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Lux has been so many different players in his time in the majors that his most recent performance probably wasn't enough, even if it's been his best. He's definitely trending the right way, though.
Giolito's peripheral ERA stats suggest he hasn't be quite this bad, but he also hasn't had the same velocity, and that's always a big deal. His velo hasn't been down a troubling amount, necessarily, but it might be goofing with his changeup, which has been less effective. I'm probably not counting on him for anything the rest of the way and would just happily take whatever positives he provides. Long-term, I don't think he's cooked, just enduring a down year.
I'm kinda surprised he isn't up yet, but I've been surprised by a lot of prospect handling this year, in that teams seem to really need to be squeezed to call guys up, even if they appear ready (which we never really know) or the team has a need (like Milwaukee seems to right now).
I'm not aware of anything in the CBA discouraging call-ups now, only of the early season dates that impact years of control and super two. The Brewers are their own thing, though, and for the most part it's worked the last few years, so I almost want to trust them? I wish I had a better response for you.
Lewis was in a similar, if more interesting boat before his most recent injury, especially given how he actually made the majors and is only a few months older. If I have to pick one of the two, it's him, but I'm also probably looking elsewhere to use those roster spots. Neither has proven valuable/healthy enough to prioritize.
Love your writing, Tim! You give more imagery to your articles than most other baseball writers, and I appreciate that.
deGrom also immediately resumed being the best pitcher on the planet once he came back, with his stuff well intact. Even his human-looking starts are better than most everyone else's best ones. Like D’Angelo explains in The Wire, the king stay the king.
In more standard leagues that favor hitters the return is probably whatever top bat and pitching prospect you can get, but if settings slant more toward pitching, and can influence the league more directly, it's probably significantly more.
As for Lowe, I think it's fair to buy into what we're seeing: a guy who can make contact, which is at times loud, who is also slowly trending the right way toward an optimal batted ball mix. That would put him in a spot to be a very relevant first baseman at times down the line. "Star" is hard to define, but at least "solidly above average" is what I'd be expecting. As for whether their luster has worn off, yeah, probably, because people need to be immediately, if not constantly impressed, and so, so few players are capable of that.