even though he won’t get the chance to show off his skills in Cleveland, he’s more than proven himself worthy of the recognition.

Rendon is in his third consecutive season as a .300 hitter and is on pace for 160+ hits, 40+ doubles and 80+ RBI. Achieving those milestones would mark the fourth consecutive year he’d done so. This is a contract year for Rendon, making the timing of his steadfast productive all the more impactful.

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Rice Baseball: Anthony Rendon’s All-Star nomination long overdue

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Former Rice Baseball slugger Anthony Rendon’s All-Star caliber play has finally been rewarded. The honor is long overdue.

The fact that Anthony Rendon received his first All-Star nod during his age 29 season is baffling. Rendon was the No. 6 overall selection by the Washington Nationals in the 2011 MLB Draft. He made his debut in 2013 hitting .265/.329/.725. Since then he’s become even more productive.

Currently in his seventh season, Rendon is in the midst of his third consecutive year with a .300+ batting average. He’s hit 68 home runs over that span and still has half of the 2019 season to play. His OPS+ has been better than 135 in each of those seasons and he’s finished in the Top 11 of MVP voting in each of the last two seasons, ending up as high as sixth in 2017.

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By every measure, Rendon is one of the most outstanding players in professional baseball. Since 2014, his first complete season in the big leagues, Rendon has an fWAR (Fangraph’s measure of WAR) of 27.9. That’s seventh best among all position players during that time.

Perhaps he was overshadowed by the super-ego of Bryce Harper or perhaps the Nationals’ postseason failures limited his opportunities to gain more exposure. Whatever the reason, Rendon’s numbers speak for themselves. He is one of the best players in the sport right now and is well deserving of his 2019 All-Star selection.

Rendon’s banner year might have come at just the right time. He’s in the final season of his current contract with the Nationals and will be eligible for free agency following this year. He’s due to make a significant payday one that should put him among the elite third baseman in terms of salary. Maybe that will be enough to put his name at the forefront of public perception, too.

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Rice Baseball: Jon Duplantier makes first MLB Start

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Former Rice baseball pitcher Jon Duplantier made his first MLB start, the latest in several big moments for Owls in the MLB this season.

Several Owls have made their marks in the major leagues this season. Anthony Rendon and Brock Holt have overcome midseason injuries, returning to their respective lineups with renewed vigor. Those still in Triple AAA have played well, waiting for their next show, which could come later this season.

Jon Duplantier

Duplantier made his MLB Debut on April 1, picking up his first career save against the Padres. He’s appeared in five games since, with his most recent appearance coming on May 31, his first career start. Taking the rubber against the New York Mets, Duplantier allowed three runs in five innings. He struck out four and walked two before being pinch hit for in the fifth inning. Arizona would take the lead in the next half inning while Duplantier received a no-decision.

Anthony Rendon

Since the last update, Rendon has continued to tear through the National League. The Washington Nationals’ All-Star candidate has a .320/.423/.660 slash line. All three of those marks are career bests for Rendon, who has more RBI this season (34) than he has strikeouts (30).

Brock Holt

Holt made his return from an extended stint on the injured list against the Indians on May 27. He’s hit safely in all three games of that series with a double in the finale, scoring three runs with two RBI.

JT Chargois

Chargois has made two appearances this season, throwing 1.2 innings in April. While he waits for his next call up, he’s maintained a 1.35 ERA with the Dodgers’ AAA affiliate in Oklahoma City through 16 appearances.

Tony Cingrani

Placed on the injured list with soreness in his throwing shoulder in late May, Dodgers’ pitcher Cingrani has yet to make his 2019 debut.

Tyler Duffey

After appearing with the Twins in four games in April, Duffey returned to the minor leagues. In seven appearances he’s allowed eight hits in 13.2 innings with a dazzling 1.32 ERA.

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Rice Baseball: Anthony Rendon leads the way for MLB Owls

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Rice baseball boasts a long tradition of excellence at both the collegiate and professional level. This year five Owls have made MLB appearances.

While the college squad works to secure a Conference USA Tournament berth, five MLB Owls have made at least one appearance in The Show in 2019. Jon Duplantier made his MLB Debut and two of the Owls’ most prolific pro hitters have fought through injuries to make an impact on the field this season.

JT Chargois

Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the second round of the 2012 MLB Draft, Chargois spent the last two seasons with the Dodgers. He made 35 appearances last season but has only been elevated to the big leagues once in 2019. Chargois threw in back-to-back games against the Saint Louis Cardinals in April, allowing two runs on a home run to Marcell Ozuna in 1.2 innings pitched. He was then sent back to Triple A.

Tyler Duffey

Like Chargois, Duffey saw limited action in 2019 before returning to the minor leagues. He made four appearances for the Twins in April. In two of them, he held his opponent to one hit and no runs. In the other two games, though, he allowed five runs including a three run home run into the Crawford Boxes at Minute Maid Park to Jose Altuve.

Jon Duplantier

Duplantier made his MLB Debut on April, earning a three-inning save for his Arizona Diamondbacks over the San Diego Padres. Through three career outings, he’s maintained a spotless 0.00 ERA with three hits allowed, four walks and seven strikeouts over the course of eight innings. His last appearance came against the Chicago Cubs on April 28.

Brock Holt

After a scratched cornea courtesy of his son hampered Holt’s ability to play earlier in the season, a shoulder injury sidelined him in through mid-April. Since then he’s participated in one rehab and assignment and is on track to get back on the field with the Red Sox in the coming days. Manager Alex Cora expects Holt to resume baseball activities on Monday.

Anthony Rendon

The starting third baseman for the Washington Nationals, Rendon is off to the hottest start of his professional career. Already the owner of a 17-game hitting streak this season, Rendon leads his team with a .342 batting average, .433 on-base percentage and .711 slugging percentage. He’s mashed six home runs with 10 doubles in 21 games.

Rendon was hit with a pitch on April 20, sidelining him for several weeks. He was activated on Tuesday and played in the team’s last two games, both against the Milwaukee Brewers.

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