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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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Rice Baseball: MLB Owls end regular season on high notes

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The regular season is complete. Some former Rice Baseball stars had big seasons and a few MLB Owls have playoff games coming soon.

Three Rice baseball products have playoff games to prepare for. Two others missed out on October baseball, but had some great moments throughout the year. Here’s an end-of-regular-season round up.

JT Chargois – Los Angeles Dodgers

Regular season stats: 1-0, 21.1 IP, 28 K, 5 BB, 6.33 ERA

Chargois last appearance with the Dodgers came on August 15th, his 21st outing for the big league team of the season. He was optioned to AAA following that game and finished out the season with AAA Oklahoma City Dodgers, making three appearances. He’s on the bubble for the Dodgers’ postseason roster.

The Dodgers have clinched the NL West and play next in the NLDS on Thursday, Oct. 5 against the winner of the NL Wildcard Game between the Brewers and the Nationals.

Tyler Duffey – Minnesota Twins

Regular season stats: 5-1, 16 Holds, 57.2 IP, 82 K, 14 BB, 2.50 ERA

Duffey just capped off the best major league season of his career. The Twins’ reliever posted career highs in appearances (58), strikeouts per nine innings (12.8), WHIP (1.01) and ERA (2.50). He’s been the team’s primary set up man, paving the way for closer Taylor Rogers. The duo has become one of the better late game tandems in the major leagues.

The Twins have clinched the AL Central and play next in the ALDS against the Yankees. Game 1 is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 4 on FS1.

Jon Duplantier – Arizona Diamondbacks

Regular season stats: 1-1, 1 Save, 34.0 IP, 31 K, 18 BB, 4.76 ERA

Duplantier was back and forth between AAA and the majors this season with a few stints on the injured list sprinkled in between. He finished the season with Diamondbacks, hurling three scoreless innings in a 19-inning victory over the Saint Louis Cardinals. He earned his first MLB win over the Braves on May 9.

The Diamondbacks missed the playoffs.

Brock Holt – Boston Red Sox

Regular season stats: .298 BA, 76 hits, 19 XBH, 28 BB, 55 K

Holt’s 2019 campaign was one of his best in his eight-year MLB career. The utility infielder for the Red Sox posted career highs in batting average (.298) and on-base percentage (.371). Including designated hitter, Holt played seven different positions this year, playing every spot on the diamond except for pitcher, catcher and center field.

The Red Sox missed the playoffs.

Anthony Rendon – Washington Nationals

Regular season stats: .319 BA, 174 hits, 81 XBH, 34 HR, 80 BB, 86 K

First-time All-Star Anthony Rendon led the national league in RBI (126) and doubles (44), pacing the Nationals’ furious September push for a playoff spot. Rendon isn’t under contract with the Nationals beyond this season, making his banner year a potentially lucrative one. First things first, though, Rendon and the Nationals have at least one more game to play.

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The Nationals earned a spot in the NL Wildcard game where they’ll play the Brewers. That game is scheduled for 7:08 PM CT on Tuesday, Oct. 1 and will air on TBS.

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Rice Baseball: Anthony Rendon theatrics highlight MLB Owls in August

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Almost a month removed from the All-Star break, Rice Baseball’s active MLB players are still going strong. Here’ the latest on the five MLB Owls.

JT Chargois – Los Angeles Dodgers

Up and down remains the story for Chargois in LA. He’s worked at least one scoreless inning in four of his nine outings since the break, but given up runs in the other five appearances. His strikeout numbers are down a bit, but he’s also been the victim of some unlucky ball placement. Opposing batters have a .375 BAbip (batting average on balls in play) after the break compared to a .286 mark before.

Tyler Duffey – Minnesota Twins

Duffey has been excellent for the Twins as a set up man this year, continuing that success into August. He’s picked up six of his seven holds over the past month, striking out 13 batters in nine combined innings and allowing one extra-base hit. Opposing batters are hitting an eye-popping .103 against Duffey since the All-Star break.

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Jon Duplantier – Arizona Diamondbacks

Duplantier has been with Arizona’s AAA affiliate in Reno since the break, rehabbing after a stint on the injured list in June and July. He’s made three AAA appearances over the past two weeks, each of which have been rocky, ending in four innings or less.

Brock Holt – Boston Red Sox

Holt has cooled off a bit since our last update, going hitless in his last six games. Even with that brief dip, he’s hitting .308 since the break, a testament to his stellar July. Primarily serving as Boston’s second baseman, Holt has taken on a variety of roles and is occasionally removed at the end of games. He’s played seven complete games since the break, participating in 17, and remaining steady regardless of what role he’s asked to play.

Anthony Rendon – Washington Nationals

The All-Star keeps doing All-Star things. Rendon owns a .357/.455/.595 slash line since the break and a 1.051 OPS. He’s racked up 12 extra base hits, including this breathtaking grand slam.

This has become par for the course for Rendon, who’s team-leading 4.4 fWAR is better than his next closest teammates, Juan Soto and Trea Turner’s combined fWAR (4.1). Rendon’s WRC+ (weighted runs created plus) is third in the National League.

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Rice Baseball Minor League Roundup: Matt Canterino makes pro debut

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Rice baseball products are making headlines in the minor leagues. Updates on the 2019 draftees and Owls currently in the pipeline.

2019 Draftees

Garrett Gayle

Gayle has appeared in four games for the Tri-City ValleyCats (Astros) following his 12th round selection in the 2019 MLB Draft. He has a 3.00 ERA over four games with eight strikeouts and five walks. His most recent outing came on July 11th, a three-inning save, the first save of his pro career.

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Evan Kravetz

A fifth-round pick of the Reds this year, Kravetz has made one appearance so far this summer. He threw one scoreless inning in a start for the Greeneville Reds on June 22, retiring all three batters he faced without allowing a hit.

Matt Canterino

Canterino’s first action following his second-round selection by the Twins came on July 13 with the GCL Twins. He threw two innings, allowing one hit and one run with two strikeouts and a walk.

Other minor league notables

After spending 2018 in lower-A ball, Ford Proctor was promoted to single-A this season where he’s currently hitting .276 with the Bowling Green Hot Rods. He leads the team with 18 doubles and 48 runs scored.

Ricky Salinas was named Reds MiLB Player of the Month, and for good reason. Salinas started five games in June and finished with a jaw-dropping 1.03 ERA and a 0.911 WHIP. Opposing batter hit .181 during that span.

It was a good spring for Glenn Otto with the Tampa Tarpons (Yankees). He made seven appearances, all starts allowing more than two earned runs in just one outing. Among pitchers who made at least five starts, Otto was second on the team with a 2.87 ERA.

Tony Cingrani was pitching well in limited action with the Oklahoma City Dodgers. He posted a 2.45 ERA in eight appearances (one in with Rancho Cucamonga) before he had surgery to repair his labrum. He’ll miss the remainder of the season.

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