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Rice Baseball: 2020 MLB Owls update – September 3

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The 2020 MLB season is underway and Rice baseball alums are making noise. Here’s the latest on the MLB Owls from the week of September 3.

Brock Holt was released by the Brewers last week but wasn’t unemployed for very long. The utility man landed in Washington with the defending World Series Champs. Manager Dave Martinez was very complimentary about the new addition. “We think he can help,” Martinez said of Holt, “He can play multiple positions, he can swing the bat. He’s going to get a chance to play everywhere here.”

Anthony Rendon – Los Angeles Angels

Rendon cooled down a bit this week after his torrid mid-August pace. He’s still on pace for a terrific season and currently sports what would be the highest on-base percentage of his career (.435). The former National has settled in quite nicely in Anaheim and the impact he’s had on the entire lineup has been noticeable, perhaps no more so than how pitchers have to game plan for his spot in the order.

There’s no more pitching around Mike Trout when you have to deal with Rendon at the plate after him. So far, Rendon’s been doing just fine with the arrangement.

Through September 2, Rendon is hitting .292 with 11 extra-base hits, 25 walks and 20 strikeouts.

Tyler Duffey – Minnesota Twins

Duffey took his first loss of the year this week, allowing a two-run home run in the fifth inning to Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera. Minnesota was unable to climb out of the two-run hole. He bounced back with his first multi-inning outing in his next appearance.

Through September 2, Duffey has a 1.88 ERA with a .4767 WHIP. He’s averaging 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings.

Other Owls

Diamondbacks General Manager Mike Hazen downplayed the chances of pitcher Jon Duplantier rejoining the rotation later in the season. Saying “I don’t think it’s likely” in response to a question about his availability in the coming weeks. If that is the case, we’ll have to wait until 2021 to see Duplantier on the mound again.

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Rice Baseball: 2020 MLB Owls update – August 27

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The 2020 MLB season is underway and Rice baseball alums are making noise. Here’s the latest on the MLB Owls from the week of August 27.

Anthony Rendon – Los Angeles Angels

Rendon had a stretch earlier this year where he went 0-for-21. Whether it was some rust from a longer than expected offseason or some bad luck, his slump has been emphatically ended.

From August 10 to August 24, Rendon hit .482 with five home runs and 13 RBI in 56 at bats. His OPS was 1.336. As David Adler points out in the tweet and story below, Rendon has been as consistent as ever.

According to Adler, “Rendon has been doing everything right when it comes to his hallmark, plate discipline. He was always swinging at all the right pitches; he just needed to hit them. Now the hits are coming. No one should be surprised.” Rice baseball fans certainly aren’t.

Through August 27, Rendon is hitting .316 with 10 extra-base hits, 20 walks and 19 strikeouts. His OPS is .982.

Tyler Duffey – Minnesota Twins

Duffey is the only player in baseball who has appeared in at least 12 games with an ERA below 1.00 and a WHIP below .500. He’s just been dominant, allowing one hit or less in 11 of his 12 outings. He had two single-inning outings this week, striking out two batters apiece in each frame.

Through August 27, Duffey has a 0.75 ERA with a .417 WHIP. He’s averaging 12.0 strikeouts per nine innings.

Other Owls

Brock Holt was released on Thursday after the Brewers designated him for assignment last week. He hit .100 in 30 at bats this season before being released. His versatility and reliable glove should get him another shot with a big league team in the future.

Jon Duplantier is in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ player pool as he rehabs from an offseason injury. There haven’t been any updates regarding his status or when he might rejoin the team since the season began. Arizona could certainly use him.

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Rice Baseball: 2020 MLB Owls update – August 13

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All three active MLB Owls saw action with their big league clubs this week. Here’s the latest on the Rice Baseball alums in the pros.

Tyler Duffey was the only former Rice baseball player to make his debut in his team’s opening series. Since then, both Anthony Rendon and Brock Holt have made their 2020 debuts, each with a new team.

Jon Duplantier is in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ player pool but is currently rehabbing. There hasn’t been a clear indication yet as to when he might rejoin the team.

Anthony Rendon – Los Angeles Angels

It’s been a slower start for Rendon and the Angels. Rendon sent his first hit with Los Angeles over the fence for a home run, but it took him 14 games before his first multi-hit game. He accomplished that feat 55 times last season.

That hasn’t kept him from maintaining his usual sure-handedness in the field. Check out this slide grab on a Daniel Vogelbach foul ball.

Through August 12, Rendon is hitting .180 with five extra-base hits, 17 walks and 13 strikeouts. His OPS is .846.

Tyler Duffey – Minnesota Twins

It’s been all roses for Tyler Duffey this season. He’s kept his streak of seamless outings alive, and has yet to allow a run in any of his five appearances this season. A Fangraphs piece on his stellar start summed it up quite nicely: “By pretty much any conceivable measure, he’s the best reliever in baseball so far this year.” Not bad Mr. Duffey, not bad.

Through August 12, Duffey has a perfect 0.00 ERA. He’s averaging 12.9 strikeouts per nine innings.

Brock Holt – Milwaukee Brewers

Like Rendon, it took Holt a while to get things going with the bat with his new club. Holt picked up his first hit with the Brewers on August 7. His first RBI came a day later on August 8. So far, he’s started and finished just three of the eight games he’s appeared in.

Through August 12, Holt has two hits in 18 at bats. He has three walks, a hit-by-pitch and eight strikeouts.

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Rice Baseball: Anthony Rendon’s LA debut and MLB Owls update

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All three active MLB Owls saw action with their big league clubs this week. Here’s the latest on the Rice Baseball alums in the pros.

Tyler Duffey was the only former Rice baseball player who saw action in the opening weekend of the MLB’s 2020 season. He threw a scoreless inning while the other Owls worked to get back into their respective lineups. Both Anthony Rendon and Brock Holt made debuts with their new clubs in the days that followed with Rendon making his presence known quickly.

Jon Duplantier is in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ player pool but is currently rehabbing. Reports of his progress have been positive.

Anthony Rendon – Los Angeles Angels

Rendon missed the Angels season-opening series against the Oakland Athletics with an oblique injury. He made his debut in their fourth game of the year, a home contest against the Seattle Mariners. He went 1-3, walking twice and scoring two runs in five plate appearances. His lone hit — his first as an Angel — was a big one. It came in the eighth inning against Mariners’ pitcher Zac Grotz.

Rendon also weighed in on what it’s like playing with fake crowd noise. “It’s like you have two of your senses that aren’t coinciding with one another,” he said. “It’s like you’re looking at pizza, but you’re smelling a hamburger.”

Through August 3, Rendon is hitting .200 with two extra-base hits, 10 walks and six strikeouts. His OPS is .867.

Tyler Duffey – Minnesota Twins

Tyler Duffey is as locked in as ever. The Twins reliever has allowed one hit and struck out six of the 10 batters he’s faced this season. 64 percent of his pitches have been strikes. He explains a bit of the modifications he made during the offseason that’s helped him have such a tremendous start to the season so far.

Through August 3, Duffey has a spotless 0.00 ERA and a 0.250 WHIP. He’s averaging 18 strikeouts per nine innings.

Brock Holt – Milwaukee Brewers

An ankle injury slowed Holt out of the gate. He’s only been used sparingly in the Brewers six games. His debut came on July 27th against the Pirates as a defensive replacement at third base in the 10th inning. He struck out looking in his only plate appearance but would come around to score as the “ghost” runner in the 11th to give the Brewers the win.

Through August 3, Holt is hitless in three plate appearances. He’s struck out once, been hit by a pitch and grounded out.

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Rice Baseball: Injuries plague MLB Owls in restart

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The injury bug has not been kind to the Rice Baseball alums in the MLB. Tyler Duffey was the first Owl to make his mark in 2020.

The first weekend of the 2020 MLB season is in the books and it didn’t contain many highlights from Rice baseball alums at the next level. Early season injuries have kept the Owls from making their mark on 2020 so far, with the notable exception of Twins reliever Tyler Duffey.

Tyler Duffey – Minnesota Twins

Duffey was the first of the Owls to make his 2020 debut. He pitched a scoreless seventh inning in the Twins 10-5 Opening Day victory over the Chicago White Sox. He threw 13 pitches (11 strikes), striking out two and allowing one hit.

It was a good night at the office for Duffey, who made  Tim Anderson and two-time All Star Yasmani Grandal look silly with some impressive punch outs.

Brock Holt – Milwaukee Brewers

Holt signed with the Brewers this offseason after spending the entirety of his career before that with the Boston Red Sox. A sprained ankle has hindered him from making his debut. He did not play in the Brewers opening series against the Chicago Cubs, which they dropped 2-1.

Anthony Rendon – Los Angeles Angels

All signs point to Rendon making his Angels debut, but the World Series Champ did not appear in the first three games of the Halos four-game series with the Oakland Athletics. Rendon has been battling an oblique injury but has thus far avoided a stint on the injured list.

Jon Duplantier – Arizona Diamondback

Jon Duplantier made his MLB debut with the Arizona Diamondbacks last season. He started this year in the Diamondbacks 60-man player pool, but off the 30 man roster as he works back from injury. There is no clear timetable for his return.

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