Miguel Cabrera, 1B (DET)
Miguel Cabrera joined the 500-home run club as its 28th member after taking a Steven Matz 85-mph changeup the opposite way, just over the right field fence. He is the ninth player in major league history with 500 home runs and a .300 career batting average. The future Hall of Famer hasn't been the same over the last five years, but his run of success from 2004-2016 cannot be overstated. He was one of the best players of his generation and arguably the best pure hitter for a good portion. He's the only Triple Crown winner since Yaz and one of the rare power hitters with a sub-20% strikeout rate. Cabrera doesn't offer much as a fantasy player in 2021, but he remains one of the best fantasy stalwarts of the last 20 years. Congratulations to an all-time great!
Framber Valdez, SP (HOU)
Valdez was dealt a no decision in spite of one of his best outings this season. He cruised through seven scoreless innings, allowing only three hits and one walk while striking out six before Houston's bullpen surrendered the lead Valdez left with. It was his second straight start allowing one walk, which is a major improvement after four starts with 16 walks combined. His strikeouts have been unimpressive this season as his velocity still hasn't reached the level it was at prior to the broken finger that cost him the first two months of the season. Yet his ERA continues to shine, dropping below 3.00 after Sunday's performance. Valdez finally has a respectable strand rate and a career-low 15% line drive rate. That low line drive rate coincides with a career-high 70% ground ball rate. The high percentage of ground balls explains how he's overcoming the moderate dip in velocity. His sinker is less effective at generating whiffs but even better at leading to the ball being hit on the ground. That approach works best for the young lefthander, a promising development heading into what is hopefully a full season in 2022.
Frankie Montas, SP (OAK)
Montas was excellent on Sunday, holding the Giants scoreless for seven innings on two hits and two walks while striking out nine, but he had to settle for a no decision when the A's bullpen blew the lead in the 8th inning. Montas flashed a little extra giddyup on his fastball, consistently hitting 97 miles per hour, even hitting 99 a couple times. He finished the game with a 35% CSW rate against a very disciplined offense. Montas lowered his ERA to 3.84 with Sunday's performance, but it would be 2.85 if you take out one horrific 8-run debacle at Texas on June 21. Other than that escapade, Montas has been fantastic this season and heads into 2022 as an SP2 with ace potential.
Jake Meyers, OF (HOU)
Meyers continued his hot streak with three hits, including a double, and an RBI in Sunday's loss against Seattle. The rookie outfielder has started 10 straight games for the Astros and has at least one hit in nine of those appearances. He has a .341 batting average and .273 ISO in 48 plate appearances for the Astros. While he possesses good speed, he only has one stolen base so far; however, if he continues to get on base at this clip there is a good chance he adds a few more steals. Of course, the likelihood Meyers continues to hit this well is low. He is boosted by a .429 BABIP, which is impossible to maintain, although his quality of contact is fantastic (92.7-mph avg exit velo, 52% hard-hit rate, 15% barrel rate). Meyer's excellent contact on batted balls overshadows a horrific 0.14 batting EYE. It's a small sample size, but it's important to note Meyers lit up AAA this season with a .343 average, 16 home runs and 10 stolen bases. His EYE was much better prior to his callup. The rookie is certainly worth a pickup in all leagues as his strong hitting could be a major boost over the final month.
Paul Sewald, RP (SEA)
Sewald picked up his eighth win with a scoreless inning in the 10th, prior to the Mariners scoring four runs in the top of the 11th. The 31-year-old reliever faced a bases-loaded jam with no outs, but struck out the next three batters to escape without damage. He has at least one strikeout in each of his last eight appearances, capitalizing on a 16% swinging strike rate while only allowing two walks in his last 20.1 innings. The newfound success coincides with a drastic improvement on his slider. He needs that secondary offering to take advantage of his highly effective fastball. Sewald is thriving in the Mariners' de facto closer position and making a case for the role in 2022.
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