Diamond Dynasty - May Topps Now Adds Lightning Rafael Devers

Chase Becotte

Published: Jun 7, 2022 03:30 pm

Coming off a somewhat disappointing end to the April Monthly Awards Program, SDS returns today with the first batch of May Topps Now players for the May Monthly Awards Program. SDS also unveiled Jim Rice would be a returning legend much like Andre Dawson was last month. The first week of Topps Now is always the largest, so we get five new players today: Topps Now Jorge Alfaro, Topps Now Merrill Kelly, Topps Now Colin Moran, Topps Now Jhoan Duran, and Topps Now Rowdy Tellez.

Topps Now May (Week 1)

Topps Now Jorge Alfaro
Topps Now Merrill Kelly
Topps Now Colin Moran
Topps Now Jhoan Duran
Topps Now Rowdy Tellez

This actually looks like a really nice set of cards to kick off the month. You start with a catcher who has really solid hitting stats and can even swing into LF if need be. The vision at 39 is not great, but he has a 98 arm and 73 speed. Alfaro is not going to be in the top tier, but I would put this card somewhere somewhere right outside the top 10 for best catcher options, and even higher if you appreciate a little speed and being a little different sort of catcher.

Colin Moran and Rowdy Tellez are both on the same rack in the department store, so it’s just about what style you want to rock. Tellez is better against LHP and has slightly better hitting stats overall, but Moran can fake it at 3B and in LF while still crushing the ball against RHP. Both are solid options to trot out for the ongoing Moonshot Event in either case.

With the pitchers, Duran has double Outlier, and I think the speed differentials should be enough to throw people off. And then with Kelly, he has a very meta pitch mix (sinker, cutter, change), but he might run into issues because the speed differentials are not very different. Still, I think he’s probably worth at least a spot start to get a feel for him.

Moments

May 4: Gettin’ Rowdy In Milwaukee
- Difficulty: Rookie
- Tally 2 XBH
May 5: Don’t Call It A Comeback
- Difficulty: Rookie
- Tally 1 RBI
May 6: Merriww Kewwy
- Difficulty: Veteran
- Pitch 2 innings
- Win 1 game
- Do not give up 1 run
May 7: Ronald Is Ready To Rock And Roll
- Difficulty: Rookie
- Hit 1 home run
May 7: Miggy Joins Elite Company
- Difficulty: Rookie
- Tally 1 XBH
May 7: That’ll Get You Outlier
- Difficulty: Veteran
- Strike out 4 batters
- Pitch 2 innings
- Win 1 game
- Do not give up 1 run
May 8: Mother’s Day Magic
- Difficulty: Rookie
- Hit 1 home run
May 8: Moran Hits It A Mile
- Difficulty: Rookie
- Hit 1 home run

Topps Now May (Week 2)

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After you collect the first eight Topps Now players, you can collect Josh Naylor:

Moments

May 9: Naylor Puts The Team On His Back
- Difficulty: Rookie
- Hit 1 home run
May 10: Detmers Tosses No-Hitter
- Difficulty: Rookie
- Pitch 2 innings
- Do not give up 1 hit
May 14: The Unlikely Hero
- Difficulty: Rookie
- Hit 1 home run
May 14: Clutch Gene Doesn’t Sleep
- Difficulty: Rookie
- Hit 1 home run
May 15: Pirates Win Without A Hit
- Difficulty: Veteran
- Pitch 1 inning
- Do not give up 1 run
May 15: Back Against The Wall
- Difficulty: Rookie
- Tally 1 XBH
- Tally 2 RBI

Topps Now May (Week 3)

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After you collect the first 11 Topps Now players, you can collect Josh Rojas:

Moments

May 19: Trevor’s Storybook Performance
- Difficulty: Rookie
- Tally 6 total bases
May 20: Rojas Is Red Hot
- Difficulty: Rookie
- Hit 1 home run
May 20: This Game Is Odor
- Difficulty: Rookie
- Hit 1 home run
May 21: Adley Has Arrived
- Difficulty: Rookie
- Tally 1 XBH
May 21: Serven Up Homers
- Difficulty: Rookie
- Hit 1 home run
May 22: Flashy Franchy
- Difficulty: Rookie
- Hit 1 home run

Topps Now May (Week 4)

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Moments

May 23: Goldy Called Game
- Difficulty: Rookie
- Hit 1 home run
May 24: Joc Makes A Splash Landing
- Difficulty: Rookie
- Tally 6 total bases
May 25: Burgatron 3-RBI Combo
- Difficulty: Rookie
- Hit 1 home run
May 26: Farm To Table
- Difficulty: Rookie
- Tally 2 XBH
May 28: The Liberatore
- Difficulty: Veteran
- Pitch 2 innings
- Do not give up 1 run
May 29: More Like The Fair Pole
- Difficulty: Rookie
- Hit 1 home run

Rewards

4 points – The Show pack
6 points – 500 stubs
8 points – Topps Now Jorge Alfaro
10 points – Topps Now Merrill Kelly
12 points – Topps Now Colin Moran
14 points – Topps Now Jhoan Duran
16 points – Topps Now Rowdy Tellez
18 points – The Show pack
20 points – 500 stubs
24 points – Topps Now Patrick Mazeika

26 points – Topps Now Luis Barrera
28 points – Topps Now Gavin Lux
30 points – The Show pack
32 points – 500 stubs
36 points – Topps Now Brian Serven
38 points – Topps Now Rougned Odor
40 points – Topps Now Franchy Cordero
42 points – The Show pack (x2)
44 points – 1,000 stubs
46 points – Topps Now Matthew Liberatore

48 points – Topps Now Jake Burger
50 points – Topps Now Kyle Farmer
52 points – Topps Now Trent Grisham
54 points – The Show pack (x2)
56 points – 1,000 stubs
60 points – Ballin’ Is A Habit pack (x2)
64 points – Diamond stadium sound
65 points – Diamond bat skin
70 points – Monthly Awards choice pack (91 OVR)
- Monthly Awards Clay Holmes
- Monthly Awards Dansby Swanson
- Monthly Awards Daulton Varsho
- Monthly Awards Kole Calhoun
- Monthly Awards Martin Perez

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75 points – The Show pack
80 points – Monthly Awards choice pack (91 OVR)
85 points – 1,500 stubs
90 points – Ballin’ Is A Habit pack
95 points – Monthly Awards choice pack (91 OVR)
100 points – Big Dog Set 1 pack
105 points – The Show pack
110 points – Monthly Awards choice pack (93 OVR)
- Monthly Awards Jose Altuve
- Monthly Awards Pete Alonso
- Monthly Awards Tarik Skubal

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115 points – 1,500 stubs
120 points – Ballin’ Is A Habit pack
125 points – Monthly Awards choice pack (93 OVR)
130 points – Big Dog Set 2 pack
135 points – Headliners Set 18 pack
140 points – The Show pack (x5)
145 points – Boston Red Sox 1976 uniform
150 points – Topps Now Jim Rice

If we’re just comparing him to Andre Dawson from last month, you’re getting a much better hitter without some of the athleticism. They both bat from the right side and can play all three outfield positions, but Rice has a much more impressive hitting profile and relatively comparable fielding, but he’s much slower. Still, this looks like a player who might not be obsolete the moment he’s unlocked, which is sort of the problem some are having with Dawson already.