It's playoff time in head-to-head and crunch time in rotisserie formats. A few MLB teams did us all a favor by promoting solid prospects in advance of the Sept. 1 roster expansion. A few more useful players will probably be called up early this week, but we can only focus on those already on a major league roster. Let's start with a pair of starting pitchers with encouraging debuts for teams with playoff aspirations.
Jonah Tong, SP, New York Mets (available in 76.9% of ESPN leagues): When Tong was promoted last week, it wasn't clear if it was for a spot start with a ticket back to Triple-A Syracuse or a chance to stay in the rotation. After collecting his first win against the Miami Marlins in his debut, Tong earned at least one more start, slated for later this week.
The 22-year-old right-hander allowed four runs in five frames, but only one was earned. He fanned six without issuing a free pass. Strikeouts were his calling card on the farm, where he punched out 162 in 102 frames with Double A Binghamton then 17 in 11⅔ Triple-A innings.
The Mets will use a six-man rotation at least for this week and have Tylor Megill close to returning. However, since he won't be fully stretched out, Megill might be better suited to finish the season in the bullpen. Additionally, Clay Holmes might be hitting the wall in his first season as a full-time starter, so there is a pathway for Tong to garner a few starts down the stretch.
Tong joins fellow rookie Nolan McLean in the rotation. McLean is off to a fabulous start and is still available in just under half of ESPN leagues. He's 3-0 with an 0.89 ERA and an 0.69 WHIP, supported by 21 strikeouts to only four walks in 20⅓ stanzas.
Payton Tolle, SP, Boston Red Sox (available in 89.0%): Tolle was chosen to replace Walker Buehler (now with the Philadelphia Phillies) in the Red Sox rotation. Richard Fitts and Kyle Harrison were also considered, and both might collect a start or two this month. However, Tolle appears to have earned a regular spot down the stretch.
The 22-year-old lefty is an imposing figure at 6-foot-6, 250 pounds. His fastball, thrown from a three-quarters slot, sits in the low 90s, but deception and extension make it seem a couple of ticks faster to the hitter. Tolle also throws a slider. He'll eventually need a third pitch, but he should be able to get by the first couple of games he faces each lineup.
Tolle matched up with Paul Skenes in his debut, and even though Tolle yielded just two runs in 5⅓ innings, the Pittsburgh Pirates prevailed, and Tolle was saddled with the loss. Manager Alex Cora is being careful with the rookie, giving him extra rest before he takes the hill again later this week. Tolle has a chance to stay in the rotation through the end of the regular season.
Rookie hitters making their debut
Sal Stewart, 2B/3B, Cincinnati Reds (available in 88.4%): In an unexpected twist, the Reds' pitching is keeping the club in the playoff chase while the offense sputters. The Reds hope that Stewart can provide a spark.
The 21-year-old right-handed batter began the season with Double-A Charlotte, where he batted .306/.377/.473 in 80 games. Stewart advanced to Triple-A Louisville where he posted a .315/.394/.629 line in 38 games, chipping in a combined 17 steals over both levels.
The infielder played primarily at third base, but he also frequently appeared at second base. With the Reds acquiring Ke'Bryan Hayes to stabilize defense at the hot corner, and Matt McLain in a season-long run while manning second base, Stewart has a chance to take over at the keystone.
At the plate, Stewart's calling card is a low strikeout rate of around 16% and a patient 10% walk rate. As is the case with most young hitters, how well those skills translate to the next level will dictate whether Stewart hits the ground running, or if he needs more seasoning.
Carter Jensen, C, Kansas City Royals (available in 99.7%): Jensen is the reason the Royals dealt Freddy Fermin to the San Diego Padres for starting pitchers Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek. The rookie backstop is just 21 years old, but he posted a .288/.404/.647 line in 43 games with Triple-A Omaha.
As a left-handed batter, Jansen will likely face only righties this season, but with regular catcher Salvador Perez already playing over 40% of the time at DH and first base, Jansen should be in the lineup against all right-handers, either behind the plate or serving as the DH. Jansen isn't likely to play enough to merit one-catcher league consideration, but he's a candidate to upgrade the spot in two-catcher formats.
Youngsters returning from injury
Connor Norby, 2B/3B, Miami Marlins (available in 96.9%): Norby was batting only .246/.297/.373 over 74 games before fracturing the hamate bone in his left hand. Granted, it was just five rehab games, but Norby recorded a .353/.421/.765 line with Triple-A Jacksonville.
He was 3-for-10 with three runs and three RBI in his first two games off the injured list, then was given Sunday off. The Marlins will likely play Norby nearly every day down the stretch. His main problem is contact, so he needs the reps, and there isn't anyone blocking Norby at the hot corner.
Aside from strikeouts, Norby needs to hit the ball with more authority as his average exit velocity and HardHit% are below the league average. He's also a productive baserunner, logging seven steals in nine attempts before getting hurt.
Norby has flaws, but he also has solid prospect pedigree. Most importantly, he qualifies at third base, a significantly thin position, especially in the National League.
Jordan Lawlar, 3B/SS, Arizona Diamondbacks (available in 88.2%): With the Diamondbacks signing Geraldo Perdomo to an extension, it wasn't clear what the club had in mind for Lawlar, also a natural shortstop. He started the season with Triple-A Reno, clubbing .336/.413/.579 to earn a mid-May promotion. However, after going 0-for-19, he was sent back to the farm, with the intent of playing him all over the infield so he could serve as a super utility.
Having fallen out of the playoff chase, the Diamondbacks dealt Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor to the Seattle Mariners in separate deadline deals. Moving Suarez cleared the path for Lawlar to take over at third base, but he was sidelined with a Grade 1 hamstring strain. The 23-year-old was activated from the seven-day minor league IL in mid-August, then after a couple of weeks knocking off rust, he was summoned to the bigs again.
He played in two games last week and is still searching for his first major league knock. That said, Lawlar is still young and comes with a lot of prospect pedigree. He appears overmatched, but he should garner a lot of playing time this month. He's more of a deep league flyer than mixed league option.