Matt Chapman, 3B, TOR
Chapman went 1 for 4 with a two-run double on Thursday afternoon. He has now hit in six of the seven games this season and produced multi-hit performances in four of those contests. Chapman's offensive production has been reduced to soley power (decent power at that) the past few seasons, but he has commited to using the whole field more so far in 2023 and it's paying off. The 29-year-old has posted identical 31.6% Pull% and 31.6% FB% so far this season, both of which are career-lows. The approach is hurting his power output of course (0 HR), but it's making him a much more productive hitter all around. Chapman is currently toting a ridiculous .523 wOBA and 247 wRC+. This kind of production won't last, but if he stays commited to the new approach, he should have a massive season batting in the middle of the Jays lineup.
Vladimir Guerrero JR., 1B, TOR
Vlad went 3 for 5 with a homer and two runs scored on Thursday afternoon in Kansas City. The 24-year-old slugger posted a near identical statline on Wednesday when he went 3 for 4 with a homer and two runs scored. After posting a career-low 8.2% BB% and career-high 34.2% O-Swing last season, Guerrero has started out the 2023 campaign with ridiculous patience and bat control. He currently owns a 21.9% O-Swing% and a 4.2% SwStr%, which has produced a career-high 14.7% BB% and career-low 2.9% K%. Pitchers are always going to approach the young slugger with the utmost of caution; so if he can keep this kind of plate discipline, he will be very successful. Vlad is slashing .407/.500/.667 with a .490 wOBA and 224 wRC+ in his 34 plate appearances thus far.
JD Davis, 3B, SFG
Davis hit his second homer in as many days and drove in five runs as part of a 3 for 6 day in Chicago. The 29-year-old is off to a nice start to the season, but as a third baseman, he doesn't warrant serious consideration in most fantasy formats. Davis has proven to be a decent hitter (career .265 avg, 118 wRC+) with solid on-base skills (career 10.1% BB%, .350 OBP) over the years, but his lack of durability and consistency are concerning. Davis has only played in more than 74 games twice in his six-year big league career, and only once has put up fantasy-worthy numbers (2019). And being a right-handed power hitter, playing in San Francisco is also a concern as Oracle Park is a tough park on hitters, particularly the right-handed power variety.
Kyle Freeland, SP, COL
Freeland hurled 5.2 innings of shutout ball against the Nationals on Thursday afternoon. He gave up four hits and two walks while striking out five in the contest. The Nationals are one of the worst offenses in baseball (28th wRC+ in 2023), but a shutout start in Colorado is no easy feat. Freeland is 2-0 and hasn't surrendered a run through his first two starts of the season...and yet he is available in 86.1% of ESPN leagues. He might be worth a look if you want to add a starting pitcher to your roster, however, it's far too early to start thinking that the 29-year-old has turned a corner. Freeland doesn't have strikeout ability (6.92 K/9 career, 4.26 K/9 in '23) and Coors Field (as you know) is as hitter-friendly as ball parks get. He will likely be affective here and there, as he has been in the past, but he will also have a plethora of blowup games at Coors that will ruin your pitching staff's week. Unless Freeland miraculously figures out how to sit down batters via the strikeout, I think he is too volatile to trust in most fantasy formats.
Adam Duvall, OF, BOS
Duvall continued his red-hot start to 2023 with a tie-breaking three-run home run on Thursday afternoon. He has three homers and 12 RBI thus far in his first season with the Red Sox. Duvall's heavy pull, heavy fly ball approach is a good fit with Fenway, but surprisingly, Thursday was Duvall's first game in his new home ballpark. His blistering start to the season is more noteable due to the bulk of the damage being done on the road; still, most of the 34-year-old's upside comes from playing in Boston. Duvall is currently sporting a 76.5% Pull% with a 47.1% FB% and 41.2% LD%; percentages that will play nicely with the Green Monster in left.
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