The Z Files: In Case You Missed It

There is a lot going on in baseball. Unfortunately, it's not all good. It's hard to keep track of everything. Sometimes improved player performances get lost in the shuffle. Below are 10 players whose production has markedly increased in the past month or so.

J.P. Crawford, Seattle Mariners

Through May 22, Crawford was slashing .248/.315/.314 with one steal in two tries. He sat the next day for the first time all season. Since that point, Crawford has produced a .333/.381/.535 line, albeit with just one more bag. On June 1, Crawford was elevated to the leadoff spot where he has remained.

Obviously, he won't keep up this pace. The same can be said for everyone discussed today. However, moving up in the order is itself a reason to be interested, along a couple of other factors. Be it via an adjustment or just happenstance, Crawford has been hitting the ball with a lot more authority the past month. Recall from earlier studies, exit velocity is most pertinent for power on flyballs and less needed for hits on grounders and line drives. Over the past month, Crawford has not only hit more balls in the air, but his average exit velocity on flyballs is also up almost seven mph to 90.1. This isn't in the slugger range, but it's sufficient for a leadoff hitter.

Again, hard to tell if it's by design, but Crawford has been more aggressive within the zone with a marked increase in contact within the zone, which is fueling the added oomph. This is a streak worth riding but be ready to bail if the number of flyballs, or their exit velocity, drops.

Josh Rojas, Arizona Diamondbacks

It took awhile and required some injured teammates (particularly Ketel Marte), but the #FreeJoshRojas crowd finally received their wish. Since receiving regular playing time beginning in late April, Rojas has posted a .277/.335/.484 line. He has only collected 16 RBI despite eight homers in this span, but Rojas scored a respectable 29 times in these 50 games.

As a reminder how dangerous it is to jump on a streak, a week ago the above slash would have been .294/.348/.521 -- Rojas has fanned in 44 percent of his at-bats since. He's getting a lot of playing time, mostly at or near the top of the order. but beware he's a bit lost at the plate and could be dropped in the order if he doesn't muster better contact.

Ty France, Seattle Mariners

After enjoying a solid 2020 campaign, France was a favorite for those who like players eligible at multiple positions. He started as second base only in most formats but was expected to play all over the diamond. France was put on the IL on May 14, at which time he was slashing a disappointing .229/.333/.374. Even with multiple position eligibility, he wasn't worth stashing in a league without an IL separate from reserve.

Since returning May 24, France has generated a solid .305/.383/.476 line while gaining first base eligibility. The key has been a low 13 percent strikeout rate compared to the 20 percent mark he registered to begin the season. France's exit velocity is the same post-IL stint as it was prior, so he needs to put as many balls in play as possible. His exit velocity on flyballs is elevated, helping his power.

France's heater has also lifted him in the Mariners order. His production may be light for a first baseman, but his ability to flip between corner and middle infield helps fortify a fantasy lineup. Monitor the strikeouts, and if his rate remains in the teens, France is mixed-league worthy.

Jonathan Schoop, Detroit Tigers

On May 8, Schoop was slashing .180/.218/.243. His .462 OPS would have made for a palatable slugging percentage. After an 0-for-5 showing Thursday night, Schoop's decimals sit at .275/.328/.487. That isn't what he's done since May 8, those are his overall numbers. To get there, he's put up an eye-popping .340/.400/.654!

Schoop is thought of as a free swinger, but his issue (if it even is an issue) is not drawing walks as his career 22.7 percent strikeout rate is fine. After the above torrid stretch where he fanned just 13 percent of the time, Schoop's 2021 K-rate is 20 percent.

He's chasing less while being more selective within the zone. We've seen this before, as Schoop echoed this trend in 2017. That season, he posted a career best 120 wRC+ and .355 wOBA. To date, his wOBA is an identical .355, but because he's doing it in a lesser hitter's park, his wRC+ is 127.

Sure, he won't maintain his current pace, but we've seen Schoop maintain a change of approach for an entire season so there's chance he does it again. He doesn't need a 1.054 OPS to be mixed-league worthy, all he needs to do is maintain his current season-long production.

Jonathan India, Cincinnati Reds

It's not a secret I write and manage the Daily Notes for ESPN. On June 4, here is what I wrote:

India is an excellent example of a player whose average exit velocity is misleading. He's only 7th percentile, but it's due to hitting a bunch of weak grounders which aren't all that detrimental to a guy with 91st percentile sprint speed. His 94.9 mph average exit velocity on fly balls is well above average and is a harbinger for more power.

Not only did he go deep that night, but India has also cranked two more homers along with three doubles since then. He's another example of a player being rewarded by hitting at the top of the order.

India is even running with five swipes in eight tries. Add in multiple position eligibility at the hot corner and keystone, and we have a rookie worthy of 12-team mixed league consideration.

Justin Upton, Los Angeles Angels

What do you do with a slumping veteran coming off two straight down seasons, who is slashing just .188/.271/.391 through May 22? if you're Joe Maddon, you install him as the Angels leadoff batter. Since Maddon magic struck again, Upton has put up a .326/.420/.600 line, though he is now dealing with back soreness.

His 26 percent strikeout rate over this stretch is in line with his typical level, though a 14 percent walk rate is higher than he's ever posted in a season. Curiously, Upton's aggregate and exit velocity on flyballs has been consistent all season. The primary difference between Upton's start and the success since moving to leadoff is he turned about 11 percent of the groundballs he was hitting into line drives, and line drives turn into hits at a much higher clip.

Maybe Maddon knew what he was doing since the underlying metrics portended an improvement. Nah, he probably pulled Upton's name out of a hat. Regardless, he's been smoking the ball all season and while the line drives are likely to regress, this appears to be a renaissance campaign with more counting stats possible once Mike Trout returns.

Luis Urias, Milwaukee Brewers

After the Brewers acquired Willy Adames, most assumed Urias was headed for a reserve role, but the infielder had other plans. Since May 21, Urias has posted a productive .275/.362/.471 line with two bags to boot. Even with Keston Hiura back with the Brew Crew, Urias should continue to man the hot corner.

It remains to be seen if Urias maintains his current approach, but there is a tangible explanation for his power surge. He's hitting more balls in the air and doing it with more authority. This is the typical trend for those using an uppercut swing. The plane of the swing not only lifts the ball, it transfers more energy since it's on a similar path to pitches that are dropping (and all pitches drop).

Urias' average going forward is likely to fall from the mark he registered over the past month, keeping him from 12-team mixed-league attention. However, he's playable in larger mixed formats.

Odubel Herrera, Philadelphia Phillies

If you play in a casual league and don't wish to root for players of questionable character, feel free to move on. In more serious leagues, if you don't roster Herrera, someone else will.

On the field, Herrera has solved the Phillies revolving door issue in center field, slashing a robust .283/.345/.459 since May 5, garnering four pilfers along the way. That said, he's hitting just .147/.189/.235 over the past eight games.

Herrera will have more ups and downs, but he's entrenched at the top of the Phillies order. He's out over his skis a bit, but Herrera can help the back end of a fantasy outfield, chipping in across the board.

Myles Straw, Houston Astros

Straw has been playing nearly every day all season, but early on a few steals weren't enough to compensate for his low batting average and limited power. Recently, that's changed. Since May 16, he has produced a hearty .301/.362/.398 with four bags. A pair of homers are a bonus; if Straw continues to sport an average in the .275 range, he's a useful fantasy asset.

Contact isn't an issue and with his speed, he doesn't need a high average exit velocity. This is a volatile skill set, but rostering Straw also is a conduit to one of the most potent lineups in the league, boosting counting stats.

Tony Kemp, Oakland Athletics

Kemp, really? Isn't he just a defensive replacement grabbing the occasional start, or an injury fill-in? Not anymore, as he has played almost every game for the past month, slashing .329/.417/.544 over this stretch.

Last season, Kemp walked more than he whiffed and he's repeating that again this year. This makes him ideal for points leagues but is also a good combo for rotisserie formats, since he's likely to avoid prolonged slumps and lose playing time.

Kemp has always possessed good skills, but he was never on a team where he was looked at as anything other than a bench piece. It appears Oakland is going to give him an extended look in both second base and left field, adding to his fantasy allure.