Cody Bellinger launched his first homer as a member of the Cubs on Monday, going 1-for-4 with a three-run jack and a walk against the Reds. Unfortunately for Chicago, Bellinger's bomb came in a losing effort as the team squandered his dinger in the top of the first by immediately yielding three runs in the bottom of the frame. The Cubs went on to lose 7-6 as Bellinger didn't do much else, adding a walk but stranding four runners on base. The four-bagger is Bellinger's only hit of the year so far as he's started the season in a 1-for-15 funk. The former MVP hasn't shown many signs of breaking out of his three-year-long funk dating back to 2020, so fantasy managers expecting a rebound from him should have him on a short leash. If he doesn't start producing soon, don't hesitate to cut ties with the slumping slugger.
Joey Gallo went yard again on Monday, going 1-for-3 with a three-run homer against the Marlins. Gallo went deep for the second straight day after blasting a pair of bombs on Sunday, pacing the Twins' 11-1 victory with his three-run jack in the top of the second off Johnny Cueto. That was his only hit of the game, of course, but he now has three taters and seven RBIs over his last two games after going 0-for-6 with four whiffs in his first two games. Such is the nature of Gallo, who is the ultimate feast-or-famine hitter. All four of his hits have gone for extra bases so far and he's off to a nice start with Minnesota after slumping to a .638 OPS last year. Perhaps the change of scenery is good for the former All-Star, who batted seventh on Monday and has a lot less pressure on him than he did in New York and Los Angeles. After managing just 19 home runs last year, it wouldn't be surprising to Gallo top 30 for the fourth time in his career if he stays healthy.
Gleyber Torres continued his torrid start to the season on Monday, going 2-for-2 with a homer, two runs, two RBIs, three walks and a stolen base against the Phillies. Torres filled the box score on Monday, but the highlight was clearly his 100th career home run in the bottom of the third off Taijuan Walker. Torres' big game helped lift the Yankees to an 8-1 win, improving their record to 3-1. Torres has played a big part in their fast start with two homers and three steals, showing off the blend of speed and power that produced 24 homers and 10 steals last year. With the bigger bases this year and increased base-stealing across the league, Torres could go 20/20 or perhaps even 30/30 for the first time in his career, which would make the former All-Star an elite fantasy option again.
Anthony DeSclafani enjoyed an ideal season debut on Monday, earning the win against the White Sox after tossing six scoreless innings with only three hits and no walks allowed. DeSclafani also struck out four while keeping Chicago off the scoreboard, throwing 47 of his 73 pitches for strikes. He likely could have gone deeper if needed, but San Francisco was already up 7-0 by that point so there was no need to extend him. The 32-year-old's season is off to a nice start after an injury-ravaged 2022 that saw him post a 6.63 ERA in just five starts. The victory was DeScalafani's first win since the 2021 campaign, when he went 13-7 with a 3.17 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP in 31 starts. Even if he's more of a .500 pitcher with a 4-ish ERA based on his track record, that would still be a solid season if he can stay healthy. Fire him up for a juicy home start against the Royals this weekend, which could yield similar results.
Drew Rasmussen dominated the Nationals in his season debut on Monday, firing six shutout innings and racking up seven strikeouts in a win. He allowed only two hits (both singles) and didn't walk anybody, throwing 50 of his 66 pitches for strikes in a highly efficient outing. Rasmussen had no problem carving up Washington's mediocre lineup, keeping Tampa Bay's undefeated record intact. The 27-year-old righty picked up right where he left off last year when he went 11-7 with a 2.84 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP in 28 starts. After beginning his career as a reliever in 2020 with the Brewers, Rasmussen has made the successful transition to starter, making it look easy. He only averaged 7.7 K/9 last year, however, so time will tell if he can increase that number this year as he did on Monday. He has another cushy matchup in his next start against the lowly A's at home this weekend, making him a must-start.
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