TOP 2nd
Kevin Pillar homers to left center (3 RBI)
The stars haven't seen fit to punish Pillar's offensive performance for a homophobic gaffe earlier in the season, as the play of Toronto's leadoff hitter has surpassed that of incumbent Capricorn center fielder Odubel Herrera. Pillar would hit also bat leadoff for a hypothetical CAP batting order that would also include his real life opponent's first baseman Ryon Healy. As an interesting hot stove related wrinkle, Healy was also a mid-season addition to the starting lineup, and the incumbent 1B he replaced? Former Blue Jays slugger Edwin Encarnacion. However, these lineup tinkering machinations will likely mean very little by the end of the season, as the Capricorn Goats rank 11th in the 12 team league, as of June 1.
ALSO TOP 2nd
Justin Smoak homers to left center (1 RBI)
The guy whose incredible production has made Encarnacion's departure more palatable plays for the only astrology team currently worse than Capricorn, the Sagittarius Archers. Maybe one of the reasons for SAG's struggles could be the lengthy absence of their top ranked player and Smoak's real life teammate Josh Donaldson. Also outfielders Adam Eaton and A.J. Pollock are currently out to injury, as is Athletics right hander Kendall Graveman. However, to make this even more relevant to today's game, Graveman's real life teammate Khris Davis is currently plugging away quite nicely in the middle of the Sagittarius lineup.
BOTTOM 3rd
Rajai Davis singles and scores on a groundout (1 R)
Oakland's elder Davis is a Libra, but he's far down on the depth chart of the most successful Astrology sign on record, so let's skip over him for now.
BOTTOM 4th
Trevor Plouffe homers to left (1 RBI)
Oakland's stopgap third baseman is a Gemini, but Plouffe is stuck firmly behind not just Anthony Rendon, but also Yuli Gurriel (thanks to his eligibility from last year) and Eduardo Nunez.
BOTTOM 5th
Rajai Davis triples and scores on a sacrifice fly (1 R)
Well, since Rajai Davis just scored his second run and helped tie the game, let's look deeper into his standing in the Libra hierarchy. Although he's not counted among 2017's elite fantasy base stealing assets, even though he led the AL in thefts as recently as last year. Instead, he's relegated to a Libra second tier of center fielders, placing behind not just breakout star Aaron Hicks, but also pressed-back-into-service Andrew McCutchen (and that's even when Yoenis Cespedes and Starling Marte return to the field). The still-very-talented group of Libra Scales backups also includes a couple of players on the opposing side of Rajai's real life A's. An injury-shortened first third for Troy Tulowitzki kept him from catching up to Netherlands star Xander Bogaerts at shortstop. And not even Jose Bautista's recent hot streak pushes him past Matt Kemp for the DH spot (not even to mention LIB's top two corner outfielders Bryce Harper and Mookie Betts).
BOTTOM 8th
Well now I'm back up to live, and the game's still tied, so if I post it now, it's technically liveblogging, so here we go!
TOP 10th
Josh Donaldson homers to left (2 RBI)
Justin Smoak homers to right (1 RBI)
We've already covered Sagittarius, which is good, because I need a moment to cry and fume to myself about how evil genius mastermind Billy Beane supposedly hamstrung his own team by trading away his best player due to a personal vendetta, and how Josh Donaldson always seems to remind his former boss of that fact by hitting like gangbusters every time he returns to the Oakland Colisseum. The only consolation is that the better he does, the better the hypothetical fortunes of a developed A's team, which is also helped by the possibility of adding Chad Pinder to the outfield...
BOTTOM 10th
Roberto Osuna strikes out Jed Lowrie to end the game and earn the save
I was hoping to be able to use this chart in the bottom of the 9th with the context, "A's walk it off without having to face Blue Jays closer, and Aquarius ace reliever, Roberto Osuna." Unfortunately, the standout Mexican pitcher came in with a save opportunity against the boys in green and gold, and succeeded, despite giving up another run to, who else, Rajai Davis. Not that he pitched in this game, but Oakland lefty Sean Manaea is one of two astrology-relevant A's starters (the other being Andrew Triggs for Pisces). The Blue Jays also currently have just two starting pitchers on fantasy astrology staffs (Marco Estrada for Cancer and Marcus Stroman for Taurus), but injuries to Aaron Sanchez (CAN) and J.A. Happ (LIB) could see that number rise in a hurry. Other notes from the Water Carriers roster: if you checked back in April or May, you would have seen Toronto catcher Russell Martin behind the plate instead of the red hot Alex Avila. And while you wouldn't find him starting in any month, Blue Jays middle infielder Ryan Goins is also on the Aquarius depth chart.
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