Date | News | Comment |
May 31 2025 | Pillar was released by the Rangers on Saturday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar was DFA'd by the Rangers this past Sunday, and the 36-year-old outfielder will test the open market rather than remain in the organization. Pillar slashed .209/.209/.256 with one home run and three RBI in 43 plate appearances prior to his exit from the Rangers' 40-man roster. He should garner interest from teams looking to add veteran depth to its outfield. |
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May 25 2025 | The Rangers designated Pillar for assignment Sunday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran outfielder is being jettisoned from the 26-man active roster and 40-man roster to create room for Alejandro Osuna, who was promoted from Triple-A Round Rock on Sunday with Joc Pederson (hand) heading to the injured list. Pillar earned a spot on the Rangers' Opening Day roster and saw action in 20 games, producing a .209/.209/.256 slash line in 43 plate appearances. |
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May 19 2025 | Pillar started in right field and went 0-for-4 in Sunday's 4-3 loss to the Astros. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar was activated off the injured list Sunday and in the lineup against Houston left-hander Framber Valdez. Pillar is typically in the lineup against lefties but could see opportunities against right-handers after primary center fielder Evan Carter (quad) was placed on the 10-day injured list. |
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May 18 2025 | Pillar (back) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list and is starting in right field and batting eighth Sunday against the Astros. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran outfielder has been sidelined for the past couple weeks due to back inflammation, but he's ready to rejoin the Rangers after going 1-for-10 during a three-game rehab assignment. Pillar won't be an everyday fixture in the lineup, but he has a decent path to playing time with Evan Carter (quadriceps) landing on the injured list Sunday. |
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May 17 2025 | Pillar (back) began a rehab assignment for Double-A Frisco on Wednesday and is 1-for-7 over two games. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar started at designated hitter Wednesday and played seven innings in center field Thursday. He was rested Friday but the assignment is set to continue through the weekend, MLB.com reports. |
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May 14 2025 | Pillar (back) will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Frisco on Wednesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar has missed the last week of action with lower-back inflammation but is ready to test himself in a game setting. He is eligible for activation from the 10-day injured list at any point and shouldn't need many rehab at-bats before rejoining the Rangers' active roster. |
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May 7 2025 | The Rangers placed Pillar on the 10-day injured list Wednesday due to lower back inflammation. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Texas will wait until Thursday to name a replacement for Pillar on the 26-man active roster, but Kennedi Landry of MLB.com relays that Ezequiel Duran is en route from Triple-A Round Rock to join the big club in Boston ahead of its series finale in Boston. Pillar had been filling a short-side platoon role in center field and had typically served as the Rangers' leadoff hitter against left-handed pitching. |
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May 1 2025 | Pillar (back) will start in center field and bat leadoff in Thursday's game against the Athletics. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar hadn't played since Monday due to a sore back, but he'll be back in the lineup while the Rangers wrap up their four-game set against the Athletics with a matchup against southpaw Jeffrey Springs. Leody Taveras is expected to continue serving as the Rangers' primary center fielder, though Pillar will usually replace him when Texas faces left-handed pitching. |
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Apr 16 2025 | Pillar started in left field and went 2-for-4 with a double in Tuesday's 4-0 win over the Angels. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar filled in for the injured Wyatt Langford (oblique) with lefty Yusei Kikuchi on the mound for the Angels. Pillar and Josh Smith (against righties) have shared left field since Langford was added to the injured list last week. The Rangers are scheduled to face a right-hander in Jose Soriano on Wednesday. |
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Apr 10 2025 | Pillar started in left field and went 1-for-4 with a run scored in Wednesday's 6-2 win over the Cubs. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar singled and scored in the fifth inning. He filled in for the injured Wyatt Langford, who was placed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with an oblique injury. Pillar drew the start against lefty Shota Imanaga, but Josh Smith could be the preferred option Friday when the Rangers face Seattle righty Bryce Miller. |
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Apr 9 2025 | Pillar took over in left field Tuesday after Wyatt Langford (side) was removed from the Rangers' 10-6 loss to the Cubs. Pillar went 0-for-1 in his lone plate appearance. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Depending on the extent of Langford's injury, Pillar could see time in left field in the short term. Josh Smith, who was already in the game at first base, is also an option. |
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Apr 8 2025 | Pillar started in center field and went 0-for-3 in Monday's 7-0 loss to the Cubs. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar made his second start of the season, both coming as the center fielder against lefties. Leody Taveras is the primary center fielder when the Rangers face righties. Pillar is 4-for-10 with a stolen base, an RBI and three runs scored through five outings. |
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Mar 27 2025 | Pillar started in center field and went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored in Thursday's 5-2 loss to Boston. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar started over Leody Taveras against a left-hander and made an immediate impact with an RBI-single in his first at-bat as a Ranger. He singled in next plate appearance and scored on a Kyle Higashioka double. The 13-year veteran, playing for his 10th MLB team, beat out prospect Evan Carter during spring training to earn a roster spot. Pillar is expected to be part of a platoon with the switch-hitting Taveras, who has a career .612 OPS against southpaws. |
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Mar 26 2025 | The Rangers selected Pillar's contract from Double-A Frisco on Wednesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar initially planned for 2025 to mark the first year of his retirement, but after changing his mind in December and slashing .273/.320/.386 in spring training, the 36-year-old now finds himself on Texas' Opening Day roster. His best chance to play will be as a DH against left-handed starters; otherwise, Pillar likely won't crack the starting nine very often. |
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Mar 25 2025 | Pillar will be on the Rangers' Opening Day roster, Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar said late last season that he was going to retire, but he changed his mind and has now made an Opening Day roster. Manager Bruce Bochy said that Pillar could see some starts against lefties between designated hitter and center field, although the skipper noted that a platoon in center with Leody Taveras is not a guarantee. |
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Mar 15 2025 | Pillar started in right field and went 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBI in Friday's spring game against San Diego. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar, who signed as a non-roster invitee after spring training began, has helped his chances of making the roster during Cactus League competition. He's batting .296 (8-for-27) with a double, six RBI and two steals over 10 spring games. He could serve as a utility outfielder, capable of filling in at all three spots. His primary competition for the roster appears to be Ezequiel Duran, who's struggles in 2024 have carried over to the spring. Duran is batting .185 (5-for-27) with one double and two steals over 12 games. Pillar won out over Duran in the latest projected Opening Day roster compiled by Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. |
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Feb 23 2025 | The Rangers signed Pillar (thumb) to a minor-league contract that includes an invitation to spring training Sunday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar said last summer that he was leaning toward retirement, but he later changed his mind and stated in December that he hopes to play in 2025. The veteran outfielder will have a chance to battle for a roster spot during spring training with the Rangers, who would represent the 10th team he's played for over a seven-year span if he's able to make the club. Pillar underwent left thumb surgery during the offseason, but the issue isn't expected to hold him back from taking part in games during the exhibition slate. |
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Dec 2 2024 | Pillar (thumb) said Monday in an interview on MLB Network that he wants to continue playing in 2025. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar said back in July that he was "98 percent" sure he was going to retire following the 2024 season, but after taking "some time to reflect," he's now changing his tune and hopes to latch on with a club for 2025. The veteran outfielder also revealed that he underwent left thumb surgery at the beginning of the offseason. Pillar will turn 36 in January and should be healthy for the start of spring training. He slashed .310/.352/.500 versus left-handed pitching in 2024 and should have a decent chance to land a job as a reserve or short-side platoon outfielder. |
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Sep 21 2024 | Pillar went 1-for-4 with a walk, a solo home run, a second run scored and a stolen base in Friday's 9-7 loss to the Astros. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: In his return from a thumb injury, the veteran outfielder took Hector Neris deep in the seventh inning as the Angels tried to mount a comeback from an early 6-1 deficit, but it was the last run Pillar's team would score on the night. Pillar's 11 steals on the season are his most since 2019, and the 35-year-old has managed a respectable .242/.300/.402 slash line over 291 plate appearances with eight homers, 36 runs and 45 RBI. |
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Sep 20 2024 | The Angels reinstated Pillar (thumb) from the 10-day injured list Friday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar has been held out of action since Sept. 7 due to a sprained left thumb, but he'll now return for what is expected to be the final nine games of his professional career. The 35-year-old outfielder has slashed just .147/.205/.200 with 12 RBI since Aug. 1, though he may earn a few starts during the final stretch due to the plethora of injuries in Los Angeles' outfield. Charles Leblanc was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake in a corresponding move. |
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Sep 9 2024 | The Angels announced Monday that Pillar (thumb) has yet to resume baseball activities since being placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar doesn't look like he'll be on track to return from the IL in the minimum 10 days while he contends with a sprained left thumb, but he should have a chance at playing again this season if he's able to increase his workouts in the coming days. The 35-year-old has already announced plans to retire after the season, so he may have some extra incentive to push for a return to the field later this month even while the Angels are on the precipice of being eliminated from playoff contention. |
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Sep 7 2024 | The Angels placed Pillar on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a sprained left thumb. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It appears as though Pillar picked up the injury during Friday's game against Texas after he replaced Jo Adell (oblique) in the second inning. With Adell joining Pillar on the injured list, Jordyn Adams and Bryce Teodosio were added to the 26-man roster and should see plenty of work in the outfield. |
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Aug 28 2024 | Pillar is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Tigers, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar will head back to the bench after he had started in each of the Angels' previous four contests. The Angels faced one left-handed starter (Brant Hurter) during that stretch, and Mickey Moniak also missed two games with an elbow injury, so despite what his recent usage might suggest, Pillar still looks to be stuck in a fourth-outfielder role. |
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Aug 25 2024 | Pillar will start in left field and bat third in Sunday's game against the Blue Jays, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Though Pillar will be getting his third straight start Sunday, he's likely to move back into a fourth-outfielder role during the upcoming week. Mickey Moniak (elbow) will return to the lineup Sunday in center field following a two-game absence, but the Angels were able to keep a spot open in the outfield for Pillar since Taylor Ward is handling designated-hitter duties while Anthony Rendon receives a day off. Pillar is likely to be limited to the short side of a platoon with Moniak during the final month of the season. |
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Aug 11 2024 | Pillar will serve as the Angels' designated hitter and No. 3 batter in Sunday's game against the Nationals, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Though Pillar will draw an eighth consecutive start, the Mets have faced left-handed starters in six of those contests. The righty-hitting Pillar hasn't helped his case for earning more playing time against righties by batting .161 so far in August, and all of Taylor Ward, Mickey Moniak and Jo Adell are still likely to be prioritized in the outfield ahead of him. |
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Jul 26 2024 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with a double, a stolen base and a run scored in Thursday's loss to the A's. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The outfielder doubled with one out in the second inning before coming around to score the Angels' first run on a Logan O'Hoppe single. Pillar later added a single of his own, giving him just his second multi-hit performance this month. He has hit safely in two of his last three games, posting two RBI, two runs and two stolen bases over that brief stretch. |
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Jul 22 2024 | Pillar went 1-for-2 with a double, a steal and two RBI in Sunday's win over the A's. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar entered the game as a pinch hitter for Mickey Moniak in the seventh inning and would reach on a fielder's choice before swiping second base. He came back up in the eighth with the game tied 5-5 and put the Angels ahead for good with a two-RBI double to center. Those were his first runs batted in since June 29 and his first stolen base since June 19. Pillar has only five hits in 28 plate appearances this month, with Sunday's double being his first extra-base hit. The 35-year-old is slashing .273/.333/.465 with seven homers, 32 RBI, 23 runs and a 10:34 BB:K in 190 plate appearances this year. |
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Jul 8 2024 | Pillar said Saturday that he's "98 percent sure" he'll retire from professional baseball after this season, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar made the revelation after reaching 10 years of service time, which means he will be eligible for a fully-vested pension. The 35-year-old struggled with the White Sox out of the gate this season but has slashed .305/.360/.516 in 42 games since joining the Angels in April. |
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Jun 26 2024 | Pillar will start in right field and bat sixth in Wednesday's game against the Athletics. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar had been a near-everyday player for the Angels for nearly five weeks, but he seems to have moved into a fourth-outfielder role. He'll be picking up just his second start since June 17, as he was excluded from the lineup in those other six contests. Jo Adell will hit the bench Wednesday to make room in the starting nine for Pillar. |
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Jun 17 2024 | Pillar is not in the starting lineup for Monday's series opener against the Brewers, Brent Maguire of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar will begin Monday's game in the dugout after starting in each of the Angels' last seven games. Pillar is slashing .340/.381/.594 with six home runs and 25 RBI over 106 at-bats with the Halos this season, though he's gone 9-for-40 since June 1. With Pillar on the bench Monday, Willie Calhoun will serve as the designated hitter while Jo Adell starts in right field against Brewers right-hander Carlos Rodriguez. |
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Jun 16 2024 | Pillar will start in center field and bat cleanup in Sunday's game against the Giants, Erica Weston of Bally Sports West reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar will pick up his seventh straight start and may have pushed his way into a near-everyday role in the Angels outfield while he's been at a heater at the plate for more than a month now. Dating back to May 7, Pillar is slashing .351/.394/.629 with six home runs, four stolen bases, 24 RBI and 21 runs in 27 games. Pillar's much more modest offensive outputs over parts of the previous 11 seasons in the big leagues suggest he won't be able to maintain his current level of production for much longer, but fantasy managers should ride the wave while it lasts. |
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Jun 7 2024 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 7-1 loss to the Astros. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar had gone 1-for-10 over his first four games in June before this multi-hit effort. His second-inning homer was all the Angels could put up against Framber Valdez, who pitched a complete game. Pillar is up to seven homers, 26 RBI, 17 runs scored and a .324/.379/.590 slash line over 117 plate appearances between the Angels and the White Sox this season. Despite his strong numbers recently, he's been on the bench for two of the last five games, which suggests Pillar doesn't have a full-time role against right-handed pitchers. |
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May 28 2024 | Pillar went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's 4-3 win over the Yankees. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar has hit safely in his last 11 games, going 20-for-41 (.488) in that span. He's logged a trio of three-hit efforts during the streak. The outfielder is up to a .349/.402/.639 slash line with six homers, 24 RBI, 14 runs scored, six stolen bases, four doubles and a triple over 34 contests this season. He struggled initially with the White Sox, but he's been excellent since joining the Angels at the end of April. |
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May 22 2024 | Pillar is out of the lineup for Wednesday's contest in Houston, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar hit a home run in Tuesday's loss to the Astros and has been scorching hot since joining the Angels, putting up a 1.226 OPS with four long balls and four stolen bases. He's still not quite being treated like an everyday player, however, as he's now been out of the lineup three of the last four times the Halos have faced a righty. |
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May 18 2024 | Pillar went 1-for-4 with a walk, a run and two stolen bases against Texas in Friday's 9-3 victory. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar made the most of his two trips on base, notching a theft in the third and fifth frames. The veteran outfielder extended his hitting streak to five games, and he's been scorching hot during that stretch, going 11-for-20 with a homer, eight RBI, six runs and four stolen bases. Pillar has four career MLB campaigns with double-digit homers and steals, and he appears en route for a fifth with four long balls and six thefts in 28 contests this year. |
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May 14 2024 | Pillar went 3-for-5 with one RBI and one run scored in Tuesday's 7-6 loss to the Cardinals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar has a trio of three-hit efforts over his last six games, going 12-for-24 (.500) with 13 RBI and seven runs scored in that span. The outfielder's strong play has helped him seize a short-side platoon role in center field, though he was in the lineup over platoon partner Mickey Moniak against right-hander Sonny Gray in this contest. Through 26 contests between the Angels and the White Sox this year, Pillar owns a .309/.361/.618 slash line with four home runs, 17 RBI, eight runs scored and three stolen bases, with the majority of that production coming since he signed with the Angels at the end of April. |
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May 13 2024 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and an additional RBI in Monday's loss to the Cardinals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar knocked in three of Los Angeles' five runs in the defeat, drilling a two-run homer in the third inning and adding an RBI single in the eighth. The veteran went just 1-for-6 through his first three games after joining the club April 30, but he's been on a heater of late, recording three multi-hit performances across his past five games. Over that span, he's batting ..474 (9-for-19) with three home runs, 12 RBI, six runs and a stolen base. |
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May 12 2024 | Pillar went 3-for-4 with a triple, three RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base in Saturday's win over Kansas City. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar led off the bottom of the second with a triple before coming around to score on a three-run shot from Jo Adell as the Angels took a 3-1 lead. The recently acquired outfielder added two RBI singles on the night in addition to swiping his third bag of the season. Pillar has now tallied three hits in two of his last four contests, posting nine RBI and five runs scored over that stretch. |
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May 8 2024 | Pillar went 3-for-5 with two home runs and six RBI during Tuesday's 9-0 win over the Pirates. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar made it a 3-0 ballgame with his three-run home run in the fourth inning, and his solo shot in the seventh gave the Angels a convincing 7-0 lead. The 35-year-old now sports an inflated .866 OPS through 43 plate appearances this season, but he shouldn't be relied on as a consistent source of production in fantasy. |
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Apr 30 2024 | Pillar signed a one-year, $740,000 contract with the Angels on Tuesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar elected to become a free agent Sunday after being DFA'd by the White Sox, and he'll now quickly find work with the Angels on a major-league deal. The 35-year-old slashed .160/.290/.360 across 32 plate appearances with the White Sox, and he'll give Los Angeles' outfield additional depth with Mike Trout (knee) in line for a long-term absence. |
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Apr 28 2024 | Pillar has cleared waivers and elected to become a free agent from the White Sox, Vinnie Duber of AllCHGO.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar was designated for assignment by the White Sox on Friday, and he'll now look for another opportunity elsewhere instead of reporting to Triple-A Charlotte. The outfielder has struggled to a .160 batting average with a home run, four RBI, a run scored and two stolen bases over 25 at-bats in 17 games this season. |
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Apr 26 2024 | The White Sox designated Pillar for assignment Friday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 35-year-old posted a .160/.290/.360 slash line through 32 plate appearances, and he'll lose his place on Chicago's 26-man and 40-man rosters to make room for Tommy Pham. Pillar could elect to become a free agent if he passes through waivers unclaimed. |
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Apr 24 2024 | Pillar went 1-for-3 with a solo home run during Wednesday's 6-3 loss to the Twins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar hadn't picked up a hit since April 13 (six at-bats) and Wednesday's homer was his first long ball of the campaign. Pillar is batting .174 with three RBI across 29 plate appearances. |
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Apr 13 2024 | Pillar went 1-for-2 with a walk Saturday against the Reds. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar didn't have a particularly notable game, but he did make his second consecutive start at cleanup. Both have come against lefties, and all four of his starts on the year have come in that scenario. Though Pillar is currently on the short side of a platoon, he could see his playing time tick up due to the number of injuries the White Sox have faced early on. |
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Mar 30 2024 | Pillar is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Tigers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar started in right field and batted seventh against a southpaw on Opening Day. He went 0-for-3 with one strikeout in a game that saw the White Sox shut out on three hits. Left-handed-hitting Dominic Fletcher will get the start in right field Saturday and bat sixth against Tigers right-hander Kenta Maeda. |
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Mar 24 2024 | Pillar signed a major-league contract with the White Sox on Sunday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran outfielder was cut loose by Chicago on Friday, but he'll end up rejoining the organization a couple days later. Pillar should serve as the White Sox's No. 4 outfielder and isn't likely to have much fantasy utility. |
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Mar 22 2024 | The White Sox released Pillar on Friday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar signed a minor-league deal with Chicago in the offseason and was looking to claim a spot on the White Sox's bench, but he will miss the cut and instead enter the open market. Pillar went 11-for-44 during spring training while driving in five RBI, and he may attract interest from other teams looking for organizational outfield depth. |
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Feb 2 2024 | Pillar signed a minor-league contract with the White Sox on Friday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar appeared in 81 games with Atlanta last season, slashing .228/.248/.416 with nine homers and 32 homers across 206 plate appearances. The 35-year-old outfielder figures to compete for a roster spot during spring training, though Pillar's role likely caps out as a short-side platoon partner for Oscar Colas. |
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Sep 24 2023 | Pillar went 2-for-6 with a two-run home run and an additional RBI over both games of Sunday's doubleheader versus the Nationals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar's homer came in the nightcap, giving Atlanta a 4-3 lead in the fourth inning. He's slumped lately, going 4-for-24 (.167) over his last nine contests with just five RBI. For the season, the veteran outfielder is at a .227/.247/.411 slash line with eight long balls, 30 RBI, 26 runs scored and four stolen bases through 77 contests in a platoon role. |
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Aug 30 2023 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, a stolen base and two total runs scored in Wednesday's 7-3 win over Atlanta. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar ended a few droughts with his effort Wednesday. He hadn't homered since May 30, a span of 32 games, while his last steal came June 30. The outfielder has done little to earn more playing time -- he's hitting a meager .189 (7-for-37) in August. Overall, he's at a .230/.256/.421 slash line with seven homers, four steals, 23 RBI, 23 runs scored and eight doubles through 160 plate appearances as a short-side platoon option. |
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Aug 23 2023 | Pillar will start in left field and bat second in Wednesday's game against the Mets. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With Atlanta facing off against a southpaw (Jose Quintana) for the second time in the series, Pillar will draw another start in left field at the expense of the lefty-hitting Rosario. After having not hit higher than seventh in the order in any of his 30 other starts this season, Pillar will move into the two hole Wednesday despite going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts while filling in for Rosario in Monday's 10-4 loss. |
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Jul 10 2023 | Pillar hasn't started a game for Atlanta since June 20, seeing just six plate appearances since. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With Atlanta's starting outfield of Ronald Acuna, Michael Harris and Eddie Rosario all healthy and producing, there's been little work for the team's depth options. Pillar's slashing .252/.284/.485 through 109 PAs on the year with six homers, three steals, 16 runs and 17 RBI. |
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May 30 2023 | Pillar went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and a double in Tuesday's 2-1 loss to Oakland. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar's been limited to pinch-hitting duties lately as Atlanta has faced mainly right-handed pitchers. He came into Tuesday's game 0-for-9 with four strikeouts over his last eight contests, none of which he had started. He was able to do some damage against JP Sears, swatting a solo shot in the third inning and adding a double in the fifth. With Atlanta generally finding success with Eddie Rosario in the lineup versus righties, there's no obvious path to more playing time for Pillar, who sports a .292/.292/.524 slash line and six homers through 89 plate appearances this season. |
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May 16 2023 | Pillar went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run in Monday's rout of the Rangers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Facing lefty Cody Bradford in his big-league debut. Pillar kicked off a 12-0 shellacking by launching a hanging slider from the rookie into the left-field bullpen at Globe Life Field in the second inning. It was the fifth homer of the year for Pillar, with four of them coming in only 28 plate appearances in May. The veteran should continue filling the short side of a platoon in left field with Eddie Rosario, and his current form makes him in intriguing DFS option on days when he's in the lineup. |
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May 6 2023 | Pillar hit a two-run home run in his lone at-bat against Baltimore on Saturday in a 5-4 win. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar began the game on the bench but was called upon to pinch hit with Atlanta down by a run in the eighth inning. The veteran came through with a two-run homer that proved to be the difference-maker in the team's victory. Pillar has reached base in eight of his past nine contests, batting .370 (10-for-27) with three long balls, seven RBI and two steals over that span. |
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May 5 2023 | Pillar is not in the starting lineup Friday versus the Orioles. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar will take a seat after he started the last two contests of Atlanta's series with Miami, going 4-for-8 with an RBI and two runs scored. The 34-year-old has produced at least one hit in seven out of his last eight contests, batting .346 with two homers, six RBI, six runs scored and two stolen bases over that stretch. He'll give way to Eddie Rosario in left field Friday while Marcell Ozuna enters the lineup at designated hitter and bats seventh in the series opener with Baltimore. |
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May 4 2023 | Pillar went 1-for-3 with a stolen base and an RBI in Thursday's 6-3 win over Miami. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar provided a sacrifice fly in the second inning to tie the game at 2-2. The outfielder also picked up his second steal of the season after a sixth-inning single. He's hit safely in seven of his last eight games, and he's up to a .262/.292/.410 slash line with two home runs, eight RBI, eight runs scored and three doubles through 65 plate appearances. |
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May 1 2023 | Pillar is out of the lineup for the second game of Monday's doubleheader with the Mets. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar will give way in the outfield to Eddie Rosario for the second game of the twin bill after he went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run in Atlanta's 9-8 win in Game 1. The Atlanta outfield is more crowded these days following Michael Harris' recent return from the injured list, and Pillar looks like he'll have to contend with Rosario and Sam Hilliard for one of two regular spots in the lineup versus right-handed pitching. As the lone right-handed hitter of the trio, however, Pillar should at least have a clear path to playing versus southpaws. |
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Apr 28 2023 | Pillar went 1-for-2 with an RBI, a run scored and a steal in Thursday's loss to the Marlins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar was productive from the bottom of the order Thursday. He singled in the third inning before swiping his first base of the year before driving in the game's first run with a bases-loaded walk. Pillar could see a decent amount of playing time in Atlanta, thanks to his defensive prowess. However, he won't likely offer much for fantasy purposes. Pillar is now slashing .227/.277/.341 with a home run, five RBI and two runs scored. |
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Apr 6 2023 | Pillar is starting in left field and batting eighth Thursday against the Padres. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar gets the nod over Eddie Rosario -- and Marcell Ozuna -- with left-hander Blake Snell on the mound for San Diego. Atlanta's left-field job has formed into a platoon here in the early going. |
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Mar 30 2023 | Pillar had his contract selected by Atlanta on Thursday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 34-year-old signed as a non-roster invitee in January but was able to earn a spot on Atlanta's Opening Day roster. Pillar is unlikely to see regular playing time with Eddie Rosario, Michael Harris and Ronald Acuna entrenched as the starting outfielders, but his strong defense makes him a quality option for a fourth outfielder. |
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Mar 7 2023 | Pillar could be the favorite to win the fourth outfielder spot on Atlanta's bench, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 34-year-old barely saw any action in the majors last season while in the Dodgers organization, but Pillar signed a minor-league deal with Atlanta this winter in the hopes of securing a more consistent spot, and he appears to have chosen wisely. His main competition for the job, Sam Hilliard, is a left-handed hitter as are projected starters Michael Harris and Eddie Rosario, so Pillar would provide a platoon option against tough southpaws in addition to his experience and ability to play all three outfield spots. |
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Jan 18 2023 | Pillar (shoulder) agreed Wednesday with the Braves on a minor-league deal that includes an invitation to spring training, Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar can earn $3 million if he makes the team out of spring training. The 34-year-old was only able to play four games in 2022 after undergoing left-shoulder surgery in June, and produced a slash line of .231/.277/.415 with the Mets in 2021 over 124 contests. Pillar will contend for a bench spot with Atlanta in the Grapefruit League, but is unlikely to be a significant fantasy contributor for the 2023 campaign. |
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Oct 6 2022 | Pillar (shoulder) took live batting practice Wednesday and is available if needed for the postseason, per MLB.com. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: When Pillar underwent left shoulder surgery in early June, it was presumed that his season was over. However, the veteran outfielder has worked his way back to full health and played in six minor-league rehab games at the end of September, going 7-for-22 with a home run and six RBI. He'll be able to play in the postseason if called upon, though the Dodgers are unlikely to require his services unless injuries create a need. |
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Sep 24 2022 | Pillar (shoulder) began a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday, per MLB.com. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar fractured his left shoulder in June and was originally expected to miss the remainder of the season, but he's recovered more quickly than expected and is now playing with the Dodgers' Triple-A club. Through two games with OKC, he's gone 1-for-8 with a run and two RBI. There may not be a roster spot available for Pillar on the big-league club, so he'll work to be ready in case an injury creates a need over the final days of the regular season or in the playoffs. |
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Sep 12 2022 | Pillar (shoulder) is set to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City in a few days, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar continues to progress in his rehab quicker than expected, as a return this season remains a possibility. He'll likely require at least a handful of games in the minors prior to being activated after missing nearly three and a half months with a left shoulder fracture. |
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Aug 7 2022 | Pillar (shoulder) has been cleared to begin taking part in baseball activities and hopes to be playing in minor-league games by earlier September, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar was believed to be done for 2022 after undergoing surgery for a fractured left shoulder in early June, but he's apparently ahead of schedule in his recovery and could make a late-season return. The 33-year-old will begin a hitting progression Monday at the Dodgers' extended spring training facility in Arizona. |
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Jun 5 2022 | Pillar (shoulder) will get surgery Tuesday, which essentially ends his season, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: While Pillar is eligible to come off the 60-day injured list later this summer, the surgery likely means we won't see him until 2023. Pillar went 1-for-12 with zero home runs and zero steals in four games for the Dodgers. |
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Jun 3 2022 | Pillar (shoulder) was transferred to the 60-day injured list Friday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: This will rule him out for the rest of June and all of July. Pillar is out with a left shoulder fracture and is without a timetable to return. Eddy Alvarez took Pillar's spot on the 40-man roster. |
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Jun 2 2022 | Pillar was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left shoulder fracture Thursday, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar was removed from Wednesday's loss to the Pirates due to a shoulder injury, and he underwent scans Thursday that revealed a fracture. It's not yet clear how much time the outfielder will be forced to miss, but manager Dave Roberts said surgery is a possibility, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports. Cody Bellinger is back in the lineup for the Dodgers on Thursday, while Zach McKinstry was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City to provide additional depth for the major-league club. |
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Jun 1 2022 | Pillar exited Wednesday's loss to the Pirates after his left shoulder briefly popped out, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar went 1-for-1 with a double, a walk and a run before leaving the contest after the fifth inning. The severity of the injury remains unclear, and the veteran outfielder will be further evaluated Thursday. He's made four starts since having his contract selected by the Dodgers over the weekend, but Cody Bellinger (hip) is expected to rejoin the lineup Thursday versus the Mets, so Pillar was likely headed for a reduced role regardless of his injury. |
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May 28 2022 | Pillar's contract was selected by the Dodgers on Saturday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar has carved out a career by combining a below-average but passable bat with strong outfield defense, but he's fallen off a bit on the defensive side in his early thirties, which explains why he failed to win a roster spot in spring training. On a contender, he fits best as a bench player at this point in his career. That's presumably the role he'll fill during his time on the roster, though he could earn starts against lefties. Max Muncy (elbow) hit the injured list in a corresponding move, so Pillar's presence could help the Dodgers use utility players Gavin Lux and Chris Taylor in the infield more often. |
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Apr 4 2022 | The Dodgers reassigned Pillar to minor-league camp Monday, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar looks to be a victim of the Dodgers using 16 of their 28 active roster spots on pitchers heading into Opening Day, as he won't be included in a projected three-man bench that includes catcher Austin Barnes, corner infielder Edwin Rios and utility man Hanser Alberto. That being said, Pillar should be the top candidate for a call-up if the Dodgers should lose an outfielder at any point early in the campaign, though don't expect him to stick around at Triple-A Oklahoma City all season if a promotion doesn't come by the summer. His minor-league contract contains an opt-out date of June 1. |
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Nov 4 2021 | Pillar became a free agent Thursday after his mutual contract option was declined, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar appeared in 124 games during his first season with the Mets and hit .231 with 15 home runs, 47 RBI, 40 runs and four stolen bases. However, he'll seek out other opportunities ahead of his age-33 season in 2022. |
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Sep 22 2021 | Pillar will start in right field and bat eighth Wednesday against the Red Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar will draw his second start in a row while Michael Conforto gets a breather, but Pillar was on the bench for the proceeding three contests and looks poised to finish the season as New York's fourth outfielder. Following Brandon Nimmo's recent return from the injured list, the Mets are likely to roll out a starting outfield of Jeff McNeil, Nimmo and Conforto from left to right more often than not. |
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Sep 15 2021 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with a single and a solo homer in Wednesday's 11-4 loss to the Cardinals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar smacked his 15th homer of the season off Jon Lester in the sixth inning Wednesday. The 32-year-old is now hitting .277 with three home runs in September, well above his season average of .222. |
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Sep 8 2021 | Pillar will start in center field and bat seventh Wednesday against the Marlins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He'll remain in the lineup for the fourth game in a row, and Pillar appears set to operate as the Mets' primary center fielder while Brandon Nimmo (hamstring) is on the shelf. Since Nimmo was moved to the injured list Sept. 4, Pillar has gone 5-for-15 with two home runs, two walks, six RBI and a stolen base. |
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Sep 5 2021 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with a grand slam, a walk and a stolen base in Sunday's 13-6 win over Washington. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The outfielder had already put together a productive day at the plate before he swatted a grand slam in the ninth inning to make the Mets' lead more comfortable. Pillar has gone yard four times in his last seven contests. He's up to 14 homers, 39 RBI, 35 runs scored and four stolen bases while slashing .224/.265/.422 through 283 plate appearances. |
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Sep 4 2021 | Pillar went 3-for-5 with two doubles, a run scored and two RBI in Friday's 6-2 extra-inning win over the Nationals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He supplied one of the key hits during a four-run rally in the top of the 10th inning, driving in Pete Alonso and Michael Conforto with his second two-bagger of the night. Pillar remains stuck in a part-time role, but he's feasted on Nats pitching over the last week, going 6-for-12 with two homers, two doubles, a steal, four RBI and five runs in three starts against the Mets' NL East rivals. |
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Aug 29 2021 | Pillar went 1-for-4 with a stolen base and a run scored in Sunday's 9-4 win over Washington. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The outfielder hit a single, stole second and scored on a Dominic Smith single in the sixth inning. Pillar is now slashing .212/.253/.388 with 12 home runs, 31 RBI, 32 runs scored and three stolen bases through 269 plate appearances. He's likely to serve on the short side of a platoon with either Smith or Jeff McNeil in left field. |
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Aug 28 2021 | Pillar went 2-for-3 with two solo home runs and three runs scored in Saturday's 5-3 win over the Nationals. He was also hit by a pitch. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar took Nationals' starter Sean Nolin deep twice for a pair of solo shots Saturday night. He also came around to score after being beaned by Ryne Harper in the seventh. The Mets and fantasy managers alike are hoping that the two homers snap the outfielder out of his sleepy summer, as the 32-year-old is hitting .185 since the start of July. |
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Aug 19 2021 | Pillar went 1-for-2 with a three-run home run in Wednesday's 6-2 extra-innings win over the Giants. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Entering the game to play left field as part of a double switch in the ninth inning, Pillar flied out in his first trip to the plate before depositing a Tyler Chatwood pitch over the left-center field fence in the 12th for the game-winning blast. The veteran outfielder hadn't gone yard since July 19, and on the season Pillar is slashing only .212/.246/.373 with 10 homers and 29 RBI through 252 plate appearances. |
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Aug 9 2021 | Pillar struck out in his pinch-hit appearance during Sunday's 3-0 loss to the Phillies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar has moved into a reserve role since the All-Star break with the Mets returning to full strength in the outfield, but even before losing out on steady playing time, his performance at the plate had begun to dip. Perhaps unsurprisingly, his production hasn't improved much while his at-bats have become more sporadic. Dating back to June 17, Pillar is slashing .165/.196/.291 with a 29 percent strikeout rate. His season-long batting average has plummeted nearly 40 points (to .212) during his prolonged slump. |
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Jul 20 2021 | Pillar went 1-for-2 with a three-run home run and a second run scored in Monday's 15-11 extra-innings win over the Reds. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After entering the game as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning and making the final out, Pillar stuck around and scored as the phantom runner in the 10th before finally putting the game out of reach with his blast off Ryan Hendrix in the 11th. The homer was Pillar's first since June 27 and his ninth of the year. With the Mets' outfield now at full strength again, the veteran will likely see use mostly as a platoon option against left-handed pitching. |
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Jul 18 2021 | Pillar is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates, Justin Toscano of The Bergen Record reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar has been a mainstay in the lineup for most of the season while the Mets have contended with a slew of injuries, but now that Brandon Nimmo, Michael Conforto and Dominic Smith are all healthy, Pillar has settled into a fourth-outfielder role. He'll be on the bench for a fifth straight game Sunday and may only be in store for one or two starts per week against left-handed pitching now that New York is at full strength in the outfield. |
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Jun 27 2021 | Pillar went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Sunday's 4-2 loss to Philadelphia. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The outfielder has homered in consecutive games, and he's gone deep six times in 25 June games. Pillar is slashing .231/.272/.431 with eight long balls, 20 RBI, 21 runs scored and a pair of stolen bases through 169 plate appearances. Brandon Nimmo (finger) is expected to return Tuesday after a nearly two-month absence, which could limit Pillar to the fourth outfielder role going forward. |
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Jun 26 2021 | Pillar isn't starting Saturday's game against the Phillies, Tim Healey of Newsday reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar will retreat to the bench after he went 0-for-16 with four strikeouts across the last five games. Albert Almora will start in center field and bat eighth. |
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Jun 20 2021 | Pillar went 1-for-2 with a solo home run, a walk and a strikeout in Sunday's 5-2 loss to the Nationals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar tied Sunday's game with his home run in the second inning, but the Mets' offense was unable to keep up during the rest of the contest. The 32-year-old is now hitting .243 with six homers, 19 runs and 18 RBI in 2021. He also has four of those six homers since returning May 31 following a scary beaning to the face that put him on the injured list with a broken nose. |
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Jun 19 2021 | Pillar isn't starting Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader against the Nationals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar will be out of the lineup for a second straight game after he went 2-for-11 with a home run, a double, two RBI and two runs across the last three contests. Mason Williams will start in center field and bat seventh. |
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Jun 18 2021 | Pillar is out of the lineup Friday at Washington, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar will receive a day off after starting the past nine games and posting a .915 OPS with three homers, three doubles, eight RBI and six runs during that stretch. Mason Williams will start in center field in Friday's series opener. |
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Jun 16 2021 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBI, two runs scored and a double Wednesday against the Cubs. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar delivered a multi extra-base hit effort for the second time in his last seven starts. He took Cory Abbott yard for a solo home run in the fifth inning to record his fifth home run of the season. Three frames earlier, Pillar got the Mets on the board with an RBI double. Pillar now has eight RBI in his last seven starts, though he could be in line to lose playing time as Michael Conforto (hamstring) and Brandon Nimmo (finger) close in on a return to the field. |
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Jun 9 2021 | Pillar went 3-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI in Wednesday's win over the Orioles. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar is not known for his power, but he made a big impact at the plate in this one -- he blasted a three-run shot off Matt Harvey in the third inning and later added a solo shot in the eighth off reliever Mac Sceroler. The slick-fielding outfielder has hit safely in just three of the Mets' last seven games, but he's recorded at least two knocks in each one of those contests. |
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Jun 6 2021 | Pillar is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Padres. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar will get a breather after going 4-for-19 while starting in the outfield in each of the Mets' last four games. So long as the Mets remain without both Brandon Nimmo (finger) and Michael Conforto (hamstring), Pillar should be locked into a near-everyday role. |
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May 31 2021 | Pillar (nose) will remain out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Diamondbacks, despite being activated from the 10-day injured list earlier in the day. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: According to Tim Healey of Newsday, Fargas' surgically repaired nose remains broken and won't fully heal for 3-to-5 more weeks, so he plans to wear a protective mask in the outfield and on the bases -- but not at the plate -- to ensure optimal healing. Though Pillar was able to convince the Mets' brass he felt well enough to play, the team plans to ease the 32-year-old back into the mix. He may end up resting for another game or two before the Mets break Pillar back into an everyday role while fellow outfielders Brandon Nimmo (finger) and Michael Conforto (hamstring) remain without clear return dates. |
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May 30 2021 | Pillar (nose) is expected to be activated from the 10-day injured list during the upcoming week, Buster Olney of ESPN reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 32-year-old resumed light baseball activities Monday and has apparently progressed well over the past week after undergoing surgery for multiple facial fractures in his nose. Pillar may wear a protective mask on his face while playing the field upon his return. |
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May 23 2021 | Pillar (nose) is expected to begin participating in "light activities" Monday, Tim Healey of Newsday reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 32-year-old underwent surgery to address multiple facial fractures in his nose Friday, and he's set to resume workouts only three days later. Pillar figures to ramp things up slowly, so he shouldn't be expected to return from the injured list when eligible Friday. |
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May 21 2021 | Pillar underwent surgery to repair his broken nose Friday, Tim Healey of Newsday reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar suffered multiple nasal fractures after getting hit in the face by a pitch Monday. He's on the 10-day injured list and won't be able to resume baseball activities for another 10-to-14 days, placing his expected return date still several weeks away. |
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May 18 2021 | Pillar (nose) will undergo surgery next week and can resume baseball activities 10-to-14 days after the procedure, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 32-year-old suffered multiple fractures to his nose when struck by a pitch in the face Monday, and he'll need to wait for the swelling to subside before undergoing the necessary surgery. Pillar's return timetable will depend on when he actually goes under the knife, but he can safety be ruled out for the next few weeks given the initial timeline. |
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May 17 2021 | Pillar (face) is at a local hospital undergoing a CT scan, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The team won't know more about Pillar's injury until the results of the CT scan come back. |
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May 12 2021 | Pillar went 1-for-4 with a two-RBI triple during Wednesday's 7-1 win against Baltimore. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 32-year-old brought home the first two runs of the game with a triple during the second inning, but he was quiet offensively the rest of the afternoon. Pillar is 14-for-41 (.342 average) in his past 10 games and should continue seeing regular time in center field until Brandon Nimmo (finger) returns from the injured list. |
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May 6 2021 | Pillar went 1-for-4 with a stolen base and a walk in the 4-1 win Thursday over the Cardinals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar stole second base in the second inning after hitting a single. The 32-year-old is regarded as a double-digit steal threat each year. In addition to a pair of steals, he has two home runs, five RBI and seven runs in 50 plate appearances. |
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May 3 2021 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and a second run scored in Monday's 6-5 loss to the Cardinals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: All the scoring in the game came in the first three innings, with Pillar's blast off Adam Wainwright marking the last gasp for the Mets offense. The veteran outfielder has homered in back-to-back games for his only two homers (and only three RBI) of the season, boosting his slash line to .229/.270/.400 through 16 contests. |
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May 2 2021 | Pillar went 3-for-5 with a solo home run in the 8-7 win over the Phillies on Sunday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar homered off Brandon Kintzler in the eighth inning to start the big six-run inning. Pillar has had a rough start this season. Not only was it his first home run this season and as a Met, his three hits Sunday matched his prior season total. Before his three-hit game, he had a brutal slash line of .111/.172/.111. His batting average is up to .194 now and he has an OPS of .533. |
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Apr 23 2021 | Pillar got the start in center field and hit eighth during Thursday's loss to the Cubs, going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The focus of the Mets' overall offensive malaise has been on some of the team's bigger names, but Pillar has done very little with his own occasional opportunities. The veteran outfielder has gone 2-for-22 (.091) with one stolen base and three runs scored but zero homers or RBI. He's started the last two games while Brandon Nimmo deals with hip stiffness. Expect Pillar to get bumped back to the bench as soon as Nimmo is healthy. |
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Mar 26 2021 | Pillar has gone 11-for-34 (.324) this spring with two doubles, two triples, two stolen bases on three attempts and a 4:8 BB:K. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran outfielder will likely be a platoon option and defensive replacement this season for the Mets, primarily slotting into the starting lineup against lefties, but Pillar could have fantasy value in NL-only and daily formats in that role. He posted career highs in all three triple slash categories (.288/.336/.462) in 2020, and over the last two seasons Pillar has a .353 wOBA and 119 RC+ against LHP. |
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Feb 15 2021 | Pillar agreed to a one-year, $5 million contract with New York on Monday, Andy Martino of SNY.tv reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The two sides were said to be in serious talks earlier in the evening, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network, and an agreement has since been reached. Pillar will provide the Mets with outfield depth and figures to also see plenty of starting opportunities. He has the flexbility to play all three outfield positions, though he's played primarily in center and right field throughout his big-league career. |
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Sep 26 2020 | Pillar went 3-for-4 with two doubles, three RBI and a run scored in Friday's 11-5 loss to the Diamondbacks. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar went hitless in the first game of Friday's twin bill against Arizona, but he bounced back quickly and posted a three-hit performance during the nightcap -- it was the eighth time he accomplished that feat in Colorado's last 13 games. The center fielder is hitting a robust .412 with a 1.013 OPS during that stretch. |
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Sep 23 2020 | Pillar went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, a run, an RBI and two stolen bases Tuesday in the Rockies' 5-2 loss to the Giants. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After slashing .387/.406/.452 in nine games during the Rockies' recent homestand, Pillar has continued to remain hot at the dish during the team's season-ending road trip. He's produced four hits through the first two games of the series in San Francisco, and the two steals were especially useful for fantasy managers trying to make up ground in that category. As one of the hotter hitters in the Colorado lineup, Pillar should continue to play regularly over the final week of the season as the Rockies chase down a long-shot playoff bid. |
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Sep 21 2020 | Pillar went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in Monday's 7-2 win over the Giants. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar hit his second homer for the Rockies in the third inning, giving them a 3-0 lead at the time. He's been excellent in his last eight games, going 13-for-31 (.419) with three RBI and six runs scored in that span. The outfielder has six homers, 22 RBI, 31 runs scored and three stolen bases in 48 games between the Rockies and the Red Sox in 2020. |
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Sep 20 2020 | Pillar went 2-for-3 with a double Saturday in the Rockies' 6-1 loss to the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar has seized an everyday day role since joining the Rockies at the trade deadline Aug. 31. Through 16 games with the club, Pillar is batting .293, with his average climbing of late on the back of three multi-hit games in a row. He'll look to extend that streak in the series finale Sunday, when he'll bat second while serving as Colorado's designated hitter. |
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Sep 11 2020 | Pillar went 1-for-4 with a stolen base in Friday's 8-4 win over the Angels. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar picked up his second steal in nine games with the Rockies. The outfielder is slashing just .200/.243/.343 in 35 at-bats since he was traded from the Red Sox. He has three steals, five homers, 19 RBI and 25 runs scored in 39 contests this year. With David Dahl back from a back injury, Pillar will need to improve at the plate to see consistent playing time. |
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Sep 4 2020 | Pillar went 1-for-4 with a grand slam during Friday's loss at Dodger Stadium. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Trailing 5-2 in the eighth, Pillar smacked a grand slam against Caleb Ferguson to give the Rockies the lead. It was the fifth long ball of the season for veteran outfielder, who was traded to Colorado on Aug. 31. In his first three games with his new squad, Pillar is 3-for-12 with six RBI. |
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Sep 2 2020 | Pillar went 2-for-5 with a triple, two runs, two RBI and a stolen base in Wednesday's 9-6 win over the Giants. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran outfielder went 0-for-3 in his Colorado debut Tuesday, but he had a much more productive showing Wednesday. Pillar has a .272/.321/.472 slash line with four homers, seven doubles, three triples, 15 RBI and two stolen bases in 32 games this season. |
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Aug 31 2020 | Pillar was traded from the Red Sox to the Rockies on Monday in exchange for a player to be named later, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar saw heavy playing time in Boston's outfield while slashing .274/.325/.470 with 13 extra-base hits, 20 runs and 13 RBI to begin the season. He'll now get to play his home games at hitter-friendly Coors Field. He should continue to see heightened playing time in Colorado. |
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Aug 29 2020 | Pillar went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, an additional run scored and a triple in Saturday's 5-3 win over the Nationals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar's first run came after his second-inning triple, as he was able to score on a Jackie Bradley groundout. Pillar later added an insurance run with his long ball in the fourth off Nationals starter Anibal Sanchez. The 31-year-old Pillar has four homers, 13 RBI, 18 runs scored and a stolen base through 29 games this season. He's added two triples and six doubles among his 30 total hits. |
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Aug 24 2020 | Pillar went 2-for-5 with a solo home run, a second run scored and a stolen base in Sunday's 5-4 loss to Baltimore. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar, batting leadoff against left-hander Wade LeBlanc, opened the game with a home run, then stole third base and scored again in the sixth inning. He opened the season as the fourth outfielder but has appeared in 25 of 29 games and is second on the team with 16 runs. His playing time could take a hit when Andrew Benintendi (ribs) returns, but given that the Red Sox will be sellers at the trade deadline, Pillar may be an attractive piece for a contender. |
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Aug 16 2020 | Pillar went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Sunday's 4-2 loss to the Yankees. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar got the Red Sox on the board with his third-inning solo shot, his second homer of the year. The outfielder has added a .313/.352/.507 slash line with nine RBI and 10 runs scored in 18 contests this season. He's hit safely in his last five games, going 8-for-20 (.400) with a homer, four RBI and four runs scored in that span. |
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Aug 13 2020 | Pillar went 4-for-5 with a run scored Wednesday in the Red Sox's 9-5 loss to the Rays. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar slotted in at the top of the order with lefty Blake Snell on the mound, but he'll shift down to fifth in the lineup in Thursday's series finale as right-hander Tyler Glasnow starts for the Rays. Though he opened the season as Boston's fourth outfielder, Pillar should be in store for a full-time role in the short term after Andrew Benintendi (ribs) was moved to the 10-day injured list Wednesday. |
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Aug 1 2020 | Pillar started in right field and batted leadoff in Friday's 5-1 loss to the Yankees. He went 1-for-4. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Per usual, Pillar was in the lineup against a left-hander, but this was the first time he's batted leadoff. Until now, Jose Peraza has been leading off against southpaws. The promotion in the batting order makes sense; Pillar has hit safely in five of six games, including two three-hit games, with a 1.117 OPS. |
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Jul 28 2020 | Pillar went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a run scored and an RBI in Tuesday's 8-3 loss to the Mets. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Getting the start in right field and hitting fifth with rookie southpaw David Peterson on the mound for New York, Pillar was one of the few Boston hitters to have any real success. The veteran outfielder is now 7-for-12 to begin the season with four of his hits (three doubles and a homer) going for extra bases, but despite the hot start his playing time will likely depend on how often Boston continues to face left-handed pitching. |
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Jul 27 2020 | Pillar started in right field and went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Sunday's 7-4 loss to Baltimore. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With the Red Sox facing a lefty for the second time in three games, Pillar was placed in the starting lineup. He had three hits in Friday's opener as a fill-in for Alex Verdugo in right field; Sunday, Verdugo moved to left field in place of Andrew Benintendi to make room for Pillar. However lineups and defensive positions shake out, Pillar is expected to start against left-handers, likely in right field, while Verdugo, Benintendi or Jackie Bradley are reseted. |
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Jul 25 2020 | Pillar started in right field Friday and went 3-for-5 with a double, three RBI and a run scored in a 13-2 win over the Orioles. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke made the surprising decision to sit lefty-hitting Alex Verdugo against left-hander Tommy Milone, opting instead for the right-handed-hitting Pillar. The decision proved to be a sage one. Verdugo slashed .327/.358/.485/.843 over 109 plate appearances last year, so it's hard to believe he'll be platooned after what the Red Sox sent to the Dodgers to acquire him. Pillar is expected to start whenever a lefty is on the mound, per Christopher Smith of MassLive.com, but he could replace Andrew Benintendi or Jackie Bradley, not just Verdugo. |
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Jul 20 2020 | Pillar and Jose Peraza are in consideration for the leadoff role against lefties, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Andrew Benintendi is expected to lead off against righties but may not wind up getting that assignment against same-sided pitching. A part-time leadoff role would boost Pillar's value, but he's likely to be on the bench against right-handers, which could limit his viability to deeper leagues. Additionally, with on-base percentages no higher than .303 in any of the last four seasons, it's not clear that Pillar is the best choice for the task. |
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Jul 2 2020 | Pillar is expected to be in the lineup whenever the Red Sox face a left-hander, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With J.D. Martinez expected to serve as the everyday designated hitter, the door is open for the right-handed hitting Pillar to be the fourth outfielder. That puts him in line to replace any of the three left-handed-hitting starters -- Andrew Benintendi, Jackie Bradley or Alex Verdugo -- against southpaws. |
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Mar 14 2020 | Pillar is batting .355/.394/.484 with four doubles and two RBI over 12 spring appearances. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar joined the Red Sox during the second week of spring training and was immediately penciled in as a reliable backup at all three outfield spots. When news broke that Alex Verdugo, who was acquired from the Dodgers in the Mookie Betts trade, may not be ready for the start of the season due to a stress fracture in his back, Pillar was presumed to be the logical fill-in starter in right field. Recent events leading MLB to push out Opening Day two weeks might give Verdugo enough time to be ready. In that event, Pillar goes back to being a backup and possible fill-in for center fielder Jackie Bradley, who has a history over extended batting slumps. |
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Feb 12 2020 | Pillar agreed Wednesday with the Red Sox on a one-year contract, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar likely profiles as Boston's fourth outfielder when the team is at full strength, but the shaky health of the newly acquired Alex Verdugo (oblique) could allow the 31-year-old to emerge as an Opening Day starter. While splitting time between the Blue Jays and Giants in 2019, Pillar posted a career-high .719 OPS to go with 21 home runs and 14 stolen bases, so he could have some appeal in mixed leagues if he ends up finding consistent playing time in a Red Sox lineup that still looks strong even with 2018 AL MVP Mookie Betts no longer in the picture. |
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Dec 2 2019 | Pillar was non-tendered by the Giants on Monday, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: In a surprising move by the Giants, Pillar will become a free agent after being non-tendered. He put together a .259/.287/.432 slash line with 21 homers, 88 RBI and 14 stolen bases over 161 games in 2019 and figures to draw plenty of interest on the open market. |
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Sep 29 2019 | Pillar is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Dodgers, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After starting each of the Giants' last 11 games, Pillar will be rewarded will a well-deserved breather as the team closes out its season. Though he's valued primarily for his aptitude with the glove, Pillar will wrap up his 2019 campaign with a career-high .720 OPS, buoyed by 21 home runs and 61 extra-base knocks in total. |
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Sep 28 2019 | Pillar went 0-for-2 with a walk, a stolen base, an RBI and a run scored in Friday's 9-2 loss to the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar provided about as robust of a stat line as a player could without registering a hit. The 30-year-old has put together his most complete fantasy season (.259 with 21 homers, 88 RBI, 83 runs and 14 steals) despite moving from a neutral home ballpark in Toronto to cavernous Oracle Park. Pillar will look to finish the regular season on a high note against a pair of scheduled southpaws this weekend (.831 OPS versus lefties in 2019). |
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Sep 18 2019 | Pillar went 3-for-5 with an RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base Wednesday against the Red Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar was productive early and often Wednesday, recording his RBI in the first inning prior to swiping his 12th base of the season two frames later. Though he has at least one hit in seven of his last eight starts, prior to Wednesday's big performance Pillar had managed only one RBI and three runs scored in that span. Overall, he's hitting .261/.287/.441 in 603 plate appearances on the season. |
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Sep 15 2019 | Pillar is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Marlins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar will receive a breather after starting the last 38 games, a stretch in which he slashed .313/.338/.511 with eight home runs, 23 runs scored and 23 RBI. Joey Rickard, Mike Yastrzemski and Mike Gerber will start from left to right in the outfield Sunday. |
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Sep 7 2019 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with a walk and a run scored in Friday's 5-4 win over the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar was moved up to third in the batting order for just the fifth time this season (all against southpaws). The 30-year-old is slashing a healthy .303/.331/.577 against southpaws this year, so it is a bit surprising that we are only seeing the outfielder in the heart of the order this late in the year. Manager Bruce Bochy's loyalty to his long-time veterans likely plays a role, but whatever the case, Pillar hitting higher in the order against left-handed starters will allow him to build on an already career-high 79 RBI. |
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Sep 4 2019 | Pillar went 4-for-5 with a home run and three RBI on Wednesday against the Cardinals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pillar took Giovanny Gallegos deep in the eighth inning to record his 21st home run of the season. It was his second long ball in his past four games, and fourth multi-hit effort in his past 11 starts. Pillar has quietly put together a solid campaign, as he now has 79 RBI, 73 runs scored and 11 stolen bases across 139 games. |
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Sep 1 2019 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer in Sunday's 8-4 loss to the Padres. | |
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Aug 27 2019 | Pillar went 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI and a run scored in Monday's 6-4 loss | to Arizona. |
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Aug 24 2019 | Pillar went 2-for-5 with a two-run double and a stolen base in Saturday's 10-5 win | over the Athletics. |
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Aug 21 2019 | Pillar went 1-for-5 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 12-11 loss to the Cubs. | |
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Aug 17 2019 | Pillar went 5-for-5 with three runs scored and one RBI in Saturday's 11-6 win over | the Diamondbacks. |
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Aug 16 2019 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with a pair of home runs and a walk in Friday's 10-9 win over | the Diamondbacks. |
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Aug 14 2019 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI in Tuesday's 3-2 win over Oakland. | |
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Aug 11 2019 | Pillar went 2-for-3 with a double and a solo home run in Saturday's 3-1 win over | Philadelphia. |
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Aug 10 2019 | Pillar went 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in Friday's loss to the Phillies. | |
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Aug 9 2019 | Pillar went 1-for-4 with a stolen base and a run scored in Thursday's 5-0 win over | Philadelphia. |
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Aug 7 2019 | Pillar went 3-for-4 with a double and a pair of runs scored in Tuesday's 5-3 loss | to the Nationals. |
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Aug 4 2019 | Pillar (hip/back) is starting in center field and batting sixth Sunday at Colorado, | Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reports. |
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Aug 3 2019 | Pillar (hip/back) will sit again Saturday against the Rockies, Henry Schulman of | the San Francisco Chronicle reports. |
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Jul 31 2019 | Pillar went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's 5-1 win over the Phillies. | |
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Jul 15 2019 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with a walk and an RBI in Sunday's 8-3 win over the Brewers. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jul 7 2019 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with a run scored in Saturday's 8-4 win over St. Louis. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jul 3 2019 | Pillar continued his recent tear, going 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles, an RBI and two runs scored in Tuesday's 10-4 win over the Padres. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jul 1 2019 | Pillar went 1-for-5 with a three-run home run in the Giants' 13-2 win over the Padres on Monday. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jun 30 2019 | Pillar went 4-for-5 with a home run, a double, five RBI and two runs scored in Sunday's 10-4 win over the Diamondbacks. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jun 30 2019 | Pillar went 4-for-5 with a home run, a double, five RBI and two runs scored during Sunday's 10-4 win over the Diamondbacks. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jun 23 2019 | Pillar went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's extra-inning loss to the Diamondbacks. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jun 22 2019 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with a walk, a home run, two runs scored and four RBI in Friday's 11-5 win over the Diamondbacks. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jun 16 2019 | Pillar went 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI and a run scored in Saturday's 8-7 win over the Brewers. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jun 14 2019 | Pillar went 3-for-3 with a solo home run, two runs scored, and two stolen bases in Friday's 5-3 win over the Brewers. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jun 12 2019 | Pillar went 1-for-4 with a home run in Wednesday's win over the Padres. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jun 11 2019 | Pillar will head to the bench for Tuesday's game against the Padres, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jun 2 2019 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two runs Saturday in the Giants' 8-2 win over the Orioles. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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May 22 2019 | Pillar went 1-for-4 with an RBI, a stolen base and a run scored in Tuesday's comeback win over the Braves. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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May 10 2019 | Pillar isn't in Friday's starting lineup against the Reds, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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May 8 2019 | Pillar went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's 14-4 win over the Rockies. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jul 23 2018 | The Blue Jays announced Monday that Pillar (collarbone) has regained his full range of motion and is out of his sling, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports. | Prior to Toronto's game against Minnesota on Monday, Pillar was able to run around the outfield and threw for the first time since suffering this injury July 14. Since the timetable for his recovery was set at 4-to-6 weeks, the center fielder still has a ways to go before returning to the fold, though this was obviously a step in the right direction. |
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Jul 15 2018 | Pillar is expected to miss approximately 4-to-6 weeks after suffering a sternoclavicular joint sprain of his collarbone in Saturday's game against the Red Sox, Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com reports. | Pillar, who was placed on the 10-day disabled list Sunday, was spotted walking around in the clubhouse with a sling, which he'll require for the next week to stabilize the collarbone. According to Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca, the Blue Jays plan to re-evaluate Pillar at the three-week mark of his recovery, at which point he could be cleared to resume baseball activities. Pillar's absence will likely result in increased action in center field for the likes of Randal Grichuk and Dwight Smith, who was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo on Friday. |
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Jul 15 2018 | Pillar (collarbone) was placed on the 10-day disabled list Sunday, Mike Wilner of Sportsnet 590 The Fan reports. | Pillar exited Saturday's game after apparently sustaining the injury on a play in the outfield, and was diagnosed with a strain of his sternoclavicular joint on the right side of his collarbone. The 29-year-old had his arm in a sling in the Blue Jays' clubhouse Sunday, but there currently remains no official recovery timetable. |
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Jul 14 2018 | Pillar was diagnosed with a strain of his sternoclavicular joint on the right side of his collarbone Saturday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports. | Pillar will undergo X-rays and potentially an MRI after exiting Saturday's game. More information on his availability moving forward should surface following the release of his test results. |
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Jul 14 2018 | Pillar was lifted from Saturday's game with an undisclosed injury, Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com reports. | Pillar appeared to suffer the injury on a play in the outfield in the third inning. More news on his status figures to emerge in the near future. |
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Jul 13 2018 | Pillar went 4-for-5 with two doubles, four RBI and two runs scored in Friday's blowout victory over Boston. | Pillar delivered an RBI double in the second and a two RBI double in the third during a high-scoring affair at Fenway, as the Blue Jays would come out on top 13-7. After struggling through the first half of July (4-for-31 with one home run and four RBI prior to Friday's tilt) Pillar took a big first step towards turning things around with two games left before the All-Star break. |
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Jul 11 2018 | Pillar isn't in Wednesday's starting lineup against the Braves. | Pillar is slated for a day off after starting four straight games, going 3-for-14 with a homer and four RBI over that span. Randal Grichuk will move to center field, with Curtis Granderson manning right. |
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Jul 7 2018 | Pillar went 1-for-3 with a home run and three RBI in Saturday's 8-5 loss to the Yankees. | It's his eighth homer of the year but his first in almost a month, and Pillar had a dreadful .179/.200/.244 slash line over the course of his 21-game power outage. He's been streaky throughout his career, however, so Saturday's blast could be a sign he's ready to heat up again with the All-Star break approaching. |
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Jul 4 2018 | Pillar is out of the lineup against the Mets on Wednesday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports. | Pillar will receive a day off following seven straight starts, including a pair of 0-for-4 showings during the past two games. In his place, Randal Grichuk will man center field and bat seventh. |
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Jun 27 2018 | Pillar went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI in Wednesday's 7-6 loss to the Astros. | He's been stuck in a slump lately, hitting .132 (7-for-53) over his prior 14 games, so Wednesday's outburst was a sign that Pillar might be ready to return to his early-season form. His .249/.281/.412 slash line on the year is in line with his 2017 performance as well as his career numbers, however, so don't be surprised if the streaky outfielder continues his roller-coaster ride straight through the second half. |
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Jun 25 2018 | Pillar is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Astros, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports. | Pillar's off day is just his third of the season. Randal Grichuk will start in center field in his absence. |
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Jun 10 2018 | Pillar went 2-for-5 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored Sunday in a 13-3 win over Baltimore. | Pillar piled on in the fourth inning with a two-RBI single to push the lead to six. He also added a solo home run in the fifth. Pillar is in the midst of a modest four-game hitting streak, driving in five runs and hitting two homers over that span. The 29-year-old outfielder sits with six home runs and 25 RBI along with nine stolen bases through 62 games this season. |
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Jun 7 2018 | Pillar is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against Baltimore. | Pillar will receive a standard day off, his first since May 26. Since that date, he's hit just .108 with a .348 OPS and nine strikeouts in the past nine games. As he clears his head, Randal Grichuk will make a start in center field. |
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May 26 2018 | Pillar is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Phillies. | This looks like a mental break for Pillar, who is currently mired in a 1-for-21 slump. His defense figures to keep him in the lineup most days even if his offensive backslide continues. Curtis Granderson will man center field in Pillar's absence. |
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May 2 2018 | Pillar went 2-for-3 with two doubles, an RBI, a run, a walk and a stolen base in Tuesday's extra-inning win over the Twins. | Pillar has recorded at least one hit in eight of his last nine games, bringing his batting average up to .315 on the year. He now has 12 doubles, 15 RBI and 21 runs scored, while going 5-for-5 in stolen base attempts. Pillar is a career .266 hitter, so the average figures to come down a bit, but for now he's doing well and should continue to produce in the counting stats. |
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Apr 29 2018 | Pillar went 1-for-3 with a home run and two runs scored in Sunday's victory against the Rangers. | After hitting two home runs Saturday, Pillar hit his fourth of the year Sunday. He's been putting on a show at the dish lately and has gone 6-for-13 over the last four games, with each hit being for extra bases. Over 27 games this year, Pillar has hit .310 and stolen four bases. |
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Apr 28 2018 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with two solo homers in Saturday's loss to the Rangers. | The homers, which marked Pillar's second and third on the season, were the first since he went deep in the season opener. He's now collected five extra-base hits over his last three games (10 at-bats), raising his average from .287 to .309 and his slugging percentage from .425 to .536 over that stretch. |
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Apr 22 2018 | Pillar went 1-for-3 with a stolen base and a strikeout in Sunday's loss to the Yankees. | Pillar has only hit one home run this year -- compared to 16 in 2017 -- but he is now sporting a sparkling .304 average in 79 at-bats. Toronto's in the bottom 10 for stolen base attempts per game in 2018, but Pillar should still see substantial opportunities to swipe bags for as long as he's consistently getting on base. |
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Apr 18 2018 | Pillar went 3-for-5 with an RBI and a pair of runs scored in Wednesday's win over the Royals. | Pillar's now riding a nine-game hitting streak, hitting an even .400 in that span. After hitting a career-high 16 home runs last season, the 29-year-old has left the park just once in 2018, but he's now hitting .338 and has decent enough speed to merit a look in league's where he's still available. |
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Apr 1 2018 | Pillar went 3-for-4 and scored a run in Sunday's victory over the Yankees. | Pillar has wasted no time making an impact at the dish since the start of the season. He's recorded a hit in each of Toronto's first four games and put together his first multi-hit effort of the year Sunday, combining to go 6-for-13 (.462) in that time. Pillar has hit .264 in his career, so his batting average is bound to return to a more sustainable level. However, if he manages to maintain an improved average for an extended period of time, the 29-year-old could leverage his speed into increased productivity on the bases. |
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Jan 12 2018 | Pillar agreed to a one-year, $3.25 million deal with the Blue Jays on Friday, Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com reports. | This was the first offseason he was arbitration eligible, and Pillar will receive a raise of $2.7 million. In 2017, he slashed .256/.300/.404 with 16 home runs, 42 RBI and 15 stolen bases. Looking ahead, Pillar will once again provide durability, speed and a below-average bat, while starring in the outfield. |
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Sep 29 2017 | Pillar has left the club to join his wife, who is soon due to give birth, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports. | Pillar probably won't be placed on the paternity list. It's September, and the 40-man rosters often leave such transactions unnecessary. Though there's a chance he'll resurface Sunday, he likely will be home with his soon-to-be-expanded family while the Blue Jays' season comes to an end. He can be dropped in any league where owners will need someone for the weekend. |
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Sep 9 2017 | Pillar went 4-for-4 with a homer and two RBI Saturday against the Tigers. | Pillar crushed his 15th homer of the campaign in the sixth inning to give the Blue Jays a lead they'd never relinquish. Despite a few multi-hit games this month, he's slashing .259/.302/.413, and with just a single stolen base since August 1, he hasn't been doing fantasy managers many favors lately. |
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Sep 6 2017 | Pillar is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Red Sox. | Coming off Tuesday's 19-inning outing versus Boston, Pillar will have the night off. The Blue Jays don't play Thursday, so Pillar, who's hitting .286 with a .743 OPS over the last seven games, will likely return to action Friday against the Tigers. Teoscar Hernandez will start in center and hit second Wednesday. |
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Sep 2 2017 | Pillar went 3-for-5 with a double in Friday's 1-0 loss to the Orioles. | He very nearly got to play the hero in the ninth, as he led off the frame with a double off Zach Britton and advanced to third on a groundout, but then got cut down at home on a great play by Jonathan Schoop to send the game into extra innings. Pillar is now working on a seven-game hitting streak and is hitting .355 (22-for-62) over his last 17 contests. |
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Aug 27 2017 | Pillar is out of the lineup Sunday against the Twins, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports. | After reaching base at a .235 clip over his last four games, Pillar will head to the bench as the Blue Jays make room in center field for Ezequiel Carrera. Pillar is slashing an unremarkable .243/.286/.360 since the All-Star break, which could put him at risk of surrendering more starts to Carrera or one of the Blue Jays' September outfield callups if he's unable to show improvement at the plate in his subsequent appearances. |
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Aug 18 2017 | Pillar is batting sixth and playing center field Friday against the Cubs, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports. | He was left on the pine Thursday for a routine maintenance break, but Pillar will resurface for this matinee affair at Wrigley Field. Pillar has scuffled of late but still can help deep-league fantasy players with a useful combo of power (12 home runs this year) and speed (14 steals). |
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Aug 17 2017 | Pillar is not in the lineup against the Rays on Thursday, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports. | Pillar will receive a standard day off for the first time since Aug. 4 as Ezequiel Carrera draws the start in center. Since the All-Star break, Pillar is hitting just .219/.276/.324 with two home runs and eight RBI. |
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Aug 16 2017 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with a double, his 27th of the year, and one RBI in Tuesday's loss to Tampa Bay. | The center fielder appeared en route to a career campaign early in 2017, hitting .303/.352/.492 with seven homers, 30 runs and seven stolen bases through his first 45 games. In the 69 games since then, Pillar has slashed just .206/.259/.323 while posting a noticeably higher strikeout rate. He remains a solid option in AL-only leagues, but in mixed formats, there are better options than Pillar. |
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Jul 29 2017 | Pillar is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against the Angels. | Pillar receives a standard day off after starting the past eight days, going 3-for-29 at the plate during that span. In his place, Ezequiel Carrera draws the start in center, batting sixth. |
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Jul 20 2017 | Pillar is not in the lineup Thursday against the Red Sox. | The center fielder gets the day off for the series finale following six consecutive starts to open the second half of the season. Ezequiel Carrera will get the start in his stead, while batting seventh in the order. |
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Jul 3 2017 | Pillar is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Yankees, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports. | Pillar is just 2-for-21 (.095) over his last six starts, so he'll get the day off to clear his head. Ezequiel Carrera will start in his place in center field. |
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Jun 24 2017 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with a solo homer Saturday against the Royals. | Pillar blasted his ninth bomb of the season to tie the game in the seventh inning of a losing effort. Despite having hit a fair number of homers, his .254/.308/.416 slash line makes him a weak fantasy option. |
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Jun 22 2017 | Pillar is batting sixth and playing center field Thursday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports. | The center fielder was removed from the leadoff spot and hit the bench as the Blue Jays revamped their order Wednesday. Pillar probably will occupy sixth or lower moving forward, which makes his occasionally useful power-speed mix a little less valuable, though if this talented but erratic lineup gets going, he could benefit regardless. Of course, he'll need to turn things around in June, in which he's batting .173/.215/.267 in 79 plate appearances. |
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Jun 21 2017 | Pillar will no longer bat leadoff for the Blue Jays moving forward, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports. | Pillar is in the midst of a tough slump at the plate, slashing just .162/.205/.257 with five RBI and seven runs in 17 games (78 plate appearances) this month, so he'll slide down in the batting order for the time being. Jose Bautista, who is batting leadoff in Pillar's place Wednesday, will take over at the top of the order moving forward. If Pillar is able to regain his early season form at the plate (.301/.339/.505 triple slash in 25 April games), there is a possibility that he could return to his role as the Blue Jays' leadoff hitter. |
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Jun 21 2017 | Pillar is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Rangers, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports. | With Pillar receiving his first day off of June, Dwight Smith will draw the start in center field, while Jose Bautista climbs into the leadoff spot. After he was arguably the Jays' best hitter through the first two months of the season, Pillar has slumped mightily this month, batting an abysmal .162/.205/.257 with five RBI and seven runs. |
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Jun 7 2017 | Pillar went 1-for-4 with a home run, two runs and three RBI in Wednesday's win over Oakland. | Pillar made his only hit on the day count, taking Jharel Cotton deep for a three-run homer in the second inning. The blast extended Pillar's hit streak to a modest six games. He also scored the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th inning on Josh Donaldson's home run. Pillar sits in the enviable spot of the Toronto lineup, ahead of Donaldson, Jose Bautista and Justin Smoak, making him an attractive outfield option. |
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Jun 6 2017 | Pillar went 1-for-4 with a walk, RBI, and run scored Monday in Oakland. | The center fielder opened the game with a walk and scored on an ensuing double by Josh Donaldson. In the fifth, it was Pillar who stroked an RBI double, giving him 14 RBI and 14 two-baggers on the year. Pillar hasn't been the same hitter since a suspension derailed him in late May. Since returning from a two-game ban, the 28-year-old is hitting just .169 over 15 games -- Pillar hit .305 through 41 games before the incident. |
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Jun 4 2017 | Pillar went 1-for-3 with a walk and stole a base in Sunday's 3-2 win over the Yankees. | Pillar's now 9-for-14 in stolen base attempts this season, putting him on pace for a career-high 26 swipes in 2017. The Jays' leadoff man has cooled off a bit since a two-game suspension derailed his hot start, but on the whole, Pillar has been better than most expected. |
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May 31 2017 | Pillar is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's matinee against the Reds, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports. | Pillar has started the last nine games since returning from suspension and is just 2-for-25 at the plate over the past week. Ezequiel Carrera slides over to center field while Chris Coghlan takes over in left. |
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May 25 2017 | Pillar went 1-for-5 with a solo home run during Wednesday's win over Milwaukee. | The 28-year-old outfielder is 5-for-18 with a home run, a stolen base and three runs through four games since returning from his two-game suspension. Pillar is off to an excellent start to 2017 and is currently on track for a career year. He's sporting a .303/.353/.492 slash line with seven home runs, seven stolen bases and 30 runs. |
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May 20 2017 | Pillar (suspension) is starting in center field and batting leadoff Saturday against the Orioles, Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com reports. | Pillar is back in the Blue Jays' lineup after serving a two-game suspension for shouting distasteful remarks at Braves reliever Jason Motte during Wednesday's contest. The 28-year-old, who is slashing .305/.357/497 with six homers and six stolen bases this season, will line up Kevin Gausman in his return to the lineup. |
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May 18 2017 | Pillar was suspended two games by the Blue Jays after shouting distasteful remarks directed at Braves right-hander Jason Motte in Wednesday's contest, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports. | Pillar issued an apology to Motte and the team released an initial statement that disapproved of his actions, but they ultimately handed out a suspension anyway. Prior to the suspension, the 28-year-old was batting .305 with 27 runs scored and six stolen bases. If he begins serving the suspension Friday evening, he'll be eligible to return to action Sunday. Ezequiel Carrera, Darrell Ceciliani and recent call-up Dwight Smith seem to be in line for more playing time while Pillar is out. |
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May 16 2017 | Pillar said the difference in his offense this season has been an improve approach at the dish, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet reports. | Pillar's bat was dominant over five minor-league seasons (.324/.367/.479) from 2011-14, but that did not translate through his first three-plus MLB campaigns. However, he apparently found the remedy and is clicking on all cylinders this year, hitting .310/.364/.487 while ranking in the AL's top-10 for average, runs (25) and stolen bases (6). The center fielder is currently on pace to shatter most of his career-high marks. "I think I got away with a lot of stuff in the minor leagues," said Pillar. "Obviously guys' stuff isn't as good and more so the defense wasn't as good." The 28-year-old has employed more patience at the plate this year, something he admittedly lacked early in his big-league career. He's taking "a more definitive plan" into the box, and the impact has turned him into a valuable fantasy asset across all formats. |
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May 14 2017 | Pillar went 1-for-4 with a walkoff home run in the ninth inning of Sunday's win over Seattle. | This was the first walkoff home run of Pillar's career, and the outfielder continues to flourish in the leadoff spot for the Jay Birds. He sports an impressive .314/.369/.497 slash with 24 runs, five home runs and six stolen bases for the season. Those are serviceable numbers in the majority of seasonal leagues, and until Pillar shows signs of slowing down, he's worth a roster spot in the majority of fantasy settings. |
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May 8 2017 | Pillar went 2-for-3 with a walk, one stolen base, and a run scored in Sunday's 2-1 victory over the White Sox. | Pillar notched his 10th double of the season Sunday. He's now tied for second in the AL for two-baggers. The outfielder also ranks in the AL's top-10 for batting average (.313) and stolen bases (four). Pillar is off to the best start of his career, and he should be rostered in most (if not all) leagues. There's a good chance he'll cool down, but until then, there's no reason not to ride the 28-year-old while he's hot. |
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May 1 2017 | Pillar finished up April with a .301/.339/.505 slash line, including 12 extra-base hits (four homers), eight RBI and 13 runs. | The center fielder's number far exceed his career averages across the board. In a number of regards, Pillar's April was better than any month in his previous four MLB seasons. Last year, the 28-year-old's struggles at the plate early in the campaign cost him the leadoff spot. From the top of the order this season, Pillar has been the Blue Jays best hitter overall. Where this surprise ends up is up in the air, but fantasy owners have no reason to stay off the bus while it's running hot. |
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Apr 29 2017 | Pillar went 4-for-4 with a walk, two doubles, a solo home run and three runs scored in Friday's 7-4 loss to the Rays. | The homer was his fourth of the season and third in his last seven games, during which stretch Pillar is slashing .333/.412/.767. The Jays have had a brutal start to the year, but their center fielder has been one of their few bright spots. |
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Apr 19 2017 | Pillar went 3-for-4 with a pair of steals in Wednesday's win over Boston. | Despite doing that fine work at the top of the order, Pillar was unable to come around and score thanks to the failings of Toronto's middle-of-the-order sluggers. He's been one of the only guys who's producing, as Pillar's hitting a smooth .345, although he only has two RBI and three runs. The steals were also his first two of the season. |
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Apr 17 2017 | Pillar went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run, his first of the year, and a double in Sunday's loss to the Orioles. | The Jays turned to Pillar to fill the leadoff role for a third straight contest Sunday, and he rewarded the club with his best game of the season. The outfielder is riding a modest five-game hitting streak that includes a .385 (5-for-13) batting average when hitting first in the lineup. Devon Travis, who Pillar displaced atop the order, went a paltry 3-for 31 (.097) in his time at leadoff, so it looks like the latter will continue to see extra at-bats as the team's table setter. |
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Apr 14 2017 | Pillar is batting leadoff Friday against the Orioles, Mike Wilner of the Blue Jays Radio Network reports. | Pillar spent most of the season thus far toward the bottom of the batting order, and although he has only amassed a .242 batting average, manager John Gibbons will place him atop the lineup in an effort to jolt the Blue Jays offense into action. This could help Pillar garner a few more runs scored if he can maintain this position in the order. |
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Apr 1 2017 | Pillar turned in the best exhibition season of his career with a .345/.406/.500 slash line over 58 Grapefruit League at-bats. | The center fielder led the team in hits (20) and doubles (7) this spring while owning the best on-base percentage among the 17 players with 30-plus at-bats. Assuming he's healthy, Pillar is a lock for 550 plate appearances in a potent Blue Jays lineup -- albeit from the lower-third of the order. Volume alone should afford the 28-year-old a chance to contribute across many formats. |
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Mar 10 2017 | Pillar said he and the Jays organization hid the fact that he was playing with a "torn thumb" for a majority of last season's second half, the Toronto Star reports. | Pillar acknowledged that the torn thumb ligament -- an injury he suffered in early August while sliding into second base -- never fully healed last season, despite a short stint on the DL. "You don't want your opponent to know that you're hurt. If people knew that I was playing with a torn thumb, maybe they'd pitch me differently, maybe I'm not as effective. It wasn't the same as playing with two hands, but I don't use it as an excuse," Pillar said. The Jays' center fielder has never been known for his power at the dish, but the .333 slugging percentage Pillar posted after the 2016 All-Star break was significantly below the .401 mark he achieved during the campaign's first half. The 28-year-old says he's completely healthy now, and if Pillar's spring effort is any indication, it appears he's telling the truth. Through 18 Grapefruit League at-bats, Pillar is hitting .444/.500/.667 with four doubles. If Devon Travis (knee) begins the season on the DL -- and Travis is headed down that path -- Pillar may be the team's leadoff hitter on Opening Day. |
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Feb 10 2017 | Pillar will not suit up for Team Israel in the upcoming World Baseball Classic, Jon Morosi reports. | The consensus had been that Pillar would play in the 2017 WBC for Israel, but that is no longer the case. After hitting .278 with 12 homers and 25 stolen bases in 2015, the Jays' center fielder had a disappointing season last year (.266 with seven home runs and 14 stolen bases). His lackluster performance cost him the leadoff job, negatively affecting his plate appearances and opportunities to collect fantasy-worthy stats. If Devon Travis struggles atop the team's batting order this season, Pillar may get another crack at the job, but that's not on the radar just yet. His stellar defense will make him a mainstay in the Jays' lineup; however, the 28-year-old entering his fourth season is best-suited for deeper leagues as of now. |
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Sep 21 2016 | Pillar went 3-for-4 with a double and scored a run in Tuesday's win over Seattle. | It was Pillar's second straight three-hit performance, raising his average to .268, its highest mark since July 30, and identical to the 27-year-old's career batting average. He's enjoying September, hitting .300 while getting on-base more than 38 percent of the time, Pillar's highest OBP for any month this season. Tuesday's double was his career-high 34th of the season. |
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Sep 6 2016 | Pillar went 3-for-4 with a two-run double and a run scored in Tuesday's loss to the Yankees. | Pillar is known more for his defense, but he delivered with the bat in this one. He looked like the hero after his eighth-inning double gave the Blue Jays a 4-3 lead, but Toronto failed to hold on. Don't expect a repeat effort any time soon considering Pillar had driven in just one run in his previous nineteen games. |
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Sep 5 2016 | Pillar went 0-for-4 with a strikeout in Monday's loss to the Yankees. | It wasn't an enjoyable Labor Day for the outfielder. Not only did he have a forgettable day at the plate, Pillar also narrowly avoided a brutal collision with fellow outfielder Ezequiel Carrera late in the game. Since returning from the DL with a thumb injury, Pillar is 12-for-44 (.273) with a lonely RBI and six runs scored. The 27-year-old's elite defense keeps him locked in the Jays potent lineup, but his offensive production is average at best. |
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Aug 27 2016 | Pillar (illness) is expected to return to the lineup Saturday, Barry Davis of SportsNet reports. | Pillar was held out of action Friday night due to flu-like symptoms, but he appears to be feeling considerably better as of Saturday morning. Expect to see the outfielder in the lineup for the afternoon affair. |
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Aug 27 2016 | Pillar is back in the lineup Saturday against Minnesota, Barry Davis of SportsNet reports. | As expected, Pillar will return to the outfield after an illness kept him out of action Friday night. Pillar will get the nod in center, while Melvin Upton starts in left and Michael Saunders starts in right. |
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Aug 26 2016 | Pillar was scratched from Friday's lineup with flu-like symptoms, Mike Wilner of Blue Jays Talk reports. | Ezequiel Carrera was added to the lineup and will play left field, while Melvin Upton moves over to center. Consider Pillar day-to-day heading into Saturday's game against the Twins. |
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Aug 23 2016 | Pillar is in the lineup for Tuesday's matchup against the Angels. | Pillar, who was activated from the DL on Tuesday, will start in center field and bat seventh against Tyler Skaggs and the Angels. He'll be joined in the outfield by Melvin Upton and Michael Saunders. |
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Aug 23 2016 | Pillar (thumb) was activated from the disabled list Tuesday, Barry Davis of Sportsnet reports. | 15 days after going onto the DL, Pillar has been activated and is eligible to play Tuesday against the Angels. However, Pillar's numbers haven't been stellar this season, as he owns a subpar .261/.292/.385 line. With Pillar being activated, the Blue Jays have optioned Ryan Tepera to Triple-A Buffalo. |
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Aug 17 2016 | Pillar (thumb) could return to the Blue Jays on Tuesday against the Angels, Sportsnet's Shi Davidi reports. | The tentative plan is for Pillar to have a workout Friday with the team in Cleveland, then head out for a couple rehab games. Owners in weekly leagues could have him back for all of the Blue Jays' games next week, as they are off Monday, but it is still a pretty fluid situation, so make sure to monitor his progress this weekend. |
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Aug 15 2016 | Pillar (thumb) played catch and hit off a tee Monday, Barry Davis of Sportsnet reports. | Monday marked the first time that Pillar has hit since being placed on the disabled list August 8. Although Pillar says that he feels good, Toronto has yet to indicate when he'll return to the club. During his absence, Toronto has opted to go with an outfield of Darrell Ceciliani, Melvin Upton, and Michael Saunders. |
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Aug 8 2016 | Pillar (thumb) was placed on the 15-day DL on Monday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet reports. | Pillar jammed his thumb sliding into second base Saturday and was held out of action Sunday afternoon. While he's dealing only with a sprain, as opposed to a fracture, he'll miss at least the next two weeks, and team team recalled outfielder Darrell Ceciliani from Triple-A Buffalo to temporarily fill his spot on the roster. Ceciliani is in the lineup Monday, batting seventh and manning left field. |
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Aug 7 2016 | Pillar is nursing a jammed left thumb and is out of the lineup Sunday against the Royals, Barry Davis of Sportsnet reports. | Pillar hurt the thumb sliding into second base during Saturday's game, so the outfielder will be held out for precautionary purposes in the series finale. Manager John Gibbons said he expects Pillar to be ready to play Monday against the Rays. |
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Aug 5 2016 | Pillar is out of the lineup for Friday's contest against the Royals, Barry Davis of Sportsnet reports. | Pillar will get his first day off since July 3 as the club faces Dillon Gee in the series opener. In his place, Melvin Upton will take over in center while batting eighth. |
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Jul 30 2016 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with a pair of run-scoring doubles and four RBI overall in Saturday's 9-1 victory over the Orioles. | The 27-year-old outfielder drove in his season-high four runs in back-to-back at-bats. Pillar brought in Troy Tulowitzki and RusselL Martin in the fifth with a two-bagger to left and then brought in Michael Saunders and Martin in the seventh with a double to left. Pillar has reached safely in seven straight games, and has multi-hit efforts in three of his last five contests. He also now has double-digit RBI in three straight months, and is slashing .268/.300/.396 on the season. |
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Jul 27 2016 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI in Wednesday's loss to the Padres. | The center fielder went 5-for-12 with three extra-base hits in the series against San Diego, raising his average five points over the set. Pillar will face a tougher test in the upcoming series against Baltimore, who he's gone just 9-for-41 (.220) with 10 K's against this year. |
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Jul 25 2016 | Pillar went 3-for-4 with an RBI, run scored, and a stolen base on Monday against the Padres. | The three-hit day continues what has been a strong month for the centerfielder, one in which he's hit an even .300. Pillar has offered a little bit of power and speed this season, collecting seven home runs and eight stolen bases thus far. He hasn't quite lived up to the expectations of last season, but he should continue to play every day for the Blue Jays the rest of the season. |
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Jul 25 2016 | Pillar went 3-for-4 with two doubles, one RBI and scored once in Monday's 4-2 win over the Padres. | The center fielder's efforts added five points to his batting average, and gave him a total of 25 doubles on the season, just six shy of his career high from a year ago. If nothing else, Pillar is a role-model for consistency. Outside of a poor May, the 27-year-old has hit in the low .270s while posting nearly identical on-base percentages in April, June and July. Pillar has certainly left something to be desired in a number of areas this season, especially stolen bases, but he's putting together a solid 2016 as it stands. He's still better suited for deeper leagues and daily formats. |
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Jul 13 2016 | Pillar managed to hit .268/.299/.401 in 347 at-bats prior to the All-Star Break. | Pillar began the season hitting leadoff but mustered a paltry .198 in 86 at-bats atop the order. However, the center fielder has hit .288 outside of the leadoff spot and is safely entrenched in one of MLB's most dangerous lineups. Known more for his glove than his bat, Pillar has shown some pop this year with a career-high .133 ISO. Although he may be best suited for deeper leagues, the 27-year-old has proven to be a reliable source of production across a variety of formats. |
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Jul 10 2016 | Pillar went 3-for-5 with a run scored in Sunday's win over the Tigers. | He's on a nice roll heading into the All-Star break, putting together a seven-game hitting streak and hitting .361 (13-for-36) so far in July. Pillar's spot in the bottom half of the Jays' batting order has limited his fantasy production though, as he has just two RBI and four runs in July. |
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Jul 9 2016 | Pillar went 2-for-3 with an RBI double, a walk and two runs in Friday's 6-0 victory over the Tigers. | Pillar has been swinging a hot bat in July, with Friday's production extending his current hitting streak to five games. It was also the 27-year-old's second consecutive multi-hit effort, and brought his line in the new month to .333/.387/.370 over 27 at-bats. |
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Jul 3 2016 | Pillar is out of the lineup Sunday against the Indians, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet reports. | Pillar had started in each of the previous 39 games in a row, and even though the All-Star break is on the horizon, it appears manager John Gibbons didn't want to wait that long to give the outfielder a rest. Ezequiel Carrera will start in center field in place of Pillar, who could still be called upon as a pinch-hitter later in the contest. |
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Jun 16 2016 | Pillar went 3-for-5 with a pair of homers and three RBI in Thursday's 13-2 thrashing of the Phillies. | Up until quite recently, Pillar had been in the midst of a miserable campaign, but he's been busily resurrecting it lately. In the last 10 games, he's exploded for 17 hits in 41 at-bats (.415) with five homers; he hit just two long balls in his first 58 games this season. All of a sudden, thanks to this hot streak, Pillar's brought his 2016 OPS to .716, a near twin to last year's .713, albeit with a bit more power than on-base ability to it this time around. It's time to pluck him off the fantasy waiver wire if he's still kicking around and you need outfield help. |
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Jun 12 2016 | Pillar went 2-for-5 with a double, two runs scored, two RBI and his fourth home run of the season in Sunday's win over the Orioles. | The Blue Jays scored 25 runs in winning three straight over the O's, and Pillar did his part by collecting two hits in each of those victories. He's now hitting .310 (13-for-42) in June with two homers, six RBI and seven runs scored. |
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Jun 11 2016 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with two runs scored in Saturday's 11-6 victory over the Orioles. | The 27-year-old slotted out of the sixth hole, and continued the hot hitting that's already lifted his average 29 points during June. Pillar managed his fourth multi-hit outing in the last five games, and is hitting .500 (9-for-18) over that span. The next improvement fantasy owners would like to see him make is in the area of hard contact, as all but two of the aforementioned hits have been singles, giving him only a pair of extra-base hits in his last 37 at-bats. |
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Jun 9 2016 | Hitting fifth for the first time this season, Pillar went 2-for-3 with a walk and two-run triple. | Pillar has jumped around the Jays lineup all season in manager John Gibbons' attempt to get the offense rolling. Wednesday's triple was his second of the season, matching his career-total coming into the year. He's slashing .246/.279/.373 through 60 games and 228 at-bats. |
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May 20 2016 | Pillar is out of the lineup Friday against the Twins, Sportsnet's Barry Davis reports. | He is hitless in his last 17 at-bats, and is failing to match his 2015 production through six-plus weeks. Ezequiel Carrera will start in center field and hit eighth Friday. |
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May 15 2016 | Pillar (chest) is back in the lineup in center field and will bat leadoff Sunday against the Rangers, Barry Davis of Sportsnet reports. | The Blue Jays scratched Pillar from Saturday's lineup after he complained of chest soreness a couple hours before the contest, but he still manged to enter the game in the late innings as a defensive replacement. It appears his absence was only precautionary, so look for Pillar to be in line for a full slate of starts during the upcoming week. |
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May 14 2016 | Pillar (chest) has been scratched from Saturday's lineup, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet reports. | Pillar was a late scratch Saturday, being removed from the lineup card less than two hours from first pitch due to chest soreness. Ezequiel Carrera will take Pillar's spot in center field Saturday and he'll bat at the top of the order as well. Further information on the severity of Pillar's injury figures to be made available following Saturday's contest. |
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May 9 2016 | Manager John Gibbons said he's going to try a platoon system at leadoff. Pillar will hit first against lefties while Saunders, a left-handed hitter, will take the role against right-handers, the Toronto Sun reports. | Pillar hit leadoff to open the season, but after a terrible start, Gibbons moved him down to the bottom-half of the order in favor of Saunders. However, since Pillar's bat started to heat up, Gibbons had him batting leadoff again on Saturday with Saunders, who has also hit well batting leadoff, hitting in the No.7 spot. Pillar has hit .373 since April 17 with a .408 on-base percentage and .567 slugging percentage. |
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May 6 2016 | Pillar was 1-for-4 with a three-run home run as Toronto scored a 5-2 win over the Dodgers on Friday night. | After a game in the lead-off spot Thursday, Pillar was back in the six hole for this one. He's a gold glove calibre centerfielder, but he chipped in with a tie-breaking three-run homer in this one as he took JoeBlanton deep in the bottom of the eighth that provided the margin of victory. The defense is a huge asset to the Toronto pitching staff, but with a .296 average and two long ones to go with 12 RBI he has become a competent fourth outfielder for fantasy teams. |
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May 5 2016 | Pillar is leading off Thursday against the Rangers, Mark Zwolinski of the Toronto Star reports. | Michael Saunders is out of Thursday's lineup, allowing Pillar to jump from the seven hole to the leadoff spot. Pillar has been heating up at the plate, with seven hits -- four for extra bases -- over his last five games. If Saunders were to slip a little offensively, Pillar would be the obvious choice to lead off on a regular basis. |
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May 3 2016 | Pillar went 3-for-4 with a double while scoring the team's only run in Monday's loss to the Rangers. | Pillar's three-hit effort raised his average to .290, the highest it's been since Opening Day. In 48 at-bats as the leadoff hitter, the outfielder amassed just nine hits. Since moving out of the top spot, Pillar has accumulated 20 hits in 52 at-bats. With Michael Saunders excelling as the new leadoff man, and Pillar doing well elsewhere, it is unlikely he will regain the top spot in the foreseeable future. |
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May 1 2016 | Pillar went 2-for-3 with a double, solo homer and a walk in Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Rays. | The 27-year-old slugger finally broke through with the long ball in 2016, tagging an Enny Romero offering the seventh inning. Pillar's bat has been heating up as of late, and home run production had been the only missing element recently. He's hit .400 (10-for-25) with three doubles, a homer, four RBI and four runs scored over his last seven games, a span that's also included four multi-hit outings. |
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Apr 25 2016 | Pillar is out of the lineup Monday against the White Sox, Brendan Kennedy of the Toronto Star reports. | Despite three straight 2-for-4 games, Pillar will get the day off Monday to rest. Ezekiel Carrera will man center field and lead off while Pillar is resting. |
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Apr 17 2016 | Pillar will hit eighth in Sunday's game against the Red Sox. | Pillar owns just a .188/.235/.271 slash line from the leadoff spot this season, so manager John Gibbons decided to change things up Sunday, and moved Pillar down the order while inserting Michael Saunders into the top spot. It's not clear if the change is only temporary, but Pillar did excel in the eight hole last year, hitting .316 over 294 at-bats. |
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Apr 13 2016 | As the Jays' new leadoff hitter for 2016, Pillar is hitting just .219 with a .265 OBP through the team's first eight games. | Troy Tulowitzki, seemingly to only other option to bat leadoff, has been worse than Pillar up to this point, so the center fielder should have some time to figure things out. The 27-year-old could be an extremely valuable source of runs and stolen bases if he can start getting on base. However, his fantasy value would take a significant blow if he is unable to retain the top spot in the Jays' potent lineup. |
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Apr 5 2016 | Pillar, who made an outstanding catch in Monday's game against the Rays, is a leading candidate to compete for a Gold Glove Award in 2016, ESPN's David Schoenfield reports. | Pillar was a constant presence on the highlight reels in 2015. The 27-year-old could be in for a breakout season in 2016 -- aside from his defensive prowess, he takes over as the leadoff hitter for the best lineup in baseball. Pillar is a sneaky play in all formats, and if he is somehow sitting on your waiver wire, scoop him up. |
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Feb 26 2016 | Pillar is competing with Michael Saunders for the lead off spot, Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com reports. | The majority of Pillar's starts came in the seventh and eighth spots in the order in 2015, but if he can win the lead off spot he would see his fantasy value improve. Saunders owned a 13.9% walk rate in limited time last season, whereas Pillar only walked in 4.5% of his at-bats. However, due to Pillar's advanced batting average, they get on base at around the same rate. A bonus is Pillar's ability to swipe bases at a high level, which would allow him to get in scoring position more often for guys like Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, and Troy Tulowitzki. |
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Oct 1 2015 | Pillar is out of the lineup Thursday, SportsNet's Shi Davidi reports. | The Jays are resting all of their regulars Thursday with the division title in hand. Dalton Pompey will hit leadoff and play center field. |
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Sep 26 2015 | Pillar went 3-for-4 Saturday with two doubles, a run scored, two RBI and his 25th stolen base of the season. | He's solidified the Jays center field situation this year, hitting a solid .269/.306/.392, and Pillar has provided tremendous value to anyone who who scooped him up back cheaply back in March or April. |
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Sep 25 2015 | Pillar was 2-for-3 with a walk, a home run, and a stolen base in the Blue Jays' win over Tampa Bay on Friday night. | A Gold-Glove caliber centerfielder, his defense was his ticket to the majors, but he has quietly put together a very useful season offensively with 12 home runs and 51 RBI to go with a respectable .266 average and 24 stolen bases. |
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Sep 23 2015 | Pillar went 3-for-3 with a double and solo homer in Tuesday's 6-4 loss to the Yankees. | Pillar has now reached base safely in nine straight contests and has tallied four multi-hit outings in September. The 26-year-old has enjoyed a solid season in his first full campaign with Toronto, flashing an impressive combination of power and speed. Pillar has swiped 22 bags in 25 attempts while also tallying 26 doubles and 11 homers, and appears to be developing into a key piece of the Blue Jays' future. |
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Sep 12 2015 | Pillar is out of the lineup for Game 2 of Saturday's double-header, SportsNet's Barry Davis reports. | He went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts in the day game Saturday. Ezequiel Carrera will get the start in center field Saturday and hit seventh. |
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Sep 7 2015 | Pillar went 1-for-3 with a home run, a stolen base and two runs scored in Sunday's victory over the Orioles. | Pillar was the surprise story of spring training, but didn't fully seize the starting center field role until Dalton Pompey's struggles forced him into the lineup. He's now hitting for a .267/.302/.379 slash line with 10 home runs and 18 stolen bases, the latter of which leads the team. |
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Aug 24 2015 | Pillar went 3-for-5 with a RBI and two runs scored in Sunday's victory over the Angels. | Pillar's having a tough August, hitting for a .197/.250/.225 slash line, but went 6-for-15 with five runs scored in the weekend series against the Angels. While he's eighth in the American League in stolen bases with 15, he hasn't swiped a bag since July 21. |
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Aug 18 2015 | Pillar is out of the lineup Tuesday against the Phillies. | This marks a rare day off for Pillar, who will be out of the lineup for just the second time all season Tuesday. Ben Revere will take over in center field with Ezequiel Carrera slotting in as the starting left fielder. |
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Jul 22 2015 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with a double, two stolen bases and a run scored in Tuesday's victory over the A's. | After being a surprise starter out of Spring Training, Pillar has continued swinging a hot bat while leading the team with his 15th stolen base on Tuesday, which ties him for fourth in the American League. With a .275/.307/.404 slash line and excellent defensive skills, Pillar's spot in the Blue Jays' lineup isn't going away any time soon. |
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Jul 9 2015 | Pillar went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in Wednesday's loss to the White Sox. | Pillar now sports a .281/.312/.406 slash line and leads the team with 12 stolen bases. While his defense keeps him in the lineup regardless, Pillar continues to bolster the bottom of the Blue Jays' potent lineup. |
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Jul 5 2015 | Pillar went 1-for-4 Saturday with a solo shot, his seventh home run of the season. | He's been stringing together plenty of hits lately, pushing his batting average up to .281 on the season, but the homer is his first since June 21. Pillar's defense in center field and solid bat should continue to get him plenty of playing time. |
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Jun 24 2015 | Pillar went 1-for-5 with a pair of steals in Wednesday's win over Tampa Bay. | The Jays' center fielder has a dozen swipes now, and he's been swinging the bat well, with hits in nine straight. Pillar's got a combination of speed and modest pop that plays well in some fantasy formats -- with special thanks to the lineup around him - despite his difficulties getting on base consistently (.302 OBP). |
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Jun 19 2015 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with a RBI and a stolen base in Thursday's victory over the Mets. | After doubling his career home run total this season (from five to 10), Pillar has established himself as the club's top base stealer this season. In 11 attempts, Pillar has swiped 10 bags, which leads the team. Throughout his minor league career, he's always been a threat on the base paths, stealing as many as 51 bases across two teams in 2012 and 27 last season for Triple-A Buffalo. If he can keep getting on base, Pillar remains a threat to steal a base or two in addition to providing help in a number of other categories. |
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Jun 17 2015 | Pillar went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBI in Thursday's win over the Mets. | He may be better known for his defense, but Pillar has been a hitting machine in June, as he's now 20-for-52 (.385) with three homers, two steals, 14 RBI and 10 runs this month. Don't expect him to keep up that sort of pace, but Pillar was a good hitter in the minor leagues -- he posted a .323/.359/.509 line in Triple-A last year -- and is getting everyday playing time in the Toronto outfield. He's giving fantasy owners in a variety of formats reason to be interested. |
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Jun 17 2015 | Pillar is back in the lineup Wednesday against the Mets. | Pillar was given the night off Tuesday when the Blue Jays faced Matt Harvey and the Mets. He'll reclaim his spot in center field and bat eighth in the order against left-hander Jon Niese. |
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Jun 16 2015 | Pillar is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Mets, SportsNet's Barry Davis reports. | With the exception of a doubleheader June 2, Pillar hasn't been held out of the lineup since May 20. If he's not injured and is simply getting a day off, the timing is quite favorable, with Toronto facing Mets ace Matt Harvey on Tuesday. |
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Jun 15 2015 | Pillar went 2-for-5 with a RBI, a run scored and a stolen base in Sunday's victory over the Red Sox. | That's now three straight multi-hit games for Pillar, who raised his batting average to .251. He also is tied for the team lead in stolen bases with nine. While he doesn't have too much power and doesn't have a great slash line either, his speed and occasional pop makes him an intriguing value play. He seized an outfield role early on this season and his defense will keep him in the lineup every day for the surging Blue Jays. |
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Jun 8 2015 | Pillar went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs and his eighth stolen base in Tuesday's win over Miami. | Pillar now has four multi-hit games in his last six and has raised his OPS by 100 points in the past 10 games. He's still struggling at .245/.287/.366, but in a bare Jays outfield, he'll be given a chance to stay on a roll. |
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Jun 6 2015 | Pillar went 2-for-4 Saturday with a double, a run scored and two RBI. | He's now hitting a robust .414 (12-for-29) over his last eight games with three home runs, eight RBI and nine runs. Pillar won't keep up that kind of pace, of course, but as long as he's supplying some kind of offense, his spot as the Jays' starting center fielder should be secure. |
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Jun 3 2015 | Pillar went 3-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI in the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader, a 7-3 victory over the Nationals. | Pillar doubled his season's home run total from two to four and had his first multi-home run game of his career. After being benched for the opener, Pillar had a monster game, hitting what amounted to the game-winning home run in the sixth inning, a three-run blast. If he can carry this momentum into sustained success, he may have value in daily leagues, but for now, he still has limited fantasy value. |
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Jun 2 2015 | Pillar is out of the lineup for the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Nationals, Brendan Kennedy of the Toronto Star reports. | Pillar started each of the previous 10 games, and the Jays planned to rest him for Monday's contest, which was ultimately postponed due to rain. Pillar will likely rejoin the lineup for the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader, against early Cy Young favorite Max Scherzer. |
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Jun 1 2015 | Pillar is not in the lineup Monday against the Nationals, MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm reports. | Pillar has started the last 10 contests, so he'll get the day off as the Jays go with a starting outfield of Jose Bautista (right field), Ezequiel Carrera (center) and Chris Colabello (left). |
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May 30 2015 | Pillar went 1-for-3 Saturday with a walk and a solo shot, his second home run of the season. | He seems to be pulling out of his recent slump, and Pillar now has four hits and four runs scored over his last three games. His spot in the Jays' starting lineup is secure, if only due to a lack of competition, but if Dalton Pompey starts heating up in the minors, Pillar will need to pick up the pace at the plate. |
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May 30 2015 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored in a 6-4 win over Minnesota on Friday. | Pillar is hitting only .167 for the month of May, but Friday's performance gives him something to build on. He's a terrific defensive outfielder and he chips in some steals here and there, but Pillar's lackluster bat makes him primarily an AL-only fantasy option. |
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May 20 2015 | Pillar is out of the lineup Wednesday, SportsNet's Shi Davidi reports. | This would appear to be just a standard day off for Pillar, who has been playing everyday in center field. Ezequiel Carrera will get the start in center field and hit sixth Wednesday. |
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May 12 2015 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with a double, a stolen base and two runs scored in Monday's 5-2 loss to the Orioles. | After a bit of a slump, where Pillar went 0-for-11 in this past weekend's series against the Red Sox, he righted the ship with another multi-hit game. While his value is mostly derived from his defense, his .260 batting average may not be noteworthy to fantasy owners, but is a major asset to the Blue Jays. His lack of power and a low OBP gives him limited fantasy value, but he does have six stolen bases on the season and 12 extra-base hits. |
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May 7 2015 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with a run scored in Wednesday's 5-1 victory over the Yankees. | Pillar has been one of the biggest surprises for the Blue Jays as he continues to swing a hot bat while providing an excellent presence in the outfield defensively. He's hitting for a comfortable .277/.308/.402 slash line and should stay as the everyday center fielder for the foreseeable future. |
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May 2 2015 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with a triple, two RBI and a stolen base in Friday's 9-4 loss to the Indians. | Pillar is now riding a five-game hitting streak, going 9-for-20 (.450) over that span with three multi-hit games to his credit. Even more impressively, he has an extra-base hit in each of those games as well (four doubles and a triple). Pillar's defense has been nothing short of revelatory and he's swinging a hot bat as well. Pillar is an interesting pickup in AL-Only leagues and a good value play in daily leagues, particularly while he's on this hot streak. |
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May 1 2015 | Pillar will bat fifth Friday against the Indians. | Almost all of Pillar's at-bats this season have come in the bottom third of the order, but he got a start in the five-hole Wednesday and will get another Friday with Devon Travis (collarbone) on the bench. Pillar has posted just a .297 OBP and one home run to this point, but it looks like he'll continue to see regular playing time at least until Jose Bautista returns to the outfield, and perhaps beyond. |
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Apr 28 2015 | Pillar singled twice, doubled, drew a walk, stole a base and scored two runs in five plate appearances Tuesday against the Red Sox. | A productive game for Pillar, who's been a lineup fixture despite offering not much more than so-so offense thus far. Thanks to the five hits he's racked up in the last two days, Pillar is hitting .275, but he has just one homer, three steals and a modest .689 OPS to go with it. |
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Apr 15 2015 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs Wednesday in a win over Tampa Bay. | He's now hit safely in eight of nine games so far this year, so Pillar's doing his level best to make an impression and retain a good-sized share of at-bats when Michael Saunders returns. He's quite playable in deeper and AL-only formats. |
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Apr 15 2015 | Pillar went 2-for-4 with a RBI in Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the Rays. | Pillar now has a hit in seven of the team's eight games with two multi-hit games under his belt already this season. His .290/.290/.452 slash line has been one of the surprises of the season for the team as his average is second among qualifying players and he leads qualifying players in slugging percentage on the team. It will be interesting to see how his playing time is impacted by the return of Michael Saunders, who is currently recovering from a knee injury, but Pillar has staked his claim to as many at bats as the team can find for him. |
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Apr 13 2015 | Pillar hit his first home run of the season in the Blue Jays' 10-7 victory over the Orioles on Sunday. | Pillar has collected a hit in five of the team's first six games and has established himself as a fantastic defensive option. HIs strong start both in the field and at the plate makes the news that Michael Saunders had a setback in his rehab more palatable. Pillar doesn't usually have a big impact when it comes to counting stats, but if he's on the field playing every day, he has some, albeit limited, fantasy value. |
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Mar 31 2015 | Pillar made the Opening Day roster, Sportsnet's Shi Davidi reports. | With Michael Saunders (knee) expected to miss the first week or two of the season, Pillar should get some extra playing time in left field. Once Saunders is healthy, Pillar will likely be the fourth outfielder, which could still leave him with a good bit of playing time. |
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Mar 22 2015 | Pillar (oblique) is set to take batting practice on Sunday and then again on Tuesday before returning to the lineup on Wednesday, Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com reports. | Pillar was having a very good spring, hitting for a .269 batting average with a home run and a stolen base, before an unfortunate sneezing accident shut him down from baseball activities. With Michael Saunders progressing ahead of schedule, Pillar is fighting to be the fourth outfielder. If he does get that job, he still provides limited fantasy value as he doesn't pick up a ton of counting stats. |
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Mar 15 2015 | Pillar has a grade one strain on his oblique and will be shut down for a week, Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com reports. | Pillar, who is competing for the starting center field job, hit .267 with two homers and seven RBI in 116 at-bats for Toronto last season. This is a minor setback, but the team still expects him to be ready in time for Opening Day. |
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Mar 4 2015 | Pillar hit a two-run home run in the third inning of Tuesday's 8-7 loss to the Pirates. | Pillar is in a scrap for the at-bats vacated by Michael Saunders' injury in left field as well as vying for the starting center fielder role with Dalton Pompey. While it is hard to take anything real out of spring training statistics, Pillar is certainly putting pressure on his teammates and if he can keep up the strong production throughout the spring, he could see his name called on Opening Day. |
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Feb 16 2015 | Pillar will compete for the Blue Jays' starting center field job during spring training, the Toronto Globe & Mail reports. | Dalton Pompey might be the early favorite, but Pompey started last season at High-A Dunedin before finishing with the Jays in September. Pillar has more experience in the upper levels of the minor leagues, but it remains to be seen if the Jays view him as more than a bench outfielder at this point. Pillar carried a .323/.359/.509 line with 10 homers and 27 stolen bases at Triple-A Buffalo in 2014 (100 games), and there may be little left for him to prove in the minor leagues, so he'll likely stick as the fourth outfielder if he's unable to win the starting job. |
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Sep 24 2014 | Pillar is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Mariners, Barry Davis of SportsNet reports. | Pillar has developed into a regular for Toronto in left field, but will be out of the starting lineup for the third time this week. Dalton Pompey will fill in for him in left, batting sixth. |
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Sep 19 2014 | Pillar is not in the lineup Friday against the Yankees, John Lott of the National Post reports. | Pillar has been seeing frequent time in the Blue Jays' outfield this month, but he's failed to make the most of his increased opportunities, posting just a .267/.298/.333 batting line in 16 games. He'll sit Friday in favor of Dalton Pompey in left. |
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Sep 17 2014 | Pillar is not in the lineup Wednesday, SportsNet's Barry Davis reports. | Pillar has become something of an everyday player for Toronto down the stretch, despite sporting just a .270 OBP with a .333 SLG. John Mayberry will get the start in left field Wednesday. |
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Sep 14 2014 | Pillar is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rays, according to John Lott of the National Post. | Pillar started the last seven games in left field, but he will get a day off after going 0-for-5 over his last two contests. Colby Rasmus will enter the lineup Sunday in Pillar's place. |
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Sep 10 2014 | Pillar is in the lineup Wednesday against the Cubs, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet reports. | Wednesday will be the sixth straight start for Pillar, who has taken over left field duties since Melky Cabrera's season-ending injury. Pillar has filled in well, with three straight multi-hit games, and figures to remain the starting left fielder for the rest of the season. He doesn't carry much power or speed potential, but he's shown the ability to uphold a high batting average throughout his minor league career. |
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Aug 26 2014 | Pillar was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday. | Pillar has batted .323/.359/.509 with 10 homers and 59 RBI over 100 games with Triple-A Buffalo this season. He has also seen multiple short stints with the big league club, and Tuesday will mark his third of the season. Pillar will likely be on the team for the remainder of the season this time with the September roster expansion right around the corner. |
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Jun 25 2014 | Pillar was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday, Brendan Kennedy of the Toronto Star reports. | Since his call-up, Pillar covered left field for a half inning Monday and started in right Saturday, going a combined 0-for-3 with one strikeout. He'll yield his reserve outfield spot to Brad Glenn. |
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Jun 23 2014 | Pillar was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo on Monday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet reports. | The Blue Jays have a need for an outfielder due to the leg injury suffered by Jose Bautista on Sunday, and if a DL stint is required once results of an MRI are revealed, Pillar could receive everyday at-bats. On the year, Pillar has received just 37 at-bats with the big club, which he's utilized to record a .243/.237/.324 line with two RBI and six runs scored. |
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Jun 11 2014 | Pillar was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet reports. | Pillar had only seen light playing time in the outfield since returning to the big leagues in May, batting .243 over 37 at-bats. He'll head back to the minors with the Blue Jays needing to add some extra depth to their bullpen. |
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May 13 2014 | Pillar is starting in center field and batting ninth in the order Tuesday versus the Indians. | Pillar, who was called up in exchange for infielder Jonathan Diaz, will be thrown into the fray immediately. In 141 at-bats at Triple-A Buffalo this season, Pillar posted a .305/.344/.461 line with one homer, 19 RBI, 19 runs, and seven stolen bases (in seven attempts. |
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May 13 2014 | Pillar is expected to join the Blue Jays on Tuesday, Sportsnet reports. | Pillar is set to join the big club with Colby Rasmus dealing with a sore hamstring. It's not yet clear if Rasmus will require a stint on the disabled list, but the Blue Jays have just two other outfielders on the roster, so Pillar will likely see regular playing time at least until Rasmus resumes playing. |
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Aug 28 2013 | Pillar is not in the Blue Jays' lineup Wednesday against the Yankees, the National Post reports. | Pillar has tallied hits in six of the last eight outings, batting .292 (7-for-24) with one home run, five RBI, and two runs scored. In his stead, Rajai Davis will slide over to left field, while Anthony Gose mans center. |
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Aug 23 2013 | Pillar is out of the Blue Jays' lineup Friday in Houston, Sportsnet reports. | Pillar has started eight of nine games since his contract was selected on August 14. However, his move to the majors has not gone to plan, as he has tallied a mere two singles, one RBI, and one run scored in 25 at-bats. In his stead, Rajai Davis will move over the left field, while Anthony Gose mans center. |
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Aug 14 2013 | Pillar's contract was selected from Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday. | Pillar will likely slot into left field, while Rajai Davis moves over to center, with both Melky Cabrera (knee) and Colby Rasmus (oblique) residing on the DL. At 24 years of age, Pillar reached base with regularity at Buffalo and Double-A New Hampshire this season, totaling nine homers, six triples, 39 doubles, and 23 steals in 38 attempts. |
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