Bama in the Big Leagues: Up and Down Week

Less than 50 games remain in the 2017 season for all of Major League Baseball’s 30 teams.

With almost half of the month of August in the books, every game becomes more important, especially for players involved in the playoff chase.

Heading into this week, the National League Central has four teams separated by only four games from first to fourth.

For Alabama alums, this past week had its share of ups and downs. Tommy Hunter split his two decisions during Tampa Bay’s four-day weekend against Cleveland while Milwaukee’s Jimmy Nelson failed to escape the fourth inning in a loss to Cincinnati on Thursday.

For the Chicago Cubs, catcher Alex Avila smacked a two-run round tripper in the top of the sixth inning to help the Cubs to an 8-3 win over Arizona Friday night.

Find out how the rest of Alabama’s collection of MLB players fared this past week.

Alex Avila - Catcher (Chicago Cubs)

2017:

83 games, .269 avg. 13 HR, 36 RBI, 32 runs, 11 doubles, 46 BB, 85 K, 1 error, .390 OBP

Last Week:

Aug. 7 at San Francisco: Did not play

Aug. 8 at San Francisco: Did not play

Aug. 9 at San Francisco: 0-3, 1 K

Aug. 10: Off Day

Aug. 11 at Arizona: 1-2, HR, 2 RBI, 1 run, 2 BB, 1 K

Aug. 12 at Arizona: 1-4, 1 K

Aug. 13 at Arizona: Did not play

This Week:

Aug. 14-17 vs. Cincinnati

Aug. 18-20 vs. Toronto

Tommy Hunter - RHP (Tampa Bay Rays)

2017:

43 appearances, 2-3, 1 save, 1.76 ERA, 41 IP, 31 hits, 9 runs (8 earned), 10 BB, 44 K, 3 HR allowed, 2 errors

Last Week:

Aug. 7: Off Day

Aug. 8 vs. Boston: Did not play

Aug. 9 vs. Boston: Did not play

Aug. 10 vs. Cleveland: Win, 1.2 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 BB, 3 K

Aug. 11 vs. Cleveland: Did not play

Aug. 12 vs. Cleveland: Did not play

Aug. 13 vs. Cleveland: Loss, 1 IP, 3 hits, 1 run (1 earned), 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HR allowed

This Week:

Aug. 14-17 at Toronto

Aug. 18-20 vs. Seattle

Wade Leblanc - LHP (Pittsburgh Pirates)

2017:

44 appearances, 4-2, 1 save, 4.48 ERA, 60.1 IP, 58 hits, 30 runs (30 earned), 14 BB, 47 K, 9 HR allowed

Last Week:

Aug. 7 vs. Detroit: Did not play

Aug. 8 vs. Detroit: Did not play

Aug. 9 at Detroit: 0.2 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 BB, 1 K

Aug. 10 at Detroit: Did not play

Aug. 11 at Toronto: Did not play

Aug. 12 at Toronto: Did not play

Aug. 13 at Toronto: 2 IP, 3 hits, 2 runs (2 earned), 0 BB, 2 K, 2 HR allowed

This Week:

Aug. 14: Off Day

Aug. 15-16 at Milwaukee

Aug. 17-20 vs. St. Louis

Adam Morgan - LHP (Philadelphia Phillies)

2017:

20 appearances, 0-1, 5.35 ERA, 33.2 IP, 38 hits, 20 runs (20 earned), 12 BB, 37 K, 9 HR allowed

Last Week:

Aug. 7: Off Day

Aug. 8 at Atlanta: Did not play

Aug. 9 at Atlanta: 0.1 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 BB, 1 K

Aug. 10 vs. New York Mets: Did not play

Aug. 11 vs. New York Mets: 1.1 IP, 1 hit, 0 runs, 0 BB, 2 K

Aug. 12 vs. New York Mets: Did not play

Aug. 13 vs. New York Mets: 2 IP, 2 hits, 0 runs, 0 BB, 3 K

This Week:

Aug. 14-16 at San Diego

Aug. 17-20 at San Francisco

Jimmy Nelson - RHP (Milwaukee Brewers)

2017:

24 appearances (24 starts), 9-6, 3.72 ERA, 145.1 IP, 145 hits, 65 runs (60 earned), 37 BB, 162 K, 15 HR allowed, 1 error

Last Week:

Aug. 7 at Minnesota: Did not play

Aug. 8 at Minnesota: Did not play

Aug. 9 vs. Minnesota: Did not play

Aug. 10 vs. Minnesota: Did not play

Aug. 11 vs. Cincinnati: Loss, 3.2 IP, 11 hits, 10 runs (9 earned), 3 BB, 4 K, 1 HR allowed

Aug. 12 vs. Cincinnati: Did not play

Aug. 13 vs. Cincinnati: Did not play

This Week:

Aug. 14: Off Day

Aug. 15-16 vs. Pittsburgh

Aug. 18-20 at Colorado

David Robertson - RHP (New York Yankees)

2017:

42 appearances, 5-2, 13 saves, 2.44 ERA, 46 IP, 30 hits, 12 runs (12 earned), 12 BB, 63 K, 6 HR allowed

Last Week:

Aug. 7: Off Day

Aug. 8 at Toronto: 1 IP, 1 hit, 0 runs, 0 BB, 0 K

Aug. 9 at Toronto: 1 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 BB, 1 K

Aug. 10 at Toronto: Did not play

Aug. 11 vs. Boston: Did not play

Aug. 12 vs. Boston: Did not play

Aug. 13 vs. Boston: 1.2 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 1 BB, 3 K

This Week:

Aug. 14-15 vs. New York Mets

Aug. 16-17 at New York Mets

Aug. 18-20 at Boston

Josh Rutledge - Third Base (Boston Red Sox)

60-Day Disabled List (Concussion/Hip Injury)

2017:

37 games, .224 avg. 0 HR, 9 RBI, 10 runs, 1 triple, 2 doubles, 9 BB, 31 K, 4 errors, .297 OBP

Last Week:

Aug. 7: Off Day

Aug. 8 at Tampa Bay: Did not play

Aug. 9 at Tampa Bay: Did not play

Aug. 10: Off Day

Aug. 11 at New York Yankees: Did not play

Aug. 12 at New York Yankees: Did not play

Aug. 13 at New York Yankees: Did not play

This Week:

Aug. 14 vs. Cleveland (makeup of Aug. 2 game)

Aug. 15-16 vs. St. Louis

Aug. 17: Off Day

Aug. 18-20 vs. New York Yankees